Contents

 

 

Chapter 1

Yemen was lying face down on the ground. The fresh smell of the river banks filled his nostrils; he could feel the cold and moist ground beneath his cheek. A sharp stone piercing at his temple, every part of him ached but he did not know why it did.

He had a wound on the side of his stomach that felt like the bruise of an iron clad punch. His mouth had been gaping, he got up with a struggle using every little bit of strength left in him. They had been defeated, Egypt had fallen to the new tyrant and the tyrant’s coupe was successful. He had just had a terrible fight with Rashkubel who must have proclaimed himself pharaoh by now. A slight cushioning effect on the side of his stomach told him that Rashkubel had pierced him with a sword, but how could he still be alive? He thought, he lost a lot of blood and he must have been killed by Rashkubel.

Yemen started limping away from the river banks of Egypt’s river Nile towards the forest. As he dwelled into the forest, the smell of the forest filled his nostrils. In the narrow moonlight he could still make out his path. The lane was bothered on the right by low growing shrubs and on the left by large and evidently old trees. His green cloak looked dirty and worn out, the battle he just fought did not better its situation.

Yemen was a tall and handsome man with sharp angled cheekbones and blue seductive eyes that had a death cold look, he had short dark and curvy hair that hung in curtains around his face. His muscles printed out from beneath the cloak he wore which was now in a state of beyond redemption. As he throbbed through the forest he saw something like a shadow, which passed slickly beside him. His eyes probed the air around the forest for a minute. He was stunned; he panicked as he moved further. He was weak and could not defend himself if need be so he wiped the thought out of his mind and dismissed it with a struggle to convince himself that it was just an animal. He moved forward for not more than two minutes when Rashkubel’s right hand man Horus, probably the newly appointed court magician appeared in front of him. Probably his god had alerted him that Yemen is still alive. This was going to be a battle of magic and not of strength, Yemen thought with a relieve.

“I did not know that you had the power to defeat death, Yemen”

“Are you surprised, don’t you know you dogs; Rashkubel, you and the rest of his army cannot kill me?” barked Yemen

“Mind your tongue Yemen, I may still spare your life and instead give you a life sentence in Zahamed. You know you may still survive the harsh conditions of the great Egyptian Zahamed which has served Egypt and has ensured all criminals like you are being casted away from people beneath its walls.” Roared Horus a fierce looking man with a pale face.

“Really?” Yemen murmured

“Take my offer and surrender Yemen.” Horus squeaked looking into Yemen’s eyes.

Given that he was in a state of pain and despair, Yemen moved faster than he thought possible. He raised his wand from beneath his cloak and showered a killing spell on Horus, orange lights dashed from his wand forcefully. His wand slashed through the air and for a split second he thought that Horus must crumple and perish, but Horus swiftness took him unaware into a state of gross confusion. A handful of people owned wands in Egypt and besides Yemen, Horus was one of them. The both parties were aghast to discover that the other member of the two person battle owned wands. Horus’ wand dashed into the air and he casted a spell while blue light rushed out of his short and black wand creating a protective shield between himself and Yemen, the protective shield created by Horus blocked the killing spell and taken unnoticed, Yemen was thrown off balance by the force exerted from his spell being blocked. Yemen felt heat even though surrounded by trees that forced cold breeze over his entire body, he was weak and confused on what to do. He had landed on the forest soft and cold floor while Horus swiftness amazed him. Thank goodness he held his wand with a firm grip because Horus was still standing in front of him with a dreadful look on his face in which Yemen pointed out even in the darkness of the night.

Horus, about to cast a spell on Yemen changed his mind by force when his wand left his hand and into the darkness of the night, Yemen was too fast for him. With great knowledge that it’s either escape or die, Horus was in full flight before Yemen looked up to where he was standing after removing his gaze from where Horus’ wand had fallen.

Horus appeared out of nowhere, his cloak flapped around his ankles as he paced. In silence he rushed to the court to inform pharaoh whom was his dear friend Rashkubel. He ran with the speed of sound to deliver the bad news to Rashkubel, the bad news of Yemen’s continuous existence. He turned right that led off the lane and to the palace gate, running off into the distance beyond the pair of impressive wrought iron gate that blocked his path. As he arrived, the two palace guards that stood in front of the gate, one at both ends swung the gate open leaving him a free passage into the palace. The Yew hedges ruffled Horus’ footsteps as he then stormed through the palace and dashed into the court room.

The court was large, well illuminated due to sunlight that penetrated the windows and sumptuously decorated with a magnificent red carpet covering the floor. The court room was large and only the pharaoh and two guards were spotted by Horus’ dark eyes. Horus would have wondered how the palace got illumination at night if he did not spot a roaring fire beneath a handsome marble mantelpiece surmounted by a gilded mirror.

“What brings you here, my good friend.” said Rashkubel

“Horrible news, my pharaoh.” said Horus

“What can be so horrible to make you look so Pale, Horus?”

“Yemen is alive, he may have resurrected or he may not have died.” barked Horus

“So?” Rashkubel roared.

“I thought it might interest you.” Horus murmured looking astonished.

“Yemen is just an insect, he can’t do anything to me, especially now that I am pharaoh.” Rashkubel groaned.

“Will he be left free my lord?” squeaked Horus.

“No! but I think you will be enough to take him down, or are you afraid of him?” roared Rashkubel.

“No my lord.” Horus said.

“Then put yourself at work.” Rashkubel barked.

“I did my lord, I tried to kill him but it did not go as plan, I even lost my wand”.

Rashkubel was a tall, dark and huge man, he had a stern face and always dressed in royal robs and now putting on his pharaoh crown, he barely fitted into the pharaoh seat of the palace. Now Rashkubel was not happy at all and wore an angry face to the news.

