The Sands of Time

"Oh, that's not the problem. The problem is they jostle you too much when they run. Seth is concerned about that for some reason" Nour said with a sigh before spurring her camel on. The beast's legs went flying in every direction, and Nour bobbed about mercilessly, looking like she would go flying at any second. The sight had Masika in a fit of laughter at her friend's misfortune of getting the only odd camel in the whole of Egypt.
"I'll have to agree with Seth. Nobody would take you seriously if they saw you like that. Unless you plan on making them laugh themselves to the Duat." Nour rolled her eyes at the comment, and slowed her pace until she was riding beside the two Medjays.
"Oh, very funny, Masika. It's the only thing they had in Ombos when I left, and it was the only thing I could afford. The Greeks probably left him behind because they thought he was useless." Nour gently rubbed the camel's neck with a smile. The camel was an old beast with many battle wounds, and his old age had left him in pain."I suppose we'd have to say goodbye someday."

Ammon felt a pang of sadness and glanced down at his own stallion. He hated the thought of having to part with Saba someday. The Arabian stallion had been his traveling companion, apart from Juni and Sanai, since his teenaged years and he had no intention on giving him up. But...one day...he would have to say goodbye and that scared him the most.

Nour rode on in silence, thinking of the camel and how he had served her. She changed course slightly, and began heading for Faiyum as she knew there was a good horse breeder there.
"Faiyum is one of the last cult centres that belongs to Seth. I think Reda would be there, and I know he would treat the old boy well" Nour said before picking up a bit of speed. She wanted to get things over with quickly so she could focus entirely on helping Ammon.

Ammon looked over at the other Medjay before he followed Nour, Saba's pace steady and even. His mind began to wander to what lay ahead of him. What kind of training would he undergo? Would there be someone to kill? And more importantly...would Anubis show?

The second they reached Faiyum, Nour sought out Reda and spoke with the young boy for a moment before handing the old camel to the grateful young boy. She wrapped her arms around the beast's neck for the final time, sad to see it go. She turned her attention to Ammon, a stern look on her face.
"I have a mission for you, Ammon. You are to obtain at least two measures of natron from the local priest, along with an equal measure of cedar oil. Meet me back here once you have completed your task." With that, Nour made her way to the stable to choose a horse for herself.

Ammon nodded and turned Saba towards the nearest temple, keeping Nour's list in mind as he rode there. His task went fairly well, except for the feeling of being watched that had followed him since he had left the safety of the desert. He shook it off, however, and made his way back to Nour with what she had asked of him.

Nour was waiting just around the corner from Reda, stroking her new horse's mane. The horse was a beautiful stallion, his shiny coat matching the colour of sand perfectly with the exception of his chestnut coloured mane and tail. Nour was busy loading some supplies into some bags, occasionally soothing the horse. She fed the horse a date, smiling as she did so.
"You're a gorgeous boy, and such a sweet boy too" Nour said happily before she set about tightening the saddle.

Ammon slowed Saba to a halt before the other stallion and the woman tending him. "I have what you asked," he said to gain her attention.

Nour looked to Ammon with a small smile, pleased at how efficient he had proven to be. She hopped on her horse, riding up a bit closer to Ammon.
"Good, keep them on you and close at hand. I'll explain everything as soon as we're a fair distance from the village" Nour said before leading the way out of the city. She always hated going to Faiyum as that was where the Greeks were cruelest.

Ammon followed, relaxing once they exited out of the Greek controlled city. Saba snorted almost as though in relief. He, too, was relieved to be out of Greek territory. Ammon rode in silence, following Nour like a serpent would follow its prey.

Nour rode closer to Ammon while Masika took up the rear, ready to fight at a moment's notice. In a way, it looked like she was protecting Nour, and she was. Seth had tasked her with protecting Nour during their travels, and had even granted her a temporary marking.
"As champions, we simply fight for the god or goddess that has claimed us. Some choose to take it further and honour their god in the kill. I cover the corpses with sand in honour of Seth. To honour Anubis, you shall do the same with Natron and cedar oil, two parts of the mummification process."

Ammon looked up at Nour's words, a little startled and bewildered. "Why?" He asked, curious.

"To honour them, to strengthen them. To remind these foreigners who these lands belong to." Nour turned to face Ammon, a great sorrow hidden behind her eyes. Egypt had fallen so far, her people had less rights than these invaders that took what they wanted without questions. "You don't have to do it, it's just something Madu and I do."

Ammon nodded, understanding. He knew how far Egypt had fallen thanks to the Greeks. He just wasn't sure he'd actually go that far as to put Anubis's mark on every kill he made. Saba snorted, making him reach down to give the stallion a pat on the neck. Soon, however, he began to feel cold and his eyes darted over to their left where he could have sworn he saw a large Jackal with golden markings staring back at them. If he was really there, Ammon watched as Anubis turned his head towards Alexandria and made his way there, each stride setting down a fiery pawprint that soon dispersed. Was Anubis directing him to a kill?

