Part: 5/6
Pairing: Hints here and there but there is none.
Warning: death, poor priests, my grammar.
Disclaimer: None of the characters belong to me.
A/N: Unbelievable, I just have one week left of summer! So sad. That's why I need to finish this fic quick! Several parts in this fic does deviate from the original plot but the war and coming ending are the same.
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Mahaado considered that a great chance despite an uneasy knot that grew inside him.
It was in no time that Mahaado returned to his routine duties and reasserted his power completely. It had been several weeks since Seth stayed in the palace. Several times, Seth requested to go South and continued his conquer of Nubia but Per A'a rejected them all without listening. Twice, they received the news of attack from rebellions who attempted to retake the Third Cataract but the resistance was crushed. The war was, in fact, still going on and some of Seth's soldiers were out there fighting. Sometimes, Mahaado wondered if caging Seth in the palace was a good idea. Seth's place was not under the roof but out in the open.
Per A'a had summoned Seth back in the first place and now kept him idle. Mahaado understood the young ruler who must have torn between his principle of preserving life and desire to end the war. Seth was still keeping the title General because he was an influential figure -- his name brought fear to the enemies and inspired their soldiers.
The General, however, seemed to take the denial easily. His manner had recently turned mild and he seemed to be more obedient than ever. He however seemed to become fiercer and more competitive during the priestly kaa duels. Mahaado heard that the General had increased his time spent in training. Not once, however, did he see the General showed any sign of tiredness. In that thin body, there seemed boundless energy which spurred him on to work without rest.
Seth's insults directed at Mahaado had ceased entirely. Seth did not even look or greet him as if Seth ignored his existence. This kind of treatment hurt Mahaado's pride but Mahaado swallowed all the anger down.
And then, that day came, when suddenly, a golden light was emanating from Isis' Tauk. The young priestess cuddled it with her palms and concentrated on the vision it was giving her. In a flash, she was collapsing on her knees with terror upon her countenance. The force of the vision seemed to shake her to the core.
"What's wrong, Isis?" asked Atem, inclining forwards in worry, his fingers clutching the dais.
"Death... suffering ... pain. A shroud of darkness surrounds Waset. Blood thicker than darkness runs like river. Thousands of soldiers slain, there bodies rotten and unburied. From the North, they come. There is but fire and ash."
"What about us?" Atem pressed on.
"All gone..." Isis was affected by the vision to answer but Vizier Shimon replied instead.
"The Tauk cannot give the future of Millennium Item Bearers."
In throne room, there was silence, everyone was still in shock of the words. Isis' visions had always proven correct and hence, there was no doubt that a calamity was upon Kemet.
Someone was saying something. He turned to the voice. It was Seth, kneeling in front of Per A'a.
"Your Highness! We must act before the situation is too severe and nothing can be saved. Please allow me to bring my soldiers to station at the North frontier. Let my white dragon feed on those who dare to trespass."
"General, your request is granted," Atem quickly approved. The suggestion and murmurs of agreement seemed to give him strength. Certainly, if there was anyone who could destroy the enemy, it was the General and no one else.
"Depart immediately with five thousand soldiers. Your army will march under the name of Re. May his blessings be with you and your men."
"I express my gratitude."
As Seth stood up, there was a smile on his face, proud and bright as if victory was a sure sign. The Millennium Ring hanging around Mahaado's neck was shaking. Uneasiness arose inside him and coiled into a knot. Such an ill premonition.
In the next days, there was much noise in palace. It had always been a sure thing that once the General left with his troops, he would return with victory. Even Mahaado himself did not doubt Seth's ability. Barely sixteen, Seth was the best in military tactics. His brilliant mind, fighting skill and the indestructible White Dragon he housed made him almost invincible. Despite Seth's cunning personality, Mahaado considered that they were fortunate to have someone as Seth as the Chief-in-Command.
Still, Mahaado's worry did not fade. He wanted to consult anyone about could find none. Isis seemed still dazzled; Keith refused to listen to him. Shadah was overconfident to understand. In the end, he approached Akunadin, the wisest of them all. Akunadin looked at him with his only eye and calmly told him to meditate on it.
The days went by fast. Seth and his troops had commenced marching to the North five days ago. The noise in the palace went down, everyone waiting for the news from Seth. Mahaado himself had nothing in mind but the recent events. He pondered over the meaning of everything. Everything was plausible but unconnected -- Seth's rebellious nature replaced by obedience, his insane desire to destroy the Khenet-hennefer in South abandoned for the march to North, Akunadin's words and everyone's trust and beliefs, and Seth's immeasurable talent which made him dangerous for his enemy. Mahaado thought further about the days before when he visited the boy. Seth had been so pissed off at him and wanted him to stay away.
