Allegiance To Ammit (Sequel to 'The Scales Don't Lie') //Arthur Harrow//

Ch 10: A Debt Repaid

Your hands played absentmindedly with the sand on either side of you. You sat deep in thought, back against the pyramid exterior.

Suddenly, the sand began to shake, drawing your attention. You stared curiously at the vibrating grains. Thump. You thought you heard a faint noise. Thump. You heard it again, this time more distinctly. THUMP! This time the sound was loud, and it reverberated through your body. You stood up, and turned toward the pyramid... just in time to see a sight that was wholly unforgettable.

Bursting through the south side of the pyramid was a monstrous form of giant proportions. Towering over the desert at 100 meters tall was a crocodile with braided black hair that reached to her toes, and mummification wraps hanging from her snout.

"Ammit" You whispered, with intermingled awe and fear.

You shielded your eyes from the blinding purple light that shone from the apex of the pyramid. White orbs with streaming trails flew from the surrounding city and into Ammit's mouth. With every beam that she swallowed, she grew larger until she grew to gargantuan size.

'Souls' You realized with horror. 'She's consuming the souls of the judged.'

Suddenly, the figure of a bird skeleton with a moon logo on his chest formed out of grey dust. The god held a staff ending in the shape of a crescent, which he used to pin Ammit to the pyramid by her neck.

'Khonshu' You thought. 'But where's Arthur?'

You spun about on your heel, head on a swivel, frantically searching for Harrow. He was nowhere to be seen.

'Cairo, the judgement...' You thought. 'He must be in the city.'

You ran across the sands and into the city. Cairo was in utter chaos with Ammit's followers reaping the souls of the judged.

You heard a loud yell, one that you would recognize anywhere.

"Arthur!" You shouted, running towards the sound.

You rounded the corner just in time to witness Harrow throw Moon Knight to the ground with a blast from his staff.

"Y/N!" Harrow yelled. "Stay back! You can't be here! It's not safe!"

"Arthur, wait!" You shouted. "Stop this madness! You're going to get hurt, and I won't be able to save you! Please, stop!" You cried, your voice cracking with emotion.

Harrow's eyes locked with yours, and the sheer desperation in his expression cracked your heart in half.

"I have to do this, Y/N." He said, his voice quiet. "It's my destiny."

With that, he took the staff and plunged it into the moon insignia on Spector's chest. Moon Knight let out a piercing scream, his eyes rolled back into his head, and then something completely unexpected happened.

The man shot up from his place on the ground, grabbing the staff, and slamming Harrow to the floor.

"ARTHUR!" You shrieked, sprinting towards him.

Moon Knight swiftly walked towards you. In one simple motion, he grabbed you by the neck, holding you in the air and strangling you with one hand. You felt the bones cracking in your neck, the air being choked out of your lungs. You got a sickening sense of déjà vu as you faded out of consciousness, and the world began to go black around you.

Just as you were about to black out, the grip on your neck was released, and you fell to the floor.

Through hazy vision, you managed to make out the figure of your lover tackling your attacker.

'Arthur' You smiled.

The smile was instantly wiped off your face as you witnessed the Moon Knight plunge the staff into Harrow's skull with shocking ferocity.

"NO!" You screamed, tears streaming down your face.

You felt as if you were dying. That was it. You thought you would die. The physical pain you were experiencing was nothing in comparison to the way your heart was ripped in half as you watched the torrents of blood flowing from Harrow's forehead.

"That wasn't you, was it, Steven?" You heard Spector ask.

"Not a chance, mate." A shaky Grant replied.

"Get Harrow. I know how to stop Ammit." El-Faouly said, appearing from around the corner.

Those words sparked new invigoration into you. They couldn't take him. You wouldn't let them. Slowly, painfully, you stood up.

"No" You said, your voice wavering from both physical and emotional strain. "You're not taking him anywhere. I won't let you."

El-Faouly let out a dry chuckle. "You and what army?" She asked sarcastically, which only served to further anger you.

"I said you're not taking him anywhere." You spoke through gritted teeth.

The newly named Scarlet Scarab only scoffed. "Grab him, Marc. We're going."

"Wait!" You shouted, just as Moon Knight flung Harrow over his shoulder. "Take me instead." You pleaded, emotion clear in your face.

"What?" Spector asked.

"Take me instead." You repeated. "I know what you plan to do. You want to trap Ammit inside of him." You explained, your voice cracking at the thought. "It's a good plan. It'll work, but it doesn't have to be him. It can be anyone... so let it be me. Please... please let it be me."

El-Faouly and Spector exchanged glances, considering your proposal. After a moment, the woman looked you dead in the eye. "Why the hell would you sacrifice yourself for a monster like him?" She asked, brows furrowed in confusion.

You looked at Harrow's unconscious form, and a small smile spread across your face.

"Because I love him." You answered, honesty and sincerity clear in your expression.

That was all you had to say. El-Faouly's eyes softened. Clearly, she knew exactly how you felt.

"Drop him." She said, and Moon Knight obeyed.

You ran to Harrow, and kneeling before him, gently wiped his grey hair out of his face. His eyes opened slowly. He looked around groggily, as if waking up from a midday nap.

"Y/N?" He spoke your name, his voice hardly audible.

"Hey" You whispered, smiling widely, tears of relief flowing down your face.

"Hey" He whispered back, placing his hand on yours on his cheek. "What happened?"

"You got knocked the hell out." You chuckled.

"Oh yeah." He said, smiling slightly.

"Arthur..." You began, your tone shifting to one of seriousness. "I... I have to go now."

"What?"

"I have to go, but- but please know that I love you so fucking much. You are my world, Harrow." You whispered, hardly holding yourself together.

"Where are you going?" He asked, perplexed.

"To save my world." You said, sobbing freely now. "Goodbye, Arthur." You whispered, placing a final kiss on his forehead.

From there, you were taken back to the pyramid. Your two captors tied you to the altar, and you complied, offering no resistance. Spector and El-Faouly joined hands, casting the spell that would imprison Ammit inside your body.

As you felt your consciousness fading to oblivion, only one thought passed through your mind: 'My debt is repaid. I have saved Arthur Harrow.'