Darkness enveloped Bam's consciousness as he floated through a strange dream between wakefulness and sleep. He was trapped in what felt like an endless nightmare, with only fragments of clarity breaking through the haze. The sole face he could recall with any certainty belonged to Yetao, appearing and disappearing like a phantom through the fog of his mind.
Everything around him was a blur of flashing images and indistinct sounds, except for one scene that stood out with haunting clarity: Yetao, dressed in unfamiliar attire, plunging a knife straight into his chest.
"I don't have any other choice, Bambam. Please forgive me," dream-Yetao whispered, his voice cracking with emotion.
The words that followed faded into unintelligible whispers, but the pain in Bam's chest remained sharp and real. Strangely, it wasn't the physical agony that threatened to overwhelm him—it was the crushing weight of betrayal and sorrow that constricted his heart. Tears welled in his eyes as he struggled to make sense of what was happening, straining to see through the murky veil of his vision.
"BAM!!!"
Chen's voice cut through the nightmare like a blade, yanking Bam back to consciousness. His eyes flew open, startled by the sudden return to reality.
"Why are you so reckless?" Chen's face hovered above him, brows knitted with concern and frustration. "How could you get trapped in Khonsu's temple out of nowhere?"
Bam blinked several times, his mind still foggy as he tried to piece together what had happened. "Where is that woman?" he asked, his voice serious and tinged with urgency.
Chen sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Yetao? She's safe. Hapi is talking with her right now."
"Hapi[1]?" Confusion washed over Bam's face.
"He's the one who rescued both of you," Chen explained, leaning back slightly. "Seems like you both were affected by Khonsu's spell." He released a heavy sigh that seemed to carry the weight of all his worries. "Just how did you manage to even get there?"
Bam rolled his eyes, irritation flashing across his features. "That woman fell into the pond like an idiot. What was I supposed to do?"
Chen's face scrunched in bewilderment. "What pond? When did his temple have a pond?"
Bam paused, the certainty in his memories beginning to waver. "What do you mean?"
"Are you still dreaming?" Chen asked, genuine concern replacing his earlier frustration. "The pond dried up a long time ago when our ancestor gods went to eternal rest. It's been drained since you were born."
Bam's confusion deepened, his brow furrowing as he tried to reconcile Chen's words with his vivid memories. "What? We went there only after falling into the pond though."
"Bam, wake up!" Chen gripped his shoulders, giving him a gentle shake. "The temple is above the pond. Not under. Just what have you been doing for all these years in the palace? Didn't you know this at all? I know you hated going to that wing, but how could you not even know about the structure of your palace?"
Without warning, Bam sprang from the bed, his bare feet hitting the cold stone floor. He rushed out of the room, ignoring Chen's calls, and sprinted toward the temple grounds far from the main palace.
When he arrived, panting and wild-eyed, he found himself staring at the familiar statue—but where his memories told him there should be a pond, there was only the solid foundation of the temple itself. The structure before him bore similarities to the one in which they had been trapped, yet it was undeniably different in crucial ways.
Am I losing my mind? Bam thought, his hands trembling slightly as he struggled to make sense of the discrepancy.
His thoughts were interrupted by approaching footsteps. Turning, he saw Yetao walking alongside Hapi, their figures silhouetted against the morning light. Yetao visibly flinched upon seeing him, lips parting as if to speak before pressing together again in hesitation.
Bam strode toward Yetao with purpose, his eyes burning with intensity. "You fell into a pond here, right?" he demanded, his voice tight with barely contained frustration.
Yetao drew back slightly, avoiding his gaze. "I... I don't remember," he said softly.
"Are you playing with me?" Bam's voice rose to a shout, echoing against the temple walls.
Despite Bam's outburst, Yetao maintained a calm, measured tone. "I said I don't remember. The last thing I saw was the glowing eyes of his statue when the corpses attacked us. It was so dark I don't even remember how I lost consciousness."
Fury bubbled up within Bam, a familiar heat rising to his face. "Hah, you say you don't remember where you came from. You say you don't remember where you were yesterday. Just what the hell do you even remember in that bird brain of yours?"
Annoyance flashed across Yetao's features, but he bit his lip, a mental mantra running through his head: It's okay. Stay calm. It will pass sooner.
"Fine," Bam spat, his patience completely exhausted. "You won't say the truth unless you're tortured to death, can you?"