“How could you let him defeat you so easily?” Rashkubel asked.

“He had a wand my lord.” Horus answered.

“You know who you are Horus, only the both of us know who you really are, so how come he defeated you? You weak scum, you good for nothing coward.” Rashkubel asked again.

“I said he is too strong.” Horus barked in a harsh tone.

“Don’t forget who you are talking to, Horus.” Rashkubel roared.

“You know very well that you ought to be the one to mind your tongue, Rashkubel.” Horus muttered.

“Is that a threat?” Rashkubel asked camly.

“Take it how you want to take it.” Horus answered harshly.

“Well, you think I am afraid of you, sorry you have just proven to be weak.” Rashkubel squeaked.

“ Ha ha ha” Horus laughed

Rashkubel’s lipless mouth curve into something like a smile, the lines on his pink face deepened as he pursed his lips. His eyes glinted and looked deadly, his head now sat grotesquely on his palms. Horus stomach plummeted. They looked at each other with intense disdain.

“So you dare me?” Rashkubel said in an awestruck voice.

All was silence again, as though nothing had happened to interrupt his stroll, Horus walked closer to Rashkubel daring him to act. Horus walked close to Rashkubel undefended and shieldless as though they had been discussing over a bottle of wine. There was a burst of flames in Horus’ eyes. Fear covered Rashkubel like the cocoon of molten glass.

“Oh so you are not going to crush me, great pharaoh?” Horus said with just the hint of a smile.

Rashkubel did not rise to the bait. He was an old man of sixty two and even though handy with a sword, decided not to act.

“No I will not crush you but you may not be spared if you continue.” Rashkubel’s voice echoed, too loud in the court room and he glanced at his sword tightly griped to his hands with disinterest.

Under the wounded pride, Horus could sense something else in Rashkubel. You could taste it; a nervous tension that came perilous close to fear. Horus shared his unease but dared not show it out, his bowels had turn to water.

“Oh I dare you, Rashkubel. You are nothing but a weak pharaoh who just stole the throne with my help.” Horus said in a voice as cold as ice.

Rashkubel felt anger, he threw the long sable cloak back over his shoulders, to free his arms for battle, and took his sword in both hands. He drew his long sword from its sheath. Jewels glittered in its hilt, and the sunlight ran down the shining steel, it was indeed a splendid weapon. He fixed his sword high over his head, deviant and left it trembling on high. Rashkubel jumped out of his throne and pointed the sword dangerously at Horus. Horus stomach plummeted again, he was filled with fear but his face showed different for he was not a man to show weakness. Their breaths steamed in the sunlight.

Rashkubel slashed his sword with all his might and for a moment he thought he would separate Horus’ head from his body by slicing his neck but he was aghast when he heard a cling. Horus had a sword hidden beneath his rob. Horus’ sword and Rashkubel’s sword flung through the air and met at dead ends. Again and again their swords met and the sound of the clinging could be heard throughout the palace. The pale sword of Horus defended his master from Rashkubel’s hard steel. Rashkubel now with an opportunity, slashed Horus’ sword with all his might and where it hit it shattered and Horus’ sword was broken. Horus’ broken sword transfix the white pupil of his right eye. The broken sword then fell from nerveless hands and Horus felt cold in the middle of a battle. Horus’ black eyes fastened against Rashkubel’s red once.

“So you would actually kill me if you wish.” Horus said sorrowfully in disbelief.

“If you wish, my pleasure” Rashkubel answered jeeringly.

“I could not believe you would hold a sword against me, Rashkubel you will be punished severely.” Horus barked.

“Well now in the form you have taken, you are weak.” Rashkubel added.

“We stroke a covenant, didn’t we?” Horus muttered.

“Yes we did” Rashkubel inserted.

“I have played my part and I expect you to do your part, a covenant is a covenant and nevertheless I can destroy you.” Horus roared.

“When you are wandless? When Yemen whom I defeated, triumph over you in a small fight?” Rashkubel said mockingly.

The two men walked about in circles, and gave a stern look at each other. Horus looked calmly in Rashkubel’s face as they paste, after a minute or two, Rashkubel’s big lips curved into something like a smile. Neither of the both parties seemed to notice the two palace guards still stood at their positions in the court room, a news delivery had turn to war. The two guards stood at the farthest corner of the throne not daring to interrupt. The air around them was pregnant with the future, for they knew this was going to end badly.

Footsteps echoed behind the wooden door of the court room, in a moment or two it swung open and it was the queen, Rashkubel’s wife who dashed in forcefully. Rashkubel’s wife was called Mexides. Mexides had waist length hair and wore a white floor length cloak. She was dark and slim and looked haughty and proud even in the present situation of the shock in which she saw, the shock of seeing her husband and his best friend in the middle of a fight.

Mexides stood at the door and stared at them, no matter how heavily time urged cruel marks on her face, the view grabbed her breath for she was seeing it for the first time, the lines on her face deepened as she pursed her lips.

Rashkubel and Horus shuddered inwardly for what they had done, what had they been thinking? They both thought. Anger turned to shame in the both men as the old queen moved forward towards them looking confused.

“What in the name of the gods of Egypt is happening here?” Mexides roared.

“It’s just a slight misunderstanding.” Horus answered.

“Slight misunderstanding?” Mexides asked furiously.

“Yes, a slight misunderstanding.” Rashkubel joined.

“A slight misunderstanding that could take both of your lives, the furry I saw in both of you don’t look like a slight misunderstanding to me.” Mexides said with tears swelling up in her eyes.

Mexides turned to the two guards present in the room and ordered them

Impressum

Verlag: BookRix GmbH & Co. KG

Tag der Veröffentlichung: 30.12.2016
ISBN: 978-3-7396-9100-8

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