Sinuhe of the Land

Atem stood tall as the crowd bowed before him. He raised his hand in a salute, then walked back to the throne room where a party was being prepared. There would be more celebration in the following days. A Pharaoh's crowning was always a momentous occasion. He looked at his advisors. There was his uncle, Akhnadin, and Priest Seto, of course. There was faithful Mahad and gentle Isis, and Kalim and Shada who were brothers in all but blood. Finally, standing besides the throne was old Siamun Muran. He quickly peeked behind the seat and saw his younger twin, sitting in the dark with his eyes closed. Ideally, his brother would have been on his left, but Sinuhe had straight-out refused to appear at his side. He preferred being in his shadow.

The party started, with dancers and plenty of food and drinks provided. Either Atem or Old Siamun left a small bowl of fruits or a tankard down the throne, which quickly disappeared as a small hand snatched the treat. If he strained his ear, the Pharaoh could hear faint humming in his back. Sinuhe didn't need to watch the party to enjoy it.

Then, without a single warning, wind blew in the room and knocked a dart way off mark – said mark being himself. Another gale kicked the culprit from its seat in the rafters. The wannabe assassin fell flat on his face, and it didn't take long for the Sacred Guardians to confirm he had indeed intended to kill Atem. The sentence was swift and merciless. Losing one's ka always left the mind in shamble as it now missed a key component. At least, the assassin would no longer be a problem. Atem made a point of passing his little brother a full bowl of honeyed figs. Sinuhe had a weakness for honey, and an even bigger one for the fruit.

Then he heard a gasp and the throne itself seemed to tug its cape. Atem leaned back.

"Trouble, Brother."

The Pharaoh tensed and raised a hand. The music stopped instantly. Old Siamun turned to him.

"Something wrong, Your Highness?"

"Sinuhe sensed something."

Isis peered through the Tauk and shuddered.

"I concur. Something wicked this way comes."

Mahad grimaced as the Ring started shaking madly.

"It is wicked, and it is powerful. Everyone, be on guard! This foe is a dangerous one!"

Atem clenched the arms of the throne. In his back, he could swear he heard his little brother growling. Then the Thief King entered with his arms full of treasure… and Akhnamkhanen's mummy. Naturally, a fight quickly broke. And the Sacred Guardians lost, crushed one by one by the surprising power of the thief's ka Spirit, Diabound. Atem was about to jump in when the room shook. Then a stone hand sprung from the ground, grabbed Diabound's snake head and squeezed. Diabound was forced to phase out.

Sinuhe didn't stop there. Hidden behind the throne, the young mage attacked again, a stone fist falling from the ceiling to hammer Diabound's main head. Then it grabbed it and slammed it in the ground twice. The Thief King looked around.

"What is that!? It cannot be a ka Spirit!"

The good side of having a little brother whose heka was unique. Even if aggressors managed to defeat the Sacred Guardians, they would be utterly unprepared for Sinuhe. Diabound tried to phase in the ground, only to be booted out by a stone foot. Then the pillars who weren't load-bearing took a new humanoid shape, came alive and jumped on the Spirit. The Thief King swore a blue streak.

"Where are you!? Show yourself!"

"Nuts!" Sinuhe hissed under his breath.

A stone fist seized a summoning tablet and slammed it in Diablound's face. Another took one of the tablets and tried to hit the Thief King, who was forced to run across the room to dodge. It wasn't the only thing he had to evade. Fists and feet sprung from the ground and the ceiling, all intent on nailing the criminal. One nearly got his coat. Another broke a tablet on Diabound's head. The Spirit staggered, stunned. The Thief King decided to cut his losses.

"This is not the end, Pharaoh! We will meet again, and this time, not even whoever is using this strange heka will save you!"

"You wish." Atem snarled.

His little brother would always be there to save him. Always.

Sinuhe peeked from behind the throne and winced. The room looked like a war zone. Seto shook his head.

"This is going to take a long time to clean up. Did you really have to ruin the room so badly, Sinuhe?"

"Sorry. I'll restore it. But tomorrow. I'm tired."

All six Guardians sighed exasperatedly.

"Fine, but it better be perfect the next time we need it."

"It will."

No way the party could continue with the throne room in this state. They moved it to the gardens. Sinuhe found a spot under a sycamore tree and quickly fell asleep despite the noise. The court decided to let him. The teen had earned his rest.

The next day, as promised, Sinuhe cleaned up the throne room, using his elemental heka to smooth the stone, clear the rubble and restore the pillars. It took him less than an hour. Meanwhile, Atem and Mana were chatting in the gardens.

"It's a good thing Sinuhe was here with you. I didn't think there was someone out there strong enough to defeat the Sacred Guardians."

"The only reason Little Brother isn't one of the Guardians is because his heka is too different. Some don't even consider him a priest. They prefer to call him nedjes-kerep-ta, the Frail One Commanding the Land. Sinuhe may be my brother, but he had always been different. Proof that it's not always a bad thing."

"Yep, he completely blindsided that thief-defiler. I wonder if he'll return."

"He swore to. This time, Little Brother and I will be together to stop him."

