Chapter 29 Finale

Yani could not move in her place because her eyes could clearly see that the person who had died in her arms, King Gabi, was in front of her. She knew to herself that he passed away but why is he here? She began to tremble with fear.

“Bu-But you're…” Yani said, trembling. King Gabi just gave Yani a smile and passed by her to get to the mike stand. Everyone looked shocked when they saw him in front of them. Others began to whisper to one another.

“Hello my fellow citizens of Eullenuum Nation,” he said and smiled at them. Maybe with his smiles, Yani seemed to be convinced that it was him but she knew something was wrong. They just kept quiet and looked at each other.

“What’s wrong my dears? Aren't you going to welcome your King?” he said invitingly at the same time he looked at the princes and sneered at them. You could see the shock on their faces.

“This is impossible! Our father is dead! The King is dead! Who are you, an imposter?!” Fuego shouted.

“Oh my dear Fuego, you haven't changed at all,” he said teasingly that silenced Fuego.

“What are you doing? Everyone knows that the King is already dead,” said Eaux full of authority.

“Aren't you happy that I'm alive once again, my dear sons?”

They were silenced again. “You boys didn't even invite me to this event so I'll give you a chance to welcome me.”

They just looked at each other and wondered what he was saying.

“Nothing? Well then…” he smirked. “I'll welcome myself.”

Suddenly the whole oval went out of power so everyone was surprised. The only thing that shines is the one from the hands of 'King Gabi' who is controlling the electricity in his hand and throws it at all the lamp posts that are there so they all broke and fell that made everyone panic. Aes immediately took control of all the metal posts so that no one would get hurt.

“Everyone evacuate this place immediately! Make sure everyone will be able to get out!” Eaux shouted, causing everyone to panic and run to the exits.

Yani just watched them and could not move in her place. Let’s just say that what is happening now is 'de javu' because this scene is familiar to Yani. She remembered the scene back at her school… the panicking people, things that should never have happened… just like seeing their beloved king alive in front of her.

But she also immediately shook her head. That de javu will come later. Right now she needs to know who the person in front of her really is.

“Who are you?” Yani asked him.

'King Gabi' just glimpsed at Yani while still smirking and looked back at the panicking people.

“What are you doing here?”

“Dearest Yani,” he once faced her. “Don't you recognize me? I'm King Gabi and I'm the King here.”

“He's dead so you're not him,” she replied seriously.

When he said that, he evilly chuckled. “What if he isn't?”

Yani was scared of what he did but she did not let it get to her because she thought he might do something to her. “I know he's dead. I saw it with my own eyes,” she confidently answered him.

He did not speak and smirked at her. “Why would I still put up with this disguise then if it's already obvious?” he said at the same time gradually, the skin all over his body was peeling off.

Yani was shocked by what was happening until he showed his true identity. He has pale complexion, black hair and red eyes.

“Hey imposter! Stop pretending to be our—”

Fuego stopped what he was going to say because the black man confronted him. “So you're really an imposter,” Fuego said full of regret.

“Obviously. Let me guess, you all hoped that I was really your father right?” smirking at them he said. He was silenced along with the other princes with him.

The black man laughed badly. “Such a pity.”

“What are you doing here?! What do you want?!” Eaux asked firmly.

“Hmm let me think,” he said and pretended to think then suddenly he grinned at them.

Clank! Clank! Clank! They were surprised and looked at where the sound was coming from but all they saw was Feesy running towards Eaux.

“What’s happening Feesy?” Eaux asked him.

“All the doors of this oval are closing by itself,” Feesy gasped.

Eaux was slightly surprised as he looked at the black man. “Did everyone manage to get out?” he asked Feesy even though he is looking at the black man.

“I think so,” Feesy replied.

“Oh don't worry, your highnesses,” said the black man. “The only ones who are left here are the eight of you, me and the lady behind me.”

They were surprised and wondered at what he said. “What's the meaning of this? What do you really want from us?” Eaux angrily asked.

“Well since the challenges are all done, why won't we move to our Finale,” the black man smiled again.

“Finale?”

“Yes. The final game for this year's Tradition.”

“We don't have time to play with you and this is no dumb game. Just tell us what you want!” Fuego said angrily.

“Okay. Hmm what do I want?” and again he pretended to be thinking.

“Just spill it!” Fuego shouted.

“Oh such an impatient prince. You're pressuring me,” was his serious joke. “Maybe I'll ask a question first. What do you say?”

They were surprised and looked at each other.

“What question?”

Everyone looked at Jethro as well as the black man and he gave him a smirk.

“Once I said what I want, would you ever give it to me?” he asked.

