The Third Pyramid
1275 Words
The scream came again.
“Layla!”
She stood frozen in the middle of the destroyed house.
Outside, the third pyramid continued rising from the desert.
Black sand rolled down its enormous sides like water.
Rayan looked at it with fear in his eyes.
“We have to leave now.”
Azir grabbed his sword.
“Where?”
“Anywhere away from that pyramid.”
Layla looked at Rayan.
“You know what is inside.”
Rayan didn't answer.
“You know, don't you?”
He finally looked at her.
“The third pyramid is not like the others.”
“What makes it different?”
“It was built for one person.”
Layla's heart started beating faster.
“Who?”
Rayan looked directly at her.
“You.”
Azir stepped closer.
“Explain.”
Rayan shook his head.
“Not here.”
Another tremor shook the village.
The walls of the house began cracking.
Kael barked and moved toward Layla.
Azir grabbed her hand.
“We're leaving.”
Layla pulled her hand away.
“No.”
Azir looked surprised.
“My mother is inside that palace,” she said. “And Malik has her.”
“We don't know that.”
“I know.”
The White Moon mark on her wrist began glowing.
Layla looked toward the third pyramid.
“I can feel her.”
Rayan's face changed.
“You can?”
Layla nodded.
“She is calling me.”
Azir stepped in front of her.
“That could be a trap.”
“I know.”
“Then don't go.”
Layla looked into his eyes.
“If I don't, I may never see my mother again.”
Azir remained silent.
Layla could see the conflict in his face.
Finally, he lowered his sword.
“Then I'm coming with you.”
Rayan shook his head.
“No.”
Azir turned toward him.
“Why?”
“Because the pyramid was created to separate the White Moon from the Black Sands.”
Rayan looked at Layla.
“If Azir enters with you, the pyramid may kill him.”
Layla's face went pale.
“What?”
“The pyramid recognizes the curse inside him.”
Azir looked at the enormous structure.
“So it wants me dead.”
“It wants the curse dead.”
Rayan looked at Layla.
“And if the curse dies, so might you.”
Silence filled the room.
Layla looked at Azir.
She didn't want to lose him.
Not after everything they had been through.
But she couldn't leave her mother behind either.
Azir walked toward her.
“I am not letting you go alone.”
Layla whispered, “You could die.”
“So could you.”
He gave her a small smile.
“I've survived worse.”
She looked down.
“You're impossible.”
“I know.”
For a moment, the fear disappeared.
Then the pyramid screamed again.
The sound was so loud that every window in the village shattered.
Layla covered her ears.
The White Moon mark burned.
A voice entered her mind.
Come to me, little queen.
Layla looked up.
“I have to go.”
They left the village before the black sand could reach them.
The journey to the pyramid was silent.
Rayan walked ahead.
Azir stayed beside Layla.
Kael followed closely behind.
As they approached the pyramid, the air became colder.
The desert around it was completely black.
No plants grew there.
No animals moved.
Even the wind seemed afraid.
At the entrance, Rayan stopped.
“This is where we separate.”
Layla looked at him.
“You're not coming?”
“I can't.”
“Why?”
Rayan looked at the pyramid.
“Because it knows what I did.”
Layla frowned.
“What did you do?”
Rayan looked at her for several seconds.
Then he whispered, “I was the one who opened the pyramid two hundred years ago.”
Layla's eyes widened.
“You?”
“I believed I could use its power to save Liora.”
“What happened?”
“Malik used me.”
Azir stepped closer.
“And the curse began.”
Rayan nodded.
“I helped create the prison that trapped Azir.”
Layla stared at him.
“So you were part of this from the beginning.”
“Yes.”
“Then why should I trust you?”
Rayan lowered his eyes.
“You shouldn't.”
Before Layla could answer, the pyramid door opened.
A cold wind came from inside.
Azir took Layla's hand.
“Stay close.”
They stepped into the darkness.
The door closed behind them.
Inside, there were no torches.
Yet the walls were glowing with a faint white light.
Paintings covered every surface.
Layla walked slowly.
She saw Liora.
She saw Azir.
She saw Rayan.
Then she saw herself.
Not as she was now.
As a baby.
Liora was holding her.
Beside her stood Azir.
And behind them stood Rayan.
Layla touched the painting.
“Why were they all together?”
Azir looked at it.
“I don't know.”
Then another painting appeared.
This one showed Liora standing before the Heart of the Desert.
She was holding a baby.
Layla.
But there was something different.
A black mark was visible on the baby's chest.
Layla stepped back.
“That wasn't there before.”
Azir looked closely.
“It is the curse.”
“No.”
Layla touched her chest.
“I never had a black mark.”
Rayan's voice echoed from somewhere behind the wall.
“You did.”
Layla turned.
“Rayan?”
His voice became distant.
“The curse was placed on you before you were born.”
Azir's face went pale.
“That is impossible.”
“It was hidden by the White Moon.”
Layla looked at her hands.
“Then why is it waking up now?”
No answer came.
Suddenly, the floor opened.
Layla fell.
Azir grabbed her hand.
“Layla!”
She screamed as the darkness pulled her downward.
Azir held on with all his strength.
But something was pulling her from below.
“Let me go!” Layla cried.
“Never!”
His fingers began slipping.
Then black sand wrapped around his arm.
Azir shouted in pain.
Layla looked up.
His eyes had turned completely black.
“Azir!”
He looked at her.
For one terrifying moment, he didn't look like himself.
He looked like the monster from her vision.
Layla's heart broke.
“Azir…”
He whispered her name.
“Run.”
“I won't leave you.”
“RUN!”
The black sand pulled him away.
Layla screamed.
White light exploded from her body.
The entire pyramid shook.
The black sand disappeared.
Azir fell beside her.
He was unconscious.
Layla crawled toward him.
“Azir!”
She placed her hand on his chest.
His heart was beating.
Slowly.
But he was alive.
Then she heard footsteps.
Layla turned.
A woman stood at the end of the corridor.
Her clothes were torn.
Her hair was covered with sand.
Layla knew her immediately.
“Mother?”
The woman looked at her.
Tears filled her eyes.
“Layla…”
Layla ran toward her.
But before they could touch, the woman stopped.
“Don't come closer.”
“Why?”
Her mother looked terrified.
“Because I'm not alone.”
The lights went out.
A man's voice whispered from behind her.
“You finally brought her to me.”
Layla froze.
Malik stepped from the darkness.
And behind him stood a second figure.
Azir.
But his eyes were completely black.
Malik smiled.
“Now the real curse can begin.”
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