V.E.: Okay, I don't think I'll be able to meet the deadline I'm hoping for. I'm really lazy and my last Princess of Egypt chapter was quite the long one. Well, I hope to update once more of my stories later in this week because this weekend I'm studying for last high school exams.
Well, finally I'm giving those two a conversation alone with each other. I've been waiting to do this for a while, but I also can't wait to ship Mahad off to Japan and have Kisara join him.
Roll Dream Sequence!
AND WHERE'S MY DIET COKE?!
Blackness. Pure blank darkness. He could move, feel the cold, but he could see nothing not even himself.
Then it lights up into a colorful scene. The luscious green garden he had dreamed off earlier is back with more richness of detail. The vibrant colors, the scent of the fruits and flowers, it's almost as if he is really there.
But he knows that he isn't really there at all as he looked at his hands. His whole body is transparent, he can see but not touch.
His attention is to the laughter and he sees three children, one taller than the other two, shrouded in shadows. They seemed to playing a form of tag or something. Even so, he can sense the warmth and happiness the three were emitting. And in his own heart something was stirring, a powerful déjà vu running through his veins.
The scene shifts from outdoors to indoors, as a great gleaming hall appears before him this time. It is grand, like on would find in Egyptian temple or imagine what a palace would have looked like.
It seems like a great ceremony as four figure were there, two on each side. On one side, the priest in the blue robes and strange hat summons a great monster with a sword. On the opposite side of him, a man he can't see in a golden headdress and white clothes summons a small purple magician. By the way the two seemed to be glaring at each other, this was their duel.
Again the scene changes, the hallway comes back with its pillars. This time the priest he hasn't seen before is hiding behind a pillar, the Millennium Ring hanging down his neck. He is spying on the young woman gazing into the blue pool with a pensive expression, her eyes the same crystal blue as the water. He can tell this person is too scared to approach her, he feels like this person is close to him.
Suddenly, he is out of the sunny scenes and into the dark hallway that always ends his dreams as the his tomb of eternity. Where he dies.
But there is no monstrous beast this time, no demon crazed laugh from the psychotic thief.
He is only standing on the platform, his body fully visible as he looks down at his hands. How is he visible, usually he stays ghostlike in this portion of the dream.
A voice, calm and soothing, neither young nor old, answered.
"Awaken Mage of the Shadows."
Mahad is startled by the interruption as he looked up to find its owner.
A young girl stands on the path where his murderer usually was. He could tell it was girl by the small form and slight curves, but most of her details was hidden by the white robe she wore. Even a hood covered her face. Her arms were to her sides as she spoke once more.
"You cannot rest in ignorance any longer."
He is incredibly confused by this girl. Yet he couldn't help, but listen to her words.
"The Seal is breaking. The balance is about to be upset by their plans. They meddle in magic they do not understand. Awaken Mage of Shadows, seek out the truth!
"Seal? What Seal? I'm just an Egyptian authenticator!"
Her voice become slightly hurried as the chamber lightens.
"My time with you is up. You and the Dragon Maiden are in great danger. Awaken Pillar of Darkness!"
And with those last words, the place fills with immediate light, causing the woman to disappear but not before raising her head to give him a look at the deep green eyes she possessed.
For the umpteenth time since coming to Egypt, Mahad woke up gasping. But this time he wasn't in his hotel, which it took him a minute to remember he was in the Ishtar house. Sitting up on the couch, he groaned slightly as he went to the side where he kept his satchel to find his phone.
"Are you alright?"
Mahad stiffened at the interruption. Slowly he turned around to find Ishizu Ishtar looking at him quite concerned He felt himself blush as he realized she probably saw him wake up, especially to see her up at this hour. Luckily, she was wearing a nightgown with long sleeves, nothing to really make him uncomfortable.
"Miss Ishizu, what are you doing up at this hour?!"
That got him a rather piercing look from the Egyptian woman.
"I could say that about yourself. I was just up to get a glass of water."
Mahad groaned as he pinched the bridge of his nose.
