*Unedited*
-------------------------------------------------------
"I'm going to be brave like Cam..."
Fabian let out a groan as he watched the blonde take a deep breath before stepping forward on the square Joy had told her to do. All of them waiting for the Jackals to move to decide the fate of the girls who shared a square together.
With a scream the two girls on the square found themselves thrust into the darkness below leaving Joy looking devastated as Fabian shouted after the girls knowing there was nothing he could do at that current moment. "NO!"
₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪
Nina looked to Alfie who was still sat next to a clearly dying Camilla as they heard screams growing nearer and nearer. "What...??" Alfie questioned but before Nina could even guess Patricia and Amber dropped into their room. Clearly, they had both been taken by a Jackal during the game.
"Alfie!!!" Amber screamed the moment she got to her feet the boy scrambling to his feet and gathering the girl into his arms. He was very glad to see her at that moment.
"I've missed you too Ambs." He mumbled into her shoulder allowing himself a moment of happiness before he went back to worrying about Camilla.
Patricia rushed to Nina and hugged her before looking to Camilla who was curled up on boxes looking worse than they had ever seen her. Amber let out a small scream before rushing to her best friends' side, pushing some hair from her head as she blinked back tears.
"What's wrong with her?!" Patricia demanded of Nina as she watched Alfie take his place by Camilla taking her hand again as Amber fussed over the girl from the opposite side.
Nina bit her lip before answering, "She agreed to have her magic sapped so the game would be easier... If we don't win then goodbye Camilla."
"WHAT?!" both girls shouted before looking to Camilla as she let out a whimper of pain.
Nina and Alfie simply nodded their heads sadly. Amber got to her feet to give Nina a hug pulling back with a disgusted look on her face, "Nim I say this with love but you really need a shower..."
"honestly it is something I am so looking forward too once I get out of here..." Nina told the girl before she looked to Camilla, "once we all get out of here."
Patricia smiled at Nina and put an arm around her, "Well surprise! The Calvary is here! we have everything under control... really! For sure!"
Nina glanced to Alfie to see he wasn't paying much attention to Patricia anymore muttering to Camilla she needed to keep her eyes open, she couldn't give up on them now. Patricia's words gave Nina a little hope but she just wished she could tell Fabian to hurry up with his game because she didn't know how long left Camilla could keep fighting. The girl was fading and fast.
₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪
The moment the two girls fell out of sight Joy scrambled down from the throne to look at Fabian, the hand around her phone shaking in fear. She knew they had to complete the task but how could she do it knowing she had lost two of her friends in doing so. "What's the point of asking for my help if you're not going to listen to me?!" she asked Fabian. In the shock of losing her friends, she knew she was turning on him.
Fabian was more than happy to let out his frustrations back looking to the girl, "I got it wrong okay!" he shouted at her.
"Wrong?!" Joy scoffed looking at him in amazement and disbelief, "Fabian, this isn't chess. If we make a mistake someone falls through the floor!"
Fabian spluttered at the girl in disbelief, did she really think he didn't know the stakes! His own twin sister was taken for gods sakes! Why do you think he was so motivated to win the bloody task in the first place?! He needed Camilla back! "you do really think I don't know that!" he countered looking at the girl, "I know it better than anyone Joy! I lost Camilla to this task! I feel bad enough as it is, we've lost Nina, Alfie, Amber and Patricia."
"Yeah... you should." Joy countered in a bitter tone causing Fabian's face to fall at her words. He was blaming himself for them being taken the last thing he needed was someone confirming that it was in fact his fault they were taken. "no one them signed up for this! even Victor chickened out when he figured out the stakes of this bloody game!" Joy shouted at him.
"NO!" Fabian interrupted, "who knows what would have happened if we'd have done my move!"
"That was a worst-case scenario!" Joy told him quietly, "but we are now down two players and all I am left with is a bitter one!"
"you don't always have to be right," Fabian argued. "make everyone's lives miserable, and do you know why? Because you have turned into a bully! A control freak who hates change!"
Joy blinked and looked at Fabian, "oh yea..." she whispered, "well you're a geek and a coward. At least your sister has the guts to fight for what she believes in, taking the fall for Nina and to fight for her friends even if no one else believes her."
