The Sands of Time

Nour's presence broke the hold and allowed Ammon to open his eyes long enough to look up at her. He grunted at her question and forced himself into a sit, gratefully taking the tea in his hands. "I feel like Saba kicked me in the head,"

"I know what that's like" Nour said with a chuckle before she took a sip of her own tea. Her knees were getting sore, so she decided to sit down. "I was thinking, why don't we do some training tomorrow morning before we try to figure out why you aren't a full champion yet?"

Ammon took a sip of his tea that Nour had prepared for him and gave a nod, a small smile spreading on his face. "Sure," he said, moving his legs so that they were stretched out in front of him. "What will you teach me? Since I left the Pharaoh's palace when I was young...I've always just followed the path of paw prints."

Nour smiled, and took a sip of her tea as she closed her eyes. She had learned much during her time with Seth, and she had developed some techniques of her own.
"There are many things you have yet to learn, Ammon. Seeing the truth, allowing your god to use your body, summoning a god. The most dangerous technique, cutting yourself off from emotions. Of course, there are things that I cannot teach you, things that happen over your time in service" Nour said with a sly smile as her fingers darkened, and sand started pooling in the palm of her hand. "I have been in Seth's service for just over ten years now, and I still have much to learn."

Ammon watched in awe as she summoned sand. His eyes grew wide and he looked up at Nour. "What could you teach me then?" He asked excitedly.

Nour smiled as she looked up at Ammon, happy to see how eager he was to learn, to become a true guardian.
"The subtleties of the court of our gods, gaining the trust of your enemies, infiltrating various courts, and a few other things." Nour took another sip of her tea before looking over to Seth, then back to Ammon. "Once you have proven yourself to us, and the gods, I will teach you my secrets."

Ammon sat back for a moment, his eyes looking at the ground before he cast his gaze back onto Nour. "Okay," he said simply. He'd show her exactly what he could do. Anubis already knew, for it was the path of pawprints that had brought him this far. Now he only needed to go a little further.

Nour finished her tea, and rose to her feet before putting the empty cup in a bucket filled with water. She quickly changed into fine black robes with golden trims. After that, she applied some makeup while Seth enhanced her markings. Seth planted a passionate kiss on her lips, and wished her good luck before Nour headed off. To take his mind off of Nour, Seth turned to Ammon with a cheeky grin.
"Why don't we have a race along the obstacle course to see just how good you are" Seth suggested with a chuckle.

"Obstacle course?" Ammon sounded slightly confused as he stood to his feet. He wasn't against it, in all honesty. He just wasn't quite sure what to make of it. "Sure."

Seth led the way to a chamber near the surface, and called for Madu and Masika. The two guardians joined them quickly, Madu dipping his head in respect.
"Madu, would you please show Ammon the course?" Madu bowed slightly,his first against his heart.
"Yes, my lord." With that, Madu raced through the course, ducking, leaping, diving, and dodging. One particular section of the course dealt him a cut to his left arm, but nothing too serious.
"Well, they did grow up on this course. It's only logical that they're so good at it" Masika said with a sigh.

Ammon watched in amazement at Madu's skills at this course. It did look dangerous, but nothing that seemed impossible to do. He looked up at Seth for a moment before he looked over at Masika, smiling at her(?) words. Yes, it did seem as though Madu had this course already thought out in his head, like he'd done it many times before. But that wouldn't stop Ammon from besting the older Guardian.

"Ammon, you're next, please run the course, and don't get yourself killed" Seth said with a sigh. They had lost a few potential guardians on the course, and Masika had almost lost her life to the course.

Ammon stepped up to where Madu had stood and crouched down. The only words that came to mind told him to think like a jackal. Watch the course and move accordingly. He took a deep breath and began to run the course, dipping, dodging and swerving where he needed to. Ammon reached up to the high wall in front of him now and hoisted himself up before throwing himself over, landing in a roll before he stood back up and continued on. His final action as he came back was that he jumped off the only wall with a flat top that acted as a rooftop and landed again in a roll before he stood, panting. He didn't look like he even had a single scratch on him. One had to turn their mind to the possibility that Anubis had guided his actions.

