Unlikely Allies in the Darkest Hour

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Amir looked down at the glass coffin containing the corpse of his beloved, finding it difficult to look at. But still, he did not avert his eyes, he needed to look if for no other reason than to remind himself what it was that he was fighting for at this point. Hetep was as far from his mind as it could be right now, Isis was the only thing that mattered to him. He wanted nothing more than to use a miracle to revive her and take a boat far from this place. But that could not be, Isis wouldn't abandon her home in what could be its final hour. He balled his hand up into a fist, holding it so tightly the flesh began to turn white under the dirt caked onto it.

Feeling his emotions beginning to overwhelm him again, he turned away and released his fist with an exhale. He looked around the candle-lit room, to faces he recognized and those he did not, his eyes falling on Amen. Approaching him, stood beside him, looking down at the floor. "Amen, we need to talk about something when you have the time. I can't stay here much longer, seeing her like this is killing me inside." He said, a tone of sorrow and regret in his voice.

Amen felt a great pain in his heart knowing the suffering Amir was going through right now. He had now come to dedicate a whole lot of power to hide the continued construction of the Pyramid, but it proved quite annoying to keep the priest from straying to areas where he did not belong. He would uphold his promise to Amir of making her sacrifice worth it, even if it brough little comfort to the man.

When Amir approached him with the desire to leave the scene Amen nodded his head, both in acknowledgement as well as showing him to a room where he could talk to him undisturbed. Closing the door behind them, Amen gave Amir a moment to breathe before asking: "What do you need?"

Amir leaned against a wall, taking some deep breaths to help calm his nerves if only a little. It helped, not as much as he'd hoped but it would have to do. "It seems my past mistakes are coming to haunt me again, Amen. I'm sure you've already been informed of the bandits that Mastraza reported yesterday, but what I'm sure you're not aware of is the fact that they're coming here because I made a promise to them back in the Kophalesh. In exchange for the stolen key to the treasure vault so that I could obtain another relic in hopes of curing the plague. I won't name who was responsible for said plague though, no point in that. But in exchange for the key, I sorta...kinda...probably promised him the spoils of our final battle against you. Namely any treasure they could carry, with some conditions of course." Amir said, hesitant to explain how he'd planted another thorn in both their sides with his previous actions. "Why is this important you might ask?" Amir said, pushing himself off the wall and onto his own two feet, "They might still be useful to us, maybe even a blessing in disguise if I can convince them to join our side. The Godsend that led them seemed to have a thing for you, so I think it's possible. But in order to do it, I need that stone I used to send my clone here. Do you have it? Or maybe a better idea altogether would be nice too?"

Amen rubbed his eyes at Amir's little confession. Not because he was angry with him, they had been enemies at the time after all, but rather because their work suddenly became that much more difficult. "You promised him my wealth you said...? It will be no small feat to convince them to do us favors then. If they are to join us, then you will have to either offer something greater than what I can offer as of now, or convince him that our victory is assured. Even if he has 'a thing for me', brigands tend to follow where the smell of gold leads them..." Amen said calmly despite his inner frustrations. "However... I do believe you can do it. You had the ability not only to gather a multitude of nations against me, convince the brigand to begin with, but also draw the truth out of me... I handed the stone over to Izar, afraid that any studies of it would damage the thing. If you are certain that you are up for the task, then go ahead. I will distract the priest in the meantime, hopefully long enough for you to escape without being noticed." Amen said before turning around to open the door once more. "Good luck." He finished as he stepped out and immediately getting to work with pulling the priest away from the gathering.

Amir sighed as Amen left the room, having hoped that Amen would have had a better idea than his own but since it seemed not to be the case he would have to try convincing them. Waiting a bit for Amen to work his own magic, Amir left the room and found his father amongst the pews paying less attention to the vigil and more to his own thoughts, almost looking as though he were praying. "Father, are you busy?"

Izar looked up from his concentrated thoughts, "Never too busy for you. Is there something you need? I know I've said it more times than need to but I am truly sorry for your loss. Your choice required sacrifice that I don't think I would have been able to make." Izar explained, looking up to his son with sympathy in his eyes.

