This time Ladybug wondered why she was not coming out of the transition. Even after her headache had eased, she still couldn't see any forms or objects around her. Only darkness. Her eyes seemed to adjust, and she could spot pin pricks of light above. At this point she realized that Where ever and when ever this was, she had arrived at night. BUt strangely the night was illuminated by no moon. A lunar eclipse she thought back to her astronomy science class.
Her host had her back against a wall, and in the cover of darkness quickly sprinted from one pillar to the next, making her way silently through a maze of tight buildings. Her feet padded lightly through corse rough sand, and she skid to a stop, glancing around an arched stone doorway.
"I thought I'd find you here," a voice from above her whispered.
She looked up and only saw two glowing green eyes watching her intently.
" Maahes," she replied fearlessly, "why don't you come down here and see what you recieve."
The green eyes narrowed, and a sleek black shadow descended upon the girl, pushing her up against the wall looking straight into her eyes, which stared back at him, with a smirk playing on the corner of her lips. She quickly spun her yoyo around him pulling, restraining him from escaping, pulling him even closer. Then she kissed him quickly on the lips, and spun her yoyo, sending him flying backward into a beam of starlight that filtered through a pillar.
In the faint light ladybug could see his cat ears poking out of his raven hair, and his black suit silhouette against the sky, which was transitioning gradually from complete darkness to a navy, indicating that the sun was approaching the eastern horizon.
"Now enough games Maahes," The girl, who was yet another reincarnation of the ladybug, said putting her hands on her hips, and tossing her short, straight black hair over her shoulder.
"You're the one playing games Neith," said Maahes striding to her side, and sliding his arm around hers, leaning in closely, "I'm serious...seriously in love with you, and seriously concerned that you are out walking around the city of the dead at night...and especially a night where the moon has been hidden in the sky. Who knows what evil is afoot!"
"You have been soaking up too much from your adorning temple priests and their paranoia. We are the guardians of Egypt. There has not been a single challenge that we could not overcome."
"Exactly...we...not a evil that WE could not face...you could have woken me up, and taken me with you," Maahes scolded.
"But you looked so cute curled up in our bed! I couldn't disturb you."
"I'm cute all the time," he bragged, "That is no excuse...tell me the real reason." With that he drew her in closer, and tilted her chin gently with his blacked gloved paw, meeting her eyes.
"Maahes, I...I have been trying to scope things out on my own, because I think the Pharaoh is the one who took Mira yesterday. She sometimes runs off to the market or something without telling the priests, but she always tells me. You are too close to Tut, and serve him as one of his guards in your human form. If I do run into him tonight, I can't risk him recognizing you...I can't put you at risk." She pulled Maahes in to her, and kissed his neck.
"We are partners my love," Maahes soothed stroking her hair. You've got to trust me, just like you did before you found out who I was beneath this mask. We need to stick together. That is where our strength lies."
"Alright kitty," she smiled. I'm glad you're with me...but it looks like I was wrong anyway...about something devious being carried out tonight. I was so sure that the lunar eclipse and Mira's disappearance couldn't be a coincidence, but everything was still last night."
"Quiet as the grave," Mathees commented.
"Not funny cat! You've heard the stories."
"Now who is paranoid," Maahes smiled. Then he spoke reassuringly to Neith, "Don't worry my love, I'm sure Mira is just playing tricks on you. She has always been so mischievous. If she got herself into some trouble we will find her. Let your worries fade away with the night, and greet the sun with me."
"There is no where I'd rather be," she sighed, drawing him into a passionate kiss.
The sliver of sunlight highlighting the waves of sand dunes for miles, and a massive painted sculpture of Horus rose up overlooking the tled pictographs dotting the walls of the tombs.
The couple detransformed side by side, still enjoying the pink haze that radiated out from the sun across the sky.
Maahes had a bare chest, except for a red amulet that he wore around his neck. Around his waist was red and gold sash of the Pharaoh's house, and a white tunic. His leather sandals were securely bound around his calves.
Neith wore the white robe of a priestess, with no other adornments besides her miraculous earrings. She too wore sandals, but hers were simpler and crisscrossed only up around her ankles.
Maahes looked at her adoringly. "I can't believe it took so long to realize how much I love you."
"The way I'd been fawning over you any time you visited the temple to pay tribute to the cat goddess, Bast, I'm surprised I didn't give myself away sonner," she sighed.
"I have the rest of my life to make it up to you," he said covering her with a torrent of kisses. The he paused a pulled away suddenly. "Neith, you are the one for me, I commit myself to you forever, will you marry me?"
" Maahes! Yes! With all my heart, a million times over, yest!" She responded excitedly.
He took the amulet around his neck, and put it around hers. With foreboding in her heard ladybug noticed that once again this red amulet had invaded Tiki and Plagg's past lives.