Madu and Masika were in awe at how Ammon ran the course without receiving a single scratch. Even Seth was surprised. The only person to complete the course successfully before was Nour, but she had elder blood, and she held a part of Seth's soul within her. For Ammon to complete the course without injury...
"Madu, Masika, leave us." Madu and Masika bowed slightly before racing off, leaving Ammon and Seth alone to speak in private. Seth approached Ammon, studying him. "Ammon... How did you do that? By all accounts, a mortal should not be so perfect on their first run."

Ammon looked behind him at the course and then back at Seth. "I'm not sure," he said, regaining his breath. "I just....thought like a jackal." His air of success soon disappeared, replaced with an air of a child being scolded by its parents. "I didn't do anything wrong, did I?"

Seth placed a gentle hand on Ammon's shoulder, and offered him a warm smile. He had a very warm and comforting fatherly presence.
"No, Ammon, you did nothing wrong. You did what hardly anyone has done before. You are special, Ammon. I'm not surprised Anubis chose you" Seth said with a smile.

Ammon's shoulders relaxed upon hearing he didn't do anything wrong. He even offered the god of chaos a smile, which made him look even more adorable. "I'm still unsure of why Anubis chose me anyway," he said honestly, his gaze dropping to the ground. "After everything that happened to me...my past...the Pharaoh...." His body began to shake at the mere mention of his defiler. Soon he brought his head up to study the face of Seth. "What else will I be learning, my Lord?" Respectful.

Seth turned away from Ammon, and began to make his way back to the main chamber.
"I will not be teaching you anything today, Ammon. You should get some rest, tomorrow's going to take a lot out of you." Seth headed into the main chamber, and returned to his throne where he read some scrolls.

Ammon nodded at Seth's command and soon began to wander to a place of sleep. There, he laid himself down and closed his eyes, dreaming of what exactly he would do in the morning. It all was so strange to him, though. Being chosen by a god to become a Champion, Nour and Seth's child and this place.

Nour returned late that night, staring at the floor as she walked, tears streaming down her face. Seth attempted to comfort her, but she ignored him, and made her way deeper into the temple. It was not long after she disappeared that the feint sound of crying filled the temple.

Nour sat in the centre of a chamber, surrounded by torches, crying. She was heartbroken, and angry. Seth left a tray of drinks, herbs, and flowers at the entrance to the chamber, but she had not touched them.

Ammon woke up after a moment, hearing the crying. Slowly, he turned his attention to Seth and rubbed his eyes free of sleep before he spoke, his voice still holding sleep. "What's wrong?"

Seth took a sip of his wine before taking a long pull from his pipe. He looked to where Nour had disappeared, and let out a sigh as he hung his head.
"I don't know, Ammon. She would not speak to me, she would not acknowledge me. I tried to hug her, but she pushed me aside" Seth said sadly before taking another pull from his pipe.

Ammon looked to where Nour had disappeared and frowned. That wasn't like her. She absolutely loved Seth. Why would she push him away? "That doesn't seem like her," he said, letting his thoughts escape his mind through the use of his voice.

Seth rubbed the back of his neck and looked to where Nour had disappeared, and let out a sigh. Ammon was right, even though he had known Nour for a short time, he knew her well enough to know that this wasn't their Nour.
"You're right, Ammon, this isn't like her at all" Seth said sadly. He heard the sound of breaking pottery coming from Nour's chamber, and closed his eyes. "Perhaps she needs time? I know little about mortal women."

Ammon watched Nour's door for a while before he shook his head, running his fingers through his hair. "No," he said slowly, rising to his feet to give his body a good stretch. "Something's wrong. Most of our women don't act like this unless something wrong has happened. It's usually only common in women who are with a child." Ammon stopped speaking for a time before he looked at Seth and then back at Nour's door. "Let's see if she won't talk to me." Ammon took a couple steps towards Nour's door and gave it a soft knock with his knuckles. "Can I come in, Nour?" He asked, his tone soft and gentle.