Amir shook his head, "I had no choice, even if Amen gave me the illusion I did. It was this or losing everything altogether. I chose the path Isis would have wanted, hopefully." He said, feeling the sorrow filling his heart yet again but even so, through gritted teeth he continued, "Do you still have that magic gem that I used to send my clone here? I need it for something important?"

Izar wanted to say something to help his son but there were no words nor magic that could heal his breaking heart. At his question Izar looked at him curiously, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a cloth. Unraveling it he revealed the small rainbow-colored gem and held it out to him. However, as Amir reached for it, Izar pulled it away. "What is it that you're planning on doing? Nothing reckless I hope?" He asked, suspicion in his tone.

"No, dad. I'm not going to do anything stupid, I just need it for-"

"No child of mine has ever done anything stupid, that's not what I asked." Izar cut him off, not ready to play word games with his child.

Amir was slightly aggravated by his father's worries, "I'm not being reckless either, I need it to make another clone. I have to fix a mistake I made, it shouldn't take long and no one will be in any danger. So just give me the stone."

Izar hesitated, but ultimately relented, "I don't know exactly what this mistake is but I'd rather you try to fix it now than regret leaving it broken later. Just be safe, okay?" He asked his child to watch out for his own safety before handing over the gem.

"I will, I swear it. I won't do anything that could put our plans on hold. I won't make the same mistakes as before."

## The Gamble

The clone of Amir traveled atop a mule, having snuck out of the city through the sewers and heading toward the last place Mastraza's scouts had seen the brigands. "Come on, Cupcake two, they should be around here somewhere. If they're anywhere nearby I'm sure that Godsend of theirs knows someone is closing in on them." He spoke to the mule as though it were capable of conversing with him.

Not a single entity in sight of the area. It was starting to feel grim and unsettling within the empty lands. The sun was setting on this day of mourning, when a pile of sand took form before him. This pile of sand rose higher and higher until the godsend now stood before Amir. "Dear Arbiter." He said with a mocking bow. "I am surprised at you. You went through so much truble to find me and convince me to rise up against Amen, only to turn to him yourself? What gives? I can only assume that our arrangement is nullified?"

Amir reciprocated the bow with one of his own, mocking or not it did not matter to him, courtesy was courtesy. "Let's not be so hasty as to call it nullified. I wouldn't come all the way out here simply to tell you the deal was off, it would be rude and a waste of both of our time. It seems your information is wrong in regards to my alliance with Amen, I am his ally in name alone. We simply share a common enemy, one that is a far greater threat to Hetep than Amen at this moment." Amir said, stepping down off of his mule, keeping his eyes on the Godsend as he did so. "So tell me, would you call me crazy if I said I had come here to ask you to join forces with us?" Amir asked with a nonchalant grin on his face and a shrug of his shoulders.

"Crazy?" He asked as he tapped his mandibled chin as if pondering the question. "Maybe a bit at best. However, you would have to make it worth my while as you tried before. Off or not, the deal we came to agree on has been surpassed by the priesthood and the new would-be pharaoh. They offered me everything within the city, so well as your relics if I followed them. So tell me, lad, what do you have to offer that can surpass all that?" He asked confidently, feeling like there was no way for Amir to top the new arrangement. "Regardless of answer, I can at least promise your safe return to Khemriq before the conflict starts. Least I can do."

"Tch, and you believe them? If anything you should know the priesthood consists of more snakes in the grass than grains of sand in Hetep's largest desert. If a man is only a good as his word they're rotten to their core with more than enough rot to spare for the rest of us. But you don't seem like the type to take their word for it without a backup plan for if promises aren't kept, so I'll spare you the talk about how they're gonna stab you in the back." Amir said, crossing his arms. "I'm sure you're more interested in what I might have to offer you instead. Well, as things stand I'm in no position to go making such grandiose promises. But I'm not asking you to join up with us out of the kindness of your heart, no, I really would be crazy if I asked you to do that. Rather, I've come to tell you that you should join up with us because our victory is assured, without a doubt. Serqet and the priesthood don't stand a chance and even if they did, I don't think joining up with them is within your best interest anyway. Not only because they're lying snakes but... well, I probably shouldn't say just yet." Amir spoke confidently, he was selling an idea and needed them to buy.

