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AND COMMENT AS MUCH AS YOU CAN because this chapter is 20 pages on Word. I'll appreciate the feedback.

And, also there is slight swearing, I had no intention of using them, but it had to be done and you'll find out why.

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Chapter Twenty

Only ⅓ Will Come Out Alive

(Maahirah)

Whenever we have the big exams at school -- (whether it is a pop-quiz, test, presentation or a report on a project or THE FINALS) -- I'll spend the day before the exam, making sure that I complete my revision before seven in the evening and to sleep by ten o'clock and in between I'll spend worrying about the impending exam. I'll fret over it and keep on thinking that I don't know anything. I can't swallow down the food and I'll get angry at whatever any of my family members had to say. Then huffing and puffing I'll crawl into the bed. Surprisingly, I'll sleep within an hour.

The next day, I'll rise early way before the dawn, fresh as a cane and completely anxious free. I'll do my revision carefully and calmly and on reaching school, I'll plaster a small and a brave façade and greet everyone. Even though, upon entering school, my heart will go frenzy and the nervousness kicks in. I throw that at side and answer whatever query someone comes and asks me.

But right now, as we stand outside the caved Hall with Johns looking at us; or, more specifically at my fear-stricken expressions. I can hear the air carrying the voices of people from the Hall.

"Maahirah?" Aayan lightly touches my arm.

I glance at him. Biting my lip, I remark. "I'm fine. Can we go in now?"

Johns pushes the door and steps in. Just as I'm about to follow him, Aayan grabs on my wrist and makes me twirl around to face him.

"You can do it, Maahirah."

I swallow down my saliva. "I don't trust myself as much as I trust you so with you by side, I know I'll definitely be okay."

When we enter the Hall, everybody goes silent. The lanterns burning in the Hall, sends off hues of orange and yellow glow on their faces. This part of the cave is just in square.

Aayan looks at Johns, who then takes up the responsibility of introducing us.

"This is Aayan Aslam and his wife, Maahirah." He says quietly.

At once thirty something pair of eyes analyze us. Some of them look at us with their jaws dropped and some wide-eyed and some with a scowl. And within few seconds, they start speaking, yelling and shouting profanities at us.

I recoil back immediately at the anger that radiates off from them.

"How could you two go in hiding?"

"How dare you show your faces now?"

"We're not going to believe them!"

"We're not siding with them."

"How can we trust them!"

"Losers."

"Freaking barbarians "

"ENOUGH!!" A voice breaks in. The small crowd breaks in from the center. And, a woman walks to the front. Beside me, Aayan inhales sharply. I don't have the second to glance at him because she is in full view now and I feel my heart beat accelerating.

She is in leather black shirt and pants. Bow and arrow slung over her shoulder. Knives and daggers clasped to the hooks of her pant. A bandanna around her forehead. A wisp of her dark black hair fall on her eyes, and her skin is tanned as the sand.

"Johns why did you bring them here now?" She asks the leader.

"Because, it's time." He answers briefly.

"Time?" She scoffs and saunters over to us. Her boots clanking against the granite. "They wasted our time. Weren't you aware of what was gonna happen? Didn't you know the clues and answers were for you to search and find as soon as possible?"

Aayan nods. "Yes, we were aware....more specifically, I was aware. We were finding ways to break the emerald."

She presses her lips and before I could prepare myself, she lunges onto my arm, and lurches me forward. Like a rag doll she shakes me towards the crowd. "This girl over here is your answer. Can you all believe it? This fragile and timid girl is Aseer's daughter. She left us with this. Where is your stone?" She twists my arm behind my back and whispers. "Save us, pretty girl when you can't even save yourself."

I close my eyes and choke down my fear and let the anger take control of me. I raise my leg, and with my boots I push her away. Her hold tightens on my arm. I use my other elbow and jab her in the ribs. She groans. And plunges at me again. I lift my leg ready to hit her but Aayan wraps his arms around my stomach and pulls me back.