There were mock-Spirit battles, this afternoon. While Atem oversaw them, Sinuhe came to find Haou.

"I heard what you did with the throne room." The Obsidian Signer chuckled. "Good one. And he didn't even see you so it's even better. Still, be on your guard. The bastard will return, and he won't make the same mistake of challenging all of you at once, especially if you and your brother are going to be together."

"You think he'll attempt to divide us?"

"It's the oldest trick in the book. If brute strength won't work, intelligence will. And, from what you said about his words…"

"The rantings of a madman."

"I wouldn't be so sure." Haou frowned. "This kind of hatred runs too deep and burns too hard to be born of nothing. The Thief King has highly personal reasons to target you. Attacking your brother and his bodyguards wasn't an attempt at a power move, not only. I have been a Signer for about two thousand years, give or take a century or two, so I know a few things about revenge. The Thief King is out for your blood because there's already blood between you and he wants to get even. At least, that's what I figure from his rant."

Sinuhe froze.

"If you're right…"

"Yeah. A pissed-off criminal with an exceptionally-powerful Monster Spirit, smarts to rob one of the best-guarded tombs around and a very personal grudge against your family is bad news. I suggest you deal with him quickly before he makes another move. Given how effective you are at fighting him, I figure you will be a key component of the counterattack."

"Thanks, Haou."

"You're welcome, Khai."

That afternoon, Mahad offered to take back Akhnamkhanen's body back to its tomb.

"I also wish to take Sinuhe along. His elemental heka will be a boon in reinforcing the wards. The Thief King proved he could get past us, but he failed to counter your brother."

"I understand your logic, Mahad. Go." Atem smiled at his brother. "Will you be alright?"

"I will. We will stay safe, Brother."

And so, Mahad and Sinuhe went to the former pharaoh's tomb. But it wasn't just to reinforce the traps that Mahad had brought the young mage. It was to trap the Thief King himself. The criminal quickly realized who he was dealing with.

"So, you are the one who turned the throne room against me. I will take great pleasure in destroying you. And then, the Millennium Ring will be mine! Hahahahaha!"

"You haven't beaten us yet!" Sinuhe retorted. "Hatred drives you, but it blinds you as well. You will not hurt my brother!"

The fight started, Mahad sending monster against monster as Sinuhe unleashed earth and wind against the thief. But Diabound had grown stronger, and the thief's hatred seemed bottomless. They traded blow for blow.

"Why do you hate us?" Sinuhe asked at the climax of the fight. "What have we done?"

Haou had a point: a hatred that intense had a reason to be. Regardless the continents, Know Thy Enemy had always been a key to victory.

"You are really asking? I'll tell you! Gods, I will tell you! You murdered my village, killed everyone from the men to the children! Then you melted their blood and their bones with dark alchemy and created the Millennium Items! This is what you did! And you will pay. I swear, you will pay for this! Blood for blood! The royal family will suffer as I have, as my people are suffering within the Millennium Items!"

Mahad took a step back, and even Sinuhe nearly dropped his focus.

"They… did what!? That wasn't us! We… Brother and I… We didn't do it! We didn't know!"

"Feeble excuse. Your father and his brother killed my people, but now the old man is gone. His sons remain, as does his brother. You will die and suffer in his stead!"

"I already knew." Mahad grimaced. "I figured the truth after leading my own investigation. You're right, King of Thieves. What our pharaoh and his brother did to your people is unforgivable and your wrath is justified, but there are other ways to atone than death."

"No! No, there isn't! Die! Suffer and die as they did!"

Diabound attacked. Sinuhe was knocked behind and Mahad was torn by the Spirit. In a last gesture, however, he did something unexpected.

He merged his ba and his ka, becoming one with Magician of Illusion. And Dark Magician turned to Sinuhe.

"Run back to the palace. Warn your brother. Tell him what we found… and apologize for our failure."

Sinuhe fought his tears and nodded. Before, however, he had one last thing to do.

"You seek death. Receive it."

And his strongest wind gale fell on the Thief King, knocking him off the walkway. Diabound lashed as the thief fell in the abyss. His fangs bit Sinuhe in the hand. The teen screamed in pain as supernatural venom filled his limb. Gritting his teeth, he walked back to the entrance and galloped back to the palace.

Atem already knew something had gone wrong when he saw a light come from his father's tomb and go to Mahad's sanctuary after several had left it. His friend had been fighting, and fiercely. Then Sinuhe galloped in the courtyard, in pain and, above all else, alone.

"Sorry, Brother." The teen said feebly. "Mahad… became a Spirit and…"

He showed his arm. Already, the black venom was running in his forearm. Atem watched in horror.

"He should be dead… I hope. I knocked him… in the chasm. Gods, it hurt!"

Atem took his brother and carried him to the priests' chamber. He had to hurry. When they saw the twins enter alone and Sinuhe in pain, the other Sacred Guardians figured the truth.

"Mahad fell." Isis closed her eyes. "What sorrowful news."

"And Sinuhe will fall as well if nothing is done! We have to heal him, quickly!"

Akhnadin took a solid look at the teen's arm.

"This is spiritual venom, one produced by a powerful ka Spirit. There is no cure for it, no more than there is for the darkness of the Millennium."

