I was sitting in the garden on a low stone bench, legs crossed, hands resting in my lap. The air was still, filled with the scent of fresh earth and the plants I had planted myself. The palace was quiet at night, with only the distant sound of guards' footsteps breaking the silence.
I heard the gate open softly and saw Karem step into the garden. He wore a simple tunic and leaned casually on the wooden staff he used for training.
"So here you are," he said. "I thought you'd be asleep by now. Neseret and the boy are quiet as a tomb."
"I needed to talk to you before morning," I replied. "There are things I have to tell you, Karem."
He raised an eyebrow, walked closer, and sat across from me. "Sounds serious. What is it?"
I drew a breath and hesitated. This was something I'd been carrying alone for years.
"Do you remember the uprising we crushed years ago?" I asked.
"Of course," he nodded. "It was our first major campaign. And your first taste of glory — that's when everyone started calling you the advisor who could see the enemy's moves before they made them."
I nodded. "Yes. But something else happened that day. When the battle ended, when the river ran red and the ground was soaked with blood, I felt something. Something no one else felt. Something was born."
Karem frowned. "What do you mean?"
"Sobek," I said slowly. "That day Sobek was born."
Karem's expression twisted in confusion. "You mean that crocodile god the old folks sometimes whisper about? We always thought he was just a story to scare kids away from the river."
"He's no story," I said firmly. "He's real. And he isn't a god who protects people. He's a god of blood, of violence, of fear. When we slaughtered so many, when the river carried their bodies away — that was the moment of his birth. That's what gave him form."
Karem was quiet. He stared at me, and I could see that he didn't think I was lying — he was just processing it.
"And since then?" he asked at last.
"Since then, his power has only grown," I said. "Every war, every massacre, every fear that grips people near the river — it feeds him. And I… I was sent here to stop this. To make sure that he would never be strong enough to consume everything. To help bring other gods into existence so that there would be balance. But sometimes it feels like I'm failing. Egypt is growing, yes, the gods are forming, but Sobek… Sobek is always one step ahead. Where there is the most blood, I can feel him."
Karem rubbed his chin. "So that's why you're always so strict about battle plans. Why you insist on as few casualties as possible."
"Exactly," I nodded. "It's not just about mercy. Every unnecessary death is a gift to Sobek. Every careless act strengthens him."
Karem sat back and exhaled. "So we're not just fighting rebels. We're fighting a god that feeds on what they leave behind. Wonderful."
"And that's just the beginning," I said quietly. "In my time — in the future — Sobek was strong. His priests had temples, his crocodiles were worshipped. And when he was at his height… that's when Egypt began to decline. Every offering to him was like another nail in the coffin of our civilization. And I was chosen to come back here and stop it. But so far, all I've done is slow the river — not change its course."
"Wait," Karem raised a hand. "You're telling me your purpose here is… to change what happens?"
"Yes," I said. "Not for my sake. For Egypt's. So that the gods who uphold balance will have the strength to stand against Sobek. That's why I taught the priests, why I pushed for new laws, why I established the temples of Ma'at and Osiris. Every temple is a stone in the foundation that will keep Egypt standing."
Karem stared at me for a long moment, then sighed. "And you think you're failing."
"I can feel it," I admitted. "Sobek is growing stronger. I see it in the people — in their fear, in how some of them are starting to worship the power of the river over the power of law. I see it in the uprisings we keep having to crush. It's as if Egypt is being pulled apart. And I'm afraid that one day, it will tear completely."
Karem leaned forward, elbows on his knees. "Then what do we do? There's got to be something we can do."
"We keep going," I said firmly. "We keep building order, strengthening Ma'at, teaching people to trust in balance. Every city we rebuild, every temple we raise, every just act we commit — it all counts. It all pushes back against him."
"And war?" Karem asked.
"There will always be war," I said. "But we must fight only when it's necessary. No pointless bloodshed. No punishments for the sake of punishment. Only enough to keep Egypt alive and united."
Karem ran a hand through his hair. "You're insane, you know that?"
I smiled faintly. "Maybe. But I'm an insane man who knows what's at stake."
For a while, neither of us spoke. We stared into the garden, watching the leaves sway in the night breeze.
"You know," Karem said at last, "when we first met, I thought you were just some scholar who happened to be in the right place at the right time. Now I see you're… more."
"I'm not a god, Karem," I said bitterly. "Just a man who was given a second chance. And who's still trying to figure out how to use it."
"Then let's use it," Karem said with resolve. "I won't just sit back and watch Egypt fall apart. If you've got a plan, I'll tell the soldiers, the officers. We'll hold the lines. We can do this."
