Kazue was wholly committed to finding his guardian spirit.

The young boy was treading along a busy street riddled with market stands. His thin frame surely would have been trampled by the feisty customers if he had not chosen to remain on the side, hands constantly reaching out to stroke the carts in assurance of his safe position. His eyes scavenged the surroundings for a generous face. His detective skills were nothing significant but the young boy knew that if he wished to find his guardian spirit, asking pedestrians about her was the first step.

For Kazue, the mission was easier said than done.

Considering all of Kazue's past miscalculations, the task was always hard for him—an adult would appear so warm-hearted but then they instantly became malicious after one glance at him. He never spoke out of turn nor disrespectfully, so their reactions frequently rendered him hurt.

Why did everyone seem to scorn his existence?

The question ran through his mind daily, only to never receive an answer. However, Kazue's ability to forgive was remarkable and he brushed aside society's hostility every day.

Finally, while sneaking between the stands of two distracted vendors, Kazue spotted a middle-aged woman examining a fruit cart. She was portly and less than average in height, her chubby face was solidified into a smile and, even in comparison to the general commoner's clothing, her outfit was modest and simple. She appeared to be the perfect candidate to interact with—for all that was Ra, Kazue hoped he was assuming correctly.

Steeling himself, the little boy timidly trotted up to her.

He stood no more than a foot away from her yet she failed to acknowledge his presence. Groaning, Kazue raised a shaky hand and tugged the hem of her shirt. As soon as her gaze dropped down to meet his, every ounce of the boy's confidence depleted. He found refuge in the cobblestone, stumbled back a few steps, and twiddled his fingers in a flustered mess.

"Um, e-excuse me, miss," Kazue stuttered, "I was just wondering if you could help me—"

A basket of apples tumbled to the ground and rolled around his feet. Panic enveloped him as he took in the ugly mesh of confusion, panic, and anger contorting the woman's face.

"St-stay away! Go! Leave me be!" She kicked and swatted at Kazue, treating the boy as if he was a diseased rodent from the sewers. Anxiety swelled in Kazue's chest as he pressed on with his hands raised, trying to calm the woman.

"No, no, please! Please help me! I promise I—"

A monstrous force yanked him by the arm. Kazue back peddled until he was face to face with raw and unbridled contempt. A male vendor held the child in a vice grip, crouched down until his burning glare was leveled with his, and sneered, "It's one thing to disturb my sales, hybrid, but it's another thing to harass good citizens!"

Kazue whimpered. "B-but I just wanted to ask—"

Stone road knocked away the rest of his words. He gasped in shock as a sting spread across his right cheek, thin traces of his blood marking the surface beneath him. He stared at the red streaks with sorrow.

"Get out of here! Go back to your little hole!"

He should have known better than to expect positive outcomes.

"I said get out of here, hybrid!"

He should have known better than to hope.

With the vendor's threats and the woman's screeching pounding at his ears, Kazue scrambled to his feet and ran. His small body became enveloped in the sea of customers, all of them too preoccupied with bargaining to notice his existence. A familiar bitterness crept up his throat and simmered behind his eyes but he refused to cry. Kazue learned a long time ago that sobbing was pointless.

Presenting a sad, watery smile, Kazue decided a break from the citizens and a visit to his sanctuary was in order.

†

He traveled through every back road and alley possible until his destination came into view. The stone beneath his feet gave away to warm, gritty sand, the minerals hardened by constant exposure to Sphinx Nation heat.

Standing tall and proudly before him was a monastery. The building's architecture resembled closely that of the Taj Mahal. It was constructed out of salmon-tinted bricks, smooth domes sat atop the main tower and the vicinity's four corner posts, the front entrance and windows were composed of sleek, wooden double-doors, and a chorus of melismatic harmonies echoed pass sturdy walls.

Relief trickled into Kazue's features as the mesmerizing voices inundated his soul.

Coming here was just what he needed.

Kazue jogged around the perimeter of the monastery until he was facing a courtyard. It was not very large—approximately ten yards wide and fifteen yards long at most—but Kazue still gazed upon the area with awe.

Seated in the center of the courtyard was a small group of children adorned by flowing white robes and cotton-sewed black shoes. Their attention was glued to the man standing amongst them. The male spoke with rapt yet caressing animation in his voice as he narrated spiritual tales. His eyes had a naturally sad droop and his gray locks hung heavily over his brow, as if all aspects of the world were weighing down on him. However, his presence was airy and majestic in itself. His white garbs shimmered more profoundly than the other monks' and his steady, strong tone mingled beautifully with his words of wisdom. One look at the man rendered Kazue nervous and excited every time.

