I finally came back from my trip to get the artifacts I needed and now in the arms of both Wednesday and Enid. Let's recount the gains we got on this away trip. The first one to be claimed was the Pool of Eternal Life as well as the whole of Shangri-La.
The mystical energies of Shangri-La had enriched the land and waters in the Shadow World. The vegetation and water are easily maintained along with the water from the Pool of Eternal Life. The vitality stored in the pool is enough to keep the land in the Shadow World alive as it has the added effect of increasing the maturity of plants and herbs in what takes a year to grow, only takes a month inside. So any crops or special seeds I can plant in the future will be planted inside by the Pool of Eternal Life.
The next one to be claimed was the Bracelet of Anubis along with its army. Another added bonus would be the inclusion of "Anubis," now named Netocris as well as a new Shadow General for the Shadow Medjay; the Scorpion King Mathayus. The whole of Ahm Shere as well as its jungle and its inhabitants under the control of Netocris further enriched the growing land as it connected to Shangri-La.
With natural defenders like the pygmies protecting the lands, they can be trained to plant and water the crops when we start developing a part of the land for food. It is good to be self-sufficient in case food is not easily-accessible in areas devoid of the living. Any apocalyptic world would be a huge boon to trade for and develop as fresh food and water is a must.
The next boon would be Shadow Assassin Anet, formerly Princess Ahmanet. The leftover curse energy surrounding the sarcophagus of Princess Ahmanet was sent to restore half of Netocris' damaged soul. I'm starting to feel whether including Anet was a good or bad idea as her personality leaned towards the extreme side.
Always a staunch supporter of my rule but easily jealous of any that would take my presence away from her due to her previous love for the Evil God Set. The only one missing would be the Dagger of Set but I can always take that away when we go to England with the O'Connell's after the incoming plot starts.
That night I came home, both Wednesday and Enid cried themselves to sleep as I held them in my arms. I stroked their tears away before petting their heads as they slowly calmed down and slept as the exhaustion overwhelmed them. I used Ruler's Authority to put the food and drinks away along with turning off the TV and lights. I laid down with the two girls clinging to me and went to sleep.
Little did I know, Nitocris was watching everything that transpired and whispered, "A truly kind king."
Morning came as the gentle light of the sun had glistened the bed. I opened my eyes as the familiar ceiling filled my vision. My arms were somewhat numb from the two girls but I enjoyed every bit of it. I slowly got up and quietly made some breakfast for the girls.
Nitocris came out of the Shadow World before saying, "Are they your wives? They seem very attached to you?"
I continued to cook while I answered, "Not yet. But we might as well be as they are my lovers and companions that travelled with me. It is my duty as their man to protect and guide them to their future."
Nitocris thought for a while before replying, "You are a kind man, Y/N. I have witnessed many men in my days who would do the complete opposite of your choices to further their power and greed. Not all men could make the same choices as you do to the end."
I chuckled at the comment and said, "Immortality will give you a different perspective. Mortals will try their best to deny anything that would lead to their death as their accumulated power and wealth wither away at their feet."
Nitocris couldn't help but agree. They are immortal beings that can last longer than human civilization. Long-lived beings like themselves will try to find enjoyment in the present, if not they will forever lose that enjoyment and be eroded by the passage of time.
Whenever there is some question in her head, Y/N always has the answer to it. It felt nice to have someone to talk to again. She can only hope to stay with Y/N till it's time for her soul to be complete again.
As I finished cooking breakfast, the two girls started to stir in their sleep and got up rubbing their eyes. Smelling the fragrant aroma of breakfast on the table, they saw me smiling at them to come over and eat. They immediately came over as it was like this when I started making breakfast for them back in their world. They scarfed down the food with tears in their eyes as they missed my cooking for a few months.
After they finished eating, they immediately asked how I was and what happened during the trip. I basically told them everything that transpired as well as gaining a few followers in the process. I introduced Mathayus and Anet to the two girls.
Mathayus knew about the two girls and bowed, "Mistresses."
Anet could only grit her teeth and bowed in reluctance and said, "Ladies."