He slept and dreamt of Seth's youthful face and shapely figure. The numerous events threaded and tangled like a web. Isis' vision had brought fear to everyone's heart but Seth replaced it with hope and trust. Seth's eyes turned mystery but burnt bright like the sun as if it was this moment in life that he craved for. Mahaado felt like a spider, tracing the threads without knowing where to untangle. He took one step forward and one step back, trying and trying. Mahaado remembered the first time he ever felt such confusion. When he was just ten, his father had brought him to an underground tomb. It was a matrix, complex with many paths and dead-ends. He couldn't find the way out and had given up. As he lay down and closed his eyes, he saw the map his father had shown before he went in and his current location from the far corner of his mind. The path had been surprisingly simple. When he walked, there was white light, brighter and brighter and there was the way out.
Mahaado suddenly snapped out of his daydreaming. Everything rushed towards him with such clarity. He had remembered something and it was the missing key.
He rushed to Per A'a' chamber. He pushed the guards away and interrupted the young ruler in the middle of his lovemaking with one of his consorts.
"TREASON, YOUR HIGHNESS! IT'S TREASON!"
There were few servants and guards in Seth's quarters as Mahaado brought the soldiers in. They seized everyone and dragged them away in chains. They inspected everything and dug every corner up. Seth's workroom still carried the same smell and intact save for the missing letter and map. Mahaado stood long and looked at the spot where the map had been hung. Seth was a person of few words but once he promised anything, he would do it even his life was at stake. If he had written to his mother about the conquer, there would be no way he backed away.
"Mother, I promise that in no time, I shall destroy them all and return to you."
'Them' did not mean the Khenet-hennefer but His Majesty, the priest entourage, the Kemetians... those who belonged to this whole empire. He never believed that Seth would betray against his own people but the map spoke more than necessary.
Taking a spare piece of papyrus on the table, he traced the line with ink and his index finger. His mind supplied the details. There was the red line -- Seth's army -- headed to Euphrates, the boundaries of the Kemetian Empire. It met three blue lines and they merged into one dark blue to pull South. The joined force under Seth's leading separated into three prongs near Waset and vigorously pushed in. Mahaado saw the flimsy gathering of Atem's army torn and cut through. Death upon death, piles of bodies higher than mountains were left behind. It was too late to stop the invasion. Here was the location of Waset but on the map, it was not a dot but an X. That only meant... Seth would smash and grind it to dust with his troops.
Shuddering at the thought, Mahaado swaggered and had to lend on the support of the wooden table to stand. Seth had planned it even long before their encounter. Had he not seen the map, he would never realize Seth's plan of treason to overthrow them with raw force and sudden attacks.
It was too much. They must be what that had gone through the General's mind. No, that was no General, a traitor Seth was. Even if Isis hadn't received the vision, he was sure that Seth would find a reason to pull his army North. They must think of a plan to stop the destruction.
Atem called for aid from neighbor empires that had pledged alliances to Akunamukanon. Mahaado was titled Field-Marshal (1) to take direct control of the army. Under the name of Horus, Field-Marshal Mahaado and High Priest Akunadin led six thousand soldiers and pulled North immediately after Seth.
"Summon the traitor back. If he does not obey, kill him on the spot. Show no mercy!" Atem ordered.
The tension escalated. More men were drafted into the army even after Mahaado's troops left. Four thousands troops were deployed under the leading of Per A'a Atem himself to join force with the neighbors' army and route the marching Amorites force that Isis' vision had shown. Per A'a Atem broke the rule and allowed the Hem-Netjer-Tepeys to release their ultimate weapons -- the kaas -- on the enemies.
"I shall beg for forgiveness from Gods and my father Akunamukanon after we return with the traitor's head. Right now, this is the only way to win this war! We will destroy the Amorites as soon as possible and follow the fastest path to aid Mahaado and Akunadin."
The imminent war was unavoidable. Atem's veto of Akunamukanon's rule promised the greatest massacre in Kemetian history.
-------TBC----------
(1) The first field marshal is Duke of Argyll of United Kingdom in 1736. Let's assume that the title existed in Ancient Egypt ;;;.
A/N: I hope I can switch to Seth's point of view in the next chapter. It tires me out to put myself in Mahaado's shoes.
The first one who guesses correctly the ending of this fic will get a picture from me. Refer to the manga for an insight.