Emperor of Time : The Battle of The Gods

Night had begun to fall when they arrived at the private villas at Luxor city, that were specifically rented for the team's accommodation. This location was chosen because it was not too far from KV51, which the team would be excavating. Vehicles rotated between the rented villas, dropping off the team members and their equipment.

Ryan entered his room. The room was not large, with a single bed, a set of tables and chairs, and a wardrobe. There was also a private bathroom inside.

He then unpacked his belongings which were not that many, mostly research papers, especially hieroglyph translations because Ryan was now working as a translator. Not long after, his belongings were neatly arranged.

He opened the layout of KV5 on his bed and memorized every detail, then sat down beside the bed.

Looking out his bedroom window, he saw dark clouds gathering around KV5. The presence of these clouds was unusual for winter and made him worried. Winter in Egypt is around 10°C to 20°C. But now the air felt very humid, contrary to the weather forecast.

Ryan then ignored his worries and walked out of the room to the dining room. The room was already filled with team members and the delicious aroma of Merir's cooking wafted throughout the room.

He greeted his colleagues and shook hands.

"Hey, Ryan! Are you feeling refreshed now?" Dr. Hassan said, taking a leisurely sip of his mint tea.

"Haha, yeah, it's the party that's refreshing me." Ryan grinned as he scooped a mouthful of koshari into his mouth.

Dr. Rose Kogel, an ever-energetic ancient mythology expert, leaned toward Ryan. "Ryan, have you looked at the layout of KV5 again? Anything new?" she asked.

Ryan chuckled as he wiped some ketchup off his chin. "Yeah, I'm a little obsessed with the layout. There are a lot of chambers that haven't been discovered much considering the number of children of Ramses II. Plus, the sun disk symbolism is everywhere, it's very confusing."

Dr. Matt Jenkins chimed in with youthful enthusiasm. "Maybe it was intentional. The sons of Ramses II could have used it as a distraction."

"Or they just liked to mess with us," Ryan joked, raising an eyebrow. "Maybe they got bored and thought, 'Let the archaeologists get confused!'

"Imagine them sitting in heaven laughing at us," Dr. Hassan chuckled. "And they said, 'Look at them scratching their heads!'"

"Exactly!" Ryan laughed. "Now I can picture it. 'Hey, let's put a big sun in the wrong place!'"

Dr. Rose shook his head. "But seriously, a misdirection could explain a lot. Maybe they were hiding something important."

"Or maybe they just didn't care," Dr. Matt said, shrugging. "I mean, how many tombs have been robbed by now?"

"Yeah, let's just throw in some random symbols and see who bites," Ryan added with a grin. "It's like sticking a 'kick me' sign on your back."

Dr. Hassan took another sip of his tea, a teasing smile on his face. "So what's your theory, Ryan? Are they hiding treasure or are they just bad at layout?"

"Could be both!" Ryan replied with a mischievous twinkle in his eye. "A treasure hunt with a little confusion. Perfect!"

"You're turning this into a reality show. 'Archaeologists Gone Wild!'" Dr. Rose said, rolling her eyes.

Dr. Matt laughed and clapped his hands. "I'll watch it! Imagine the ratings!"

"I'm not sure I want to watch it. What's next? 'Ancient Myths: The Game Show'?" Dr. Hassan leaned back in his chair with his arms crossed and laughed.

"Really? Contestants guess symbolism while avoiding traps!" Ryan exclaimed with a grin.

"Oh, you're going to win," Rose said, feigning seriousness. "Your specialty? Overthinking every clue."

"Hey, here's a prize!" Ryan joked, holding up his fork like a trophy. "I'll take my prize now, please!"

"Just make sure it's not a trip to KV5," Dr. Matt joked. "We don't want to find you lost in the maze again."

"Lost? Me?" Ryan feigned surprise. "Never!"

"Yes, that's right," Dr. Rose said, shaking her head. "Just remember to ask for directions next time."

"Directions? Who needs directions when you have a solar disk to guide you?" Ryan replied with a laugh.

Dr. Hassan raised his cup. "To misdirection and koshari! May our minds always be as full as our plates!"

"Cheers to that!" everyone cheered, clinking their glasses in agreement.

***

Meanwhile, on the other side of the room, Ahmed, their driver, leaned back in his seat with a grin. "You won't believe it. I've driven in sandstorms. Visibility was zero. I could barely see my hand in front of my face!"

Amr laughed. "Seriously? How did you even keep going?"

"Just trust your instincts! I knew the road was there somewhere. It's like trying to find your way in a dark room. You just… feel your way around." Ahmed demonstrated the groping motions excitedly.

Fatma interrupted. "But what if you hit something? Like a camel or—"

Ahmed waved a hand dismissively. "Oh, come on! Camels know better than to cross the road in a sandstorm! They're smart like that."

"Smart camels. Now that's a visual." Amr snorted.

Ahmed chuckled. "I swear they're having secret meetings. 'Alright, boys, the storm is coming. Stay where you are!'"

"So what did you do? Just sit there and wait?" Fadil asked with a grin.

Ahmed pretended to be serious and replied. "No, no! That would be boring! I played music really loud. You know, playing songs loud while the world turns into a giant sand blender."

Fatma laughed. "And you danced in your seat?"

"Exactly!" Ahmed nodded. "Just imagine: me, in the middle of a storm, playing music—"

"Wait," Amr interrupted. "Are you stuck?"

Ahmed paused for dramatic effect.

"Ah, okay… I probably took the wrong path. Just a little detour."

Fadil leaned in curiously. "How long do you mean by 'little'?"

Ahmed grinned. "Let's just say I had a lot of time to think about life. And my playlist."

"What were you thinking about?" Fatma raised an eyebrow and asked.

Ahmed grinned as he said. "Especially how I should have packed snacks. You don't realize how much you miss sandwiches until you're caught in a sandstorm!"

Amr chuckled. "So, no heroic tales of survival? Just hunger?"

Ahmed laughed. "Hey, survival involves snacks!"

Fadil pretended to be serious. "So, what's the moral of the story? Always pack snacks?"

"Exactly! Next time, I'll pack some food." Ahmed replied with a wink.

Fatma leaned back in their chairs. "You know, I think I'd rather hear about your next adventure."

"Oh, I have plenty!" Ahmed smiled. "Like the time I got lost in the mountains—"

"Lost? You again?" Amr interrupted.

Ahmed raised an eyebrow. "That's part of the adventure! Besides, I found a great little cafe there. And the best tea I've ever had."

"So, getting lost equals treasure. Got it." Fadil laughed.

"Exactly!" Ahmed nodded. "Life is a series of detours. And sometimes, you find the best places off the beaten path."

"And snacks!" Fatma added with a grin.

Ahmed pointed at Fatma and laughed. "Don't forget snacks!"

***

When dinner was over, the team members began to disperse. Ryan felt satisfied. He returned to his room, where he carefully sorted his notes and diagrams before checking messages from his hangout buddies.

Once everything was done, he immersed himself in "Ancient Egyptian History." As the clock struck 11 p.m., Ryan marked his page and closed the book. He turned off the lights, letting the soft moonlight illuminate the room.

With a contented sigh, Ryan fell asleep peacefully.