Yay! A new story! I replaced my ramen noodle story with this one because
no one apparently liked it...Ramen Noodles is better when you read it in its
children's book format, anyway, because of the illustrations I did for it.
Any way, this is Book One in my ancient Egypt series. It takes place 5,000
years ago! Well, enjoy!!
Disclaimer: The only things I own are the characters in this chapter, except for Atem.
Ancient Egypt Book One: Return to Hamunaptra
Chapter One: The Keanu River
The cool night air was a welcome thing, as it was a nice relief from the hot, dry day.
Grandula slowly stirred the pot of hot soup, tasting it every now and then. If the taste weren't to her liking, she would pick an herb and toss it in the pot, the resume her stirring. Grandula had a kind aura about her. Her blonde hair was pulled back out of her face.
Kybo came walking into the circle of rocks that served as their makeshift camp, rubbing his hands together. He had the weathered look of someone who spent a great deal of time outdoors, and his hair was a dusty brown color, partially because of the dust that had accumulated in it during the day.
"Whoo! It's dry and dusty in here. It's hard to believe that ten years ago this used to be a river."
Grandula nodded. "The Keanu was the second greatest river next to the Nile. But it couldn't stand the power of the last big drought. Ain't nothing that can make it a river again."
Kybo nodded to the east. "Those rain clouds might." He paused and studied the soup pot.
"Don't worry, I'm not going to ruin it," Grandula assured her friend.
"Ruin?" Kybo laughed. "What's there to ruin? There was hardly any meat on that thing. In fact, it was pure luck we got it anyway. Daft bird, looking for water in a river that's not a river anymore."
"And you brought it down," Grandula said with a smile. "You are without a doubt the greatest archer in Egypt."
Suddenly Grandula realized something. "Where are the little ones?"
"Oh, they found a dragonfly and they're trying to catch it," Kybo yawned. "Once they smell the food, though, they'll be here."
Sure in enough, three minutes had hardly passed when the three young friends Keesa, Ryu, and Atipu came charging into the camp.
"Slow down, you three," Kybo scolded. "Did you catch the dragonfly?"
Keesa shook her head. "No, Uncle Kybo. It got away."
"It was huge! It was bright green and it zoomed around our heads really fast," Ryu exclaimed, waving his arms in emphasis. "It wasn't as fast as one of your arrows, though."
Atipu, the youngest at four years old, sucked his thumb, nodding in agreement with Ryu.
Grandula handed everyone a bowl. "Sit down and eat."
The soup was delicious. As they ate, Ryu felt compelled to ask a question.
"Where are we going, Uncle Kybo?"
Kybo looked at the youngsters. "We're going to the Pharaoh's Palace."
"Really?" Keesa asked. "Will it be as nice as you told us it is?"
"Of course it will be. Ha, I wonder if Atem is Pharaoh now? He was quite a troublemaker when he was younger, but then so were..."
"Quiet!" Kybo hissed. He quickly notched an arrow to his bowstring and drew it back, aiming off into the darkness.
"Who's there? Show yourself!"
Only a soft breeze answered the bowman's challenge.
"Maybe it was a rock lizard," Ryu offered helpfully.
"No...it's no rock lizard...it sounded too big..." Kybo peered into the darkness beyond their cozy fire.
"Maybe it's gone now," Keesa said.
A loud, ear splitting screech echoed throughout the camp as a sleek, spotted leopard-like creature launched itself at Kybo.
Without one moment's hesitation, Kybo let the shaft fly. The arrow embedded itself deep into the creature's chest. The beast stumbled, the continued forward with a gurgling growl. It swiped at Kybo's head with its razor-sharp claws.
Kybo quickly dodged out of the way, frantically fitting another arrow to his bow.
Grandula quickly pulled the young ones out of danger. "Stay down!"
Kybo loosed the other arrow quickly. This time the shaft went into the monster's throat. With one final screech, it toppled over onto its side and lay dead.
Grandula hugged Atipu, who was crying. Ryu came over to stand beside Kybo.
Kybo rolled the creature's body over with his foot. "A duel monster." He fingered the stone orb that hung on a string around the creature's neck. He studied the carvings on the orb, then let it go and stood up. "It was part of an army."
Ryu blinked.
Keesa looked at Kybo. "What are we going to do?"
Kybo shouldered his bow. "We're going to the Pharaoh's Palace, the sooner, the better. We need to tell whoever is ruling there as Pharaoh that evil duel monsters are roaming the land. Oh, drat, here comes that rain!"
......
