Chapter Explanations:
-Al-Farafra and Al-Dakhla are oases located in the Libyan Desert, also called the Western Desert.
-Anhour is a foreign god of war but whose belief has been adopted by Egyptians.
-Montou is another god, this time Egyptian, of war and weapons.
Arid lands, dark green palm trees and black quartzite hills revealed themselves to him and he dropped to his knees on the ground in realising that he had finally reached the much sought-after oasis. A cool breeze brushed his hair, weaving its way through his tousled blonde locks as he was spotting with his tired eyes the cast shadow of a mountain towards which he crawled, leaning against it for a few moments to catch his breath, moistening his dry lips with his almost nonexistent saliva.
With his head resting against the rock, he gave himself a minute to consider his situation. The journey had been trying, more than he was willing to admit in front of anyone. He had shown himself to be as stubborn as a mule once again, listening only to his stupidity and impulsive mind. He was now paying the price. Unable to take the slightest step further across the Western Desert, he was trying to find a way to reach his village without too much effort.
He had neither water nor provisions. Alone, he wouldn't last long.
He could very well join a convoy of caravans, offer to help them in exchange for their hospitality. He would cross with them Al-Farafra and Al-Dakhla, would leave them around the Temple of Hibis and would go north towards Aldawminu. Or he could try his hand at continuing east. Return near the banks of the Nile and go to Per-Medjed. From there, he would embark clandestinely on a merchant boat and go up the stream toward Abydos or Dendera before crossing the Valley of the Kings and reaching the village.
Even if the first solution seemed the fastest, the trip on the waters of the Nile would at least have the merit of allowing him to stop at Khemet to look for his friends. Since that cursed day when they all had been separated, not a single second had passed without him thinking of them. He did not count on abandoning them to their fates. He would find them, even if for that, he would have to travel all of Egypt and lose his life there.
However, the task was proving difficult, and he would certainly have better luck on his side with the support of his people. By returning to Aldawminu, he could collect aid and food there. The hope of seeing them again was resting on his shoulders, he was their only chance… Whatever his decision, he was certainly going to give the others a hell of a scare when he arrived. Everyone probably believed him already dead. And if he still had the chance to breathe, nothing was less certain for his friends...
On the horizon, the day was ending, the sun slowly setting behind the dunes and hilly areas. Fighting one last time against his own aching, weak body, he made his way to the bank of a small stream surrounded by greenery, swigged long sips of water, and settled himself on a small patch of grass between a section of trees and the source. Soon sleep took hold of him and he closed his eyes calmly, thinking of the uncertain fate of his friends to whom he had made the vain promise to always protect them.
##########
It was a strange sensation that pulled him out of the darkness in which he was drowning. A damp and rough touch, strangely familiar, which was stubbornly playing to slide up and down his cheek and the joint of his nose.
He groaned, his mind still groggy and confused, and half-opened his eyes whose the far too heavy weight quickly forced him to close them hastily. His body, lying on the cold stone floor, seemed to weigh a ton too, his numb limbs giving him little freedom of movement, and he decided to lie there a little longer. Above him, Sekhmet continued to lick his face with the tip of his pink tongue, looking worried but suspicious. Frowning, he turned his face away and pushed the creature away with his fingertips, annoyed.
Seized by a unspeakable fatigue, he tried as best he could to get used to all these sensations of which he had been deprived so suddenly when he had sunk. From his corner, the feline was still watching him with his narrow olive-green eyes, calm, but his gaze alert. He sighed. Then, shaking his head, he finally took the decision to stand up, leaning against the nearest pillar of the library while abruptly holding his head, feeling dizzy. This simple movement had succeeded in making him nauseous.
His memories were coming back to him by fragments, vague and in a haphazard way. In front of him, the hidden door was closed, the mechanism re-engaged, and the spellbook, as well as the millennium puzzle, had vanished. He had no idea how he had dragged himself out of the secret chamber after he had passed out, or how he had closed the door behind him. He didn't even know where the grimoire had gone. All that remained to him were the reminiscences of a knowledge of which he had mysteriously deciphered the runic inscriptions unknown to the greatest scholars: some legends, enchantments which he would have no use for, and one thing in particular having been engraved in his memory as marked for life. He winced in disgust at the memory, the images of that cursed night where the seven millennium items had been shaped dancing before his eyes filled with hatred and tears.
