Chapter 4: Black sands.
" Early in Egyptian history, Seth is spoken of in terms of
reverence as the god of wind and storms"
List of Mythological Deities
He tried to forget. During next three years, in peace and in war, in Abydos and Karnak, building new
temples and directing festivals- he stubbornly tried to forget one night. He was rarely seen in Thebes,
almost never in Palace, and his strange conduct gave birth to dark rumors and gossips, and not only.
Once he found a viper, coiled in his bed. Second time it was poisoned dart which flew from nowhere,
when he was crossing his garden. He didn't care. The Temple of Osiris in Abydos , Hypostyle Hall in
Karnak, annual festival of God's rebirth-it seemed that they were only things he cared about. Not the
eyes, radiant as the reflection of moon on the sea surface. Not the smooth skin with this singular
terracotta tint. No. Never. She was Pharaoh's mistress, morning star of Egypt, lone in her heavens,
untouchable and splendid in her solitude.
That's why he was only too happy to accept the mission, which his eldest brother had offered him.
During the last months dim but terrifying news were coming from the southern borders, about the
black sandstorms, devouring fields and destroying towns, and about something even more horrible,
coming with the sands. The detachment of soldiers under command of Ardeth-An-Hor, Magi
Second-in-Command, and several priests of Osiris were sent to the southwest to clear the situation.
As a matter of fact, Imhotep considered this mission more like the exile, with warden-Magi to make
sure that he'll never return in Egypt, but what could possibly make him more lone and banished than he
was already? He abandoned the kingdom willingly, leaving behind hateful whispers of his foes and
nosiness of his friends.
**********
Sun of hot month Payni burned its way through the abandoned pale
heavens, glinted on the wheels of
chariots and the tips of warriors' spears. Soon after they crossed Nile near Elephantine the scarce
shelters of palm-trees and cypresses disappeared behind the hot yellow line of the horizon. Two days
more and the last oasis melted away in the sun haze, but the goal of their trip still remained
undiscovered. People started to complain about lack of water, and even strongest were on the
border of endurance. But Magi stubbornly led them deep into the desert to inevitable death, as most of
them considered. As little as he cared about his own life, Imhotep wasn't ready to sacrifice lives of his
people to Ardeth's false pride, and he ordered to set a bivouac this night, determined to talk the
warrior out of further journey. However, the destiny decided otherwise.
**********
Soldiers unharnessed tired horses and tied them to the long spears, drove deep into the sand in the
center of camp. Chariots made the barrier, guarding people and beasts from the possible attack
from the desert. The water was scarce, and horses were watered first, leaving people to quench their
thirst with several gulps of hot dirty liquid.
Imhotep lifted the covering of Magi's tent and walked in, squinting at gloom inside.
Two people stayed in the tent, talking animatedly. First voice, deep and with strong northern accent,
belonged to Ardeth-an-Hor. Second, hoarse and fizzing, with clear alien notes -it was voice of their
guide, whom Magi commander hired in Elephantine. He was Nubian mercenary, hunter and soldier, from
one of numerous black tribes dwelling on the southern border of Upper Kingdom. He called himself
Lock-Nah and declared that he is familiar with all the trails and paths in this part of desert. Imhotep
didn't trust him, but Ardeth seemed to go with him quite well. Now they spoke on Ardeth's native
northern dialect, and the sound of his name uttered by Nubian made Imhotep linger at entrance, not
hurrying to announce about his presence.
- Ma ihlatta laasot ito? * What are you going to do with him? *-snapped hunter, with more than
ominous notes in his voice.
- No more then my orders say. Not kill. Live him to rot in the desert.
- You were paid for this, weren't you?
- Yes. But I would do it even without pay. Or rather I would like to slice his throat with my own hand.
- Such a strong emotions. Why do you hate him so?
- That's not your business. Do what you were ordered.
- Well, may be you are eager to finish him without any reward, but I'm not so disinterested person.
I'm sure our friend Imhotep benefactors were generous, and you have a lot to share.
- Shut up, you greedy beast, I've paid you enough already.
High Priest listened to this dialogue not without a mild amusement, in spite of the fact that the object of
bargaining was his own life. He even started to think about bet with himself whether his potential
murderers would kill him first or rather finish each other, when wild terrified cries erupted from behind
and interrupted his pondering. He jerked his head out of the tent just in time to see, as the shadow,
darker then the gloom of approaching night, raised from the south.
Black cloud consumed half of the darkening sky, hot stiffing wind was throwing handfuls of sand in
peoples' faces, air, full of black sand, was stifling and blinding. Horses whinnied in horror and dashed
into desert, breaking off the ropes. People cried, scattering around in frantic efforts to protect
themselves from the sandstorm. Roar of hurricane, wild shouts of humans and beasts - but something
more mixed with this terrible cacophony, something that made Imhotep grip fast the hilt of his sword.
He was running towards the outer border of camp, trying to restore at least the shadow of order in this
madly rushing flock of men. However, the roar of sandstorm drowned his voice, and the ghastly new
notes appeared in this roar-the howl. Howling of wild beast or may be enraged human beings, he
couldn't say, but instantly ugly black figures rushed from the clouds of sand on destroyed camp. Eyes of
intruders sparkled white in the darkness, making them look like servants of Asmodai, Prince of
Underworld. Horrible howling didn't stop. Attackers were carrying sabers and spears, and soon the
Egyptian camp looked like slaughters- shreds of sliced human bodies covered black sand, which
hungrily soaked up the blood.
Imhotep remembered himself cutting off the head of the one of sandstorm creatures, then several of
them surged at him, and he was fighting desperately, trying to cut his way to the rest of Egyptians, but
something heavy and sharp crashed on the back on his head-and the darkness
came.
HEY, IS IT STILL INTRIGUING? TELL ME IF I SHOULD CONTINUE!