Giggling, Neith grabbed his hand and they left their perch where they had greeted the sun.
"I better get to my day job," Maahes signed, and made a playful grab at the fringe of her robe.
"I will see you tonight," she smiled lovingly, giving his a wave as he hurried through the sandy streets.
She walked for what seemed like hours to return to the Bast temple. It was impressive and stately. At it's gates where two furrocious sphinx' that silently greeted her. She patted one of the stone paws as she walked by out of habit. After growing up at the temple, she had grown up at the feet of these silent guardians, and now they just reminded her of Maahes.
The square temple was surrounded by two channels of water, that fed into the Nile. Manicured trees leaned in towards the temple, as if bowing. The road leading to the main entrance was well worn, and lined with chizeled stones. A stone wall, depicting heroism, legends, gods, and goddess' encircled it. For some reason one mosaic in an ancient corner of the temple depicting the goddess cat sinking a whole island always gave her goosebumps, and she usually avoided it. But this time she chose that corner, because of the discrete side door hidden there, usually only used for the delivery of temple sacrifices.
As she was slipping through the side door of the temple she heard some voices speaking in forceful, but hushed tones. They seemed to be arguing, but the raspier voice kept trying to convince the man with the higher pitched voice to keep it down.
"I recognize the man with the raspy voice as the high priest of the sun god Ra," Neith whispered to Tiki who was tucked into her robe. "I'm surprised to see him. He never leaves the east temple, which is by far the grandest, and most impressive temple along the great Nile."
She had not seen him for the past seven years, not since the great burial of Nephriti, the Pharaoh's wife. On that day 100 priests had begged Rai to return Nephritis on behalf of the heartbroken Pharoah, but Rai had not released her spirit. Many whispered that because of her great beauty Rai had jealousy taken her as his own queen.
Neith would have felt pity for Pharaoh's loss, if only he had not turned his grief into the anger of a tyrant, against his own people. The 100 priests who had been unsuccessful at Nefertiti's funeral were executed, and mummified along with the queen. When he was not inflicting more hardships and demands on the Egyptians and nations under his rule, King Tut was said to be pouring over countless scrolls and inscriptions about the gods and sorcery.
Neith paused briefly, then slunk closer to try to make out the two men's words. She bumped into a statue of Bast, who had the figure of a woman, and the head of a regal cat. Luckily two of the temple cats, chased each other under foot, and when the two men glanced over, they must have throught the felines responsible for the disturbance, and they leaned in, continuing their debate.
You know very well it must be done exactly at noonday sun, when the sun god has his chariot at the height of his journey across the sky." Simon buzzed.
"But in daylight everyone will see. What would they think if…" the other screeched.
"It is by Pharaoh's order. Do you seriously think anyone would defy him?" Simon's voice rose slightly, then regaining control, he hushed his voice so Neith could barely hear him. "Tut is a very god among us, and his will to be reunited with Nefertiti will be successful this time. Or have you forgotten our one hundred brothers who walk the shores of the dead. The girl must be sacrificed today, while the moon goddess is still weak."
Neith gasped inwardly, and sunk to the ground, as the two men closed a door behind them.
She had been right after all that Tut had been responsible for Mira's disappearance, but to be sacrificed in exchange for his deceased wife?! She was horrified! But it was not too late yet, she told herself. They could still safe her. Mira had been adopted by the cat temple a few years after Neith, and she always had considered Mira a little sister. There was no way she was going to fail her.
Breaking into a run to burst back out of the temple toward the great wall.
Glancing overhead, Neith noticed the sun was rising higher in the sky, and the window to save Mira was getting close.
She surveyed the wall on the outside of Pharaoh's great palace, but could not spot Maahes.
"Back again so soon?!"a good natured, but teasing voice asked as she hesitated at the gate.
She looked up at first startled, but recognized one of Maahes' friends, Titus.
"Titus, I'm in a rush, do you know where I can find him?" she panted.
"If only I had a beautiful woman hot on my heels!" he said dramatically, and at one look at Neith's exasperated face, he smiled at her, and said, " you just missed him. He should be on the third wall, guarding the inner ring."
"Thanks, Titus, and…"
"...and I never saw you," Titus finished for her, smiling to himself and shaking his head, returning to his post.
Neith found Maahes, and he instantly knew something was wrong. Without wasting a moment, she described every detail she had overheard at the temple.
That is when they discussed their own plan.
At the far east side of the city of the dead, over the tombs of the murdered priests, and at the very site of Nephetities grave, Tut 1 himself stood with the sun god's priest, Simon. He recited a chant from a papyrus scroll to Rai. Armed men brought forward a young girl with almond skin, defiant hazel eyes, and amber-tinted hair. It was indeed Neith's beloved Mira. Her priestess robe was frayed and dusty at the bottom, and her bottom lip was but, but other than that she seemed to be yet unharmed.
