CH.14 Into the Lion's Den

Akhet, a man of great speed Controlling time, his power indeed With the chronotex, he can slow down the fight But will the nomad win with all his might? A helping hand, perhaps he needs.

Into the Lion's Den

As Jack made his way through the dry desert, the warm atmosphere enveloped him, and the barren land had nothing in sight except for endless sand. It was still a bit before sunrise, and the sky was a deep shade of blue. The stars twinkled brightly above him, and the moon shone down, casting a soft glow over the sand. The silence was only broken by the sound of his horse's hooves as they hit the ground, and the gentle rustling of the wind blowing through the desert plants. But as the sun started to rise, the orange-like ocean of sand mixed with the sky was an amazing sight to see. It was Jack's first time experiencing the beauty of the desert, and he couldn't help but be in awe of it.

As Jack approached the hideout of the bandits, the desert wind picked up, causing sand to fly around him. In the distance, a group of bandits with swords in their hands appeared at the entrance of Theban Necropolis. "Who are you? State your name," one of them demanded.

"I am Jack Sterling, and I am here to take back a friend of mine," he replied confidently.

"You may enter," the bandit said, stepping aside to allow Jack to pass.

As he walked in, tall mountains surrounded him, casting long shadows in the early morning light. The narrow and small path ahead of him led deep into the heart of the Necropolis, and the walls of the mountain were riddled with hundreds of open caves. The texture of the rock was rough and jagged, with sharp edges that seemed to have been carved out by hand.

As he walked further, the cool air within the caves was a welcome change from the scorching desert outside. The walls of the caves were cool to the touch, and the air was damp and musty. The sound of dripping water echoed through the caverns, giving the space an eerie feel.

Finally, at the top of the mountain, he saw them - Anubis and his two commanders. It was easy to recognize them by their presence and aura.

As Jack followed the black-clad man's command, his horse suddenly stopped and let out a scream, sensing the anger and rage emanating from Anubis's eyes. Jack dismounted from his horse and walked up the hill.

Standing atop the mountain, Jack's eyes took in the desolate and barren landscape before him. The sand stretched out endlessly, devoid of any vegetation, and the bones of long-dead animals were scattered about, bleached white by the unforgiving sun. Dried-up tree roots in the distance stood as a testament to a time when life once thrived in this harsh environment. The wind howled, carrying with it the sound of silence, a stark reminder of the emptiness that surrounded him. It was a haunting and desolate sight that made Jack wonder how anyone could call this place home. The texture of the sand was coarse and rough, and the sun beat down relentlessly on Jack, causing him to feel as though he was standing in an oven. The heat shimmered in waves off the sand, distorting the view of the horizon in the distance.

As Jack approached the Anubis's hideout, he was suddenly attacked by one of the commanders named Akhet, a man dressed in gold. Before Jack could speak a single word, Akhet shot an arrow of light at him, which pierced through his body, causing him to scream in pain and fall to his knees. Akhet quickly retreated, leaving Jack bleeding out on the ground.

Despite the pain and weakness, Jack mustered up the strength and courage to stand up and face Akhet. He grabbed the sword he took from the old man's house and charged at Akhet, determined to protect Ayman and his own life.

"You really think you can defeat me; you fool?" Akhet taunted. But Jack didn't back down. He swung the sword, and as it made contact with the air, a whooshing sound like "dhmm" could be heard. However, Akhet's movements were clean and calculated, and he easily dodged Jack's attacks while delivering powerful blows that sent Jack stumbling back.

Jack's lack of training and experience in combat was apparent, and he struggled to keep up with Akhet. The sound of their blades clashing echoed through the caverns as Jack desperately tried to land a hit on Akhet. But Akhet was too strong, too skilled, and too fast. He moved around the room so quickly that it was getting hard for Jack to even see him. Each time Jack tried to strike him, Akhet would slow down time, easily avoiding Jack's attacks and delivering punishing blows in return.

Despite Jack's best efforts to dodge and counterattack, he could barely land a hit on Akhet. His ability to manipulate time only added to his already formidable fighting skills, making him an almost unbeatable opponent. Each time Jack tried to strike him, a gush of air could be heard as Akhet moved out of the way, delivering a devastating blow in return.

The longer the fight went on, the more exhausted Jack became, both physically and mentally. His movements became slower and more laboured, while Akhet seemed to grow stronger with each passing moment. Despite his best efforts, Jack knew he was outmatched. As Jack struggled to get back up after Akhet's blow, he could feel the sharp pain pulsing through his entire body. His vision was blurry, and his head was spinning, making it hard to focus on anything. Akhet stood a few feet away, watching Jack with an emotionless expression. Suddenly, Akhet charged towards Jack with incredible speed, delivering a devastating punch to Jack's chest. Jack felt as if his entire world had come crashing down on him as he flew through the air, gasping for breath. The force of the blow was so great that it created a gush of wind that made a deafening sound like "dhmm," leaving Jack completely defenceless. He slammed into the distant rock with a loud thud, sending a cloud of dust into the air. Jack lay there, barely conscious, his entire body throbbing with pain. He knew that he had been defeated, and he could feel his consciousness slipping away

As Jack lay there, barely conscious, he knew that he had been defeated.

But before Jack was about to close his eyes, the old man's plan came to fruition, and he could hear the sound of approaching hooves. The man he went to meet had arrived