I nodded slowly. "We'll do it step by step. But we have to be quick. Sobek isn't waiting. The longer we delay, the harder he'll be to stop."
Karem stood. "Then we start tomorrow. We've got work to do."
I stood as well. "Thank you, Karem," I said sincerely. "Not just for standing with me. For believing me."
Karem smiled faintly. "It's not about belief, Amenemhet. I've seen you in battle. I've seen what you're willing to do for this land. If you say Egypt can be saved, then I'm with you."
We clasped hands — firmly, like men preparing for a long war.
When Karem left, I remained in the garden a little longer, looking up at the stars. The night felt heavy. But I knew that if I was ever going to change anything, it had to start now.
"Sobek," I whispered into the darkness. "I won't let you win this time."
The morning was hot, the sun already high when I stepped into the courtyard. Karem was waiting, arms crossed, a rough map scratched into the dirt with a stick.
"We need to decide, Amenemhet," he started without greeting. "Another caravan was attacked in the south. The guards are dead. If we do nothing, we'll look weak."
I nodded and knelt by his map. "Show me where it happened."
Karem pointed to a narrow bend of the river. "Here. The traders have no other way to pass."
I drew a simple plan into the sand. "Here's what we do: first, we send scouts — not many, just a few fast men. They need to watch, count how many there are, see if they're working with other tribes. Once we know that, we send the army — but not straight at them."
Karem frowned. "What do you mean? If we don't crush them quickly, there will be more raids."
"There will be," I said calmly. "And that's good. We'll be ready for them. We set a trap here on the road. Part of the army will go disguised as a caravan — a few carts of grain, a handful of men. Right after the bend, the main force will be waiting. When they attack, we close in from both sides and take as many alive as we can."
Karem smirked. "That will deal with them once and for all. But what about after that?"
"After that, we find out who's leading them," I explained. "Some of the prisoners will talk. When we know which tribe has the most influence, we strike at their main settlement. Not to slaughter them all — we want them to surrender. But we must destroy their weapons and supplies so they can't go back to raiding."
Karem thought for a moment, then slowly smiled. "I see. Cut off the head first, then deal with the body."
"Exactly," I said with a nod. "And once their leaders are gone, we install our own overseer and leave a garrison. We must control the river. Whoever controls the river controls the trade."
"Good idea," Karem admitted, standing up. "I'll gather the men. We'll need ten of our best archers for scouting and at least two dozen soldiers for the ambush. For the strike on the settlement we'll need more, but we can call them once we have the location."
"Correct," I said. "And make sure you pick men who can keep quiet. If word reaches the enemy, the trap will fail."
Karem chuckled. "Don't worry. I'll only take men I trust."
The plan worked exactly as we intended. The caravan trap closed at the right moment, and the enemy had nowhere to run. The fight was short but fierce — several of our men were wounded, but none were killed. The bandits lay on the ground, tied up or dead.
After interrogating them, however, we received troubling news. The men told us that this attack had only been a distraction. The real strength of the tribes had long since left the south. They had joined forces and moved north, to the shores of the sea, into a land that was now almost empty.
I stood and walked through the camp as I thought it over. In my own time, that was where Alexandria stood — the most important city of Egypt, the gateway to the world.
"So they decided to go there," I said aloud. "Maybe they think they'll be safe near the sea. But that might work to our advantage."
Karem looked at me. "An advantage? All our enemies gathered in one place?"
I nodded. "Exactly. When the time comes, we will take that land. We will turn it into a fortress no one can conquer. If we control the north, we control all of Egypt."
Karem smirked. "So the place you've chosen will one day be yours?"
"Not mine," I corrected him. "It will be a place that guards Egypt's future."
But in my mind, I knew this land would one day be the key. And that now was the time to prepare for what was coming.
When I was finally alone, I sat down on a low stone and stared at the campfire.
If it's true that Sobek is behind this rebellion… if he is driving Badtitu and the other tribes just to spill their blood into the sand, then let him. Let him enjoy it for now, let his name spread fear through the villages.
But when our time comes, when we crush them and burn their sanctuaries, he will have nowhere left to run. Then it will be his turn. We will burn his cult to the ground, and in its place will rise the temples of other gods — gods whose power will surpass his and who will protect Egypt from his bloodlust.
This is my goal. This is why I am here. Not just to win battles, not just to stop uprisings, but to lay the foundations of a power that will last for centuries and will never allow Egypt to fall into blood again.
And when I succeed, when Sobek loses his strength and balance is restored, I believe the gods will reward me. They will give me back my mortality and allow me, one day, to live a life I choose — not one that was written for me.
Only then will I truly be free.