Pharaoh of Fire

by Chadwick Duncan

  “No one should be able to survive this magic, no one!” she continued.

  Then, Leonida stopped speaking and her eyes widened. Her jaw dropped as her mind pondered, “Unless, the sacrifice is…a Nebuvian. But that is impossible, you all were slaughtered hundreds of years ago! No one has seen or heard of you all in years! What trickery is this!?”

  As Leonida carried on in frustration, Ida continued to stand there, perfectly still as if she was carved from stone. Then Ida opened her mouth and wailed. Her screams were bone chillingly loud. Leonida stopped her tirade in fear of what was to come. Soon, a swarm of scarab beetles entered the room, as if they manifested from thin air. The beetles swarmed Leonida. She released a blood curdling scream as the scarabs began entering her eyes and mouth. She began to suffocate on the scarabs as they ate her flesh. She dropped to her knees, breathed her last breath, and then faded into oblivion. The scarabs hurriedly scurried off from which they came and Ida lost consciousness. After a short while, Ida awoken. She saw Leonida’s remains on the ground in front of her, and the corpses of women floating in blood in Leonida’s bath.

  “What-what happened?” As she rubbed her head and proceeded to stand. Her head was pounding.

  “Shit! Where did that bitch go?” she said frantically. She then assessed the remains in front of her.

  “What the hell happened here? Who is this? White hair…Leonida? What or who could have done this?” Ida kicked the remains.

  Suddenly, Ida’s head started to throb immensely.While she rubbed her forehead to alleviate the pain, she heard the door atop the steps open, “Mother, are you done? Father grows weary. This ritual is taking awfully long,” he got no response.

  “Mother?” he continued sheepishly down the steps.

  Once he got to the base of the steps, Ida whom was hiding on the walls alongside the entrance, chopped him in the back of the neck putting him out cold in one blow. She pondered if she should try and grab the son, but he was too heavy for her to carry and she was more concerned on escaping. She then flew up the steps and quietly went out the door. The house was dark, it was night time. She heard voices coming from the room to the right of the front door. Ida swiftly, but soundly, went down the lobby, to get to the front door but it was locked. She was not surprised. The door to her right began to open. She immediately spun around and darted up the steps. Her movements were so quick and silent, the men who emerged from the room thought they left a window open. They disregarded the draft-like breeze and continued to talk amongst themselves.

  Ida made her way down the corridor on the second floor. At the end of the hall she saw a window. It was made of glass, she knew this was her only option to safely vacate the premises. She flew down the corridor, nearly to the window she could almost feel the moon’s rays touch her skin. Then suddenly a woman jumped out of an adjacent room, grabbing her by her throat and holding her up against the wall.

  “Foolish bitch, you think you can just kill my sister and get away with this? What you saw tonight cannot leave this house, so unfortunately you cannot either,” she cackled.

  Similar to Leonida, this women’s hands felt like ice and wore a similar necklace. Her eyes were wide and menacing, her teeth seemed serrated as if made for eating flesh. Ida began to feel the breath being forced from her lungs as she gasped for air. The woman’s fingernails dug into her skin. She began to feel the blood from the wound flow down her neck. She grabbed the woman’s hand to pry it off but her grip was absolute.

  “You die here!” the woman screamed as she reached in to bite Ida’s head.

  Ida released the woman’s hand and then grabbed her jaw before she could deliver her bite. With her last gulp of air, Ida positioned her right leg over her arms and the head of the woman, and torqued her body to the left, spinning out of the women's clutches. The woman reached back for Ida, whom quickly gathered herself, turned and sprinted for the window. The woman pursued her but Ida was able to make it through the glass window. The woman stopped and screamed at her as she flew through the air. Ida tucked and rolled into a sprint, she did not look back once as she raced towards the front gate. She effortlessly climbed over and saw soldiers patrolling the streets. She darted down the streets towards main gate back into the poorer district. Two guards came around the corner of the home next to her, before they could pull their weapons to strike her however, an arrow struck them both in the face. Ida looked surprised and wondered where the arrows came from. She turned around and saw a dark figure running atop the fence of another home beside her. The figure jumped down and pulled its mask off. To her excitement it was Ymir.

