Chapter 10: Fear's Plan

He stood by her side. Pain gripped his insides, and he fought hard not to cry. Slowly, he brought his eyes up to meet hers.

Oh, those eyes…those eyes that used to shine with love, joy, or with her flames when she was mad. Now, they are blank pits full of pain and despair that never ended. She reached weakly for his hand, and he took hers, tears filling his crimson eyes.

"My husband-to-be…please don't cry for me," she said, weakly. "You are to be the next Pharaoh of Egypt, but I'm sorry that I won't be by your side. Rule the kingdom for me and for your father."

"Please," he begged, holding her cold hand in both of his. "Don't leave me, please…" Tears started running down his face. "I…it won't…don't…no…" His shoulders started bobbing with sobs, but he blinked his crimson eyes, trying to keep the tears from blurry his eyesight. "I can't…"

She hushed him quietly. "You have to be strong…for me and the kingdom…promise me that no matter what, you will be strong." He nodded, clenching his jaw to try and control his crying. "Please, I don't want to see your somber face when I die."

"I…it's hard to keep a straight face when someone you love is…" He choked on the word. "Dying…"

She managed a small smile. "And you, the expert at keeping a straight face just can't…"

He laughed, weakly looking down at his feet, but her hand cupped under his chin, forcing him to look into her blue-green eyes.

"My husband-to-be…" she began, "I love…you…Atemu." Her head fell to the side and her eyes closed forever. The Prince of Egypt stood there, holding her frozen hand with both hands, tears flowing from his closed crimson eyes, and his shoulders bobbing with sobs. Her last words echoed in his mind, ringing clearly. "I love you, Atemu."

"No!" Atemu sat up, his crimson eyes filled with tears. He threw off the covers and fell on the floor, down on all fours. "No," he whispered, biting his lower lip in denial. His bare chest was gleaming with sweat in the moonlight that poured through the windows; his hands clenched into tight fists.

He forced himself up, only to walk over to the wall and slump against it, sliding down its surface to sit with his back against the wood; not caring if he got any splinters for his back was bare. His mind wandered back to his dream or nightmare for him. Thinking about the nightmare had Atemu's head slumping into his hands, had his breathing coming in shorter, forced gasps, and had his shoulders bobbing with sobs. He felt himself sinking into a grief beyond anything he had ever known, felt himself falling into a dark and empty pit, where he was helpless.

"Atemu." He looked up suddenly, looking toward the door of the bedroom. His father stood in the doorway with it ajar. "Come out here," he whispered. Atemu, trying to gain control over his breathing, forced himself to his feet and left his bedroom, leaving his wife sleeping soundly.

Akhenamkhenan wrapped a blanket around his son and led him to the couch, where he sat him down. As his father sat down next to him, holding him close, Atemu broke down. For many silent minutes, Akhenamkhenan held his son tight, allowing Atemu to feel safe and secured as he cried for his miseries.

"I'm having nightmares," Atemu choked.

"Quiet, Atemu," Akhenamkhenan said, soothingly. "Do you want hot chocolate?" Atemu's eyebrows lowered, but he nodded. When his father gave him a cup, he sipped it, still fighting to regain control. By the time he and his father finished their hot chocolate, Atemu had complete control.

"Now, what about your nightmares, Atemu?" Akhenamkhenan asked, starting the conversation.

Atemu swallowed. "Do you remember that day, a month before your death?"

Akhenamkhenan stared at him. "You are dreaming about her death…"

"I can't stop it; it's like my dreams are out of my control and are replaying every memory of mine. For the past couple weeks, I have dreamed about my entire childhood, good and bad memories. The bad ones were not that bad, only one when Mahado saved me from being bitten by a snake, but…" He closed his crimson eyes tightly to stop the tears. "Then tonight, I dreamed of one of the worst nightmares…"

"Shalina's death," Akhenamkhenan said, quietly. Atemu leaned into him and melted down again. They did not speak, falling asleep on the couch.

"What's up with Atemu?" Seto asked.

Akhenamkhenan only shook his head. Atemu had made him promise not to tell anyone, no matter what. For all Atemu knew, the nightmares of Shalina's death were going to come true, caused by the Dark Gods just so they could cause Atemu the pain that would be multiplied.

Atemu sat on the couch, staring straight at the wall, not moving an inch. The only signs that showed he was still alive were that he occasionally blinked and released a sigh. If anyone managed to look into his crimson eyes, they would find the source of his actions.

Seto and Mahado looked at each other from across the table. It wasn't like Atemu to be so quiet; it was awkward and the atmosphere was full of tension that would only be released once Atemu spoke or moved.

