The Pharaoh's Greed

[Note: Mention of weapons, minor swearing, and death threats. Proceed with caution.]

**

“Do not fall for his trickery, Eliana,” Nefertiti says, her voice filling Eliana’s mind.

Standing between two difficult decisions was not what Eliana wanted to do.

Especially when her best friend’s life hung in the balance, but unfortunately, it has come to that.

“It’s either her or me. What’s it going to be, Little Girl?” Nabil, the man holding Cassidy hostage, snarled while looking between Eliana and Cassidy.

The man had her at gunpoint, his nose flared, brow furrowed, and Eliana’s eyes flicked from his cruel, moss green eyes to Cassidy’s terrified hazel-blues, fear and anxiety churning in the young woman’s gut.

“Nabil, please, let Cassidy go,” the woman pleaded, hands raised in surrender, though she was ready to put on Nefertiti’s armor and fight if she had to.

The grave robber barked out a deep, wry laugh, the barrel of the revolver pressing harder into Cassidy’s temple, causing her to sob in terror, and he tilted his head, glaring at the goddess’s vessel in a way that could only be described as hatred and disgust.

“Let her go? That is cute, Miss Dawson, but I do not think I will. Not until you give me what I want,” The man’s chestnut waves fell into his eyes as he shifted, his long, olive-toned finger pointing at Eliana’s neck, prompting the woman to cast her gaze down to her chest, only to realize that he was referring to Nefertiti’s necklace.

“My necklace?” the archaeologist began, fingers reaching up to trace the lotus rune, then continued, saying, “It’s just a dusty old necklace. I’ve never taken it off, Nabil.”

Eliana attempted to play it off as if she had owned the jewelry for a long time. Still, the tomb raider’s jaw clenched in response, and the woman could hear him sneer at her, the click of the revolver filling the abandoned structure they were in, revealing that he would not hesitate to pull the trigger without remorse.

“That—” he paused, emphasizing the word, “—Is the highly coveted, extremely valued Lotus necklace of Queen Nefertiti. It is not yours, and I have dedicated my life to tracking it down! And when I finally do, some pesky little archaeologist discovers it before me? Hell no. You either choose to give me the necklace or” Nabil growled, looking at Cass for a moment before returning his attention to the young vessel, and he finished, saying, “I will put a bullet in your friend here and then kill you.”

Her hands balled into fists at Nabil’s threat, angry that he was putting an innocent woman’s life in danger simply because he couldn’t steal Nefertiti’s necklace before it was legally discovered, and swallowed hard, torn between stopping the man to save her best friend and the precious jewelry secured around her throat.

“If you give in, Nabil will kill Cassidy with or without possessing my necklace, Eliana. He has no honor. It is our duty as goddess and vessel to hinder him from hurting innocent people.”

Nefertiti spoke gently, her words striking a match and lighting a fire within Eliana, and even though she had never thought or believed herself to be a hero, Eliana would have to be one, unless she wanted to watch her best friend die.

“If you want the necklace, you’ll have to tear it from my cold, dead body, Nabil,” the archaeologist challenged the criminal, smirking at him as she summoned Nefertiti’s sacred armor.

When the mask and hood covered Eliana’s mouth and head, Cassidy gasped in shock, her confused, hazel-blue eyes staring at her best friend, and Eliana made a mental note to explain everything to her, as long as she lived through this, that is.

“With pleasure,” the large man snarled, grinning wickedly.

Nabil shoved Cassidy away, throwing her into one of his colleagues’ chests, discarding his gun in the process. Nabil then whispered a few words in Arabic, as if he were hailing something, and Eliana’s Jade eyes widened when two curved Khopesh materialized in his hands, along with a gold chest plate and arm guards.

“Mm, I do so enjoy watching the looks on my enemies’ faces when they see my weapons,” Nabil declared with a wolfish grin, the smugness in his tone not going unnoticed by the vessel, and the rapid beating of Eliana’s heart filled her ears while bile burbled in her stomach and burned her esophagus.

“How—How?” Eliana stumbled over her words, bewilderment laced in her voice as she subconsciously called for a weapon of her own, a double-edged sword, and she took a defensive stance, anticipating Nabil to attack at any moment.

“Did you think that you were the only mortal a god has used as a vessel?” Nabil mocked the woman, stalking towards her, and he circled Eliana, sizing her up and assessing her body language as if he were a predator sneaking up on its prey.

“No, but—”

“Of course not,” Nabil cut Eliana off, chuckling darkly in amusement, and he flipped one of the Khopesh around expertly, admiring the blade before regarding Eliana once again. “The gods and goddesses have been enlisting humans since the dawn of time, stupid girl. And my family has been providing vessels for Set and Khufu for generations, and they deserve respect. Do they not, Nefertiti?”

When the last sentence was spoken, the voice that left the man’s mouth did not sound like Nabil’s; it was deeper, more gravely, and bled dark intent, which caused Eliana to tense up at the sound.

At the implied jab to stir Nefertiti from her backseat in Eliana’s mind, the goddess consumed the young woman’s thoughts, coaxing Eliana to let her take the reins, and the archaeologist reluctantly gave up control, slipping into her mind to observe.

“Khufu, what you are doing is wrong. You are a protector! A builder! Why have you strayed so far from your duties?” Nefertiti questioned the other godly inhabitant, her rich, feminine tone displeased as she squared her shoulders, her fist tightening around the double-edged sword, and the goddess glared at Khufu, a pharaoh of Egypt and the constructor of Giza.

“Oh, you’ve come out to play, ‘titi? How often does your human allow you to do so?” the gravelly voice of Khufu quipped, staring down his nose at the goddess.

“Do not make this about me, Khufu! You have caused chaos and imbalance in the mortal realm! What have you done?” the goddess exclaimed in disbelief, fury and irritation overtaking her judgment.

“I am taking what is rightfully mine, Nefertiti,” Khufu began, opening his arms as a sinister grin tugged at his vessel’s lips. “Being that soft, gentle architect was never who I truly was! My vessels have been my stepping stones to greatness, and I intend to utilize them to their fullest potential!”

Khufu’s voice pierced the depths of Eliana’s soul, even though Nefertiti had control, and the young archaeologist felt uneasy from the mere implications of what the supposed god was referring to.

“That is not what you were meant to do, Khufu! Stand down or I will have no choice but to execute force,” Nefertiti warned, her hand tightening its grip on the double-edged sword, her eyes flashing a molten golden color, and she glared at the once timid god.

“Oh? You wish to put the life of your vessel, as well as her friend’s, in danger?” Khufu inquired mockingly, the challenge presented to him like food on a silver spoon, and with one of his Khopesh pointed directly at the goddess in human form, Khufu continued, saying, “I do so love a challenge.”

“Please, Khufu, we do not have to fight,” Nefertiti pleaded, attempting to reason with her fellow deity.

“Of course we do, ‘titi. If you do not, then you will have chosen your vessel for nothing. It is either her or me, Nefertiti. I will fight until I drain every last ounce of fight from my Nabil before I yield,” Khufu boasted, his towering vessel standing in the center of the dilapidated building before Nefertiti and her vessel, and he assumed a defensive, agile stance, ready to pounce on the goddess.

“We shall see, Khufu,” Nefertiti stated determinedly, assuming her own stance, and in that moment, it was as if time stood still, and when it sped up, Khufu attacked.

A fight to the death would have to happen.

If Nefertiti and Eliana were to protect humanity, the only way was to defeat Khufu and his vessel.

No matter the cost.