  “Where’s the child?” he whispered.

  “There is no child! Now come on! We have to go!” she exclaimed tiredly. Ymir was baffled but proceeded to follow Ida. They climbed over the wall separating the common area from the wealthy district and buried themselves amongst the civilians littering the streets.

  “So what happened?” he inquired with great interest on his face.

  “Two women nearly killed me! That’s what happened!” she said frantically.

  “What? You’re overreacting to that? Nobles buy whores all the time, this isn’t the first time I’ve seen their wives try and kill them,” he chuckled.

  “No you do not understand Ymir…” she panted and stared at him glumly.

  Ymir eyes wandered upon Ida’s body, “What happened to your neck? It’s bleeding.”

  Ida then proceeded to explain what took place within those walls of horrors. Ymir’s face lost all color as he listened to her encounter. His expressions flipped from confusion to terror as Ida explained this surreal story to him.

  “That is demonic. How can people be partaking in such vile practices! The rich make me sick.” Ymir then spat down towards his left leg in disgust.

  “She also said a word…uhhhh…Ne-something...It was about some ritual these people did” she scratched her head.

  “Oh yeah I know a lot about the ‘Ne-something’ people,” Ymir replied sarcastically.

  She rolled her eyes, “You’re a jackass Ymir. I almost died and I’m struggling to understand why. So can you at least be serious?”

  “I wish it wasn’t almost…” Ymir replied under his breath. Ida slapped him.

  “Ouch! Okay, okay I did deserve that. Alright, I’ll be more serious,” he pouted and rubbed his cheek.

  He continued, “Now explain the ritual again?” Ida retold her encounter and Ymir began rubbing his chin.

  Ymir rubbed his moustache and began, “Well, if my memory serves me well, the ritual does sound familiar to a story my mother told me as a child.”

  “Oh okay, who were the people of the story?” Ida asked.

  “I think it was the Nebuvian people…but they have been dead for over a hundred years. Their artifacts and records of their existence have been lost in the sands.”

  “Shit! That doesn’t help me at all,” Ida replied in disdain.

  “I need to know more about this. I do not understand how I survived my ordeal but it seems like the Nebuvian people’s ritual played a part. Do you know where I can find more information on this topic? That story your mother told you, did she say anything about a location?”

  “No-no it was only a tale they told us to scare the little children” he smiled awkwardly as he rubbed the back of this head.

  He added, “Well, if you really want to know more about those people, my sources told me that Prince Nairobi is planning an expedition from Gibralta in search for their lost Pyramid within the Moto Desert.” Ida pondered this idea.

  “There’s no guarantee you will find the Pyramid my friend, but it is the best option I can give you,” he added to not get her hopes too high.

  “Thank you Ymir!” she hugged him and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

  “Alright, alright get off me. You’d need to leave now if you’re to have any chance of reaching him in time before they enter the desert. By then you’d never find them amongst the sands,” Ymir stated as he playfully trie
d to push her off him.

  She finally released him, “Oh okay then. I’ll leave now I suppose.”

  “But remember, the other men will not appreciate you departing The Creed, no matter the reason. We swore an oath,” Ymir replied grimly.

  “I do not have time to explain myself, I might miss Nairobi’s expedition group. I will deal with them later, as for now, just tell them you didn’t find me. I do not want to get you in trouble.”

  “I might be able to fool the men but that monkey Ojo carries around is a cunning little bastard.”

  Ida giggled, “Thank you Ymir.”

  “You should tend to your neck,” Ida then ripped a sliver of her garments off and wrapped it around her neck.

  “Okay, I am off! Take care of yourself,” she hugged him once more and darted off.

  “As to you my friend, safe travels. May the gods bless you.”

