Isis, the king's loyal sorceress, arrived in Giza from Cairo with Tydeus and his comrades. The Giant gate of the city was opened for their horses and their chariots to ride in. Giza was pretty much in shape compared to other cities in Egypt which the civil war has ravaged. But into the city as Tydeus rode on his chariot with two big black horses and his friends also on their chariots, The villagers around the road all halted what they were doing and they started staring and looking at the new visitors who had just arrived in their city. Tydeus took his attention to the environment and the people around the road. They all looked sick like they had been suffering from some dangerous pandemic. Their huts and the houses looked like they were partly damaged. Even their children looked very unhealthy. The city must be filled with poor people or maybe the people are just suffering from something outrageous. Tydeus kept staring at the people of the village as his chariot moved sl
Isis's smile suddenly vanished as she kept on staring into Tydeus's eyes like she had just seen something ominous in his eyes. She continued gazing into Tydeus's eyes portentously, her face was like she had already zoned out or something. Tydeus, noticing her reaction towards his question, became confused. Has he said something wrong? “Is everything alright, sorceress?” Tydeus asked, winking one eye and yet with a little smile. Isis began opening her mouth gently like she was about to say something “King Nezeron will see you now”, General Gyeron called out from the entrance of the castle, intercepting whatever Isis was about to say. Tydeus chuckled at the sorceress, Isis, as he signalled to his friends behind him, and they all entered the castle to meet the king. They began walking in a passage in the palace as General Gyeron and two of his soldiers led the way to meet the king. The inner door of the palace, where the king's throne was, was pushed open as Tydeus and his fr
In the king's dining chamber, Tydeus and his comrades came in with the king, his palace guards and other chiefs of the land. They all sat on a big rectangular dining table with decorated chairs on each length. The table was filled with plates of different kinds of food and wines served by the king's palace chefs.King Nezeron decided to go straight to the point as Tydeus had suggested, and while eating and dining at the table, he began to narrate why exactly he had invited Tydeus and his companions to the palace.“When the Pharaohs of yesteryear built this nation, it was intended as one of the greatest Empires of all time…”“Egypt has been the richest and the greatest Citadel that has ever existed on the face of the earth…”“This nation has been a stronghold not only for the people but for other neighbouring countries. Our great government gave rise to many other existing nations on the face of the earth…”“But now Egypt is divided. The war has not only claimed lives but claimed our
Tydeus alone and the sorceress got up from their seat to follow King Nezeron to what he wanted to show Tydeus.The king brought Tydeus to the roof floor of his castle, where they could see every part of the city beneath them.“Look, Tydeus, see all that is left of Giza. Every week more refugees who have lost hold of their lands run to me seeking for protection…”“Most of them covered in blood, crippled or burnt by the Cytorex. All hope was lost; Giza could also end up like other destroyed cities if the Cytorex struck just one more time…”“Not until we heard of a great warrior who is called the great warrior of Egypt. The only one who in his great powers killed Apophis, the great beast of the dark world with his bare hands…”“I had no other option but to send my sorceress to find you wherever you might be. And now that you have arrived…”“Giza is sure to have a chance of victory against the Cytorex”, King Nezeron said with a heart filled with hope to Tydeus.“I am just a hitman doing h
“Nothing exactly, bro. I'm just trying to set the records straight so we get our job here done and we get paid appropriately”, Tydeus responded with a smile.“Yeah, that's exactly the reason why we're waiting for you in the dining room. We are about to determine our price before we tell the king, and you're out here alone with the sorceress?” Rakeh immediately questioned Tydeus again, realizing the sorceress's reaction earlier.“Nope, not what you're thinking brother. Let's just go back to meet the others”, Tydeus replied to Rakeh as he quickly wrapped his arm around Rakeh's shoulder, preventing him from asking any more questions.Getting into the dining chamber, they met only Sakoh and Artecus, who were also waiting for Tydeus.“We thought both of you went on to have a private discussion without us”, Sakoh said out loud as he saw Tydeus and Rakeh coming.“Pss! I went to get your guy from the roof floor, I don't know what he was still doing there all alone”, Rakeh responded to Sakoh,
“My king, the Cytorex will attack Giza unexpectedly. Now that they have the young prince and we know their location, we only have this last chance to make this right once and for all”, Captain Kethrax informed the king again.“If the Cytorex struck Giza one more time, we would lose everything. We will attack them now with everything we have, and we must do that as fast as possible”, King Nezeron gave his decision.Tydeus became a little displeased with the king's decision. The mission needs proper planning but the king seems to be ignoring that.“Tydeus, you're a gift from the gods, and if the gods have given us a gift, we must not squander it”, King Nezeron said as he turned to Tydeus once again.“Are the gods going to be fighting with us?” Tydeus asked King Nezeron quickly.“No, but the great warrior of Egypt, will”, King Nezeron replied Tydeus.“If you're trying to rush us into this mission, You're only going to make it more cumbersome for us to handle. And that is going to cost yo