The godsend seemed to smile, or however you are supposed to interpret that insectoid face. "You sound confident. But then again, so did the priests. I agree that they are quite the miserable bundle of hate and secrets, but they really seem to have the advantage here." He said, trying to pry any information he could out of the little man. "You say it is a guaranteed victory, but I haven't been given a reason to why you would think so. See it from my perspective. You are outnumbered. They are better armed than you are. Their blessings may be severely weakened by being within proximity of the pyramid, but they are still significantly stronger. So tell me, Amir, what makes you say that you can win?" He asked, wanting to know if there indeed was any use for him to align himself with this new cause. "Even if they turn on their word, I can still raid while the siege is ongoing."

"Well-armed, large in number, many of their army are Godsends like yourself, it does seem like the odds are against us. But let's face the facts, and the matter of it is that the priesthood were so concerned with power and numbers they never even considered the most important aspect of laying siege to a fortress, time isn't on their side. They do not have enough food or water for a drawn-out siege on the city, not enough to feed the large number of forces they've brought with them for certain. Especially not after I burned everything they could have possibly eaten or drank to ashes and steam. But even if they somehow did find the resources, time favors us. Amen's plan needs only a few days, to keep them occupied, to keep the fight going for but a few days at most and our victory is assured beyond a reasonable doubt. You see, their army needs to get through the first wall, fight and defeat our vanguard, make it through the second, defeat our forces there, and then take Amen's head before they can declare victory. Us? All we need to do is make their progress as slow as possible." Amir explained as though explaining the simplest thing. "They have numbers, Arms, and a Pharaoh, we have defendable walls, a Pharaoh, a dragon, miracles, lost magics, and time is on our side. It's really simple math when you get down to it."

Amir stepped forward, "Look. I'm not asking you to lay down your lives for anyone, nor swear loyalty to Amen or myself, I'm just offering you the chance to be on the winning side. Besides that, I'm sure that you know what it is that Amen plans to do. Everyone in Hetep seems to know now so I doubt word hasn't reached your ears. Even if the priesthood offered you all the gold and jewelry this world had to offer, what good would it do you in the void awaiting all of us if the priests have their way? The afterlife, paradise as the ways the Gods promised, I may not be in a position to offer you something as grand as mountains of gold but the promised land beyond our mortal bodies is something everyone will receive should the outcome of this battle fall in Amen's favor. What say you to that?"

The man smiled once more. "I like what you say. However, I am not going to throw my lot with you just yet. I am going to stand aside in this conflict. I will throw my lot with the winning side once I see some development to it. If you are indeed at an advantage and progress, I will ensure that the opposite side suffers some accidents. If you are certain that things will turn in your favor, rest assured, they will suffer for having made an enemy of Amen."

"That's fine by me. I've no doubt in my mind we'll be allies by the end of the battle's first day and that we'll be able to make good use of your efforts one the second." Amir said, glad to see that their negotiations were going well even if he didn't have them sold on their victory just yet. His face became a bit more serious though, his smile fading as he looked up at the Godsend. "I know it probably doesn't mean much to you but I just wanted to apologize for our original plan falling through. You put a lot of faith in me by giving me that key and it's a fact that you didn't really have anything to gain by doing so besides words that could have been as empty as the void we're currently destined to. So you're either a gambling man, an idiot, or you're not as heartless as you pretend to be. I've come to my own conclusion and that's the one I'm gonna put my own faith into." Amir said before turning around and mounting his mule. "Farewell, Godsend, may we both come out victorious by week's end."

## A Turn of Events

The event was still ongoing, everyone dressed in red to display their mourning and sorrow for a woman who had fallen before her time. Amen stood among the men and women of the gathering, not sitting upon the throne that would normally be custom. He did not have the right to put himself above anyone by this point after all. The priest had been wandering more than he would have liked. The priest would press his boundaries of where he was allowed to go, and that made for some deep concern. Amen parted from the gathering, passing a glance for the mourning father Khepri. Walking over to the balcony, gazing out over the city and the illusion he had cast over it. 'People mourning in the streets while the people were in reality still working on his glamoured pyramid. As he offered a look upon his still pristine city, soon to be besieged and ruined. Yet something caught his eye. In the midst of the streets he saw something that astounded him. The priest.

