Blessed Lands Egypt Chapter Thirty
Blessed Lands Egypt
Author: J Carrell Jones
Table of Content
Chapter 30
Ferruk stared out the window. It was late and he had nothing to do. His phone had been taken away some hours ago, and the AV and radio had been removed as well. Pharaoh meant him to remain locked up in this room in solitude with only his thoughts to keep him company. It was perhaps around three in the morning when he heard the door open. He turned expecting to see one of the guards assigned to him to take something else away, like maybe his pillows or blanket or maybe to short his sheets, something that was designed to make him suffer. Instead, it was someone dressed like a guard. They looked authentic enough, but it was something in their stance that gave him away. Ferruk said, "Yes? Are you here to assassinate me?"
The guard said, "I'm here to help you take revenge."
Ferruk sat up straight and eyed the stranger. "And how will you do that?"
He smiled, "There won't be another guard coming this way for another ten minutes. I'm that favor you asked for."
Ferruk stood up. "How can I trust you?"
"You can't." Then he said, "Look. You tried to kill Pharaoh - that alone should have been the death of you. Before that you embezzled charity funds - that's stealing from Pharaoh's pockets. Another death sentence. You mistreated your servants - that should be a death sentence. You decide, okay. I'm walking away. I won't see you again. Debt paid." The stranger walked out. He left the door opened.
Ferruk stood bewildered. This is what he did not expect. He stepped to the door and looked out. No one. Then he made his way through the hall way to one of the other rooms. Ferruk knew that stealth was not his thing. He wanted to settle some scores but knew it would be foolhardy at best. His best bet was to make his way down to the river edge. He knew from personal experience that guards would leave several vehicles unattended, with keys in the ignition. Ferruk's heart pounded and he sweat profusely. He kept telling himself he could make it, he could make it. He found the room he was looking for. The door was unlocked. He stepped in and made his way to the bedroom. Ayruyi was sleeping soundly. Next to the bed on a night stand was an empty canter of Honey wine. He tip-toed up to her, grabbed and lifted the canter, and hit her on the head with it. The bottle clunked deeply but did not shatter. Her body went slack and her breathing seemed to have stopped. He left the same way he came in, satisfied that he was able to keep at least one promise.
Akila woke up early. She and Honute spent the better part of the late evening making love. She had several orgasms, Honute had two and he was exhausted. So when the evening drifted into the early morning he didn't hear Akila get up. She dressed in a light wrap and walked out onto the grounds. She decided that a nice stroll near the river edge would be nice.
Ferruk made it out the building unobserved. He figured he had a few more minutes to make his escape. He approached the edge of the river, avoiding the camera as best he could, and saw Akila strolling along the river. Revenge number two was in the stars and he ran up behind her. She turned away and he hit her hard in the face. She collapsed in his arms. He tossed her over his shoulders and made it to one of the vehicles. He found one that had the back windows tinted. He threw Akila in the back seat, got in the front seat himself, found the keys in the ignition and drove off. There was a tense moment when one of the guards spotted him on the way out. Ferruk recognized him as the same one who helped him earlier. Ra was looking favorably on him this morning.
Honute woke up to commotion outside the door. He dressed in his robe and walked to the door. Outside his room guards hurried everywhere.
Theoris ran up to him. She said, “Akila has been taken by Ferruk.”
Honute blinked a few times. “What?” He wasn’t sure he heard correctly.
Theoris repeated, “She was taken this morning. One of the cameras caught Ferruk knocking her out and kidnapping her. The BLIA is out looking for them now.”
Honute felt a pop deep in his soul. His heart went into tachycardia and a small simmer of rage was forming.
One of the guards yelled out from Ayruyi’s room. “Someone get a doctor. The girl is hurt.”
Honute ran over to the room and saw Ayruyi’s motionless body on the bed. The pillow was soaked in blood, but he heard her faint breathing. He walked over to Ayruyi and placed his warm hand over the wound. A green glow surrounded her head and Honute felt his fingers start to burn. Seconds later the glow disappeared and in the midst of astounded onlookers Ayruyi opened her eyes.
Someone said, “Dear gods, it is true.”
Another voice said, “May we all have the strength.”
Theoris stood behind Honute and watched. She was pleased.