With a fluid motion of his hand, sand rose from the ground, swirling and coiling around Yetao's wrists, forcing him to his knees. Surprisingly, Yetao didn't struggle against the restraints, maintaining his unnerving composure.
"Tell me the truth now," Bam growled, leaning down so his face was inches from Yetao's. "Or should I split you open to find out what your last meal was?"
"....ry", Yetao mumbled something inaudible, his eyes fixed on the ground.
"Say it louder," Bam demanded.
"CURRY!!!" Yetao shouted, his voice echoing across the temple grounds.
The unexpected answer left both Bam and Hapi momentarily speechless, the tension in the air shifting to bewilderment.
"What are you spouting now?" Bam yelled, his anger mingling with confusion.
Yetao met his gaze steadily. "The last meal I ate is curry. No need to split me open for finding that."
A heavy silence fell over the area, broken suddenly by the sound of laughter. Hermanubis materialized from the shadows, no longer able to contain his amusement at the bizarre exchange. His laughter resonated through the temple grounds, and even Hapi was struggling to maintain his composure, lips twitching as he fought back a smile.
"Am I a joke to you?" Bam's rage escalated as he summoned more sand, the particles rising in a threatening wave that began to engulf Yetao.
Before the sand could completely bury him, Chen and Peanut arrived at the scene. With a swift gesture of his hand, Peanut conjured thick creepers that wrapped around Bam, restraining his power and halting the advancement of the sand. Simultaneously, Hapi called forth a rush of water that washed away the sand surrounding Yetao, who coughed and sputtered as grains were expelled from his mouth.
"Have you gone mad?" Chen shouted, his voice sharp with authority and concern.
With a surge of strength, Bam snapped the vines restraining him. "I'm not mad," he insisted, his chest heaving with exertion and frustration. "I definitely remember there was a pond here."
Chen exhaled sharply, turning to Hapi with exasperation. "Hapi, tell him where you found them."
Hapi regarded Bam with a measured look. "You were both locked inside this temple. I sensed Khonsu's wake and felt corpses nearby. But you both laid unconscious there, so I brought you to the palace."
"See?" Chen's voice was stern as he addressed Bam. "Since the temple forbids the use of your powers, you must've been caught in a hallucination. Yesterday was a moonless night—those hallucinations must've lured the corpses. This is what happened, Bam."
Confusion clouded Bam's features as he struggled to reconcile his vivid memories with their explanation. Chen's expression softened slightly, recognizing the genuine distress in his friend's eyes.
"Just go and clear your head," Chen suggested, his tone gentler now. "I'll handle the palace affairs today."
Bam cast one last venomous glare at Yetao before stalking away, his shoulders rigid with unresolved tension.
Once Bam was out of earshot, Chen turned his attention to Hermanubis. "Why did you come here?"
Hermanubis blinked, as if suddenly remembering his purpose. "Shit! I forgot why I came. Can we have a small talk, you two?" he asked, addressing both Peanut and Chen.
They exchanged a glance before looking toward Yetao, who remained on the ground, brushing sand from his clothes. Hapi gave them a reassuring wink, silently communicating that he would look after Yetao. With a final concerned glance at Yetao, they departed with Hermanubis.
"I'll catch up with you next time, pinky," Hermanubis called over his shoulder with a playful wink that inexplicably annoyed Yetao.
Left alone with Hapi, Yetao's mind wandered to the confrontation with Bam. He must've been really angry since I made his crush angry at him, Yetao thought, still convinced that Bam harbored feelings for Chen. The memory of their accidental kiss flashed through his mind, bringing heat to his cheeks. Doesn't he remember? he wondered silently.
Looking up, Yetao found Hapi studying him with interest. "I asked what you did," Yetao reminded him. "So keep your word too."
A smirk played across Hapi's lips. "I don't meddle in palace affairs. Just don't mention what happened to ANYONE. Got it?"
Yetao nodded solemnly.
"Good then," Hapi said, seemingly satisfied. "I'll be off for now. Take care, LADY." He emphasized the last word with a knowing look that made Yetao flinch before departing with a smile.
Once alone, Yetao exhaled deeply, shoulders slumping with relief. "I really can't handle the stress, damn it," he mumbled to himself.
Earlier That Morning...
Yetao froze, his eyes widening in shock as he stared at the familiar face before him. "Bison?" he whispered incredulously.
Hapi tilted his head quizzically. "What?"
Yetao's mind raced. So he's not that sunglasses bodyguard? But how is his face exactly like him? He remained motionless, paralyzed by the uncanny resemblance.