“En sabar nur, En sabar nur, Yak rasin, Yak tamanIdi na kowa, Idi na kowaNetjeru ta en kemetShed en ten …”Isis, the sorceress, continued chanting in the shrine, a small room in the palace, as the king, the general and all the subordinates, including Tydeus and his men, all bowed their heads to the ground behind the sorceress and her maids.The brightness of the early morning sun filled up the room, the perfect atmosphere to worship the gods. Isis, with two of her maiden sorceresses, continued chanting to summon the gods to show them the outcome of the war they were about to go into.The worship had already lasted about thirty minutes. Tydeus, where he was bowing his head, looked up to see what was taking so much time. Haven't the gods spoken to the sorceress yet?He looked around and saw his companions bowing their heads, the king and all his subordinates also,“Aren't they tired already? When are they going to round up the worship?” Tydeus asked in his mind.He got up agitatedly
“Have no fear, if you fall in the service of a just cause…”“Your souls will go to Abyss!...”“Where they will dwell forever amongst the shades of heroes like Ramesses or Seti or even Amenhotep”“When you see the enemy, only one thing should come to your mind, you either kill them or they kill you…”“And if you're too slow, it won't be long before the enemy sends you to hell…”“The Cytorex have no pity, they have no mercy. If they come any close to you, do not also show them mercy…”“Or else your souls will vanish into the unfathomed depths”“Is that clear?!”“Sir! Yes Sir!!” The army of Giza arranged in their great numbers, all responded to their General's call.“Or else your souls will vanish into the unfathomed depths? Pss! What kind of a pep talk is that?”, Rakeh asked his companions silently with a squeezed face. King Nezeron and his sorceress, with all the king's guards, including Tydeus and his friends, stood behind General Gyeron as he spoke to all the armies of Giza, trying
The three-headed leviathan, which had no iota of pity, rammed into the log all with all its three heads, pushing both Tydeus and a massive log out of its way. And with such a merciless impact, Tydeus was projected into the sky. For a second, he noticed he couldn't breathe.The altitude from where gravity intercepted his projection to the ground level made his heart jerk in his chest. He immediately closed his eyes and covered his face with his elbow before he fell ruthlessly to the ground, landing him many contusions.The three-headed monster, unshaken, writhed all its head of the dust from the log, trying to get sight of its prey again, but it never saw Tydeus. It continued to roar powerfully, shaking the entire jungle but still didn't see its prey anymore. Tydeus lay under the root of a big tree full of thorns; he dragged himself onto the root perfectly to hide from the monster. His eyes fell on his arm which had started to bleed heavily, with bruises all over his body.He sorrowfu
With every one of his muscles vibrating involuntarily, Tydeus's stick dropped from his hands in bewilderment at what was in his front. He let out a deep, sharp gasp as his hands went behind him, looking for what to hold on to.The creature gnarled again with a deep low noise from one of its heads. Yes, one of its heads because Tydeus also had now realized that Apophis was only child's play and the Scorpion, maybe an insect to what he was seeing before him. With its hideous hide, a patchwork of rugged scales like swords protruding out of its body, four magnanimous limbs that looked like mountains each extended with massive claws, the Leviathan's body covered the surroundings like an embodiment of primordial horror and dread.Having its triple commodiously scary heads towering with formidable horns twisted and curled, the colossal beast stretched its monstrous tail filled with rocky spikes that ran up to its vertebra and snarled at the two human prey in front of it.Apophis was actuall
“If you remember, I told you last time in the prison that the Iron Mask captured me because they accused me of stealing a map that contains the road to a treasure from them, do you remember?” Apphathorus asked. “Uhm, yeah, you said it was a treasure hidden in the Forest of Shadows, and if you find it, you can use it to save your people”, Tydeus replied.“Yes, Exactly. And that is what I have come into this jungle to find before I was trapped here”, Apphathorus explained. “Why not? You must really be crazy to come into this cursed forest in search of some treasure. What makes you think you're going to make it out of here alive? Your witchery?”“My science!” Apphathorus quickly countered Tydeus with a strict tone. “Oh, I see. Well good luck to you on your search for your pissant treasure”, Tydeus replied as he started to turn back again. “If you had the opportunity to make one wish and what you wished for no matter what it is, will be granted immediately, would you consider that as