After Anet bowed, she immediately ran behind me and held my shirt from behind as she slightly narrowed her eyes. The two girls saw the action and their eyes twitched before looking towards me for answers. Mathayus on the side was looking at the whole drama as he sweat dropped. Igris and Nitocris from inside the Shadow World were the same as Mathayus as they both noticed Anet's clingy dependence on Y/N.
I nervously explained, "Anet is somewhat clingy as she was infatuated with a previous god of Death, Set. So when I released her from her curse, her dependence towards Set transferred to me. I hope you understand."
Wednesday and Enid narrowed their eyes before relaxing. Who told their man to be irresistible that even his own Shadow was captivated by him. They both let it be for now but they will keep an eye on Anet from now on.
The atmosphere just now was very oppressive like I was in the middle of hell as well as a thunderstorm at the same time. But it came and went so fast that I probably just imagined it. Little did I know, the two girls will be keeping a closer watch over Anet as they believed that Anet will try something while I was sleeping. Either way, the coming day will be interesting for everyone.
Speaking of gifts, I called over Enid and said, "Enid, I got this bracelet of Anubis at Ahm Shere. Though I did recast and enchanted it to be more elegant, it still carries its original purpose, which was to contain and summon the Army of Anubis. This would be considered as your own pack with you as the alpha."
I presented the bracelet to Enid and put it on her. Enid's face lit up as her dream of being a pack leader was essentially fulfilled, even though she already belonged to my pack as her Alpha. She squealed and jumped me while she gave plenty of kisses all over my face and lips. My face in the end was a little stained from Enid's lipstick.
I slowly put her down to calm her excitement and told her to come outside and see what her new pack looks like. She bolted outside in excitement while me and Wednesday just shook our heads in embarrassment. Enid's excitement never gets old. As me and Wednesday stepped out, Enid managed to figure out how to summon an Anubite. I didn't know how she did it but my mouth was open in shock.
Wednesday noticed me with my mouth open and closed it gently with her finger and said, "Careful any insects fly in your mouth, Mi Amor."
I smiled in embarrassment and thanked Wednesday for reminding me. Enid was oblivious to my reaction as she was admiring the Anubite she summoned. It looked very ferocious as if killing was all it could do.
The tall stature was a sight to behold as the fur covered its whole body and dressed in gold clothing. It snarled before bowing its head towards Enid, acknowledging his allegiance to its new master. The Anubite looked over to me as it sensed the aura of its former master on my body and bowed slightly as well. Enid couldn't wait to play more with her new pack before accidentally summoning a few hundred in her excitement.
Before the Anubites could do anything, I released enough magical pressure towards them all before I held Enid's wrist, showcasing the newly reforged Bracelet of Anubis. Coupled with the aura of their former master, Anubis, lingering in my body compelled the Anubites to surrender to Enid.
I patted Enid's head and said, "Now they won't question your decisions in the future. Treat them well as they belong to you now."
Enid was astonished and excited at my show of power to quell the rising tension from the Army of Anubis, even more so after making sure she was in full control of them now. She bearhugged me while rubbing her face all over my chest as she giggled and thanked me. Wednesday got a little annoyed at our interaction as her eyes kept twitching before she walked towards us and peeled Enid right off me.
Despite Wednesday's annoyed look at Enid's new "pack", she was still happy and proud of her as Enid's dream was accomplished in just the first world they experienced. I sensed Wednesday's positive emotions as well as a hint of uncertainty.
I reassured Wednesday by petting her head and said, "I know what you're feeling but trust yourself. You're powerful in your own right and under more tutelage from Goody and future teachers, you will most likely surpass the power of the Army of Anubis. The most important right now is to build your foundation for magic to become either a sorceress or witch or any magical role in the future. Your potential in prophecy rivals or surpasses those beings like Gellert Grindelwald in the Harry Potter World. So take your time and don't rush as I'll be with you every step of the way."
Wednesday couldn't help but feel warm inside from my confession and just wrapped her arms around my waist and laid her head on my chest, listening to the sound of my heartbeats. I smiled and kept stroking her back as I watched Enid put back the majority of the Anubites and played with the ones she left behind.
