Iris

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Amir flew over the capital city, his shadow looming over the evacuated buildings near the front gate of the city, the majority of the population sheltering in the interior while the workers continued to slave away at the pyramid that was their only hope. Coming to the palace, he began to drop his altitude, transforming back into his human form just before he reached the building and landing without effort on the balcony, entering the building. Walking into the room he felt the tension thick and heavy within the room as Amen, his children, and his most trusted generals stood around a table discussing something rather passionately. "They're not far away now. I'd say maybe another six or seven hours until they arrive." He interjected, his tone calm but clearly hiding something deeper, be it anxiety, rage, or sadness, he would not allow it to show.

"Then it is proceeding as planned." Amen said without looking up before waving away his men to leave the room, save for his children. "Soon they will be forced to construct their engines out of materials that don't yet exist, and drink from a reservoir that no longer is, and throw their men against a barricade they cant breach yet. You have done us a great favor, Amir. Time will soon be our ally, and that is for you to be thanked for." Amen said as he walked over towards him.

"I know you have no liking for me, nor any interest in helping me as such, but I will say that I am grateful just the same." He said as he stopped a good few feet away from him. "Did you see Triss and Izar out there when you were scouting over? Are they in position?"

Amir's brow furrowed, the first sign of emotion on his face. Letting himself relax with a deep breath, his face returned to its neutral mask. "They're in position, everything is set up the way you want it. Is there anything left that needs to be done? Any further precautions you think we should take before they arrive?" Amir asked, turning to look back out from the balcony he'd just come from, the harsh light of day seeing to bleach the world beyond the temple a bright white.

Amen nodded. "Not to my immediate knowledge. At this point it is a waiting game. See just how long they are willing to take before pressing us... Go to your father. See if he or Mastraza needs anything. Maybe you would rather just have a chat, a bit of calm. At your leisure." He ended with, a more friendly way of saying 'You are dismissed'. "I will see to the last preparations of the pyramid in the meantime."

He chuckled a bit, placing his forearm over his mouth to stop himself, "Calm, huh?" He said as he lowered his arm from over his face. Turning back to face Amen, Amir nodded, faking a smile before walking past the man and out the door of the room to leave him to his own devices. Amir shook his head as he descended the stairs, "Calm..." He thought aloud, not sure how anyone could find time to be calm given the nature of their situation. Continuing down the stairs with the intention of finding Mastraza, not having had the chance to talk to her more than a passing greeting since they got to the capital. Figuring that now would be as good a time as any while they waiting for what could be their impending deaths to march over the horizon.

Down the stairs Amir would eventually find Mastraza organizing the soldiers that had been assigned to her, as well as Triss trying to bring calm to the non-working civilians. Everyone knew what was coming, and every non-fighting citizen was ill at ease. Mastraza turned around at the sound of steps, smiling when she saw Amir approaching. Dismissing her soldiers, she walked up to the man. "Amir. Nice to see you proper... I may be overstepping, but how are you doing? How are you holding up? Personally I still can't get over the fact that we are working with Amen... Seems wrong."

Amir's lips cureled into a small smile, his eyes softening when Mastraza's familiar face came into view. Seeing her brought back a degree of normalcy, if only a little, of when things made a little more sense and his goal was clear. "I'm holding together, I think that's all I can manage at the moment. It's nice to see you as well, I was worried that battlefield would be all of our graves. Still, I suppose me may have simply traded one for another..." He darkly tested before his smile fell way, "I know what you mean, working with Amen. I'm surprised you're actually doing it considering we've got the entirety of the rest of Hetep gunning for his head. Even if part of that is my fault..." He continued, hesitating before clearing his own throat, "Anyway, I know it must be difficult, all of this. Especially considering all that Amen has done to Hetep and the Templars. But when all this is over, Hetep will be free of Amen, free in general. That is still my end goal, even if our methods are unorthodox. I appreciate that you haven't gone full Serqet and started trying to kill anyone at arms reach. I hope that means you still trust me."

Mastraza looked around herself before guiding him to another corner at the end of the room, far removed from the other loyalists of Amen. "I wouldn't be here if I didn't trust your judgement. I must ask then, however... You say that your goal is still to remove him from power. How do you intend to do that? He is immensely powerful as a pharaoh to teh point where I doubt even you could handle him at his prime. So... What is to be done about him? Something you want to detail?"

