The Pharaoh's Dancer

Fighting for Love

"You'll pay for this."

Amunet had intended for the words to come from her mouth but instead they came from someone behind her.

Amunet spun around and felt a wave of relief wash over her. Runihura stood behind Amunet with his hands extended out in front of them causing the wind to storm around them. Lighting struck the sky violently and the ground beneath Amunet shook slightly with the rage that seemed to be dripping off Runihura. He clenched his hands and slowly lowered them to his side. The scenery around them remained black, however, and Amunet felt a shiver course through her as every hair on her body stood on end, whether because of the electricity or fear she wasn't sure.

"How did you get in here?" Mut screamed taking several steps back. "My barrier should have been strong enough to keep anyone from interfering."

Runihura ignored her as he bent down to check on Amunet. He examined her skin and hands and ran a hand along her reddened cheek where Mut had slapped her.

"I did recall some resistance as I tried to pass into this place but it wasn't anything major," Runihura said straightening and finally facing Mut. "You seem to have forgotten Mut, but I am still the son the most powerful God in the universe."

Mut laughed slightly and motioned to the mound of rock where Amun laid sealed.

"That great father of yours lies there buried beneath my enchantment," Mut's face glowed and a terrible smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. Runihura looked at the spot she'd motioned to and frowned before turning back to Mut.

"Again, Mut you seem to have forgotten something important," Runihura said again this time more slowly. Mut's face seemed to falter only slightly. "My father adores Amunet more than anything in this world. He was more focused on protecting her rather than fending off you. He is, however, unaccustomed to fighting in such a way and it is no surprise that you were able to catch him off guard."

Mut opened her mouth to speak but was silenced by a strong and cold wind that slammed against her body knocking her several feet back.

"So you're saying that you're stronger than me?" Mut said trying to regain her balance. She no longer appeared domineering in front of Amunet but rather furious and uncontrollable.

"No, rather I believe I'm more intelligent than you," Runihura said simply. Mut gritted her teeth and gripped the dagger in her hands tighter. Amunet brought herself up onto her knees and stood slightly behind Runihura who seemed almost consumed by a vortex of wind. "It didn't take long finding the weakness in your barrier but it was tedious destroying it without noticing."

"You believe yourself smarter than me?" Mut asked in a very monotone voice and after a long pause. She appeared to be trying to keep her temper.

"Yes, very," Runihura responded patiently. "I've seen through you since the beginning Mut. I knew all along how jealous you were of my mother. I, however, didn't have the power to stop you at the time and no one would listen to a child, so I had to watch quietly as you plotted against my mother. It started first with you enchanting my father into loving you right after you bewitched the entire realm into believing you were sent by the universe as my mother's replacement.

"Then you began distorting the minds of those you worshiped my mother so that they slowly forgot about her which greatly weakened my mother's powers. Then you schemed some more and plotted some more until you'd completely taken everything from my mother." Runihura paused and seemed to be straining himself to stay calm. "By the time I was finally able to do something it was too late."

Mut and Runihura said no more and instead just stared at each other. Amunet felt her stomach twist and coil and her voice got stuck in the throat the longer she stared at Teremun's motionless body. Amunet was just about to move towards him when a strike of lightning and thunder clattered across the sky and the ground shook again. Amunet turned back to Runihura only to find him gone. Her eyes immediately shot around her surroundings until she found her sun hundreds of feet above her.