Escape

The temple fell silent, broken only by the heavy breathing of Yassir and Yassmin as they struggled to catch their breath. Ethan, still in his demonic form, stared at the spot where Malakai had been moments before, his mind filled with unanswered questions.

Yassir, limping and with a pained expression on his face, approached Ethan. "Who was that...?" he asked, his voice hoarse and filled with disbelief.

"Malakai," Ethan replied, his reddish eyes still fixed on the horizon. "The owner of the Mysticweb."

Yassmin, still in her lamia form, nodded with an expression of awe on her face. "He's imprisoned Ra's soul..." she murmured, unable to take her eyes off the spot where Malakai had disappeared. "I don't know why he intervened, but he saved our lives and prevented Ra from destroying this world. Though I wonder if we should be grateful or fearful."

With their strength depleted and the immediate danger seemingly neutralized, Ethan, Yassir, and Yassmin gathered in the center of the platform. Around them, the charred remains of the battle served as a reminder of the ferocity of the confrontation they had just fought. Tariq's body, now empty and lifeless, lay to one side, a tragic testament to the price of being a vessel for a god.

"We need to prepare much better. We almost died here, and I refuse to let that happen again," Ethan said, his voice firm despite the exhaustion.

After the brutal confrontation with Ra, Ethan, Yassir, and Yassmin returned along with Aria, who was gravely injured but thankfully alive. Yassmin had taken pity on her; although they were always rivals, she had known her since they were children and didn't want to see her die.

Upon their arrival, they expected to find understanding and perhaps even gratitude for having saved the country from the wrath of the sun god. However, reality was very different.

The moment they crossed the palace gates, a group of high-ranking leaders and priests approached them with stern and accusing faces. "What have you done?" shouted one of the elders, his eyes filled with indignation. "You have murdered our god Ra!"

Yassmin, sensing the gravity of the situation, tried to calm the mood. "It wasn't our intention..." she began, but her words were abruptly cut off.

"Silence!" exclaimed another leader, his voice echoing through the hall. "The death of Ra is an unforgivable sacrilege. It doesn't matter what the explanation is. Your presence here is an affront to everything we believe in."

Ethan quickly realized that there was no room for reason or discussion. They were condemned, and the only option was to flee. "We don't have time for this," he said quietly to Yassmin and Yassir, his eyes scanning the surroundings for an escape route.

With a determined look, Ethan, Yassmin, and Yassir, carrying Aria, quickly forced their way to the nearest exit, leaving behind the anger and accusations of the Egyptian leaders. These leaders promptly ordered the capture of the fugitives, dead or alive.

Their situation was very complicated: they were already wounded and weakened by the recent fight, and now they were being chased by people who, even in good condition, would be very difficult to defeat.

As they fled, Yassir, who was carrying Aria, took the initiative to lead the group. He knew the area and knew where to hide to avoid being caught. Despite that, Ethan didn't like leaving everything to chance; he released his zombie bird and ordered it to keep an eye on their pursuers.

The sun was slowly sinking behind the dunes, painting the sky with a fiery red. With their hearts pounding at a frantic pace, they ran with the little strength they had left. They could feel their pursuers getting closer, almost nipping at their heels.

In the distance, an imposing silhouette rose, its tip piercing the sky. "That's… the Great Pyramid of Giza!" Ethan exclaimed, surprised.

Ethan and his companions ran desperately. The shadows lengthened, and the roar of the desert night began to be felt. Yassir, with his agile and resolute figure, guided them through the paths, moving with the familiarity of someone who had traveled those trails countless times. "Quickly, this way!" Yassir exclaimed, pointing toward the majestic silhouette of the Great Pyramid of Giza, which stood like a sentinel of time.

There was no time for doubt. Without hesitation, the group entered the secret opening that only a few knew, disappearing into the dimness of the tunnel that descended into the structure.

