Chapter 24

The slave travelled to the pyramid on her camel, carrying vital request and precious message to give to the enemies of Kauket's seer. Instead of having the slave to spy on them, was sent to give information and warned them.

The young family, happily gathered in the courtyard as they marvelled the craftsmanship of the surroundings, watching over them from the balcony was the pyramid's high priestess's. Tetisheri and rashida. "To see her happy is always good, don't you think?" rashida commented, looking to tetisheri, waiting for a reply. Softly sighed then finally answered. "Yes, but she must face her destiny as the fate of the world is at peril."

Looking back to neesa and her happy family, happily playing and laughing as others joined in. Their pets ran to them and bark, mewed as they surrounded them with the rest of the clan. "This is what we are fighting for." Tetisheri pointed out. Rashida nodded agreeably. "Yes, family."

"Come rashida it is time, for dear neesa to face her tasks and prove if she is worthy." Rashida nodded then looked down to neesa as she smiled, laughed and played happily with her family before following her co-priestess. The red haired woman, smiled as she laughed with her children and terrapin husband just as when she noticed the priestess's approached them. Gently grasped masuki's hand while akila draped her tiny arms around her father's neck, gently cradled in his strong arms. "It is time for the tests, neesa." Tetisheri told her, gently.

Nodding slowly, then kissed her family before she followed the priestess's to the secret chambers below in the pyramid. "It is best you and the young children, stay in the room until neesa returns." Rashida suggested, Leo nodded agreeably and did as suggested.

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Neesa changed into fitting clothing that would not get caught or tear whilst on her journey. Tetisheri waited patiently as she walked in the room finally and said. "You will not need many weapons, neesa as this is tests of the immortals."

"What am I expected to take with me?" she asked, raising her eye ridge curious to the answer which will be given to her question. "Just your sword." Tetisheri replied, paused for a moment then handed a key. "Use this, as there is other weapons waiting when you begin your task." She added.

Taking the key, then lightly bit her lower lip and said requesting. "Keep my family safe until I come back." Tetisheri nodded and led neesa to the lower chambers of the pyramid. Tetisheri stood back as neesa was approached by the guardians of the pyramid and respectfully bowed, then stepped aside allowing her to walk through the corridors where the obstacles of her most greatest challenges awaits.

"Good luck, neesa."

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"Oji." Masuki's called as she looked up to her father while akila slept within his embrace. Looking down to her with a soft smile and softly answered her. "Yes, suki."

"Where is mama?" she asked, her eyes softly gazed him with wanting for an embrace of affection. "Mama, had to go training." He answered. "What training, oji?" she asked, curiously. Leo sighed, pulling her to his plastron and hugging her gently then said. "Mama is doing a special kind of training. Mama will be back, soon." Hugging her father back and curled up in a tight ball within his embrace. Kissed her little head then looked up, exhaled softly.

Few seconds later as both girls slept in their protective embrace of their father, the red clad terrapin walked in the room and noticed that his brother with his two nieces were a fast asleep. Taking the mink blanket from the bed and covered them. Gently brushed his knuckles over akila's cheeks then placed his hand over masuki's head. Neither scurried or moved from the gentle touch of their uncle as he stood up and left the room, closing the door behind him. Rashida stood close by, her hands folded over each other as were held just slightly over her abdomen. "Your brother has been marked."

His eye ridge rose slightly, with immediate concern and fear as he mouth moved to speak the words of inquiry to what has been said. "Marked? What do you mean lady?" Rashida slowly walked to him, then leaned in toward his ear and answered whispery. "Let me show you." Looking to the woman and followed.

Opening the door to the secret room where all prophecies and histories of their culture were recorded. Looking to the strange symbols and hieroglyphs on the walls. "I don't understand these."

"Try." Rashida smiled, holding her hand to him. "Try. Your family needs you more than ever." His eyes widen, no words were spoken as only a soft exhaling gasp escaped his lips then looked up to the walls as he tried to read them. Rashida held his hand once he grasped hers, and with a wave of her free hand had opened a doorway to the past. Looking to him once more and whispered softly. "Come, hamato raphael. Come."

He followed in the doorway of blinding bright light. Shielding his eyes as he couldn't see then finally, the light faded. Sounds of children running around, playing happily as their mothers smiled and watched their children play while they washed their clothing in the nearby well. "Where am i?" Raphael asked, looking around confused but yet, admired the scenery around him. "This is what would had if it weren't tainted by the webbing of evil." Rashida told him, continued to gaze into the happy families. The red clad terrapin took a step forward and continued to look around himself as he was astounded to what he had seen and was not aware what he is going to see in a mere moment. "Are you ready to see what had caused the chaos?"

He nodded. The scenery changed to where the murder of the pharaoh took place. "Remember raphael. This is the past." Rashida assured him. The red clad terrapin didn't hear her at first as he was fixated onto the scenery around them. Then he gazed to her as she placed a hand unto his shoulder, with the assurance of her grasp she repeated what she told him a moment before. "Remember raphael. This is the past." He nodded and continued watching as the events revealed and unfolded before them.

Standing as ghostly figures whilst they watched, a striking beautiful and yet poisonous appearing woman fought with a man that appeared underestimated as to be contented and quiet. But his sheer strength had inspired raphael, as he admired the old man and it had seem familiar to him. All too familiar but told himself that it couldn't be as it has to be a coincidence. Then finally he saw a small child that had ran into the throne room where had distracted the pharaoh and thus gave the invader to attack from behind.

"No! Don't do that! Run kid!" raphael shouted. "They unable to hear us remember raphael, this is the past." Rashida told him once more. Hot tears streamed down his terrapin cheeks as he witnessed the event unfold, as the pharaoh was slain in front of the prince that tried to avenge his father only to struck hard away, across the room until he had met the stone pillar.

The scenery changed soon as the prince was collected by the guardian of edfu and swiftly disappeared in the shadows and the woman was left to die as she was stabbed by another guardian. Then fled with the small child, dug his fingers in the back of his rescuer and protector whilst reaching out and shouted his father's name that laid on the floor in the pool of his blood. Hot tears streamed down his cheeks, continued to call out for his father and saw him weakly smile before finally passing on. As they watched on, raphael couldn't stop his own hot fresh tears from falling as they consumed his face, collapsing to his knees then turned slightly as he felt a warm but petite hand grasped his shoulder, reassuring him then the memory faded. Taking them back to the present. In the room of the pyramid.

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"Now you see as why you must succeed in doing what there is to be done in keeping your family safe?" rashida asked the red clad terrapin as he looked up to her, from his kneeling position. "Why me? Why should I only carry the burden alone when we take care of eachother." He answered, explaining that the responsibility of protecting eachother is more vital and important. Rashida smiled and agreeably replied. "True but in some cases, one carries more than the others."

"Come, you must be famished." Rashida invited and led the way out as he followed, but looked back for a moment then resumed walking after the priestess.

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to be continued in chapter 25

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