Neith seethed with anger seeing them drag her friend to be sacrificed. "Spots on," she whispered fiercely, and was about to run at them, when Maahes grabbed her arm, holding her back.
" Maahes," she hissed urgently, trying to shake his grasp.
"Wait," he whispered in her ear, "don't you see. Don't rush in headfirst. We need to distract them, then you can come at them from behind, and rescue Mira."
Neith drew into his shoulder, drawing comfort from his presence, and nodded at his wise strategy. With the heat of her anger halted a moment, fear crept into her heart. "I'm worried for her cat," she whispered into the crook of his neck.
"My lady. Who can stand against the Scarlet Click Beetle, and the roguishly handsome, son of Bast?! Together we're an unstoppable team!"
Neith's smile sparkled in her eyes, and with a nod, she stealthily moved around the procession into position behind the altar.
"Lucky charm," she breathed.
She received a large plate mirror. She positioned it against the side of the wall, ready for her cat's entrance.
Maahes waited until the moment the priests had reached the altar, only a couple yards from where Neith was positioned.
Then he jumped up to a high column, and announced in a powerful and commanding voice, his presence…"I am son of Bast, Lord of the elements...Defender of nature...Destroyer of nations...Devourer of captives...your hour has come!" In that moment, Neith reflected the light, so that it glinted off of Maahes, making him appear to have a luminescent quality, as if he was a messenger from the sun god Rai himself.
The priests quaked, and fell down prostrate before the imposing black cat, touching their foreheads to the ground, fearing the wrath of Bast's son.
But Tut would not be so eaily swayed from his goal, when he believed he was so close to being reunited with his Nefititi.
"Son of the great cat," Tut addressed him mockingly, "if you truly are who you claim, why do you interfere with our sacred task, and our personal dealings with the reigning god Rai. Scamper back to the temple maids kitten, they will fetch you your milk."
Some of the priests peled their eyes off the ground, horrified at Tut's irreverence, but curious at the god's response to the pharaoh's jests.
"Mortal!" Maahes bellowed with a resonating voice. "You may have grown overly confident, thinking yourself invincible, but all those who build themselves too high will eventually crumble to the ground."
At this announcement he yelled, projecting his voice menacingly, "Cataclysm!" And then he struck a Great Wall with the image of Pharaoh carved into it.
The thunderous crash and rising cloud of dust when the stone flew to pieces terrified the priests, and shocked the Pharaoh, who suddenly had the uneasy feeling that he might have tried to intimidate the wrong demigod.
This was the moment. Neith raced from her hiding spot towards Mira, who was held by two guards on either side. One of the guards had dropped to his knee dragging Mira half over with him, while the other was distracted, demanding that the other, "be a man and stand his ground."
.
Neith was close to grabbing Mira, but her earrings beeped a final warning. Neith knew her time was up, but she was not willing to lose Mira. She swung grabbing her from her captive's hands. Midways through the swing though, she detransformed, revealing her face to all present. Although she was far away from Tut or his followers they could tell from her robe that she was one of the priestess'. Tut's eyes narrowed, also noticing the familiar red amulet around her neck, that very one that one of his trusted soldiers had always worn as a family heirloom. After the priests Tut ordered his soldiers to get there, and return his sacrifice.
Mira of course was right in Neith's arms, and grabbed her tightly around her neck. "Oh Neith, it's you! It's really you! ...and who is this?!" Mira spotted Tiki peering out from Neith's robe.
That's my kawmi, Tiki, but I don't have time to explain! Both of us have got to get out of here!"
"At your service ladies," Maahes ' purred dropping beside them, and offering his pole for them to descend off the roof.
Maahes was able to hide them, and they gradually made their way to Titus' home at the edge of the city of Leontopolis.
Titus, however, was not in the garb of a palace guard, but was dressed in green armour, and even carried a shell-like shield on his back.
Neith was taken aback when she saw him, and looked questionly at Maahes.
"You've got more allies than you know Lady Click Beetle," he said.
"Titus or Shetyw, in this form, will keep Mira safe, and we can find a way to get her to a safe place. Then he pulled Neith to one side, and whispered, "you sacrificed your identify today, and now they must surely know you."
"I'm sorry Maahes , I had to, I couldn't let them…"
"No apologies, you did what a true hero would do, and I'm proud of you. But it does mean that things will change, and especially after openly defying Tut we will need to fleed. All of us...we have to leave first thing tomorrow once I'm able to get supplies and transportation arranged."
"Oh Maahes where will we go?"
"We will go east and meet the sun," he replied. "I will meet you where we started this day, but make sure you keep them out of sight.
With that they kissed passionately, holding onto each other tightly. Then he slowly let his hand drop from her shoulder to her outstretched hand, linking fingers for a moment. The he nodded to Titus, and gave Neith one more lingering kiss on the tips of her fingers. Then he was out the door.