"You're an utter bitch!"
"Well, you're a hopeless Doormat!"
Fabian's eyes widened as Joy used similar words Camilla had once teasingly used on him when their only real issue was Fabian's failing love life. He looked away from Joy fighting back tears, he was no good at this leadership thing... he needed Camilla by his side.
At that moment he was just a boy who missed and needed his twin sister.
Joy watched Fabian as emotions flitted across his face before the boy looked away bringing his sleeve up to wipe tears from his eyes.
"What do we do now?" she asked in a quiet but determined voice.
"I don't know," Fabian answered his voice cracking a little. He was completely at a loss at what to do at that moment. He glanced to the rest of the board before taking a shaky breath. They didn't have any time left. They had to complete this task. "we honestly don't have much of a choice though, do we?" he glanced to Joy who was fearfully looking at the board. "Joy..." he said softly, "I'm sorry,"
Joy nodded her head slightly before taking a deep breath, "let's do this Fabs." She told him with a confident smile before turning and scrambling back up onto the throne. Fabian turning around to face the mask.
They could do this. They would win this game. They would get their friends back. He would get Camilla back.
Fabian was moved a few more places moving Joy's instructions to the number until he finally was facing the Victor Jackal.
"Okay... we are getting somewhere..." he mumbled eyeing the statue in caution before turning to face Joy.
"easy there, Indiana...." Joy mumbled as she too looked to the Victor Jackal in worry. "the next move will have you land on one of those danger squares by Victor..."
"I thought you had it figured out," Fabian asked her.
"it was a hunch," Joy shrugged slightly before her voice hitched and got higher as she kept talking, the fear of losing Fabian and losing the game overwhelming her all at once, "that's all... his movements could be random and almost impossible to predict."
Fabian looked at Joy with a calm collected air to him. As if the panic in her had caused him to see straight, to be rational. "Joy... go on, I believe you can do this."
Joy shook her head in distress, "what if I'm wrong?" she asked the boy her voice trembling.
"Hey... you've got me all this way," Fabian told her encouragingly, "you are good at this."
Joy let out a shaky laugh the encouragement greatly needed.
"Now..." Fabian turned to look at the Victor Jackal. "okay, tell me the moves you have planned. I won't move just tell me them." He said turning back to Joy.
"one forward, two right and then one forward." Joy told him simply the boy looking at the squares it would take him to beside Victor but also one step off the board so, in theory, it would mean they would win the game.
Fabian took a deep breath; the mantra Amber had spoken aloud circling in his mind.
"I'm going to be brave... like Cam..."
In a second, he stepped forward moving forward, two right and another step forward much to the dismay of Joy who let out a shout as Fabian moved. Both teens turned to watch the Jackal next to Fabian move holding their breath. However, the Jackal moved passed Fabian. He was free...
They had won the game!
Fabian took a triumphant step forward to the other side of the board and turned just in time to see the Jackals re-set to their default before disappearing into a purple void below one by one a smile growing on his face as he watched them leave.
"YES!" Fabian let out a triumphant cry.
Joy letting out a shocked whimper rushing across the now safe board to hit Fabian hard on his arm causing the boy to rub the place and look at her in confusion. "you promised you wouldn't move!" she screamed at him though the smile on her face told Fabian she wasn't really mad at him.
"Well one of us had to trust you!" Fabian told her teasingly as he rubbed his arm, "and it wasn't going to be you!"
Joy burst out laughing at the boy's sass causing Fabian to join in too.
"You know," he told her softly, "you were right... I have been, a coward..."
"no... no... you were really brave," Joy started looking at the now empty board.
"no..." Fabian shook his head before looking at her, "I don't mean about the game..." at Fabian's words Joy turned around to look him in the eye. "I mean with us..." he breathed.
Joy sent him a small smile, "it's okay, I think I've known for a while I missed my window, but a girl can hope." She told him before holding out her hand to him. "Friends." She said simply.
Fabian sent her a bemused smile before taking her hand and shaking it, "friends." He repeated before pulling her in for a hug glad he finally had Joy back in his life without any of the weirdness that the last year had come with. Who knew it would involve a deadly game of Senet to get them to this point?
