The Egyptian army pushed the enemy further and further towards the capital city of Ur. The path to the city led through a gorge between two cliffs, which the remaining Sumerians were currently traversing. They needed to be wiped out before they could warn their capital.
"We must follow them through the gorge and engage them in a full-forward attack." The High Priest said.
"The gorge is narrow. Seems like a perfect place for an ambush. We should do more scouting. See if there's a safer route." Seth suggested.
"The Sumerians are on their way to warn their capital city right now. They will have fortified their defenses before we got there. We don't have time to look for a safer route." The High Priest protested.
"High Priest, we don't know what we are walking into. We should at least call back for reinforcements."
"Your Highness, the enemy is getting away. Order the soldiers to follow them into the gorge!" The High Priest insisted. Seth felt conflicted, as relying on ill-advised strategy defeats his father's teachings. It was King Memnon's word against the High Priest's.
King Memnon (1) vs High Priest (2):
(1) You are my only son and heir.
(2) There is still time to catch them.
(1) Our enemies wait for the faintest sign of weakness.
(2) We can kill every one of them!
(1) One weak king can end the reign of a mighty dynasty.
(2) Honor your father! Take your vengeance!
(1) Do not let yourself be led astray.
(2) This is why you came here!
"No!" Seth finally concluded. He knew that a wise king doesn't solely rely on his advisors. This time he had to make his own decision. In his mind, he heard his late parents praise him for his new-found strength of will, in the form of a lullaby.
Queen Mother;
This is why you were born
King Memnon;
This is what you were made for
Queen Mother & King Memnon;
This is who you both will be
The rest of your long life through
Queen Mother & King Memnon & Seth;
Now you know what you must be
Now you know what you must do
But the High Priest was corrupt, and led the charge nonetheless.
"Attack!" He ordered.
"No! I order you to stop!" Seth countered.
"They're following me now!" The High Priest declared before leading the charge, chanting along the way. "By the power of Mut, Nut, Khnum, Ptah, Anubis, Anoukis, Hemsut, Tefnut, Meshket, Mafdet, Sobek, Sekhmet, Sokar, Serket, Ra!" Seth's fear was proven correct, as the Egyptian army charged right into a trap. Some of the Sumerian soldiers who had hidden themselves in the cliffs unleashed an avalanche of boulders, crushing the invaders with one swift stroke. The infantry wiped out what remained. Only a handful of Royal Guard stayed behind to protect their Pharaoh. With his advisor gone, and his forces decimated, Seth had no choice but to pull back and gather a new batch of troops for his next invasion. He knew this wasn't over yet.
"Your Highness, your throne." One of the guards advised.
"Leave it. Too much weight will slow us down." Seth replied. Unfortunately, King Nitasa wasn't resting either. Having sent most of his remaining forces back to replenish, he took a handful of soldiers with him to catch up to his retreating rival and put an end to this conflict once and for all.
After days of trekking through the desert of Kedar, along with a few stops for refreshments, Seth and his Royal Guard were ever close to the border when, suddenly, Nitasa and his task force finally caught up with them.
"Hey, Seth!" Nitasa called out, only a few dozen feet away from him. "You and I aren't done yet! Your army has fallen! You are now at my mercy! Hand over my sister, and I'll let you live!" Seth turned around and gave him a defiant glare. "I get my sister back, and you all can go free!" But Seth wasn't about to give up that easily.
"She's not yours anymore!" He shouted back. "She is a spoil stolen from a barbarian tribe, and given to me by my father! Your sister is mine! Her life is mine, her future is mine! So if you want her back, you better kill me!" Luckily, there was a dune nearby. He quickly ordered his guards to form a line at the base while he himself took the top. He armed himself with his personal bow and quiver, hoping that his training with Captain Huy had paid off. Witnessing this, Nitasa laughed mockingly.
"Hiding behind his men like a coward." He muttered to himself before turning to his soldiers. "I want this victory all to myself. Stay back until I order otherwise." He then took one of their spears and prepared to charge. He seemed rather confident in his skill and clearly underestimated Seth because of his age, which the latter planned to use to his advantage. Nitasa charged forward and was about to throw his spear when an arrow suddenly pierced his left leg. An arrow shot by Seth himself. Enduring the pain, Nitasa stood back up and attempted to move on when another arrow pierced his right leg, forcing him on his knees. With both his legs out of commission, he attempted to throw the spear on the spot. But before he could release it, a third arrow hit his throwing arm, disabling it completely. He was now immobile and disarmed, but still too proud to call for his men. Seizing the opportunity, Seth came down from the dune and approached the fallen Sumerian king, while ordering his guards to stay back.
"See? Now you enter the field." Nitasa mocked as Seth drew another arrow. "You're afraid of ending up like your father. He'd be ashamed of having a coward for a son." With that, he gave a hysterical laugh.
"You're right." Seth said before releasing the final arrow into his chest, finishing him off. "I'm not my father." He then looked at the Sumerian soldiers, who stared helplessly. "Let this be an example to your people! None shall oppose the King of a Thousand Suns!" The enemy soldiers fetched their fallen king's body and both groups went separate ways.
"You executed him?" Owlette asked in horror.
"He threatened my kingdom." Pharaoh Boy replied. "I had to ensure that we didn't need to fear him any longer. Without him as a rightful heir, that pacifist cousin of his was tapped to inherit power. I would've conquered him easily. But when I returned home, the priests didn't greet me as a hero."
YOU ARE READING
The Banished Prince (Pharaoh Boy's Origin)
Fanfiction"How can a man die better Than facing fearful odds From the ashes of his fathers The temples of his Gods" Such was the case with Pharaoh Boy. Except he suffers a fate worse than death.