The darkness of this night was now illuminated by the moon, who once again revealed herself beaming down in the sky. Three silent figures cut across the tombs, leading Titus's horse, which was saddled with some bundles and bags of provisions for the long journey ahead. Neith, Titus, and Mira sat down cautiously in an enclave, hidden from sight, just under the place Maahes had proposed only the day before. They waited and waited, but still there was no sign of Maahes. Even as the sun crept up, and stared to lengthen the shadows around them he did not appear. Neith, finally cut the silence, wondering out loud to Titus if something had happened.
"He is probably just delayed with all the supplies he has been gathering, " TItus said, trying to sound more confident than he felt, but his eyes betrayed the concern he had for his friend. Then he paused, and said "You girls stay with our provisions, and have some of the bread & water I stashed in the side pack. I will go assist Maahes and see what is keeping him."
"I can't eat till I know Maahes is okay," Neith said.
"Eat, and strengthen yourself, because as soon as I return we will have to depart with haste. Already we've waited too long...and if I don't return by midday, both you and Mira flee to the mount of the hills beyond the Nile. If I can, I will meet you there within a day, but if not, it means you are on your own.
Neith was stricken with fear, and nodded, murmuring "you are a true friend," as he quickly dashed back towards the city and Pharaoh's palace.
Neith and Mira did not have to wait an hour before they spotted Titus, leading another horse along at a hurried pace towards them. But as he drew close, Neith realized in horror that Maahes was not with him.
Leaving their hiding spot, Neith rushed up to meet Titus, who was out of breath and covered in sweat.
Before she could ask, Titus spilled with gasps, the story of how the palace was abuzz with news of King Tut noticing the mysterious priestess girl's amulet, and recognizing it at Maahes'. Making the connection, that he could only have bestowed such a gift on a girl he loved, and that it must be the cat companion that loved the click beetle. As soon as Maahes had returned to the palace to gather supplies, he had been captured by ambush awaiting him. He had been gagged (preventing him from transforming). Luckily Tut believed the transformation was a spoken spell only, and had no idea about the ring miraculous, so did not take the ring from his possession. As the whole city was dedicated to Tai and Bast, Tut was opposed by the priests and the people, who believed Maahes to be the son of Bast. There was rioting when he considered killing the cat hero.
"He's not...they didn't…" Neith interrupted, letting out a sharp cry and beside herself with dread.
"Tut didn't kill him," Titus reassured her, "but, banished him to the ends of the earth. Yesterday Tut had a team of soldiers and priests hastily cart him away, still bound and gagged. They sent him across the border to the east (claiming to send him to Rai for judgement).
"We must rescue him! We have to catch up to them!" Neith exclaimed.
"They already have nearly a days head start on us, but I stole another stead to help us make up some time," Titus replied, throwing Neith the reigns.
The trio hastily divided the packs between the two mounts. The girl rode one, while Titus took the lead on the other. Galloping swiftly across the sand they tore across miles until they reached the Ford of Waterways. The horses plunged in, and swam across. The girls steadied the bundles to prevent them from getting drenched, while Titus kept a wary eye open for crocs, who he had encountered once before on one of his trips across the Waterways. But luck seemed to be on this side this time, because they made it to the other side without incident. They allowed the horses a drink, and then spurred them forward.
By dusk they reached the port of what was called the Lake of Bitterness. A settlement of fishermen and traders had a market, which was just closing down for the day.
Titus pulled an elderly man packing up his collection of fabrics he had been selling aside, and asked him if he had seen the Pharaoh's guards and priests come through with a prisoner.
The old man told them that he had, but that the company had returned the way they came last night after selling the captive for a large sum to a slave trader, with a ship headed down the chanel to the Red ea, and beyond to the Eastern lands.
Titus rewarded the man for his information with a gold piece from his bag, but then turned to the girls with dread. Looking back at them, and then down at his miraculous bracelet, he clenched his hands and stormed towards the docks without a word. The girls hung back, wondering what their next move would be.
Titus argued and bartered with a sailor of a small, but sturdy ship. After the trade the sailor left smiling with the two fine horses, while the three boarded their new ship, destined to trail the slave ship that held Maahes.
Titus steered, while Mira stored supplies in the haul. Neith stood balanced on the bow, straining her eyes to get a glimpse of the ship they pursued.
"I will never stop searching for you my love," she breathed, "we will be together again."
With those last words ladybug was cast into a sea of red and white light once more, along with the tearing sensation within her mind. "Noooooo!" she wailed a muffled scream, as one submerged in a dream. "That can't be the end! I want to know if they found each other!" But there was no response to her questions, or protests. There were no tangible things to hold onto or steady herself. Then she seemed to fall into a damp tangled mass of ferns and lush vegetation within a forest.