Meanwhile, five of the six high priests stood on the floor of the palace training grounds. Royal vizier, Siamun Muran, watched them prepare for another mock battle.

With their former lord, Pharaoh Akhenamkhanen, being guided now by Anubis, extra vigilance was a necessity. The new pharaoh had not yet been crowned, and that meant that threats to their kingdom would only increase. As protectors of their land, chosen by the millennium items, it was their responsibility to make certain those threats did not come to pass. And that meant keeping their bodies and spirits prepared for anything.

Siamun waited, ready to begin the practice.

"Where is the priest of the ring?" he asked, growing impatient. "He is never late."

"Mahaado?" Priest Seth answered, raising a cocky glance to Akhenaden. "I have hardly seen him since the former pharaoh's body was cleansed and passed on to the lesser priests."

"I have hardly seen him as well." He added. "Not since the ending of that ceremony. He left without saying a word."

Isis looked down. Mahaado had not spoken to her, but he left the ceremony quite distraught. Kalim and Shaada noticed the shift in her gaze, and turned towards her.

"Isis, do you know something that we do not?" Shaada asked, holding his millennium key.

"Has your tauk given you a vision pertaining to these events?" Kalim added.

They both waited for a response, but she said nothing.

"Please, priestess. Tell us."

"No…" she eventually sighed. "The tauk has shown me nothing. All I know is what my own eyes have shown me. I have not seen Priest Mahaado recently. Though the pain he felt when leaving the ceremony was palpable. He was greatly troubled by the pharaoh's passing."

"As are we all, but that is no excuse for being late for practice." Seth interrupted, twirling his millennium rod gracefully around his fingers. "We must be vigilant, not lazy."

"Seth, that is enough." Siamun replied quickly.

"Yes, it most certainly is." Akhenaden agreed. The priest of the millennium eye still mourned his brother's death, among the other things that weighed heavily on his heart.

"Never had I seen Mahaado's visage plagued with such despair." Isis continued. "It was disconcerting. I should have followed him, but in light of the events, I thought it best to leave him to grieve as he wished. We all needed time to ourselves, to meditate and reflect."

'The time for grieving is over." Seth added. "Young prince Atem's coronation is only days away."

"Where is Mana? We sent her to search for him over an hour ago!"

Their conversation was interrupted, however, by a familiar voice.

"My apologies for my tardiness." Mahaado whispered as he entered the training arena. "It will not happen again."

"It better not." Siamun replied, walking forward. "Where have you been? We have been waiting for you."

Mahaado merely lowered his head.

"I am sorry. I assure you, it will not happen again."

"It'd better not." Seth smirked. "If word of this were to spread, I can assure you, fear would reign over the kingdom. Danger lurks, while the high priests lazily recline late into the morning."

Mahaado merely bowed respectfully. "You are right. This is not the time for rest."

"Priest Mahaado, you owe all of us an explanation for your unusual absences these past few days." Siamun insisted. "But I do not wish to delay the training session any longer. Your fellow priests are still waiting."