The Daughter of the River (Part 2)

"Since everything is already in disarray, perhaps a little meddling on my part wouldn't be considered destruction."

After a brief struggle, the inclination to witness the chaos prevailed.

Stealthily approaching the River of Time, Tyche intercepted a segment of time and grafted it onto the existing history. In a moment of bewilderment, the High Priest discovered a dusty clay tablet in a corner of the temple, inscribed with an unheard-of history.

The High Priest Imhotep was found guilty of adultery with the Pharaoh's concubine, Ansuana. Enraged, the Pharaoh subjected Imhotep to the cruel punishment of being devoured by scarabs and killed Ansuana before his eyes.

Imhotep was sealed within a coffin, hidden in the secret chamber of the Temple of the Sun God.

The current High Priest initially scorned Imhotep, disgusted that this predecessor had tarnished the name and honor of the High Priesthood. However, he was soon drawn to the sacred urn containing Imhotep's entrails; it was said that two powerful scrolls were buried with Imhotep, containing the secrets of the Egyptian gods and potent spells.

The aged High Priest's eyes gleamed with greed, his delicate skin, accustomed to luxury, scratched by his own nails until it bled.

'Find them! Find those two scrolls! Then I shall replace the foolish Pharaoh and become the new god of the earth!'

The blasphemy-induced terror and the insatiable desire for eternal life almost drove the High Priest mad. The only one who could oppose him in the realm of divine power, the Queen of Lower Egypt, Isis, had already set off to return to her homeland. The entanglement between Cleopatra and the young Pharaoh was unbearable for the queen, who cared deeply for her brother. Since she could not stop it, she chose to turn a blind eye.

The priests and guards were mobilized, nearly turning the Temple of Ra upside down. Pharaoh Menes continued his game of cat and mouse with Cleopatra, who had been abducted by three different factions within a month. Menes was preoccupied with rescuing his queen and had no time to inquire about the High Priest's actions.

Under the eagle-headed statue of the Sun God, the coffin in the secret chamber was unearthed. Five hundred years ago, Imhotep had endured the torment of being eaten alive by scarabs, all to reunite with his beloved Ansuana. Imhotep's soul was trapped in his skeletal remains, enduring eternal agony.

A golden scroll was taken from a hidden compartment beneath the feet of Ra. The High Priest trembled as he opened the dark golden pages; skipping over the numerous hymns and descriptions of the gods' authority and majesty in the Book of the Sun, he turned to the last page.

An unknown spell was inadvertently uttered by the High Priest, who was unaware of its gravity. The sound echoed throughout the temple, and all present felt an oppressive force.

A sense of threat emanated from the corpse in the coffin and from the heavens above. The peace on earth was about to be shattered, and a silent threat began to grow.

The possessed High Priest, unafraid, declared solemnly, "This is the holy place of the Sun God; evil cannot hide! Come, open it!"

'Primordial waters... Source of life... Rise!'

The spell echoing in the temple awakened the slumbering dead. The coffin's surface suddenly displayed changing text, warning, 'Those who open this coffin shall meet with a tragic death!'

The guards hesitated, fearing the curse.

The High Priest proclaimed loudly, "With the protection of Ra, evil cannot harm you! Obey my command and open the coffin!"

The guards braced themselves and stepped forward, only to see the text on the coffin twist into, 'The corpse of a sinner is confined within this coffin; only those blessed by the gods may leave unscathed.'

A black scroll fell from the sacred urn, landing at the High Priest's feet. The cold touch startled him, causing the Book of the Sun to fall from his hands, lying opposite the Scroll of the Dead.

A swarm of scarabs emerged from the opened coffin, and Imhotep, now a mummy, opened his eyes beneath the bandages.

Tyche was drifting on the Nile at that moment, enjoying the pleasant fragrance of lotus flowers in the water, a serene escape from worldly troubles.

Unlucky Cleopatra had fallen into the water for the umpteenth time, and a vortex swallowed the blonde girl. A time portal appeared from the vortex, sending the drowning Cleopatra back to 2500 years later.

"You're awake."

Cleopatra opened her eyes to see Tyche sitting sideways on the boat's edge, looking down at her.

"Hello," Cleopatra said groggily, "Did you save me? Thank you."

Tyche was somewhat speechless, "Princess Cleopatra, kindness is a precious quality, but boundless kindness only endangers yourself and those around you."

Looking at the girl's surprised face, Tyche hinted, "I don't understand you. You cry for slaves who are to be sacrificed, but what about the maids and soldiers who died because of you? You can turn a blind eye so easily; your kindness truly confuses me."

The on-again, off-again relationship between the blonde queen and the young Pharaoh was reminiscent of a soap opera. Whenever she clashed with the Pharaoh, innocent maids became the outlet for the tyrannical ruler's anger. After being named the Daughter of the Nile, Cleopatra was fought over by various factions. To reclaim his wife, Pharaoh Menes waged numerous wars, and the soldiers' blood was spilled in unknown corners.

