Facing the White Wing Duke's question, the Six Authorities merely looked up in silence at the Moonfall that was drawing closer under his manipulation. His thoughts began to drift back into his memories.
That was thousands of years ago, when humanity was still in an era of ignorance. At that time, the Six Authorities was not yet the Six Authorities; he was just a slave born in Egypt, with no future and no hope.
Rolling sands blotted out the sky, and an Egyptian army was marching swiftly through the swirling yellow dust.
Poorly equipped, the Six Authorities was then serving as one of Egypt's few slave officers, leading the slave army at the rear of the forces.
At that moment, an Egyptian general reined in his warhorse, turned around, and galloped to the Six Authorities' side, dismounting gracefully to land beside him.
"Nash!"
Hearing the general's call, the Six Authorities—who was still known as Nash at the time—quickly stood still and gave the general a respectful military salute.
"General Reidel! What are your orders!"
Reidel untied a waterskin from his horse and took a long, hearty gulp. Then, showing no regard for Nash's status as a slave, he handed the waterskin directly to him, gesturing for him to drink.
"Nash, didn't I tell you to just call me Reidel? If you stay this rigid, you'll lose me as a friend!"
As he spoke, Reidel held his horse's reins in one hand and draped his other arm around the Six Authorities, marching alongside him under the envious gazes of the slave soldiers.
However, the Six Authorities of that time was nothing like the person he would become in later generations. Although he had already performed many services for Egypt and had become an Egyptian officer of sorts despite his slave status, a slave was still a slave.
Even if Reidel didn't care about his status, it didn't mean others felt the same. There were countless Egyptians and slaves in this army who couldn't stand the Six Authorities.
The Six Authorities silently took a small sip of the precious fresh water from Reidel's waterskin, then returned it to him with a serious expression.
Taking back the waterskin, Reidel curled his lip in annoyance.
"Nash, don't worry about those guys. I am the nephew of the Pharaoh, after all. I'll always protect you. Of course, you'll have to help me earn a few more merits. You know, the Great Pharaoh promised me that if this hunt is successful, she will grant me a large estate. How about you come and help me manage it then?"
"I await your command, General Reidel!"
Hearing his response, Reidel laughed loudly and slapped the Six Authorities on the chest, seemingly very satisfied with his reaction.
Just then, several cavalrymen suddenly rushed from the front of the column and arrived before Reidel.
"General! We've found the target!"
"Hahaha, finally! Quickly, order the troops to spread out and take up formation!"
"Yes, General!"
With that, the knights galloped off, quickly spreading Reidel's orders throughout the army.
The army of several thousand quickly transitioned from a marching column into a battle formation, beginning a slow advance toward their hunting target.
Remounting his horse, Reidel laughed and pointed not far ahead at a Phantasmal Species crouched in the sand that looked like a cross between a crocodile and a dragon. He asked the Six Authorities,
"Nash, we can finally finish the hunt and leave this godforsaken place. What do you think?"
The Six Authorities frowned as he looked at the Sand Crocodile Dragon in the distance, which was the size of a sand dune. Feeling that something was wrong, he said to Reidel,
"General, something is not right! Usually, when we hunt a Sand Crocodile Dragon, it notices us as soon as we discover it. But look, this one hasn't moved at all."
Hearing this, Reidel also began to feel a faint sense of unease. He quickly waved his hand, signaling several cavalrymen to scout ahead. Soon, a few riders burst from the formation and rapidly approached the Sand Crocodile Dragon.
Just as the cavalrymen neared the creature, a massive swarm of venomous scorpions suddenly surged out from beneath it like a tide, forming a dark wave that rushed toward the riders.
In this era without stirrups, where even the reins were tied around the horse's neck, the cavalrymen quickly choked their horses into unconsciousness out of sheer panic during the surprise attack, allowing the tide of scorpions to catch up to them.
"Amon protect us!"
The Egyptian cavalrymen caught by the scorpions actually regained their composure at this point. They quickly cast a series of spells on themselves, their bodies shimmering with magical light as they swung their scimitars against the tide of scorpions.
Not far away, the Egyptian army lined up on the sand dune had no intention of helping. In this Age of Gods, most of these elite Egyptian warriors knew a few spells or divine arts. They didn't view the scorpion swarm surrounding the cavalrymen as a threat at all, instead cheerfully watching the show.
Indeed, the magic-buffed cavalry stood firm like rocks on a shore against the crashing tide of scorpions. They continuously swung their scimitars, unleashing brilliant blades of light that wiped out the scorpions in droves.
Still feeling that something was wrong, the Six Authorities nodded to a slave behind him. Upon receiving the signal, the slave quickly pulled out several bones, chanting incantations as a ball of golden flame formed in his hands to scorch the bones of some unknown animal.
Attracted by the commotion, Reidel turned his head, glanced at the slave casting the spell, and said,
"That's the prophetic divine art of those temple fellows! There really are quite a few talents among the slaves. It's a pity your kind can only be slaves for generations; what a waste of talent!"
Suddenly, the expression of the slave performing the divine art changed drastically. He began to roar frantically like a madman.
"Run! Ru... run!"
Then, the slave coughed up a spray of black blood and collapsed weakly to the ground. The Six Authorities quickly supported him and asked anxiously,
"What did you see?"
"Serket! These scorpions were sent by the Goddess Serket to warn us! I saw moonlight... a pale... moon..."
The Six Authorities and Reidel watched tensely as the slave breathed his last. Reidel quickly stood up to issue a retreat order. After all, compared to hunting a Sand Crocodile Dragon for its core to aid in the construction of the Pyramids, these thousands of Egyptian elites were far more important.
However, it seemed it was already too late. The sun in the sky suddenly grew dim, and a black shadow began to gradually devour it. In modern times, this would be a simple solar eclipse, but in the Age of Gods, it seemed to carry a profound meaning.
At this moment, the entire army began to fall into a panic.
"Horus! Horus has vanished!"
Reidel looked up at the sun, which was now completely eclipsed, and at a certain figure descending from the sky. He murmured to the Six Authorities,
"Nash, it seems we're too late!"
The Six Authorities also stared at the charismatic figure in mid-air and murmured back,
"Yes! Too late."
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