by Dan Hunter
Together they both sprinted away from the palace with Ebe racing ahead. Akori didn’t look back once. There would be time for a rematch with Oba soon enough, he knew. Besides, Manu had spoken the truth. As Pharaoh, he had responsibilities. This wasn’t about his personal grudges, it was about the safety of the whole kingdom.
The three of them leaped aboard Aken’s boat. As Manu was climbing in, Akori laid a hand on his shoulder.
“Sorry,” he said. “I lost my temper back there.”
“I noticed,” Manu said, pursing his lips.
Akori shook his head. “It’s the Stone. It made me feel so strong! I felt I could take Oba on right there… I could tear the whole palace down around him.”
“Here’s something to think about, Akori,” Manu said. “So far you’ve got the Stones for courage, speed and strength. But which ones haven’t you got?”
Akori’s cheeks prickled with embarrassment. “Honour. And…”
Manu raised an eyebrow. “Yes?”
“Intelligence,” Akori admitted. “I’m lacking honour and intelligence.”
Manu looked at him levelly. “You said it, My Pharaoh.” Then they both started to laugh.
Manu was right, Akori knew. There was a balance to the Pharaoh Stones, and he couldn’t win with brute strength, speed or courage alone. He would need all the Stones to free Osiris. There were other battles still to come.
Akori, Manu and Ebe lay together in the darkness listening to the whoosh and gurgle of the water. Aken’s barge was passing through the river and back to the upper world, to the Egypt they knew.
Akori peered over the edge of the boat. “Sunlight!” he exclaimed joyfully. “It’s dawn. We made it back!”
“Every time we go down to the Underworld, I wonder if I’ll ever see sunlight again,” Manu said, stretching. Ebe arched her back and stretched too, the sun bright on her fur. All three of them felt relief that was sweeter than the finest grapes.
Akori lowered himself onto the deck and stood looking out over the Nile. Farmers’ fields stretched out to either side in a brown and green patchwork. Home again, safe and sound, he thought.
“It’s like the nightmare is over,” Manu said. “Ra’s in his heaven, and all is well on the earth below.”
Suddenly, something broke the surface near the boat, snapped bony jaws and dived down again. Akori felt a chill of horror. “Did you see that?”
“What?” Manu was still smiling and admiring the view.
“There!” Akori pointed. The thing was rising again. This time, they all saw it. The skeletal remains of a mummified crocodile, swimming alongside them, water streaming out of its empty bone eye sockets every time its head broke the surface. Two more rose to join it, as if they were hatching out from the mud and filth below.
“The nightmare is far from over,” Akori said, feeling shaken. “Oba’s forces are still breaking through.”
“They must be following Aken’s barge,” Manu said. “These things have swum all the way from the Underworld. The spells to keep them down there must have failed.”
“I’m going to have to send messengers out. The fishermen need to be warned.”
“You can kill an ordinary crocodile with a harpoon,” Manu agreed. “But one of those things?”
“Let’s get back to the palace!” Akori said. “The moment the barge gets close to the riverbank, jump – and don’t let those crocodile mummies touch you!”
They hastily made their way back. It gave Akori an uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach to see his own palace looming up ahead. He couldn’t stop thinking of Oba’s sinister copy of it down in the Underworld, with its hideous statues, iron-spiked battlements and rooms full of horror.
Once they were inside, Manu turned to him. “We need to tell the High Priest about everything that’s happened. Come on.”
“I’ll be there in a minute,” Akori said.
“Okay,” Manu said. “Come and join us when you’re ready.”
Akori slipped away to the throne room. There was nobody else there. The throne stood empty, waiting for him and him alone.
Less than three hours ago, he had stood in the Underworld version of this room, with Oba gloating at him and Babi ready to attack. He couldn’t remember ever having come so close to defeat. If Manu hadn’t solved the riddle of the scroll, if Ebe hadn’t been so courageous and fierce, or if his own strength had failed, they would be in the Underworld still.
He looked down at the three Stones gleaming in his armour and gripped the hilt of his khopesh.