  Ida left for Gibralta that same night. She intercepted the convoy at Pakul, a small town on the outskirts of the Gibraltari Empire near the Moto desert. The convoy was about twenty-five men strong, with so many men she knew it would not be hard if one man was mysteriously replaced with another. One of the men strayed far from the company to find somewhere to relieve himself. After he found an alleyway, Ida, who was stalking him atop the roofs, jumped down and landed right on the man’s head. If not killing him instantly, she surely paralyzed him for the rest of his days. Quickly changing garments, she wrapped her dreads around her neck and then wrapped her whole head within the headscarf and met up with the remainder of the company.

  Chapter 3: Homecoming

  Nairobi and his expedition team had finally arrived back to Gibralta after weeks of traveling. The Gibraltari Empire sat at the northern tip of Namib, above the Moto desert. Above the Moto, the temperatures were the most tolerable of the country. It consists of wet savannas and grasslands, with the vegetation staying mostly green year round even with so little rain.

  The Gibraltari Empire is separated into five territories, with four territories being gifted to the Four Great Clans. To the southwest is the Angola clan, the trade capital of the Empire since it has the closest port to Istapor and Mahaan, which is across the Garam Sea. The Japreet clan, to the south, guards the Empire from anyone foolish enough to cross the Moto and attack. The Mali clan, to the east and northeast, controls the most land and is the furthest from conflict. With this land comes the task of producing most of the agriculture along with the water they collect from their northern mountains. Finally, the Nguvu clan to the west, is the Empire’s main source of soldiers. The Nguvu clan is also the current leader of the Empire so they sit within Selah Palace, which is within the fifth and final territory, Gibralta. That is where, Mansa Hatim Nguvu III, the current Emperor of the Gibraltari Empire, Nairobi Nguvu, and his older sister, Nairomi Nguvu, reside.

  The men were all beyond exhausted, their feet were swollen and their arms sore. Their garments so tattered and their skins so dirty that a week of showers would only scratch the surface of their filth. Their camels sluggishly carried them through the gates. Nairobi did not find the treasure he sought after, but by taking all the scrolls and manuscripts within the tomb, he may have found something of way more importance than he thinks.

  “Home at last,” Nairobi said in relief.

  “Yes, Young Lord, home indeed,” Emre muffled.

  As they entered the capital, the streets were lined with people cheering him on and chanting his name. They threw flowers and dyed clothes. Women tried to throw themselves at him as well but his convoy kept them at bay.

  “The people celebrate your return, Young Lord,” Emre stated as he waved and smiled at them.

  “They welcome a soon-to-be dead man. I left for riches and instead returned with old, dusty parchment. Hopefully they have something of value or Father will be beside himself,” he said upsettingly.

  “I am sure the scrolls hold something of value, the pyramids were lost for a thousand years. They could aid us in understanding what took place all those years ago. A pity we could not open up those stone coffins, the Pharaohs probably were buried with their jewelry,” Emre replied.

  Nairobi appeared uninterested at Emre’s response. They eventually arrived at Selah Palace, the Royal Guards opened the impressive golden gates to allow them to enter. As Nairobi dismounted his camel, he looked at the Palace’s front steps and saw Mansa Hatim and Nairomi coming down with a few of the Hashish, protectors of the Palace. The Mansa had a large and well-groomed beard but no hair upon his head, he wore many fine necklaces and medallions around his neck, with large golden hoop earrings. He held a long gold scepter in his right arm. He wore a black, silken shirt and pants with a woven gold leather strap around his waist.

  To top the whole outfit off, he had a large white robe embroidered with their family coat of arms, a black gorilla with its arms raised in front of a gold pyramid. Nairomi’s attire was much less flamboyant. She had short curly black hair, with a silver tiara upon her head. She was draped in a long, white, silken dress with sandals and a single silver bracelet upon her left arm. The Hashish, wore all black robes with a hood to cover each of their faces, they all had a gold sash draped across their chests accompanied with a white cape upon their left shoulder. Each Hashish had a saber on their hip in case they had to take immediate action.

