Uncertainty

Location: Unknown

Date: Unknown

As his body rematerialises in the new location, Atem finds himself in a fog filled setting that he is familiar with.

"Ah! You came to visit me, how sweet!" exclaims the voice of a woman as Atem is tackled to the ground with a hug.

"Mother." greets Atem with a muffled voice and a stiff nod from being squished between Pandora's breasts.

"Awww, I love it when you call me that. Say it again." answers Pandora with a grin.

"Perhaps I would if you weren't suffocating me." responds Atem with a flat tone, causing Pandora to let go of him.

"Oops." she says softly with a blush on her face. "I kind of get carried away sometimes."

"Yes, I can tell" says Atem as he picks himself up before giving her a smile. "It is good to see you all things considered."

"It's good to see you too, son." replies the goddess as she sits on the floor and pats the area next to her. "Come, sit next to your mother and tell me what you have been up to." she says.

With a nod of his head Atem sits next to Pandora and a comfortable silence falls between the two.

After a few minutes of silence Atem finally speaks, "I have been preparing the people of Cayes-Jacmel for the coming war, and despite the confidence of the people and my own mentor I am filled with doubts."

"What is it that you doubt? Yourself? Your people? Your preparations? Your right to rule? What is it that troubles you?" asks Pandora.

"I do not doubt my right to rule; for despite what the leaders of the ruling countries will have the people believe, we are no more civilised now then we were during the days of Ancient Egypt. Like in ancient times 'might makes right', what one does with that 'right'depends on who possesses it. That is a lesson I had to learn since I could comprehend my situation." says Atem.

"That is certainly a bleak view of the world and civilization as a whole." comments Pandora.

"It's not bleak. It's simply what it is, one simply needs to look at the current state of the world to understand this. England, France, and Spain possess the most military power currently and as such are free to do as they please until someone with sufficient power comes along and tells them no."

"Similar to how the United States told England no?" asks Pandora.

"Please mother, the United States is not much better." scoffs Atem. "They make claims that '...all men are created equal' yet slavery is the driving force of the southern half of their nation. The United States told England 'no' because it was no longer convenient for them to let England do as they please, and because they had the power to enforce that 'no' it will go down in history, at the very least in their history, that England was wrong and that they were right."

"I see, and how is that different from what you are doing?" she asks.

Turning to look at Pandora, Atem raises an eyebrow in question.

"I want to play devil's advocate, humour me." she says.

"Very well. For one, what is at stake is far more important than mere taxes. The fate of my people depends on the outcome of this coming war. Whether they live or die, enslaved again or freed, will be decided by the victor." explains Atem.

"And what do you plan to do with your enemies should you win?"

"I will pack them all into ships with enough provisions for a single trip and exile them from the island. I care not where they go as long as they are not in Hayti." answers Atem.

"Hayti…Hayti…Hayti… " whispers Pandora to herself as if considering the word. "'Land of high mountains'. A fitting for that island, and in a language that has roots in the indigenous Taíno language, French while also possessing influences from Spanish, English, Portuguese, Taino, and other West African languages; symbolising the impact that colonialism has had on your people. The only thing missing is the Egyptian influence from you." she says.

"In terms of Egyptian influence I plan on making our magic the standard magic of the island. Not only is it quite versatile, but it would also mesh well with the voodoo that many on the island practice. Besides, I am not trying to establish Egypt, I am building a new nation." says Atem.

"I see. It seems that you have everything planned out so I fail to see why you are having doubts. Is it your age?" she asks.

"No, it is not my age. I am simply having doubts about how to proceed with the war." clarifies Atem. "As we speak Toussaint Louverture's faction marches sountward to face Rigaud who marches northward to put down Louverture's revolt. With the bounded field I have erected around Cayes-Jacmel it will take the mundane world at least six months before they realise that the city has been cut off from the world. Six months where I can prepare my forces for the inevitable. Unfortunately however I miscalculated. When I invoked Ma'at the people and the land were blessed with a magical spark that gave them the potential for magic if they lacked it or increased their potential if they already possessed it." he explains.

"I see. With that potential for magic it took much less time for your preparations to be complete." says Pandora with a nod.

"Yes. At the rate that we are progressing it will only take two months before we are finished and any more increases in the production of food, ships, weapons, etc… will result in a surplus that would prove more detrimental than beneficial."

"And you fear that attacking earlier than planned would result in more deaths than necessary." says Pandora as if reading his thoughts.

"Yes." confirms Atem.

"If that's the case then the answer is simple. All you need to do is take an active role in the war, not as the King of a budding nation but as a Campione, a being that is neither human nor god." suggests the goddess.

"That will place Hayti under the scrutiny of the entire magical community while also inviting challengers who will bring nothing but chaos with them. Not only that but it may cause others to no longer care about keeping magic a secret." refutes Atem.

