Striding toward him, tall and imperious, spear in hand, a dark
yet ghostly white sinister figure!
"Are you of Cush, or are you from the Northland?" The voice
was emotionless, but the spear point bore upon his chest, a
handsbreath away.
"Neither. At least, I think neither. I am Demo, and I am here
on a mission for Zeus. I know nothing of Cush, nor of the
Northland. I am here to find the regulus, to take with me to
Zeus. I mean you no harm, and implore your aid."
The stranger listened stoically to his plea. He silently
marched in a wide circle around Demo, always at spear length.
Seeing no weapons he sat down at the edge of the sand dune.
"Zeus? Is that the name of the pharaoh? Are you an emissary of
this pharaoh, Zeus?"
"Of Zeus, yes. But he is no pharaoh. He is, well, he is Zeus.
And I'm here to perform this little chore for him."
"Strange, you don't resemble us. Neither the Nuba nor the
Mirikan. Nor the people of the Northland. Very well, I'll take
you to Jebel Bakhal. There your fate will be decided." He rose
slowly.
"Come, perhaps your blood shall stain the sands of Cush. Others
shall decide. That way!" The tall stranger pointed with the
spear, waited for Demo to move out. As Demo hesitated the spear
point was thrust forward, stopped a finger's width from his
skin.
Demo nodded, moved quickly in the indicated direction.
So this is Cush, he thought. And somewhere in Cush I'll find
the Regulus.
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