Looking behind him, he saw the priest still standing around, seemingly unaware of anything going on with Amen. Jumping down the railing, he sprinted towards the priest. Silencing him with a swift and concussive blow to his head, he dragged the priest back while the faked one disappeared into nothingness, catching the look of the nearby people. Throwing the priest to the floor, Amen started to make commands. "He has had us fooled. I don't know what they know or not, but we are not taking risks. Amir, use a miracle. Bring back Isis now. We will need her soon. I am heading to the pyramid, see to the final steps. Khepri, I assume that he was about to deliver news. You will take his place and deliver false knowledge. Triss, get to the shelter when you are able and given Isis some time to recover. She will need all the support she can get. Izar, when everyone is in proper order, head to the barracks. See that everything is as it should and that everyone is ready. Get to it!"

"Tch! We should've just had him tied up from the start!" Amir yelled back to Amen, everyone springing into action at the Pharaoh's command. The sound of footsteps against the stone filling the room as everyone began to move about and do as they were told. Amir walked over to the coffin, upset at the turn of events as he'd hoped she would be spared participation in their upcoming battle. "That damn bastard, I knew we should have tied him up. Nosey little snake..." He grumbled under his breath as he looked down at his beloved, no longer filled the warmth and happiness she'd always been known for. "I'm sorry again, Lah'mi. It seems that once again things aren't going the way I'd wanted them to..." He spoke to her, hesitant to bring her back now but he knew the only other option would be possibly losing the chance to ever do it at all. He lifted the glass lid, throwing it to the floor and letting it shatter without care for it. Not even holding his staff up, he commanded it to let forth his miracle and be done with it. His staff glew a bright rainbow of colors and he watched as breath returned to her lungs again with the rise and fall of her chest followed by her coughing.

His heart grew heavy as he watched her coming back to life, his grip on his staff tightening as he worried what she might have to say to him. If she would be angry at him, would she resent him for his choice? Tears formed at the corners of his eyes, "I'm so sorry..." He said, apologizing yet again to her. Not feeling worthy to embrace her or ask if she was okay, not after he'd made the choice that saw her end up a corpse before him.

Isis began to come to. Bright light shining in her face as she started to blink away the tiredness out of her eyes. She could taste iron in her mouth... Why was that? As she rose from her casket, noticing the glass box she found herself in, it all came back to her. She died... She was impaled. The last thing she remembered was the taste of blood in her mouth and the distressed look of... Looking frantically around her, she laid eyes on Amir. She did not hesitate, she did not wait. She simply threw her arms around the man. Her sudden action saw to the coffin falling to the floor and shattering into numerous pieces. "My love..." She whispered, pressing her lips to his cheek. She knew that she had been cleaned up nice and proper, but the lingering taste of iron was not appealing to her even if it wasn't really there. "I missed you..." She almost wanted to cry, but she had seen how distressed he was and did not want to add further worry to his mental state. She then came too once more, looking as if she had seen a ghost. "Amir... Where is Amen?"

Amir felt the warmth of her body around him, still far colder than she should be but no longer a corpse for certain. Reciprocating the hug, he wrapped his arms around her tightly, tighter than he probably should have but he couldn't help it. His hands grabbed hold of the gown she was wearing, holding fistfuls of cloth in his hand as he grit his teeth to stop himself from sobbing. He responded to her question with silence for some time, unable to do anything more than hold her in his arms regardless of how precious time might be he was incapable of doing anything more.

After more than a minute of held back tears and hicks he finally gathered the strength to answer her. "Not dead, for better or worse..." He responded with a nigh-joke though his tone was far from humorous. "The priest they sent with you was a nosy snake and he stuck it in places he shouldn't have. Amen is preparing to keep up our lie, or prepare for battle. Whichever it comes to." Amir moved back, keeping his hands on her shoulder but now looking her in the face. "But now isn't the time for you to worry about that kinda stuff. You need to rest, I didn't even want you to have anything to do with this damn fight but I didn't have a choice. You're going to go with Triss to the shelter with the civilians and rest up." He explained to her. "I promise we'll call you if we need you." He lied, knowing he planned to do everything in his power to keep her from seeing combat. "Okay?"

