A subdued procession wound its way through the subterranean corridor, a long row of trunks, boxes and suitcases hovering behind. Nobody, not even Iseret or Seisi knew what awaited them, so Metjen's mother had spent their last money on tents, food and medicine. The Servants and the Believers were to join them at the excavation after sunset to say goodbye. Fortunately, his family had got to Saqqara first, as the dons at Cairo university had placed guards at the entrance. Did they think Metjen's father would come back and fight his way in, flashlight blazing?
Those people meant nothing to him, and when the Servants and their supporters arrived in little clusters, they stepped over the guard's sleeping forms. Metjen stood among the throng of people, listening to many a tearful goodbye but feeling nothing. His body, his mind, his body, his mind, his ka were numb all over. He was about to lead over fifty people to--whatever it was they would be facing. Death or destruction, or possibly only endless sleep instead of the goal he came here for.
That they all came here for: To make it through the portal and bring the Kemet civilisation back to life. In another world. As their ancestors should have done and did not.
He sensed a spurt of rage. The warriors of the light had left him with the most impossible of jobs. And the instructions had been worse than useless. But the rage went away. It had not been their fault. They had tried and died for it. In a world that had become alien to them, full of demons as it was. His world--which he was about to leave behind. Just like Pharaoh and the Guardians once let go of theirs.
A quick embrace with Akil and Ebo, they would look after the Maadi mansion. Akil, being a shrewd businessman would also follow the trail of those vanished funds. Assuming they ever needed that money again.
Before Metjen entered the corridor, he donned the wig his father had so painstakingly restored. One half of it was still nothing but a frizzy mess.
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If you enjoyed this chapter, please let me have your comments and votes. You might find it is a bit short. I agree. The next ones will be even shorter - in compensation you are getting a lot of them all at once. As the countdown is running, you might not have the time to comment. I hope you can still vote, but I we are close to the climax of Cursed Times, so I do understand if you are slightly preoccupied. So are our characters. XD
Image of sundial is taken from DeviantArt, copyright teamseverus. This Chapter is dedicated to VLFBERHT Thank you so much for your fantastic comments and the video links!