Cleopatra, who had just returned to the modern era, paid no attention to Tyche's words and rushed out of the cabin to contact her family.

Born into a wealthy family, Cleopatra was drawn into the time tunnel by the curse of Isis. Her family funded archaeological expeditions that unearthed the Pharaoh's tomb, awakening Isis, who guarded it.

The queen cursed Cleopatra, sending her back to ancient Egypt 2500 years ago. To make matters worse for Tyche, the hapless Pharaoh was none other than Menes, who was madly in love with Cleopatra.

"I truly hope your so-called kindness stems from naivety and stupidity; otherwise, your kindness, which makes others pay the price, is nothing but maliciousness cloaked in a veneer of benevolence."

When Cleopatra looked back, Tyche on the boat's edge had already disappeared.

To put it euphemistically, it was archaeology; in reality, Cleopatra's actions were akin to robbery. Under the guise of protection, they looted, claiming these precious artifacts belonged to the world. They used tape to peel off murals and broke obelisks, robbing Egypt of its ancestors' wealth and bringing the artifacts back to their own museums, using various gimmicks to charge the public for tickets, just as their ancestors did in Dunhuang and the Old Summer Palace.

"Return to the embrace of Anubis, bearer of divine blood."

The ghost of Queen Isis returned to silence under Tyche's guidance. As a direct descendant of the Pharaoh, Isis should not have been reduced to guarding her brother's tomb. Her love for her brother was no less than anyone else's, but unfortunately, she had chosen the wrong person.

The Nile returned to calm, and without Isis's presence, the curse would fade with time, meaning Cleopatra could no longer travel through time via the Nile.

Cleopatra wept in her parents' arms, completely unaware that her disappearance would enrage the Pharaoh. Compared to ancient Egypt, the conveniences of modern technology were irreplaceable. As the daughter of a wealthy family, Cleopatra's living conditions were far superior to those of an ancient queen.

Returning to 3500 years ago, Tyche indeed found the High Priest Imhotep, who refused to close his eyes in death. Imhotep frantically searched for his beloved Ansuana, willing to unleash the ten plagues to resurrect her. The Chief Priestess Isis, who had taken on the mantle in a time of crisis, sealed Imhotep again under the guidance of the Egyptian gods, incidentally seizing control of Upper Egypt and becoming the female Pharaoh who united Upper and Lower Egypt. With the frequent miracles she performed, Isis's fame soared.

As for the original Pharaoh Menes, he was abandoned after he attacked the neighboring kingdom of Assyria against the people's will. Even if he returned to Egypt at this point, he could not overthrow his sister, who had the support of miracles, to reclaim the throne.

Having perfectly resolved the issue, Tyche, at the earnest invitation of Norn, reluctantly manifested as the goddess of the underground river. The Egyptian gods also gained faith during the Imhotep chaos and had no objections to Tyche obtaining the authority over water. Their enthusiasm grew when Tyche brought news of Bastet's avatar, Sekhmet.

The exchange between the two worlds became unprecedentedly frequent, and the Egyptian gods, at Tyche's invitation, took the form of the Muhammadan pantheon to bring new vitality to the stagnant civilization in Faerûn.

In the ethereal song, the shadowy forest was holding a grand ceremony for Elentári. As the elves danced gracefully, the ornaments in their hair shimmered under the moonlight.

The kind Drows arrived in the world of the Rings and quickly integrated into the Sindarin elves, becoming one of them. The ruler of the Woodland Realm, Thranduil, did not mind accepting his kin. His realm already included Silvan and Noldor elves, and he generously embraced this group of dark-skinned wanderers.

Along with the Drows, who had renamed themselves Moon Elves, came the faith of the Dark Maiden. Unlike Ilúvatar and the Valar, who rarely appeared, the faith in Elentári could grant tangible power!

Elentári's archery and swordsmanship were well-suited to the agile and graceful elves, and her domains of dance and song were also embraced by the art-loving elves. Her faith spread quickly throughout the Woodland Realm.

Manwë, the King of Arda, and Varda, the Queen of the Stars, were among the Valar who were willing to let Elentári take on the responsibility of opposing Morgoth and Sauron. The Valar preferred to return to the Eternal Halls to participate in Ilúvatar's Great Music rather than search for Morgoth and guard against the encroaching darkness.

Under the moonlight, a dark-skinned elven woman was struggling in childbirth, her painful cries echoing through the night. With the help of the priestesses of the Dark Maiden, she successfully gave birth to a child.

The male elf who took the child had no time to rejoice before being told that his wife had returned to the embrace of Eru Ilúvatar, the Father of All.

"My love, do not leave me."