"Well... Okay." She replied, feeling hesitant to oblige. She was a warrior, and she had no reason to be held in the backlines. But she also knew that he had suffered so much from seeing her die. His reactions had told her as much. "I will do so, but... I need to see Amen. Or, maybe we should. I... I don't think we should go through with the plan to bring about the afterlife. I... I have vague memories of the void. Like... Remembering an incomprehensible fever dream. But... I do remember a... I don't know how to explain it. It felt like... I was hollow. I felt a hunger... But it was not mine."

Amir heard her, he did, but couldn't believe what he was hearing. His head began to hurt, stepping back from her. "What do you mean not go through with it?" He shook his head from side to side, exasperated by such an idea. "After everything we've gone through? The complete one-eighty we did, I watched you die just to give us the chance to see this through to the end...Why would we change everything now? Whose hunger was it?" He asked, unable to comprehend what she was talking about.

"Like I said, I dont know for certain. I... I do remember screams. 'Help us! Save us! Spare us!'. It was all i could hear. I didnt see much besides the other screaming, tormented souls... But... there was something there. Something big, vile and evil. It was like... It was eating us..." she tried her best to explain. "When I was there I... I began to forget things. Small things first. Then big things. Before long I... I was barely able to remember you..." she Said shamefully. "I am not saying we should stop the construction. Just... maybe we shouldnt make the afterlife the first thing we do? Not until we know what that was..."

His eyes were wide, "If there's something in there eating people's souls then saving those souls should become all the more important. Why would we put that on hold?" He asked, not sure what to do. He wanted to trust Isis, to put all of his faith into her even if she wasn't sure herself. Even so, after everything they'd gone through, after watching her die just to buy them some extra time. How could he possibly let all those sacrifices be in vain over a groggy memory? "Isis... I...I don't know what to do. I don't know what to say to you, I..." He tried to speak but hesitated, unsure and not confident in anything he could possibly do. "What's my mother's maiden name? Where did we first meet? What's the name of my third sibling? The name of our dog?" He asked two real questions and two that wouldn't make sense to the Isis he knew. He wasn't sure and that is what scared him most, that maybe they did something to her head, that maybe even the Isis he brought back wasn't Isis at all. "Don't ask why or anything, just answer the questions."

Isis did not need to ask why. She knew the reason he wanted to hear her answers: He was doubting her words. Or possibly more accurate would be that he was doubting her. She did not know which was more sad or depressing. "I... It is hard to remember. It is as if all my memories, experiences and being has been gnawed upon....Her name was Zhulong, taken after her father, the dragon... I believe... I think... I... Things are so weird for me right now. But... I... I don't think we have a dog... I don't remember a third sibling either." She said, rubbing her temples as if the questions had just given her a headache.

Amir narrowed his eyes for a moment, staring at the woman he loved, or so he hoped it was her. Suspicion in his gaze that he did not even try to hide, tired, and wanting nothing more than to be wrong. Closing his eyes completely he looked away with a sigh. "Then I'll ask again when you're feeling better." He responded, choosing not to tell her if she was right or wrong in any of her answers. "In the meantime, sharing what you know or think you know with Amen might be the best course of action for now. He's on his way to oversee the construction of the pyramid, we can head there if you're feeling up for it?" He asked, offering his hand to help her step over the glass that now littered the floor.

Finding their way through the streets, they reached the pyramid not long after they'd headed out. Finding Amen among the workers Amir approached, "Amen, something more has come up. Isis has something to tell you..." He said but hesitated, "Maybe it would be best to speak in a more private place though. I don't think the news will bode well for the morale of the people." His tone cold and serious, but more than that exhausted as though simply done with it all.

