The door closed behind Mahaad and Kassim took a deep breath, putting his head in his hands.

"He is stronger than you anticipated."

"No...I have always known he had incredible power."

"Yet you are worried."

"I did not foresee him learning to control his magic so quickly."

The voice laughed, a deep rumble that sent tremors up Kassim's spine. "Do you still think you'll be able to take such immense heka?"

"I will not fail. And besides, you yourself are the one who wants-"

Suddenly, an immense pressure seeming to originate from within his own head invaded his senses.

"Do not presume to tell me what I do and do not want!" the voice boomed in his mind. "Let us not forget that you sought me out."

The pressure let up and Kassim released a breath he was not aware he had been holding.

"My apologies, of course, however..." He chose his next words very carefully. "The boy does have the most incredible heka that you...that has ever been seen. Surely I...or rather, he, is indispensable?"

Kassim half expected more angry berating, but instead the voice burst out into laughter once more.

"You think far too much of yourself, priest." There was mock emphasis on the title. "Do not think me so foolish as to not have backup plans. In fact, there is a certain boy who survived-"

"Alright, alright, I understand. As I said, I will not fail. Still, I cannot help but wonder where this sudden confidence has come from. He has always been timid and too afraid to tell others of his lessons, and yet, he is now practically challenging me!"

"He mentioned a girl. Another apprentice, I believe?"

Kassim growled lowly. "Yes. To allow them to keep practicing together could be troublesome. Perhaps if I spoke with Senet-"

Suddenly, a soft knock sounded at his door, interrupting their conversation.

"It would seem you have a guest."

Declining to answer, Kassim folded his hands across his desk and called, "Enter."

The door opened and a young woman with short, dark hair entered the room with a serious expression.

"Priest Kassim, I apologize if I have disturbed you."

"Not at all," Kassim responded. "What can I do for you, Naftil?"

He watched as the woman's fingers curled into fists and as she looked directly into his dark eyes.

"I've come to talk...about Mahaad."

The moment he reached his own room, Mahaad let out a shaky breath, sliding down the closed door until he was sitting on the ground. He still reeled from what had just transpired, but slowly, a smile stretched across his face. He had done it! He had performed a spell perfectly in front of his master.

'And not only that...' he thought. 'He was afraid! Afraid that I could summon my Ka! There isn't any way in the heavens I could overpower my master at this point, but...maybe...just maybe...if I can convince him that I'm more powerful than he thinks, he'll be uncertain enough to postpone his plan.'

Just then, there was a soft tap at the door, and a young boy's voice drifted inside. "Mahaad, are you in there?"

Mahaad stood, his knees still wobbling slightly. He opened the door to see the Prince looking up at him with concern.

"I saw you come back here, and it's awful early for you to be done with your lesson. Is everything okay?"

Mahaad smiled down at him. "Yes, Prince. Everything is-wait. Shouldn't you be at your lesson?"

Atem grinned in that mischievous way he always did. "Those things are so boring!" he exclaimed. "I'd much rather watch you practice your magic!"

Mahaad sighed in mock exasperation as he stood aside to let the Prince into his study.

"So," he began in a bright voice as he sat at the front of Mahaad's desk. "How are you getting along with Isis?" His violet eyes glinted with mirth as he watched for Mahaad's reaction.

Knowing what the Prince was hoping for, Mahaad kept a neutral expression as he sat in front of his books and simply said, "Oh we're getting along fine."

There was silence for a few moments as Atem waited for Mahaad to go on and Mahaad refused to give him the satisfaction. Finally, the young prince got bored and spoke again.

"Have you been meeting up?"

"Perhaps."

"Practicing together?"

"Mmmmm, maybe."

"Has it...been helping?"

At this, Mahaad looked up, his brow furrowed.

"You…."

"I know you get nervous a lot," Atem said quickly. "So I was wondering if maybe you were getting less nervous!"

Mahaad's mouth fell open slightly. He had thought Atem had brought her to see him just to embarrass him, with the magic practice an unforeseen side effect. But, that he had been hoping for this all along….

He stood from his desk, Atem watching him curiously. He slowly made his way to where he was sitting, knelt, and embraced the boy tightly, his eyes wide.

"Um...are you okay, Mahaad?" the prince asked. "You're acting weird."

Mahaad didn't answer, but instead pulled back to look Atem in the eyes.

"You...you introduced us so that she would help me practice?"

"Y-yeah. I thought maybe, if you practiced with others besides me, you'd...get hurt less."

Wordlessly, Mahaad released the prince and knelt, his left foot forward and a hand over his heart.

"Um, Mahaad, what-"

"Prince Atem," He began, interrupting the boy. "You have done me a service that cannot be repaid. I have already sworn on my life to protect you with everything that I am, and yet I regret that there is nothing else-"

Suddenly, there was a foot pressing between his shoulder blades, and although he could have easily overpowered Atem, he obediently pressed his face to the floor, a smile growing on his face.

"Yes, bow down before your future pharaoh!" Atem proclaimed with mock arrogance. "Keep learning your magic spells so that one day you may use them to serve me faithfully!"

"My future pharaoh is much too kind."

Atem rolled his eyes. "Oh, stop it, Mahaad," he said, as he bent down to take the apprentice by the arm and hoist him to his feet.

The young magician smiled. "Did I make you uncomfortable?"

Atem pouted and averted his gaze. "I don't like all that talk of serving me and protecting me and stuff. I just want to be friends."

Mahaad ruffled the boy's unruly hair. "Well, I-"

He was suddenly interrupted by a voice booming in his mind.

"Come. Now."

He winced as he recognized Kassim's voice, but after it faded, his eyes widened. What could he possibly want him for? The lesson was finished, and his master had told him that he had other things to do that day, so what could it be?

"Mahaad, are you okay?"

"Y-yes," he stammered, though in actuality he was pleading with every god he knew that his master had only called him for something trivial. "Kassim wants to see me, so go on and do some studying for once," he chided playfully, trying to hide the growing sense of dread he felt building in the pit of his stomach.

Atem looked him in the eyes, that shrewd look on his face, for several seconds before he smiled brightly. "Okay! Be careful, Mahaad!" As he left the magician's workplace, Mahaad noticed that he was not, in fact, heading towards his teacher's room.

Wasting no more time, Mahaad immediately left himself, walking with purpose down the halls and corridors to where Kassim's study was. When he reached the door, he almost could physically feel the waves of anger emanating from inside. He suppressed a shudder as he noticed something else, as well. Fear, apprehension?

He timidly knocked on the door three times, waiting for his master's answer.

"Get in here."

As he pressed the wooden door open, his master spoke once more.

"See the consequences of disobeying me."

Mahaad immediately noticed a person lying on the ground before Kassim's desk. As he drew closer, he recognized the short, dark hair, and cheerful, but now empty, face. He dropped to his knees, his eyes wide and mind disbelieving as he felt like a snake had constricted around his throat, making it difficult to breathe.

Naftil lay on the ground, still and lifeless.