A/N: Kybo is NOT the three kid's uncle. They just call him that. The next chapter introduces Mokuba and shows his rebellious side a little bit!
Now, read and review you must!!
Disclaimer: The only things I own are the characters in this chapter, except for Atem.
Ancient Egypt Book One: Return to Hamunaptra
Chapter One: The Keanu River
The cool night air was a welcome thing, as it was a nice relief from the hot, dry day.
Grandula slowly stirred the pot of hot soup, tasting it every now and then. If the taste weren't to her liking, she would pick an herb and toss it in the pot, the resume her stirring. Grandula had a kind aura about her. Her blonde hair was pulled back out of her face.
Kybo came walking into the circle of rocks that served as their makeshift camp, rubbing his hands together. He had the weathered look of someone who spent a great deal of time outdoors, and his hair was a dusty brown color, partially because of the dust that had accumulated in it during the day.
"Whoo! It's dry and dusty in here. It's hard to believe that ten years ago this used to be a river."
Grandula nodded. "The Keanu was the second greatest river next to the Nile. But it couldn't stand the power of the last big drought. Ain't nothing that can make it a river again."
Kybo nodded to the east. "Those rain clouds might." He paused and studied the soup pot.
"Don't worry, I'm not going to ruin it," Grandula assured her friend.
"Ruin?" Kybo laughed. "What's there to ruin? There was hardly any meat on that thing. In fact, it was pure luck we got it anyway. Daft bird, looking for water in a river that's not a river anymore."
"And you brought it down," Grandula said with a smile. "You are without a doubt the greatest archer in Egypt."
Suddenly Grandula realized something. "Where are the little ones?"
"Oh, they found a dragonfly and they're trying to catch it," Kybo yawned. "Once they smell the food, though, they'll be here."
Sure in enough, three minutes had hardly passed when the three young friends Keesa, Ryu, and Atipu came charging into the camp.
"Slow down, you three," Kybo scolded. "Did you catch the dragonfly?"
Keesa shook her head. "No, Uncle Kybo. It got away."
"It was huge! It was bright green and it zoomed around our heads really fast," Ryu exclaimed, waving his arms in emphasis. "It wasn't as fast as one of your arrows, though."
Atipu, the youngest at four years old, sucked his thumb, nodding in agreement with Ryu.
Grandula handed everyone a bowl. "Sit down and eat."
The soup was delicious. As they ate, Ryu felt compelled to ask a question.
"Where are we going, Uncle Kybo?"
Kybo looked at the youngsters. "We're going to the Pharaoh's Palace."
"Really?" Keesa asked. "Will it be as nice as you told us it is?"
"Of course it will be. Ha, I wonder if Atem is Pharaoh now? He was quite a troublemaker when he was younger, but then so were..."
"Quiet!" Kybo hissed. He quickly notched an arrow to his bowstring and drew it back, aiming off into the darkness.
"Who's there? Show yourself!"
Only a soft breeze answered the bowman's challenge.
"Maybe it was a rock lizard," Ryu offered helpfully.
"No...it's no rock lizard...it sounded too big..." Kybo peered into the darkness beyond their cozy fire.
"Maybe it's gone now," Keesa said.
A loud, ear splitting screech echoed throughout the camp as a sleek, spotted leopard-like creature launched itself at Kybo.
Without one moment's hesitation, Kybo let the shaft fly. The arrow embedded itself deep into the creature's chest. The beast stumbled, the continued forward with a gurgling growl. It swiped at Kybo's head with its razor-sharp claws.
Kybo quickly dodged out of the way, frantically fitting another arrow to his bow.
Grandula quickly pulled the young ones out of danger. "Stay down!"
Kybo loosed the other arrow quickly. This time the shaft went into the monster's throat. With one final screech, it toppled over onto its side and lay dead.
Grandula hugged Atipu, who was crying. Ryu came over to stand beside Kybo.
Kybo rolled the creature's body over with his foot. "A duel monster." He fingered the stone orb that hung on a string around the creature's neck. He studied the carvings on the orb, then let it go and stood up. "It was part of an army."
Ryu blinked.
Keesa looked at Kybo. "What are we going to do?"
Kybo shouldered his bow. "We're going to the Pharaoh's Palace, the sooner, the better. We need to tell whoever is ruling there as Pharaoh that evil duel monsters are roaming the land. Oh, drat, here comes that rain!"
......
A/N: Kybo is NOT the three kid's uncle. They just call him that. The next chapter introduces Mokuba and shows his rebellious side a little bit!
Now, read and review you must!!