Sometimes my heart remembers an echo of another dimension and a distant past. A place where I was happy, and will always be. Leaving this dimension of joy and love to come back on earth again was the hardest thing I've ever had to do.

The past and the present are but one thing. Things change greatly in their form but little at their essence. What you were dictates what you are more than you suspect, but then again, if the past is the present doesn't that mean that you are only one?

I will tell you a story from another time. You will find many of those whom I met in my present life, playing their roles for better or for worse. Today people know me as 'The Boss', but on those next lines my name is Meryetamun.

Egypt, New Kingdom

My early life was uneventful. Being born into the Royal family all I can remember was having everything that I could wish for, except my parents' presence since they died when I was still a child.

But then, this day arrived. My engagement day...

He came to our home a few times, but I've never really payed attention to him. Now, knowing what he was to represent in my future life, I scanned his face curiously, wanting to know what was I going to get into.

He was good looking, tall and svelte. He lacked however, internally, something to be appealing as a man.

Greed and this barely under control vanity, emanated from his self.

His traits were proportionate, and he had eagle like eyes, giving his interlocutor the feeling that he tried to see through anyone to his profit.

I was still fairly naive at this age. Like most egyptian youngsters I expected marriage to be the calm happiness and mutual devotion my priest teachers had told me. I wasn't neither impressed, nor even had a feeling of friendship for him; but I decided to ignore this and told myself that with time, I would grow to love him. That man was going to protect and care of me, and of the family we would have together. We were going to be to an extent responsible for each other's happiness. Well, at least, that's what I thought.

Besides, all I wanted to was not to disappoint my uncle, whom I loved and took care of me, since he insisted Pepi would be the best possible suitor.

When I entered the room, he gave me a long look, scanning me from head to toe, and smiled slyly. I didn't enjoy it, felling uneasy and exposed.

He was however, canny to notice this and quickly changed his behavior to the reserved kindness a noble man should show towards his soon to be bride.

His manners were rough, even if he was extremely pretentious. With time and living together, I found out that he was obsessed with hiding his humble background. Even the name he used, was that of a former Pharaoh!

There was interest but not really will to please or connect with me, he payed me some attention that's for sure, but this was only a thin layer covering his inability to real love. I will let you guess who Pepi is today (or better, was, because I killed him!), and I am pretty sure you will have no problem identifying him because he hasn't changed a bit since.*

For a while I questioned myself, wondering if I was being a good partner or that if it was by my own fault that he wasn't any kinder.

By then I knew nothing of life, of companionship or sex. I thought, to cover my disappointment, that it must have been how it went for everyone.

What else can I add about our marriage? It was disappointment in all sorts. In the beginning I tried hard to do my best, but it only made Pepi more comfortable to do what he wished. He was an hypocrite and always tried to keep the appearances, but it wasn't hard to notice his true character with time. I closed up completely and had a hard time enduring his company. Our character was strangely alike in this matter though, we were often so busy with our own shit we could easily ignore each other for most of the day. Time passed and I spend most of my time away from home. Yes, I had other lovers but this was only a meaningless distraction to cover the huge void in my heart. Predictably enough my indifference drew his attention to me, but I wasn't a fool to believe it this time, and ignored him most of the time, putting him back at his place violently when needed and having nothing more than despise for his person. I got used to the prick though, and he to me. My uncle had left to the old capital Menphis, we didn't really have any close family, so in some sort of twisted manner we were a poor representation of what a family should be.

One night, however, we fought viciously, for reasons I totally forgot.

Pepi was usually cautious while quarreling but this time I provoked him where it hurt the most, his origins. Upon hearing me telling him that his name hinted how noble his origins were, he was extremely pissed off.

'My uncle must have been really blind and desperate to protect me in order to consider marrying me to an idiot like you...!' I kept telling him.

He laughed loudly at this. I couldn't understand why so merely waited for him to tell me the reason.

