· CALL ME OUT (SUMMER) ·

[hobbitholmes]

🌴 SUMMER

oh jason
tell me what you're chasin'
because the night will
will never give you WHAT YOU WANT

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[baeyek]

[ Ah, he would counsel the Pharaoh to have patience. Stories will come when they have gone from the Palace, indeed even the city walls. A difference lies between the A'Aru and the Duat. Bayek would not test the Gods nor their keepers unless needed. No, he sees it simply as the young Pharaoh needs to breathe the air around them and remember that he too is human.

Whatever mystifying qualities the Pharaohs once had for Bayek has long since gone away. Perhaps he was called and ordained by Ra himself, but, he is still a human. One that breathes, bleeds, and experiences joy and pain. The Field of Reeds does not change that.

He dedicated his life to Amun - The Hidden One. He and his kind would work in the shadows to preserve the light. Any who would abuse their station and their people would meet a swift end. Now, even in A'Aru, he would continue to protect that ideal. A true Medjay again, but still a Hidden One. He walked the edges of the Duat, the sands of Egypt, even great monuments to make sure that all remained well even if he did not need to.

That was how he had found the scene. A fair haired woman walking with the Pharaoh... who was once again a boy. He had tailed them from the rooftops, the shadows, to make sure that the Pharaoh had been returned as needed. It became obvious the woman was no threat; merely someone who did not belong within the Field of Reeds yet. Somehow, she had found herself there and sought to return things as they had been. Bayek saw to it that she returned to the land of the living and spoke with her briefly then.

He wonders if the Pharaoh would wish to know of that conversation. ]

A Pharaoh is not bound to simply the walls of the Palace. How can you know the hearts of who you rule over if you do not see Egypt for her own eyes?

[ Bayek walks into the room and pulls back a curtain. There is a hole in the wall large enough for the two to slip through. ]

If your Priests are angered so then they may hunt down the Medjay. If they think they might catch me.

[ifthereiswill]

[ Well, Atem can be patient. He waited for years inside the Millennium Puzzle with nothing but endless stairs and doors for company. He imagines that he could wait here in the afterlife for his friends to come, if they ever did. Lunafreya and Yugi aren't Egyptians, nor are they Pharaohs, so he would most likely be waiting for a long time for something that would never come.

Admitting that, even to himself, makes something deep inside himself hurt.

And in all honesty, Atem sees that there's nothing particularly special about himself except for what destiny gave him, and that hardly puts him above other people.

Yes, he sacrificed himself to save his people, but countless people have made sacrifices. He is hardly unique.

Even Bayek is more unique than he is as the Medjay. As for the conversation that transpired between him and Lunafreya, part of him does want to know about it, regardless of the heartache he might feel because of it. ]

You're right, of course.

[ He did live a shortened life and didn't get to know his people as well as he would have liked. ]

If you're willing to show me, I'm willing to follow you. And I will see to the priests if they protest.

[baeyek]

[ If he had shared what he knows yet, he would argue that the Pharaoh's friends would find a way to join them in the afterlife. The woman found a way to the Duat to aid the Pharaoh and she still belonged to the land of the living. He is certain that any of them would find their way if they so desired. For now, the Medjay remains unknowing of the thoughts that swirl in the Pharaoh's mind. He merely sees that the young ruler seems to be at a loss on how to breathe his thoughts and lift his burdens. ]

Ha! What a sight that would be to see.

[ He truly means no ill will towards the Priests that serve their Gods. Merely, he wishes that they had been more aware of the machinations that sought to ruin the kingdom after the Pharaoh's passing. What is done is done. A'Aru is not a place for such things, yet, they still weigh upon his soul.

Bayek holds the curtain up in order to show Atem the space in which they can slip into. Then, he moves first. The curtain falls behind him as he fits himself through the hole in the wall and awaits the Pharaoh on the other side. Senu calls again before diving off the balcony to soar into the sky again.

Once Atem has joined him in the web and dirt filled tunnel, Bayek moves a stone slab to cover the break in the wall. It is not the best way to hide it, but, no one had realized it yet. Sometimes the best hiding places were those in plain sight. Bayek then lights a torch to light their darkened path. ]

Tell me of your time among those in the land of the living, Atem. [ There is no need for titles as far as Bayek is concerned. Especially as he does not address him as Pharaoh. ] There were those who cared for you, no?

[ifthereiswill]

[ Even if Bayek had shared that with him, on some level, Atem has already begun convincing himself that their last goodbye, and that most recent one with Lunafreya, was the last time he'll ever see or speak with them. Too much separates them now, and he can't see a way to bridge the gap that's been formed between them. If he could do it, he would in a second, but as it is, that seems impossible.

And he's also resolved that such is the lot of a Pharaoh: to think only of how to best serve his kingdom and let his inner thoughts and worries fall to one side. After all, how can he be an effective ruler if he's too consumed by his own cares? ]

Yes, it would be a sight, wouldn't it? And in case you might be thinking that I'm only speaking words and don't really mean them, you should know that I do my best not to speak idly. If it comes to that, I will have a talk with the priests.

