Kemet
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Time gave him the chance to reflect.

However long it takes him, he was determined to regain his family's trust. Hope drove him forward, it helped him find a new purpose.

The past week alone, he had been in and out of makeshift shelters. He even resorted to staying the night with Thutmose. It damaged his pride, and he couldn't continue living this way any longer. All he needed was enough equipment and supplies to last another week until he found a way to settle things with Ada.

In the grand marketplace, hundreds would walk through the sands and trade. Fishermen arrived from the Nile River to sell their freshly caught fish and exotic crocodile skin. Others would offer pottery and a fine assortment of delicacies fit for any home in the deserts.

Maalik was here to resupply on hunting gear. His wooden bow had snapped due to his own frustration and fit of rage, and his small dagger was bent. His arrows were also diminishing. No longer sharing assets with Ada, he had to work alone and sell whatever he didn't need.

Because of Thutmose's generosity, he had a few extra debens to purchase a new bow, which he strapped around his shoulders. Next were the arrows, which he tried his best to bargain for. The price lowered, but it would take up a majority of his gold. A new dagger was still needed, as well as food and other necessities. But now that he looked back on it, he figured he could skip the food. The arrows could serve as a long term investment if his hunting goes to plan. Why pay for food when you could hunt your own for free?

As he made the purchase, he looked back at his satchel. Only two debens remained. He'll skip the new dagger too.

He eyed the other markets for anything two debens could buy him. There were dozens of people here. So many barrels left scattered in every direction as linen was hung from atop of tents. Wooden wheels were leaned against stands. Donkeys carrying satchels and bags were tied to posts.

For a moment, he pondered on where to go from here. He saw what people were buying, and what they were doing. Some, he recognized. Whether they were old friends or people he's interacted with before, he always felt comfortable around familiarity. He could even see a mother and her young daughter walk towards him.

Realization suddenly kicked in and his heart skipped a beat. Ada and Aisha hadn't noticed him, continuing to walk in his direction. He didn't know whether he should hide or let them see him.

But that became the least of his worries when his attention was placed on the commotion that suddenly occurred nearby. His head turned, hearing a masculine voice cry for help. A few people gathered around an injured man limping over and stumbling to the sand. At first, Maalik wanted to ignore it or just stand idle until he heard a name mentioned. Thutmose.

His initial instincts wanted to rush to his aid, though his frustration and disagreements with his childhood friend rendered him unwilling to take any action. All he focused on was his family ahead, their attention focused on the crowd that formed.

He slowly approached them, but when Ada's head turned and locked eye-contact with him, he froze in his tracks. Ada instinctively guarded her daughter, to which Aisha jolted in place upon seeing him. Maalik waved innocently and tried his best to smile, though Ada's reaction told him this wasn't appropriate. Her head repeatedly turned back to look at the panicked civilians, and Maalik sighed.

He finally decided to investigate only to prove to her that he's a caring figure. Thutmose had a gash on his forehead and an arrow protruding from his right shoulder. By the looks of it, he was slumped over his donkey throughout his journey back before collapsing in the marketplace.

"They took it all." Thutmose coughed when questioned by the townspeople, his voice groaning a tough response. "My supplies for Heliopolis."

Maalik stayed quiet. He allowed others to speak for him while he took the time to process the scene. Heliopolis was a long way north-east, it would take an entire day of travel by donkey to reach it.

"Thutmose, if you were attacked on your way to Heliopolis, then you must not have been far to make it back here." Maalik pieced it together in his mind and looked north. There's only one specific path he would have had to take.

He eyed the pyramids. Thutmose's fingers pointed at them, confirming his own thoughts. Maalik needed no more information. He knew who was responsible for this. These were no animals or soldiers. Only a specific group of people would hurt civilians and rob them for their gold and supplies.

While some tended to Thutmose and attempted to save his life, Maalik turned back with a soulless glare in his eyes. He walked forward, nearing his family. Ada kept Aisha back, and they moved out of his path. That was for the best, as he intended to approach the weapons-trade. His purchased arrows awaited him.

He reached out for them but stopped short. His stomach ached, a series of nerves within him lashed out against him, accompanied by a sense of nausea. It was intolerable. He left the arrows behind and turned to look at his family.

Aisha's whimpering told him everything he needed to know. She and her mother had heard everything. They should very well know what he was about to do.

Maalik carefully approached them, maintaining eye-contact with his wife. Her lips quivered, and finally, she spoke. "You're making a mistake."

"I don't think I am." He replied, keeping his distance.

"You need help, Maalik. You need a cure from the gods to straighten your head. Pursuing a conflict you have no means of surviving is not what I wanted from you! This will only lead to your own death!"

He focused on Aisha, her tears stained against her cheeks. "Don't say that, not in front of Aisha. She's been through enough already."

"Why didn't you tell yourself that back in the desert?" When she brought it up, he frowned and turned his head. He eyed the bundle of arrows, and he made his move.

Snatching the arrows and securing them in his quiver, he was ready to leave. But before he could, he sighed. He looked back at his wife. "No matter what may happen out there, it won't be the end."