"So?" asks Pandora, causing Atem to look at her with wide questioning eyes. "Are you not, my son, a Campione? A being neither human nor god? Why are you adhering to unwritten rules created by beings lesser than you? Why should you care if magic is no longer a secret to the mundane world? Yes such a situation will have repercussions, but so will keeping your status as a Campione a secret. The question then becomes, what do you care for the most, the status quo of the world or the lives of the very same people who have sworn themselves to you?" questions Pandora, silencing Atem.

After a few minutes of contemplation Atem turns to his adoptive mother, "Allowing the existence of the supernatural world to become known will not only increase the instances of Heretic Gods descending, but will also empower the more famous ones. The world may very well become similar to that of ancient times." he comments.

"Are you not a Campione my son? Did you not slay Baphomet of all gods at the mere age of eight?" she asks with a smirk.

"I am able to invoke Ma'at, it made me a poor match for him." replies Atem with a shake of his head.

"Please, with your reality marble you are a poor match for most Heretic Gods." scoffs Pandora. "I must say, for one raised by Aknadin of all people you are quite modest. I had expected you to be as arrogant as Gilgamesh before his journey by now." she says.

"It is inevitable, for no matter how much I grow and change a part of me will always be that young boy who was raised in slavery." answers Atem.

"Perhaps that is for the best, for while I see the growing arrogance within you it is clearly being tempered by that young boy. Instead of being similar to Gilgamesh before his journey you resemble him after his journey. Although I do have to admit that you also remind me of Ramasses II quite a bit, especially with your growing hair." compliments Pandora as she caresses Atem's hair, causing the young boy to flush at being compared to one of his role models.

"Thank you mother." says Atem.

"Anything for my youngest child." answers Pandora as she pulls him into a hug.

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London, England

The Clock Tower

November 6, 1798

"Please repeat yourself." says the voice of Leilani Barthomeloi in a deceptively calm manner as she looks at the enforcer standing in front of her.

"The children managed to escape to Saint-Domingue to join the new Campione." reports the man. "It seems that the artifacts that we have been hunting down belong to the Pharaohs of Egypt and that the new Campione is a descendant of that bloodline."

"Yes, I have gathered as much." says Leilani Barthomeloi. "Now because of your incompetence not only have we lost the chance to acquire the two artifacts that the House of Life possessed, but the new Campione is now aware that we own one and are seeking more. Just that alone has ruined every plan I had to take care of him."

"I apologise and will accept any punishment that you deem fit." says the man with a bow.

"Punishing you wouldn't accomplish anything." she answers with a wave of her hand. "I have a new task for you instead."

"Anything my lady."

"Currently Napoleon has sent some of his forces to put down the revolt led by that slave. No doubt the new godslayer will use the chaos to conquer the island and rid himself of all threats to his budding nation. Your assignment is to infiltrate the nation, gather those who do no like the Campione under one banner and slowly destabilize the nation from within." instructs Leilani.

"What are the limits?" asks the enforcer.

"Do not get caught and make sure that he doesn't suspect us."

"Yes my Lady." bows the man before turning and leaving.

Watching the man leave Leilani can't help but internally sigh in annoyance. This single blunder by her personal forces has ruined all of her plans for Samael. With the boy's young age and lack of experience it would have been a simple matter to groom him to become the perfect 'ally' for her. He would think that he is in fact independent from her when in fact he would have just been another tool for her to use. A powerful godslayer at her beck and call to destroy anything that she points him to. Just the thought of it excites her.

Unfortunately due to the incompetence by her family's personal enforcers such a plan will never come to pass. With him knowing of her hand in destroying the House of Life he would never look to her as a possible ally, and Leilani is not naive enough to believe that she can convince him that it was a misunderstanding. No, by now the boy has probably placed her within the 'be careful of' category and having him remove her from such would require her to lower herself to please him, an action she will never be willing to take.

At the end of the day it looks like she will have to kill him in order to receive all of the artifacts; because from what she can perceive he wouldn't be willing to part with them nor would he be willing to become her weapon. If he had been willing to become her weapon she would not have cared about the artifacts, but since she cannot have him and he is not willing to hand over the artifacts then she will have to get rid of him all together.

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AN: Sorry for the late chapter guys, I was sick enough that writing wasn't possible. As usual, tell me what you think and don't be afraid to tell me your theories and speculations. Also, the first four chapters of my Fate Grand Order fic are published. You can find them on FF.net, Webnovel, and Questionable Questing. It's called Chaldeas | [FGO Waifu Catalogue Isekai], give it a read.

Per usual the next chapter is on my pat re on, pat re on .com / servant ambrosius (without the spaces).