Two Worlds Apart
Chapter One: Dragon of Dreams
Atem sighed heavily upon his throne. His mind was elsewhere as Seto explained the current events of today. All he could hear was a lone bird that chirped away from the window. He was brought back to reality when Seto cleared his throat, “Honestly my Pharaoh, I get the feeling you didn’t hear a single word I’ve said”. Atem glanced at him then back to the window, sighing once more. “I’m sorry Seto, lately there’s been a lot on my mind. I need to clear my head for a while. I promise that you’ll have my full attention after that”.
Seto grunted but nodded, “I will come back in an hour by then most of the preparations should be done. Hopefully you will be back as well”. Atem waved him off as Seto gave a small bow and left. As Atem made his way down the many halls he came across Mahad who was just leaving his room. “Oh, my Pharaoh, are you off to go see her?” He asked with a gentle smile. Mahad did well in keeping secrets and this was one of them. Every couple days Atem made it a routine to leave the palace walls to the unforgiving desert where someone eagerly waited for him.
“Yes, I feel she could help me clear my head of all my worries. She hasn’t failed yet” He chuckled lightly. Mahad bowed his head, “just be careful and hurry back. There is much to be done”. Atem promised he’d be back soon as he left to the stables. Mounting his most trusted horse, he sped through the city and outside the city walls. The sun beat down harshly onto his skin, but this didn’t bother him, he was too eager to see his friend once more.
He stopped his horse to a slow trot as they approached a cave that seem to dive into the sand. He could feel a cool breeze coming from the entrance as he dismounted. He left the horse just at the entrance where he could enjoy the breeze and the cool shade. Atem descended down some stairs that led into a big open area filled with glowing crystals with an amethyst color. The crystals lit up the cave, since no sunlight could reach down there.
“Ysera!” He jogged a bit further in the cave, “Ysera!” “My goodness, must you yell? I was having such a wonderful dream” a melodic voice rung across the crystal walls. Atem turned to his right to see his old friend.
A massive winged dragon. Her size could match an adult elephant until she would spread her pair of wings. Her emerald scales sparkled underneath the glowing crystals along with her deep forest green horns that lay elegantly upon her slim head. Light glowing symbols under her eyes and arms glowed beautifully with life. A golden crescent moon lay on its back upon her head like a crown, marking her as the dragon of dreams.
She casually made her way to the young man with glowing eyes, she brought down her head to nuzzle him softly. He laughed as he held her close.
She pulled away almost looking as if she was smiling, “My friend, it is good to see you, what news do you bring me today?” She asked kindly, walking to a rather large crystal in the middle of the cave. “Same thing as before but only one small difference, they are getting the festivities ready for a big event” He explained, walking with her to the crystal. She waved a claw in front of it as it glowed to show a clear image of the city and all its people preparing decorations.
“What event is it?” She asked curiously as she tiled her head to the side, watching a man fall from a latter as she flinched a bit. Atem was silent for a few moments before a blush came over his cheeks, “I…wasn’t listening when they were explaining that part to me”. Her head snapped to his with a bewildered expression, “The great Pharaoh doesn’t know what’s happening in his own kingdom? What am I going to do with you?” She teased, tickling him a bit with the tip of her tail, which were covered in feathers.
He pushed her tail away with a shy smile, “I was thinking is all. I’ve had a lot on my mind lately and I can’t seem to keep it still for a moment”. Ysera stepped a few feet away from the crystal as the image faded. She curls up, patting a place next to her. Atem obeyed, making himself comfortable on a chair made out of rock that Ysera had made for him one day.
“What troubles you so much?” She looked on with concern as his gaze fell. “I haven’t been Pharaoh long. I didn’t realize how much responsibility my father had. It has been a full year and I feel I haven’t even caught my breath yet” he spoke softly as if trying to hold back all the frustration he was feeling. He felt a sudden cold tongue lap across his face, “I have faith that your heart will lead you in the right direction. It just takes time to settle in, I’m sure Mahad is helping you, yes?”
“He is. At least the best he could with only being a priest” He sighed, staring up towards the crystals as they glowed brilliantly like the stars in the night sky. “Is there something else you aren’t telling me? I feel that isn’t the biggest part of your problems” Ysera lifted her massive form from the ground, her eyes glistening with an unfamiliar look.
“I…” Atem started as he looked up with his violet eyes to those memorizing leaf green orbs. “The deeper I get into this…I feel the less time I get to see you” his eyes had grown sad, he didn’t want to lose someone so important. He had known Ysera since he was small around the same time he had met Mahad.
*****
Atem was exploring the Nile without his father knowing until he had fallen in. The current took him far down the stream towards a hungry bask of crocodiles. They had sensed prey coming towards them as they made their way into the river.
Atem couldn’t fight the current as he approached his end but just as the crocodiles came closer with their jaws open, a mountain of water shot upward, pushing all of the hungry reptiles far from him. A tail had gently wrapped around his waist as he saw her, Ysera, gazing at him with motherly eyes until they flashed with anger. She turned to the crocodiles who slowly started to back away, growling and hissing at her. She released a thundering roar, scaring all the predators away.
*****
Since then, he had come to visit her at any chance he had. She would tell him stories from all over the world. Where she had traveled and the people she had met. She was there when he needed her the most after his father had passed away. He couldn’t picture a life without her.
Ysera nuzzled him once more as they both made their way to the mouth of the cave, the sun slowly setting beyond the horizon. “Even if I cannot be with you physically, it doesn’t mean that I’m not with you in your heart. I will always be there if you truly needed me, even if it is just to visit you in your dreams” her voice held such wisdom that always intrigued Atem. He could listen to her all day if he could. Atem reached up, hugging her scaly head close, “I’d never forget you”.