Finally, he tried his best to give a warm smile as his attention turned towards his daughter. "I always return. I'll see you soon, Aisha."

He gave Ada a nod and departed. Though she protested, he didn't want to hear any more. Beside a nearby market vendor was a donkey waiting beside a tent, and Maalik took the opportunity to mount it. He tossed a deben behind him as the stand owner yelled at him. But before he could leave, his attention altered once more at another stand.

Old Amonet stood there, and they shared a glance. Maalik looked into his satchel once more. Only one deben remained now.

Without thinking it over, he tossed it her way before ditching the satchel and letting it fall to the sand. "As promised, Amonet. Your sixth piece."

Finally, he sped off into the vast desert before him. He never looked back, keeping his eyes forward and gazing at the open desert. Unfortunately, the donkey was fairly slow. Even after whipping it, the donkey only picked up the pace ever so slightly. These animals weren't bred to run very fast.

The humidity around him spiraled as he entered the vast desert. Given the heat of the desert, he only wore a shenti around his waist, leaving the rest of his body exposed.

At long last, he reached the wonders of the world. To the east of him was the recently built Sphinx. It was smaller than he had imagined, but its beauty still delivered a sight to behold when in the presence of the pyramids. They stood so tall, their tips on the verge of penetrating the clouds and reaching A'aru. They must be the largest structures in not just Kemet, but most impressively, the entire world.

However, his mind tried to process what he was doing. He reminded himself that it was for his family, to prove his willingness to protect them. But there was no scenario where he could survive this encounter. He's not a God that can stand his own ground and expect to single handedly fight off a group of dangerous barbarians.

So why am I doing this? The answer came to him shortly before departing here, but he couldn't remember why. The only assurance he needed to keep moving was knowing it's the right thing to do. Just as he relaxed, the view from the corner of his eye told him he made it.

A few other donkeys rested in the desert nearby alongside four men. They had stopped near Khufu's Great Pyramid. Judging by their leather apparel and assortment of weaponry in hand, they must be bandits. One of them was on his knees collecting shiny material scattered over the sand. Maalik readied his bow, inserting an arrow and pulling back hard.

Remembering his own technique, he remained steady. He slightly raised his left elbow. Taking a deep breath, he could feel like time had come to a complete stop. Then came the next step. No more hesitation, it was time to let go.

Instead of firing however, he continued to struggle. He had never killed a man before, was he really going to murder one now?

Every part of him wanted to refuse, but one side of him was stronger. Succumbing to his wrath, his fingers had already released and fired the first arrow.

He got lucky.

The first arrow was a perfect shot to the head as one bandit collapsed to the ground. That was it. His limit had been broken, there was no turning back anymore. He had finally claimed his first blood, and despite what he feels, there will be more to come.

Maalik had to stop for a second to process it. His jaw had dropped slightly as realization struck him hard. He's a murderer now.

All this time he talked a big game and made the usual threats to kill every last one of them. But watching that lifeless body stumble towards the ground and lay there motionless; it was a haunting sight. It distracted him so much, he almost didn't notice the arrowhead that was zipping towards his head.

He ducked, missing the arrow. There was no time to regret his actions now. The rest of the bandits already scrambled, each grabbing their bows while one held on to a spear and charged towards him.

The lead assailant attempted to collapse Maalik's donkey, but he was out of luck. Maalik had already sprung off his mount, wrestling him to the ground. The spear dropped beside them and the bandit was entirely out of reach.

Quickly, Maalik ran to grab the spear only to trip and fall. The bandit behind him stood up. With no other choice, Maalik clenched the spear ahead and rolled on his back. Thrusting it upwards, he stabbed the bandit directly through his stomach. His attacker stumbled backwards before falling to the sand.

Several thoughts rushed through his mind, understanding just how gruesome this is. It's horrible. Watching that man just fall with his spurts of blood scattering over the sand.

"I- I'm sorry. Gods, I'm sorry." Maalik whispered to himself, slowly wiping off the blood that splattered over his face. He was exhausted, his adrenaline was almost depleted. He doesn't belong here. This was a mistake, and he's finally realizing it.

Though when he slowly stood back up, he remembered there were two other bandits. Turning around, he had just enough time to hear a subtle shift in the air, and when his eyes finally caught up, he had a great view of the arrow flying right towards him. Only this time, he couldn't duck. There was nowhere to go.

The impact was instantaneous. A burst of pain emitted from his chest, right where his heart beats.

He collapsed to the sand, feeling the arrow protrude from his body. Through groans of pain and agony, he remained frozen on the floor as a shadow swept over him. Maalik could see a tall man tower above him. His skin tone was slightly darker, his head fully bald and his left eye covered with a patch.

Now it all made sense.

The bandit scoffed at his sight. "Does my one good eye deceive me? Of all the souls that wander the Kemet, is it really the man who took half of my vision?"

He couldn't believe his luck, or lack thereof. "I saved your life." He spoke quietly in utter defeat, trying to save his strength and catch his breath.