Hapi emerged from the water and approached Bam, who lay unconscious, his breathing labored and irregular. With a gentle touch to Bam's forehead, Hapi released a soft blue light that seemed to ease his distress. Lifting Bam effortlessly, Hapi summoned his waters once more, carrying all three of them out of the submerged temple and depositing Bam near the statue.
Turning to Yetao, Hapi fixed him with a penetrating stare. "I won't ask why you're dressed as a woman," he stated matter-of-factly.
Shock rippled through Yetao. How did he know? he wondered, his face betraying his confusion.
"So you shouldn't tell anyone about what happened here," Hapi continued, his tone leaving no room for argument.
"Why?" Yetao asked, unable to understand the need for secrecy.
"No other gods should know about Khonsu's real temple," Hapi explained, his expression grave. "The world will be in real danger if a god had his hands on it"
Present Time...
Staring up at the clear sky, Yetao's mind churned with uncertainty. I don't know why they're having so many mysteries. But the more I stay here, the more danger it is for me. I need to find that artifact soon, he thought, his brow furrowed in contemplation.
"Should I at least tell Peanut that someone other than him knows I'm a guy?" he wondered aloud, his voice barely audible.
Meanwhile, Hermanubis had led Chen and Peanut to a secluded area, his usual playful demeanor replaced by seriousness.
"I took some of your soldiers to the afterworld," he informed them grimly. "The ones who are stationed at the borders. Seems like Zababa is about to make a move."
Chen flinched at the news, running a hand through his hair in agitation. "Must be because of what happened to that trash, Makko. But who could even kill him in such a horrible way?"
The weight of responsibility settled heavily on Chen's shoulders. "I really have a lot on my hands," he muttered, before excusing himself to send an urgent letter to Zababa.
As Chen departed, Hermanubis sighed deeply. "I really feel sorry for Seshat. So much for being a god of knowledge," he remarked cryptically before melting back into the shadows.
Peanut quietly slipped away as well, heading toward a secluded area of the palace grounds. Yetao, who had attempted to follow him, lost sight of him in the maze-like corridors.
"Huh? Where did he go?" Yetao looked around in confusion, suddenly aware of the eerie silence surrounding him. A chill ran down his spine as he reminded himself, "No. I must not wander off to anywhere alone again. This palace is crafty." With that, he hurried back toward the more populated areas of the compound.
In Mesopotamia...
The war room in Zababa's fortress buzzed with activity as he discussed battle strategies with his most trusted commanders. Their planning was interrupted by an authoritative voice that seemed to materialize from the shadows.
"What do you think you're doing now?", the hooded man screamed in anger.
All eyes turned to the hooded figure who had somehow entered undetected, his face obscured within the depths of his cloak. Recognition flashed in Zababa's eyes, and he quickly signaled for his soldiers to leave the room.
Once alone with the mysterious visitor, Zababa's posture stiffened. "Why? I'm only doing what is necessary," he defended, a hint of defiance in his tone. "What am I supposed to do when my men were massacred so cruelly? I'm not a bystander. I'll succeed in what you asked with a war."
A sinister smirk curved the hooded man's lips. "Who do you think killed him?" he asked, his voice dangerously low.
Zababa's confidence faltered. "You don't mean..."
"I did it," the man stated coldly, his words sending chills down Zababa's spine.
"What did I tell you?" the man continued, his voice rising with barely contained rage. "Just to lure that guy out of the kingdom by holding the dancer hostage. But what did your useless men do?"
Zababa listened in fearful silence, his earlier anger toward the killer now overshadowed by the terrifying presence before him.
"He tried to covet what was MINE," the man snarled, lunging forward to grab Zababa's collar. The sudden movement caused his hood to slip backward, revealing a face that was unmistakably Peanut's—though his usually gentle features were now contorted with murderous rage.
"Do you even know how much I went through to bring him here?" Peanut shouted. "Your useless man was about to go and ruin that chance. Now tell me. What was I supposed to do? What if he harmed even a hair on my precious possession?"
His grip tightened, bringing Zababa's face closer to his own. "Then are you ready to take responsibility?" Peanut roared, leaving Zababa trembling with a potent mixture of fear and confusion.
The echoes of Peanut's rage hung in the air, a chilling reminder that beneath the peaceful façade of the god, lurked ambitions and obsessions that could tear the world asunder.
[1] Author's note: Hapi is the god of Nile river. Have you heard the phrase 'Denial is a river in Egypt?" >v<