Genghis khan fed them a dinner of fish. They told him of all their adventures, how they met, and how they arrived. "I should've known. Well, I didn't think he had enough power to reach Hawote. He has attempted before and failed. I think the Boundary has been broken."
"What?" they asked in unison.
"The Boundary of Reality and Imagination. It has separated our worlds since the beginning of time—I always wondered for what, from what, or why. You thought we were made up and vice versa. Not even the Dark Pharaoh is powerful enough to break it. The only way it could break is if a powerful person from Hawote summoned a powerful person from the Five Lands to come through. Yet, the person from the Five Lands would have to be as powerful as Sisper-Bijou, and no one can match him, so how could Ramses enter?"
"You lost me," Neiko said, shrugging. "Who is Sisper-Bijou?"
Genghis Khan chuckled. "No knowledge of magic, eh? Sisper-Bijou is an ancient tongue and it simply means 'Dark Pharaoh'—so that makes it self-explanatory. It is just his title, and no one knows the first name, so Sisper-Bijou is like a last name."
Neiko drummed her fingers on the table as she thought, and it dawned on her. "Of course! Raven somehow summoned Ramses in that plot I told you about, and he is the most powerful man in Hawote—the only one with extensive magical knowledge! I bet he has the Eye of Mohica—no wonder. So when Raven called him, and that's exactly what Ramses said, and it opened it for him! Now I get it! Now he can come and go as he pleases, but how can I get back? This is totally not what Raven and Bloodhawk had planned."
"Wait. Hold on. Ramses does not have that kind of magic! What do you think was the scheme of these enemies of yours?"
"Oh, yes he does! Now I know exactly what they were up to! They used him to destroy my reputation, and then one day they'd kidnap me. It was probably the same day Ramses brought me to Qari! They were close to carrying it out. If Ramses hadn't gotten me, then they would have! I think Ramses butchered their plans; they had no idea he was real and that he was after me. I bet they have no idea what happened to me. I wonder if family, friend, and foe all think I'm dead," she said weakly. "There is something you need to know about Ramses—but first, tell us everything you know about the Dark Pharaoh that Quickstrike doesn't even know."
"Alright, he is immortal; he was never born. He is the most powerful being just below The Almighty himself. He is extremely evil, even worse the devil—even though the devil doesn't reside here. He is capable of killing immortals because of his power just as easily as he can kill a mortal. Only immortals can kill each other in case you were wondering. It is said that he left his dark kingdom in search of a bride, and he had been gone for countless years. There were sightings of him in the Five Lands, and they stopped after the death of Xerxes, thirty billion years ago. There have been no more sightings reported since then until there was a case about thirty years ago where a man saw a dark, shadowy form kill his brother in the woods. The moon shone on it, but it was still black and didn't emit light. He supposed it was the Dark Pharaoh, and he was sent to the loony bin because the trauma made him insane. People didn't believe him because no one really ever believed the Dark Pharaoh was real. Now he lives as a hermit in Bird Wood near Norak. I followed the case for years, yet I've never found any more information on Sisper-Bijou, or better yet, his identity. Sometimes I feel that he could still be living among us—hiding—and no one would ever know. He probably laughs at people's unbelief in him. If he revealed himself—oh, how the Five Lands would panic!"
"That's it!" Neiko exclaimed. "Now I know why Ramses is hiding his identity! He would get more panic by revealing himself now than if he did it years ago! Ajax would've never let him see Lydia if he knew the truth! She came too close several times!"
Genghis Khan's eyes widened. "Are you saying Ramses is—" he couldn't finish because he swallowed hard.
"Exactly," Neiko said, reading his thoughts. "I knew before he came to Hawote, and don't ask how because I don't really know. We figured out his schemes to hide himself in society. The Pharaohs were perfect because they had magic and hearts like his, and he is a Pharaoh himself. Do you know what would happen if a girl married Sisper-Bijou and the nature of his magic?" Neiko also told him everything she and Quickstrike discussed about the deaths of the Pharaohs and everything he did to hide his identity.
"It all fits, as you point out. He's able to fly, disappear, change form, throw anything, cause things to fly and place them where he desires without touching them, cause natural disasters, cause disease, multiply himself, and create any monster he desires. He also can control the mind by changing memories, erasing true ones and filling the head with what he wishes, and much more. Yet, I don't know what would happen to a girl or Lydia in respects to marriage. Probably take her to his kingdom and never be seen again."
"He's immortal, so if his wife dies, then he'll seek another and so on?" asked Quickstrike.
Genghis Khan shrugged. "This is all I know. Is Ramses aware that you know that he is Sisper-Bijou?"
"Nope, not to my knowledge. If he knew, I think he would probably kill me or capture me and lock me up in a hole somewhere and say I'm dead to cover up his operation. I probably wouldn't be here now," Neiko replied.
"You must be sure he never finds out for that same reason. You must tell no one about what you know for the danger Ramses finding out. Why does he seek you?"
"I have no idea. I need to tell the Attack Pack, and definitely Lydia because she's in big trouble."