Amir's smiled widened a bit, "When you return home to Seraphine, and I do believe that you will be able to do so, I want you to deliver a message for me. Tell her that, 'I still think you are wrong. That even now, as I stood at his side, saw him as nothing more than the lesser evil.' That's what I would like you to tell her, it would mean a lot to me if you did." He said, placing his hand up on her shoulder, a difficult task given their difference in height, "As for what will be done about him. Well, all I can say is that when this is said and done he will step down willingly and without a fight. Hetep will be free, and it will belong to the people."

Mastraza looked at him with a questioning look, wondering wether he was being honest in this or if he had some more vile scheme up his sleeve. She would still follow however. "I will honor that wish. I don't see a reason to deny it. It isn't like I think Seraphine was in the right to support him anyway." Mastraza said with a smile of her own as she softened her expression. "I do wonder about that final thing though. How exactly will it belong to the people? Something tells me that the kings and queens won't approve of such a concept."

Amir shook his head, "Kings, Queens... Their wishes, while certainly important, do not measure up against the will of the Gods. The trials that Galeer has placed before me have worn me down, aged me more in these few months than I have in my entire life. But now, soon, I think that his purpose for me will be fulfilled. I made so many mistakes on this path, and they're coming back to bite me one after another, but now I think I understand." He explained, "If not then this battle will be the end of me, and suddenly it won't be my problem anymore." He joked, a cold chill running up his spine at his own words.

Mastraza was visibly taken back at that comment. "That may be, but first we have to topple the priesthood. As for... That... I want you to keep up some of your youthful spirit, if I may so say it. I don't think your beloved would approve of such a somber mindset. Forgive me if I overstep. I know conflict can take its toll on most, but it is always a sad day when war and conflict changes and contorts who we are and were." Mastraza said as she looked to the horizon, the rising sun on high blazing its light across Hetep. "Galeer be merciful... I still think we will win. It will be costly. Dangerous. Most will not see another moon. But I do full-heartedly believe that we can and will win this. We kind of have to." She said with a playful shrug.

Amir nodded, "I appreciate your concern and I'll do my best not to be molded by these events." He said, incapable of turning it into a promise, unsure if even what had already been done could be reversed. He looked at himself in the reflection in her eyes, having a difficult time recognizing himself from what he'd looked like when he'd arrived. His hair, wild and nearly shoulder-length, dark bags under his eyes, and his eyes themselves were darker as though the warm violet that made up his iris had been tainted with black. He looked away, "We'll make it through this, you're right, I was only making a dark joke..." He said, moving out from the corner they had tucked themselves in. "I have to go see my father. If I don't see you again before the battle then you'd better make damn sure that I see you after. I won't forgive you if you don't."

Amir walked along the streets as soldiers and workers alike ran to and fro around the inner capital. Some building defenses, some gathering weapons, others materials, it was like a controlled chaos. Finding himself atop the wall, he saw his father looking out over the empty section of the city and beyond. "You call mom yet?" Amir asked, approaching his father.

"And tell her that we're about to fight in a siege-style battle over control of not just an entire nation but the Gods of that nation's religion? Not a chance, the battle would be over before I heard the end of that talking to she'd give me. Probably better if we tell her later, and skimp out on the more dangerous details." He said as he continued to gaze out, turning his head to Amir after he finished talking. "Unless you'd rather we called her now?"

Amir waved his hands in front of him, "No, no... I think you're right. She'll be less mad if we tell her after the fact. That way she can't say that everything didn't at least turn out alright."

Izar nodded, "Correct, it might be the only thing that saves both our skins." He turned and walked toward his son, sitting down on a crate and motioning toward another one for Amir to sit on.

Amir took a seat, letting out a sigh as he did so. "I'm worried, I feel like I'm right to worry and so many other people seem worried but why aren't you?"

"You think I'm not worried? Then it means I've gotten good at hiding it. I'm not much of a gambler but I've had to practice one hell of a poker face. Dealing with politicians, snakes, the lot of them. They'll latch onto any weakness you show and use it against you, so the room normally ends up with a bunch of scrunchy faced people talking to each other. But assure you, Amir, I am just as worried as you if not more. Everyone here has a lot to lose after all. Many of them worry about their lives, just as many worry about their loved ones. I worry about you, about never seeing your mother again, your sisters."

