Chapter 1
Aset woke up. She looked at her pet scarab beetle, Ra.
“Get down here and start cooking breakfast!” yelled her mom.
“Alright, I’m coming,” she said.
She felt like a servant in her own house. Ever since her dad had married that witch. She felt really sad. She went down the stairs and into the kitchen. Her father wanted a piece of toast, so her mother said bossily, “Make sure it’s extra crispy!”
“I’m going,” she said.
She put the toast into the toaster and waited. Then she put the toast onto the table for her dad and then went back upstairs to feed her beetle. “Here you go, Ra. At least you’re having fun. I’d better get ready for school,” she said. She got dressed. She put on her favorite light blue dress and head scarf. She then got her backpack and went outside to wait for the bus.
She almost forgot that she had no school today! She was so happy! She was going to the Nile to see her friend that fished. So she caught a bus to the Nile River. When she got there, she found her friend, Saraba. He said, “Hello Aset, shouldn’t you be at school?”
She answered, “School is cancelled today because the teachers have to take grades.”
Saraba said, “Do you want to see some of my catch? I think I caught a baby crocodile!”
“Cool, let’s go!”
They went down to Saraba’s boat to see the baby crocodile and when they got there the netting was torn up!
“Oh no! The crocodile must have torn up all your nets!” said Aset.
“I can always get new ones by trading my catch in. If he didn’t eat them all.’’
“Let’s go to the market and get you some right now.”
So they went on the bus to the market to trade for some very nice nets. At the market, Aset decided to get herself an amulet. She decided to get an Eye of Horus. It was made out of silver. She paid $2 for it. She felt like it was a really good deal!
“That necklace looks really cute on you, Aset!” said Saraba.
“Thanks,” Aset answered. “Let’s catch a bus.”
When they got on the bus, they rode by the Sphinx and Aset felt her necklace growing hot. What the huh?! she thought. Okay, a necklace is not supposed to be like that.
Saraba looked at her. “What’s up, Aset?”
“Oh nothing, I’m doing fine, thanks!”
“Just thought something was wrong. Why is your necklace glowing?”
“What, my necklace is glowing?”
Then she looked at it and said, “What the—?”
Then a bright light enclosed her and she felt really light like a feather. She was a bird! She had transformed into a peregrine falcon! She was flying!
This didn’t look like the Cairo she knew. It was old and there were huts everywhere. Of course, she had travelled into the past.
She was flying toward a majestic palace. Aset saw that it was breathtaking. It was beautiful, covered in a thin layer of gold and jewels.
In the middle, there was a small pyramid with the same symbol her necklace had. In front of it were three cards which looked like three monsters from a card game she liked to play. One had a winged dragon, the other had a grey giant on it, and the third was red with two heads on it.
Of course, those were the fabled Egyptian God Cards. They were the rarest and most powerful cards in all of Duel Monsters. Oh!
The necklace that was behind the cards was the millennium puzzle. It was a really rare Egyptian artifact that had the power to transform people into a powerful being. But nobody knew where it was!
The Egyptian God Cards were Obelisk the Tormentor, Slifer the Sky Dragon, and the Winged Dragon of Ra. The rarest cards in the game. Aset changed out of her bird form and entered the palace. It had a luscious garden. She was in awe! It was amazing. She went into the palace and then she saw a room at the end of it. What the huh? She went towards the room. It was breathtaking and beautiful and looked like a Duel Monsters video. There were hieroglyphics— she definitely did not know how to read hieroglyphics. Let’s see, it said: “If the Egyptian God Cards were to fall into the hands of the Sorcerer of the Snake they would become the snake of Apollos. And destroy Egypt.”
Then she saw a light coming out of another room and thought this must be the throne room. She went into the throne and it was simple. Gold with the Eye of Horus in the middle of it. Then she heard footsteps behind her. She ran behind a column that was in the room. The king was so cool! He had put the millennium puzzle around his neck. He had spiked hair and he seemed quite worried. She heard him muttering to himself, “The Force of the Snake keeps challenging me. The next thing I know he will be in my very own castle.”
He was the one who decided the monster that I imprisoned in stone would be used for evil. I must find a way to control the Egyptian God Card and make Ra the invincible god.
Then Aset left the room. Become an advisor. Perhaps she could become an advisor to this king. She knew how to. All she had to do was challenge the current advisor to a duel!
But where was she supposed to get cards? All of her cards were in her era of Egypt. How was she supposed to do it now? Wait a minute, he must have been the king who imprisoned the monster in stone so all she had to do was find magicians to bring them back from stone. But where was she going to find the magicians?
Then her necklace suddenly started to glow again. It was the same as before, just it was golden and bigger. And of course it must have been the Millennium Items. The Millennium Puzzle, the Millennium Ring, the Millennium Key, the Millennium Eye, the Millenium Weights, Millenium Rod, and the Millennium Necklace.
They were really powerful. Maybe if Aset could get all of the Millennium Items then the king and she would have a chance to defeat the Snake Sorcerer!