They were surprised and fell silent for a moment.

“But what is it that you want?!” Fuego replied irritably.

“Oops, answer the question first. All I need is a yes or a no.”

The princes looked at each other. “What should we say?” Eaux asked the other prince.

“We cannot just answer that. What if he wants something we cannot give?” Fuego replied.

“Then let's answer him a no,” Eaux replied.

“What if we don't want to answer your question? What will you do?” Zoltar asked the black man so the others also looked at him.

The black man smiled at Zoltar. “That's a very nice question, young scientist. Then the very nice answer for that will be…” at the same time he pulled a rope.

He showed the woman tied to a black rope so they were surprised. “Don't mind if I take her?” he asked them with a smile.

They were silenced. “Or better yet…” at the same time he pulled out a knife and aimed it at Yani's neck. “…can I kill her?”

“Don't you dare!”

They were surprised and everyone looked at Jethro.

“Oh how sweet of you. Do you really mean what you said?” the man asked.

He was just seriously looking at the black man. ”Yes—” he stopped because his chest hurt so he got on his knees.

“Jethro!” at once the princes approached him.

“Hahaha!” the black guy evilly laughed. “This is very exciting. You all amuse me. Well since you won't answer the question, but all of you entertain me, then I'll tell you all what I want...”

They all immediately looked at the black man.

“I Want This Nation, the whole of Eullenuum Nation.”

They were all surprised. “Just give me this nation and I'll give her back to you. If you don't want to, then I'll take her.”

“No! You won't take her and you won't get this nation!” Jethro promised.

“That's unfair of you but don't you see, I have her on my hands so if you want her, then trade with me.”

“That's nonsense. We will not trade this nation to the likes of you,” Fuego said angrily.

“Well then that means I will take her.”

“No!—” Jethro stopped again because of the pain in his chest.

“Jethro, calm down. We are just talking nonsense with him. We need to think this through,” said Eaux:

“Think this through? Hahaha,” the black man laughed so they stopped. ”Are you kidding me? Why are you all hesitating? All I want is this girl and once you give her to me, I will leave immediately. And secondly, correct me if I'm wrong but isn't it that this girl is causing you some problems, like for example…” as he looked at Jethro. “…taking away one of your brother's life?”

Again they were surprised and speechless while looking at each other. “Don't make your lives complicated, your highnesses,” said the black man. “You don't need to think this through. She's all that I want instead of this nation. All I need to hear is that you all agree that I should take her… so let me hear it.”

They fell silent when…

“No!” at the same time someone attacked the fire into the hand of the black man so he released Yani. The princes were surprised and looked at Fuego.

“Hey don't look at me. I didn't do that,” denied Fuego.

The black man looked at Yani who was lying on the floor and she was still tied up so he tried to take the rope but there were icicle spears that landed on his way so he stopped and was surprised. It immediately showed who it was from.

“Don't you even dare move,” Callie seriously said.

Surprised, the black man just looked at Callie while Femme and Donna came to remove the rope that wrapped around Yani and Jessy, Kyrie and Hera also appeared.

“Are you okay?” Femme asked Yani.

“Wait, I thought you guys got out of here already?” Yani asked worriedly.

“Well it was what you think. Why would we leave you with that crazy man?” said Donna.

“But it’s dangerous—”

“Oh my gosh Yani. There are far more dangerous things that we have faced than this,” said Jessy.

“If you only knew,” Kyrie said.

Yani just looked at them.

“Who dared attack me?” the serious question of the black man.

“Me,” Flare appeared at once and jumped onto the stage. “Got a problem with that?”

The black guy clicked his teeth out of anger. “You pests.”

“Flare, you shouldn't be here,” said Feesy. “Hurry up and get out—”

“Shut up prince!” Flare groaned. “We girls will handle him.”

“No you shut up bitch,” Fuego said. “This is our business and you have nothing—”

“Yani is the leader of our team…” Callie interjected and gave Fuego a serious look. ”…and it's our business to protect her from anyone who tries to harm her… jerk.”

Fuego was surprised and at the same time gave her back a serious look.

“I order you girls…” the black man said seriously. “…to give her back to—”

“To you?” Kyrie cut him off. “She's not even yours, asshole.”

“It's a warning. If you won't give her back, you will all pay the price,” the man threatened.

Flare started clenching her fists and gave the black guy a serious look. “Then so be it.”

The black man smirked back. He stretched out his hand pointing to Flare then dark sand came out and attacked Flare but she made a fire wall but the dark sand managed to get through so she quickly jumped and attacked a fireball on him but he dodged it by jumping to the ground. The stage was on fire so everyone quickly descended from it at the same time Flare landed on the ground with her palms on it so blazing fire went to the bad guy but he also escaped.