Without a word, Kazue carefully approached the back of the group and sat down, ignoring the children's glares. Although he was trying to be as stealthy as possible, the elder monk glanced in his direction before announcing to the children, "Now, I have one more tale for you today."

His audience groaned, disappointed that story time was coming to an end. Kazue's posture straightened after hearing this, as he had a hunch that he would thoroughly enjoy the next tale. The elder monk shushed his audience before his voice decayed into a gripping whisper. "This tale, young children...is called The Guardian Spirit."

Kazue gasped as a wide smile peeled across his face.

"Many millenniums ago, long before the sun kissed the sky, long before the Nile River filled Egypt like precious blood through her veins, long before Thot created humans through the will of Ra, only spirits roamed the earth."

A gentle breeze ruffled the monk's robe.

"The spirits would always wander about aimlessly and without purpose, for they were not complete beings. They were made up of Ka, the life-giving force, but they held no hearts. Without hearts, they could have neither feelings nor thoughts.

"However, the great sun god Ra finally wished to create humanity and crafted one, single being. He had the intentions of creating a powerful warrior so that the first human in history would bring honor and dignity to its people. He extracted one of the spirits and gave it a heart. With that heart came bravery, power, determination, skill, and honor...but it also had a thirst for blood and suffered from insurmountable loneliness. Ra failed to realize the heart was tainted and placed the soul into a female body. Her name...was Ravit.

"Just as Ra predicted, Ravit was the greatest warrior Egypt had ever laid eyes upon and she obeyed Ra's wishes without question. Ravit won war after war, killed enemies left and right with her powerful army...but it was never enough for Ravit."

Kazue and the rest of the children titled forward, becoming engrossed in the dark tale.

"A darkness was growing within her heart and it caused her to feel emptier with each day that passed. She continued to kill, desperate to fill the hole in her heart, but it was fruitless. Her mind and body began to crumble under the weight of her inner turmoil...but Ra was blind to it. He was so pleased by Ravit's victories that her deterioration became invisible. Finally...Ravit submitted to the evil within her and murdered every man, woman and child she could find. Once Ra found out, he became furious and demanded Ravit's presence but she scorned her creator and refused to listen. She vanished and dwelled in the shadows, where she continued to slaughter innocent people. Her reign of terror lasted for several years...until one gloomy, rainy day, she loomed over a lone boy."

Kazue's diaphragm fluttered.

"The little one turned around and screamed in fear. There Ravit stood, grim and bloodthirsty! Ravit laughed evilly, enjoying the small child's terror, before she ensnared him in her hands, preparing to kill him! She looked deeply into his eyes and drank in the terror, feeling a thrill surge through her!"

The monk's booming voice died into a murmur.

"Suddenly...gentle hands rested on Ravit's face and the boy withheld an expression of enlightenment. He asked Ravit, 'You are the guardian spirit that I have been waiting for, aren't you?' Ravit was greatly confused and for the first time in many years...she did not feel blood lust.

"'Why', she asked, 'why would you think such a thing?'

"The boy said, 'You are everything that I have asked for in a guardian spirit. You strike fear in people's hearts. You are mighty and powerful. You are beautiful. Yet...your eyes are filled with sadness. You are lonely, as I am. You long for companionship, as I do...I want a guardian spirit who is strong enough to protect me...but not strong enough to be alone. I want a guardian spirit who needs me as a friend.' He was a child like no other."

Kazue's bottom lip trembled as he recalled the night he met Rayna. Despite her animosity, the true essence of her soul screamed for him, beckoned him forward like a moth to fire.

"Ravit was shocked...and moved beyond compare. Right in that moment, she was devoted to protecting the child. She whispered to the boy, 'You have my word, young one. From this day forth, I shall be your guardian spirit. No harm shall ever befall you.' The hole in Ravit's heart filled and she finally announced her existence to the world.

"However, Ra had been diligently awaiting her return and punished Ravit for her insolence and betrayal. He took away Ravit's body and left her soul on earth. She was banned it from entering the Underworld and forced to roam soil for an eternity. But Ravit kept her promise and followed the boy throughout his life, whispering words of comfort and advice into his mind whenever she could. She remained by his side until his dying breath. Once his spirit ascended to Ra's realm, Ravit remained. Her memories of the child served as the only thing to preserve her sanity for centuries to come."

The children whispered in awe as the story concluded but their wonder shriveled in comparison to Kazue's. Although the young boy heard this tale on multiple occasions, it still left his heart racing and his hope restored.