A gnawing rage boiled within him. He could no longer think with equanimity. Kul Elna's spirits evaporated, Hassan's presence gone, he was overwhelmed by indecision. The blood of men and women, certainly brigands, but not guilty enough to deserve such a punishment, stained the hands of the Pharaoh, his family, and his high priests. None of them, whether or not they had participated in this massacre, could be declared innocent. Around their necks, between their fingers rested an item which made them complicit in the crime of those who had committed it.
But despite this, despite the anger that inhabited him, he was hesitating to take up arms again, to seek revenge and reparation. Rid of the evil influence of Zorc, and possessing this body whose soul so pure could only appease his broken heart, he did not know what to do anymore.
"Bakura... "
His name. The only vestige of his past, of his belonging to these people having perished in the flames of indifference and hypocrisy. Today that name no longer seemed to mean anything. He was no longer King of Thieves. There was no more Kul Elna. There was only Bakura… And for a moment, only a moment, he finally felt at peace…
##########
"I don't care about the details. If you spot any suspicious troop movements, you notify me immediately. "
"Yes, High Priest. "
"If we end up with 20.000 men against 100.000, knowing their positions will be useless! "
"Since you seem to be able to do better, I suggest you use that so great intelligence of yours to find this traitor who is walking through our halls! "
"Don't talk so loud! Do you want the whole palace to know about it!? "
"As if they didn't know anything... "
"And what is that supposed to mean, exactly?! "
"That no one has forgotten the past contrary to what you might think. "
"You damned…! "
"Seth, not another word! And you, Mahad, take back what you just say! We're all in the same situation, and blaming ourselves only wastes precious time. "
Atem sighed as he listened to his priests and his grand vizier bickering, rubbing his eyes with his fingers while slouching a little more in his throne. How could things have escalated so much? When had he lost control? He who prided himself on his flawless strategic mind had forgotten rule number one: trust no one and govern all operations yourself... Yet this was not the first time that he was betrayed, he should have…
He suddenly interrupted his thoughts as he was wondering what he had done wrong, one thing flashing back into his mind.
Not the first time…
Frowning, he looked up at his sacred guardians, straightening himself in his seat before gripping the armrests forcefully, trying to keep his composure as gnawing anger was gripping his entrails, repeating under his breath:
"What is done is done. "
His intervention did not go unnoticed, however, and all of the sudden stopping pointing finger at each other while shouting, the priests all turned towards him, puzzled.
"Majesty? " Isis called, watching the young king worriedly.
"What's done is done... isn't it what you said, uncle? "
"I do not understand. " Aknadin replied, raising a hand in the air.
"When we all were worried about the disappearance of Hussein and his court, you, you said these simple words... " the sovereign indicated threateningly, hinting at what he suspected.
"Atem, you can't possibly think that—" Seth wanted to retort as he approached before being interrupted by his cousin's stealthy glare at him.
Rising slowly, the latter walked over to the hooded old man and grabbing his garment in exasperation, forced him to kneel down while facing him so closely that he could feel his hot breath against his face.
"Who better than the creator of the millennium items to know how to counteract their magic? " he declared between his teeth, determined to find out the truth.
"You've lost your mind! I advise you to let me go and try to remember the right way to treat your elders! " snarled the wearer of the millennium eye, irritated.
"I will respect my elders when they won't try to hide things from me, and act behind my back! " Atem exclaimed while pushing back his uncle, the latter collapsing to the ground in surprise.
"Father! "
Rushing to his father with Karim to help him get up, Seth laid his eyes on the young king for a second as he was carried away by Shimon in a hope of appeasing him, and let doubt overwhelm him. Plunging his bluish pupils into his parent's hazelnut, he pondered at the latter's poor protest when he had been accused by his own nephew.
"What have you done again? " he whispered involuntarily, biting his tongue as he realised what he had just said.
"You too, my son?! " the one-eyed priest scolded him and frowning in turn, freeing himself from the clutches of the two men with an angry gesture.