"Sharon that is enough." He growls at her.

I cannot believe Aayan. He knows this stupid lady. Sharon dusts off her shoulder, stands up and smirks at me. "I was just testing your choice Aayan."

I freaking hate her. I grit my teeth utterly annoyed by her.

"We'll end this war today for once and for all. We are tired of letting those damn Wiltonians break us. We're tired of living in fear, in grudges and in hate. It is time for us to step up and speed the game. We have to end this hate and racism otherwise; it will affect us and our future. We're humbly sorry for making this late but some things require time. In order for us, to fight we have to trust each other a lot more than anyone of us can imagine. We'll crack the code in an hour and we will report to you. In the meantime, I ask you all to cooperate." Aayan addresses the crowd. They bow their head in silence as if agreeing to his words.

"Sharon, Aayan and Maahirah please follow me." Johns says.

I break free from Aayan's hold but he quickly tightens his grip on my wrist. I try to stay furious at him by not looking at him and melting at his protectiveness.

Johns leads us into the space with a desk and bitten old couch. Sharon forces the rock at the opening, closing it.

Aayan places the emerald on the desk. "I can't seem to understand how to open this. There is a keyhole and I have no idea which key can be small enough to penetrate it. I know there is something in it."

"Hmm." Johns inspects it. Sharon snatches it from his hand. Is she always this wild?

She holds it by the chain and swings it in the air. "Whose was it?"

"Aseer passed it on to Maahirah!" Aayan (the puppy) replies.

"Don't you know how to unlock this, pretty girl?"

I gnaw on the inside of my cheeks. "My name is Maahirah. Thank you!" And I jerk it out of her hands.

Aayan gives me a lopsided smile but I pretend not to notice it.

I stare at the green emerald in my hand. There is a small keyhole and I often wondered how to get into bottom of this. I tried inserting the nib of the knife but it never opened instead it left me with a deep cut.

I didn't dare to smash it because it was Mum's and that was what I had of hers.

And, then I stop bouncing on my toes as something clicks in my mind.

"........you two are like Lock and Key. Find the Key, and unlock your happiness....." Mum said to me when I was leaving from Elton for the first time.

Lock and Key.

I stumble backwards as I recall the conversation Aayan and I had in the hallway on exact same night when I was leaving Elton.

"Take care of Mum, Aayan. Promise me....this that whenever you're here, you will take...care....please look after her." I cry out. "I don't want to go back."

"I will. I will. I will. Now, shush." He says pulling me slightly away from him. "You need to go back there and graduate from high school and get back here then. Okay?" He leans down and gives a soft peck. "Okay?"

I nod. He swabs away my tears with his hand.

"Now, let's go."

And, just when I move back, I am pulled back in again. I cast my eyes down to find the stainless steel bullet hanging from his neck caught up with the strings of my scarf.

I laugh, awkwardly. "Okay," I touch the cold bullet and free it from the strings and just run my finger over it. It has the letter 'E' carved on it. "This is beautiful."

Thinking about it now, makes me realize that the bullet has the answer. That is it. That is the answer. He is the key and I'm the lock.

".......Maahirah, hey, you're scaring me." Aayan is in front of me, waving his hand at me.

"Lock and key, Aayan." I exhale the words out.

"What?"

"Where is your chain? The one around your neck?"

"Ah, here." He shuffles it out from under his shirt.

I lean in closer and, take the bullet in my finger. I rotate it feeling the metallic texture of it. I tug at the chain to look at the bottom of it. Aayan wavers along with it and clasps his hand on my shoulder.

On the bottom of the bullet I see a small push-in button. My breath hitches in as I press on it. It breaks in half held by the hinges between the two parts. And, in sat a small key.

Aayan curses. And quickly puts the key on his palm. "I've been wearing this thing my entire life and I had no idea about it. You're a freaking genius, Maahirah." He places a kiss on my forehead and turns to look at fascinated Johns and bored Sharon.

