The Black Flame Tattoo

Pedro who now somewhat understand the situation struggled to again survive his current predicament. He did not fully understand what, why, where, and how he was reincarnated but one thing he needs to do is survive first.

His right leg was also injured in this body but it was fortunate that he was near a source of water. After cleaning the wound and drinking some to replenish fluids he rested in the wall of the cave where the crystals are illuminating. It was somewhat warm and mysterious. But because of the memory he also knows what it was.

'Energy Crystals'. One of the precious things this new world he was reincarnated to. It seems that he was not in earth but another parallel universe like earth. He was not yet certain of everything, so he needs to confirm it.

Sekani was the name of this 16 year old boy who was an aspiring warrior and soldier, but harsh reality led him to this place. His father a soldier, and his mother a scribe in the palace was his pride. In this era women have lesser standing in the society, and even discriminated but because of his mothers talents; she became a scribe, her adversaries never liked her mother ever since and gave problems to them. Fortunately his father was a respectable soldier and became a deterrent for those who are plotting.

Base on Sekani's memory he was reincarnated into an ancient egyptian era but still need to confirm it. The war between north and south Egypt claimed his father's life, and soon after it became the queue for the jealous rivals of his mother. They plotted the eviction of her mother in the palace and even assassinated the both of them. Sekani was then an aspiring soldier and dream to follow his father's footsteps but it was cut short. Her mother died, and he barely escaped the pursuers and ended with him falling in this abyss, that seemed to have no exit.

"Why am I crying?" Pedro blurted while his tears fall, as he remembered Sekani's struggles in life. He was in the same position in his past life where the world seemed to hate him. It was the harsh reality where ever you go, what era it was and even in this parallel world. He thought.

He limped his way to find an exit but he was not sure. Lost in the cave complex and just followed the flowing water. He seemed to be quite down but fortunately, his body was regenerating rapidly because of the unknown force they call 'Soul Energy'. In Sekani's memory, it was status, a symbol of power that dominates the land. A strong soul energy equates to authority in this world.

"Shit, a dead end." He blurted as he saw there was no more path, but he was curious of something and looked around. As an archeologist, he was an expert of water formations and cave structures so he did not give up.

He looked at the surrounding and checked the wall. "This cave should not be able to produce water base on this hard and compact indications of the wall." He blurted and continued to survey the area then he discovered something that indicates that there is something beyond the deep water. It was clear water, but the dark cave gave the water mystery.

He rested and ate the mushrooms growing near the water, it was safe from Sekani's memory, so he was not worried. After two or three days, he then prepared himself and stripped his clothes then tied it securely in his body.

He jumped into the body of water not to swim but to investigate something. Holding the glowing energy crystal he swam the water and mapped the complex places by putting the crystals under as an indication that he is finished on that path and also a way for him to know the path. It was a tiring endeavour but it paid greatly.

He discovered some openings, and he was hopeful to see the exit of the underground water complex.

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Capital City Dehkhem (North Kingdom of Egypt)

"Ziyad, you have a job well done. Haha" The temple priest Chisisi who was around 50 year old man was in a small room with other priest. They wore a 'Shenti', a linen white skirt which is worn by all men in Egypt from slaves to pharaohs. It came on all styles and lengths, but most workers and slaves wore theirs short to not impede on work.

The priest however, wore in their upper area; a tunic, an animal pelt or just naked with large necklace called 'Usekh or Wesekh'(A bead necklace or sometimes gold and other precious materials). To symbolize power and authority or wealth. Strangely some of them are bald but others wore headdresses to cover their bald head.

"Chisisi, as long as the supply continued, I will certainly not fail our group." Ziyad who was the leader of the mission smiled boastly and proud of his work.

They are the ones that plotted the demise of Sekani's mother and himself. The priests were an important part of Egyptian culture and most of them are serious with their devotion. But as always, there will always be some people that will abuse their authority and succumb to corruption.

"We can finally initiate the plan and take that families' wealth, also make sure to reward the men involved." Another priest who was still young around 30 years old said with confident voice and most of them listened as it was the pharaoh himself that spoke, some even bowed slightly at the command.

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Going back to the cave complex, Pedro did not yet found something, but he never stopped to map the area; using his clothes and the coal stones inside the cave, he's constantly making simple indications to map the place. His injury now completely healed but left a scar, fortunately it did not affect his bones and seemed to have no further complications in the future.