"I understand..."

"We all put on a brave face, but we're still all the same on the inside. Still, even if I'm worried, I'm hopeful that this will turn out well in the end. Then we can go home, me, you, and that girl of yours. And we can all explain to your mother what happened together."

Amir smiled, a genuine smile, "Yeah, I'd like that. Mom will be happy to hear about the progress I've made too. I spoke to Zhulong, he spoke to me, and how I can transform into a dragon just like mom and Auntie Carwen. Alysa is going to be so jealous, I can't wait to see the look on her face."

Izar returned his son's smile, happy to see the gloom washing away from his face. He turned back toward the city, his smile fading as he remembered the choice Amir would have to make not long from now. *'No reason to put him back in that dark place just yet. What I wouldn't give to trade places with him, to shoulder that burden...'*

The door creaked as Triss slowly opened it, peering inside the room to see Amen standing near the balcony. Squeezing through the door she approached him, "You know, ever since that day in Kagura I always get nervous when you stand near ledges." She said as she moved to stand beside him. "I saw Amir talking to Mastraza and snuck away for a bit. I don't think anyone will mind, do you?" She asked, rubbing her hand against his own.

Amen had been overlooking the progress of the pyramid as soon as Amir had left the room. He had been dedicating all he is to oversee the construction, aiding in directing and other measures as well as he could. When he heard the door creaking, followed by the voice of his beloved, he turned around with a jubilant look on his face. As her hand touched against his own, he moved it to take hold of her hand. "I don't think so either. We should all be allowed some manner of calm before hell breaks loose." Amen said, raising the back of her palm towards his lips, kissing her knuckles sweetly. They stood there in silence for but a few minutes, simply enjoying having one another close to each other.

Soon after, he pointed towards the top of the pyramid. "It has been progressing quicker than I had anticipated. Instead of taking a near week to complete, I suspect that it will take only four or five days to finish. If all things go according to plan, we can finish everything before the battle becomes too prolonged. I guess having hell snapping at your heels make you quite motivated." He grimly joked before catching himself. "I'm sorry, Lah'mi. I shouldn't joke like that right now... How are you holding up? Are you feeling ready?" he asked half heartedly as if he already knew the answer before he had even asked it. "I don't think I am."

She shook her head, "It's alright, I know you're under a lot of stress. As for how I'm doing, I think I'm doing good. I mean, I'm not panicking or anything..." She said, shuffling her feet nervously. "I'm hopeful, hopeful that we'll be able to pull through. We have you, Amir, and Izar with us too. So I don't think we have too much to worry about." She tried to explain. "But I guess I'm still a little nervous, not about losing the fight per say. More about who or what we might lose before the battle is over."

"I agree... No battle in history has ever gone without losses. I can only pray that it will not be too grievous. Speaking of Amir... He will be key to our victory and survival. Though I fear that he can't be that if he is not sound of mind. I am afraid that he might not be able to be that if we go through with our current plan... I want to save Isis, I do. I don't want things to turn out as they currently are... But what else can I do?" He said as he looked up to the sky with a sigh. "I might be putting you in too much of a tight spot by asking, but... Triss, you are the light in my life. My morning and evening star. I can't really tell anymore, but what say you? Am I... Am I... Forget it. I think I know the answer already. All I can do now is to keep my friends and people safe." He said before turning his head back to Triss, a genuine if not slightly pained smile on his face. "To keep you safe."

Triss stepped up, "You should focus on saving the people who need saving the most. That includes yourself. I am Triss Vroman, of the Vroman family, and daughter of one of the four beast saints of my continent." She said, hugging his arm close to her, "I know you're worried about me, and I may not be much of a fighter, but I can take care of myself, I won't fight a battle I don't think I can win. Focus on saving Isis, saving Hetep, and yourself more than anything. If you want to ease my mind then that's the best way to do it. I love you, Amen, you know that by now I'm sure. No matter what happens during this battle, that won't change. Just do your best."

