War Of Egypt

Chapter 40: Betrayal

    Upon looking at him, Ametis almost ran the opposite direction. Minus the scary black mist, she could tell there was something wrong with him. He looked at her like she was a child, not a goddess he had loved or not even an equal.
    Ametis wanted to run. There was no way she could face him now. If there was a small part of him that was the Kha she knew, she would be able to do it—whatever it was. But this person—thing—was not Kha at all. Oh Ra, he looks possessed. Nothing I can do if I do not know what is going on, Ametis tightened her hand on the hilt of her sword and backed away. It was Kha, but it was also not him.
    Kha halted his panthers and climbed off his chariot with a smile. Raising his sword, he cut free the beasts and they bounded through the armies, trying to kill anything that came within range. The god laughed and walked towards Ametis. He reached up to his arm, undid something and tossed it to Ametis. It landed by her feet. Her armlet.
   "I gather that is yours?"
    Definitely not Kha. Ametis picked up the armlet and wore it as she faced off with the stranger. She didn't know what to say and for the first time in her life, Ametis actually feared Kha.
   "You look scared, Princess. You should be, but not to worry, I came for your Father," Kha said menacingly. "Where is Horus?"
   "I will...have your head before you could ever challenge him," her voice broke out but she could not even convince herself.
    Kha noted and laughed, "foolish girl, you should stay away. Your love is gone. I am not Kha!"
   "Set...you really are a piece of work! What have you done with him? Where is he?" She turned the hilt of her sword towards him. Set had done something to Kha—this was not him so maybe she had a chance. Ametis just needed to get to Kha, wherever he was.
   H smirked, "Set does not possess this body, he only made me stronger! He took away my weaknesses, he took away you!" With that Kha swiftly launched the sword towards  Ametis. She ducked and raced around him.
    She could only do defence.
    She did not want to raise her sword against this—this confused maniacal god. He was Kha, he was not Kha, but then he was Kha again. This was a splitting headache.
    He ran at her and swung his sword.
    Ametis dodged and smacked him backwards with her shield held high. Kha only laughed and slowly advanced towards her. It was clear to him now how easy it would be to defeat Ametis. The goddess was never going to actually try to kill him, that he knew too well after watching her dodge his attacks.
   "Stop this!" She screamed at him and ducked one of his blows. He was getting agitated and very aggressive.
   "Fight me Daughter of Horus," he said and opened his arm wide mockingly.
   "I will fight you, for the real you!" She shouted and finally used her sword. The attack caught Kha off guard, he stumbled backwards and the blade sliced through his arm. An ugly gash appeared.
   "Impressive. Finally, you learn," he chuckled and lifted his shield and sword at the ready.
    Ametis did the same and they faced off.
    He came charging at her, leapt through the air halfway and brought his shield down on Ametis. She protected herself but as soon as Kha's feet touched the ground, Ametis went down low and swept her right leg under his.
    The god fell backwards and threw aside his shield as he slowly tried to get up. He spat out some sand, drew his sword in quickly just as Ametis neared him and brought the blade through her shoulder. Ametis dropped her heavy shield and backed away slowly, touching her excruciatingly painful wound.
    Kha stood up again.
   "Look at me!" Ametis shouted unintended and to her surprise, Kha frowned in confusion.
    He eyed her carefully as he moved towards her. She was clutching her shoulder in pain and it showed through her eyes. Killing her now was going to be very easy. He lifted his sword.
    Ametis dropped her sword and stared at him. "Kill me. Do it, Kha. Show me how much you love me; break your promise and break my heart."
    The god stopped in his tracks and tilted his head at an angle. He looked confused, lost and there was a blank look in his eyes as he stared at her. Seeing this Ametis had hope, so she clutched at her shoulder and moved forward. Her hair was a mess, there was mortal blood, immortal blood and god blood all over her body. She was bruised and there was a cut running right across her left cheek.
   "You can hear me, can you? Kha," she said his name intensely. He flinched and for a moment his solid gold eyes turned into the normal black and gold. Ametis noted and moved closer. "Come back to me, I know you are in there somewhere. Set cannot win, you are better than him."
