Rise of the Fallen Princess (Ahmanet - The Mummy)

Chapter 8 - The Origins of Hatred

Entering a small room in a shabby hotel in a sensitive area in the city of Cairo, a person, dressed entirely in black from head to toe, with a hood pulled up and hiding his face, closed the door, turning on no light in the room, as if afraid of being seen from outside, and even checked through the curtain that no one had followed him.

Once he was completely certain that he was alone and not being heard, the mysterious individual sat down on the bedroom bed, picked up a black cell phone from the pocket of his jacket and dialed a number.

_"Sir? As you demanded, I was able to make a copy of the video that Jonathan de Mirand had asked to decrypt."

_"Perfect." answered a doctored voice. "Does he suspect something?"

_"No, don't worry." asserted the hooded man. "As for the content of the video...what do you think? It's her, isn't it? It's the forgotten princess."

_"We cannot neglect any possibility." replied the voice. "That's why we need to locate Mathias Parrish. He's the key. If we find him, we'll find her. We still have a chance to stop this. Continue according to the plan."

_"Understood, doctor."

With those words, the hooded man ended the call, his phone screen showing only one word on his touchscreen: Prodigium.

************

After facing an enraged leopard to prove himself, Mathias was carried to his cell. He who expected to be handed over to the undead, what was his astonishment to see Princess Ahmanet herself taking care of him. She had carried the young man in her arms, laid him on the patched bed and ordered servants to bring water.

Sitting on the bed, Mathias gritted his teeth in pain as Ahmanet stood behind him and applied water to the wound on his back. The coolness of the water was pungent like needles but necessary in order to disinfect the wound to avoid the risk of bacteria. Mathias was also surprised to feel how soft her skin was and how gentle Ahmanet was in cleaning the wounds, which contrasted with the coldness and sometimes brutality she had shown. Clearly, he had difficulty understanding her. She was a monster, and yet there were signs in her that still showed humanity. After the water, she had applied some sort of strange, honey-like ointment to the wounds and although it hurt like medicinal alcohol, it would be beneficial for healing. After the treatment, bandages were applied.

_"T...Thank you." said the young man, reserved but nevertheless grateful.

Ahmanet looked at him without saying anything, the glow of the candle flames reflecting on his pale face. Mathias didn't show it but he blushed a little. Even though she was no longer human, she was still a beauty that was both dark and angelic, and her long, wavy, night-black hair was very beautiful too. Her silence left Mathias perplexed, as if she continued to analyze him with her gaze. Then she came closer, sat down beside him on the patched blanket of the bed, and showed something in her hands, an object that Mathias recognized at once.

_"This belongs to you." said Ahmanet.

His notebook! He thought he had lost it in the tomb. Mathias was relieved to see it and to be able to retrieve it. He thanked the Egyptian princess once again.

_"I read its contents..." admitted Ahmanet without shame. "I was able to find out a little about who you were, Mathias Parrish. You describe yourself as a... writer. What is that? Is it like some sort of scribe?"

_"Um... well, not really. I write books, stories, which I sell to people. My specialty is fantasy because I have always been passionate about it and I wanted to share this passion with others and allow them to dream and escape a little from reality."

Hearing this, Ahmanet looked perplexed, tilting her head slightly to one side.

_"Why make them escape from reality? For what purpose?" she asked.