Amen was slightly taken aback before smiling even broader. "Always so selfless." He said softly. "I love you too, Triss. Do not worry, I don't intend to fail now of all places. I won't sacrifice any more than what has already been lost. The question remains however... How am I to save Isis... Maybe some sort of trade for her life, but I can't imagine that they would accept anything short of absolute surrender. That or..." He trailed off as he looked to the pyramid once more. His eyes brightened, as if an idea had struck him. "Amir's miracles are nearly useless here because of that thing, but maybe..." He trailed off once more as he pondered the prospect. He then brightened up once more before chuckling to himself. He turned back to Triss, lowering himself to be able to kiss her. After a short moment of enjoying her lips against his own he spoke once more. "I have a plan. I think I know a way to save Isis without outright losing the fight. It depends on their reply but... Triss, could you go to Amir and tell him something for me?"

"What should I tell him?"

"That Isis will be spared the void. I will trade my life for hers. She will be brought back to the city and you will carry on with the defenses. Beyond that, the plan will continue as it was made. I will surely be slain, but that will only be the beginning. Though I must ask you in confidence that you will not unveil the full plan to Amir. It could risk it being uncovered by the priesthood and my sister."

Triss' mouth opened, taken aback by his plan. "What? No, you can't do something like that! It contradicts everything I just said, I know I said to save the people who needed saving most but I put you at the top of that list for a reason!" She said in a huff, clearly upset by what he was proposing. "There's no guarantee they'll honor the traditions and if they don't then we can't bring you back. Besides that, I don't want to see you die! I almost did back when we first met, I can't let you go and do something like that again. There has to be some other way, a decoy or a clone like Amir used before!" She said, nearly stomping her feet.

"I understand that this upsets you, Triss, but I don't see how else to do it. If I could tell Amir's clone apart from him then Serqet will be able to do the same. A decoy would likely do the same." he said with a sigh of frustration. Not towards her but towards the whole ordeal. "I am sorry Triss. I shouldn't have brought it up. I just... I just want Amir and Isis to be safe. They have suffered so much already, I just wanted to spare them from even more... Though I suppose you are right... I don't imagine that they will listen to the words of tradition from anyone else than a Hetepian. If I die there is no reason for them to stop them from continuing the assault. Damn it..." He said, slicking his hair back with his hand, trying to think of something else. "I just didn't want Amir to break down from what is otherwise going to be done. He is tethering on the brink as it is."

Triss bit down on her own thumb, not hard enough to break skin but enough to leave marks as she tried to think. She spent a few moments like this, "Do you, do you really think that Amir is close to breaking? I... I don't know the details but Alysa said her dad when though a lotta hard stuff too but he seems okay..." She said, still trying to figure out something that would work in their favor. She hated it, how she was trying to stop him for her own selfish reasons, even if it might mean Amir would suffer. But what else could she do? "What if we could do something to make it seem like Isis died but she didn't? Like, I know there are certain poisons and toxins that can put someone in a death-like state. Maybe, just maybe, if we could convince them to let Amir or one of us be the ones to take her life then we could use that? Or if we can know for sure that they'll honor the traditions we could use it on you? That way no one has to die? I don't know...It's just an idea, and maybe a bad one. I'm just trying to think!" She said, bringing her hands to her head, clearing using all the brainpower she had to spare.

"They would never allow us to get close. They would be immediately suspicious if we are going to request the means of her demise. As for Amir... He seems different because of all this, and I would prefer not to take the risk of when, where and how it might turn for the worse. But I guess we won't have much of a choice. Even if we were to try the poison approach, they will want proof of my death, as well as likely 'ensure' it for themselves... I suppose that... Triss, you and him are friends, right? My words doesn't seem to affect him, and I don't hold it against him. Could you try to talk to him? I don't think you will manage to convince him that it is a good idea, but at the very least you might soothe his mind to some extent? I will try to think of another measure in the meantime." Amen suggested, holding out hope that his beloved could reach him in a way that he himself could not hope to.

Triss nodded, let down that her plan wouldn't work. "I can try to talk to him, but I don't know if he'll listen to me either. I was closer to his sister than I was to him but we did talk, played when we were kids, and I was in a stage performance with him once... I'll do my best to make sure that he's alright." She said before lifting herself up on her tiptoes to plant a kiss on Amen's cheek before turning and leaving to find Amir.

She walked down the stairs, bumping into Izar at the bottom as he spoke with Mastraza about something related to the soldiers. "Oh, Sir! I was wondering if you'd seen Amir?" Triss asked Izar, hoping Mastraza wouldn't be mad at her absence.

Izar turned to face her, "Ah, Triss. It's good to see you. Amir you say? I was speaking to him on the inner wall not but a little while ago. I doubt he's left there so if you hurry I can all but guarantee you'll find him there."

