Lucca's Desert Journey Chapter 4
Showdown in Necropolis
By The Game God
Sand whipped around Lucca and Asaahn as they brought their chocobos to a
stop. “Behold…” Asaahn said, pointing to the dark city
in the valley below them, “… Necropolis… the City of the
Dead. We can’t take the chocobos any further.” The
two dismounted and headed for the city. Asaahn opened the city gates
and pointed his spear towards the Grand Pyramid. “That’s
where we’re going, Lucca.”
Lucca cocked her gun, “I’m ready for anything.” She
and Asaahn moved towards the towering pyramid. A bolt of lightning
lit up the night sky. Lucca and Asaahn saw Karnak standing atop a stone
arch.
He raised his skulls high, “Destroy them!” Wave after wave
of serpentine warriors rushed through the streets of Necropolis. Lucca
channeled her magic and released a wave of fire at the soldiers.
Asaahn looked to her, “How did you do that?”
Lucca smiled, “There is more in the world than just science.” she
said as she and Asaahn ran toward the towering pyramid.
Karnak leapt from his perch into their path, “You will go no
further!” He crashed his skulls together and a gust of wind blew
Lucca and Asaahn to the ground. Karnak laughed, “You stand no
chance against me… as long as I have power.”
“Than it’s time to shut off your power!” Lucca shouted as
she fired her Wondershot. The blast knocked Karnak to the ground.
Lucca stood up and fired twice, destroying the skulls Karnak had dropped.
“NO!!!” Karnak shouted. He rose to his feet and ran towards
Lucca. Lucca took aim, but her gun jammed.
“Oh no!” Karnak drew closer, ready to strike a fatal blow.
Asaahn leapt towards Karnak and Lucca heated the head of his spear.
The fiery pike passed through Karnak’s chest and the beast fell to the
ground with a thunderous boom.
The serpent soldiers backed away from Lucca and Asaahn as they moved towards
the Grand Pyramid. Asaahn led Lucca to the side of the pyramid.
A hole in the side led deep into the structure. “Back door.”
Lucca said. She removed her white cape and her white shirt. She
reached into her satchel and pulled out her grappling hook. She tied
her cape and over-shirt to the end of the grappling hook’s rope.
She and Asaahn climbed down into the Grand Pyramid. They dropped the
last ten feet from the end of the rope to the floor. Ta-Kahjet was
tied to the wall. Asaahn and Lucca ran over and freed her. “Ta,
are you alright?” Asaahn asked.
Ta hugged Asaahn and kissed him on the cheek, “Yes, thank you.”
“Lucca did most of the work.” he confessed.
Ta turned and hugged Lucca, “I knew you would come to save me.”
“It’s not over yet, Ta…” Lucca said, “… we
can’t get out the way we came in.”
“Quite right…” a voice said, “… death is the only
way out!” Lucca turned to see a tall, dark woman dressed in white
and gold floating in the air. Two titanic snakes rose up next to her
and hissed loudly, baring their fangs.
“Run!” Lucca shouted.
The trio sprinted away from the Pharaohess and her mammoth serpents.
Lucca pulled out the Gate Key and punched in the words, ‘Home: AD
1002’. The swirling blue gateway opened. “What is
it?!” Ta shrieked.
“It’s your ticket to safety, so hang onto your shorts!” Lucca
shouted as she pushed Ta in.
Asaahn stared at the Gate, “This defies all logic!”
Lucca looked at Asaahn, “It’s safer in there than it is in
here.” He looked back at her. Lucca smiled, “Have I
ever lied to you?” For the first time, Asaahn smiled and leapt
into the Gate. Lucca looked back to see the Pharaohess fast
approaching. She smiled, “I’d love to stay… actually,
no I wouldn’t!” Lucca leapt towards the Gate, but before
she could enter it quickly closed.
Lucca turned back to the Pharaohess. A surreal white glow filled her
eyes, “You cannot defeat me on my own plain.”
Lucca pointed her gun at the Pharaohess, “You’d be surprised what
I’m capable of!” She fired her gun. The blast stopped
short on an invisible energy barrier. “What?!”
The Pharaohess, “Conventional weapons cannot stand against my
power!” She looked to her snakes and they advanced on Lucca.
Lucca fired on one and dove out of the way of the other, shooting it as it
passed. The serpents circled the young scientist, getting ready to
strike.
The first advanced as Lucca fired into its mouth sending the slain beast
to the ground. The second snake dove at Lucca and swallowed her
whole. “All too easy.” the Pharaohess said as she turned
and headed back to her throne. The snake roared in pain. The
Pharaohess looked back to see the snake engulfed in flames. Lucca stepped
out of the snake’s scorched bones.
“Perhaps I did underestimate you, little girl… a mistake a shan’t
make twice!” She used her magic to force Lucca back against the
wall. Lucca took aim and fired, the blast again stopping on the magical
barrier. “I told you, your weapons cannot defeat me! No
technology can withstand my magic!”
Lucca cocked her gun, “Then let’s try a new technology…”
she took aim, “… and magic!” She channeled fire magic
into the barrel of the gun and fired a blazing shot at the Pharaohess.
The flaming shot passed through the Pharaohess’ shield and then, through
her chest.
The Pharaohess fell to the ground, “How could this happen… I am
immortal.”
Lucca smiled, “Nothing lives forever, any scientist will tell you
that.”
The Pharaohess glared at Lucca, “If I must die, I’m taking you
with me!” The Pharaohess and everything around her violently burst
into flames. Lucca ran from the swelling wave of fire spreading across
the throne room.
She pulled out the Gate Key, “I hope this works.” She held
out the key and a Gate opened as the room was filled with fire and the Grand
Pyramid and surrounding city burst into flames.
?????????????
Asaahn and Ta-Kahjet stood in the middle of a grassy field. Neither
of them has seen grass before, but they we much more concerned by the fact
that Lucca did not follow them through the Gate. “Did she make
it, Ta?” Asaahn asked.
Ta closed her eyes, “I don’t know… wait!” A second
swirling blue gateway opened and a wave of fire poured out of it. The
blast was so intense that Asaahn and Ta were knocked away from the Gate.
A small figure flew out of the Gate and landed in the nearby pond.
The Gate closed Asaahn and Ta ran to Lucca, “Are you alright?”
Ta asked. Lucca sat up, her clothes and hair were singed.
Lucca coughed out smoke, “I’ve been better.”
Ta and Asaahn helped Lucca to her feet. “Were are we Lucca?”
Asaahn asked.
Lucca smiled, “This is the Kingdom of Guardia, my home… and yours
if you want.” Together, Asaahn, Ta and Lucca headed towards Truce.
.