Isis felt disappointed with herself for not having succeeded to ease his mind, causing her great worry. She allowed herself to be led across the streets and corridors until they reached the worksite. The progress was far more frantic than she had anticipated. Amen was guiding the rocks into place upon the pyramid's top, letting more people focus on preparing the christening the materials with the river's holy waters. When he heard Amir approaching he was about to chastise him for having brought Isis here so soon, but he relented from it when he heard the tired seriousness in his voice. Nodding his head he led the two of them to the confines of the inner sanctums of the pyramid. "What is it? If you haven't noticed, we are preparing for a siege and are on the verge of losing everything if we don't play everything right at this point. What are-"

"Amen." Isis interruped softly, causing Amen to halt. He had never heard her speak so softly and meekly before in his life. "Amen, I am sorry that we are coming, but..." Things were just getting weirder. She was now apologizing? "This is important. I don't... I don't think we should bring about the afterlife. Not yet at least. It is-"

"Are you mad?" Amen interrupted in turn. "Everything I have done has been for that sake. Everything I have done has been done to save the people from the void. Why should I? If I stop my work now, everything I've done, every life taken would be for nothing."

"I understand, but-"

"But nothing! I am not going to let everyones sacrifice be for naught. I've gone too far to back off. I need to complete the mission. I need-"

"FOR ONE TIME IN YOUR LIFE, LISTEN TO SOMEONE OTHER THAN YOURSELF!" Isis cried out as she had had enough. She was starting to recover her mind. "I am not telling you to stop for nothing. Build the pyramid. Finish this war. But once that is done, continue to study the void. Find more appocrypha. Find anything. I don't think what is waiting for us is just emptiness. It is worse than that." She said before explaining what she had felt and experienced in the beyond.

"This... Hm..." Amen muttered as he contemplated. "This is unnerving indeed... But this can't wait. If what you say is true, doesn't that just give me more reason to save them? To release them from whatever entity is feasting on them? I can't just leave them. If what you say is false, then I should definitively continue. If what you say is true, I should also continue. Besides, the gods have brought back people before, and with their might the priests have seemed to twist my sister's mind. How can I know that the gods have not influenced you with false memories?"

"Are you honestly-! Amir, tell him! You believe me, right?!"

Amir looked between the two of them, both clearly waiting to hear which side he was on. He opened his mouth as though to speak but stopped himself. Amen was right, they didn't have a reason to stop what they were doing. There was no reason to believe that the Gods or the priests did not influence her mind either in the afterlife or even more her death. The priesthood would know of his miracles, know that he could bring her back. What if that had been the plan all along? What if they knew he would side with Isis and manipulated her to ruin everything? If they stopped now what would everything have been for? Their victory hinged on completing their goal, build the pyramid and save our souls, that's what they've been fighting for. Why else would he overlook the things Amen has done? For what other reason would he face the armies at their doorstep? For what other reason would he watch his beloved die when he could have traded his life for hers if not for this goal?

He bit down on his own teeth, anger rising within him as he was forced now to make a choice with no clear right answer. Why did he have to choose? What right did he have when he'd already made so many mistakes that gnawed at his heels with every step he now took? He looked at both of them again, his eyes swaying back and forth with indecision before looking up to the ceiling above them and letting out a quiet sigh, a smile that failed to appear in his eyes forming on his face. "Amen, I think you're right. We don't have all the facts and we may very well be being tricked. Played for fools, me most of all." He said before taking in a deep breath, "But Isis has believed in me every step of the way! I don't know if she's been manipulated or changed in some way by the priest or the Gods and frankly I don't care. If I die here, I want to do so having placed my faith in the woman I love until the very end. We shouldn't put our final plan into action until we understand more about what's going on!" He said, voice shaky but even so his tone commanded confidence.

Isis was yet again unsure of how to take that, but she believed that no matter the rest, he was still standing with her. She hugged him from the side, a side which still felt sore from the impalement, but she pretended like nothing. "Thank you..." She whispered.

Amen did not seem as convinced. He pondered Amir's proposition, but he felt ill at ease with the prospect. 'Wait? They've all waited for so long already. The dead, the living, the unborn. They all will, are or had lived with the delusion of the paradise that was promised. How could he force them to wait and longer?' "I will take this into consideration... But know if there is even the slightest risk that this task of knowledge or wait for it goes to risk the pyramid, then I will enact it all all the same. This is a once in a millenia opportunity, and I won't squander it. Now, Isis, are you fit to help us?"

"Y-yes... I suppose so. I've been told that I am meant to stay in the back rows? To protect the civilians as a last line of defense?" Isis asked, feeling uncertain with this, unsure of what Amir had said was just a lie to keep her sheltered or if this was indeed Amen's wishes. She did not like the idea of being lied to, even if it was for her safety, regardless of however safe one can be anymore.