One of the Sorcerer’s Minions had to be in the castle. Wait a minute, maybe he was the adviser! Maybe I should talk to him? She went to the throne room. And in the throne room that held the king, she approached him and said, “What is your question, fair person? I am here to become an advisor. My name is Aset. I am the bringer of life.”
“Of course Aset, you may try to be my advisor. My old advisor quit and joined the snake side. Since then nobody has asked to be my advisor, but since you are the first person, you may.”
“Thank you great king, but who is the Snake Sorcerer? I am just a girl who has travelled a long distance and I’ve not heard of this so called Snake Sorcerer.”
“When I was new to the throne, there were monsters ravishing and destroying the land, but a group of wizards who called themselves the Snake Tribe found a way to bring the monsters out of the stone and into my beautiful kingdom once more.”
“Oh, that sounds bad. But first I need a set of these dueling stones you speak of, because I know that it’s the royal law. Somebody who wants to take the throne has to challenge the advisor and then the king.”
“Very well, I have a lot of good duelling stones. Well, I was outside making sure if I could seek your counsel when I saw what looked like three cards. Those are the Power Cards, my family has had them for generations. They are obviously very precious to the line of the pharaohs. Yes and I intend not to lose them.”
“First you must go into your room where I will get a change of clothes for the banquet.”
“Yes, my lord.”
She followed two servants into a room that was very nice. It was wonderful and very simple. There was a bed on one side and a small closet on the other and there was a large mirror that had two Egyptian hieroglyphics on them. Then she saw that there was a change of clothes on the bed.
Wow. This is very nice. She got all of the clothes on the bed. It was a very simple white dress and cork sandals. Then she put on her necklace and went out to the Great Hall to eat at the banquet.
She sat down at the seat to the right of the king. When she was eating, a messenger came up to the king and whispered in the king’s ear and the king said, “I must have them moved elsewhere.”
Then she asked, “My king, I overheard you saying something to that messenger. Where does it need to be moved?”
“The Snake people tried to take my cards, so I’m hiding them.”
“Where are you hiding them, my lord?”
“I don’t know yet, but I have a small idea that there is a small pyramid in the small port town named Alexandria.”
“A-a-a-alexandria?”
That was where her mom was last seen!
“We are taking our chariot there in the morning.”
“My lord, where shall we stay?”
“At a palace I own there. But only pack necessities such as food, clothes, and your duelling stones which I shall have sent to you in the morning.”
“Yes, my lord.”
Aset went to her room. Maybe I can find my mother, she thought. She was last seen there in the north at an archaeological dig. Maybe she got zapped back in time like me and is waiting for me there. I can do this! I’d better go to bed now.
When she got up in the morning, something was wrong. She went to the dining hall. The king was muttering.
“What is wrong, my king?”
“Somebody murdered two horses last night. And then a big boom came from the entrance hall!”
Chapter 2
The hissing of snakes entered the hall. A raspy voice called out, “Pharaoh, I am here to take the cards. Give them to me. Alexandria and Egypt shall be spared. You have 24 hours to decide: do you want your precious kingdom or your cards?”
Then the slithering of snakes went back out of the castle. The king looked as pale as the Egyptian sun. He looked terrible. He didn’t know what to do. He said, “I must go to my chamber and consult. Our trip to Alexandria must be put on hold. We will still be heading to Alexandria to meet his needs, but first my advisor and I must consult in my bedroom.”
They went down the hall passed the throne room to a golden door that had one hieroglyphic on the door: the anklet, the symbol for which she was named for.
“Aset.”
“What is it, my lord?”
“What if you were to replace the cards with fakes, that way the snake magician wouldn’t know they’re actual fakes?” said Aset. “Then they wouldn’t have the actual cards and Egypt and the cards would still belong to you!”
“That is a brilliant idea!” said the king. “I’ll have my best artist get on it at once.”
Five hours later they were riding in the king’s chariot to Alexandria when they saw a great red pyramid. Aset was shocked because in Egypt, red means chaos and black is the color that symbolizes goodness. They rode up to the pyramid to see that there were cobras all over it.
“The pyramid snake!” it occurred to Aset. The pyramid was made out of giant snake skin.
It seems to be radiating chaos, destruction, and bad stuff in general and the sky around it seemed to be black.
Aset thought it was really creepy. Whoever ran that thing must be messed up big time. It gave her the chills just looking at it. She was shocked at seeing it. Maybe her mother was inside that pyramid. Maybe she got pulled back in time, too. She was going to find her mom! A cobra came up to them. In a raspy voice he said, “Giiive me the caaardsss…”
The pharaoh caught the cards out of a small purse and then got out of the chariot and put them in front of the snake. The snake took them in his mouth. Then he slithered back to the pyramid. Everybody in Egypt held their breath. The snake came slithering back.
“You can keep your land, but my master says he will grant one question to him for the cardsss.”
Aset spoke up, “Do you know where my mother is?”
The snake said, “What is your mother’s name?”
“My mother’s name is Aset Osera.”
The snake slithered back to the pyramid.
“Here is where your mom is. In the place of the golden sands, where the snake’s enemy resides, your mother is there waiting in the sands of time.”
“Thank you,” replied Aset.