"Yes. You are not at all safe yourself. If The Almighty sees fit, and you find more proof or more of his secrets. You must not tell those or where you found them because he will destroy the records and seek you out. There has to be more information."
"Have you tried Geezah?" Neiko asked.
"No, no one has ever found it ever since it fell. I want to explore the mountains, but I'm way too old for that type of adventuring. Besides, I could never hike in the mountains. What if I got lost? Those roads are perilous," he said, stroking his white beard. "I'm three billion years old!"
"Is it possible that Geezah is in the mountains? It seems logical because it has never been found, and it was a long time before it fell. I think I'll try to look for it someday. Besides, I don't think Ramses would attempt to explore them, either. He doesn't know I'm a good climber, explorer, and adventurer. All he knows is I'm a warrior, a pain, and he wants me in his custody ASAP. Three billion years old? That makes Methuselah look young—that makes me feel way young!"
"Oh, I do know a little of your land, and your time goes by slower than ours. Multiply your age by one million, and you have your age in our time. Christ died in your world two billion years ago. We know this from ancient legends passed down through the generations. However, many believe Earth not to exist since the times of old."
Neiko thought and figured her age. "I'm eighteen million years old. Okay, that means I'm older than Lydia by ten million years, and Ramses's so-called age by fifteen million. How old is he really?"
"No one knows, but he is older than sixty billion because that was the first sighting. I definitely have no idea what he looks like underneath his armor, so don't ask."
"Do you know anything else about my world?"
"Why yes, most of everything I know comes from visions or old legends like I mentioned earlier. I know that our universe was created before yours, and you are in a totally different universe, and yours is ten times larger than ours. Our planet has no name unlike yours, and our constellations are different than yours. We have four moons, but this one always shines, and the other three are new. We have one sun just like you, but it rises and sets in the opposite direction of yours. The Almighty exists in both our universes simultaneously because he is omnipresent, and he is the only being able to do so. Our calendar consists of twenty months and each moon sets in a quarter of the year. The new year begins when all four are full, and we are in the last quarter of our year, which is only five months till the new year. We do not have changing seasons like you do, and the monsoons come in the beginning of the fourth quarter of the year which was last week. Our week is seven days like yours, and our months consist of twenty-eight days apiece. Do you understand everything I'm saying?"
"Yeah, I took astronomy. I learned some stuff about my own universe. So I gather we are separated by space and time of trillions or quadrillions of years, and this Boundary thingy blocked a shortcut of seconds! I think The Almighty created this to keep our universe safe because we don't have magic to protect us from Ramses. But Raven had to screw up this order, and Ramses said he may even destroy Hawote because I resisted him! Oh gosh! I definitely know he won't stop until my whole world is under his heel, but couldn't he reach us by going through space?"
"Hmm, he probably didn't because it would take too long, and you know Ramses hasn't got any patience especially for that length of time. Besides, The Almighty would probably stop him; our magic is no match with his. We barely can hold out, so how do you think you could fare against him? So he threatened you; he will destroy Hawote once he captures you because he doesn't kid around. Your world doesn't stand a chance against him even as a mortal Pharaoh. Did you say something about magic earlier?"
"Yeah, Raven is the one who can do it, and his son, Bloodhawk, is learning. We have a stone called the Eye of Mohica, but no one knows where it came from. We call it that because it was found in the Mohican Territory in the year 1902. It stayed there till 1930 when it was stolen, probably by Raven's father, Claw. No one has found it, and I think that's why Raven is so powerful. It is useless against Ramses; I think I could use it against anyone else. Do you suppose it could have come from here? It's the same size as a grapefruit, and it glows a green light."
"Hmm, that sounds like the Eye of Cygnus or also known as the Heart of Rumi. This talisman belonged to the Pharaohs of old, and it was lost after the death of Rumi, the owner. It just vanished into thin air, and that may be it. I have a picture of it. Could you identify it if you saw it?"
"Yeah, I've helped trying to find it! You mean to say that Raven possesses Pharaoh magic? Where did it come from?"
"Rumi made it. He found an ordinary rock and put in it every type of Pharaoh magic, including Pharaoh black magic; their magic is not related to demons, but are just forces and that includes both types: light and dark. "Black Magic" just means it is a stronger type of Pharaoh magic and the dark arts by their dark gods. No magic in this universe is demonic," he replied going through the papers. "Here it is," he said handing the picture to her.
Neiko's mouth fell open. "Oh, my gosh! It is! So this is where it came from! So basically Raven is using Pharaoh magic. I wonder what else he's done with it! How in the crap did it get on my world?"
"That you will discover on your own, and those are mysteries in your own universe. Oh, yes—Rumi also learned the Pharaoh black magic, and he wrote them down in twelve volumes according to their strength—one is the least and twelve the most powerful and complicated. Ramses has been searching for them and the Eye of Cygnus."
"Like he needs it! Why does he need more magic, and is it anywhere close to his own?"