"It's just a nightmare."
This didn't seem to put her at ease.
"Is it?"
Mahad couldn't make himself reply to that. For some reason, his mind seemed to be thinking along the lines of what Ishizu was saying. His dreams had always been strange, but now they were just…..creepy. Why could he still feel chills going down his back from them? How many times had he woken up in a cold sweat because of them?
He was so caught up in thought he hadn't realized that Miss Ishtar had come closer to him, sitting down at the far end of the couch until he felt it. He looked up to find concern in those familiar blue eyes.
"Do you want to talk about it?"
Mahad felt himself incredibly unsure of himself as he spoke.
"Miss Ishtar…"
Her voice was firm as she spoke next.
"Ishizu. Call me Ishizu."
Mahad felt himself redden at the idea, but nodded.
"Alright, Ishizu, but I don't think you can really help me."
"You be surprised. You're not the only one who has had problems with dreams."
Mahad shrugged, willing to try anything.
"Alright, do you have any idea how to get rid of them so I can get a decent night's sleep?"
Ishizu shook her head with regret.
"Unfortunately, no. How long has this been going on?"
Mahad looked at her with a serious expression, feeling some of the uneasiness escaping him.
"The dreams in general or the latest bout of them?"
Ishizu looked surprised.
"The first, I suppose. This isn't the first time?"
Mahad shook his head.
"Not by a long shot. They've been coming and going for the past couple of years or so."
"Do you remember when they started?"
Mahad thought about that for a while before answering.
"Once when I was home for a small vacation, I was out with my cousin shopping at the mall."
Mahad was about to continue when he saw Ishizu's somewhat incredulous expression.
"What?"
"You went with your cousin shopping?"
Mahad didn't know what the point of the question was.
"Is that so strange?"
Ishizu shook her head.
"Sorry, I have never known a man to willingly shop with his sister."
Mahad felt this eyebrow raise quizzically.
"I take it this is from experience?"
"Let's just say Marik isn't a willing shopper. Go on."
Mahad took a breath before continuing.
'The two of us were just about to go home when she just screamed and collapsed to the floor. Luckily, an ambulance managed to get there in time to get us to the hospital. Later, she told it me it was like she was being ripped apart by the intense pain."
Now it was Ishizu's turn to ask a question.
"What was wrong with her?"
Mahad shook his head.
"That's just it. The doctors couldn't figure out what was wrong with her, I still have no idea what happened. My cousin spent almost a week in the hospital just groaning in pain. I didn't want to leave her so soon, but there was this exhibit going on in New York so I had to leave. It was right after that the dreams really started."
Ishizu thought for a moment.
'You really love your cousin, don't you Mr. Shen?"
Mahad felt himself speak before he thought it through.
"Mahad. To be honest, after moving in with me and my parents Kisara became more of my sister than my cousin. In some ways, she understands me better than they ever did."
Ishizu looked at Mahad questioningly.
"Most men I've met would prefer younger brothers to sisters. Did you ever want one?"
Mahad was somewhat taken aback by the question, getting a little uncomfortable at the second part.
"Actually, no I didn't. This would sound silly…but.."
Ishizu prompted the response with her blue eyes.
"But?"
"Before Kisara moved in with us when I was younger, I always wanted a younger sister and I used to pretend I had one. Maybe it was just 'a lonely only child' thing. I used to imagine a girl with brown hair and green eyes who followed me everywhere and teased me to no end. Along with that, I used to picture the pranks she would pull on me."
Mahad shook his eyes with a small smile.
"I still remember that, but I can't quite remember her name. For my parents, it was one of the few things that was semi normal about me."
Ishizu looked surprised at his words.
"You don't consider yourself normal?"
Mahad gave her a small smile, not feeling so nervous around her any more.
"Someone once told me that, 'It is the ones who consider themselves normal that are the truly weird ones.' Anyway, I get the feeling your little brother is quite the trouble maker himself, but you love him anyway."
Ishizu smiled at that.
"You'd be right."
Mahad shook his slightly.
