Chapter 33

Dawn of Glory [the half-breed]



Chapter: Thirty-three



Theme; The fatal clash



Flashback to a few days ago. (After the incident at Moab)



"Ariel, can I see you for a few minutes?" Jerushah asked. "It's important, and you will need it." Jerushah states emphatically.



Ariel took a brief pause in her step, then faced Jerushah. "Should I take her along, or is it private?" She asked, her gaze now resting on Joy.



"It doesn't concern her," Jerushah insisted, with a strong tone. "Follow me!" She simply said and walked toward a huge tree that was a few metres away.



"I'm here," Ariel said. "Please, be quick so they won't give us a suspicious look."



"It's about the half-breed," Jerushah said with a melancholy tone. Seeing the sad look on her face, Ariel knew instantly that it was something important. "If care is not taken, she will fail in her mission. And once she fails, there's no hope for the middle land again."



"Can you clarify this?" Ariel asked impatiently. "Stop speaking in parables and go straight to the point."



"She will die!" Jerushah, daughter of Zodak, said. "I don't know how it will happen, but she will die on her quest. The book of the undead is no longer in this universe again. Whether you like it or not, she will travel to the realm where the book is located, and she will be killed there." Jerushah elaborated, and Ariel gasped in shock.



"How did you know all this?" Ariel asked, still trying hard to believe what Jerushah was saying. "Please, she mustn't die. You know, she's the only hope we have."





"According to what I saw, she will embark on a mission in her subconscious. You will be too distracted to protect her, and the descendant of the moon goddess won't be available to help her." Jerushah said. She pauses and stares directly into Ariel's eyes. "It's either she's killed by Lord Darius, or she failed in her subconscious world."



"We mustn't let that happen, please," Ariel pleaded, with tears in her eyes. "If you prophesy this vision, then there must be something to do. Just like you evade this, I'm sure you can help." Ariel replied confidently while staring directly into Jerushah's eyes.



"Yes, there is something we can do, but it's risky and we might not succeed," Jerushah said.



"What's it?" Ariel asked with curiosity.



"For centuries, people believed that the terror ring could only be used to rule, but it isn't. Each ring is also a portal to another dimension. It can open a portal to thousands of realms. The problem is that each ring can only work once."



"That means we can use the ring to summon help from the Olympian gods, doesn't it?" Ariel asked, and Jerushah nodded her head.



"But it has a great impact. Once you open the portal to any dimension, it will awaken the army of Lebanon, and that will be Lord Darius' advantage." Jerushah clarified.



"Once it saves the half-breed and opens the portal, then everything is fine," Ariel replied nonchalantly. "What is the ritual needed?"



"It doesn't require any ritual, but a scarlet power. It will nourish and absorb your power." Jerushah replied, and Ariel furrowed her brow in confusion.



"I don't get what you are trying to tell me," she said. "You mean my scarlet power?" She asked in confusion. 



"That means I will sacrifice my power to open the portal. Isn't that what you are trying to say?" 



"Yes," Jerushah replied. "Because the ring was forged from the doom's scarlet fire, it will consume your scarlet power, open the portal, and destroy the ring at the same time." Jerushah elucidated.



"If it's the only way to avert the half-breed's death, then I'm ready to sacrifice it. Even if it will cost my life." Ariel said without caring.



"It seems like you don't get it," Jerushah continued. "Even if you open the portal to Olympus and you manage to stop Lord Darius from killing her. What about the army of Lebanon? There's a possibility that she wouldn't even survive the mission in her subconscious."



"If I may ask, what's her subconscious mission all about?" Ariel implored.



"It's about the book of the undead," Jerushah replied. "Since the book has been destroyed by Lord Darius, it can only be found in a realm beyond human reach. That's the ancient world. It's where she will battle with the first and second half-breed."



"What did you mean by fighting against the previous half-breed? I thought they were dead." Ariel asked in turmoil.



"Yes, you are right," Jerushah said. "Those beings are dead, but their spirits are still alive. They possessed Joy the first day she activated the Cad'Hor power. Since then, they have been fighting for their way out. Once they take over, they will return for retribution, and nobody will be saved."



"Why would those people fight to be alive again?" Ariel asked, bewildered. 



Everything Jerushah was saying seemed to be stunning her more, and she could feel her head spinning due to all the messages she was hearing.



"That's because they were betrayed in their previous life. Only after she defeats them will she be able to remove the impediment that was preventing her from using her power. Then she will automatically know everything that was written inside the undead book." Jerushah continues. "After that, you will be able to conquer Lord Darius," Jerushah concluded and walked away, leaving Ariel motionless in the same spot.



"One more question, please," Ariel said while trying to catch up with her. "How will I know when all this is about to happen? What would be the sign?"



