by Dan Hunter
His heart pounding, Akori’s gaze followed the twisting, branching passages back to where they were standing. He had found their way out.
Akori slid back down to the ground. The fire was getting closer every second. He looked at the white-faced Manu and grinned. “Second left, first right, second right, third left. Then follow the centre passage all the way to the exit.”
Clenching his teeth in pain, Manu returned the grin. “Quick thinking,” he shouted as thunder rumbled again. “No wonder I never beat you in riddle competitions.”
Ebe carefully lowered herself onto all fours and looked at Akori. Then she gestured at her back with her huge head.
“You’ll carry us?” Akori said.
Ebe nodded and Akori leaped onto her back behind Manu.
As Ebe began to bound along the passageway, Akori repeated the directions over and over, terrified he might forget them.
At last the exit from the labyrinth appeared.
In front of Akori, Manu cried out again. But this time it was in joy and relief, not pain. Ebe raced out into the grim desert. Then they all fell, exhausted, onto the black sand. Turning back, they watched as the last of the labyrinth was consumed by flame.
As Ebe shrunk back to her small cat form, Manu shook his head.
“That was way too close,” he said with a sigh. “I never, ever want to set foot in a labyrinth again!”
Akori nodded and smiled. “Me neither.” But as he looked down, his smile turned to a frown. “Look,” he said, pointing at his collar. “We’ve fought water and made our way through the labyrinth. But I still don’t have the second Stone.”
But Manu said nothing. His eyes were wide with fear.
“Manu?” Akori asked.
“I don’t think Tefnut was the only water God we have to fight,” Manu whispered.
Akori turned.
At the top of a nearby sand dune stood an enormous bull. It was pawing at the ground, sending up thick grey clouds of sand. It snorted angrily and tossed its great black head. Horns as long as Akori’s arm and as sharp as daggers glinted in a sudden flash of lightning.
But that wasn’t the worst of it.
A huge man was standing on the great beast’s back. He was broad and muscular and wearing a helmet with two great horns as fearsome as the bull’s, one on each side. Black hair blew around his face and a pointed beard forked down from his chin.
The warrior raised a fist. Blinding light crackled around his fingers. In his hand appeared a blazing, twisting bolt of lightning. He screamed a blood-chilling battle cry in a booming voice that sounded like thunder. The sky roared in answer, great jags of lightning crackling across the clouds.
And there, around his neck, glinted a bright green Stone. Without a word, Akori climbed to his feet, hand reaching for the khopesh at his hip. Finally, he had reached the purpose of his quest.
“Who – what – is that, Manu?” Akori shouted as the man on the bull raced towards them down the steep sand dune.
“Baal,” Manu replied in a terrified voice. “The Thunder God of Syria. He Who Rides on the Clouds. The Prince of Demons. He’s—”
“Silence!” the God roared, brandishing his spear.
Manu went to speak, but no sound came out.
Baal glared at Akori and mini lightning bolts flashed in his eyes. “You might have beaten my ally, Tefnut. And you might have escaped my attack of fire, but you will never defeat me!” the God roared.
“He’s at least a hundred times more powerful than Tefnut,” Manu whispered.
As if hearing Manu’s words, the massive warrior bellowed his unearthly battle cry again. In the clouds above, thunder echoed his roar. The bull bucked beneath Baal as he flung the thunderbolt.
The blazing spear burned through the air straight at them.
“Scatter!” Akori yelled. He shoved Manu in the opposite direction, as Ebe darted away. Akori threw himself as far as he could.
The ground heaved as the thunderbolt smashed into it where the three of them had been standing just a moment ago. As Akori fell, red-hot sand rained down on him. Dazed, he threw his arm across his face to protect his eyes from the bolt’s blinding light.
The sound of hooves crunching on sand quickly brought him to his senses. Blinking, Akori opened his eyes to see the charging bull almost on top of him. Standing on its back, Baal screeched an order. Sand billowed around its hooves as the snorting black beast increased its speed.
Akori tried to crawl out of the way, but there was no time. The hooves of the huge bull were too close.
But then a pale shape flashed out of the desert. It launched itself at the bull’s head in a hissing whirl of claws and teeth.