Then she and the king drove back to the palace.
“Excuse me, Aset.”
“Yes, my lord?”
“I think I have a small idea about where your mother is.”
“You do?” Aset gasped. “Where is it?” she asked anxiously.
“There’s a temple to Ra in the west and there is said to be a great hourglass. I think what the snake was referring to as the sands of time, he meant the hourglass. Your mother must be imprisoned inside the hourglass waiting for you in the west. Ra the sun!”
Of course, why didn’t she think of that. They are representing Apollos, the bringer of destruction. Ra defeats the guy of the underworld every night.
“Okay. I’ll get the horses so we can go there now!”
They both ran to the stables. Aset chose a beautiful white horse. The king chose a proud and handsome chestnut-colored one. The king called to the stable hand, “Get these horses saddled up, we need them immediately!
The stable hands got their reigns. Aset said they should ride bareback. They galloped out of the stalls and into the desert.
Their horses galloped along as they kept their eyes peeled, looking for the temple.
Aset thought of something. Maybe if she turned into a hawk again, that would make it easier. Her horse seemed to know what she was going to do so her horse stopped and she dismounted and then the horse ran back to the stables. The king stopped his horse.
“Aset, what are you doing?”
Well, I think I am going to turn into a hawk, but if it doesn’t work, we’re riding double.”
She thought about a hawk. There was a flash of light and suddenly she was a peregrine falcon! She took off and the king gave a command for his horse to start going. She felt like she was being drawn to something. Ra often gave off a vibe that drew hawks near it. Maybe that was the temple where her mom was!
Follow me, she said telepathically. I think I have an idea where the temple is.
Then the king turned his horse around and followed Aset. She could kind of see something in the distance. It looked kind of like a temple.
Then they began zoning in on the temple. She felt excitement. Is mom there? She looked out and saw a bad thing… it was a giant cobra. It was so freaking cool, she thought. She fainted on the spot. Wow, that is a big snake.
The snake looked back at her. Then it started to speak in a weird language. The only words she caught were “amulet” and “Ra.” Then the snake turned into sand.
Oh, that was weird. OH, THE AMULET OF RA! It is an amulet of immense power which her mom was trying to excavate! If the two were connected—
Boom!!!
What was that? A giant falcon flew in. It looked straight at Aset. Its eyes pierced into her soul. It was like they had met before. Its eyes looked like her moms, beautiful amber eyes. Hey! Maybe it was mom transformed. I mean, like, extremely smaller.
It was completely creepy. Aset just wanted to go home.Then the falcon touched her…
then she was in her bedroom, but it didn’t look like her bedroom at all. In her bedroom, her wallpaper was lilac, but this paper was a dark, midnight blue with silver stars stenciled all over the ceiling. Hey! This looked like her mom’s bedroom when she was a kid! Yup, it was definitely her mom’s.
She heard footsteps. She had to hide! So she chose to hide behind the desk. A girl had just entered. It was…it was! Her MOM?! Expect younger, and not disappeared? It looks like she was around Aset’s age, ten or twelve perhaps. She was wearing a light cotton dress with a midnight blue headscarf. Hey, that headscarf was the same shade of blue that Aset had! Her mom seemed deeply disturbed about something. What a minute, Aset remembered her dad telling her something about her mom once. Oh right! When her mom was twelve her parents got divorced. She must have landed a few months before they got divorced. That falcon must have dropped her off in her mom’s timeline. All she had to do was figure out how to get back to her timeline. Okay, so if she could figure out how the falcon brought her here, she could figure out how to get back.
“Okay, Aset, first review how your got to ancient Egypt in the first place. Okay, first I know when I passed by the Sphinx my necklace, oh, wait! where’s my necklace? Oh yeah, it’s in my shirt, silly me! When I passed by the Sphinx, my necklace transported me to ancient Egypt. Maybe if I could connect some way to the Sphinx and my necklace.”
Here mom was obsessed with the Sphinx, which was built by King Delsipher between 30 BC and 40 BC and the tomb of King Delsipher was rumored to have connection to a great treasure in Egypt. Aset saw the necklace on her mom’s desk. It didn’t have any security, but then again it wasn’t the 21st century, so she was pretty sure they didn’t have lasers. All Aset had to do was grab the necklace from her mom’s desk put the necklace around her neck and zap herself out of there. Although she was pretty hungry. Zapping through timelines was extremely exhausting. She grabbed the necklace and put it on. Hopefully she wouldn’t be blasted into oblivion. She felt this really warm glow around her and brilliant flash of light. When she opened her eyes, she saw Ra her pet scarab beetle and…
“Hey, it looked just like this morning, my parents must be worried, well not my evil step-mother…I need to get some breakfast! I am STARVING!” So she headed downstairs, and said in surprise, “How did I get back at three in the morning? Well, on the bright side, at least I remembered that I don’t have any school today.”
So she snuck out of the house. She was going to the library. She walked as quickly as she could. She hoped that it was open. As she turned the corner she saw something that was just so cool. She saw a bright light. She stepped into it. She suddenly felt powerful like a goddess. She was a goddess!