"When the time is ripe, the earth will consume blood. Many will be killed, and nature will feel the heat. It will occur when you least expect it, and you will be trapped. That means you won't be able to help." Jerushah simply said, and replaced the straight look on her face with a smile, as if she hadn't said anything important.



Ariel watches as Jerushah joins his servant, Jotham, without sparing her a glance. Without being told, she knew the fate of the half-breed and the middle land that is now resting on her shoulder. 



Nonetheless, she wasn't ready to give up. She was a goddess, and she had been through the worst. 



She had been to the underworld of Thanatos and fought with Medusa Gorgon and the king of Mordor. She's a scythe-meister, and she was ready to sacrifice her life to protect the half-breed. just like her mom did to protect her.



Now, *******



The twilight dust filled her nostrils, and that forced it down her oesophagus. She sneezed thrice, and her eyes were forced open due to the violent wind. 



Slowly, she started to raise her head, and the wind hit her back again. That made her cough up dust and sneeze multiple times.



She felt so weak, vulnerable, and useless. She tried placing her hand on the ground to support her body, but it was null. It was like her hand wasn't there. She couldn't feel any of her strength. Worst of all, she was sitting down in a stack of dust. Not just any dust, it's the combination of silicon and coal dust.



She was sure of it, and she could tell from the scent and colour of the dust. The silicon dust is almost pure quartz black sand. The coal dust is deep and intriguing, the perfect rich grey to compliment the earth. Both grains of sand stretched as far as her eyes could see. She knew this was desert land. 



How did she get here? What was she doing here? Where are the rest of her crew? What is the name of this strange and ancient place? She couldn't tell. All she knew was that this was a place for evil. 



She could tell from the combination of the two strange grains of sand, the scent, and the evil aura that was radiating in the desert.



The sky was neither bright nor dark; it was blood blushing. She could feel the presence of evil on the land. She could also feel it from the strange whirlwind that was blowing across the whole place. The sight alone sent a cold shiver down her spine. 



Like the primordial dwarfism that hadn't seen light for centuries, the wind hit her face again, and she gritted her teeth as the coldness of the gloomy desert ran down her body. That's when she discovered that she was just wearing a black singlet and long black leggings. 



"Perhaps, this is the underworld." She thought to herself while taking in her appearance.



"Hell No!" She thought again. "This isn't the underworld. It's just an unknown place." 



A mystery desert that was supposed to be hot, but cold.



Taking a deep breath, she gathered all the strength in her and dragged her body up. She could hear all the bones in her body making a cracking sound. Just like it always did whenever she lost a bone or when her mom was helping her to span her bones.



At the thought of that, Joy missed her mom. She missed her more than anything in the universe. 



She felt something licking the back of her leg, and she jumped back in fear. She looked down, and it was her dog. Bingo was right here with her in this strange glomming desert with a bloody sky.



That's when her memory started processing everything from the beginning. The fight with Lord Darius on the Hill of Stretch, how a strange man with a hood appeared and saved him. 



She could remember the journey to the purple dragon villa and the bloodstained scene she witnessed. She could remember Joel and how he had betrayed her. 



She scrutinised the whole desert again with the hope of seeing Dan or Mrs Sandra. However, she was met with nothing but the void and the whirlwind that was blowing in the desert.



"Dan," she called out, her voice barely more than a whisper. She takes a deep breath, clears her throat, and gathers some strength in her voice. "Dan, Mrs Sandra, where are you?"



Joy stood for some seconds, her ears scanning the whole desert like an antenna that's looking for a signal, while her mind was throbbing in anticipation of a reply or any sound. 



However, Joy was met with nothing but the whistling of the wind. It was like they were mocking her.



Joy could hear what they were saying. It was like they were telling her that this was the end of her life. 



Hearing the whinnying of her dog again, Joy squatted down and picked the dog up. Joy knew she was supposed to be inside the purple dragon queen palace. But, he was somewhere else. A place without any partners except her dog. 



That could only mean one thing. She was stuck somewhere between her physical realm and the void realm. It was her subconscious mind, just like Mrs Sandra had done when she was about to retrieve the blood sword. 



Instantly, Joy knew she must find her way out or she would be held here forever.



"Bingo," Joy said while ruffling the hair of her dog, and the latter licked her cheek in return. "You know we are stuck, aren't we?" 



She could hear the dog letting out a melancholy whine. She took that as a sign that her partner could understand her. 



"I'm sure you know that we are on a quest, don't you?" She continued. 



"We must find a way out of this strange realm, and you are the only one that can help. Bingo, let's do this together." Joy concluded and ruffled the dog's hair, which had now turned grey due to the dust.



Slowly, she placed the dog down, and the latter leapt up happily. The dog looked left and right, front and back before it sniffed in the dust. Finally, the dog raced in the south direction. 



Trusting in the instinct of her dog that she would never lead her in the wrong direction, Joy dashed after her dog.