Sacred Palace
Azami's POV
We exited Baal's dungeon rather quietly. It seemed like Judar wandered off somewhere. Furcas was reading the book beside me while I kept thinking about my next course and what I should do after battling all Sinbad's djinns. I was pulled out of my thoughts when the dungeon behind me sank.
"That's great. Baal is finally conquered." I held out my staff to use illusion once more to search for another dungeon. This time, I saw Aladdin, Setta, Hakuryuu and Alibaba. They were staring at the dungeon door Arba has opened up for them. The second dungeon housing the Spirit of Falsehood and Prestige, Valefor. I entered the dungeon after them and I was really lucky not to be noticed by any other members. What we saw in front of us were people of our height in a battle stance. More like, they were from different scenes.
"Can somebody please tell us what the freak is this stupid king up to?" Furcas asked. I shrugged my shoulders not knowing a thing. Then suddenly, a huge epitome of destiny in front of them was showed.
"What is that huge thing over there!?" Alibaba questioned. He was answered by a question from up above and when they looked up, it was the same 15-year old Sinbad. They were all shocked to see his humongous figure.
'Is this for real!?' I took in his features but he turned around to fight against 'destiny'. He turned around and smiled while welcoming them.
"Welcome! Valefor is the dungeon I conquered when I was fifteen years old! At that time, I was traveling around the world together with my friends in order to find my country. I conquered dungeons, formed alliances, and created a Trading Company. However, a strong enemy called 'destiny' stood in our way!" He stated. For him, destiny was irrational as it give people nothing but sin. Sin of evil schemes, forced labor, slavery, torture and many more. He blamed King Solomon for such destiny.
"What should we believe in, in such a world!? I will ask you this! In such an irrational world, what should we be distrustful of? What should we believe in? The Sinbad I, Valefor, have acknowledged. This is the conviction of falsehood and prestige!" He Djinn equipped to Valefor showing a man with Snow White hair, fox ears and nine tails, white cloth draped over his body, a bell on his stomach and the eye of the Rukh.
"Djinn Equip, Valefor." It was an interesting equip might I say. I saw Setta shift around, anxious about something. Alibaba was surprised by it but Hakuryuu stepped up and wished to fight him in exchange for answers if he win. Setta let out a gasp.
'I wonder if there is something wrong with Setta?'
"He's looking for you, Azami but guess what set him off." I looked over to the left to see a shadow of me wearing a horrible grin. My eyes widened at such act and I was right to know that Sinba fused my rukh to create a diversion. Setta clenched his staff tighter while I took the book from Furcas to see it there was some kind of magic like that. I could only guess that Arba and David helped him out.
"Aladdin! Look! It's Azami-nee!" Setta exclaimed. I was about to protest but thank Solomon that the blue haired magic stopped him in time. The shadow me was holding two swords deadly in the eyes. With a huff, Setta stepped forward and volunteered.
"Let me handle this one, Aladdin, Alibaba. Proceed to the next dungeon." He said. Hakuryuu told them the same thing and as reluctant as they were, they had to leave. I knew that the two had faith Setta and Hakuryuu. For now, I could only help Setta. It was Valefor who will test Hakuryuu.
'Wait. Test. That's right! I figured it out!' I turned to Furcas.
"I don't know if I'm right and I know that Aladdin and the others have already figured it out but I think, Sinbad's regret was that he didn't know if he was qualified to be a good and now, he's testing us to know if his beliefs will cross with ours or will diverge! But there is still something missing. Why does he want to know our own opinion?" I thought out loud but was pulled quickly when a loud crashing sound was heard. The battle between Zagan and Valefor has begun.
"Ugh! Damn fox monster!" Hakuryuu prepared his spear. Sinbad looked at him in the eye and was slightly amused that his opponent will be him for all of the king vessel he has met, Hakuryuu was by far, the one he had the least expectations of.
"He really likes riling people now doesn't he?" I asked Furcas. He nodded. I turned to Setta who prepared his staff out while the shadow me just stood there, smiling creepily. The first one to attack was Shadow (how original). Setta dodged her swords in time but she grabbed his foot and slammed him down on the floor. Setta struggled to stand up from the impact and I could tell that it really hurt him (no kidding!).
"Thalg Al-Salos!" Huge ice shards appeared and attacked her but she deflected it with her Borg. I was flabbergasted once more at how Sinbad, Arba and David spent time to make that body. There were still a few shards flying towards her so I took out my staff and redirected a few of the shard towards her arms and feet. I could see the confusion on his face but instead of going on about it, he attacked. Shadow snarled in anger, I would too but that was my irrational part.