Speaking of which, I never introduced Nitocris to the girls yet so I mentally asked, "Would you like to introduce yourself to my partners? After all, we will be together for a very long time."
Nitocris caught specific words in that sentence and blushed but slapped both her cheeks and hurriedly answered, "It would be an honor to meet my future partners."
I told Wednesday and Enid to come by me as there is one more person to introduce to them. Both girls came by and were a little confused as they did not see anyone here before Nitocris flew out of my Shadow World and appeared in front of them.
Nitocris flew in front of the two girls and introduced herself, "Hello Wednesday and Enid, my name is Nitocris. I was formerly the God Anubis. I casted aside my old identity as my role in this world had ended when Y/N defeated Mathayus back in Ahm Shere. Now I am trying to become whole once again as my soul is incomplete from the erosion of time as well as the lack of faith from the people of Egypt. Pleased to make your acquaintance with a budding mage and werewolf."
Wednesday and Enid's mood was all over the place as they were now seeing and talking to a real God. Though now they finally figured out where Y/N got a hold of the Army of Anubis and Nitocris was the source of it. They are no longer as surprised as before as every time Y/N goes out, he brings back the most incredible things and now he brings back a literal God.
They quickly introduced themselves and they found out that Nitocris was very approachable and had a vast knowledge about the Old World. There is plenty of time for the girls to sate their curiosity as they had questions about the past while Nitocris planned on asking her own questions about the modern world, especially seeing the unfamiliar RV behind me as she knew there was nothing like that when she was still a God of Egypt.
The three of them hit it off immediately as Nitocris was most likely suppressing herself because of her duties as a god back then and now that she was freed from that duty, she can now do what she wants without any repercussions.
Wednesday was very curious about the early Egyptian magics while Enid was wondering how Nitocris got her army whether she made them herself or recruited from the souls of Egypt. Out of nowhere, Goody appeared before Nitocris and they saw each other and hugged as they didn't believe she would find another soul companion like themselves.
I only chuckled at their interactions and their heartfelt communications and thought, "I'm glad they can finally relax and add a new companion to the group. Goody seems more happier with another soul companion like her. Thing climbed to my shoulder and I fist bumped him as we watched the four of them get along.
In the coming weeks, the four of them are basically good friends like how Wednesday and Enid were. The Soul Duo of Goody and Nitocris was always together and chatting about their own world while Wednesday went back to study Goody's spell book and Enid was learning on how to consciously transform into her werewolf form without the need of a full moon.
I explained to Enid that moonlight is essentially sunlight but milder as the majority of the energy of the sunlight bounced off the moon, thus creating moonlight. Sunlight is basically a juiced up version of moonlight and you need to consciously let the energy of the sunlight trigger the same mutation as moonlight does during the full moon.
After listening to my advice, Enid started to train and possibly trigger the mutation willingly and could prove to become more powerful than transforming in moonlight.
I, on the other hand, was busy tending with the growing land in the Shadow World as it is continuously enriching the world with vitality.
I thought about the increasing landmass inside the Shadow World, "I didn't think that the vitality from the Pool of Eternal Life would slowly increase the land mass but that was an unexpected surprise. Now I only need the start of the plot where Jonathan finds O'Connell and pickpockets the key and hands it over to Evelyn later."
I relaxed my mind and enjoyed the few months with the girls as well as Thing. I gave both Wednesday and Enid their desired presents during the down time while Goody, Nitocris, and Anet were busy eavesdropping while their faces were red from listening to those moans and how they wished it was them making those moans.
After that exciting night with my lovers, the trio of Nitocris, Goody, and Anet were nowhere to be seen for a few days until they got that image of my love-making out of their heads. The trio did all they could to distract themselves whether they chat about their lives–well past lives or talk about the future or the previous world Goody had stayed on as it piqued the other two's interests.
For the remaining time before the plot starts, I only trained, relaxed, and enjoyed my time with Wednesday and Enid while the girls trained their own physical abilities for the coming adventure as well as future world explorations.