Surely it's possible for all of us to exist in harmony, or at the very least, to respect one another. Not that I think you and the priests don't; far from it. I could be wrong, but something about them troubles you, doesn't it?

[ Bayek may not technically fall within the designation of one of Atem's subjects, but that doesn't mean that he won't try to help him in any way that he can, if he should require it. ]

This is quite the out of the way location. I'm sure that hardly anyone knows of it, if anyone does at all.

[ He follows along after Bayek, doing his best to keep pace with the other man. As for his answer, it comes readily enough. ]

My time there was... Well, it was one of the best times of my life, even with all the hardships and trials that came along with it. I met so many people who became closer to me than mere friends, and I believe I carry them with me even now. So yes, there were those who cared for me and I did the same for them, to the best of my ability.

[ And sometimes he failed to do so, but he's never pretended that he hadn't. ]

[baeyek]

Your Priests do not bother me. They have served you, Egypt, and the Gods with the entirety of their beings. I merely believe they should stop and enjoy what is around them.

Though... if I were to have issue with any, it would be the one who succeeded you. The Pharaoh-Priest who does not dwell here. [ Bayek has never known why Seto did not follow them into the afterlife. He was certain the Pharaoh received all the rights and magics within the Book of the Dead. He frowns underneath his hood as he takes a step down. His free hand goes to the Pharaoh in case he is in need of help making the gap. ] I do not believe I ever saw him cross into the Field of Reeds. I had thought his Ka remained in the land of the living - unable to return to his Ba. Now, it would seem, there is a far greater magic at work.

[ Seto had spoken often in harsh tongues of being unable to rest until he had seen Atem to the afterlife. There was a deep resentment within the new Pharaoh - an anger broiling at what was sacrilege in his eyes. The removal of the name of his Pharaoh, the inability to speak his name out loud. Bayek wonders if the Pharoah-Priest had been able to find his own justice in the end. Atem, after all, now resided with them in the A'Aru. ]

Egypt was changed after your days walking among her sands had finished. A state of rebuilding, changing, reform. In that vacuum came great and terrible things. Your successor made her stable - giving new life to her at the cost of the Shadow Games. He trusted those he learned he should not have. They had in mind a new vision for Egypt and all those that surrounded her. They sought ancient magics and forbidden knowledge to build their ideal world without his realization.

[ The Order of the Ancients. Even now, after so long, it causes a ripple in his heart and soul. For men like them do not end when they are dead. Their ideals and methodology continues on. Bayek prays to Amun that the Order he had set in motion had continued past him. ]

Had they not cared, we would not have seen you return to us. [ Then, he gestures to the rest of the tunnel. ] There are those within the Palace walls who know of such ways in and out. Mana did not rely on merely her magic alone to find her way into the private chambers.

[ There is a hint of humor in his voice at that. ]

[ifthereiswill]

They don't? I understand that I could have misinterpreted things, but it seems to me that at times, you do not agree with everything the priests say and do. And as for that, being here does not change us, isn't that correct? We can't help who we are and what priorities take focus. I suppose that in the case of the priests, they merely wish to continue doing their duty, although they have already fulfilled it.

[ Atem's expression sobers as the conversation steers towards speaking about Seto. His absence here is certainly noted. As he contemplates this, he inadvertently misses a step and briefly loses his balance, leading him to reach out to grasp Bayek's hand in order to regain his footing. ]

I suppose I do have many questions about what he did in my absence. I believed that he was the one who was most fit for ruling, and I trusted him then and I still do even now that so much time has passed.

[ Now, however, he can't help but wonder what it is that is keeping Seto from taking his rightful place here in the A'Aru. ]

What do you mean? [ He listens as Bayek speaks about events that happened following his passing, and he realizes he can't be sure what the other man means. ] You say that he made her stable and gave her new life, and yet he trusted those he should not have. I suppose I'm merely confused, because that sounds as though not all of his wishes were carried out, and if they were, his intentions were misunderstood.

[ His expression shifts yet again into something more pensive. ]

Of course, they cared very much, and I imagine that they still do even now. Mana was always very good at finding her way into areas some thought she should not be.

[ As for him, tradition and protocol aside, he tended to not believe in certain areas being off-limits to cetain people. That is, barring any sacred areas belonging to the gods. Everything else was fair game, at least in his mind, to the chagrin of the priests. ]

[baeyek]

My mistrust lies in the authority of those who do not wield it in sake of the people. The Priests under you do so. I will respect them even if I do not agree with all that they seek or say to do.

[ Bayek's hand immediately steadies the young Pharaoh's. He looks down at him, and a gentle smile can be seen from around the edges of his hood. It would seem the Pharaoh does need more time from his Palace. The smile turns into one of a humorous note before he continues down the path.

