Cursed Times - Only Yesterday! Sequel to Wattys 2015 winner!

Chapter 61: Seisi - The End of All Times Part 2

End of last chapter:

The light of the prophets raged through the temple hall, freezing Ptahmes and his gang on the spot. Then it cartwheeled through the gasping throng of confused priests who frantically scuttled out of its way. Those it touched, shrieked in holy terror, smoke rising from their robes. Still, they lived.

In ever widening circles, the divine radiance gyrated and searched people, pillars, hallways.

But Nebmutef had disappeared.

***

Seisi saw the light being sucked back into the circle with a pop and Trueth unceremoniously flopped onto the floor. The supernatural noise in the hall abated. Instead, it was filled with the moans and lamentations of hundreds of priests. He raced across but Metjen landed next to his Beloved's still form first. Seisi joined him, kneeled down, cradled her head in his lap, lovingly pushing her sodden locks from her forehead. He fumbled for her pulse and felt nothing. Grief strangled his throat, a scream rose...he sensed Metjen bending over them both, gently tapping his index finger on the spot between Trueth's eyebrows.

She will be fine, don't you worry. But we're still not done.

Trueth stirred, her eyelids fluttered, and Seisi could have collapsed there and then. His relief did not last for long. As he pulled Trueth to his chest, dark thoughts crashed into his mind. When she had dragged the Avebury witches through the portal, it had taken her hours to regain consciousness. Was it the influence of the high priests that helped her recover so swiftly this time? Or was this owed to a surge of her talents, a surge that would ultimately separate them? Shame followed, rushing in on a wave of exhaustion. He should be grateful she was recovering at all. Who was he to claim such a wonder for himself?

Well, the answer was, he loved that wonderful woman. It was that simple. He stroked her forehead once more, and she groped for his fingers, a smile forming on her face.

A familiar figure sneaked into the edge of Seisi's vision. His teeth clamped firmly on a dagger; the scimitar stretched out at his side, Pharaoh was stalking the dark priests.

I don't need this, Seisi thought. I really don't.

'Bear with me for a moment.' Seisi carefully placed Trueth on the floor, struggled with his protesting limbs but eventually managed to drag himself up. He might as well not have bothered. Metjen had spotted the king and pointed a bare arm in his direction.

'Your Majesty!' Metjen hissed. 'This is my temple, and you will heed my command. Stay where you are or I'll make you obey.'

The dagger clattered to the ground as the king froze and Seisi gratefully once more slumped next to Trueth. From the apex of the ring formed by the prophets, a ray of blue light illuminated the petrified rebels, making their eyes bulge, and their throats strain with silent screams. Imhotep's voice thundered into Ptahmes's sorry gang of followers. What had looked so formidable a force when they first entered was in reality just a ragtaggle group of temple servants and low-ranking priests. Ptahmes had been the only one to wield real power. With him vanquished, they stood no chance.   'You called a demon into the temple. You consciously broke all dams we built in the face of evil. You forced us to mingle our divine magic with the talents of the Earth. How dare you?'

Trueth raised her head, greasy strands of red dangling into her face and whispered, 'Thank you, Imhotep, for mentioning me in the same breath you use to speak the word demon.' She struggled back on her feet and stood there swaying, her face a mask of exhaustion, her eyes glittering with fury.

Seisi wondered whether this day would ever end. Once more, he heaved himself to his feet, frantically trying to work out what he should do next. They had been there before, and the result had been world-shattering. Where she had found the energy to be angry, he knew not, but whatever happened, he had to prevent her from speaking her mind. If she confronted Imhotep now, she would certainly attract the wrath of his erstwhile protector. What could he do? Seisi's sluggish mind refused to cooperate.