Soul Seeker (Peace Keeper Sequel)

Chapter Five: Trouble in Duat.

Author's Note: Duat is simply the term ancient Egyptians used to refer to the underworld. Although, I've also seen it written as Tuat. 

"Asra?"

The young prince awoke with a start, his black hair sticking to his face. Hel looked around his room drenched in pitch black, sweating profusely as he ripped his cotton bed sheets from his body. What could it be this time around?

"Set?"

"Yeah, it's me, remember?"

"I guess."

"Whatever." The deity's rough but casual voice paused, "Now, I think this question already has a clear answer since I'm still stuck in this cramped cage, but have you found any more souls?"

"I found you some."

The deal between Asra and Set had been going on for about a month. Set had promised him a spot on the throne in order to save Inara's good nature from the corruption of power. In turn, Asra would help free Set from his prison to seek his revenge.

"Well, a few souls eaten by that Wendigo was alright, but, I'm still stuck in Duat, am I not?"

"Well, Yes."

"There you go, correct answer. Now, what about those Peace Keeper souls I told you about? Find any of those? Remember, souls as strong as those can get me a free ticket out of here and, in turn, can get you up on that throne before your brother."

"Funny you should mention that, actually..." Asra began, thinking of the woman he had heard about that had healed the Wendigo. If it wasn't for the black magic he had used to send the creature out there in the first place, he would never have believed such a thing could happen. Of course, here he was talking to an Egyptian god within his own mind. Reality just wasn't all that real anymore. Or perhaps, it was simply too real.

Asra often wondered why Set couldn't just help himself out of the prison he was in if he still had some magic left. Set had informed him that the gods that had trapped him in there had limited his power. This was supposedly part of the curse Isis had given him with her own magic. For a deity with a reputation of pure evil, Set was rather open and patient. It freaked Asra out to some degree.

"Oh, save that thought, my female self is here to see me."

"Wait, What-?"

The deity had left his thoughts, and in his place, came the voice of his brother,

"Asra, do you have a minute?"

Asra turned with a slight jump to see his elder brother's silhouette standing in his door frame.

"Sure, what is going on, Inara?"

"Well, it's about becoming Pharaoh, I'm a bit scared.

If Nephthys hadn't seen it for herself, she wouldn't have believed it. She and Osiris' advisor strolled along the musty, hot caverns of Duat. It's interior leaving too much to the imagination as the goddess struggled to see even one of her hands in front of her face. It took a little too long for her eyes to finally adjust to the pitch black.

Nephthys was, at first, a little irritated to have Nau come along with her for reasons only her pride could explain, but she figured he knew the way in and out of Duat. This place was basically his home. What the goddess didn't realize was that he was even more useful than a simple guide.