"You should not help them, Azami. Or should I say him. This is their test and it would be better if you'll just stay out of their way." Furcas said. I stopped before retreating back. Setta used his ice magic to freeze Shadow and then kicked it harshly. It slid down towards the small people before us. Shadow snarled and fired fire that hit his ankle. He hissed in pain but quickly used magic to heal it. The battle then soon, turned into a hand-to-hand combat. Since David and the others have used my rukh, it only meant that it had a strong touch to hand-to-hand combat. I could see that Setta was having some difficult time fighting against her. Suddenly, Shadow smirked and said, "You're still the weak Setta I knew. You couldn't do anything without your big sister. Don't you, crybaby?"
"Shut up. You're not her!"
"Oh dear~ You're mistaken. I am her though in literal terms, I am her shadow. I possess all the negative thoughts and emotions she has. Isn't it nice? To hear such degrading words from your big sister? Face it, Setta! You're not strong enough to protect her." She was smiling at him bitterly. Setta wavered and I knew that he was thinking that it was his fault these all happened to me. I want to tell him that it was my choice but Furcas stopped me.
"Don't. Setta needs this. He needs to learn to live without you, your guidance and your love. This is a cruel world, Azami. If Setta breaks down so easily, then it will all end for him in this world."
Pursing my lip tightly, I watched as Shadow taunts Setta. I could see him shake in anger and sadness.
"Setta..."
"I-I know that I've been living in my sister's shadow for a long time. I know that I'm not strong enough but it doesn't mean that I will give up so easily! I am Setta, an Ice Magician and I will defeat you! You may be my sister's shadow but I know that she loves me and even if she's not here, I know that she's looking after me!"
"I am looking at you!" Shadow laughed. Setta took a deep breath before preparing for another spell. He used a fire magic to deal damage and it hit her square in the stomach. The wound was deep but it did not mean that Shadow was about to give up.
"You don't know how to live out of your sister's shadow that's why you're saying her aren't you? That's why you're here? Not for this world."
"You're wrong. I am here because my sister entrusted this world to me and in hopes of that, I am looking for her because you will not be created if it weren't for her rukh." He replied. Shadow gave him a smile.
"You still need to grow, Setta. That is why you're still weak. Weaker than the weakest." She used her staff to bring forth water and attack him. Luckily, Setta froze it and used it against her by the spell Thalg Thalgeyya.
"No. I am not weak. You're the weak one because you use others' weakness to hide your own. Azami-nee tries to show that she's strong but in the end, she is weak but has a strong and determined will. That is your difference!" Shadow grinned and stood in a stance to form a destruction magic. I was not worried because I have faith in him.
"Almawt Aljalid!" Their magic clashed against each other and at first, Shadow was getting the upper hand but Setta wasn't one to back down.
"HAAAAAAAHHHH!!"
"TAKE THIS!!"
An explosion occurred that made everyone turn their heads to Setta. Hakuryuu and Sinbad were astonished to see Setta standing in victor. Ice covered Shadow and he took it down with wind magic. The rukh within shadow disseminate and the rukh returned to the Great Flow of the Rukh.
'Where I'll return soon.' I smiled bitterly at the thought. Setta slumped on the floor and rested. Sinbad and Hakuryuu, on the other hand, were in the middle of their heated talk. I noticed it just now but Hakuryuu changed equip to Belial. It gave him a slight upper hand against the Ice Djinn. Valefor, in Sinbad's body, asked Hakuryuu to tell him his answer.
"You have to find an answer to the trial I proposed to you. However, destiny toyed with you the most amongst the King Vessel. More like crushed you. I don't think you'll be able to tell Valefor an answer."
"What did you say?"
Sinbad opened his palm and an image of Kou Empire during the war appeared. There were desperate look on people's face and I guess it was really tough for them. Sinbad reminds him of his mistakes and sacrifices made. I knew that Sinbad was manipulative but I wondered what Hakuryuu will take.
"Your misfortune was caused by Solomon's arrogance! In this world, bad faith falls upon those who didn't sin and despairs in this irrational world!" I clenched my hands tighter and watched the scene before me unfold. They were always blaming Solomon for his mistake. Everyone makes mistake. Why can't they get that? Why are they so hard-headed? Why blame it to him? He was human just like us! He didn't even choose that path yet he had to!
"Azami. Let's get out of here and proceed to the next dungeon." I nodded.
