12. The chinvat bridge

PROLOGUE | STOLEN MOON | WANING CRESCENT | SACRED SANDS | FALLEN SELENE | EPILOGUE

The Chinvat Bridge

The Sultan and John comes to the Prince's aid but he insists that he will be ok. He tells John that he needs to stop the Djinn before he extends the Bridge. Sam arrives and says that he will stay with them. John is hesitant to leave them but enters the tunnel. He follows the tunnel and reaches the end where it opens into an expansive cavern underground full of white sand. There are cracks at the top of the cavern allowing the moonlight to seep in lighting the cavern brightly. In the distance he sees what looks like an altar atop a stairway with a large stone tablet and various smaller pillars at the top.

As John Noble gets closer to the Altar he sees that there is a stone circle near the top of the tablet. Sam catches up to him and says that the Prince will be alright. John says that they have to save his brother. They climb to the top of the Altar and see that Ardashir is at the top of the stairs. John checks him and helps him up. Ardashir says that the Djinn must not extend the Chinvat Bridge to release the Angra Manyu.

They are all entranced at the light before them which emanates from the moonlight in front of the Gate. They see the Djinn in front of the Gate ahead of them. The tablet resembles a white marble door split in half with a circle between the two slabs near the top. It floats between two smaller pillars with a thin red cloth wrapped around them, stretching across the door. In front of this sits a young dark skinned woman with white hair clad in a long red robe with a black dot on her forehead, her eyes closed. She is deep in prayer. Beside her are many common items made of silver and gold. A mirror sits closest to her with a gold brim.

This scene will be very cryptic and there will not be much explained as to who this is. John motions for Sam to take Ardashir back and they head down as John runs further up the altar. The woman will say nothing but will open her eyes as The Djinn whispers for her to forgive him. John attempts to strike the Djinn with his sword but a bright flash of light engulfs the cave knocking everyone but the Djinn off their feet. John could not make it to stop the Djinn in time. Everyone looks on as the young woman is gone and only the mirror remains. The Djinn releases the sash across the pillars and picks up the Mirror. He shines the light of the moon into the sigil on the Gate and it begins to open. He then touches the reflective surface beyond and it unleashes clouds of black smoke that whirl around the cave.

The next flashback begins back as Sam takes Ardashir down the steps of the Altar and John Noble attacks the Djinn who is enraptured by what is happening. They fight but he is able to defeat the Djinn after he uses the mirror to deflect a blast aimed at John Noble, which destroys part of the altar. The mirror is thrown from the altar. John struggles to close the Gate as a grey figure start to appear from the smoke and dust. The figure then appears human but has flames on it's head. He closes the gate and looks toward the moon then closes his eyes as the Gate shuts. Sam and Ardashir look back at the altar and in a bright flash of light, everything is gone and the cavern is only sand and rock. The flashback ends as John in engulfed in the light.

END OF THE SACRED SANDS ARC