For a few moments they had stayed that way until he finally had to go, riding off back towards the palace as he waved goodbye until he was out of sight. Ysera sighed happily, dragging her body back into the cave as night took over the sky.
Seto grunted but nodded, “I will come back in an hour by then most of the preparations should be done. Hopefully you will be back as well”. Atem waved him off as Seto gave a small bow and left. As Atem made his way down the many halls he came across Mahad who was just leaving his room. “Oh, my Pharaoh, are you off to go see her?” He asked with a gentle smile. Mahad did well in keeping secrets and this was one of them. Every couple days Atem made it a routine to leave the palace walls to the unforgiving desert where someone eagerly waited for him.
“Yes, I feel she could help me clear my head of all my worries. She hasn’t failed yet” He chuckled lightly. Mahad bowed his head, “just be careful and hurry back. There is much to be done”. Atem promised he’d be back soon as he left to the stables. Mounting his most trusted horse, he sped through the city and outside the city walls. The sun beat down harshly onto his skin, but this didn’t bother him, he was too eager to see his friend once more.
He stopped his horse to a slow trot as they approached a cave that seem to dive into the sand. He could feel a cool breeze coming from the entrance as he dismounted. He left the horse just at the entrance where he could enjoy the breeze and the cool shade. Atem descended down some stairs that led into a big open area filled with glowing crystals with an amethyst color. The crystals lit up the cave, since no sunlight could reach down there.
“Ysera!” He jogged a bit further in the cave, “Ysera!” “My goodness, must you yell? I was having such a wonderful dream” a melodic voice rung across the crystal walls. Atem turned to his right to see his old friend.
A massive winged dragon. Her size could match an adult elephant until she would spread her pair of wings. Her emerald scales sparkled underneath the glowing crystals along with her deep forest green horns that lay elegantly upon her slim head. Light glowing symbols under her eyes and arms glowed beautifully with life. A golden crescent moon lay on its back upon her head like a crown, marking her as the dragon of dreams.
She casually made her way to the young man with glowing eyes, she brought down her head to nuzzle him softly. He laughed as he held her close.
She pulled away almost looking as if she was smiling, “My friend, it is good to see you, what news do you bring me today?” She asked kindly, walking to a rather large crystal in the middle of the cave. “Same thing as before but only one small difference, they are getting the festivities ready for a big event” He explained, walking with her to the crystal. She waved a claw in front of it as it glowed to show a clear image of the city and all its people preparing decorations.
“What event is it?” She asked curiously as she tiled her head to the side, watching a man fall from a latter as she flinched a bit. Atem was silent for a few moments before a blush came over his cheeks, “I…wasn’t listening when they were explaining that part to me”. Her head snapped to his with a bewildered expression, “The great Pharaoh doesn’t know what’s happening in his own kingdom? What am I going to do with you?” She teased, tickling him a bit with the tip of her tail, which were covered in feathers.
He pushed her tail away with a shy smile, “I was thinking is all. I’ve had a lot on my mind lately and I can’t seem to keep it still for a moment”. Ysera stepped a few feet away from the crystal as the image faded. She curls up, patting a place next to her. Atem obeyed, making himself comfortable on a chair made out of rock that Ysera had made for him one day.
“What troubles you so much?” She looked on with concern as his gaze fell. “I haven’t been Pharaoh long. I didn’t realize how much responsibility my father had. It has been a full year and I feel I haven’t even caught my breath yet” he spoke softly as if trying to hold back all the frustration he was feeling. He felt a sudden cold tongue lap across his face, “I have faith that your heart will lead you in the right direction. It just takes time to settle in, I’m sure Mahad is helping you, yes?”
“He is. At least the best he could with only being a priest” He sighed, staring up towards the crystals as they glowed brilliantly like the stars in the night sky. “Is there something else you aren’t telling me? I feel that isn’t the biggest part of your problems” Ysera lifted her massive form from the ground, her eyes glistening with an unfamiliar look.
“I…” Atem started as he looked up with his violet eyes to those memorizing leaf green orbs. “The deeper I get into this…I feel the less time I get to see you” his eyes had grown sad, he didn’t want to lose someone so important. He had known Ysera since he was small around the same time he had met Mahad.
*****
Atem was exploring the Nile without his father knowing until he had fallen in. The current took him far down the stream towards a hungry bask of crocodiles. They had sensed prey coming towards them as they made their way into the river.
Atem couldn’t fight the current as he approached his end but just as the crocodiles came closer with their jaws open, a mountain of water shot upward, pushing all of the hungry reptiles far from him. A tail had gently wrapped around his waist as he saw her, Ysera, gazing at him with motherly eyes until they flashed with anger. She turned to the crocodiles who slowly started to back away, growling and hissing at her. She released a thundering roar, scaring all the predators away.
*****
Since then, he had come to visit her at any chance he had. She would tell him stories from all over the world. Where she had traveled and the people she had met. She was there when he needed her the most after his father had passed away. He couldn’t picture a life without her.
Ysera nuzzled him once more as they both made their way to the mouth of the cave, the sun slowly setting beyond the horizon. “Even if I cannot be with you physically, it doesn’t mean that I’m not with you in your heart. I will always be there if you truly needed me, even if it is just to visit you in your dreams” her voice held such wisdom that always intrigued Atem. He could listen to her all day if he could. Atem reached up, hugging her scaly head close, “I’d never forget you”.
For a few moments they had stayed that way until he finally had to go, riding off back towards the palace as he waved goodbye until he was out of sight. Ysera sighed happily, dragging her body back into the cave as night took over the sky.