"I…" stammered the bearer of the millennium rod before holding his head with a sigh. "I don't know. I don't know anything anymore… "
"Who else?! " the Pharaoh abruptly exclaimed in the distance, approaching his sacred guardians again despite Shimon's pleas, watching them one by one with suspicion. "Who else got it into his head to override my orders?! "
The silence that followed his question only annoyed him a little more, and he was about to demand an answer again when, without hesitation, Shada took a step forward, bowing down in total submission. Soon he was joined by Karim, Shimon and Seth, and he was about to sigh with relief when he noticed that neither Isis nor Mahad seemed to want to imitate their fellows. Standing next to Aknadin in front of him, they stood with their heads bowed, looking both sad and guilty.
"You two... " Atem gasped, taking a step back, completely taken aback.
"My king... " tried to explain the magician, spreading his arms and wanting to approach.
"Don't you dare… " the sovereign hissed coldly while shaking his head in disbelief, abruptly leaving the throne room.
##########
"There is no point in procrastinating any longer. "
"But! "
"Mana… the situation is way too complicated right now. Assume your role, protect the Pharaoh, and await our return. "
"I would pray every day to Anhur for your victory, master. "
"Thank you. When the war is over, we'll settle all of these matters, I promise. "
"Yes… "
"Mahad! "
The wearer of the millennium ring turned with a sigh at the call of his name, nodding quickly at the priest waiting in a chariot, and crossed the town gates with a last smile to his student, joining his own chariot in which he climbed while gesturing to the cavalryman who pulled on the reins of the horses, taking them off at a gallop. Near them, the second chariot in which Seth was also set out, and a whole army of soldiers on foot followed them, encouraged by the inhabitants who were throwing wreaths of flowers and bouquets to bring them good luck.
Soon a cloud of dust covered their receding figures in the distance, and the crowd dispersed with calm, worry and fear reigning once again in their hearts. Mana stood in front of the entrance for a moment, clutching anxiously in her arms her professor's spellbook that the latter had given her before he left, and then slowly walked back towards the palace.
Finally, she reached the sovereign's apartments, in which she entered without knocking, familiar with the place, only to find him on the balcony, watching the horizon - and probably also the departure of his army - silently. Concerned, she wanted to take a step forward to speak to him but was stopped beforehand by Shimon sitting at the table next to her. Shaking his head in the negative at her questioning gaze as if to indicate that now was not the time, he invited her to sit down as well and served her a hot mint tea.
"They left town. " she still felt forced to say, taking a sip, wanting to break the unbearable tension.
"May Montu and Annubis protect them. " replied the grand vizier, closing his eyes religiously.
But their intervention seemed to be useless, the young king in front of them remaining stubbornly silent. Motionless, he was just standing there, letting the dawn breeze gently caress his face as the sky was gradually clearing.
Having concealed the moon and the stars all night long, the clouds suddenly dispersed faster and faster, and as the minutes were passing without the slightest noise, the sunrise then appeared in the distance, Khepri shining brightly behind the dunes of sands. Shades of gold and fire were fighting over the division of the heavenly skies, each invading the other's territory, creating a new colours gamut between ochre and cinnabar. And rising without the slightest concern, the sun's disc governed this bloody combat, enjoying their quarrel as much childish as temporary.
When the morning was perfectly settled, the Pharaoh finally decided to come out of his mutism, and walked through his room toward his bed, placing a hand on it and frowning with perplexity while wrapping himself in his indigo cape.
"Has anyone seen Heba? "
"Huh? " the magician mumbled, still lethargic after having dozed off slightly beside Shimon.
"I haven't heard of him for several hours now. " the latter declared, standing up and examining each room as if the former slave could be hidden here somewhere.
"He was already gone when I got up yesterday morning. I thought he was with you, Mana. " related Atem while joining the old man and the girl, worried.
"What? I spent all of my time in the shrine training! " revealed the little priestess with a pout, also puzzled.
"Didn't he sleep here last night? "
"I stayed here all night after…" argued the sovereign before stopping in the middle of his sentence, unable to pronounce the rest. "I would have seen him. "
"What are we waiting for?! " Mana exclaimed, heading quickly for the exit, accompanied by the vizier and the Pharaoh. "We have to find him! "