Emperor of Time : The Battle of The Gods

In the dim morning light, the KV5 excavation team had gathered at the excavation site. The dark clouds rolling over the site gave the team members a sense of insecurity. But they tried to stay calm and work as usual.

Dr. Hassan stood on the nearest dune from the excavation tent and looked at all his team members. He then shouted. "Remember, safety comes first! Storms can be deadly. Stay alert!"

Ryan nodded at Dr. Hassan's advice and then shouldered his backpack. Dr. Maria distributed radios and headsets to the entire team.

"Stay connected, team. We'll be monitoring the weather closely." Dr. Hassan continued.

Dr. Matt looked up at the sky and narrowed his eyes. "Those clouds look bad. Should we postpone our excavation today?" he asked Dr. Hassan.

Dr. Hassan hesitated but then said. "We'll proceed with caution. But be prepared to evacuate at the appropriate time."

Ryan adjusted his safety helmet and prepared for the uncertainty ahead.

"Let's move quickly, team. We don't have much time," Dr. Hassan said again.

As they entered the tomb, a strong gust of wind swept through the excavation site, causing the wooden scaffolding to creak with an eerie sound.

Then it happened, a deafening crack echoed so loudly inside the tomb, making everyone's hearts stop. The wooden beams supporting the tomb's walls broke and the scaffolding collapsed.

And Dr. Rose who was close to the scaffolding screamed loudly. She lost her balance and then fell into the excavation hole and landed on her back, right on top of the debris of the collapsed scaffolding.

Ryan felt his heart drop. But he quickly ran to Dr. Rose and climbed into the hole, fear gripping him.

"Call for medical help!" Dr. Hassan shouted as he rushed into the hole. "Someone get a first aid kit!"

Dr. Maria ran out of the tomb and tried to contact the medical team through the communication station in the excavation tent. "We need an ambulance, now!"

The rest of the team froze but then moved quickly. Some climbed into the hole with him, others grabbed emergency medical supplies.

Ryan approached Dr. Rose carefully. "Stay still, Doctor. You're going to be fine," he whispered, keeping his voice steady.

Dr. Rose groaned in pain. "My back… I can't feel my legs."

Panic gripped Ryan. Dr. Hassan, who was crouching down next to Ryan, spoke. "We need to stabilize his spine," he whispered. "Gently immobilize his neck and body."

Ryan nodded and took the first aid kit from another team member who had just arrived. He carefully placed a collar around Dr. Rose's neck.

Then Dr. Maria returned and spoke from above the dugout. "The ambulance is on its way. But they're going to be a little slow getting here. The storm is getting stronger."

Ryan held Dr. Rose's hand and tried to calm her down. "Help is coming, Doctor. Hang in there."

Dr. Rose's eyes slowly closed, her face very pale.

Moments later, Dr. Hassan, who had been listening to the reports from the other team members, shouted. "We have to evacuate—now! The storm is getting worse!"

The entire team moved quickly. Ryan, Dr. Matt, and Brandon carefully lifted Dr. Rose onto a stretcher. "Keep her spine straight!" Dr. Hassan warned.

They then fought against the strong gusts of wind after exiting the tomb. Ryan positioned himself on top of Dr. Rose, trying to shield her from the rain that hurt when it hit her skin. The raindrops splashed Ryan's face and blurred his vision. "Just hold on, Doctor!" he urged, a little desperately.

Fortunately, the ambulance arrived shortly after. Its lights shone into the darkened yard due to the storm. Dr. Hassan opened the back door roughly. "Slow down, now!" he ordered.

The team member guiding the stretcher then moved the stretcher into the ambulance. The nurse who was waiting inside gave Dr. Rose oxygen. Dr. Maria jumped up and sat next to Dr. Rose.

Dr. Hassan told the nurse in the ambulance. "Notify the hospital! Spinal cord injury, possible paralysis! We will follow to the hospital immediately." The nurse nodded and Dr. Hassan closed the back door of the ambulance.

***

Almost all of the KV5 team were at the hospital and crowded the waiting room, their expressions all worried. They paced back and forth, exchanging glances without anyone speaking out loud.

Ryan's mind replayed the chaos of the accident without him wanting to.

The neurosurgeon at the hospital, Dr. Shina, came out of the emergency room. Her face was grim. "Dr. Rose has a severe spinal injury: C5-C6 fracture and potential spinal cord damage. Surgery is required immediately," she explained.

The team's guilty silence. They exchanged another worried glance.

Ryan looked down, guilt overwhelming him. "This could have been prevented," he whispered to Dr. Maria who was standing next to him.

She then put her hand on Ryan's shoulder. "Accidents can happen at any time, Ryan."

Dr. Hassan's expression darkened. "First, we made sure Dr. Rose received the best care possible. Then, we reassessed our safety protocols. This incident exposed vulnerabilities that we could not ignore."

Dr. Maria nodded. "We need to review and refine our procedures."

Dr. Matt placed a hand on Ryan's back. "We're in this together. We'll support Dr. Rose together."

The team nodded, but uncertainty still lingered. As Dr. Rose went into surgery, the team waited.

***

Dr. Shina emerged from the operating room. "The surgery was a success. The damage to Dr. Rose's spinal cord was minimal."

A deep sigh filled the room, but the tension was still palpable.

"She will require extensive rehabilitation, but we are optimistic about her full recovery. We will keep her together carefully over the next 24-48 hours." Dr. Shina continued.

Ryan's eyes filled with relief as he hugged Dr. Maria. "Thank goodness!"

Dr. Hassan remained somber. "We send our thanks to Dr. Shina and the faculty."

Dr. Shina led them to the ICU. Dr. Rose lay motionless and unconscious, surrounded by beeping monitors.

"You're going to be okay, Doctor." Ryan gently squeezed her hand.

"It could have been worse." Dr. Maria whispered. "We need to reconsider our safety protocols."

Dr. Matt nodded without saying anything.

Dr. Shina assured them, "Dr. Rose will receive the best care possible. You all better focus on supporting each other during this challenging time." She then left to attend to another patient.

***

The KV5 team members walked tiredly from the villa parking lot to their villa in Luxor.

Ryan collapsed on the living room couch, his mind replaying the events of the accident that morning. Dr. Rose's terrified screams echoed in his ears. The crack of the scaffolding breaking, and his own fear when trying to save her.

He rubbed his tired eyes, despair creeping up on him.

Dr. Maria sat there with a worried expression. "Ryan, are you okay?"

Ryan held him and said softly. "I keep thinking about what happened… and I keep wondering if I could stop."

Dr. Maria was quiet. Then she said. "Let's get some rest. Tomorrow we will all gather and review our safety protocols."

Ryan nodded and went to his room.

Tomorrow must bring change.