I'll Protect You

The day of the festival drew closer. Concealed statues were erected in all corners of Egypt. To be revealed during the festival. Some of these statues may be grotesque, others may be about an exploit of a god during the last year.

As the Festival draws near, the school of thought and knowledge were usually empty.

Architects were playing their parts as well. Zahra ensured her father's works weren't scathed before the biggest event of the year.

She instructed a few workers, seeming inaudibly from the distance Khal watched from.

The workers had turned to leave, "Hello babe," Khal whispered in her ears.

As if expecting him, he enveloped him in her bosom. A warm kiss to sooth. Swapping spit like the hottest kid in prom night with a cheerleader.

After groping and blooming hormones had settled. They paused and giggled. His hands still cupped her face, "I've been looking for you."

"Really? But you always know where to find me," She smiled.

"I do." He exhaled downwards and raised his head, "I'll protect you. No matter what. I'll be there for you," he said, with seriousness in his eyes.

Zahra blushed, then playfully removed his hands from her body, "is that so? How many girls have you told that today?" She started to move away from him.

"Come on. I'm no flirt," he followed Zahra to behind a pillar.

"I know it's … its just that I'm scared. I'm a mortal servant and you are a demigod." She sighed and Khal was silent, "What if they don't let us be together? What if they choose some goddess for you? Like Ta–"

"Hey," Khaldun hushed her lips with a finger. "Do I look like I care what those guys want for me? What matters is what I want. And who I want is you."

Zahra blushed again, "You know when you say 'who' instead of the person's name, you take away 90% of the romance in it,"

Khaldun pulled her close, "I want you, Zahra."

"I love you too," The horny demigod wanted another PDA. But she hushed his lips.

"Remember how we first met?" Zahra asked in between his arms.

"Of course, fresh in my head like an early morning sunflower." He immediately remembered something.

Zahra looked at him, "You've gotta go, don't you?" He nodded slowly.

"I understand. Because I got work to do," she playfully hit his chest, "Fly boy," they laughed as one flew away.

************

The primordial gods discussed about the recent happenings across the North and the faring of other gods in the West, East and South.

They were Osiris and Set. The goddesses Isis and Nephthys. Shu, Tefnut. The physical manifestations of Geb and Nut and Horus, the youngest primordial god.

"Hail Ra!" All present echoed.

"There have been reports about Ptah's men being too harsh on the mortals." Isis started.

"Then why isn't he here? This must certainly concern him," Osiris was clearly unhappy about the news.

"He's busy with preparations for the festival. And he's been informed about his men. Next Off, our friends from Nubia would be joining us as usual," Isis looked at Nephthys, signalling her to continue.

Nephthys took host with confidence, for she knew the news she was about to break would cause panic, "There have been reports of increasing Titans–"

"Do you mean in numbers or increase in Titan activity," Set interrupted her with a big scowl. Nephthys ignored her consort's grumpy face, "You would have found out earlier, if you'd just let me finish," She sneered at him. Set cocked an eyebrow.

"As I was saying," She continued, " There have been increase in Titan numbers and activity, "

"Activity. Nothing new. Numbers? That I cannot believe. There's some mistake," Horus said abruptly.

"I agree with Horus. There can't be increase in Titan numbers. We made sure they can't breed." Set stared at Osiris, eager to see his facial expression at the mention of Titan.

"He did. Not 'we'." Horus said sternly, as he corrected Set.

"Ah sure. That demigod son of yours took out their breeder. It's the reason he was granted ascension in the first place." Set irritatingly agreed again. He grinned.

Nephthys interrupted the growing tension between Set and Horus, "If you fill there's an error, you might want to take it up with the school of thought and Thoth's scholars. They never make mistake," Nephthys pointed outside with her free hand. The other had a staff in it.

She barely finished before Horus flew outside. "Did he just –" Shu was about to complain, but Osiris halted her with a palm.

"Let him be. We'll continue without him. Osiris will see An hur to discuss on how to deal with this increasing Titan issue after the festival." Geb spoke more calmly than any god in the room. They continued proceedings till eve.

**********

Khaldun went to the libraries. He was still disturbed by what he saw and wanted to disbelieve his sight. Sooner after he couldn't find what he was looking for. He frowned and sighed when he realized where they are.