Although Ebe was still in her smaller form she managed to rake at the bull’s eyes with her claws. Tossing its head and screaming, the bull veered away from Akori. Blinded, but going too fast to stop, its legs buckled. It threw up a huge cloud of sand as its massive weight crashed to the ground.
“Ebe!” Akori yelled, terrified that she had been crushed.
As the sand settled, Baal rose smoothly to his feet. A long, gleaming spear glinted in his hand. He took a step forwards, cursing again as he prepared to strike. Right in front of him, Ebe was scrabbling free from beneath the stunned bull. She was at Baal’s mercy.
“I’ll kill you!” Akori heard a voice cry. As he threw himself at the Thunder God, he realized it was his own.
Baal’s head turned. A blood-chilling smile crossed his face. “You are the one that Set told me about,” he said, bringing his spear up. “You are the one who must die.” When he spoke, thunder roared above.
Akori let the khopesh reply for him. The curved sword swept through the air in a golden blur as he struck.
Baal’s grin widened. With the speed of lightning, he brought up his own spear, turning Akori’s blow. “If that is the best you can do, I will kill you more easily than I expected.”
Unable to help himself, Akori stepped backwards. Baal stared down at him through fierce, blazing eyes. As the God raised his spear again, Akori felt a chill of fear run down his spine.
Suddenly, Manu ran at Baal, hitting him from behind with a broken branch. “You’ll have to kill me first,” he cried through gritted teeth.
Baal spun round. “And I will do so with pleasure, little priest,” he laughed, lashing at Manu with his spear.
Akori managed to block the blow with his khopesh. “Manu, get away. Run!” he shouted.
“I’m…sorry…but I can’t do that,” Manu grunted, swinging the branch again.
Baal’s smile faded as it caught him in the stomach. “Enough of this,” he spat. With fearsome speed, he attacked Akori – a flurry of blows that sent him reeling away. At the same time, the towering God reached up and clicked his fingers. Lightning crashed as his bull clambered to its feet, already turning to face Manu, its horns lowered, front hoof pawing at the ground.
Scrambling backwards as blow after blow rained down on him, Akori blocked and parried with the khopesh as fast as he could. But Baal was faster, and stronger. Three times the God’s spear clashed on his armour, knocking the air from Akori’s lungs.
Breathless, tired and afraid, Akori fought on. As he jumped back from the deadly point of Baal’s spear, he caught a glimpse of his friends. The bull was charging at Manu, but Ebe jumped onto the beast’s face and stopped it again. Manu picked up the branch and smashed it into Baal’s back. For a split second, the God teetered off balance. Akori saw a chance. Summoning up every ounce of strength, he dashed forward, striking with the speed of a cobra. The khopesh sang as it whipped through the air.
Although the God caught the blow on his spear it caused him to stumble backwards.
Akori’s heart leaped. Using both hands, he swung the khopesh again, praying that this time it would connect.
But Baal recovered. Dodging Akori’s blow, he laughed again as his spear lashed out and cut through the branch Manu was holding. Manu’s eyes widened as his broken weapon fell onto the sand.
“Not bad,” Baal chuckled, turning to Akori again. “For a moment I almost believed you were a warrior. It was just a moment though.” His chuckle turned to a snarl as he launched himself into a fresh attack.
The God’s spear seemed to be everywhere at once. With a speed he barely knew he was capable of, Akori parried and blocked. Weapons clashed beneath the swirling clouds, showering the sand in sparks. With sweat running into his eyes, Akori forced his sword arm to move faster and faster but, for all his size, Baal moved like lightning. A massive overhead swing sent Akori to his knees. Once again, Baal roared his battle cry, sensing victory was close.
“Courage, Akori. Courage!” Manu yelled, urgently.
Yes. Of course. I had forgotten, Akori thought suddenly. Thank you, Manu.
At the last possible moment Akori brought his khopesh up. Baal’s blade smashed into it with a God’s strength. Akori’s arm burned with juddering pain. It felt like every bone was about to splinter. But – somehow – he managed to stop the killing blow.