"And you nearly took it."

"You had a blade to my daughter's neck, and I saved you." His voice became shaky. He was desperately trying to ignore the pain, but it's a task he was failing at.

The other bandit in the background scrambled to get their satchels strapped to their mounts. They were stealing gold and treasure, storing them in pouches and bags.

"You're lucky the arrow hasn't penetrated your heart." The man said, kneeling beside him. "Though I don't believe it matters. Even if I spare you, you're trapped in the dunes with no allies. What were you even thinking?"

Maalik didn't respond. He could feel the breathing in his chest intensify, not just from the affliction, but from his utter furiosity. 

"You know, all we ever wanted was riches. Personally, I would have never done anything to your daughter, but I know men who would have paid so much gold for her."

"You threatened to leave her severed head behind!" That finally got a reaction out of him. "I saved you because you were but a young boy who knew nothing! I had your life in my hands and I gave you the chance to start anew with a warning! Bastard!"

Suddenly, he stopped when a hand clenched the arrow still inside his chest. The bandit stared directly into his eyes, signaling him to stay quiet. "And now your life is in my hands. So I'd be very careful with who I insult if I were you."

"Anubis take you." Maalik spat the words out in his face out of sheer anger before erupting into a velocity of unmasked rage. "May he take everything from you!"

"Very well then. I'll let the gods decide your fate."

Rising back up, the one-eyed outlaw left the arrow inside of his chest. He was about to leave him behind, and Maalik wasn't willing to accept that.

"You can't leave me here, you can't leave me to die!" Maalik's anger lashed out again, but his fate had already been sealed. It was upon this sudden realization that he felt himself sooth down as a portion of his sanity returned to normal.

No longer enraged, he was now scared. The fear of having his life end abruptly is what snapped him back to reality. When desperation took over, he said the one word he never thought he'd utter in front of this man. "Please."

That caused the bandit to stop in his tracks and look back at him. His expression appeared somewhat surprised.

Maalik on the other hand continued to plead with him. "My daughter just turned ten. She needs me, she needs her father. I'm begging you, don't leave me to die. You won't hear from us again, just let me see my daughter again."

Clearly dumbfounded by Seti's despair, the bandit looked disappointed. "After all that, and this is how you decide to speak? Your daughter needs a father, but all I see is a sheep in the skin of a cobra. You can't even die with dignity."

A moment of silence befell them both as Maalik looked at him with a raised head. Ultimately, his nemesis sighed and stepped towards him. He knelt beside him again and placed a hand over the arrow.

"I'll send her my regards."

Instead of pushing it deeper, he ripped the arrow out of his chest, causing Maalik to scream. The bandit departed from the scene, mounting one of the donkeys and escaping with their loot. Maalik, left alone, placed a hand over his wound.

He cried out as a result of the torment, rolling over on his stomach as he tried to prevent himself from bleeding out. The thoughts of his family haunted him, killing him to know he'll never see them again. He couldn't handle it, and his body shook as a result. The uneasiness caused him to unleash a raw and genuine scream of defeat.

Then, in the absolute silence of the sandy desert, the sounds of a howling wind caught his ear. He thought a sandstorm had arrived but that wasn't the case. Instead, he could feel his left hand begin to shake. There was a horrible burning pain emanating from it. As he opened his hand, he could see something manifesting before his very eyes.

A deep inscription started to engrave itself onto the palm of his hand. He only watched in horror and confusion as the inscription formed a mysterious word in hieroglyphics that he could not understand. It must be a hallucination or a figment of his imagination. Yet it looked and felt real. It spelled out just one word for him to read.

Feather. Mouth. Vulture.

IRA
(WRATH)

So many questions lingered throughout his head. Why would this appear on his hand? Was this a divine act from the gods themselves? But as he questioned it, he made a new discovery. The inscription was beginning to produce a vibrant red glow. This aura spread throughout his arm and his body. His entire self was emitting a dark scarlet hue.

His consciousness was fading and he couldn't stay awake any longer. Nothing made sense in his mind. Every possible reason for this to occur seemed illogical. Perhaps this was his brain on the verge of collapse after experiencing so much blood loss.

His surroundings turned white, as a bright light engulfed him entirely. The whole world disappeared right in front of him. Despite this, the pain he experienced still forced him to scream. In his final moment and breath, he still couldn't accept his fate. His eyes remained opened but he couldn't see. His final thought was of his family, if only he could see them again.

Finally, his pain immediately subsided and his consciousness instantly faded.

Maalik Seti has died.

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Historical Notes:

Kher Neter is an alternate name for Giza, translating to the Necropolis.

"Neb" is a formal and polite way of calling someone a sir or ma'am in ancient Egyptian. It is also used to describe a lord or master.

Camels were never actually around in Egypt or any part of the Middle East during this time. The main animal used for transportation was the donkey, as it was the only animal that was reliable. Oxen and bulls were found in Egypt and were amongst some of the various cattle introduced to the region.

Many temples, pyramids and other various important structures have often been subject to intense raiding and looting.

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