Kemet
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Everyone has regrets.

Some are miniscule, such as mistakenly biting into raw meat you thought was cooked. Or perhaps, not protecting your home from sandstorms and having to deal with the aftermath when every room is covered in dust.

But some are daunting. Every action comes with a consequence. They can be fixed, other times they can act as reminders. However, they will always haunt your memories sooner or later.

Many people believed in spirituality and prayed to the gods for a solution. Maalik on the other hand preferred a more physical approach. But before he could venture down a path he may never return from, he must face his past.

East of Kher Neter was a city located on the River Nile. Named Inebu-Hedj, it was a city far more vast and heavily populated than any other settlement in the country. That is where he must go.

Bread, onions, and a pouch of dried milk are packed and brought along. Two well-fed donkeys would take them to their destination. As for Aisha, Maalik entrusted one of his neighbors to watch over her until his return. It was a younger man named Thutmose, a friendly bald-headed farmer that has often given them fresh crops at excellent prices.

Their journey spanned across the vast desert plains, past smaller communities and the occasional military camp. Upon reaching the Nile, they followed it south, passing by the agricultural fields that flourished in the surrounding area.

Then, the holy and majestic ambiance of a major city welcomed them. Palm trees lined the entrances to massive temples accompanied by the tall and breathtaking statues of their gods guarding the vicinity. Hundreds of small homes were scattered throughout over the wet marshlands, local buildings and marketplaces spanned across the vast city while small fishing boats sailed along the clean and crocodile-infested waters of the Nile.

A few nude people splashed along the river's shore, bathing themselves and looking out for any wild predators that wished to turn them into a pleasant supper. Farmers and fishermen hauled their goods in sacks and nets and stayed away from the main road to allow Maalik and Ada to pass atop their donkeys.

"I regret not bringing Aisha along to witness such a spectacle." He said in awe as he witnessed the true scale of this magnificent city. 

Some of the temples ahead were constructed in the name of a specific God or Goddess. The one they searched for is Ra's holy temple. Ra, being the King of the Divines and the creator of all, would certainly have the answers Maalik searched for. 

Outside the temple, a red carpet led a path inside where a large room awaited. A statue of Ra stood in the back, towering above them. In the center was a standard pool. Flowers and lone petals floated in the water alongside various lit candles.

"Amun welcomes you strangers." The bald priest greeted Maalik and Ada together. He wore a leopard's skin over his shoulder as the rest of his body was covered in a dark robe.

"You must be Uthman," Ada responded. "We have heard of your work and have traveled far for your help."

Uthman nodded and smiled. "With Ra's divine power, all will be healed. What is it you seek?"

"It is a mental matter." Maalik bowed. "The serpent Denwen invades my thoughts. I have been torn and ridiculed over a single mistake that haunts my past. I require guidance towards the right path."

The priest stepped aside and waved his hand. "Kneel."

Maalik obeyed and kneeled in front of the pool. He stared at his own reflection, almost glaring at himself. Uthman grabbed a small bowl and handed it over to him. "Fill the bowl with water."

Taking the bowl, Maalik scooped up some water from the pool. He wasn't used to this; it was his first time standing foot inside a temple in years. "I do not see how this can-"

"Silence." The priest held a falcon's feather in his hand. He stood beside Maalik and placed the feather over his head. "Do not speak as our creator is summoned."

Moments passed without a sound being heard. Amun never appeared, nor did any of the other Gods. This was to be expected however, as they would never show themselves before any mortal. Instead, it is their spiritual presence that counts. The wind slowly breezed inside the temple, blowing the priest's feather out of his hand. Delicately dancing through the air, the feather finally settled and landed in the center of the pool.

"You may confess before our lord, Amun-Ra." Uthman stepped back once more and waited.

Maalik took a deep breath, trying to remember every detail of his past. "It was one summer past; I was met with a chance to take a man's life away. I wanted to kill him for what he did, and my decision has left me with many regrets."

Ada waited a good distance away and rested in between two columns. He continued. "It was in Khemenu. We were at peace back at home, until we were raided by foul bandits. The pharaoh was away with his guards, leaving nobody behind to protect the innocent. Ada was hiding with me inside our home. That was when we realized Aisha was missing."

"What happened then?" Uthman asked, clearly observing him carefully.

Maalik closed his eyes temporarily, trying his best to remember. But when he opened his eyes, he saw it.

No longer kneeling in the temple, he was back in Khemenu. By the looks of it, it was his old home, and Ada was now standing beside him with a horrified expression. Muffled screams outdoors caught his attention, and he stood up to take a step forward.

There was a bow and one single arrow resting atop a wooden board. His mind was conveying only one thought, and it was of Aisha. She wasn't here. Even Ada had asked him repeatedly where she was, and he simply didn't know.

Grabbing his only weapon, he ran outside and immediately noticed the flames from beyond his fence. A fire was spreading as a result of the attack, illuminating the city underneath the night sky.

It didn't take him long to find his daughter however, as upon turning his head, he was forced to stand incredibly still. Aisha was in tears, unable to move as a blade appeared in front of her eyes. Behind her was a tall man that knelt to the ground, lowering his sword to her neck.

His face was wrapped, making him unidentifiable. Maalik carefully lifted his bow, but not with an arrow nocked, not just yet. "Halt! Not another step backwards! Let the girl go, and we can go our separate ways peacefully!"

"Ah, but she is perfect." He spoke, edging his blade closer towards her throat. "She will not be harmed, though I could leave her head behind if you dare approach me."

"That is my daughter you speak of! Have you any shame?" He could feel himself shaking from fear and anger. His next actions determine whether his daughter lives or not. He carefully drew the strings of his bow with the arrow, although stabilizing it proved to be difficult because of his stress.