Using the meditation soldiers use to enhance his soul energy, he made sure to regularly harness his body, ate the mushrooms and simetimes hunt fishes in the water. He did not know when will be the next time he might encounter a problem, and being prepared is the perfect counter for it.

For a month, he finally found progress. He encountered something extraordinary; and it was Hieroglyphs, some indications of man made murals and even some trail of some kind of tomb. It was the perfect indication of human intervention and possible entrance; he just needs to find the tomb and there might be something to help him find an exit.

Pedro kept looking everywhere and he did not miss a single wall of murals and hieroglyhs, "Betrayed and forgotten, I will travel in time to spread the greatness of Egypt." Pedro read the hieroglyphs that was written on the wall and pondered, most of the murals depicted and told the important persons' life, or an event, and maybe instructions of an event, but never something that is planned to do or will do in the future.

He finally found a tomb, and it was laid in a simple cave opening littered with glowing energy crystals. His heartbeat was gradually increasing as he entered, there are precious stones and pots all around. The walls are all painted with hieroglyphs and murals, even the ceiling. He was excited but it was a different tomb from what the other murals depicted.

"Amazing." The thrill that he felt during his younger years somewhat returned. As he was observing and reading the hieroglyphs he concluded that it was not of a pharaoh. He was a jeweler. The story of his life was full of up's and down's but just like her mother, he was betrayed and forgotten in time. He was lucky to survive and somehow re-establish his wealth till he died in natural causes and was buried by his family here.

"Mhh his family just buried this man with his most priced possession, but they did not know what was its use. And even did not know why the person requested to be buried here." Pedro thought to himself and read more, and discovered that the object this man treasured the most was also the thing that allegedly saved his life but his family did not know what is the use of the object and buried the object with him.

Pedro then opened his tomb, the lid was very heavy but using the soul energy it was opened somehow. The mummy laid inside holding the crystal that was crude and unpolished, it was very beautiful to look at and it seems to release some kind of energy.

Pedro without hesitation grabbed the crude crystal that was black and seems mysterious. "This feeling is just like the energy crystals." Pedro thought but the color definitely was different. Searching Sekani's memory he did not find anything like it but while inspecting the crystal and pondering; he noticed something in the corner of his eyes.

"A tattoo?" Pedro was confused, tattoos were present even on the ancient times but most Egyptians only do it in women. There are some evidence of men having tattoos and even Nubian warriors did it also but it was not that spread among men. "Maybe this man like it as passion." As an archeologist he imagined and was open to the thought.

The tattoo was spread into parts of his neck, and seems to start further in the body but the cloth was covering it. He slowly undressed the mummy, and exposed the tattoo. It was like a fire that spread from his chest and most specifically the heart area and into the neck. It came from a capsule like symbol that has hieroglyphs on it. Inside an inch long capsule shape tattoo was the hieroglyph.

"Dark Flame." As Pedro read the hieroglyphs he did not notice the black crystal suddenly glowed. He only noticed when the tattoo of the person also glowed and resonated with the crystal. The tattoo retracted into the capsule shaped tattoo in the chest and suddenly vanished as the beam of light penetrated his heart. He was startled and stumbled with his ass on the ground as he still was holding the glowing crystal.

"What happened?" When he checked his chest the capsule tattoo was already there and a small black flame tattoo that seemed to emerged from from the capsule like a small plant that is emerging from the ground. Pedro frantically scratched the tattoo but it did not come off.

The crystal glowed more, and he was forced to throw it but the crystal floated in the air and got back in front of him. He stared at the crystal, and looked around the area but there is no one. He hoped that there is someone making a prank on him because he knows magic is not uncommon of the world but there was no one. The crystal got closer to him, but he was still startled of what happened that he did not know what to do.

Spooked and worried, he tried to get out of the area and swam into another opening but the crystal still followed. He has no choice but to grab the crystal and investigate it close. It was at that moment that the crystal gave him some kind of energy and it made the black fire tattoo in his chest grew around an inch.

"Something is.." He felt something from the crystal, and somewhat understood it. Then he meditated in a spot and can feel the energy spread in his whole body, he felt like the crystal communicated to him. An understanding was formed, and he knew at that moment that the crystal needed him to grow and in return the crystal will protect him somehow by enhancing his body.