The elder monk's voice snapped him out of his reverie. "Alright children, those are all of the stories for today. Go back inside and continue your studies." He received whines of protest but the children begrudgingly obeyed and filed into the monastery. Once the last student was out of sight, the monk latched his warm gaze onto Kazue, who craned his head awkwardly to hide his injured cheek. The monk sighed before waving him over. "Come, Kazue."

Kazue walked up to the man, attempting to appear innocent. Shaking his head, the monk gently gripped Kazue's chin and turned it to examine the fresh wound. The ripe red scratches stood out grossly against his fair complexion and the surrounding skin was inflamed.

The monk sighed again. "Kazue, why do you always return with a new injury? I have told you plenty times to not get into trouble with the people."

"They started it, Father Hakim," the boy grumbled with his vision glued to his feet.

"You know that this has to stop, Kazue. All of this wandering around, scavenging for food and sleeping in the streets. A child your age should never live like this."

Kazue pushed away Father Hakim's hand. "Then why won't you let me stay at the monastery? Or with you?" Frustration leaked into the child's tone. "I can't go anywhere else! Everyone hates me and keeps calling me h-hybrid! So what if my daddy wasn't Egyptian? What's so bad about that?!"

"Calm down, Kazue!" Father Hakim said sternly. Kazue reluctantly complied and resorted to kicking the dirt, his little hands balled up into fists.

"You do have somewhere to go, Kazue, and that is your home." Father Hakim kneeled until his sad eyes burrowed into Kazue. "Go back...I know that you don't like it there but you'll have a roof over your head, food to eat, clean clothes, and a bed to rest your head—"

"I don't wanna!" Kazue wailed brokenly, "I hate it there! My momma doesn't want me anyways! Sh-she said so! She said she doesn't want a hybrid! Why won't you just adopt me, Father Hakim?!"

It seemed as if a black hole had sucked away all of Father Hakim's calm confidence. He retracted from Kazue and looked away, his lips fumbling for the right words. "I have already told you. I am a monk. Monks can never have a wife nor children. Those are the rules, Kazue."

"You always say that!" Kazue was on the verge of tears. The amount of people he relied on could be counted on one hand. As the situation continued to unfold, he knew the amount would decrease by one very soon. His words morphed into slurred blubbering. "You just don't want me! You're just like everybody else! Y-you don't want a hybrid, right? Right?!" Father Hakim appeared conflicted but he made no move to speak nor reach out to the boy.

As the silence stretched on, Father Hakim whispered dully, "Please understand, Kazue."

All the abuse, all the threats, all the disappointment he experienced in his short life—they combined into a single force and slammed his heart into the pit of his gut. He now knew Father Hakim's answer.

"I-I don't need you..." he whimpered as tears pooled down his cheeks, "I'll show you...I do have somewhere else to go! My g-guardian spirit will take me in! And she won't care if I'm a hybrid, unlike you!" Before Father Hakim could react, Kazue spun on his heels and ran off.

†

The sun had long dipped below the horizon.

Kazue aimlessly wandered the streets, for once not caring if he was violently shoved or yelled at. His bloodshot eyes were cemented to the road. He didn't look up until a group of obnoxiously loud men knocked him over. He fell on his bottom with a grunt—a scowl etched onto his grimy features—but he then perked up when the men's conversation reached his ears.

"Oh wow, this is huge! Do you guys think they'll ask for a marriage pact?" The man who asked was holding a papyrus scroll and gaping at the headlines.

"Of course they will! It's Isis Nation! They're all about that!" his companion said.

Kazue trailed the males, taking pains to hover behind a decent gap.

"You'd think Isis Nation would drop that tradition already. I mean, it's 2510, for Ra's sake!"

"Well, we honestly should've seen this coming. Princess Rayna is one nice-looking piece of—"

"Watch it! If any of the guards heard you talking that way about her, they'd have you executed in a heartbeat!"

"Yeah, yeah, I know! Geez, calm down already..."

Kazue tuned out the rest of the discussion as they tossed the scroll in a trashcan. As soon as they rounded the corner, he dug out the paper and scanned for any pictures. The young boy was never taught to read but he assumed the men were talking about the front page—

His breath hitched.

Kazue recognized that beautiful face anywhere.

There, etched across the top in ink, standing on the Sphinx Palace balcony and smiling pleasantly down at the crowd was his last hope. Her curly locks, her full lips, her stunning face, and her fluffed ponytail.

He found his guardian spirit.