At the same time the fingers of his free hand reached up and found the Stone on his chest. Red light flared as the gem came alive. A great surge of power flooded up his arm, swelling his heart. Suddenly, he felt as brave as a lion.
He swung the khopesh at the God with new energy.
Baal leaped back, dodging Akori’s cut with a snarl. Spinning, he thrust again with blinding speed.
Akori’s mind was blazing. He knew he would never beat the warrior God in a straight fight – Baal was too strong and too fast. But there had to be a way to win. Glancing around, he saw Baal’s thunderbolt still smouldering in the sand where it had landed. In a flash, an idea came to him. Ducking beneath a lashing cut of Baal’s spear, Akori crouched and kicked out, every muscle in his body straining to power the surprise blow.
Baal’s legs buckled where Akori struck them and he fell heavily onto his back. He raised his spear to protect himself from Akori’s attack.
The attack never came.
Instead, Akori snatched the green Stone from around the God’s neck and slotted it into his collar.
“Ebe! Manu! Follow me,” he yelled.
Baal staggered to his feet, laughing again. “You will never run fast enough to escape me, cowardly human,” he roared.
“Maybe I won’t need to,” Akori muttered. He touched the red Stone of Courage with one hand, then dived for Baal’s thunderbolt with the other. He could feel power humming beneath his fingers, but it didn’t burn.
“What—?” Baal started forward, a look of panic spreading across his face.
“Too slow!” Akori said, as he hurled the thunderbolt.
The bolt of lightning streaked past Ebe and Manu, and smashed in front of Baal in an explosion of fire. The God staggered back, hands up to shield his face, as the flames raced around him. Within seconds, he and his panicking bull were trapped by a roaring, leaping ring of fire. The flames swarmed hotter and higher. And then, with a terrifying sizzling sound, they were gone.
“That was amazing,” Manu panted as he limped over to Akori’s side. “I’ve never seen anyone move so fast.”
As if agreeing, Ebe twined herself around Akori’s legs, purring.
Reaching down, Akori stroked her soft fur. As he touched her, Ebe looked up at him and mewed. There was no mistaking the warning.
Something was wrong.
Akori scanned the desert, gasping in shock as he realized how dark it had become. Words that Horus had spoken came back to him in a rush: anyone who stayed longer than one night in the Underworld would never leave. “The sun is leaving the Underworld,” Akori groaned. “It must be almost dawn. We have to get out of here.”
Manu nodded. “Look,” he said, pointing to a distant black line snaking through the sand. “There’s the river. If we hurry we might still be able to catch Aken’s boat and get back to your tomb before first light.”
“What are we waiting for?” Akori cried as he started racing towards the river. But then he heard Manu groan. Akori turned and saw his friend bent over in agony, his face pale.
“I can’t run,” Manu hissed through gritted teeth, as he clutched his swollen ankle. “I’m never going to make it in time. Listen to me. You saved my life in the labyrinth, but this time you have to leave me. Egypt needs her Pharaoh. You have to get out, Akori.”
Akori shook his head. “I’m not leaving you, even if it means we all stay,” he said quietly.
“But look, there’s Aken’s boat,” Manu replied, pointing to a small dot floating down the river in the distance. “There’s only a few minutes left. Please, Akori, run.”
Akori turned to Ebe. “Can you take your Goddess form?” he asked the small cat, “and carry Manu?”
Ebe arched her back and let out a low mew. But nothing happened. She tried again, but still she remained small. She shook her head sadly.
“She must have used all of her energy in the labyrinth.” Manu’s head bowed. “Please, Akori. Just leave me here.”
Akori frowned. “No. I am your Pharaoh and I command you to come with us. Now, before we lose any more time.” He put his arm around Manu. “Lean on me,” he said. “Take the weight off your bad foot.”
Head bowed, Manu began hobbling across the sand at a speed that made his face twist with pain, Ebe following closely behind.
“Not far now,” Akori said as they reached the top of a sand dune. But as he looked down, he felt his stomach sink. Aken’s boat was about to disappear into a tunnel. It had to be the tunnel leading back to Egypt. It would take a miracle for them to reach the riverbank in time to catch it.