As days turned to weeks and weeks turned to months, the day the plot started had arrived. I only figured out the plot was starting because the Shadow Medjays I placed near the Egyptian prison recently brought in an American-looking man who was scheduled to be hanged the next day near noon. I informed Wednesday and Enid that we will be starting our journey through the desert soon.
Enid finally kicked her slippers off and yelled, "Finally!! We can finally get to go see the mummy~! I wonder how they'll hold up against my pack!!"
Wednesday chimed in while reading her book, "Indeed. It had been a long year and all the ancient Egyptian I learned from Evelyn had come to an end a couple of months ago. I'm even becoming a little bored."
I nodded at the two girls and replied, "I agree with you both. A year has passed and the action is about to begin. We already bought the supplies we need to secure a campsite when we get to Hamunaptra along with Evelyn, Jonathan, and Rick. The modern Medjays will be a valuable asset to have as allies in this fight against Imhotep. Though we should take some precautions as this world may deviate from its current way and completely blindside us. Even if it does, I will be protecting us, should any unforeseen events occur."
Wednesday reached over and lightly yanked my shirt while looking at my eyes, "I will protect you myself, Mi Amor. With the new spells I've learned from Goody, I'll be able to help you too. My swordsmanship was also trained further since I trained with the Shadow Knights and Medjays in charge of perimeter watch from time to time. I also brought my marksmanship to par as well. I'm no longer the same person who needs to be protected like a princess in an ivory tower. I can stand for myself and stand by you as your woman."
Enid cheerfully chimed as well, "I can also protect you too, honey. I made sure to practice my hand-to-hand techniques so I can keep up with you as well as my pack. They taught me how to fight effectively with or without a weapon in hand. Also Wednesday helped me practice with the guns you brought us last time. My fists and bites will be the very first things the enemy will see if they ever hurt me, you, and Wednesday."
Goody and NItocris looked in agreement while Anet was clinging to my shadow ready to cut people's heads off as the glint in her eyes are an indication if they came close to endangering her king. With everything all ready to go, we went to sleep to get ready for the adventure to begin in the morning.
Morning came in a flash and all of us got ready after eating our breakfast. After gathering our things, I put the RV and the surrounding tarps inside the Shadow World. Both Wednesday and Enid followed me along to the Cairo Museum of Antiquities to find Evelyn to start.
As we approached the library, a loud bang was heard and we saw Dr. Bey running to the noise.
Once we got to the library, we heard Dr. Bey shouted, "Sons of the Pharaohs!! Give me frogs! Flies! Locusts! Anything but you!"
It appeared Evelyn made quite a mess knocking down every bookshelf in the library.
Evelyn tried to explain why Dr. Bey put up with her but he stopped her and countered, "I don't care how long it takes. Straighten up this meshiver!"
With that statement done, Dr. Bey left in a huff as the anger in his face was still visible. We finally approached Evelyn and greeted her, "Morning Evelyn. It seems like you're having an interesting morning so far."
Evelyn scrunched her face and complained, "Oh! Don't give me that sarcasm, Y/N. You know, Dr. Bey is very critical of me despite my qualifications in hieroglyphics and hieratics. I don't know where I'll find an expedition for hands-on experience in the field."
Wednesday heard something from the other room filled with Egyptian relics and told Evelyn. She also heard the noise and asked them to come over to check the noise with her.
Evelyn called out, "Abdul? Mohamed? Bob?"
She walked around more before slowly settling in on an open casket. Evelyn slowly peered in before she jumped in fright as a mummified corpse burst out in front of her. Before she could get her bearings, she heard laughter coming in from the casket. It turned out to be her brother Jonathan.
Evelyn scolded her brother Jonathan, "Have you no respect for the dead?"
Jonathan replied drunkenly, "Of course I do. But sometimes I think I'd rather join them."
He smiled proudly as he had his arm across the mummified remains like an old friend in a bar.
Evelyn started to panic as she remembered she still needed to clean up the library and reprimanded Jonathan, "Well, I wish you would do it before you ruin my career the way you've ruined yours."
She slapped Jonathan lightly for him to get up and get off the casket.