The bandit hid behind the girl. "Lower your weapon. Her life is in your hands, make the right choice."

Maalik gritted his teeth, but his aim continued to worsen. He'll strike Aisha at this rate, causing him to make his choice. He lowered his bow and allowed it to fall to the sand below. Then, he followed it by dropping to his knees.

With his mind made, he lowered his head but not without keeping a narrow eye raised to observe the bandit. He saw him take a few steps back with the girl, and once he turned around, that's when Maalik made up his mind.

He snatched the arrow, leaving behind the bow as he stood and took off in a sprint. Without screaming or revealing his plan, he ran and hoped the criminal couldn't hear his rapidly approaching footsteps from behind.

However, the bandit turned his head around just as Maalik reached him. This was his one and only chance to strike, and he took it without hesitation. Jabbing the arrow ahead, it was a direct strike into the man's left eyeball. Then, a tackle was in order as his sword fell from his hands. 

Aisha was free, and Maalik had already turned to see her stumble away in tears. He wanted to aid her, but he had unfinished business. The bandit was still alive. It seems the arrow didn't reach his brain.

"Return to your mother, Aisha." Maalik spoke without looking at her, keeping his focus on the dying man underneath him that wriggled in agony. "Do not look at me."

When he heard her run off, he finally placed a hand around the arrow and gripped it. He could force it deeper into the bandit's eye and kill him, or he could spare him and pull it out of his socket.

But now that he could see the culprit's face basked in the moonlight, he hesitated. He was but a teenage boy, with a darker skin tone than the rest and a definite look of fear in his one remaining eye.

Maalik sighed, feeling his anger slowly subside. Finally, he removed the arrow from his eye and tossed it away. He spared his life and turned to walk back home as the bandit was left to crawl away.

He closed his eyes as he walked, unsure of his decision. In the darkness, his hearing picked up the sounds of a gentle ripple. The calm and crisp air around him caused him to inhale deeply. When he opened his eyes, the serenity continued. 

In front of him was the pool, the feather still floating over his reflection in the water. In his hands was the same bowl he carried at the start of his session

Ada was sitting in the same spot as before, looking directly at him. Uthman lowered himself to grab the bowl from his hands.

"Tell me, Seti," Uthman spoke, pacing around him, "do you regret sparing him?"

"I feel conflicted." There were so many things he wanted to say in response, but his tongue couldn't form the right words. "I wanted to personally send him to Anubis myself, yet I do not believe I am ready to go down such a path."

Uthman knelt beside him. "Do you care to elaborate?" 

"I want to be remembered as a proud father, not a killer."

The priest nodded and lowered his head. "As a servant of Amun-Ra, I can tell you that you have indeed made the right decision. It is better to leave one's fate in the hands of the gods, rather than to pursue your own sense of perverted justice out of hatred."

"No one else agrees." Maalik frowned, thinking of the very reason he's come here in the first place. "Nobody wants to recognize my commitment at saving Aisha's life. They'd rather focus on my act of pacifism. My own community calls me weak for choosing to spare the man that wanted to decapitate my little girl."

Uthman set the bowl aside and stood back up, crossing his arms. "Do not believe their false words, Maalik-"

"They're right!" He roared, instantly rising up to his feet and staring down the priest. "I am a scared, pathetic, old coward that was ready to beg on my knees with the likes of him! The only reason I attacked him was because I could never forgive myself if I lost my girl forever as a result of my hesitation."

"And you succeeded in not only defending your daughter, but in sending a message to the scum that tried to hurt her! You stood your ground for her, and you have every right to be proud of what you did." Uthman managed to calm his mind momentarily, until the sound of footsteps echoing behind them caused Maalik to turn his head.

Ada cupped his chin, placing another hand over the side of his face. "Because of you, Aisha lives. Because of your loving care towards her, you helped erase that memory out of her head and taught her how to smile. Forget the foul man for once in your life and come to the realization that our family is thriving at long last."

He didn't want to accept it, but hearing those words left him silent. Meanwhile, Uthman took a step in reverse. He used a pole to fish the feather out of the pool, pulling it closer until he grasped it in his hands. "And remember that the gods have witnessed everything. I have no doubt they will reward your bravery in the time that is yet to come."

Placing the feather over Maalik's head once more, he grinned. "Amun-Ra has given you his blessing. The gods smile upon you today, and they will continue to do so until your death, Seti."

"Countless blessings befall you, fair priest." Ada happily commented, holding Maalik tightly in her arms.

"I am pleased my services have brought joy to your faces." Uthman led them towards the doorway. "And never forget, Maalik. In your own words, you will be remembered as a proud father. Follow your heart, and never let your wrath define you."

Maalik nodded, feeling ready to leave this temple. "Thanks, neb."

He took the lead and walked ahead of his wife, descending the ramp and passing by many white columns that spoke of the gods.

But the further he walked, the more his smile faded away.

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Historical Notes:

Inebu-Hedj is the ancient name for the city of Memphis in Egypt.

Denwen was a serpent God of destruction capable of killing the other Gods and Goddesses of Egyptian Mythology. He is often blamed for the suffering and turmoil of all living beings.

The feather used during the ritual belongs to the Goddess of Truth and Justice, Ma'at. Priests use the Feather of Truth to reveal a person's sins before the Gods. It relieves pain and frees the mind and soul.

Bandits often troubled the nation. Raids were common as towns would be looted and innocents were slaughtered. The Pharaoh's Guards however were capable of restoring and maintaining order throughout the country despite these setbacks.

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