Manu groaned. “You could have made it if it wasn’t for me,” he said, with a sob in his voice. “Why didn’t you leave me?”
Akori turned to his friend. “Manu, you attacked Tefnut with nothing but a handful of mud, and Baal with a broken stick trying to save me. You are a greater friend than I could ever have wished for. Do you really think I would abandon you to Oba and Set in the Underworld?”
“And you are a greater Pharaoh than any Egypt has ever known…” Manu’s voice trailed off. Hope flickered in his eyes as he looked at Akori’s collar. “The Stone,” he whispered. “You got Baal’s Stone.”
Akori nodded.
Manu leaned closer, drinking in every detail of the magical gem. His eyes blazed with sudden hope. “Baal is lightning-fast. Could this be the Stone of…speed.”
Akori’s eyes widened. “If there’s one thing we need right now, it’s speed.” With trembling fingers, he touched the glimmering green Stone.
Akori’s legs shook, as if filled with a sudden power. Looking across the dunes, he took in the rise and fall of the sands, stretching all the way down to the banks of the river. Immediately he knew what to do. Quickly, Akori bent down and picked up Ebe. Then grinning at Manu he held out his cloak. “Hang on to me.” He smiled.
Taking a deep breath, Akori stepped off the ridge of the sand dune. He slid down the bank, pulling Manu behind him. At first Akori felt a lurch, as if the ground was collapsing beneath him. He clutched his Stone, eyes closed tight, heart pounding so hard it felt as if it might leap right out of his chest. Almost instantly a sense of calm swept through him, leaving in its place a peculiar feeling of lightness. He suddenly became aware of the breeze whistling past him, the wind ruffling his hair. He allowed himself to lean backwards, sensing his legs standing still but strong, feet skimming across the sand beneath him. Cautiously, Akori opened his eyes.
He was sailing across the sands like a boat riding a wave, gliding down the steep dunes. Manu’s robes billowed out behind them as he clung onto Akori. The young priest was screaming – at first with terror – but then delight.
“It feels as if I’m flying!” he cried. “It’s incredible!”
Akori blinked, water streaming from his eyes as the three of them tore along the sand at top speed. Unable to stop himself, he joined in Manu’s laughter as his legs swept across the sand, growing ever faster as they reached the riverbank.
As they neared the water, the ferryman’s boat was so close that Akori could see Aken himself, his body hunched over the oars while his face looked ahead. Akori could even see the coffin, its lid open, waiting.
“Hold on!” Akori yelled, clutching his Stone. With one final burst of speed he leaped across the water, carried by the momentum, bringing Ebe and Manu with him. Akori let out a cry of joy as he fell, head-first, onto the boat. In a noisy tangle of arms, legs and complaining cat, Akori, Manu and Ebe all tumbled into the waiting tomb.
The lid slammed shut.
The coffin shuddered and began to rise.
Outside, the sounds of thunder faded.
“… And then Manu attacked Baal with a dried twig,” Akori said to the old High Priest with a grin. “It was the bravest thing I’ve ever seen.”
“Ugh, don’t remind me,” Manu replied, his face draining of colour. “I’m going to have nightmares about thunderstorms for a very long time!”
The old priest ran his fingers over Ebe’s silky fur. Manu had spread a paste of rare herbs over her wound and she was now purring contentedly. Above, the sun blazed down on the palace courtyard. “Manu might be brave,” he interrupted, with mock sternness, “but a High Priest must be wise. Fighting a God armed only with a stick is most certainly not wise.”
Manu hung his head in shame. “I’m still working on wisdom,” he murmured.
The High Priest’s face lit up in a smile that, for a second, made him look young again. He patted Manu on the shoulder. “Wisdom isn’t everything, my boy. Sometimes events must be decided by an unthinking act of blind courage. You did well. I am proud of you.”
Blood rushed to Manu’s face. The High Priest did not give many compliments. “Thank you,” he said quietly.
“Still, perhaps you should think twice before throwing mud at Goddesses or poking Gods with a stick again,” chuckled the priest. “That sort of thing does tend to annoy them. You were lucky to escape with only a twisted ankle.”