"We're close now. Do you want to open it now?" He asks Johns.

"Of course we want to!" Sharon vents out, exasperated.

Aayan whirls to face me again. "You open it."

"What?"

"Yes, it's only fair you do it." He puts it on my hand, gently.

With trembling fingers, I insert the key into the keyhole, and swallowing my saliva, I turn it around.

Once I knew the lock has moved, I pull out the key and pull open the emerald. A simple paper is tugged in.

I look at Aayan as if to say what-the-hell?

"That's it. A freaking paper? We waited four years for this freaking paper." Sharon throws her hands in the air.

All the color from Johns face drains out as he whispers for me to read it loudly.

I tug out the parchment and unfold it. I clear my throat and read it. "The end is simple: only ⅓ will be alive."

"What?" Again, Sharon is the one who breaks the silence. "What does this mean, Johns?"

He comments minutes later, "I've no idea. But, we have to prepare our army. Sharon, you send Derik to ensure that Fakhir is informed about it and along with his team meets us by the Fort within an hour after sunset." Scowling, she turns away. "While I go and prepare my men. You two will be leading us after all." With that, he walks out too.

Aayan looks at me. His expressions unreadable. Somehow I know he has figured out the meaning of the message within the emerald. And, I know I've linked the words too.

I take a step towards him. In my head I'm already going over the words that I want to say to him. Anything to console him. Anything to make sure the positivism is still alive in his veins. But when I lock my eyes with his, I lose my train of thoughts.

Clear pain reflects in his eyes. Torment, fear and qualm written on his face. He opens his mouth to say something but I cut him off by grazing my lips against his.

"Aayan, no matter what happens; you'll fight through it all. You're brave enough to conquer the world....."

"Nothing is going to happen to you." He covers the side of my face with his palm.

"I didn't say that, Aayan. All I'm saying is this that this war is unpredictable. Our future is bleak. You don't know what will happen out there. You don't know who's strong. You don't know who is on our side. So, if I die...." Aayan claps his hand over my mouth.

"Don't. You. Dare. Say. That." He punctuates his every word; eyes ablaze with anger. "You are not fighting, that's it."

I haul his hand away. "Yes I'm Aayan. I'm fighting. You'll not stop me. Mum left this task for me too."

"So what? I forbid you."

"Aayan really?" I roll my eyes.

"I cannot lose you. Don't you get that?" He whispers the words out.

"I'm not going to go intentionally Aayan. Allah knows who will live and die. All I'm asking you is, if something happens to me, you'll move on. That is it."

He takes a deep ragged breath. "Will you move on when I die?"

At this, I take a step back from him. My heart somersaults in my chest.

"Tell me, Maahirah!?" He leans in closer. "Will you let me be forgotten?"

"No, of course not." I say, hotly but when I see him, giving me the forlorn smile, I immediately rephrase my words. "I'll try to."

Aayan closes his eyes and clenches his fist. "But I will not promise you this Maahirah at any cost. And, maybe now it is the time that you realize I'll do anything to make sure you're safe and sound. Anything."

I crack my fingers when he leaves the room. I fall back on the couch. Why do we end up always arguing? Why can't we just agree with each other?

I bring my knees closer to my chest and look up at the ceiling as if to ask Mum why did she leave me alone in this mess? Did she knew all along that the chances of me being alive in the end were pretty slim? Or, did she think I could conquer the world?

Heck, I knew I couldn't make it through. I'm not much of a fighter. I just know the basics and how will that help me survive?

I scratch my neck. I've to formulate a better plan. I've to deal with this logically.

All I know, everybody is hungry to end this. The resentment and bitterness they feel from their enemy (Wiltons) is far too deep rooted which has rendered them immune to think carefully. They want to end this by blindly attacking them?

So, what are the chances, Aayan that nobody is going to die?