"Thanks!" She said as she bounced out of the room with a neigh-skip. Quickly following the path to the wall she hoped to catch Amir before he wandered off to who knows where? It wasn't long before she reached the steps, looking up at them with hesitation as she was sure they'd be a doozy to get up. Steeling her nerves, taking a deep breath, she began the trek up the stairs.

Nearly ten minutes later, out of breath with shaky legs, she reached the top of the wall. Looking down the long and narrow pathway she could see the violet haired man sitting atop the wall, a small jug at his lips. "Amir!" She yelled with a wave, beginning to walk toward him before she even got a response. Reaching him, she let out a sigh of relief, "I was worried that I'd miss you. Those stairs took a lot out of me."

Amir lowered the jug from his lips but didn't turn to look at her, "Why were you looking for me, Triss? Is there something you need? Amen told me I should try to relax before this goes down."

Triss hesitated to answer, not wanting to ruin his relaxation if that was what he was doing. "Well, you see... I was wanting to talk about... Some stuff, things like..." She struggled to say even though she had promised Amen she would. Her legs now shook for a different reason, "About Isis and what we've gotta do."

Amir's facial expression changed even though Triss couldn't see it. He closed his eyes, steeling himself for whatever words were about to be exchanged. "Yes, Isis, the woman currently crucified, the woman I promised to marry once all of this was said and done, that woman?"

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure that's the one..." Triss said, not sure how to follow up with his question or how to go about saying what she had come to say.

"Good, I'm glad we both know who that is." He responded curtly, letting the jug fall from his hand down the long way to the ground. It hit the way several times, shattering before all its pieces fell to the ground. "Amen sent you here, didn't he?"

Triss' heart caught in her throat, feeling a sweat form on her brow as though she'd just been caught doing something she shouldn't be. "H-he did! He's worried about you. He knows you won't listen to him so he thought we could talk, you know? He knows you're not feeling okay, that you're worried about what is going to happen later today."

"What more is left to be said by either of us? Isis... She'll die today. That's the plan, no two ways about it. It's that or we all die painful, horrible deaths. Not that it's guaranteed we won't meet the same fate regardless."

"Amen is just doing what he thinks is best. I-"

Amir cut her off, "I've heard it all before. What's best, what's for the greater good, all of it. I don't need to hear it all again, especially not from you. I mean, Amen, really? Triss? What do you even see in him? Do you know all the things he's done? Have you seen it? I'm not surprised there is an army at his door wanting his head. The real surprise for me is that I'm one of the people defending him. Ha! Who would have guessed?" He said with a fake laugh.

"He's not a bad person, Amir. He's really sweet and kind when you get to know him."

"Oh, I'm sure you've gotten to know him quite well."

Triss' face turned red at his comment, her fists clenching in both anger and embarrassment. "You're such an asshole!" She responded in anger, biting down on her own teeth and taking a second to gather herself a bit. "This isn't you, Amir. You used to be so sweet, and kind, you and your sister could light up and entire room with your presence alone. But now, you're just a jerk! A stupid, mean, self-loathing jerk!" She yelled with a stomp of her feet.

Amir was silent, either unable or unwilling to respond as he sat there in silence, looking out over the evacuated city. His head hung low, his long violet hair falling in his face as he did so. "I know..." He responded quietly, just loud enough to break the silence that had fallen between them.

Triss' muscles relaxed and she stood up straight again, no longer ready to pounce on him with more harsh words. "Well, It's good you know then..." She responded, not having expected this reaction from him. "Amen may not be perfect, no one is, but he does genuinely care about you and Hetep. He even... He even offered to take Isis' place, to die in her stead."

Amir turned to look at her at that statement, a look of shock and bewilderment on his face. "No, that's... That's stupid, why would he say something like that? Why didn't he come to tell me that himself then?"

"Because he knows you don't want to talk to him, and he offered because he doesn't want to see you lose yourself in all of this. He doesn't want to see you slip down into a place no one else can reach you and I'm sure Isis doesn't want that either. Amir, you're falling and we can't catch you if you don't let us. You're not a bad person either, Amir, don't let everything that has happened define you."