  When Mansa Hatim got to the foot of the steps, he walked briskly over towards Nairobi, putting distance between him and Nairomi. As the Mansa approached Nairobi, his face was not that of a man he was elated to see with loved one, but that of a man ready to smite his enemy. The Mansa threw his right arm across his chest and then unleashed the back of his hand on Nairobi’s right cheek. The strike echoed throughout the Royal Garden. Everyone was silent, not even the camels dared make a sound. Nairobi turned his face back towards his father and looked at him in disgust as he rubbed his cheek.

  “How dare you disobey me!” the Mansa screamed. His voice so strong, a man could hear it from the outskirts of the city.

  “I am the Mansa but most importantly, I am your father. I strictly prohibited you from running off into those deserts chasing after a myth! Many men have died trying, some of my closest friends…even my own father.”

  He continued, “This is the kind of reckless behavior for which I cannot entrust you with the throne! If you fail to follow simple instructions how can you lead millions, child?”

  Emre chimed in as he realized Nairobi was too afraid to report their findings to his father, “Your majesty, I humbly apolo-”

  “And you! I appointed you to watch over him and report back to me! I should have your head for disobeying a direct order!” the Mansa exclaimed while staring at Emre.

  “Please…your Excellency…hear us out, we might have found something of paramount importance,” Emre said awkwardly, knowing his fate hung in the balance.

  The Mansa’s temper began to simmer down slightly, “well then, speak,” he commanded.

  Emre signaled to his men to bring him a few bags. They handed him the bags and he proceeded to withdraw the manuscripts, “It was a long and arduous trip your Excellency, wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy, but we found the Pyramid…and these were the contents within it.”

  The Mansa’s demeanor completely changed, his eyes widened as he grabbed one of the manuscripts, “you did find the Pyramid. Some of these terms are familiar. This is definitely Nebuvian. Were these everything within the Pyramid?”

  “These were all we found ,your Excellency. Unfortunately, we found no jewelry nor weapons, but I believe these to be more valuable,” Emre replied.

  “Indeed. These are much more precious,” the Mansa replied as he tried to decipher the scrolls. Emre looked over to Nairobi and smirked. Nairobi looked away.

  The Mansa stared at Nairobi menacingly for a few seconds, then uttered “I will take these to my quarters and decipher them. But if you ever disobey me again it shall be your last. Your mother may have brought you into this world, but I assure you I can take you out.”r />
  The Mansa signaled for his Hashish to take the bags and place them in his studies. They then returned to the Palace. Nairomi advanced towards Nairobi, however, before Nairomi had a chance to utter a word, Nairobi began speaking.

  “You must be loving this,” he pouted.

  “No…no I am not. I missed you, brother, worried about you day and night! I am glad you have returned and proud you succeeded in your venture,” Nairomi said sincerely.

  He looked away from her, his hand still rubbing his check from the strike from their father. Nairomi leaned in to give him a hug, but Nairobi pushed her away and stated, “I do not need your pity and I do not need your hugs! Go hug that stupid throne Father promised you!” he said furiously and walked away from her.

  “I am going back out,” he stated.

  “Where are you goin-”

  He stopped walking and shouted, “None of your business!”

  With his back to Nairomi, tears began to flow down his face, “nothing I do ever pleases that man! I try and try so hard. Trained ‘til my hands and feet bled! Bested some of the most impressive of warriors in combat. Even found that stupid ‘Lost’ Pyramid and I cannot even get a ‘Good job’!” he sobbed.

  Nairomi was saddened, she nearly wept herself. Holding her tears she replied, “You know how Father can be…you know why he is like this…”

  “Well it is not my fault Mother is dead! How was I supposed to know my birth would cause her such anguish!?” he screamed, as he tried his best to suppress his tears.

  “He worships the ground you walk on, and relegates me to side!”

  “Nairobi…” Nairomi silently uttered to herself.