Tydeus lifted his gaze and saw a tree a few meters away from him and a human figure trapped on the entwisted branches. He squinted his eyes and bent his back, shooting his face forward to see what exactly the situation was and who the person was. He picked up his walking stick and began to walk stealthily towards the tree, marching into the muddy and wet ground with his bare foot. Perhaps, this has got to be a trick or a prank by some of the ghosts or spirits in the forest. Nevertheless, he has to go and see what exactly the situation is before he can consider himself safe. “Thank your stars, you listened to me and didn't take any more steps in the direction you were going previously. You could have fallen into a mire under those thick bushes”, the person said to Tydeus, who continued to move closer. Tydeus processed the person's voice in his head as he continued to walk furtively to see who it was, but something was off; he realized it was a familiar voice, one that seemed like he
Navigating the forest with only one leg was very tiresome and slow, but the sunrise felt even slower as if the darkness might linger forever. Yet, at last, dawn broke through the formidable canopy of the forest.The once-silent creatures of the jungle stirred to life under the gentle warmth of the morning sun. Grotesque monkeys swung from the gnarled branches of the rugged trees, their chattering filling the air with an almost chaotic vibrancy. Nearby, a pride of elephants ambled to a murky swamp, their massive bodies creating ripples in the viscerally unappealing waters as they quenched their thirst.Tatty snakes, both large and small, slithered with a chilling grace, dragging their sinuous forms across the muddy ground. Above, the sky was filled with an array of frantic birds, darting to and fro as if searching for their next prey. Meanwhile, other four-legged creatures roamed lazily, running after the grisly insects that danced over the damp foliage surrounding them.The trees stoo
Tydeus was strong enough to endure the Stone-bane poison for almost twenty-four hours, but there's only a little a weak female like Isis could do when it comes to containing such a vicious poison in her veins. Her condition continued to get worse as the moment passed. Tydeus held her sorrowfully in his arms and stroked her hair gently. His eyes fixed on her pupils which had started to turn white. “Tell your friends. It was nice meeting them”, She said again, letting out another stern cough which splashed blood out of her mouth onto Tydeus's face.The impact deepened his grief as his tears increased. Perhaps he wasn't pained that the poison was eating deep into her veins but the fact that the young woman was dying and there was nothing he could do about it but held her in his arms weeping bitterly.She flashed her eyes again and locked her gaze on his face with a warm smile as she continued to caress his cheeks with her thumb. She started closing her eyes gradually, and suddenly, she
The Scorpiodon appeared again, threatening to take its revenge, but this time, Tydeus was totally defenceless. He was tied with a chain to a rugged-looking pillar in the dungeon. He would try to move his body but they weren't responding.Having its tail positioned for a disastrous sting, the Scorpiodon began to move closer to Tydeus, who remained helpless, chained to the pillar. As the Scorpiodon came closer, Tydeus's vision began to blur, making it look like the Scorpiodon was duplication itself.He would shout but couldn't hear himself, only the echoing roar of the monster resonating deep in his ear drum. The Scorpiodon came close and was about to strike with its tail, but this time, Tydeus summoned all the energy left in his being and yelled; now he was starting to hear himself gradually.He struggled harder, but the chains weren't moving, and suddenly the black lava-like liquid sprouted out of the Scorpiodon's tail, projecting to his face. He gasped in terror. The chain had to bre
While pulling him away from the river, Isis fell on her groins as her grip slipped off Tydeus's hands. “Ahh!” She gasped with her tiny voice. Perhaps pulling him was more tedious work than getting him out of the river.The sun had dipped below the horizon, surrendering its warm brightness to the moon's silvery glow against the darkening sky. The Forest seemed pretty much tolerable in the day, but as night fell, it revealed an eerie side.Nightfall transformed the atmosphere into something truly haunting. Strange bird calls filled the air, creating a mix of unsettling sounds. Tall trees stood like ancient guardians, their twisted branches full of sharp thorns. They cast long shadows that moved ominously on the muddy ground, one would not know when he would fall into a quicksand covered by thick underbrush.Leaning against the rugged stones and the other structures in the Forest would be a reckless gamble as large bats hang upside down from the branches like creepy decorations, their g
The day dragged on, enveloping the city in an eerie twilight. The sky was painted a striking shade of red, its turbulent clouds woven with jagged silver linings that shimmered ominously, casting a foreboding shadow over the landscape. An unsettling coldness permeated the atmosphere, amplifying the gloom that settled over the city like a thick fog. Even the birds, usually a source of life and sound, seemed to have retreated, their occasional flutters lost amidst the oppressive silence.The heavy, stifling air seemed to drain away any remnants of joy or vibrant energy, leaving behind a desolate stillness that once thrived with laughter and light.The people of Giza went about their daily lives, blissfully unaware of the impending calamity that loomed on the horizon. Though Mother Nature had been sending them subtle hints and eerie omens, darkening skies, restless winds, and nature's unusual behaviour, they remained oblivious to the magnitude of the disaster that awaited them.Perhaps n