Desert Palace

Legend has it that, the one who enters the Desert Palace, will never return empty handed…. but at a hefty price

And Raelin had paid that price: her father's soul. She trudged those desert lands again, to set right that very math.

“Are you sure about this, princess?”, the chief guard, treading alongside her, asked.

“We do not have other options, Makaél. This is our only way” replied Raelin.

“Some of us would like to differ with that opinion” stated the chief.

Raelin smiled. Her people, including the army Chieftain, somehow still saw the gentility in her, that had long been lost. But she knew otherwise and she knew her people deserved better.

“Father was a great ruler, Makaél. No one can step into his shoes”, she politely answered him, silently warning, not to prod the topic further. But Makaél wouldn't heed.

“Again princess, there are few who wouldn't agree. What comes, maybe far worse than what is. The devil is not known to be merciful”

Merciful?!! Nobody knew the devil better than she did. Nobody had lost, to the devil more than she had. How could the chief be so naive as to think,  she hadn't weighed out all the options? Hadn't thought this through?. Raelin sighed and took a long breath to calm herself and pushed on her mission.

“Raelin!!! Never thought, I would be seeing you again!”

The princess bowed before the 50+ foot long statue, before retorting to the greeting, poison filling her every word.“Pardon me, if I share the same thoughts”

The statue chuckled, noting the animosity in her voice. “The deal was sealed, Raelin. I took what was mine, fair and square”.

Fire burned in Raelin's eyes, threatening to engulf her.

Yes! You had taken from me. Fair and square. But, you had no bloody right to lay your dirty gruesome fingers on MY FATHER!!

But what's done could not be undone. So Raelin gave herself few seconds before providing the devil with a decent reply.

“Yes. I know. But, I'm not here to complain, Shaamnahk. I'm here with an offer”

“An offer?!!”, intrigued the devil straightened a bit. “How quaint? Please… Do tell”.

Raelin took out a small battered parchment and held it out on her hand, giving it a light push. The parchment soared, as if caught by a sudden breeze, unfurling itself on its way. When it had reached high enough, it stood facing the statue, completely spread open.

A small ball of blue vapour, hovered over the parchment, emitting a faint light, which fell over the statue's face, just enough to trace it's feeble lines… or skull more so.

“How did you find this?”. The statue’s voice was just above a whisper.

Raelin’s lips curved into a smile.“A soldier never tells his secrets, Shaamnahk”

The devil grunted his disagreement, his eyes never leaving the parchment. Damn the creature to present him with such a prize. For the first time in a million lost years, he had a chance to get back what always belonged to him, but was devoid of. This would be his biggest bargain ever. But...

“What do you want in return?”

“My father”

“He's dead”

“I'm sure that wouldn't make a difference to you”.

Shaamnahk stared at the miniscule of a girl, standing in front of him. Anger bubbled beneath the surface, but just for a second, when he realised, the battle was mostly lost. This junk of a human was beating him at his own game, and as it stood, he did not have a pawn to move. A clever one, she was.

He looked back at the still hovering parchment. It was his fight now. A fight between his pride/reputation and his soul. Which was his most dearest?. Choose one, he would loose the other, and with that followed its dire consequences.

Several eons would have passed ( or in the least, Raelin thought), before the devil made his decision. He slowly moved to pick up the floating parchment and rolled it up. He bent on one knee to face her, coming close, inches from her face. He held out the parchment for her, and in fact, as Raelin had mentioned, his fingers were dirty and gruesome.

“If you fail, your father won't be the only one I would be taking from you this time”, he said in a malign voice, foulness reeking his mouth.

“Deal”, was the only reply Raelin felt suitable to answer.