"My lord...Atem...Please..."

There was no kindness in the King's eyes nor pity in his heart as he gazed at the broken form of Rania laying before him. He moved toward her, saw her own eyes whiten like an animal's as he stood over her, and stooped low to dangle his Puzzle mockingly in front of her near unconscious eyes.

"You should not have fallen into the cohort of the Enemy," he whispered in her ear. "Otherwise, I may have had heart enough to spare your life. Now, you shall be taken back to my court, and your fate will be decided through a Millennium Trial."

"I-I will not...you cannot mean..." Sweat from her ordeal dripped down Rania's face, as her breathing, though shallow, sounded like absolute turmoil at the prospect the Orichalcos hoped she was imagining.

"Do not worry about your destination," the Pharaoh hissed, "as I am sure you will find eternity in my Puzzle a more pleasant option than eternity in a tablet." He grinned wickedly at her horror and her feeble movements to recoil, however he caught her wrists and held them.

"No...you wouldn't...Atem, how—" her voice was racked with choking sobs and coughs, "how could you?"

"Through the Orichalcos, I know no rival, nor feeling, nor friend," he answered, pulling her face closer as he held her wrists tighter. "You were merely a sweet little pawn who played her deceptive part perfectly. And now, my dear Rania, our spirits are entwined, for we shall be playing this Game of Darkness for all of time. I am the only being who can access the chambers of the Puzzle."

She turned her head in agony as her eyes clenched shut, and she pleaded with a final breath, "All efforts have come to naught, so I beg you...please end my life..."

Rania's doe-brown eyes rolled back in her head as her body went limp, sliding into unconsciousness. The Pharaoh got down on one knee amid the destruction that was all around them, and traced the one object that had remained undamaged in recent events. The pendant of Commander Aharon still glittered around Rania's neck, as white and pure as it had been on the day she had first entered his audience chamber.

Atem traced the gold lining that rested above Rania's chest, wondering at the irony of it all. Why must the jewel still possess the audacity to shine when he had nearly conquered the bearer? Deciding to leave it on Rania, imagining her final cries and pleas during the Trial, as her slender hand would reach up weakly to grasp the pendant before being sealed inside the Puzzle, a false hope flickering across her face only to be faced with eternal despair tenfold... the image was so tempting that the Orichalcos could hardly contain itself.

Atem slipped his arms under her shoulders and knees, gently lifting her up and carrying her through the smoke. He would order the royal staff to bathe, clothe, and care for her until she was in the best of health before her lovely body's demise. Until that time, he would be cruelly debating about whether he would make little visits, and employ all his methods of power and incentive to get her to confess. His alternative would be to surprise her at the Trial, and through wily words of excitement and fear, force the words from her lips. Either way, confession or not, she would permanently end up in his clutches eventually, then finally, the Orichalcos would be satisfied, and it would retreat from his mind and heart to bury itself deep within the Puzzle as well. He could finally be the true King of Egypt, bringing his people's praises to fruition.

Gazing down at Rania's face, he smiled. "Death is devoutly to be wished, my dear, however, I would not become accustomed to the notion. For the Door of Darkness has been opened, and I 'm afraid you will only find your rest among the wicked."

...

Hello again, readers! I know it's been SOO long since I updated properly, but because I have two more finals to go, this chapter is just a little teaser that the Pharaoh has a dream about. So let me know what you think down in the comments, and I promise I'll upload a full-length chapter in a week or so!