Through the shadows

Chapter 11

Priest Seth rode as fast as his poor horse could, but the animal was slowing and slowing. Finally the pace was too slow, and Seth's hope was turning into despair. (I shouldn't have left her there…For no real reason as it appears to me now. The Kaa isn't something I can take into my hands. It is pure energy of life. Only if I kill a person I can get his Kaa, and I'm not going to do this. I have to save Kisara…Ah, could this damn horse move quicker? I need to get there as fast as I can…) But as the sun was setting down Seth slowly realized his mission was impossible. He needed three or maybe four days to reach the Pharaoh's palace – if his horse could ride fast enough without stopping.

Seth got down finally, leaving the tired animal alone. He looked to the horizon in despair…(Atemu is going to force her to marry him…He is cruel enough to do something like this…What can I do? How can I prevent this? I need to be there, but I can't make it there on time…) And as the helplessness was getting him, Seth suddenly felt something strange…Why does his heart hurt so much?

(Kisara…) He thought (Something must has happened to her…I feel she isn't alright…But…) and again the pain throbbed through him.

(Kisara…) Again he felt her among the confusion and pain that battled inside his heart. "Kisara!" he yelled, his voice echoing through the shadows "Kisara! I won't let this happen to you!" he closed his eyes in concentration.

(Oh the great Ra…) he felt slight breeze on his face, and opened his eyes to see the sands around him raising and curling up in the air. Suddenly, he felt a great power arising…

"This is…" he whispered, recognizing the creature that appeared in front of him in the heart of the sandstorm "The Sand Dragon! But how…?" Seth felt the power beating inside his heart. (My Kaa?)

The Sand Dragon knelt beside Seth, reaching out its great left wing for Seth to climb on. Seth rushed ahead, and climbed up to the beast's back, where he could sit more comfortably and safe. "I need to get to the Pharaoh's palace. Please hurry up," he said, his voice steady, not letting out his confusion and slight doubtfulness.

But The Sand Dragon immediately obeyed, stretching out his great wings, and it rose into the evening air, cold wind blowing into Seth's face as the beast took off into the starz. They flew into the eternity of the ancient world. The flight was fast and smooth, but Seth was still worried. The pain in his heart was still there, and he felt that something really bad happened to Kisara. (Kisara, my love, please hold on…I'm coming to save you…I won't ever leave you again...)

Kisara felt the death reaching her, stretching out its dark, cold arms to grab her into the nothingness. She felt the wind cutting her skin like razors, she closed her eyes and concentrated only on Seth. (I want him to be the last thing on my mind…)

Atemu ran as fast as he could (No, Kisara…You are not getting away from me like this…NEVER!) he saw her falling down, and rushed to the edge of the roof (Please Ra, don't let her do this…)

(Seth…I love you…Now and forever…) Kisara knew the end was so close. The death used gravity's hands to pull her ankles into the abyss.

Yet Kisara never hit the ground.

Two strong arms grasped her, and pulled her back up forcefully. Her eyes were still closed, but she felt those arms wrapping protectively around her waist and back.

"Kisara…Kisara…What the hell did you think? What were you doing?"

Kisara opened her eyes, to stare into Atemu purple ones. His eyes held so many mixed emotions: fear, anger, pain…And was there also relief?

She breathed hard, looking around her to see them both on the roof, far from the edge of it, on safe ground again. Her mind was just a black void of gloom, she couldn't think about anything right now, she could just feel herself being dragged to the middle of the roof by the still worried Pharaoh, there he sat down, pulling her to sit in his lap, his arms still around her.