Nour watched Ammon curiously, looking to the horizon as he did. Upon realising what was happening, she couldn't help but smile. A task from a god simply could not be ignored.
"It would seem like we're heading to Alexandria then. Go ahead, Ammon, your lord beckons" Nour said with a smile. She had something to do in Alexandria, so they would be killing two birds with one stone. "I'll meet you at the lighthouse."

Ammon could only nod, unable to speak as he turned Saba down the road that led to Alexandria. He had so many questions stirring inside of his head. Who was his target? What had they done? Would this kill please Anubis?

Nour made her way to the lighthouse in Alexandria, avoiding the local Greeks, and being very careful to keep her identity a secret. She had pulled a cloak over her markings, and drew her hood to hide her hair and face. Once she arrived at the lighthouse, she quickly scaled its walls, reaching the top in a matter of seconds. A large Egyptian man was waiting for her at the top, and lowered his hood when he saw her. It was Seth.
"Sands of my heart..."
"My love..." Nour wrapped her arms around the God, passionately pressing her lips against his. The two were soon wrapped around each other, enjoying every inch of each other. Despite the fact that he was a god, and she was a mere human, their bodies just worked so well together, and they loved each other. Her makings glowed brightly at his touch, almost as bright as a beacon. Her glowing markings had once caused her pain, but now it brought her pleasure.

Ammon followed the pawprints left by a jackal. He knew they were left by a jackal. He didn't know how he knew, but he knew. He followed them all the way to the great library, where he hitched Saba up outside and walked inside. There, he watched and waited. Usually, whenever he was given a kill, Anubis would leave a mark somewhere to signal his target. And he saw it, right above a middle aged man's head. As he saw the symbol, he heard Anubis speaking within his mind, telling him what this man was. This man preyed upon the young, killing and...a flare of anger surged into his veins. The same injustice that had been done to him, this man was doing to other young ones. Kids were the future and this man was stripping them of their innocence! "Easy, child," Ammon turned his head at the voice of his god, his master.

"Strike on my command alone. Follow him." Ammon rose from his seat and began to walk as the man did, though Ammon kept his distance.

Nour lay curled up against her god, trying to catch her breath. Seth looked down at her with a warm smile before placing a gentle kiss on her forehead.
"Shall we check on your ward, my love?" Nour nodded, and rested her head on his shoulder. Seth closed his eyes, and held his hand out over a bit of sand causing it to start shifting about violently before bringing about an image of Ammon stalking his prey. Nour watched him closely, only breaking away to pull on her armour.

Ammon stayed to the shadows, instructed by Anubis himself. He followed the man through the city and into the Egyptian section of Alexandria. He forced himself to keep his eyes on the man alone, as though not to be distracted by his fellow Egyptians. The man stopped in what appeared to be an abandoned building. Good. Ammon slipped in behind him and stayed hidden. "Now," at Anubis's command, Ammon leapt, knocking the man to the ground.

In a fit of rage, Ammon struck again and again and again, leaving a bloody mess for the guards to find. Once his rage subsided, Ammon took the cedar oil and poured it into the wound, watching as it mixed in with the blood before he left the room, announcing that the Duat awaited. Out in the fresh air, Ammon took a deep breath and turned his head upon hearing little feet. His expression changed to one of compassion and soon he found himself kneeling before the child, no older than he himself was when his own innocence was stripped from him. "You can rest easy," he said softly, stroking the child's hair with a gentle hand. "Your tormentor won't harm you anymore."

Nour watched Ammon with great interest, keen to see how he performed. She was expecting a kill, but the unbridled rage was something that she had not been expecting. Nour very quickly realised what had happened to Ammon, what was holding him back from becoming a true champion or guardian.
"I need to speak with him" Nour said quietly as she wiped the tears from her eyes before trying to stand up. Seth held her tightly against him, tracing her markings.
"Your markings still shine too brightly, my love. They will likely try to kill you, and we cannot risk it." Nour let out a sigh, snuggling up against Seth, calming herself down.

Ammon watched the child return to his parents before he swung himself up into the saddle of Saba and rode out of the Egyptian section. He spurred Saba on, listening as his hooves hit the stone road. All the while, his eyes were blinded by tears. He stopped something from happening to the kids here. Something that his own father hadn't even known had happened to him. Saba wound up carrying him all the way to the lighthouse, where he stayed on the saddle to try and calm himself down.

Nour leapt down from the lighthouse wearing thick heavy fabric as a shawl to hide her markings. She immediately threw her arms around him, wiping the tears away.
"Ammon... I'm so sorry... I didn't know" Nour sobbed. She hated knowing that people would do such horrible things to children, doing what they wanted without a care in the world. Nour had a very nurturing side to her, a quality that won make her an excellent mother.

Ammon stayed there in Nour's arms for a time before he threw himself back at her, his back shivering with sobs. He was hurting and it was understandable. "At least I was able to save the children here," he said through his sobbing. "I only wish I had the same...but....the Pharaoh...." his sobs grew harder, making his entire body shake.

"It's alright, Ammom. You are safe now, and we won't let anything happen to you." nour gently ran her fingers through Ammon's hair, trying desperately to comfort him. Even though the pharaoh was dead, she would still help Ammon get his revenge, and lead him through his pain. Right now, she just needed to be there for him, to help him.