Jonathan drunkenly swayed and got off the casket before sitting on the ground as he lectured Evelyn, "My dear, sweet baby sister. I'll have you know that, at this precise moment, my career is on a high note."
Evelyn disregarded and sarcastically replied, "High note, ha! Jonathan, please, I'm not really in the mood for you. I've just made a bit of a mess in the library. And the Bembridge scholars have rejected my application form again. They say I don't have experience in the field. I just told Y/N, Wednesday, and Enid since they came to visit again."
After all this time, me and the girls were just enjoying the show beforehand as they saw the movie during my trip. So watching this in real time was a treat to behold. Jonathan finally noticed us despite his drunkenness impairing his vision.
Jonathan drunkenly greeted, "Hey Y/N. Hey girls. I'm a little tipsy but I'm all right. Thanks for keeping Evy company though."
I just smiled and said, "No problem."
Jonathan turned back to her sister Evy as he squatted in front of her and held her hands and said, "You'll always have me, old mum."
They locked eyes before smiling as the siblings knew how to stick together. Jonathan remembered something and told her sister, "Besides, I have just the thing to cheer you up."
Evelyn smiled and complained, "Oh, no, Jonathan, not another worthless trinket. If I have to take one more useless junk to the curator to try and—-sell for you."
She stopped in her tracks and stared at the strange looking object Jonathan presented in front of her.
She asked while inspecting the strange object, "Where did you get this?"
Jonathan was a little nervous and lied, "On a dig down in Thebes. My whole life, I've never found anything, Evy. Please tell me I've found something."
As Evelyn was fiddling away with the strange object, she accidentally pressed a button and opened the object revealing a folded parchment along with the opened object that resembled the sun.
Evelyn slowly held the folded parchment and opened it while reaffirming her brother, "Jonathan, I think you've found something."
There it revealed a map. Wednesday came closer and looked at the map with Evelyn. They kept discussing before finally settling on this map as a map to Hamunaptra, the city of the dead where the riches of the Old World was buried.
I approached closer and said, "It seems like we have an adventure in our hands and the destination is Hamunaptra. I'm pretty sure we can bring back some gold whether the riches of the pharaohs are buried there or not. Historical artifacts can be unearthed there."
Jonathan's expression beamed when he heard me say gold while Evelyn immediately wanted to further authenticate the map to Dr. Bey for a more experienced opinion. Wednesday and Enid were just excited to finally get their adventure started.
Evelyn hurried to Dr. Bey for the recent discovery. Dr. Bey was about to shout at Evelyn before she presented the map to him. He looked shocked but he quickly hid his expression into an uncertain expression as this would lead them to the location of their sacred protection. He began thinking of ways to quickly destroy the map and noticed the candles that were lit on his desk. Me and the girls finally made it to Dr. Bey's office as Evelyn pulled Jonathan along with her in haste.
Evelyn excitedly explained to Dr. Bey, "You see, the cartouche there? It's the official seal of Seti the First, I'm sure of it."
Dr. Bey was not impressed while Jonathan asked, "Who is Seti the First? And was he rich?"
Evelyn answered her brother excitedly, "He was the second pharaoh of the 19th dynasty, said to be the wealthiest pharaoh of them all."
Enid chimed in, "So much gold to excavate when we get there~! Wooo! I wanna have a crown and bracelets and necklaces filled with gold."
Wednesday also added, "I'm interested in the Book of the Dead, actually. I would like to read the ancient incantations within it."
I walked towards Dr. Bey and took hold of the map of Hamunaptra before he could damage it with the candle fire. Dr. Bey had a constipated look before he gave a helpless expression as he knew he couldn't get the map back. He would have to contact the Medjay tribes to impede me and the girls as well as Evelyn and Jonathan on the way to Hamunaptra.
Evelyn was a little peeved as she saw me pull the map out of Dr. Bey's hand but I reassured her that the map was getting close to the candle and I couldn't risk the map becoming damaged. She calmed down before taking the map and her brother Jonathan out of Dr. Bey's office. Me and the girls followed right after leaving Dr. Bey in a bad mood.
Evelyn asked Jonathan, "Where did you really get this strange trinket?"