"So, you're going to let my brother die!?"

"No. There may be no cure, but we can stop the spread."

And the means to do so was clear: they had to amputate. Atem hated it, but it was their only option.

"Then give him poppy milk first. Little Brother is already suffering. If he is to lose his arm, I want it done as painlessly as possible."

"Very well."

They laid Sinuhe on a bed. As Kalim sharpened an axe, Isis set a tourniquet above the elbow and Shada gave the teen a cup of poppy milk, which he swallowed in one gulp. The effect was instant. Sinuhe's eyes emptied and he relaxed like stringless ragdoll. Seto heated the axe's blade and handed it to Atem.

"I will be the one to do it. He is my little brother and he already saved me from the Thief King. I want to return the favor."

No one disagreed. Taking in a sharp breath, the Pharaoh swung the axe right below the elbow joint. The arm fell, red blood tainted with black running on the floor. Shada swiftly took it and threw it in the purifying fire. The smoke was purple and smelled foul. Seto then cauterized the wound to lessen the bleeding and Isis applied a cataplasm of honey and healing herbs. Normally, it would take time for the wound to mend, but Sinuhe had his own methods which they knew. The only reason he couldn't use them was because he was out of his mind, drugged to the gills by the opium. The cataplasm would prevent infection and blood loss until the poppy milk stopped acting.

Atem held his little brother mournfully. If he somehow managed to survive, the Thief King would pay dearly. In the shadows of the palace, Haou watched and swore under his breath.

"Morn ahrk ang ahrk sjahs ahrk morn ahrk thah lhei ahrk loon ahkr morn ahrk khai ahrk sjahs ahrk scorn ahrk morn ahrk gahr ahrk morn fhail!"

Atem raised a brow. He could hear the mutter. Using a spell he very rarely used, he waved a finger in the air… and winced as the spell translated the tirade.

"Death and suffering and revenge and death and a thousand blades and blood and death and sorrow and revenge and punishment and death and hate and terminal death!"

The pharaoh held his brother tight.

"Who's there?"

But the swearer was already gone. Atem spent the night with his brother in his arms, staying close as he recovered from his ordeal. He wasn't awake when the sun rose the next day. The pharaoh regretfully returned to his duties. He had search parties to organize, along with strengthening the defenses of his kingdom – for all the good it would do. The Thief King had gotten the best of his best friend and his little brother. The fiend was dangerous, and he was understating things. Next time he showed up, he would deal with him personally.

Shada and Seto volunteered for a recruitment drive. Atem let them. Isis and Akhnaden used their Millennium items to scry for the Thief. Meanwhile, Atem watched with a smile as Kalim greeted his spouse and daughter, promising the girl to train her when she was of age. The bearer of the Millennium Scales had always been a family man, something he had in common with his pharaoh.

The afternoon rolled and Sinuhe finally awoke. Haou's presence at his side was a pleasant surprise.

"Are you alright, Khai?"

"I've been better."

"You tell me. Too bad about your arm."

The teen looked at the stump on his left arm.

"I can heal that. But I'm not staying with only one hand."

"You got something in mind."

"Yes. Watch this."

First, they went to the gardens and Sinuhe addressed a palm tree a short apology before draining its ba. The cataplasm fell as the flesh mended, until the skin on the stump was no different from the rest of the arm. Then Haou handed him a knife and Sinuhe picked very specific branches he carved in precise shapes. It didn't take the Signer long to realize they were bones – the bones of the arm and the hand, to be exact. Next was joining the pieces together. He used black clay for that. Finally, he glued the wooden "bones" to his stump and put his flesh hand in a clump of brown clay. His elemental heka did the rest. The clay spread over the wood, coating it as Sinuhe gave it the shape of an arm, then a hand. He waved his fingers. Animated by his heka, the artificial limb answered as well as the real one.

"Brother, what are you doing? And who's this?"

The teen turned to his elder brother, tired from the day's events. Haou gave an innocent look.

"I'm just a servant, Your Highness. Prince Sinuhe requested my help."

Sinuhe raised his clay arm and waved it.

"I wasn't going to stay one-handed. I made a new one from clay."

Atem blinked.

"You… You made a new one? You couldn't wait, could you?" The pharaoh sighed. "Kalim told me he has started working on a prosthesis to replace your missing arm."

"He did?"

Sinuhe's surprise was genuine. Atem nodded.

"You can keep this one for now. Come along if you feel better. I need your report of the incident. And you, what's your name?"

"Kheper, Your Highness."

"Stay with my brother if he needs anything. I know he's skilled, but better safe than sorry. You will assist him in whatever duty he attends."

"Yes, Your Highness!"

As the three walked to the throne room, Sinuhe whispered.

"A servant?"

"Servants and menial workers are often overlooked." Haou explained. "No one pays them mind, so they have access to pretty much any place."

He had a point. In the throne room, Sinuhe told the court his and Mahad's disastrous encounter with the Thief King. The whole court looked sad, but none more than the pharaoh and his advisers. It also confirmed their worries.

The Thief King was one of the most dangerous individuals Egypt had ever seen. They couldn't afford to make mistakes against him.