Suddenly, Arrutyi ran to Ayruyi’s side and he cradled her head in his lap. Ayruyi looked at her father and said, “See Father. Honute-Ra saved me. He is a living god.” And in a weakened soft voice she chanted, “Honute-Ra, Honute-Ra, Honute-Ra” Then went to sleep.
The doctor ran up to the bed and quickly examined Ayruyi. He scratched his head and said, “There is no wound. It is gone.” He then looked at Honute. Everyone did.
Honute looked at his hand.
It started out softly at first but grew louder. “Honute-Ra, Honute-Ra, Honute-Ra” the collective group in the room said. Honute spun toward the group and said, “No, no! I am a humble priest. I am here to serve the people and Pharaoh.”
The chant grew louder and louder.
Honute yelled, “Stop. Please stop. I am a simple priest. I am not a god.”
But the chanting didn’t stop and all the while Pharaoh was standing at the doorway. He moved and the chanting suddenly stopped. The air became thick with uncertainty and uneasiness. Pharaoh walked up to Ayruyi and looked down.
Arrutyi, tears in his eyes, looked into Pharaoh’s. “He saved my daughter’s life O’mighty Pharaoh.”
Suddenly the room stirred and people at the doorway moved. They made way for the Oracle. She walked slowly over to the bed and faced Pharaoh. She stood to the right and behind Honute.
Pharaoh faced the two and the room remained silent. He said, “Honute, you have been given a gift of great power. Do you understand what it means to be a living god?”
Honute shook his head. “O’mighty and great Pharaoh, I just want to be a simple priest who can help people.”
Pharaoh touched Honute on the shoulder and Honute bowed his head.
Someone said, “Look, Pharaoh humbles a god. He too is powerful.”
“Honute,” Pharaoh began, “you are worthy of this gift. May it bring you what it brings you. Come, we found Ferruk and Akila. He is asking for you.”
The two walked out.
Ferruk and Akila stood on top of one of Blessed Lands tallest buildings. It was the forward temple of Ra. Ferruk still was running on his favor when he made it to the temple. This was the place he often prayed to Ra during the morning light ceremonies. He, along, with Pharaoh and a handful of assistance had the passkey or knew the passcode to the roof. Once he made it to the roof he made his demand. And now he waited.
The drive to the Temple of Ra took, in Honute’s estimation, forever. He thought they would never get there. It was only until the vehicle stopped at the entrance did he think this could be resolved. Police cars, the press and onlookers crowded the area. He stepped out of the car and looked up. The top of the Temple had the eye of Ra looking down upon the Blessed Lands. The eye was carved into a naturally formed quartz the size of a small car. When the Sun’s ray passed through the lens the light turned light blue and washed the entire building in its glow. It was awe inspiring. Honute dreamed numerous times to pray to Thoth from atop the building. Now he would pray to Thoth to give him the strength to survive, but if Ferruk asked him to forfeit his life to save Akila’s he would gladly and readily do it. So with a sense of foreboding he entered the building, as per instructed, alone.
Ferruk was growing tired. He had been holding the rifle to Akila’s head for nearly an hour. The guard vehicle had been equipped with all sorts of weapons. Ferruk figured that, after this, a new policy would prohibit leaving weapons in unattended vehicles. He thought the guard who did should be shot, but thanked him just as well for giving him a way to leverage the now impending meeting.
The door to the stairs opened and Honute stepped out. He was unarmed and clothed in a simple wrap. Hint of blood was on his sleeve.
Ayruyi’s he hoped. That ungrateful bitch he thought. He cared for her when she was young and loved her when she got older. He had her learn new and wonderful things and how was he repaid? She laughed in his face. The decanter to the head was a fitting end to her. “Stop right there Honute.”
Honute stopped. He was maybe twenty feet from Akila and Ferruk. “Are you okay, Akila?”
She nodded despite the big bruise on her forehead.
Ferruk said, “She is okay, and she will stay that way, if you follow my instructions.”
Honute nodded. On the elevator, as it ticked off three hundred floors, he made his peace with Thoth and hoped his death would be swift.
Ferruk smiled and said, “Humble Honute, I am your god and master. My name is Ferruk. You will obey me. There will be no other god you worship but me. Do you understand me?” He finished with a smirk and knew the future was his for the taking. Not long ago he forced Theoris to give Honute hypnotic suggestion. The wording was crucial and she stressed to him that he had to say it that way.