He whipped a tear at the corner of his eye in a small and arrogant gesture, and continued with delighted anger:

'Your uncle was desperate alright. You're so naive to think that he did that for the sake of your security. As the only family you have left I feel it's a duty to make you grow up and take the old man out of the pedestal you like to put him so high. He was wiped out from debts and involved in criminal matters that a man of his position never should, or do you really think he was away to take care of this health all this time? He sold you for the money I gave him, a few hours after we've got our union settled, and took off to save his skin. Open your eyes!' He almost yelled. 'And yes, I needed a position so that's why I married you my loving, pleasant, faithful wife! I bought myself a title so now I own it by right just as much as you or your family do!'

I froze since something inside told me this was true. I suspected it, after all uncle didn't replied to my messages ever since I told him I wanted to get divorced. His revelation hit me painfully, he probably saw how much I was broken by this. At the time the only reaction I found was the one I was always used to, and roared in demented rage, tossing a piece of furniture on the floor.

At this his anger gave place to fear and he tried to leave the room.

'You're lying you bastard! I'm going to make you swallow your calumnies against my uncle, one by one...!' I replied, one couldn't recognize my voice so much hate altered my speech.

I didn't stop there and threw myself at him, punching and slapping my dear 'other half' fiercely. He immediately raised his arms, then tried to place a chair between himself and my angry fists. It wasn't the first time this kind of abuse happened from my part, by now he learned how to cover himself from the blows pretty well. I still managed, however, to leave one or two marks in his body.

He vanished as soon as he got a chance, cursing a little.

I was feeling terrible then. Reason was kicking in: I didn't doubt what I've heard anymore. I remembered how I had doubts at the day of our wedding, but my uncle would pressure me. Dear old Julius. In many lives, I really dunno why, I always searched for his attention, trying to impress him in any possible way to win his affection. He, on his side, had always seen me as a potential enemy. He often kept me by his side however, taking profit of it 'till he eventually realized I might be growing too strong for his taste. (The fucker planted a bomb on Hughes Yatch as an example of how far he could go to take me out of the game). I kind of justified his worries when, in this life, fucked him up to be honest. But at least, I've never been an hypocrite like him.

The next day when Pepi came back home, he found out that I had given away all of his jewelry, horses and fancy wardrobe to the poor. This monetary loss, plus the magnificent status symbols his vanity needed so bad must've put him on the verge of a heart attack.

When we met at night for dinner, I could see from his red face that he was having the hardest of times to control himself, and that probably had an outburst of anger not so long ago. He found prudent to dissimulate all of this and not to engage a fight with me though, but his effort to keep calm must have been so huge, he pretexted that he was tired and went straight to sleep right after the meal was over, hardly touching his food.

Though I was highly amused by this, soon some sort of melancholy hit me strong. I walked to our garden and lit a pipe. While watching the smoke rise in the shadows I kept thinking how, abandoned twice by all those who were supposed to love me, my life also lacked meaning.

I didn't have anyone to belong to, or any activity that felt like a life purpose.

As if the need of it was calling me somewhere, I decided to slip in a hooded cape and ride aimlessly around the city.

The ride under the quiet stars did me good, as if nature had a calming effect on people's inner struggles. I was so distracted that it took me quite some time to realize I was very far from the city, and deep into the desert.

Trying to orient myself I looked around and pulled the reigns towards some light further ahead.

While reaching the luminous spot I found out that it wasn't really the city's lights but a large camping.

It seemed military, though not really our Royal guard.

Cautiously, I turned my horse very slowly in the opposite direction and tried not to make any sudden moves.

I made a few meters silently, thinking I was sure to leave without being seen when a loud voice pierced the nocturnal silence and gave the alarm.

Panicking, I raced in full gallop but my ears already caught the sounds of horses and voices behind.

'Shit.' They were after me.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

So here is the first bonus material for MOB as promised. Consider it a DLC (lol) of sorts, since it's way different than the main story.

This is the Saints' past life in Egypt. It will cover Carlos' vision during his confrontation with The Samedi. Max's dream will also be covered.

I hope you will enjoy, thanks for reading and please leave a review. :3

*Pepi is Dane Vogel. Poor Boss, who would want to marry someone so selfish? Although, she is quite abusive herself...

Every chapter is named after a song that inspired this fanfic, from: Iron Maiden, Ozzy Osbourne, Within Temptation and Nightwish.