Under Evelyn's serious eyes, Jonathan relented and said, "Okay. Okay. I might have gotten it off someone at the bar. But last I heard of him, he got sent to prison. We may need to get him out of there. He could be a good guide to Hamunaptra."
Evelyn looked towards me and asked, "Would you please wait for me to change so we can head to the prison together?"
I nodded in agreement while Evelyn changed to a more outdoor outfit along with a hat to prevent her from sunburns. With her all ready to go, we all went straight to the prison to look for our mysterious friend.
As we approached the gates to the prison, we were stopped by a guard before one guard whispered in his ear to let them pass. They recognized Evelyn and Jonathan as they were pretty famous siblings here in Cairo.
Enid smiled at the guards and said to me and Wednesday, "Well that was easy. Looks like we don't have to do anything extra."
Wednesday nodded as did I, "Indeed. Future troubles can be avoided just by following the destined protagonists. Perhaps we can do this in every world."
I only shook my head and replied, "I would not recommend that sort of thinking. I don't believe every world will be exactly the same in the movies. Every decision they make is real so the possibilities are endless. We were lucky this world followed through with the plot of the movie despite our presence influencing them."
Wednesday thought for a moment before agreeing with my statement, "You may be correct, Mon Cheri. We should be more cautious with each world as there could be dangers we may not be prepared to deal with if we are not careful. I apologize for being frank as our journey has been smooth since we started."
I reassured Wednesday, "It is quite alright, Mi Cuervo. Your journey has only just begun and more will follow as we travel to different worlds. Let's enjoy our time here and acclimate with the plot of the story as we will not have this sort of luxury every time."
Wednesday held my arm in relief while Enid did the same for my other arm. We all followed Evelyn and Jonathan as they inquired about the man they needed to find. It took ten minutes before the warden of the prison personally received and informed us that they had found our mystery man.
The warden called, "Come, come! Step over the threshold. Welcome to Cairo Prison. My humble home! We found your man but if you'd like to know what he is in for. I can only say that he was looking for a good time."
The door busted open suddenly dragging a haggard man to his knees to the bars of the prison. Evelyn was shocked at the display but her curiosity on the knowledge of traversing Hamunaptra gave her the courage to get closer.
Evelyn perplexedly asked Jonathan, "T-This was the man you stole it from?"
Jonathan replied shakily, "Yes, exactly? So why don't we sniff out a spot of tiffin.."
The haggard man perked up and asked, "Who are you? And who's the broad?"
Evelyn, clearly offended, questioned back while raising an eyebrow, "Broad?"
Jonathan nervously stepped up and replied, "I'm just the local sort of missionary chap, spreading good word, but this is my sister, Evy."
Evelyn just nodded at the haggard man while he replied, "Well at she's not a total loss."
Evelyn opened her mouth in protest as they kept bickering back and forth with the man. Wednesday was amused at the sight while Enid was laughing at the future couple's first "fight."
While that was happening, I came over to the warden and asked the price for the haggard man's release. The warden thought about it before saying one thousand pounds for the release of the prisoner.
I held out my hand, "Done. Pleasure doing business with you."
I opened my bag before I gave him the correct amount as well as extra to keep him in good contact should I need any more help in the future. The warden was enthusiastic and directly labelled my group as VIP customers.
He yelled in Arabic to release the prisoner and have him wait in the front when we left. As the warden was barking out orders, Evelyn was shocked at the haggard man's courage to kiss her so that he could escort her and her party to Hamunaptra, not knowing he was already free.
Evelyn shakily stood up and asked the warden, "Where are they taking him?"
The warden replied, "He is to be released and given his belongings. Your friend and his party already paid for his freedom. Please make sure that he does not cause trouble again lest he ends up in the same situation."
Evelyn was shocked at the warden's words before turning to me. I sensed Evelyn's gaze before my eyes locked with hers and gave her a thumbs-up. Jonathan was smiling like an idiot while Evelyn had her mouth open.
I kindly reminded her to close your mouth before a fly gets in there. Evelyn promptly closed her mouth shut but she closed it too fast and caused herself pain. She held her cheeks in pain before giving me a stink eye. I only stuck my tongue out to tease her.