"Well, Dark Pharaoh magic can be extremely destructive, dangerous, extremely strong, and very complicated. There is an old tale that Ramses came from the distance of the Great Beyond in search of these in the distant past before they were made, which also could mean he can fortell the future to some capacity. I believe Raven used a volume twelve spell to summon Ramses, and of course, Ramses used Dark Pharaoh magic to reach Hawote. I have noticed that the Eye of Osiris has a multiplying effect on Pharaoh magic, and I'm sure it can multiply his Dark Pharaoh magic at least one hundred times, and the Eye of Cygnus about eighty times in addition to whatever spells and power they contain. He may even achieve some some level of omnipotence with all that in his possession. So you see why he could want them."
Neiko's eyes widened. "Whoa! I can't even comprehend any level of omnipotence whatsoever. I'm glad he didn't get the Eye of Cygnus; he said it was worthless; I wonder what happened when Quickstrike left. Did Osiris create the Eye of Osiris?" she asked, judging it by the name.
"Well, that is one secret you need to keep, and just call it the Eye of Mohica. He said it was worthless because he knows your world has no magic, and if any, it is weaker than peasant magic which he isn't looking for. When he heard you call it by the Eye of Mohica and not Cygnus, he figured it was not what he was looking for. No one ever believed it would be in your universe. As for the Eye of Osiris, no he didn't create it. No one knows where it came from. Osiris found it and named it after himself, but no one has ever claimed it, and he doesn't know where it came from. You have learned much young one, and you have helped me solve some great problems. You have much to think about, and the fate of both our worlds depends on you. Not only that, you are running from the very one who can destroy them both. As for what happened after Ramses and Quickstrike left, I don't know, but the Attack Pack would know."
Genghis Khan shook his head at her question. He had no idea.
"Ouch! Sigma asked me to take on more responsibility. If I knew this was coming, I would've said no. Now since I know this, I don't even know where to begin. Life was easier when I was captain. Since I became admiral, my life has turned upside down. I was comfortable fighting Crackedskulls, but a Dark Pharaoh is way too much. I can never beat him; I know knowledge is power, but this could get me in more trouble. I've become a magnet for secrets because I found out a bunch in my own world—now this," Neiko said in despair.
"T'will be alright. I know this is a lot to sort through, but don't give up. The Almighty has set this challenge before you, and you may be the beacon of hope we have been searching for to rid us of Sisper-Bijou."
"Hey, wait a minute! Are you saying I have to fight him in a duel? I know nothing of magic; I can't even make rabbits come out of a hat! He'll cream my potatoes! I just barely escaped him in Hawote, and that's because Quickstrike saved my bacon! I ain't cut out for fighting something I can't kill," Neiko squeaked. "Raven and Bloodhawk may have Pharaoh magic and be giants, but at least I know I can kill 'em!"
"Oh, no, no. I didn't mean that. I just meant you can find out everything one day, and he wouldn't stay around."
"You hope," Neiko said, folding her arms. "I wonder if I'll just make things worse by digging up his secrets. I ain't got time to look for 'em either because Ramses is on my tail, and he could find my trail any minute. He probably has traps set everywhere; I hope he doesn't read my mind and have one set for me in Norak."
"So, that's where you're heading—the safest place in Qari. Knowing him, he will cover the entire land with traps because you have escaped his so-called brothers and those Skull Bearers. Be proud you made it this far."
"But it's still so far away," Neiko moaned. "Those are the first of many traps; if he finds my trail, then he'll be in hot pursuit, and even try to head me off. I just want to go home—I miss my family and friends, and I have unfinished business to take care of; I left a mess. Speaking of home, how am I gonna get back? Where is the Attack Pack, or do you know?"
"Well, the Attack Pack was last sighted in Norak. The only way I know you could get home is if Ramses sends you there, but there could be another. Only The Almighty knows."
Neiko slammed her head on the table in disgust. "Wo!" she yelled in Greyhawk rubbing her head. "Like that'll happen. I'm stuck here for good! In that case the next time I see Hawote is when I'm in chains beside Ramses as his POW, and it'll look like Tenev. I'll see my friends and foes alike dead, and maybe even my family! I won't let that happen! I'll stay here and die before I let him massacre and destroy my world!"
"You know of Tenev?"
"Yeah, I watched from the woods as I saw people die, and I watched Ramses kill the king in cold blood! I can't stand the thought of that happening to Hawote and people I don't even know in the Outside World outside of Hawote! I went to see if somebody made it, and I saw stuff not even Bloodhawk would do in anger. I never saw anything that horrible in all my days as a warrior," Neiko said, shaking with anger.
"Yes, well, it's time to rest yourself. You must leave early tomorrow, and you've had a busy day," Genghis Khan said as he prepared her bed. Neiko went to sleep, but Quickstrike stayed up. "Poor little warrior. She has suffered so much in such a short time, tell me all about her." Quickstrike told him everything about her, her life, the Indians, Crackedskulls, Hawote, and Georgia. "How interesting. A totally unknown civilization, and she is very important there. I bet she has had enough of Ramses Sisper-Bijou and his reign of terror."
"Yep," he said stretching. He crawled beside her and fell asleep whileGenghis Khan watched them.