Looking at the sorrowful male elf, Tyche said to Elentári, who had appeared beside her, "If you wish, you can be reborn and return to your lover's side. Your child needs his mother's love."

"My avatar was drained of too much strength by bearing Legolas and could no longer be sustained."

Elentári gently looked at her son in her lover's arms, kissing his tender forehead. The crying Legolas immediately stopped, reaching out for his mother.

Wiping the tears from Thranduil's cheek, Elentári hid in a beam of moonlight before he could notice.

"This is your choice; I have no right to interfere."

Tyche also came to the baby's side, sprinkling a handful of wisdom spring water on his forehead, "But at least your child should know what his mother looked like."

The beautiful silver hair shimmered under the moonlight. Elentári smiled lovingly at her son, who blinked and smiled back at her.

"I bless you, Legolas."

Tyche spoke solemnly, "I grant you the wisdom to see through illusions and lies. May you follow your heart and stay true to yourself."

The divine nature inherited from his mother, the Dark Maiden, revealed extraordinary power. Legolas's black-ruby-like eyes glowed with a faint light, clear and bright. The light of the stars reflected in the baby's eyes, unveiling the grand tapestry of his life.

Although a natural demigod, Legolas's physique was not strong enough to maintain prolonged wakefulness, and he soon fell into a deep sleep under the gentle song.

Elentári gazed longingly at her lover and son, reluctant to leave. Balin, who had hurried over, consoled her, "Do not worry; he will know your love for him. No matter how far apart, a child can always feel his mother's gaze. One day, he will come to you, and you will tell him that he was never absent from any of your moments."

"Lady Galadriel has promised to watch over your child. Do not worry about him being harmed by Morgoth and Sauron. It is time for us to do what we must."

Tyche's words finally convinced Elentári, and the three goddesses disappeared into the moonlight.

Among the Valar, Morgoth was granted the greatest power, "the mightiest below Eru Ilúvatar," even Manwë, his brother, was slightly inferior.

After Morgoth's shadow receded, his most powerful and trusted Maia, Sauron, became an undeniable threat to the people of Middle-earth. Sauron deceived the Elves of Eregion, leading them to forge the Rings of Power under his guidance.

Men received nine rings, dwarves seven, and elves three. The one ring that could influence all others was secretly taken by Sauron; it was the One Ring!

The three goddesses, along with the Valar, ensured that Morgoth would not return. The people of Middle-earth had to face the threat of Sauron themselves.

Time flew by, and Legolas, the prince of the Woodland Realm, nimbly moved through the branches. He had come of age and could face most dangers alone; his divinity made him immune to swords and stronger than giants and trolls. Even his beloved father, Thranduil, had to admit that he no longer had a reason to keep his son under his protective wing.

The late queen had not left behind a cherished necklace, and the alliance between the Woodland Realm and the Lonely Mountain remained unbroken. However, the dwarven king, lured by the greed for the Heart of the Mountain, became increasingly absurd, causing Balin's caravans to stop frequenting the Lonely Mountain and shift their focus to Lake-town.

As a beloved prince, Legolas had to mediate between them. With Sauron's threat looming, the alliance could not afford internal strife. Thranduil set out to negotiate with the dwarves, and the human side had no choice but to send Legolas, who had some connection to them.

In Lake-town, three tall women in cloaks appeared before Legolas, a silver-haired woman with a singing voice and a blonde woman exuding nobility.

The busy townsfolk did not notice them, but they instinctively made way for them.

"Look, Elentári. Your son has lived up to your expectations; he has become a bridge between us and this world."

Legolas, leading a white horse, passed by the three goddesses, with human girls excitedly following him, discussing his lofty demeanor and extraordinary beauty.

Elentári was no longer there when he arrived, and she reunited with her son. Although they had only met once, Legolas still retained memories of his mother from birth, emotionally embracing her and expressing his and his father's longing.

"Prince Balin, that dragon is yours," Tyche said, watching Legolas embrace his mother with a smile, "Make sure it doesn't disturb the touching reunion between Elentári and Legolas."

Balin nodded and smiled, standing up to intercept the dragon Smaug, who had fled to Lake-town.

The wounded Smaug circled in the sky, and Balin effortlessly turned it into gold before it could cause panic upon being discovered.

The townsfolk were busy scrambling for the scattered gold coins, unaware of the handsome elf's departure from Lake-town.

With Morgoth's trouble resolved, Sauron would not last much longer. The Valar sent a group of Maiar to deal with Sauron; they did not intervene personally to teach humanity a lesson about the allure of the One Ring. Virtue must be tempered through suffering.

The epic tale of destroying the One Ring would ensure that the people of Middle-earth remembered the consequences of greed for a long time. When the light of goodness dispelled the darkness, the elves would sail west to the land of the gods, enjoying peace. And that is another story.