The Legend of Lemur (Book 3) - Rise of The Desert Queen

Chapter 10: The Evil Within

"What do we do?" Jayden asked.

"What we came here to do," Cedric scoffed as he stepped away from the group, "We came here to infiltrate the enemy, so I'm going in there."

"No Cedric, that's not wise," General Jackson whispered, "That was the mission before we discovered the size of the kingdom. If Princess Snowblossom-"

"I'm sorry General", Cedric began, "But Snowblossom isn't my concern. We know the size of the kingdom yes, but that's all. We need to learn more. I listen to my Queen, Galaxy, more than the rest, and if she were here, she would want us to investigate."

"I'm... not too sure Cedric," Jayden replied, "Like yeah, Queen Galaxy would probably investigate it herself, but I don't think she would-"

Jayden looked up from the ground and saw Cedric storming off to the sandy kingdom below.

"I don't have time for this," Cedric growled, "We have these disguises for a reason, so we may as well use them."

"Cedric!" General Jackson and Polar whispered out loud.

The group followed Cedric as they reluctantly entered the sandy kingdom's walls, and to their surprise, the people inside the walls didn't look like the sandy warriors they've witnessed.

"The people here," Polar started quietly, "They're not warriors. They're innocent civilians."

"Indeed..." General Jackson replied, "It's eerily unguarded too. Everyone here seems to be minding their own business. Cedric, don't pull a stunt like that again. You're lucky the place is full of innocents."

"Yeah yeah, let's just figure out intel to give the Union upon our arrival while we still can," Cedric scoffed.

Suddenly, a farmer bumped into Polar and dropped the few cabbages she was carrying.

"Oh sorry!" the farmer exclaimed astonishingly, "I didn't see you there."

Polar sighed and replied, "It's alright," before helping the woman pick up her cabbages.

"Thanks, many thanks!" The farmer said.

"Would you like some help carrying those cabbages?" Cedric asked, "You seem to have a lot of them."

General Jackson tugged at Cedric's sleeve, in an attempt to stop him from performing this kind, but reckless act in enemy territory, however the farmer smiled faintly and answered, "Nope, I can handle this on my own. Thank you though, and praise Queen Nile!"

The woman awaited there for a while before asking, "Is the heat getting to you young man? Aren't you going to address our Queen?"

Cedric stumbled over his thoughts and words, and replied, "Errr, yes, it must be! Sorry- Praise Queen Nile!"

The farmer looked into his eyes carefully and attentively, which felt very ominous to the kind, amiable personality she had prior to this. After a moment, she just smiled and walked away from the group.

"Well that was... something," Cedric replied.

"You almost got caught," General Jackson replied, "What were you thinking!?"

"She could've led us to somewhere important, maybe provide us some information along the way to wherever she was bringing those cabbages to."

"Cedric," Jayden added, "What has gotten into you? You surely weren't this reckless at Lapis Kingdom."

Cedric exhaled and said, "I just want peace alright? We were led to believe that the Ender War would be the end of this shit, but it just keeps coming. First Herobrine, and now this queen."

"Cedric, I assure you we want the fighting to stop too, but we can't be throwing our lives recklessly into the cause, or else we'll never see that day when it comes," Polar replied.

"Alright, fine," Cedric said, "I'm sorry. Let's just leave then... we've got a basic idea of the inside anyhow."

"Leaving so soon?" said a familiar voice.

The group turned around swiftly, and it was the farmer from before, however, her cabbages were dropped further down the road, and here she was... staring at them with her glowing blue eyes.

"She's turned!" Jayden exclaimed.

"Not just her, look around," General Jackson stated.

The entire kingdom of people, who were once doing their daily jobs and chores had stopped completely... some midway of their tasks, and they all looked in our direction with menacing cyan glares. The farmer began to walk slowly towards them with a bit of rigidness to her stride, but still somewhat graceful as it once was.

"So this is Cedric, Jackson, Jayden and... I believe Polar it was?" the farmer chuckled.

"How do you know our names!?" Polar asked, completely bewildered by her knowledge.

"I must've hit the nail on the head," the farmer replied, "I can tell you're already thinking Cedric gave you away once he ran in here like an idiot, but I knew you were here the moment you stepped foot on that sand dune... he simply just delivered you all to me."

The people around the scout squadron and the farmer bowed rigidly, shifting their gaze from them, to the ground beneath them. The entire kingdom fell to an eerie silence, only to be broken by footsteps on a sandstone path. The group turned around and a regal looking woman began approaching them. She looked to be in her thirties, and she wore an emerald green gown, and several golden necklaces, earrings and bracelets. Her shoes were black in colour, and she wore a extravagant crown atop her shoulder-length, reddish-brown hair.

"Yes, I am Queen Nile," the woman said in front of them, "and these... these are my loyal subjects. I assure you, I don't want any trouble-"

"Oh really!? Then explain taking down Forest Kingdom!" Cedric exclaimed.

"SILENCE!" all the people around them shriek.

"That is not how you address a queen," Queen Nile said with slight aggressiveness in her soft voice, "If you'd just let me finish. General... Jackson is it? Please take my hand."

The queen outstretched her hand gently to General Jackson, and further replied, "Don't worry, I don't bite."

"Jackson, don't do it," Polar replied.

"Is it like we have a choice?" Jackson asked, "We are at her mercy."

Jackson reached out and grabbed her hand hesitantly, and Queen Nile smiled faintly.

"See? Now was that so hard?" Queen Nile said softly, "And you didn't get bitten, I told you before, I don't bite."

Queen Nile then chuckled lightly and Jackson joined in, with fear in his laugh. Jayden was quivering with dread.

"So what was the point of that?" Cedric asked, "Or were you just trying to scare us half to death?"

"I like to have a little fun," Queen Nile said, "But there was more reason to this than your brain can ever comprehend."

Suddenly Jackson jolted upright, as if he got electrocuted, and then he turned around to face his friends, chuckling, and they gasped.

"What can I say," Jackson replied, in Queen Nile's tone, "I do enjoy more residents."

Jackson's eyes glowed a bright blue and Cedric grabbed Polar and Jayden's arms as he dashed away from them.

"We have to get out of here!" Cedric exclaimed.

"But Jackson!!!" Jayden yelped.

"It's too late," Polar replied, "He's already hers."

"See?" every resident said, "I see... you are all part of a big group of kingdoms. The Lapis Union. The Forest Kingdom was just the surface- the tip of the pyramid! Lapis Kingdom is the heart."

"Just keep going! Drown out the voices!" Cedric replied.

"I'm sorry Jackson!" Jackson exclaimed mockingly, then boomed a mighty laugh, "Cedric you're truly a man of few words. My disciples! Fetch those outsiders for me!"

And in an instant, the entire kingdom sprung from their spots. An entire kingdom in unison... to snag more people to join them... for eternity.