Chapter 3: Entrance to the Jinn Kingdom

Chapter 3:

Angels are the primary existence and first life form that settled and formed an effective civilisation in the above heavens. But this civilization was anything but civil. Classism was a common theme and for centuries lower class angels were sent down to the earth to live as humans ultimately creating space for the upper classed heavenly beings. Alternately, through curiosity and defiance, many angels were banished to a new reality formed in the space between the heavens and the earth. These became to what is now known as jinns. A former heavenly creature that held abnormal curiosity of what lives below and defied the rules of the heavens in search of satisfying this hunger. In the end, they were given what they wanted but at a price. Banishment from the heavens and no clay, what would have moulded their physical form to be able to live down on earth. Due to not having a physical form, they roam the earth and airs with no particular purpose but to haunt and posses what caught just the right amount of their attention.

The jinn were forced to live as creatures near to ghosts till they grew conscious of their powers and created an empire within the space they were banished to. The jinn kingdom resides in the clouds, just above the beasts and humanity, while also being just below the heavens and their realms. When Lena learned of their existence she thought that their kingdom's positioning perfectly portrayed the jinns rebellious nature. And with the help of the ros, a bird the size of three elephants that guards barriers of the jinn kingdom, no one from the heavens or earth surrounding them could enter.

Lena and the mysterious man accompanying her were travelling through the desert on a camel when they were both lifted above into air. Before Lena could register what was happening, she had been thrown up into the sky abruptly and then caught again. This time the clutch around her body was tighter and secure. Looking down, Lena became one of few that not only witnessed but also experienced the grasp of a Ros's claw. Seeing as the giant bird flew in the air without issue, she turned to her right where she can see the man that accompanied her through the desert was now accompanying her across the sky's.

Hopeful, she asked above the sounds of the yelling wind "What do we do?!?!"

The man only nodded towards her with a shrug. "We can only go along."

"WHAT??" Lena knew falling from a height this high off the ground would most likely lead to death. But she also knew that wherever the Ros was taking them and what was waiting may as well be worse. "You want us to just tag along with this giant bird?!?"

"WELL WHAT ELSE COULD WE POSSIBLY DO THIS HIGH UP?"

At this point they could only yell above the howling winds to communicate. She looked down. They were already 3000 feet above the ground. He was right, there was no way they could struggle out of the Ros's grip and land safely.

The Ros flew towards a large scaled black shadow. Squinting, Lena's vision became clear. The once large frightening shadow now appears as a large, black gate you'd often see in nightmares of hell. In Front of the gate stood, or rather hovered, four jinns. They were made of black smoke yet they still looked as if they had a physical body. Their form defined, yet somewhat transparent as their armour did not cling to their form like it would to other beings, instead the material of their bodies clung to the armour itself.

The Ros approached the opening gates. With a swing, it aggressively threw the two into the Jinn Kingdom territory where Jinns hovered over the gates as if they were anticipating their arrival.

If it were anyone but them, the grip of the Ros alone would have bruised their bodies and the landing would have definitely broken a few bones. But Lena and the cloaked man landed swiftly and in time to get back on their feet unharmed. "We mean no harm!" the cloaked man yelled. "We were simply passing through the desert when the Ros caught hold of us. We were not aware this was Jinn territory!" The Jinns ignored him and began to surround them. Each jinn a different size, voice and mannerism but they all looked at them with the same piercing gaze. They all looked towards them with hunger in their eyes. "Shit. This wasn't the plan…" the man muttered under his breath.

The Jinn's viciousness only made Lena uneasy, and it seemed that the cloaked man felt so too. She is unaware of their capabilities and she certainly doesn't know how to get back into human territories. So all she can do is shield herself from all upcoming attacks and trust that the man whose back is currently pressed onto hers, ready to fight, can find a way to get them both out of here.

Lena does not know who this man is, nor his intentions. But the promise her Highness made to her a few hours ago was convincing enough that Lena used her reassurance as hope. Now, she stands back to back, fighting alongside a man who could turn around and stab her in the back at any moment. Of course only if he wanted to. But for some unknown reason, she trusts that he won't.

The jinns surrounding them charged towards them, shouting some sort of enchantment uncontrollably. The problem with this fight wasn't any lack of capability, or that the numbers left the two at odds but that the Jinn's fighting style was something she had never seen before and with the way the cloaked man was moving, she could assume he was just as inexperienced when it came to these creatures. The jinn charged with no pattern, no strategic formation or any particular arts in which could allow Lena to predict their next move. Their movements can only be described as chaotic and unpredictable yet fast and swift.

One by one the Jinn got close and flew right through their bodies. At first, Lena put up her arms in surprise to block what was coming, but all she felt was a rush of cold air and a force that rocked her body back and forth between each Jinn attack. The Jinns were passing through their bodies one by one and coming out in seconds. "Just like they said… wow" the man muttered again. "Is this really a time for you to be amazed??" Lena was more astonished at how calm he could be in such a situation. Just when a jinn left her body, Lena raised her head in a daze where she saw another Jinn charging right at her. Lena ducked just in time and with her body close to the ground, she desperately fell back.

She turned to the cloaked man. "What is going on?!?" The cloaked man was now rolling up his sleeve, revealing his tense, sun-kissed arms. Lena watched as a snake, the colour of the midnight sky she'd watch back in the military, came stretching out of the man's undershirt almost making his skin look pale in comparison and slithered away from the fight, disappearing into the fog.

