[◈] Curse of the High Priestess

2 | Epilogue

A strange sense of peace settled within the city of Cairo, Egypt.

No one could put their finger on it, nor did they want to understand. The people feared it would vanish as soon as they questioned its origin, and given the last few years, they deserved the serenity. This didn't mean that the horrific past left along with the curse; fragments remained within the memories of the survivors, but they tried to make it work the best they could by overcoming the aftermath and its challenges.

No one told them it would be easy or assumed it would be. 

Those who fell during the creature's reign were honored with strength and abundance - their names were survived by their kin. Those who willingly followed such dark commands paid the cost with guilt and death. Anyone stuck in limbo tried their best to cope, but such venom festered and consequences followed their actions swiftly. 

Nadia sat in her grandfather's office, gazing at the picture he prized the most: their parents, alive and glowing in the mahogany frame, laughing with their two children. Their mother, resting upon the sands, placed a hand on her swollen belly that harbored a now-adult Nadia. It had been the last picture her mother would take before taking her last breath weeks later.

The young Bey child, in her lifelong guilt, released a breath she didn't know was being held captive in her lungs as tears brimmed her eyes. No one ever blamed her for her mother's death it had been an unforeseen complication that her mother willfully accepted, despite their family's protest. her mother knew Nadia deserved to live as the daring matriarch lived her life to the fullest. 

"She will live the rest of my life," Ardeth repeated to Nadia in times of uncertainty. 

Despite all the reassurance from her beloved kin, Nadia often felt the blame on her shoulders, pushing her past her limits to prove that her mother didn't choose to die in vain. So when news of the creature's revival reached them, Nadia didn't hesitate to fight for her family, for her mom. They'd been careful to keep the oath, and one stupid woman messed it up because of unkept curiosity. 

The scenario brought more chaos upon learning that their ancestor, the priestess, was involved in the initial curse - leaving Hasina to take the burden of killing Imhotep. Nadia felt useless as her siblings reluctantly sought to partner with the Americans, the Brits, and anyone mixed within that had some connection to the past - leaving her to keep watch over the camp. It wasn't fair. She wanted to prove herself, to let them know she was there. 

She felt alone in the mess that became their life. 

Malik, the strong yet loving guardian that he is, kept her comfort. He knew how badly this damaged her relationship with her siblings; Nadia once spoke of their resilience, comparing herself to a dog rather than a steed whereas her siblings took charge of all like lions. She felt futile, forever stuck in the shadow of their accomplishments after the creature's final death.

Now that the war was truly over, Nadia felt the guilt crash over her for allowing herself to scorn their actions when they'd saved the world. She tried to make up for her words by showering her family with smiles and affirmations for their sacrifices. No one truly spoke to her about them, not even as a whisper. Malik took hits himself, almost losing his life in the process. Nadia made a promise to herself: never again would she curse her family. 

Just like her siblings, Nadia took the oath and forged it as her stone. She'd tied the wordless act to her mother's sacrifice, twisting it into what it wasn't. Her mother would've been upset if she knew how Nadia truly felt, and the woman couldn't deny that she mirrored the feeling. Her siblings almost died in battle while she wallowed in self-pity, the fear of missing out taking her mind captive. Seeing her husband, the love of her life, lying in the hospital made her realize that she was happy to keep her distance if it meant keeping her family safe.