"Fabs, look..." Joy whispered as she looked over his shoulder to see a small tray coming from under the mask. Fabian and Joy rushed over to it.
The tray had red velvet and on it, two keys were sunken into it. One key was golden, magical and new and one was old, unassuming and rusty. Below the keys, a metal plaque was nailed to the tray.
"the glittering prize..." Fabian read.
"The key to the mask..." Joy whispered looking at the golden key.
"or Our fallen friends." Fabian continued to read, looking at the unassuming key with a smile. "this must be the key to where Camilla and the other's are."
Joy nodded her head a smile creeping onto her face as she lifted the golden key before watching Fabian try and fail to pick up the rusty key but it wouldn't budge.
"WAIT!" Fabian shouted as Joy went to open the mask's box stopping the girl in her tracks. Joy turned back to watch Fabian as he struggled to pick up the rusty key. "I can't get this key out...." He told her, "eh, it must be a choice. The mask or our people."
"What?"
"what if we can't have both keys... we need to choose one," Fabian explained simply.
"what do you mean?"
"between saving our friends or getting the mask." Fabian put it simply looking to Joy. "its an easy choice. We have to save our people! So put that one back." He ordered looking to the key in Joy's hand.
Joy nodded her head and put the golden key back onto the tray, watching as Fabian easily lifted the unassuming key lifting it to the light to see. They needed their friends more than any mask. As they lifted the key a door clicked open and the pair turned to see a tunnel, it was time for them to save their friends.
"Come on!" Joy grabbed Fabian's arm and the two hurried off down the new tunnel with excitement.
₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪
Within the small room, Amber was by Camilla's head as her hand fell limp in Alfie's grip causing the boy to look to the girl in alarm.
"Don't close your eyes, please don't close your eyes!" Amber begged Camilla as the girl's breath weakened.
Amber glancing around at Nina tears shining in her eyes until suddenly Camilla sat up with a gasp, "They won..." Camilla gasped to the surprise of all the Sibuna's.
"W-what..." Nina stuttered in surprise rushing over to Camilla who had suddenly come back from almost death with a surprise.
Camilla looked up at the girl with a weak smile, she might not have all her energy back but she could feel her powers as they came back to her like a warm embrace. Her brother had done it. He had won Senet. Now they just needed to wait for him to let them out.
Before anyone could say anything there was some kind of clicking sound and they all turned around to the back wall to see a door lock magically appear on it. Alfie helping Camilla get to her feet as with a scrap a stone door swung open to reveal Joy and Fabian standing on the other side looking into the room. They were all finally free.
"Fabian!" Nina launched herself into Fabian's arms the second she could, Patricia quickly following as the girl pulled Joy into a hug.
Nina let go of Fabian and the boy finally got a glimpse of his sister who was leaning on Alfie for support a single tear dropping from her right eye as she saw Fabian.
"You are so stupid." He told her in a thick voice full of emotion causing Camilla to let out a watery chuckle as she took to staggering steps towards him only for Fabian to rush forward and gather his sister in his arms before her legs gave in. The moment she was safe in her big brother's arms Camilla finally let her emotions out. She had almost died in order to help her brother save them all, knowing he would, and here he was... saving them all. "Shhh," Fabian comforted her whispering in her ear as he pulled her into a tighter hug that Camilla recuperated. "it's alright. I'm here. I'm right here."
"I love you," Camilla whispered into his neck.
"I love you too," Fabian replied instantly in the same soft tone, a twin moment between them before he let his sister go but kept an arm around her seeing her weakened state.
"What took you guys so long?" Patricia teased as Nina looked to Joy with a curious glance not wanting to break the sibling's moment.
"I knew you could do it!" Camilla told Fabian with a bright smile.
"we wouldn't have been able to anything if it wasn't for Joy!" Fabian spoke causing Nina's curious glance to the girl, turn into one of surprise. "she's been utterly amazing."
"I'm glad to know you care about something; even if you are an emotionless bitch the rest of the time..." Nina spoke before she could stop herself.
"I guess I deserved that..." Joy said with a smile, both girls knowing that their feud over Fabian was over.
