Amgyptapan

Chapter 1: The Choice & Dilemma

The year is 1984 B.C. Amenemhet I is Pharaoh of Egypt. The Pharaoh is a bald man filled with the dignity of his station. His cool, blue eyes are as stern as the sun's unblocked rays. His pale lips are set in a small frown.

His frame is tall and lean; a starving demeanor. His nose is long and crooked. Small wrinkles grace his face. His ears are small and high on his head. His skin is as light as the day he was born.

Despite his appearance, Pharaoh Amenemhet is the second strongest man in Egypt. The strongest man currently stood next to him on the balcony connected to the Court Room, overlooking the city of Thebes. This man is the High Priest and Royal Advisor to Amenemhet. His name is Nothile.

Nothile's appearance rivaled Pharaoh's. The first similarity is that the two men are bald. A second similarity is that the two are dignified. Nothile's eyes are as dark as night and shine like the stars in such a way that he looked evil. Unlike Pharaoh's eyes, Nothile's were incapable of looking stern and hardened with the past.

His lips are light pink and thick like a woman's. At the moment, they were puckered in thought. His frame is tall. Where Pharaoh looked anemic, Nothile looked thin and athletic.

His nose is long but petite and straight. His face looked almost adolescent, despite being a decade older. His ears were the size of four fingers in width and two thirds of a finger in height. No tan lines appear to mar his crisp, gold skin.

The two men wore robes befitting their station. Pharaoh wears a long skirt-like garment decorated with colorful designs and is adorned with jewelry befitting royalty. Nothile is decked out in pitch black robes fit for being seen with Pharaoh Amenemhet. Nothile's robes are open to reveal a loincloth covering his privates matching the robes.

Both men were contemplating the current situation being faced by the city of Thebes. Each night, a strange entity stole into the city and killed one of the citizens in their bed. The victim appeared burnt to a skeleton in front of the palace by morning. If this continued, Pharaoh and Nothile could expect only a revolt from the people of Thebes.

"We could try having the Madjei patrol different sections tonight and report their findings in the morning." Nothile suggested respectfully.

"You are correct, Nothile. We need to, at least, figure out what we are dealing with. Maybe then we will be able to figure out how to stop it." Amenemhet contemplated.

"How long do you suppose we have until there is a revolt on the palace?" Nothile wondered.

"Your guess is as good as my own, my dear friend." The Pharaoh replied.

With a nod, the two became worried. The people would rise against them if they thought nothing was being done to stop whatever was killing them one by one, night after night. The citizens of Thebes had to be reassured that they were safe. The first step would be to find out what they were dealing with.

"What if I can not find anything once we know what we are dealing with?" Nothile worried.

"I hate to admit it, Nothile, but we might need to ask our neighbors, the demon tribe to the south in Sudan. First, find out if we do need their help." The elder answered.

With a quick bow, Nothile briskly walked out of the room to meet with the Madjei General; his robes flowing as he moved. Through corridors he weaved with expert ease. He easily found the officers' barracks. Nothile stopped a moment, threw back his shoulders, took a deep breath, and walked in.

The walls were dull here. No writing adorned them. They seemed to secrete a sweaty, dirt-filled stench that made Nothile stone his nose. The bunks had mattresses of moldy straw.