The cold, ancient stone walls seemed to whisper forgotten stories as they delved deeper into the dark passageways. The torchlight danced over the ancient inscriptions, casting shadows that seemed to come to life.

Ethan, thanks to his flying summon, noticed that the group pursuing them was also entering through the same entrance. He suspected they must have someone with specialized tracking magic or something similar.

The footsteps of their pursuers grew closer, and the feeling of being hunted became more intense with each step they took. In a desperate attempt to shake off their pursuers, they turned at several intersections, leaving Yassir to quickly calculate their movements. "No, if we keep going further, we'll enter the underground labyrinth. Once there, we'll only have luck to rely on to get out. We need to turn back," Yassir, aware of the danger, warned the others. "Impossible, they're almost on top of us. We must continue. We can't fight them; you're injured, and I have very little mana left. It's better to try than to give up," Ethan said, reluctant to be captured.

Everyone nodded, knowing Ethan's words were true. Determined, they continued forward. However, the maze of tunnels grew increasingly labyrinthine, and soon they realized that not only had they managed to lose their pursuers, but they had also lost themselves.

A few moments later, after walking for a long time, they began to wonder where they were. The answer came in the form of a vast burial chamber illuminated by a faint golden light that seemed to emanate from the walls themselves. They were in the necropolis of Saqqara.

The air grew heavy and filled with a sepulchral silence that was broken by the sound of rocks moving. The sarcophagi surrounding them began to vibrate, and with a chilling creak, the lids lifted, revealing the mummified figures of ancient warriors and priests.

The mummies, wrapped in tattered bandages, began to rise with clumsy but determined movements. Their eyes glowed with a dark intent that foreshadowed a grim fate for anyone who dared to disturb their eternal rest. "What is this? This shouldn't be happening!" Yassmin exclaimed, struggling to stay calm. "The dead don't come back to life like this, and magic doesn't manifest without a human controlling it. This is impossible!"

However, the horror of the situation forced them to move forward without clear answers. The mummies lunged at them with inhuman fury, forcing Ethan to sacrifice two of his advanced skeletal soldiers to buy time and escape.

They ran, dodging the undead's claws, until they finally found themselves in front of a stone door leading to a passageway. Although they managed to close the door behind them, it didn't seem like it would hold for long. "What is this place? I'm sure archaeologists have visited the various pyramids of Egypt and were never attacked by mummies," Ethan said, agitated. "I'm not sure, but I'd say this place is the necropolis of Saqqara. But as you said, this place has been visited by people, and I never heard of the dead coming back to life. Could it be that someone read the Book of the Dead by accident?" Yassir said in a joking tone. "This is not a movie. Save your jokes for when we're safe," Yassmin retorted angrily. "The only explanation I can think of is that there's a necromancer among the pursuers, but why would they bother attacking us with such a tedious method?"

"It doesn't matter if they came back to life from a fantasy book or divine whim, we need to move on before they break down the door."

At the end of the hallway where they were resting, they entered another large room. The hall that opened before them was spacious and majestic, adorned with inscriptions and statues that seemed to watch every move. In the center, on a stone altar, lay a mummy that seemed different from the others. Its bandages were pristine white, and its face, covered by a golden mask, emanated a disturbing serenity.

The mummy sat cross-legged as if looking down on the world. Its body, though almost skeletal and wrapped in bandages, still showed the figure of what must have once been a beautiful woman. As everyone stared incredulously at the figure before them, an ancient and powerful voice echoed through their heads, projecting the mummy's voice. "I am Neith, one of the most feared and respected queens to have walked this earth," proclaimed the voice. "Who are you, and why do you dare to invade my prison?"

At that moment, the statues that seemed to be made of stone shattered, releasing mummies clad in golden armor. These mummies were far more imposing than any of the others; they seemed to retain their muscles even after thousands of years. They did not attack, but under pressure, Ethan decided to summon the last three skeletal soldiers he had left. Although they didn't seem like they would make much of a difference, it was better than nothing.