The Auburn Fox and the Rainbow Islands

Chapter 7: The Red Flags

The old man pushed his glasses up his nose. "You do? You do?"

Nova nodded. "I recognize these coordinates from conspiracy sites. The text is in the pyramid of Gaza."

"We have no time to lose. Let's go. Let's go."

***

When they entered the pyramid, the old man held up a lantern. "Which way? Which way?"

Nova stared at the hieroglyphs painted on the wall. They noticed something resembling the waves of water and some sort of toothed rectangle above it.

"What do these mean?"

The man hovered his fingers over the hieroglyphs as he read: "Water and sky, pet maouw."

"Are there any rooms with cats in them?"

***

The man rolled a huge boulder aside.

The smell of dust and death attacked Nova's nostrils. They coughed as the old man picked up his lantern and walked into the room.

The light shone on a variety of mummified cats and sarcophages.

The man turned to Nova. "Where do we search first? Search first?"

Leaning against the door frame, Nova wheezed.

When they caught their breath, they swallowed. "Where the moon is gold, white light will guide the way. We need to find something where the moon can shine through."

The old man thought deeply. He walked across the room. "This is the outside wall. Outside wall."

They examined the wall thoroughly from a distance. Nova pointed up. "There."

A few small beams of light trickled into the room.

"It's not enough," the man said. His gaze wandered through the room reading the hieroglyphs. He tilted his head. "But this might help. Might help."

The old man walked towards a golden cat statue and turned it on its axis.

With every turn, the light of the moon became brighter and brighter in the room as the stones blocking its light were rolled aside.

The white beams of the moon lit up a black wooden chest.

Nova smiled. "The white light guides the way."

They opened the chest and took out a scroll. They handed it to the man.

The old man opened it and read out loud.

Civilizations fall when Pestilence, Famine, War and Death
cross their path.

But when they work as one,
Famine's reign is done.

When they are honest and true,
it's for War toodeloo.

When they show mercy and care,
Pestilence will not fare.

And without Famine, Pestilence and War,
Death will watch from afar.

So, remember, civilizations yet to come,
nurture your humanity and you shall overcome
everything that crosses your path,
from illnesses to wrath.

"What does it mean? It mean?"

Nova smiled. "It means that the show must go on."

***

Nova and the old man walked up the palace stairs.

Nova explained the old man in detail how they could defeat the Four Horsemen by focusing on feeding the citizens during the festival, inviting the surrounding kingdoms to celebrate and exchange medical information with them.

"Knowledge is power and medical knowledge together with happy and fed people will help Egypt flourish once again. It's so obvious we didn't see it." Nova smiled brightly.

The old man took notes and pushed his glasses up his nose. "I won't say obvious, but you have a point. A point."

When they arrived at the top of the stairs, they noticed Cleopatra surrounded by men in silver harnesses and red clothes. The men carried a red flag with a golden bird embroidered on it.

Cleopatra crossed her arms when she saw Nova. She pointed at them and yelled: "You."

Nova looked up.

Cleopatra continued: "How dare you come to my palace pretending to be a friend while you, you, are the pirate responsible for Ceasar's kidnapping?!"

"Who?"

The man next to Cleopatra turned around. He was clad in golden armor with a purple cape and watched down on Nova from behind his hawk-like nose.

"There you are.... Arrest that pirate."

Roman soldiers grabbed Nova's arms and dragged them down the stairs.

"Save Egypt," Nova yelled.

"I will. I will."

***

Nova boarded the Roman ship in shackles. They were thrown into the
moist wooden prison below deck.

The Romans laughed, but when they heard trompets, their expressions became serious.

They jumped into formation saluting Caesar as he walked down the stairs and towards Nova.

He looked at Nova from behind his hawk-like nose and snorted.

"You are no captain. You are a coward. You abondoned your crew in Asia and fled all the way to Egypt while you let your men be crucified. Their deaths are on your conscious.

But I shall be mild towards you. I'll let you go in exchange for all your treasure. And don't tell me you have none because I saw all the gold when you took me hostage.

Your life for your money. It's a fair deal."

Caesar turned around, throwing his cape in the air as he walked back up the stairs.

The soldiers followed suit and left Nova behind to rot.

***

The moon shone pale through the bars of Nova's lone prison.

The light hit their amber locket and its chain started to burn through their neck.

Nova pulled it off and clenched it in their fist.

"I wish I could remember..."

The pale moonlight turned ember and soft sparks created a ghost of a female figure.

"Don't cry, my child. I will help you.

When the guards come, tell them you demand to see Caesar and when he comes, tell him you can solve the break-in at the Pharaoh's tomb and return what was stolen.

By returning the ancient text you stole, you can get amnesty for your crimes."

"I didn't steal anything. The old man and I brought it back to the palace. It should be in the library as we speak."

The lady smiled. "Is it really there? Think, my child, think. Where did you hear his voice before?"

Nova's eyes widened. The old man's voice -

"Are you sure it will work? Will work?"

The lady grinned. "Egypt is doomed. What about you, my child?"