Valefor's Dungeon
3rd POV
"I want to change the world! I want to bless those who make sacrifices and give punishment to the wicked. We should create such a just world! Don't you agree!?" He exclaimed. Hakuryuu asked, "A just world you say?" Sinbad just smirked and asked once more what to be distrustful of this irrational world that made him acknowledge the purple haired king as his conqueror. Hakuryuu sighed and took his choice. He slashed his self in the image and looked at him in the eye.
"I will give you the power of each kings! With this power, you will fight against destiny!" Hakuryuu proclaimed. An image of Kogyouku appeared to take the throne. She grew into a large image of her self and expressed her desire to fight against the new war. Sinbad was not amused by how things were going.
"What are you doing?"
"I have yielded my position as the emperor to my sister. It's true that I'm a broke king vessel. However, if I combine my strength with that of others, we can support each other and rebuild the country we love. I am happy that I did such thing. Besides, you never trusted your power to others. You only trusted yourself, right? That's why you assumed that huge appearance." That took Sinbad gapping. He continued to talk about his sister, the world and sharing responsibilities with others. Sinbad stared at him and asked if that was his answer.
"You're asking me if what I should believe in? You should believe in the people beside you! Because the Hingis you believe to be right will change many times through out your life. That's a difficult thing to admit." The black haired conqueror smirked. Sinbad smiled.
"I understand you, Hakuryuu. We really are incompatible after all. But wouldn't the king be abandoning his responsibilities? The king decided what is right and has to lead the way for his people. If the king wavers, others will lose their way and things will fall apart."
Hakuryuu contradicted him and asked what if the king's thoughts were not rightful at all. Sinbad was confused and he then elaborated it by letting his country be an example. He told that that he used to think that revenge was always the answer to his problem but when it was finally fulfilled, he lost his way.
"What about you, Sinbad? Can you say that what you think right now will never change? Aren't you worried that your path might change? Or by becoming god, are you free from such worries? Instead, that is what I want to ask. Tell me, King Sinbad." Hakuryuu demanded. Sinbad was silent for a while but an irk mark could be seen.
"Hakuryuu. I called you here to ask to ask a question! What insolence to answer my question with your own!" He pointed at him. Hakuryuu laughed before apologizing.
"I believe in myself. I set out to rid this world of war and I exactly did that. I have pride that I could do that which others could not. From long ago, I could see it. What is it I should do?"
"Destiny?"
"Yeah! I was convinced by after Aladdin showed us the fate of Alma Torran. The existence of fate." Sinbad grinned. Hakuryuu stood his guard down.
"So you don't believe in anyone but yourself?"
"No, no. I believe in my friends."
"But you think that they're weak, smaller than your existence, right? Like Azami-dono said, you don't like sharing burden to others that you shoulder everything." That shut him up. Sinbad had this contemplating face before saying that it did not mean that he did not believe in his friends. Like what Judar said, everybody had their own roles, that they have different capabilities suitable for another role. Hakuryuu was surprised that Judar said that.
"Just like you weren't suitable to be an emperor, Hakuryuu."
"That's right."
Sinbad exclaimed that there are prices for failures and that he could not ignore that. He even spewed things about eliminating borders between countries, consolidating the world's power and all. Hakuryuu countered it that power should be shared. Sinbad was gave him an incredulous look and inquired if he was doubting him. The look on Hakuryuu's face answered him.
"I can't do that."
"Why?"
"Because there is no one else I can share the power of God with. Besides me, there is no one else that can lead the world in a good direction." Sinbad stared at him with diction but Hakuryuu told him that there will be people who will be greater than him. Who have a good sense of rationality.
"How about Azami? I heard that you were chasing after her."
"That I was but she was under Solomon's influence and I couldn't change her rukh. It was saddening. She was lovely. Although she may posses wisdom, she was impotent." Sinbad simply answered. Hakuryuu glared at the man and asked him if there were not really human who were better than the purple haired king. Sinbad gave him a smile and answered his question. Hakuryuu' eyes widened at the answer and Valefor let out his power. Hakuryuu questioning him was enough since Sinbad would always love to get things head on.
"So that was it after all."
Sacred Palace
Azami
Azami took her pace faster before entering another dungeon. It was Crocell's. Unlike the others, Sinbad was not expecting her. Furcas glared at the djinn and she sweatdropped at their glaring competition.
'Were they really against each other?'
"Well, well. I wasn't expecting this surprise. How wonderful, Azami. How did you escape the darkness?" He inquired.
"That is for me to know and for you to find out, Sinbad. Now, do I have to fight you or just answer ridiculous questions?" She asked. He laughed at her audacity before giving her a creepy smile.
"We will play a game."
=END=