And, just like that I know what I have to do.

I'll away to sneak away from Aayan, and as far as I know, Tianas, the leader is not going to be a part of the battle so he'll be in hiding, I'll track him down and end him when the coast from me is clear.

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It is quarter to nine, when our army attacks the Wilton Fort. They are prepared, already blocking our entry by posing with their weapons pointed at us.

It is a madhouse. Because nobody cares right now who dies and who lives. It is now or never. Just as I said.

Aayan is too busy fighting and he hasn't paid heed to where I'm so I have myself pressed in the corner of the Fort.

When I see, that almost the entrance is clear, I sneak out. The gun loaded in my hand.

With my back still pressed to the wall, I start creeping my way. A girl in high ponytail snaps her neck to sneer at me and throws the arrow at me. In utter panic, I fire the rifle at her and duck down. I look up only to find her clashing down.

Oh my God.

And, then I run inside. Thankfully it is quiet. For a second, I stand there not knowing what to do or where to go.

I spot a room right across, at the far end of the hall, and I know that Tianis is in there. I bolt towards the room.

Holding my breath, I push the door with my boots and holding the gun in front of me, I step in. He is there looking outside the window. At the bloodbath going on down.

"Game over Tianis." I shout out. He turns around slowly. His shoulders slumped. The evil glint still clinking in his eyes. A sadistic smile on his face.

"Hello there, Maahirah Furqaan. How long I waited for you to meet me here. And, I knew you'll be the one meeting me here tonight." He steps down from the podium. "Aren't they mad fighting like crazy dogs when the answer is so clear. KILLING ME is the end. They don't get that, do they? Where is your lover boy?" He laughs like a maniac. "You didn't apprise him of your master plan?"

I click the bullet in place.

"You look so much like your mother right now. She was brave but she was a fool. For love. For humanity. She left her husband and an eight year old daughter to save her people and look where that got her. She is dead...."

I yell. "JUST SHUT UP!" And, heatedly, I press the trigger and aim at his stomach, then at his legs, then at his hands and then his at heart. He guffaws with mirth as blood spurs out of his mouth. It splashes on my clothes. I retreat my steps as he thrashes down. I fire one more bullet at his forehead ending his misery forever.

I spring out now carefully because the battle is inside. I can hear gunshots, swords, screamings and swearings. I hide behind the statue, and use my gun to its full extent.

Once again an arrow is targeted at me. I spin around to find a guy dressed in black few miles away. I aim at his heart and he falls down.

"What is with you guys and arrows?" I roll my eyes.

I thrust the gun away because I ran out of magazines. I race to the guy and pull away the bow and a single arrow away from him. Wow, what a waste.

I'm surprised that no one has figured out that their leader is dead.

Just as I stand up, an arm slings around my neck and squashes against it. My back is slouched against a hard torso.

"Hello again." Sebastian says. His voice a perfect blend of his dead father.

I know struggling will make him tighten his hold on me so I use my elbow and stab him in the stomach. When he budges slightly, I raise my legs and hit him wherever I could reach.

When I'm free I turn around, and send a flying kick to his face. He staggers back.

He growls and launches at me. I dodge and I side step. I notice he is already injured with a gunshot because blood is oozing out from his stomach.

All of sudden, I remember how I killed his other brother, Fabian.

Taking advantage of my distraction, he catapults a punch in my abdomen. I yelp out in pain. He pushes me to the ground, and stresses on my shoulder with his boot. I scream.

He spits out blood by my head side, smirking at me. "You daughter of a bitch, you killed my brother and then my father and you thought I'll let you get away with that? You have to be shitting then sweet Maahirah."

I life my legs up and bending it at the knees, I push onto his back. When he stumbles towards me, I push him away with as much as power I could. He tumbles down.