"Well, Joy and Camilla... she let her magic be sapped so the task was easier," Amber told the pair causing Camilla to sent Amber a look.
"Not helpful Ambs," Camilla grumbled.
"You did what...?" Fabian whispered in an anxious tone.
"Later," Camilla told her brother with a weak smile.
"Guys! The mask we need to go get it!" Nina turned to look at them with a frantic look in her eye only to see Joy and Fabian look to one another in guilt.
"Eh..." Fabian started looking down at the key in his hand before he glanced to Nina as he shifted his arm so he was supporting Camilla even more, "the mask is still locked away."
Nina sent him a questioning look demanding answers.
Fabian raised the key so she could see it, "we had to make a choice." As he finished, he glanced to his sister who was leaning her head against his shoulder eyes closing as she felt peace for the first time in days.
They had to choose between the mask and their friends and Camilla would always be Fabian's choice at the end of the day. Everyone in the room knew as much. Their bond meant far more than any ancient mask or scary spirit would ever do.
₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪
The library secret door swung open and one by one the Sibuna's all trooped from the tunnels, Camilla being helped out by her brother though the girl was weak at that moment they all knew after a few nights sleep and a decent few meals she'd be back to normal in no time.
"Okay everyone," Nina looked around at them all in excitement, "first I think I should go see gran, then we will find a way to open that case."
"Maybe we should shower first..." Camilla mumbled through a yawn, causing Amber to nod her head in agreement with Camilla causing them all to laugh as they scarpered from the library. All of them missing the lurking adults on the top floor who had witnessed them sneaking up from the tunnels, having won back their friends.
"They must have completed the game," Victor said his eyes focusing on Camilla a small smile on his face. Fabian was the only person who would fight hard enough to get the girl back from Robert. The Frobisher–Smythe man would never have anticipated a force as strong as the pair.
"Yes... but, where's the mask!" Vera's hushed question caused Victor to roll his eyes at the woman. The kids were safe which was a cause of celebration and her only priority was The Mask. Victor gave her a withering look before rushing to the stairs, they needed to get all the information they could before establishing what to do next.
Vera ran straight to the mask the moment they got to the task area, taking her heel off and got ready to strike the glass. "we need to break this glass."
"I do not think it is that simple." Victor spoke as he walked towards the mask too, "do you really think Miss Martin or Camilla wouldn't have tried something like that?" he pushed the woman out of the way and turned so he was protecting the mask from the woman. "I'll take this from here I think." He told her vaguely. "the students will be returning to the house, I think it be best we return to our normality, so they do not become suspicious."
"But Vic-"
"I SAID LEAVE ME!"
Vera looked at the man before scarpering away knowing she had finally pushed her luck with the man.
₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪
Victor decided to look more into Vera, knowing now Camilla was back the girl wouldn't take any more shit from the woman and it was about time he publicly stood behind his Protector. In order to do so, he had snuck up to the woman's room in the attic of Anubis house. He looked around the room with a calculating eye before moving over to the woman's bed, picking up a notebook from the table beside it and flicking through it quickly seeing nothing of real use inside it. From behind him, a phone started to ring loudly. Victor looked around and noticed it was the mobile that Vera normally never let out of her sight or let anyone touch. He glanced at the closed door for a second before picking up the phone in curiosity ... "R. Zeno." He read the caller ID, eye-widening as he realised what that meant. "Rufus!" he hissed.
Camilla had been right all along. Vera couldn't be trusted she was working with Rufus, and if the children's cries from the weeks before had been correct the man wanted Camilla for a reason Victor instantly knew. He wanted to drain the girl of her power so he'd be the most powerful and the destiny of the three would not come to play. The next great dynasty would not come to the earth.
Victor glanced at the phone before throwing it against the mirror in Vera's room in anger. How could he be so stupid to follow the woman around and let her sway him when Camilla had been telling him from the start just how terrible she was. Victor looked at himself in the broken fragments of the mirror. It was time he stood with Camilla. A Guardian and Protector standing as one. Rufus and Vera wouldn't know what hit them.
-----------------------------------------------------
Last chapter of the week! Next week I'm gonna get us to the end I've decided - how crazy is it we're almost done 😱
Fav, Comment and Share
Love ya
Sarah xxx