Honute heard Ferruk say something but he couldn’t wrap his mind around the words. They sounded garbled and like meaningless noises. But they were familiar and he knew they had meaning. It was after Ferruk uttered the words did he remember that something he forgot he had to do. He blinked.
Ferruk looked at the motionless Honute. “I am your god and you will worship only me. Do you understand?”
Honute’s face went slack and his eyes became glossy. A slight tint of blue formed around his hands.
Ferruk frowned. Honute should have bowed to him and declared him as his god. Then it dawned on him that Theoris had made a mistake. Then he grasped that she did not make a mistake. She tricked him. And as Honute’s hands glowed brighter and brighter he remembered the Oracle’s prediction: “Head Priest of the Middle Lands, Vizier of the Area for Pharaoh, Friend to the Royal Family, he will kill you.” The old bag, curse her, would be right. He stepped back toward the edge, dragging Akila with him. Honute stepped toward him, hands bright blue and eyes blazing blue. His face was twisted up into a ravenous expression. “Stop Honute, stop!”
Honute stepped closer. Something made him walk toward Ferruk.
Ferruk yelled, “I will kill her if you come any closer!”
Honute kept coming.
Ferruk realized that Theoris made it so that Honute would not stop. He looked over the edge and saw all the people below him. He thought ‘The sick bastards are hoping blood is shed.’ Then an aerocopter flew over head and hovered just off to the side. Ferruk smiled to himself as he noted the “news” symbol stenciled on the side of it. Up close and personal the people wanted news. And at that moment Ferruk made up his mind. He would deny Honute the opportunity to kill him and thus void the Oracle’s prediction. He stepped closer to the edge and balanced himself and Akila on the ledge. He whispered in her ear. “I will see you by the river Styx.”
Akila said, “What?” and then she felt herself pulled off the edge.
Ferruk took a powerful leap dragging Akila with him.
Theoris arrived to the Temple with Pharaoh and the Oracle. She told them that Ferruk had forced her to reprogram Honute to obey him. She admitted that she sabotaged the suggestion and said that Honute would turn on Ferruk. Once Honute had turned he wouldn’t stop until Ferruk was dead. She felt smug with herself until she heard someone yell “Mighty gods, he jumped! And he took the girl with him!” She looked up and saw two bodies move away from the building. It was a nightmare.
Honute remembered Ferruk saying something about he would kill someone. It didn’t make any sense to him. He thought, ‘Who are you going to kill?’ Then he felt himself run to the edge of the building and jump. He saw sky and smoke and splashes of random images but nothing he could coherently put together. The world was a jumbled mix of pictures, sounds and sensations and it made him dizzy.
Ferruk tossed the rifle away as he pulled Akila with him. He had a sick perverse feeling of satisfaction that he picked his own demise. He wandered if he would feel the ground hit him or if he would pass out first. Then he looked at the edge of the building and saw Honute leap off after them. Honute come up fast and snatched Akila out of his grip. Ferruk looked behind him and realized the ground would come up soon enough. He felt a burning sensation tug at his skin and felt his eyebrows pucker up and burn away. He looked at the floating image of Honute staring down at him, the very same image from the Oracle’s bowl. Then he saw the bright blue blinding burst of light. The heat was intense and brief. He felt the searing air choke deep in his throat as he tried to inhale. Something knotted up tightly in his throat and then release. A rush of cold air to his chest made him panic as he realized his throat was gone. Then he felt something solid hit him in the back of his head.
Theoris watched, as everyone else did, with a mixed feeling of fear and awe. She watched Ferruk’s out stretched body being envelope in a bright blue light. Piece of clothing flew off and it looked like his flesh was being ripped off as well. Then he hit the ground, hard. The body smacked loudly and embedded itself deep in the ground. Seconds later a Honute with a limp Akila in his arms floated to the ground. The ground below him seemed to boil and it broke up into tiny pieces of rumble. When his feet touched the ground the blue glow vanished and his eyes returned to normal. He collapsed exhausted and unconscious. The crowd approached cautiously and formed a circle. A few seconds later Pharaoh came up beside Honute and felt at his neck for a pulse. He pointed to an onlooker, a teenager, and then pointed to Akila. The teenager, shocked and stunned, walked himself to Akila and lifted her up. Pharaoh picked up Honute in his arms and both walked toward a gang of medical personnel rushing to them. The Oracle followed behind the four. Theoris followed behind her.