Scrolls concerning Titans were off limits. Only Thoth and High Scholar gods and goddesses could access them. As if that was enough to stop him.

He eyed the room. Shiny golden doors and hieroglyphs on them. He knew it had to be there. Because of the festival there were few people in the library.

He crawled to the door, he tried to understand the texts on them. Apparently he wasn't smart enough to understand. But it wasn't just only him. After all only those who can access the room understand it.

Luckily for him, he had a plan B. He used an ability he hasn't told anyone he has. Not even his father or friends.

He watched around him to see if any was looking. None was. He closed his eyes and his body collapsed into sand. The sand moved under the door to the other side and rearranged back into Khaldun's whole body.

The shelves here were much but easier to identify. There was a rooster on a table that showed what each shelf contained. Thanks to this he easily located the Titan shelf.

He collected the first scroll he could grab and spread open on a nearby table.

After two hours of reading, the demigod was disappointed to find out that there was nothing that said anything about Titans altering their size or anything that sounded like it.

Frustration was clearly visible on his face. He knew it was time to leave. He glanced at the locked doors, at first they looked like they were about to be opened. A second glance, he realized they were actually being opened. Not curious enough to find out who, he collapsed his form into sand again. But the sand didn't move from that spot.

Sethos entered the room. A demigod being able to access this room was a miracle too good to be true. The scholars will never share a room with a demigod.

It was clear immediately that Sethos wasn't supposed to be there. The sands rose and reformed into Khaldun.

Before he could walk up to Sethos to surprise him, the other demigod turned around, giving Khal a small fright.

Their eyes clashed but none was bold enough to ask the other what he was doing there.

"Khaldun, is it?" Sethos finally said. "Yes and you're Sethos."

"That is correct. You know your name, Khaldun rings a bell." Sethos brought his fist to his lips as he pretended to try and remember.

"Son of Horus," Khaldun said dryly.

"Yes. You killed a Titan. A breeder. Seven years ago. Then you got ascension. Impressive I must say." Sethos praised and Khal nodded, yawning.

"You know I'm also a son of Set," Sethos expected a different reaction from Khal.

"Wait! Set has other sons?"

Sethos was shocked but he immediately smiled it off, "No. He doesn't."

"Okay. I better get going. See you around. Son of Set." Khaldun got to the door, then remembered he didn't enter the right way. He gave Sethos a look appealing to him to help him out.

Sethos did without asking questions. In order to avoid him being asked questions.

It was after Khaldun had left that Sethos started to wonder how he got in.

************

Khaldun left the library immediately. Half nervous and half puzzled both by Sethos and the Titans. Nothing made sense.

Deep in thoughts, he didn't realize when he walked into the mortals habitat.

The sound of a whip slashing the skin of a woman woke him from his conscious slumber. He thought of reducing his size to normal human since gods were taller and bigger than men. But the slashing continued. He knew the god doing this, one of Anhur's men.

He exhaled deeply trying to ignore the cry and plead of the woman and the people around her.

His memory skipped to the time before he was granted ascension. A similar event when a god whipped his friends unjustly. Perhaps this is different he thought. She must have done something, but whatever it is, he didn't think it would warrant this amount of torture.

He hardened his resolve and bounced towards the inhumane god. He raised the whip back high above his head, descending it with every ounce of gold flowing in his veins. The sharp iron tipped whip pierced the air filled with tear, blood and sweat to graze another part of flesh of the woman.

Khaldun caught the whip at the tip. The pleading stopped, everyone was silent, save for the woman still mumbling in pains.

"That's enough," Khaldun squeezed the whip's tip.

Before he knew it, he was dragged along with the whip. He let go as he staggered, and lifted his head back up was greeted with a weighty blow to his face sending him on his back.

Khaldun rubbed blood off his nose. He wasn't expecting this much aggression.

"I'm going to teach you a lesson. One that will stop from you from meddling in the affairs of a god, demigod,"

Khal rose from his back, rose to his feet slowly, "You know, I have a name and I'll tell you when I'm done breaking your back," Khal clenched his fist and took a stance, showing the god in front of him that he's not afraid to get dirty.