He did no such thing.

Shalina and Shelby entered the kitchen and stopped just in the doorway. Both of them saw Atemu and everyone else. As Shalina slowly approached Atemu, Shelby held her breath, as did everyone else.

Shalina stopped next to her husband, who had still not moved. She placed a hand on his shoulder, but he did not react. Kneeling, she rubbed his arm, and all he did was blink.

"Atemu," she whispered.

He closed his eyes, opened them, and looked at her.

She could see the tears in his crimson eyes. She moved closer, gathering him in a warm, loving embrace. Atemu's head fell on her shoulder, and his shoulder bobbed with sobs as he crushed her in an even tighter embrace. Everyone in the room were able to breathe a little easier.

Shalina and Atemu were alone that night. Neither of them spoke. Atemu had laid his head in Shalina's lap, and she was playing with his golden bangs. Occasionally, she would rub his back for awhile and kiss him on the forehead.

"What would life be like if I didn't have you?" Atemu asked, breaking the silence.

Shalina shrugged. "You might be trying to fall in love with Mana, or Tea," she answered, and Atemu gave a weak chuckle. "I have to admit that I would either go for Seto or Mahado had I not had you."

Atemu shifted. "I admit that I might have gone for Mana, Tea, or maybe Isis," he said softly, his crimson eyes dropping as Shalina began to rub his back. "Shalina, I didn't know what to do…" He couldn't find the words.

Shalina knew where he was leading, and she painfully closed her blue-green eyes, the eyes that had been filled with pain and sorrow in death before Atemu when they were only fourteen, Atemu almost fifteen. She hugged him, tightly. "Is that what's bothering you?" she asked.

Atemu shivered. "Yes," he said, "Nightmares of it." He struggled with the lump in his throat. "It plays over, causing me more pain each time." He rolled over in Shalina's arms and hugged her back, tighter. "That was the worst memory I have had," he whispered. Softly, he kissed her cheek. With trembling lips, he kissed her other cheek.

"Atemu," Shalina said, pushing away. He laid flat on his back on the bed as she moved away. She met his pained crimson eyes, seeing the need and the begging plainly in his expression and trembling lips.

But did she want to answer his call, his need to know that she loved him. Of course she loved him, but were they ready? Was she ready?

Atemu stared up at the ceiling, recognizing the truth in his actions. He had pushed Shalina over the normal line, and he knew that he wasn't ready for the amount of love it took his parents to make him. Maybe he just wanted Shalina's love for him, or maybe, subconsciously, he wanted more.

No! It wasn't that either. Maybe he was just ready to take one more step in love.

But Shalina wasn't ready, he realized, and it pained him to tell himself of the realization.

Then, he felt Shalina's hands touch his. Slowly, he lips neared his, but he couldn't kiss her, though he desperately wanted to do so.

"Just tell me one thing, Atemu," she said. They were so close that their breath mixed. "Are you ready for a step forward?"

Atemu met her blue-green eyes and smiled. "Ready if you are," he said. Then, Shalina pressed her lips against his in a long and passionate kiss.

A woman stood before him, holding a long knife in her hand. Her black hair was pulled back behind her shoulder, and her violet eyes flashed with accusation.

"What are you doing?" he asked, horrified.

"It is because of you that I am doing this," the woman answered. "You, you were given by the evil gods. Your purpose is only to destroy and kill. There are signs all over you to reveal the deadly truth about you, and no one sees this truth. They are all blind, but not me. I would rather show you what you are about to do now before your actually do it. I would rather not be alive."

The woman raised the long knife, and he ran to stop her. But he was too late to save her. Before his very eyes, the woman died with that long knife in her heart, stilling it forever.

He broke into sobs as he sat up. His head dropped into his hands, and his breath came in short gasps. Pain and guilt overwhelmed him.

There was no way out of that pit of grief.

Atemu lost his senses, and he knew not where he was. Darkness crept in around, ready to engulf him at any moment.

Then, he felt something inside him. It was a small flame of rage and power. As he subconsciously concentrated on it, it grew, evolving into a figure of himself.

Suddenly, all the pain and guilt was gone, and the darkness lifted. His head had come out of his hands, and his crimson eyes were dry with no sign of tears. He lay back down and went back to sleep.

Shalina was called to raid a nearby camp and destroy their technology as best as she could. She was gone for several weeks, and Atemu began to get worried. For all he knew, Fear the Third Dark God could have her in his grasp and could be doing the same that Pain had done to Atemu…

But then, she came back…but Atemu and Shelby sensed something was wrong.