All the women did everything to fight the black man while Yani was left on her place and trying to stand up but her feet are sore due to being tied. She also could not control because even her hands could not move due to the tightness of the rope earlier. The princes also helped so the black man was defeated.

“You lose so give up and leave,” full of authority, Eaux said.

The black guy just wiped his lips with blood and smirked at them and raised both his hands in surrender. ”Okay. I accept my defeat. I lose to all of you,” he surrendered.

Everyone was just looking at him seriously, like waiting for his next move. “Except for one thing…” he suddenly said at the same time he disappeared in his place. “…you will all lose to a different person.” They looked around for him.

“Over here.”

They immediately looked at where that voice came from but when they faced it, they were all held by the black earth so they could not move. They started struggling and tried to break free but it was no use.

“It's no use, princes and pests.”

Shocked, Yani just stared at them struggling as she was still lying on the floor.

“Now let's get back to business,” he looked at Yani at the same time. Yani was shocked and backed away. She tried to stand up but his limbs really hurt so she just fell down.

“Oh why are you trying to walk away from me? I'm not going to hurt you. I'm here to have a talk.”

Yani stopped and just stared at him and waited for him to say something.

“It's nice to see you again, Yani.”

Yani was surprised by the tone of his voice as well as how he said it.

“Again? We never met before,” Yani said trembling.

“We did meet. I was there when you were born.”

She was speechless again and tears began to form in her eyes.

“Yo-You're kidding ri-right?” she asked tearfully.

“No I'm not. To tell you frankly, your mother and I are really close and she's the one who gave you your name.”

She was completely silenced and her tears fell when she heard that.

“Don't Yani! Don’t listen to him—” Flare shouted but the black earth immediately covered her mouth.

“Yani! Don't even try—” Kyrie shouted but the black earth also covered her mouth at the same time all the woman's mouth.

“Why are girls so noisy these days?” said the black man and rolled his eyes.

“My mother… is dead,” said Yani so the black man looked at her.

He smiled. “Oh I'm not talking about the fake and the dead one… I'm talking about your real mother and she's alive.”

Yani was completely surprised by what he said. “How? How can you be so sure about that? How can you prove that she is alive?”

The black guy stretched out his hand. “I'll take you there. Just take my hand and close your eyes.”

Yani immediately looked at his hand. We know the story that she herself killed her fake parents but since then, she wants to know who her real parents are but she knows to herself that she doesn’t know where to start…

…but here it is. Right in front of her who knew about them. Why else would she miss it?

Yani started to lift her arm with her hand shivering. The others are struggling hard trying their best to shout just so Yani doesn't fall into a trap. Her tears are falling down from her cheeks and with just a touch, she took his hand and closed her eyes.

“Good choice Yani. Now, open your eyes,” whispered the black man.

She opened her eyes but she could only see darkness around her. She looked around but saw nothing. She was able to stand up and she can move her hands but she is wondering where she is.

“Hello? Is there anyone here? Is there anyone out there?” she asked in the emptiness.

“It hurts...” said a voice. She turned around and saw a black-haired girl standing with her head bowed down.

“Who are you?” Yani asked.

“It hurts... I’ve had enough,” said the child and at the same time she raised her head and Yani was surprised because she saw herself when she was young.

“Yani! Where are you?!” shout a voice. She turned to where the shout came from and saw a woman approaching. She was also surprised because her mother showed up, her fake mother.

“Mom...” said young Yani.

“What is this?! Why is it so dirty here?! Didn't I tell you to mop and sweep?!”

“But Mom—”

“Don't make excuses again! You stupid child!” she interjected and pinched the child's ear.

“Ouch Mom! It hurts!” cry of the child.

“Next time, you will not only get hurt by the ear! Do you understand?!”

“Ye-Yes” she pushed the child at the same time so she landed on the floor. Yani's tears flowed as she watched what was happening around her. What is this? The man said he would show her her real parents. Why are these things showing up around her?

WAPAK! She turned to the sound and saw that her fake father was beating the child. Suddenly bad memories filled her surroundings. Every time the child cries, she cries too. She looked around in case she could escape from this place but the child's pain and crying got worse. She covered her ears.

“STOP!” Yani shouted and closed her eyes.

“STOP!! THAT’S ENOUGH!!” she shouted again and knelt down and opened her eyes but nothing has changed.

“STOP! IT HURTS!!” as she laid down.

Her whole body weakened.

“That's enough... please... it hurts,” she whispered as she cried and gradually closed her eyes and she completely lost consciousness.