I put the last arrow in my bow, and I let the arrow free when I let go of the string. The arrow stings Sebastian in his heart. His eyes stare at me, wide-eyed. Blood smears out of his stomach and his chest. He lays there breathing his last. I turn away, feeling pity grow inside of me.

I waste no time in dropping the bow and I hastily pull out my dagger from the hook of my pants.

I turn around looking for Aayan, but directly few feet across from me is Melody. Tears rolling down her cheeks and she raises her shotgun at me. I'm supposed to move when she presses the trigger but I'm frozen staring at her, her fingers shaking.

Melody the girl who met me at the park. The girl who was crazy fan of Aayan. Who took our autographs. But it was coy, a play because now I see the striking resemblance she has with Sebastian, and Tianis. But that doesn't matter because the bullet tears through the air and I hear every slightest of noise.

I hear movements all around me; I hear the clanking of swords. I hear the constant rings of gunshots. And, I feel the bullet piercing my stomach. I let my eyes meet Melody's and she is laughing with happiness, with madness, with sadness because I killed her brothers and her father and now, she got her revenge.

My eyes bulge out; the dagger falls from my hand, clattering on the cold, linoleum floor. I hear it echoing in my ear. My hands rush to my stomach, warm liquid blood covers my hand.

The force of the bullet has already sent me on the floor next to the dagger. My breath comes out in hitches. Stars blink in my eyes, constantly like thousands of flickering bulbs, breathing their last.

My eyes search for one face. My ears yearn for one voice. I need to see him before I'm gone. I know, I'm done. I feel the whole world pressure on my stomach. I feel the burden of my entire life.

And, people say just before you die, you see your life's greatest moments flash by your eyes. But I don't. Instead my mind is flashing his face, on and on and on.

So, I know I need to see him.

And, I get my last dying wish because seconds later, I feel him picking me up from the head and laying me on his lap. I open my eyes to see tears lingering on his face,

"You are going to be okay. Okay?" He's shaking badly like he is dying and not me. His voice makes the stars fall with a thud making me twitch. I cough up blood and it splatters on his clothes and his hand.

"I'm sorry." I croak. "But you should be proud of me because I killed him....I killed Tianis and...Sebastian."

"Oh, Maahirah I'm so proud of you." He mumbles. With my blurred vision, I can see tears dancing in his eyes.

"Thank you, and again I'm sorry."

"No harm done, baby. Just stay with me, okay?" His voice drops dangerously low and he's hissing at me.

I smile, grab his face with my bloody hand. "Don't cry, Aayan." My eyes droop slightly.

"Hey. Hey." He leans over my face. "You're not going to go anywhere." He has his hoodie removed and he has it on my stomach, probably to stop the excess blood loss.

I slightly close my eyes and he rattles me out of my sleep. 

"Don't close your eyes, Maahirah. I'm going to get you out of here," He promises me.

"Aayan, but it hurts." Cold drops drip out of my eyes. I feel the bullet twisting inside the muscles of my stomach.

"I know, baby, it does." He kisses me on the forehead. "Destiny, help me." He calls out. "C'mon Maahirah focus on me, okay?"

I swallow. I can't find the ability to keep my eyes peeled open. My body is unable to fight against the drowsiness seeping through it. Though now the pain is almost non-existent. Aayan picks me up in his arms and I've no idea how will he make it through this mad house.

Since, I don't have time, I call him. "Aayan."

"No, you are not dying," He denies it.

I again, smile, my eyes closing. "I love you."

"You are not leaving me." I hear his words before a complete blackout.

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It was such a pain to write this ending of the chapter. 😭😭

But, it had to be done.😳

The next chapter is the last one, followed by an epilogue.

Important Announcement: I'm thinking of doing a Q and A after the epilogue. It depends if you guys want to know something or anything. And if you want me to do Q and A.

If anyone of you have any questions related to the book, or my inspirations, or motivation to write or about any character or if you just want to know something about me, either leave me a comment down below or send me Private Message or leave on my profile.

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