   "No," Kha roared and grabbed at his head.
   "Shut up," Ametis said, not to Kha but to Set's influence. "Kha listen to me, you promised to not harm me. I am Egypt. And you are hurting Egypt."
    Kha stared at her.
    The mist around him was fading and his eyes were unsettled; changing from black and gold to gold to black and gold once again. It was risky but Ametis advanced towards him slowly, her unharmed hand reaching out to him as she walked.
   "Ametis."
   "Kha," her eyes went huge. She would recognize his voice anywhere. But again, Set overwhelmed him and he disappeared.
    He laughed, "he is not coming back. I thought he was strong, and you would be the perfect Queen. But I was wrong, he was weak and you turned him into an imbecile!"
   "The only stinking imbecile here is you! And you are wrong," she stared straight into his eyes and right past them. "Kha was never weak, he was a god hundred times you will never be!"
    Kha roared and raised his sword. Ametis fell on her knees before him and lifted her head proudly to the heavens.
   "I will always love you, Kha." She closed her eyes.
    Nothing.
    Silence, the commotion of the battle seemed far away.
    Suddenly out of nowhere she felt strong arms snake around her. Someone was panting uncontrollably as if they had been running since forever. Ametis was too scared to open her eyes and witness what in Ra's name was going on so she just simply kneeled there.
    She opened her eyes.
    A gasp left her lip and she felt as if all the air had been knocked out of her. She wrapped her hands around Kha and buried her face in the crook of his neck. She was laughing. The god pulled her tighter until she was sure she would explode. Kha moved his hands up to caress her face.
   "Kha!"
   "I am so sorry,'" he panted.
    Ametis smiled and placed her forehead against his, "you're back, prune. Now what are you to do? Look around, it is the heat of battle, there is little hope to stop it."
   "I will do what is right," he stated and lifted her to her feet, "for you and for Egypt."
   "What?"
   "Come with me. I want you beside my side always," he said and pulled her through the crowd. Wherever they walked, the battle dialed down and everyone paused to look at them. Some even started talking to the opposite side in low whispers.
    At a little clearing amidst the crowd, Ametis and Kha walked towards Nawete. She was running a black spear through a soldier and Ametis did not have time to shout at her before the cracking of the soldier's ribcage could be heard. She blinked and turned away from the scene. Nawete was laughing hysterically as she pulled out the spear and stabbed another soldier close by.
   "Nawete," Kha said and walked towards her angrily. "Pull out the army. No one is attacking Egypt today."
    She eyed him confused, "uh, my lord, we are succeeding, why would you want to...stop?"
   "I said so. Are you questioning me?"
    Ametis saw a dangerous glint in the sorceress's eyes. She moved fowards to stand beside Kha. Nawete's gaze fell on her and she smirked evilly.
   "I see why the sudden change."
   "Does that matter," barked Kha, "I said draw the army back. If I repeat once more, someone is going to die."
   "Yes," she smiled cunningly and lifted her spear. The tone she spoke with did not sound submissive or accepting at all.
    The two gods looked at her, "yes what?"
   "I challenge your orders," Nawete stated as plain as day. "You are not fit to rule Egypt like your Father. Set is disappointed, but no matter, I will finish his task."
   "Kha!" Ametis grabbed him by his hip and tackled him to the ground as Nawete's spear went sailing past where his chest would have been.
   The sorceress laughed and went after her spear, "such a sad life for two sad gods. Kha, you will never have anything you want; not with them. With your Father, you had a place and now that you've turned your back on us, you have nothing! The girl cannot save you from your own emptiness, it is all your fault!"
   She disappeared in a swirling mist.
   Ametis was lying directly on top of Kha; the result of knocking him out of harm's way. She then got to her feet and helped up Kha. He was furious and she could see it in his eyes.
   He frowned, "we need to kill her before she unleashes chaos."
   "As if it is not already chaotic," muttered Ametis before lifting her skirt and following Kha through the crowd.