“I am more than halfway through my quest,” he said to himself. Then he raised his voice aloud: “Hear me, all you Gods! I shall not rest until Osiris is released and Oba and Set are defeated. In the name of Egypt and my people, I swear it!”
Beside the lake of fire, a baboon stood on a rock, chittering and waving its arms. Oba waited with his arms folded. The baboon was only seconds away from being kicked into the lake and both of them knew it.
“I do not care how much pain he is in,” Oba said. “Go and tell him this. If he does not present himself to me within the next sixty seconds, he will be in a lot more pain!”
The baboon cringed and scampered off. Fifty-five seconds later the creature reappeared at the head of a group of other baboons. They were carrying Babi, who looked up at Oba with a face filled with guilt and fear. The baboons dumped him on the lake shore and quickly ran back, huddling together. Babi lay on his back, still not able to walk.
“Well, if it isn’t the most fearsome and bloodthirsty of all the Dark Gods,” Oba jeered. “What happened to you?”
Babi made a whimpering noise in his throat. Thanks to Set’s magic, Oba could understand exactly what he was saying.
“From the tower? I see. And where is the Stone I gave you?”
Babi hesitated, then made a tiny squeaking sound like the dying gasp of a bat.
“What do you mean, you ‘lost it’?” Oba’s voice rose to a screech. “It…it wasn’t a sandal, or a toy, or a comb! It wasn’t something you just misplace! It was one of the Pharaoh Stones! Do you even know what that means, you fur-covered oaf?”
Babi covered his face with his hands.
Oba delivered kick after vicious kick to his sides, yelling all the while about how useless Babi was and how he would learn the price of failure.
A geyser of flame shot up from the lake, showering both Oba and Babi with burning droplets. Oba yelled in surprise and fell to his knees.
Set rose up from the lake, roaring in anger. “Another failure?” he bellowed. “Another Stone lost? Explain!”
“It was him!” Oba screeched, pointing at Babi. “The failure is his, not mine! I did everything right – I lured Akori into the trap – but Babi let us down!”
“Silence! Our enemy’s luck is about to run out,” Set growled. “I know exactly the God to enlist – a God so powerful and deadly he makes this fool look like the performing baboon he is! Once Akori comes face to face with him, our reign of darkness can begin.”
COLLECT EVERY QUEST
ATTACK OF THE SCORPION RIDERS
For his first quest, Akori must risk his life, fighting giant scorpions and a hideous Snake Goddess. Will he be victorious?
CURSE OF THE DEMON DOG
The dead are stalking the living and it’s up to Akori to stop them – but a scary dog-headed hunter is on his trail!
BATTLE OF THE CROCODILE KING
Akori must brave the Nile to battle two evil Gods – the terrifying Crocodile King, and the bloodthirsty Frog Goddess.?
LAIR OF THE WINGED MONSTER
Vicious vultures and deadly beasts lie in wait for Akori as he searches the desert for the Hidden Fortress of Fire.
SHADOW OF THE STORM LORD
Akori must fight Set, the dark Lord of Storms himself, and beat the evil Pharaoh Oba, in his deadliest battle yet.
FIGHT OF THE FALCON GOD
Young Pharaoh Akori ventures into the Underworld to battle the fearsome Falcon God. But can
he make it out alive?
RISE OF THE HORNED WARRIOR
Akori must escape from the Underworld labyrinth of bones and overcome the lightning-fast Lord of Thunder.
SCREAM OF THE BABOON KING
Akori journeys to Oba’s Underworld palace, where he confronts his nightmares in the form of the evil Baboon God.
CLASH OF THE DARK SERPENT
The Sun God has been captured by the gigantic serpent of the Underworld. Will Akori be able to defeat the awesome beast?
DESCENT OF THE SOUL DESTROYER
Akori faces the ultimate challenge when he reaches the heart of the Underworld and meets the monstrous Soul Devourer.
THERE’S A WHOLE WORLD OF GODS AND MONSTERS WAITING TO BE EXPLORED AT…
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