Anhur al-Azhar

Anhur al-Azhar

      He and his sister Deshira were always close, being her protector more than less because he knew of her abilities. Ones being honed under teachings of Amun-Ra. He set it up for her to find out about certain books, allowing her to seek on her own so that her abilities would become fuller.

     It was from the city of Alexandria, Anhur fled after the Pharaoh, Khalil Pasha, was killed and the General Eibedi intent on killing the Vizier Lisimba al-Azhar and his family under the orders of Bekeirgi, the Pharaoh's nephew. Fled before they were all dead with such a price on their heads. Power of a Vizier was threat. It pained him to leave the temple of Amun-Ra most of all. It was as good as cutting off his right arm.

     Only his faithful companion D'Tam, his Pharaoh hound, he was able to smuggled out with him along with a few personal items before the temple was stormed in search of him.

     A new home. That is what Ballicastle had become after four years passing. He laid in the waters of the pool within the Azhar manor reflecting back on that fateful last day there to the present. He knew they were being guided even if he wasn't quite sure exactly where and why.

Element of Water

Anhur stood out in the vast stretches of sands outside the city of Alexandria in Egypt. The al-Azhar family days were marked by death if they stayed. They were overshadowed by the Muslin General Eibedi and his driven ways under Bekeirgi. It became clear he was bent on wiping out Anhur's family completely. They had stood their ground against this dark force over time but it was becoming too powerful to fight individually after he had managed to separate the family. They needed to escape, to regroup and grow in power as one again. Plans had been made, messages sent in contact with each other so the al-Azhar family along with the al-Dawla, would be leaving their beloved lands within a few days. They would meet up in the lands called Ballicastle. This day he took for himself to remember certain places in homage that held meaning to him.

The sun beat down over the slow shifting sands picked up by a breeze that would sweep then be gone just as quick. The flow of the dunes was much like the ocean but slower instead of continuous motion. Until, that is, one of the sandstorms hit. He walked the white dunes in his native attire. The sun gleamed over slightly scented oiled bronzed skin. He was bare chest without the usual gold adornment. Muscular biceps sported the gold sea serpent to curl around one and two wide bands around the other. White linen kilt was wrapped in a way it needed no belt. No sandals were worn this day as he wanted to feel the heat of the sands against his soles. His heart swelled to see such beauty others might consider barren. The rays of the sun were deepening as the horizon was being met in its setting. The only heartening aspect to lift his sprit was that the same sun would greet the new lands he would be seeing all too soon.

As Amun-Ra would have it, the moments were lost already to His course. D'Tam showed up to circle him before backing off, approaching, then backing off again. Only one bark came as Anhur knew there was an emergency and soon the two friends were running along the dunes as Anhur followed to where he would lead him. It was to the temple, his temple, D'Tam came to a halt in the cover of other buildings close. A touch of his hand to D'Tam's head was all that was needed in command for him to stay right there. His focus, however, was on the Temple that was being dissembled! Guards were all over the place but Anhur knew a secret passageway in. It was this he took in silent stealth, one of his gifts given him of the gods.

A bronzed hand slid down the silks that covered a doorway to his personal chamber within the temple. There upon the floor was a slain priest, one of his. The pool of his blood soaked into the rug he laid on where he fell. Anhur could tell it had been recent for the still red hue hadn't darken. Barely noticed when on its heels came a commotion from the inner chamber. One of his Qainas was being led away by a guard with his sword drawn. She went demurely which was in her best interest as Anhur quickly turn back to press against the wall. His hand fell to the hilt of his sword he'd strapped on while in the secret passageway where ones were always kept. He could hear more guards coming. He started to unsheathe the sword when he notice movement not far from where he was pressed against the wall. Another priest, a young boy who was recently taken in, was signaling him over. Anhur quickly went to him as they ducked away into yet another room not far from the secret passage.

The young priest was quick to tell him they were looking for him, that he was to be slain upon sight. They were tearing down the Temple to find his secret rooms and passageways. None were left in the temple to help him as they were either slain, escaped or taken prisoner. The boy had waited as long as he could for he was small and went undetected. He had hoped he could reach Anhur upon his return before they found him. It was imperative he leave immediately or be killed. Just then more guards were heard coming down the corridor when the lad shot out from the room before Anhur could stop him, running in another direction as the guards gave chase. Once they passed the room Anhur was in, he slipped back out to immediately go back through the hidden passageway. His possessions that were already packed in another place down near the port was where he would head. That night Anhur was on a ship headed for these new lands with the few items he could bring on such a short notice. D'Tam, luckily, was with him.