Amir's eyes stared at Triss, wide and stunned by her words, words not even his father had been able to speak to him, words that cut through him like a knife. Tears welled in his eyes and began to fall down his cheeks like rivers. "I-I don't know what to do..." He said he began to hic and cough. Triss stepped forward and hugged him, her arms wrapping around him and making Amir feel small again, like a child being cradled by his mother.

"Trust Amen, trust me, and your dad. Don't act like you're doing all of this alone..."

## The Horn of War

The cloud of dust and sand had fallen back to the ground, no longer kicked up by the march. The host of a near million soldiers stood at the ready, tall, proud, strong and ready for battle. Amir, Izar, Triss and Mastraza already stood atop the walls, Amen walking down the streets and as he neared them he couldn't help but look over the ghost town they had left the city as. He knew how well the city had been fortified and boobytrapped. Looking up to the wall, Amen saw his friends and allies standing there, watching out over the absolute sea of people outside their doorsteps. Walking up the stairs he now stood atop the ramparts highest point, looking for someone in particular. When she was not revealed he called out with a shout; "SERQET!"

Moments of silence before the sea of hetepians parted to form a pathway forward. From that opening walked Serqet, the would be Pharaoh and a collection of godsends, kings and queens, priests and even Isis with her father in tow, dragging her cross with him, pain and sorrow in his eyes. Isis still looked a bity malnourished and dried out, but she had now been offered far more dignity than when she had been paraded through hetep, now dressed in actual clothing, humble as it may be. She did not even look up from the ground, clearly tired from the journey.

Serqet looked up to Amen who returned her glare with a more calm and softer look. "Sister..."

"Pharaoh..." Was all she replied with. "Your war is over, traitor king." She said with cool venom in her voice. "Hetep stands against you. You cannot hope to win and you know it. Surrender the city and pyramid to us and-"

"Remember when we were kids?" Amen asked with the sound of a man with a broken heart. "Remember this city...? So many memories. I do still remember the time when we would play in the halls of our palace. Dance in the streets. Hide and seek within the whole city. Our games could take a whole day and more... I remember our bond, Serqet. I still remember how we used to be. Can you?" Amen pleaded for an answer.

"I do. I also remember how my life was traded for yours. How our family valued you and your future so much more than my being. I remember how I was used in an exchange to save your life. I also know that you didn't get any better from there, ruling with an iron fist and laying all your opposition low for your own selfish desire and gains. Tell me, Pharaoh, how should I think of you now?"

"I do not expect anything." Amen replied. "I think there is more to your hatred than is let on. But that is irrelevant now I guess." He finished, clearly while even if his words were true of his expectations, it was obvious that he had held his own hopes up for what might have been. "What matters now is that you have someone who belongs within these walls. Someone who belongs with someone else. I didn't know that the torturing of prisoners was the Hetepian way."

"It isn't. But many a thing has changed. You cannot be expected to be met with all hte courtesies when you have not allowed it for us." Serqet answered as she waved for Isis to be brought forward. "The terms are quite simple, 'your grace'. Surrender and your friends, allies and family will be spared, free to leave Hetep and return to what ever hell hole they first came from." She waved with a disgusted scoff. "You will surrender yourself to us, your pyramid razed and your city handed over."

Amen stood silent. After a few moments of absolute quiet, he turned his head towards Amir. His gaze said it all without speaking; 'My word still stands. The choice of her fate is yours to make.'

Amir nodded his head toward Amen, a miserable smile on his face. Taking a deep breath, his face became stoic, and he stepped forward as to address the army. "Two Arbiters..." Amir started, his voice loud and confident despite the inner turmoil like a storm brewing within him. "Both appointed by the God Galeer, two arbiters who despite beginning as enemies have both reached the same conclusion as to what must be done to save the people of Hetep. If this is not fate, the will of the Gods themselves whether they know it or not, then I cannot come up with a better conclusion." He continued, pausing to take another deep breath, "Serqet." He stated, now addressing her directly, "It was not so long ago that I wanted nothing beyond your head on a pike. You, the way you talk down to others, speak of things you do not understand, a corpse being played with like a puppet. I hated you, to the very bottom of my soul." His face curled into one of disgust, shaking his head as he looked at her. "But now all I feel for you is pity. I say this to you now so that you are not surprised when we meet on the battlefield. But I will save you, Serqet, from your hate, from the lies you've been gorged with, I will save you."