Amen took a short glance at Amir, seeing his worry and borderline distress plastered over him like a thick, obvious sheen. "Such is the case. You and Triss will ensure their safety no matter the cost. Be honored. I can think of none more fitting and reassuring than you to protect them; Isis, Shield of the People." He said with a most distinct professional tone to him when bringing up her title, not trying to play it like a promotion or a suck up, for that might set off some bells in her head.

Isis still did not trust this fully. She would have, had they not mentioned the name of Triss. She knew the woman. She was kind, yes. Compassionate, indeed. Clever, if not a bit eccentric and happy-go-lucky. But above all: When compared to the rest of them, she was weak. Someone Amen surely had sent there to keep safe himself, to keep her away from their hostilities. She was not entirely sure whether that was the reason for her being placed there too, but either way, she was not going to argue. She knew well enough that times like these are the worst opportune moments to do so. "I will do that then... Just... Just be safe, love." She whispered, looking to Amir with a pleading look in her eye.

Amir smiled, trying to do so warmly though it fell into more of a half-smile if anything. "I will, I swear it. And when this is all over we'll do as we promised, together." He said, placing his hand onto her shoulders and staring directly back at her. "Protect the people, Lah'mi. They're victims of our petty battles, don't let them suffer more for our mistakes." He said before letting her go, waiting for her to leave before he turned his attention to Amen.

He crossed his arms, "You're probably going to call me a sentimental idiot, aren't you? You wouldn't be wrong. I hate to say that I agree with you about completing the pyramid and going through with this afterlife business, but I cannot commit to it without looking into what Isis said. I've made too many mistakes by making choices without having all the evidence gathered up. I can't let that happen again, I can't keep making those kinds of mistakes or else the situation will only get worse." He said, letting out a sigh. "What if I had spoken to you that day we first arrived? What if I had listened to Seraphine? What if I hadn't split up our group and waited until I'd spoken to you here before sending Isis and Mastraza to the Holy city? How many mistakes could have easily been avoided had I not acted before thinking? I want to put the pieces together, see the bigger picture. You should too, lest everything you've done also be for naught. I know our time is limited and for all we know we may be wasting it, but I have to know for sure."

"An idiot?" Amen asked with a chuckle. "If anyone is an idiot, it would be me. What sort of stupid set of hormones thought that a time of war was a good time to fall in love?" He said, a hint of humor in it. "Besides... All things considered, I don't think I would have told you anyway back then. I was quite resistant to telling you in the first place if you remember. I likely wouldn't have been better then. I did what I did because Triss and your father convinced me otherwise. The fear of losing them brought me to think differently. You cannot be blamed for reaching a conclusion based on what you've seen. You had all the pieces... It was just a different puzzle. You want to help people, even if now it us just Isis." He explained before looking to the exit. "Once I might have said that I would gladly give my life for them, but... Not anymore." He said as he started to smile. "My people... My friends... Triss... Now I want to live for them. To see their smiles and hear their laughter for myself, not watching it from some cloud on high... I've often wondered whether I am a good man. If I can ever be one... I don't have an answer. Hopefully I can get one by the end of this." He said before extending a hand towards Amir. "Given everything and the hope that we will all live through this, I want you to know that I will honor my debts. You and Isis have done so much and suffered so much. I want to repay that. Once this is all over, once you chose to leave all this behind, I am ready to prepare a fine plot of land for you to live upon. If you choose to stay, of course."

Amir wasn't sure how to respond to his words, to his offer, "You don't owe me or her anything. By the end of this I just want to have done more good than bad at the very least." He said, taking Amen's hand in his own. "But I couldn't possibly turn down such a gracious offer, I'll have to talk to Isis about it when this is over." He continued, shaking Amen's hand before letting go. A silence falling between them for a moment. "Uh, I guess I should say that, for whatever it is worth from someone who doesn't have the right to judge... I don't think you're a bad person, Amen. All we can do is what we think is right, and sometimes that means not doing the right thing. Like lying to someone you care about, just as an example." He said, his half-smile remaining on his face.