"Ah, the things we do for our siblings."
Ishizu's voice was a strange tone as she answered.
"You have no idea."
Mahad looked Ishizu as if waiting for her to elaborate, but it seemed like she didn't want to go any further into the topic as she changed the subject.
"Marik says you're going to see your sister in Japan, correct?"
Mahad nodded in confirmation.
"Yeah, though it will probably be only a short while. Depending on how my work goes."
Ishizu gave a small smile.
"You know, my brother's right."
"About what?"
"You are a workaholic. I've never seen you do anything else at the museum, but focus on the artifacts."
Mahad ignored the small blush that was rising after finding out she was looking at him(his common sense mentally smacking him while telling him she doesn't mean it THAT WAY!) and tried to make a cohesive answer.
"Well…I'm not exactly one for…people really. Dead mummies I'm okay with, conversations with living people my age not so much."
Ishizu thought about that for a moment.
"Is this your first time in Egypt?"
"As a matter of fact yes. Though I've wanted to come here for years. Unfortunately, I won't be able to stay long enough to see the sites. The exhibit is on a tight schedule, I'll have to fly out as soon as I'm done with the authentication. I really should have tried to field work in college, but at least I have a job."
"Must be interesting flying to different countries though."
Mahad sighed.
"It's nice, but it gets exhausting after a while. The last time I was home was over a year ago."
Ishizu nodded in understanding.
"I suppose it would. May I ask a question?"
"Of course."
"I've met many people who have been interested in Ancient Egypt. The culture has fascinated the world for generations."
Mahad let a small smile cross his face.
"Like when Napoleon brought about the craze in Europe after bring stuff back from Egypt during his military career."
"One of the more famous ones noted. What I've found is people who seek the past are trying to discover their present, who they really are. What are you trying to find?"
Mahad felt his thoughts stop at the question. Never before had he asked himself what he was searching for, he had been content in the comfort that the learning had brought him. There was something about Ancient Egypt called out to him. Though he wasn't useless when it came to modern stuff, nothing really satisfied him.
Did Egypt connect to him somehow in some way he didn't understand? Was he trying to seek his present?
He couldn't fully understand it, but he knew exactly what to say.
" 'Human passions have mysterious ways, in children as well as grownups. Those affected by them can't explain them, and those who haven't known them have no understanding of them at all.' ."
This prompted a rather confused look on Ishizu's face that made Mahad laugh slightly.
"The Neverending Story, Michael Ende. A book I read a long time ago. I can't quite explain why I search or what for. Perhaps I am looking for something I will know when I find it. Or perhaps I'm searching for something that will never be found. All I know is that I do."
Mahad shook his head.
"I guess you could say I don't know myself at all."
Ishizu took this in with widened eyes, as if coming to a theory. An impossible theory, but a theory. One that required some serious reading of the ancient records first thing in the morning.
She stood up right then and cleared her throat.
"Well..umm..I think I'll go back to bed."
Mahad looked at her, somewhat confused.
"Weren't you up to get a glass of water?"
"I'm not so thirsty anymore. Good night Mr. Shen."
As she turned to head back to her room, Mahad spoke.
"Ishizu."
She turned around to face him with a question on her face.
"Mahad, please."
Ishizu's eyes widened slightly before she smiled and nodded.
"Very well. Good night Mahad."
She turned to walk back while Mahad watched her until she was out of reach. Then he reached into his satchel for his notebook. If he wasn't going to get some sleep, maybe he could at least finishing that book he always forgot about.
Anything to get his mind of the dreams for awhile.
V.E.: Yes, I'm late to my deadline. I least I got this done before my senior banquet tonight. This will probably be my last update to this story for a while since exams are next week. Hope that's understandable.
Google this about Napoleon, it's actually true. I found out from a historical fiction book I read then my own English textbook.
Who's the girl in the white and what's the impending doom? We'll get to that later. Come on, I need some way to explain what happened in the past to Mahad and Kisara!
REVIEW!
(Happily sips reward Diet Coke.)
