War Of Egypt

Chapter 42: Aid of the Persian Empire

    Somewhere between Isis's magical singing and splashing her with water, Ametis felt the searing pain subdue slowly. And it wasn't just her burns healing, but also her cuts and bruises from the battle. Her eyes fluttered and she saw Isis come into view as she kneeled beside her and leaned over.
   "How are you feeling, my little one?"
   "Better than I was, Lady Isis."
    Isis pursed her lips, "that is grandmother Isis to you when you are in this state. Do you feel well enough to sit up?"
    Ametis nodded and lifted her posture off the wet surface beneath. "How did you..."
   "My sacred healing water and nothing a good song from the first Queen cannot fix."
    Ametis smiled her thanks but then looked around and remembered everything. The battle outside. Nawete had turned over and taken full control of Kha's army and he does not want to kill her for some reason. What?
    Isis pulled her hair back and patted her cheek, reading her expression, "he stands outside with his Mother. He did not want to leave your side."
   "Kha is here? In the city—temple?"
   "Yes. He carried you all the way from the battlefield, through the rain of arrows until we intervened. He is the second god I have known to do everything for love the way he did, the first was your Father."
   "Is he all right?"
   "I can say so, my dear one," Isis replied and stood up over her. Ametis stood up and wore her armour, adjusting it afterwards. Her hair dropped over her shoulders until Isis pulled it back and fussed over her headdress for her.
   "What do I do now?" She asked Isis. "How can I...lead? Ihy is out there somewhere and so is our Father. I cannot find the strength."
   "Yes you can, because you are the strength of Egypt. Horus seeked out advice from Ra with the same question when he faced Set those many years ago. He said he was not strong. Ra said, 'then become stronger.'"
    Ametis nodded.
    Since childhood, she heard the story over and over and over again. It had no meaning to her then. She only saw it as a reminder of who she was and where she came from, with the respected status of her family. But as she stood there now, in the presence of Isis, daughter of Ra, the meaning finally made sense in everything.
    Isis smiled, "she may be powerful but she is just a sorceress. We created her in the blessing of the Earth. But like our Earthly creations, she is insignificant to the vastness of our greatness as gods. We created her but we can also destroy her."
   "She is insignificant," murmured Ametis as she fastened her belt tightly and stared off into the distance.
   "Good, now I must run. I have some work to attend to—"
   "Grandmother, the war..."
   "Oh do not fret child, my work is way more important. And I believe someone is here to see you." Isis nodded and walked behind Ametis.
    A shadow walked into the chamber and stopped as it faced Ametis. She walked towards it and as she saw who it was, Ametis turned back to face Isis but the goddess had vanished. All right. She turned back to the god and started walking quickly. In no time she reached him and stood in front of him in silence.
    He reached out and slipped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer towards him. "Thank Ra you are walking again...and fully conscious."
   "You prefer the view from when I am standing?"
   "I prefer them all," Kha laughed and embraced her. "Are you all right?"
   "I am now," Ametis replied and squeezed him tightly. His black armour almost groaned under the pressure. She pulled away and looked at him.
    Kha still had one arm wrapped around her waist and he tugged on her. "I want to talk with you." He then held her and they both walked slowly out of the chamber. Into the empty corridors, they walked out and over to the balcony overlooking the beautiful gardens belonging to Isis below.
    This part of the temple was facing the opposite way; away from the battle and was instead facing a bare horizon. Though the skies were dark from Nawete's power display, little rays of golden light shone through and reflected off the gold and emerald gems implanted into the walls of the temple.
    Kha took his free hand and held Ametis's hand in front of him. "I would have loved to marry you, Ametis. We would sit in peace and observe the world our race of gods had created. It is truely a beautiful place."
    Ametis nodded towards the horizon, "it is, but we can have that still. After the war, when Nawete is defeated, we can have it all."
    Suddenly the goddess was aware her companion was lowering his head, and there was such sadness in his eyes. Her hand trembled and she almost pulled away from Kha, but instead she regained her place and raised her brows. He cannot be hiding something from me right now, not when we are about to head back into battle.
   "Is everything all right? Why do you hide your thoughts from me?"
    Kha sighed and held her hand still after feeling it tremble slightly. He closed his eyes and spoke, "there is a way to defeat Nawete. Actually, it is the only way."
   "Well? Tell me," Ametis said, a tinge of excitement in her voice.
   "Do not be sad, but someone has to give up their life in order to take Nawete's. It is the only way." He continued and began drawing circles upon her hand, "this person is someone close to you, someone special. This god loves you with all his love and will take that love into the unknown when he dies."
   "He?" Ametis choked.
   "Ametis..."
   "But, there's only one...no." She gasped and clutched at her throat, "that cannot be right, Kha."
   "I love you Ametis, and I will gladly die for you, given I take your love into the unknown."