I thought out loud making Wednesday and Enid chuckle, "I think I made her mad."
Wednesday and Enid were enjoying the banter between the two as the siblings became good friends with all of them due to studying and passing the time together with them.
We were invited by the warden for some afternoon tea before we left the prison. At the gates of the prison, we see the haggard man wearing a French Legionnaire uniform.
We approached the haggard man and held out my hand, "Hello, my name is Y/N. This is Wednesday and Enid. I believe you met the two siblings, Evelyn and Jonathan. And your name is—"
The haggard uniformed man shook my hand and replied, "It's Rick. Rick O'Connell. Thanks for saving my neck there. The lady already told me what you people wanted and I already agreed. I'll meet you by the Giza port in the morning tomorrow. I gotta get cleaned up and get ready for the journey ahead."
I nodded in agreement and said, "Alright Rick. We'll see you by the port around noon. The boats leading towards the Nile should depart around that time. Oh, here is some money to help with what you need for tomorrow."
Rick thanked me while nodding to everyone before his gaze lingered longer on Evelyn before leaving.
Evelyn walked towards me before asking, "Are you sure we can trust that man?"
I reassured Evelyn, "Trust me. He's reliable. From the look on his eyes tells me he's trustworthy. And I'm pretty sure you trust him just a little bit after that kiss. That's right. I saw that happen. What? Thought I wouldn't notice?"
I continued to tease Evelyn before she chased me in embarrassment. Wednesday, Enid, and Jonathan were just laughing in the back.
I was laughing out loud as well while Evelyn really wanted to beat me up for teasing her. We went about our day and slept in a hotel for a change as we will be heading to Hamunaptra tomorrow at noon.
The next day started a little later as me and the girls were sprawled on the bed as the floor was littered with discarded garments. Last night was an exciting night as Wednesday and Enid couldn't calm their excitement so I had to transfer that excitement into something else—something fun for all of us. I woke the two up and told them we got a couple of hours to get ready before meeting up with Evelyn and Jonathan.
After grabbing a quick breakfast, we got ready and got our outfits in place and checked out of the hotel. We made our way to the Giza port looking for Evelyn and Jonathan. We saw all sorts of people passing by—mostly the natives but I did see a group of Americans being led by a British Egyptologist.
I suspect that the little coward Benny already boarded the ship. I had the Shadow birds released beforehand to scout the area along with any suspicious Medjays in hiding. A few were already spotted as there were a couple of groups looking intently at the ship as if they were looking for someone.
I thought, "I suppose Dr. Bey already informed the local Medjays as well as the Medjays protecting Hamunaptra about Evelyn and Jonathan as well as myself and the girls. But there shouldn't be any trouble at all with all the preparations we had done the previous night."
I told Wednesday and Enid to stay close as it's pretty crowded near the ship. Both of the girls nodded in agreement and hooked their arms with mine as we made our way to the ship. It didn't take long for us to find Evelyn and Jonathan with their suitcases alongside them.
I waved to them, "Good afternoon, you two. Excited for today?"
Evelyn smiled, "I am. I cannot wait to study and learn more directly from what we will find at Hamunaptra. Though, I am worried if that man will really show up. I still don't know what you see in that man for you to trust him easily."
I just chuckled at Evelyn's answer as I saw Rick coming towards her from behind, "Don't worry I believe he's a trustworthy person. My gut tells me that."
Evelyn pouted as she answered back, "Oh! You and your mysterious way of thinking. I can never tell what goes in that mind of yours. Well, personally I think he's filthy, rude, a complete scoundrel. I don't like him one bit."
Rick answered behind Evelyn, startling her, "Anyone I know?"
Me and the girls were chuckling at her expression before I said, "Cat got your tongue, Evelyn?"
Evelyn was in total shock as the haggard man she saw before became a handsome man with a smile that lit her world. His clean and dashing appearance temporarily shut her brain before she could say anything else.
I said to Rick, "Seems like you got our little librarian tongue-tied, Rick. Be sure to take care of her and her brother. You don't need to worry too much about me and my girls. As their man, their safety is my responsibility."