He looked to Isis, holding back his anger and sadness as he spoke to her, not even sure if she could hear him in this state. "When this is over we will find that home we talked about, settle down like we promised, have a family like we dreamed of...." He hesitated, feeling his words becoming caught in his throat. "Death won't be the end of us, I won't let it. Even if it means that we must say goodbye for now..." He gritted his teeth, "So wait for me, Lah'mi."

"We will not surrender to you, liars and deceivers of the Priesthood, False prophets, and manipulators! I will face a thousand realms worth of hell before I ever let Hetep fall into your hands, Hetep will belong to the people!" He said, summoning his staff and slamming it against the ground as though making a decree. "There is nothing you can do to break me now..."

Isis twitched as Amir spoke. As he spoke her head slowly rose from its hanging position. She kept raising it, but it was slow, ragged, as if the effort in and of itself was the most difficult thing she had ever done. After he was finished with his speech she was now looking straight at him. Her face was plastered with deep emotion. There was not hate, no anger, no shock, no disgust, only a deep sense of sadness. But not for her sake. But rather for her beloved who had been forced to take this decision to begin with and the feelings he must be going through because of it. She put on a brave smile before mouthing the words: 'I love you'.

Serqet seemed to be furious by this exchange. She turned around towards the father Khepri, and gave him a fierce look as she waved her arm as an order. However, there was a hesitation in this demand, as he started to shake, tears streaming down his eyes and his determination faltered. "I... I can't do this. This isn't right... You said that he would relent."

"Well current actions have proven otherwise. Do it. She is a drain we cannot afford."

"She is not a drain! She is my daughter!"

"Are you going weak on me, Khepri?" Serqet spat angrily. "You will do as commanded. If you can't do it, then someone else will do it for you."

Khepri was taken aback but he did realize that Serqet was honest and that would most certainly be the case. He steeled his grip on the long spear, holding it firm, but his determination was most clearly gone. He raised his spear and put it against Isis' side, pointing upwards to the position of her heart. But nothing happened, he tried to drive it in, but it was as if he didn't have the strength to pierce her skin.

In a swift and callous motion, Serqet took hold of the spear and thrusted it thorugh Isis, Piercing side and heart within a moment. Isis yelped, gurgling her own blood as it had pierced her lung as well. Her father's resiliance and firm grip having been the only thing that kept the spear from just piercing her from side to shoulder, Isis struggled for her life for but a few seconds before her head lowered, her eyes closed, blood dripping from her lips as she passed from this world.

Khepri was in shock, petrified by this turn of events while Serqet barked her next order. "Take her back. Burn the corpse."

"HOLD IT!" Amen cried out in an instant, way before anyone else had the chance to react. "She has friends and family within this city and one in your ranks. Burning is not our way. She deserves a funeral. She deserves a proper farewell. To be honored and respected by those who loved her before laying her to the final rest."

"She does not deserve that. She is a traitor. She-"

"Chapter of Ylvraine, page 216, verse 27; 'No man or woman of hetep, loyal or heretic, traitor or faithful, beloved or hated shall be denied their final rest. Make your earthly ceremonies, perform your rites. Let the gods stand in judgement.' Deny her this and you don't simply deny a beloved tradition, but stand in defyment of the gods themselves. Is that the path they have agreed upon?" He asked with a wave to her army. "If it bring comfort or assurance, then... I will cease construction of the pyramid. At least for as long as we will grieve. Allow us this. We need our week to-"

"I will give you three days. And you will stand by your word, Amen! If I get even a hint that you have lied, then I will be back to bring hell upon you for the end of days."

Amen nodded. Short and simply.

"I will oversee the funeral. Ensure that all things go according to plan." Khepri said, his heart heavy with loss. "I will take a priest with me to ensure this."

Serqet nodded, waving for a priest to accompany him inside. Amen waved for the gates to be opened ever so slightly. After some moments of terrible silence, Khepri and the priest was inside the walls." Khempri leaned himself against the wall, sobbing. "Take her... I don't deserve to look at her..."

