You know me, Setarek, the voice said.
"Who's there?" The prince gripped his sword tightly, spinning his body from side to side, trying to cover every direction. He had been in this temple before, but he didn't remember this room.
Suddenly, one of the walls parted like double doors. From it emerged a statue about a meter tall, entirely of gold. It held a scepter, and the vertical bronze crown burned along with triple wings that floated around it.
The prince's instinct was to kneel. He knew what he was seeing was a God. The place illuminated with brilliance and glory; the air was pure, and each breath filled the prince's lungs with divine power. There was no sound except the crackling of flames emanating from the divine statue. The walls seemed to sway like fabric in a breeze, and the prince felt himself floating.
"Do you know… my name?" He released the sword and opened his arms. "Please, enlighten me. Show me what I must do."
And He said to Setarek:
"I will do what you ask, for you have pleased me and I know you by name."
"I beg you to show me your glory," the prince said, his voice trembling.
"You cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live," God answered. "Yet I will cause all my goodness to pass before you, and I will proclaim my name before you: DiptsurRá, the God of the rising sun, the midday sun, and the setting sun. You, Son of the Setting Sun, shall be the embodiment of my glory on earth. You will fight alongside the Dragon, and great shall be your story."
Then the light intensified. Tears streamed from the prince's eyes. When he awoke, he felt no pain or confusion—it was as though, already awake, he had simply closed his eyes and opened them again.
The priests startled at his sudden awakening; they had thought he had fainted. Setarek rose quickly, scanning the surroundings.
"It's all right, Prince," one of them said, trying to calm him.
Before the young man could reply, he heard his father's voice calling his name. He faced the pharaoh.
"Setarek. What happened?" There was doubt in Uras's voice.
"We found him collapsed as we were leaving the temple, Pharaoh, but he awoke suddenly," one of the priests explained.
Setarek looked at his father and finally answered:
"I'm fine. It was just…"
He stopped when he saw Krarvathar appear, following Neftraya.
The prince's eyes widened. This was no longer the gray humanoid that had fallen and whom he had tried to kill. This was a human: the gray skin had turned to a Nasndernian brown, the hair was smoother rather than spiked, and the masculine face—though unlike his own people—bore a pharaonic jawline.
The prince's gaze darted quickly to the fallen sword, but his body froze, just as it had the first time.
"Setarek." Uras'Diptsur approached and placed a hand on his son's shoulder. "Look at me."
Setarek met his father's eyes. The pharaoh brushed a hand across his face.
"I want you to listen to me. We need—"
"I know, Father," the son interrupted. "I trust you. Forgive me for having doubted."
Uras'Diptsur was surprised, but soon smiled and kissed his son's forehead.
"This is cause for joy," said Neftraya. "But we must prepare, Pharaoh."
"The people have gathered outside the temple, Pharaoh. They want to see you… and to know…" A priestess glanced briefly at Krarvathar, unsure how to refer to him.
"Order the soldiers to organize the crowd. I will go and calm their hearts. A new era is about to dawn," the pharaoh commanded.
Krarvathar watched the prince. The dragon remembered nearly killing him and was surprised to see him there and well, but he said nothing. The prince ignored his gaze and turned to the priestess.
"Neftraya, I want to speak with you later. Alone."
"So it shall be, Prince." The priestess inclined her head slightly.
"Come with me, Setarek. We will speak to our people," the pharaoh said, then looked at the priestess. "I want you to come. You and Krarvathar. I will introduce him to the people."
"Very well," the dragon replied. Krarvathar seemed intrigued. Something in him wanted to face the humans' gaze: fear, ignorance, awe, doubt. The dragon was becoming quite interested in it.
Neftraya wondered if this was the right moment, but she agreed, assuming it would help dispel the people's fear.
"Perfect," the pharaoh replied and walked toward the temple exit.
The prince's gaze met the dragon's once more. He remembered the vision: You will fight alongside the Dragon, DiptsurRá had said. The prince did not understand why he would need to ally with a creature of chaos, going against everything he had been taught.
"Was it really… real?" he asked himself silently, watching everyone leave. A fear of the debt grew in his heart.