Rick smirked and replied, "Alright then, Y/N. A man's duty is a sacred bond to those who you provide, protect, and prepare. From the looks of your two women, you've done a fine job. I leave it up to you then. Don't worry, I'll take care of the siblings."
Rick patted my shoulder before grabbing Evelyn's suitcase to the ship. Evelyn and Jonathan finally snapped out of their stupor before they boarded the ship, ignoring me and the girls. I turned to look at both Wednesday and Enid, only to see them chuckling at the scene of Evelyn becoming starstrucked.
I reminded the girls, "Be sure to have your guns ready for tonight. We'll be expecting company once the Medjays start their attack."
Both Wednesday and Enid nodded in agreement. They had their guns ready as well as several clips ready for reloads. The thrill of a gunfight is something they never experienced before. The closest they had in contact with any fighting was either in practice or fighting in bed.
With all preparations on hand, we boarded the ship heading towards our next destination. The suspecting men keeping an eye on us also boarded the ship under the guise of a local. Unfortunately to them, all their movements are under surveillance from the beginning.
We found our room and rested a bit before the two girls wandered around the ship to enjoy the scenery and catch up with Evelyn. In the meantime, I summoned Igris and Mathayus to protect Wednesday and Enid as well as send some Shadow Knights and Shadow Medjays to protect Evelyn and Jonathan. Our presence here in this world has already caused some butterfly effects, so I would like to be cautious in case of unpredictable moments.
I thought out loud, "Let's wait for night to arrive. Perhaps I'll play some poker with those Americans to relieve some of my boredom."
I sat down on my chair as I slowly drifted to sleep. It didn't take long for the two girls to come into the room after a few hours of playing around. They noticed me peacefully sleeping on the chair overlooking the Nile river. They slowly approached me as they didn't want to wake me up.
Only looking at my peaceful, sleeping face made them realise the amount of stress and pressure their presence brought me. They remembered before in their world that I was usually relaxed or sleeping most of the time on roofs or simply having fun with everyone or just being a foodie most of the time. After gently caressing my face, they vowed to protect their lover at all costs as well as strive to become stronger as quickly as possible.
Wednesday whispered as she gently stroked my hair, "Mi Amor, rest easy~"
Enid whispered as she gently poked my cheek, "Ditto~"
The girls only grabbed some snacks from the ship's employees and stayed in the room, taking care of me while I slept.
In the meanwhile, I dreamt I was looking at the red sky above me while fire was blazing all around. I couldn't talk at all as I made my way through this unfamiliar wasteland. I saw skeletons and demons lurking around minding their own business. It didn't take long for me to stumble upon a dark palace guarded by tall skeletons.
I strolled right in as the skeletons couldn't see nor sense my presence. I walked around the palace and saw female demons of various varieties. One was holding a novel reading them as if it was her entire world, one was smoking and angrily playing video games while the other was by the desk compiling files on her computer. Most of the female demons had white hair and red eyes.
I went up the stairs and saw a few more demon women as well as what appeared to be an angel taking notes. I finally arrived at the very top of the palace where I saw a female demon in a black and red suit sipping red wine with a calm demeanour.
I thought she would not react to my presence but after putting down her wine, she called out, "You finally came, my dear husband-to-be."
I was shocked to hear those words as I do not believe to have been engaged to anyone. The demon woman was enjoying my shocked face with a grin and remembered he could not speak in this way.
She only said, "I forgot you cannot speak in this way. No matter, everything you see before you is yours for the taking. I cannot wait to finally see you in person and feel your touch. I will be waiting for you. Find me soon~"
As she said those words, my vision went black and I slowly woke up from my slumber. Only noticing a slight red glow from the necklace that everything I dreamt was real.
I held my head in confusion and thought, "Who was that? And why did she call me her husband-to-be?"
A mysterious woman appeared in my dream and she wants me to find her. It's all so confusing but I'll focus on the task at hand coming soon. I raised my head and watched as the moon reflected on the Nile River as the ship headed closer to Hamunaptra.