Amir turned to Amen, eyes red with tears he refused to cry as his face faltered from the stoic mask he put on. "There, We've bought ourselves time. You had better make it worth it, Pharoh." Amir said as he walked past the man, leaping over the railing of the wall and beginning the several meter fall. As he got close to the bottom wings sprouted from his back to slow his descent. Landing on his own two feet, the wings disappeared and he moved at a neigh sprint toward the gate. Arriving as Isis' corpse was being loaded onto a cart. He turned his head away, unable to look, his eyes falling on her father. The moment they did he felt his blood beginning to boil. "You!" He shouted in an accusatory tone. "You coward! How could you let this happen?! You were fine with her being paraded about nude on a cross but this is where you break?!" He all but snarled at the man much larger than himself. "You... You're her father, you took her away. I saw you do it, I tried so hard to save her but you took her away." He spoke as though he couldn't even believe it himself, falling to his knees. "I tried so hard..."

"I know what I am..." The godsend spoke with heartbreak.

Amen looked down at the display before him, sympathy and sorrow in his eyes. He turned to look at Izar and Triss. "Go to him. And if he is of a mind to hear it, let him know that he has my sympathy." He said as he looked to Isis on the cart being pulled away, the priest with it. "I need to follow the priest. Make sure that he doesn't do anything ahead of time. I can't honor my promise to Amir if she is given all the rituals and a tomb before everything." Amen said as he walked down the steps, walking past Amir, a look of sadness and disdain for himself in his eyes. Amen parted from the rest of them, heading after the priest, a collection of Mastrazas templars in tow.

Amir tried to calm himself, stop his shaking breaths, find the strength in his legs again. Grasping hold of the stone wall he pulled himself up, using the wall to support himself. The sound of footsteps behind him as he turned to see Triss and his own father approaching. A look of sympathy on their faces.

"Amir, Amen offers his sympathies for your loss... However short-lived it might be." Izar said, offering an arm to help support his son to which Amir held onto, standing up straight and turning back to Khepri.

"You didn't understand him, I know, but you might be interested in knowing part of what he just said." Amir explained in the Hetepian tongue, "Isis is lost to us, but only shortly. I will bring her back and you will do everything in your power to make things right, to make up for your cowardness, your weakness, just as I will. Isis death is both our faults and I intend to spend the rest of my life making up for that. Luckily for both of us, we will have that chance."

"Good..." Khepri replied before rising up. "I can never repay what I've done. My fate will lie with the gods once my time comes. But... If it is as you say and she will return... Then I will do anything you ask. I will not turn from my daughter again. I can't... I want to help." he finished.

"We can't allow that. There is no telling if you are just an infiltrator now. If you have plans on turning on us as soon as we turn our backs." Mastraza replied.

"I didn't mean fighting. I know I can't be trusted there. But in other ways." He explained. "There is a pack of robbers, brigands and mercs heading towards Khemriq from the river. It will come from the mountain source, eventually making their way here, serve as a backdoor attack against u-... against you." He explained. "Send scouts if you have to. They will confirm it."

"...We just may. Until then, however, we must keep up our appearance. 'Mourn' for a time, dress in red, offer prayers and whispers of comfort, the whole deal. When the time comes, we will bring her back and defend the city. I just hope Amen doesn't intend on keeping his promise on staying the construction of the pyramid."

"But he promised. If he breaks his promise-"

Wouldn't be the first one." Mastraza said simply as she followed down the streets which had carried Isis.

"Shit," Amir said, remembering the Godsend he'd made a promise to all those months ago. Taking off he caught up with Mastraza, "I believe him. About the robbers and whatnot. Why? You might ask? Well, would you be surprised if I said they might be my fault?" He said before going on to explain the Godsend he and Isis had met some time ago, as well as the promise they'd made to him. "So yeah, I kinda made a deal for the key and he's probably coming to collect..." He said nervously, his comment earlier about everything coming back to bite him still holding true even now. "Maybe there's a way we can get them on our side? If we can talk to them before the battle starts?"

Mastraza seemed to ponder the predicament. "Unless you can send a representative of yours to bargain in our favor, I wouldn't recommend it. We need to keep up the appearance, as he said. If Isis' beloved parts from the city it will rouse suspicion. We must play our roles. Or unless you think you can send another clone like the one you made earlier? Would that work?"

Amir scratched his head, "Possibly. I would need that crystal back first of all. It should have more than enough left for another clone. I should discuss it with Amen before I go making any plans by myself. He might know more about these bandits than I do, after all, we found crates from this city in their hideout. That and the leader seemed to have a real hard-on for Amen to top it off." He said, looking down the road. "But he's dealing with that priest at the moment. I should talk to him later, about a lot of things."