The man was evidently shocked by the movements of the Jinn. Nevertheless, he held his ground and dodged as they charged his way. With each charge, the man ducked and shuffled to side, but it was made clear that dodging wasn't enough. They needed to fight back, but how?!? With each attack, Lena's Blood shards went right through the jinns, coming out of their bodies as if they were never shot. The jinns were made of some sort of fog that disappeared when pierced but back again in seconds. The jinns didn't look alarmed or hurt when attacked but rather humoured as if they'd seen such an attempt to dissipate them before. Although, many were shocked at Lena's abilities and began to murmur with excitement. Just then, the cloaked man accompanying Lena pulled off his hood and removed his cloak in haste to be able to fight back.

Despite his now fast and consistent movements, everything stilled. Many questions flooded Lena's mind as she watched the general of her kingdom and military commander raise his palm and emit a bright white light. He then aimed straight for the ground, punching it with said light as it spread through the fog-made ground, turning all that it touches into a bright heavenly light. The dark fog surrounding them now turned white.

Inhumane screeching and screaming noises came from the surrounding Jinns as they clutched their heads in pain and hesitated to further attack. General Nabeel continued his attack, now revealing his famous sword as it levitated above the palm of his left hand while his right pours the same bright light into it. The sword now absorbed by what seems to be the Jinn's weakness, is aimed at the Jinns surrounding General Nabeel and Lena. With Nabeel's enchanted hand gestures, his sword charged out piercing the first row of Jinns before returning to the Generals side. "I said we mean no harm, but now I sure as hell do!"

Although she was confused by the general's presence and abilities, Lena decided to take this opportunity to run to the general's side, preparing to fight again. As she ran, the ground beneath her and the general collapsed. The once solid but transparent ground that held them ceased and they hovered in the air just as jinns did. The White Light ceased as they were both caught in a black fog. Lena's vision blurred as the fog separated the general and herself.

Lena built a blood mask around her head to protect her eyes and lungs from the gas. As the fog cleared, Lena's eyes widened. The Jinns from before had now tripled in numbers and gathered around the two. Lena was unharmed but General Nabeel was now restrained by the fog as it began to wrap as a cage around him. He looked painfully calm and unharmed yet he did not resist or move at all. That's when Lena realised. The fog wasn't only restraining him from the outside, but also within. The gas had found its way into his body through his nose and mouth, slowly restricting his movements to null.

Seeing this, Lena began to concentrate. She focused all her energy into the palms of her hands as she directed the blood on her body forward in an attempt to free General Nabeel from the fog hold. As the blood shot out towards the General, his eyes began to glow the same bright white his sword did before. With the crease between his eyes crinkled, he finally looked tense for the first time after being seized by the Ros. But it didn't last long. "Lena, stand down." This surprised Lena even more. She ignored him. Bringing her hands together she focused on guiding the blood around him to loosen the hold of the fog from the outside. "Lena! Stand down!" She ignored him again. How could they get out of this alive if she didn't fight now? How could she just watch him get captured when he tried to save them both? She wouldn't let anyone good be killed in front of her again. She won't let anyone be killed again.

The blood began to wrap around the fog. She did her best to guide it in taking over the space between the fog and the General's body, but it wasn't enough. They were both aware that the gas was not budging easily and was now on the inside, but Lena didn't give up. She couldn't give up.

After what had happened back in the village, she swore to help those around her and hunt down who, or what was behind her village massacre. She was going to bring an end to what killed her family, even if it killed her in the process.

"Lena. As your general, I order you to stand down!"

Lena froze. General Nabeel stared back at her. His face calm, eyes still glowing. "Why…" she was at a loss for words. "We'll be out soon enough. Just be patient, will you?"

Just as he said those last words a Jinn charged at him from behind, except this time it didn't come back out of his body. The Jinn lingered in General Nabeel's body, possessing him. Seeing this Lena grew nervous again and took a few steps back, confused. Suddenly, she felt a rush of cold air against her back and then a force greater than before had hit into her from behind.

Her vision went black.

...

Lena woke up from the cold. Shaking her head awake, she looked around. She was kneeling in what looked like a cell, her arms restrained by a dark fog behind her back.

"What the…" She began to remember the events that occurred.

Suddenly she heard a rattling noise coming from ahead. Two Jinn guards passed her cell, without laying her any mind. She had been locked in here.

She tried her best to stand up, but her knees gave out as soon as she pressured them.

"They've drugged us." Lena's head shot around.

"General!" She forced her knees up and lowered her head. Pressing her right palm and fingers at her chest, as a formal sign of respect and attention. "No need for formalities, we are in a cell up in the sky after all." Lena could tell he was trying to lighten up the mood but it only made her feel more guilty. The only reason they were here was because of her. "Is there any way out?" she asked, hopeful.

A voice further away replied. "There's no way out of Jinn territory. Once you inside, you cannot leave…" the voice sounded familiar to Lena. She walked towards the man in the cell adjacent to theirs. "How long have you been up here?" she asks. Then figures bony figure hid his head well as sobbs broke through his answers. Just as he turned to face her, Lena's eyes widened for what felt like the hundredth time that day. "Since the day of our feast…long time no see Lena.." now facing the man, Lena realised why he sounded familiar. Although the voice of the man she once trained alongside in the military no longer belonged to the face she was so familiar with. This man looked tired, starved, had an unkempt beard and if it wasn't for his breathing chest, could be described as lifeless. Lenas blood boil in disbelief and anger.

"Mahdi!?! What happened to you!??!?!"