The path tilts downwards into a set of carved stairs. They are soft at the edges, having clearly decayed in time of being unattended to. At the bottom of them is a small opening that light streams from. Bayek extinguishes the torch. He keeps his comments until they have stepped outside into the light once more.

They step outside of the confines of the palace to be greeted by a lackluster sight. Canyon walls loom over head and Bayek simply gestures to the distance that they are. His intention is to take the young Pharaoh up high so that he might view the city of Thebes from above. He will be able to see the way in which the city sprawls and her people move about. Across the water lies the places in which tombs were kept for the Kings and Queens in the land of the living. Doorways, if one knows how to use them.

It is a short distance to the canyon wall, even if it hardly looks as such. He whistles and from behind the palm trees comes his ever faithful steed. A large camel, surprisingly lacking in riches and adornments other than what a regular merchant might have, strides to them. Bayek holds the reigns and gives the beast a loving pat on the side. ]

He will take us the short distance and up the path. From there, we climb.

[ Bayek turns, offering his hands to help the Pharaoh onto the second seat of the camel. Then, he pulls himself up and tugs on the reigns. With a gentle click of his tongue and pressing his feet into the sides, the camel starts off in the direction the former Medjay has decided to go. ]

Egypt was unstable at first. Few of your Priests remained among the world of the living by the battle's end, a fewer in the remaining weeks and months. It took a great many people under his direction to change the way Egypt had existed and steer her in a new direction. What few Priests remain aided him, but those beneath them sought to conspire. They aimed to manipulate from behind the scenes to lead Egypt down their path. They used aliases and wore masks to hide their identity. They called themselves the Order of the Ancients.

My wife, Aya and I... we hunted each one of them down. We slew them like the wild beasts of the desert and left them to the crows. [ He glances behind him at the Pharaoh that now technically sits higher than him. ] We made our own Order, that named of Amun, to hide in the shadows and stop those that sought to harm the people of Egypt through their machinations of power and control. It took many years, but we were successful. By then, Pharaoh Seto had outlawed the use of your Shadow Games. The spirits bound to those tablets had been released and the art of bringing forth those mighty creatures ceased.

He even enlisted the aid of another from Greece to help him in such endeavors. Although, I only saw her face once. It was Aya that saw her from our lands to her homeland.

[ A frown touches his face as he recalls the foreign woman. Now that his mind brings forth the memories? The woman he escorted from the Duat bore a striking resemblance to the one that Aya was tasked to see safely home. Perhaps he will ask her of it once he returns to Siwa. ]

I imagine she remains good at finding those places! She is fond of you. [ There is a tone of teasing in his voice then. ] You speak of your time among the living as a ghost fondly, Atem. What wonders graced the world after our time had passed?

[ifthereiswill]

Yes, that is something I've encountered quite a few times in the- well, the modern world, I suppose you would call it. It seems that there are those who would do anything to grasp power, and once they have it, their only interest is in pursuing their own goals without a care for anyone else.

[ If Bayek is looking, he'll notice a hint of red creeping its way along the back of Atem's neck. It's not embarrassment, exactly, but Bayek seems to be so assured of himself, who he is, and the role he plays, whereas Atem is still trying to resume his footing. Of course he knows that this is where he belongs, as it's where he was born and where he grew up, but even though he was thought of as the displaced Pharaoh in the living world, he feels as though he's still displaced even now that he's resumed his place in the afterlife.

He just hopes that the somewhat strenuous nature of the trail they're on and the progress they make as they go on their way to wherever Bayek's leading them will prevent the other man from noticing that his thoughts are leading him to a slightly thorny place. ]

I gather this is something you've done more than once. [ Bayek's footing is sure without even an ounce of hesitation, and while it seems to him that Bayek is confident in nearly everything he does, there's just a sort of familiarity in the way he carries himself and walks that makes Atem think this isn't the first time he's walked this path.

Once they're both settled on the camel, Atem resumes listening attentively to Bayek's words. He's been paying rapt attention this whole time, but something about attempting to climb onto a camel tends to pull focus. His expression sobers as he listens to what the other man has to say, and the picture that he paints is hardly a pretty one. ]

The two of you managed to do all of that? That must have been no small feat.

[ A small smile returns as Atem's thoughts turn once again to Mana and her- well, her rather spirited nature. ] She is, just as I'm very fond of her.

[ And of course, he is, but it's a certain kind of fondness: the one between very good and close friends. ]

There were so many things. [ He isn't quite sure where to begin, but he finally decides on one of the many things he imagines Bayek might not be familiar with. ]

There is one particular invention that they call an airplane; you go inside it and it can take you anywhere you wish to go: to a city or even to another country. [ A bird flies above them at that precise moment and Atem points to it. ] You can fly as the birds do.

[ In a manner of speaking, anyway. ]

[baeyek]

(yeet)