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In the middle of the night, after everyone had fallen asleep in the house, Orion and Zoser settled in the same room while Lena slept in a separate one. The atmosphere was quiet, but something unexpected was looming. Zoser suddenly woke up, as if his body had collapsed, feeling an intense exhaustion as if his strength had drained away gradually. Orion, unable to sleep, tried to check on his companion. Noticing the visible changes in Zoser's condition, he approached him and spoke in a low voice, almost a whisper:
"What's wrong, Zoser?"
But Zoser didn't respond, which made Orion's concern grow quickly. His anxiety escalated, and his voice grew louder as he repeated his question with more urgency:
"Zoser, are you okay?"
There was no answer. Lena, disturbed by Orion's raised voice, woke up and rushed into the room. She was startled when she saw Zoser in an odd state, his eyes half-closed and his body swaying.
"What happened to him?" Lena asked, her worry evident in her voice.
Orion quickly replied, trying to keep calm:
"We don't know, but he's suffering from a high fever. We need help immediately."
Lena thought quickly and said:
"We need to take him to Onar; she's the only one who can help."
Without wasting any time, Orion hurriedly carried Zoser, and Lena followed him to Onar's house.
When they arrived, Orion knocked on the door urgently. Moments later, Onar opened it, her amber-green eyes glowing with wisdom and mystery. She spoke calmly:
"What's the matter?"
Orion quickly responded, his worry showing on his face:
"Please, Onar, help us. Zoser has a high fever, and we don't know what's wrong with him."
Onar nodded and immediately let them in. She directed Orion to take Zoser to the treatment room.
"Take him to the treatment room. I don't want anyone interrupting the treatment; it could harm the patient."
Both of them complied and waited in the guest room. After closing the door, Onar examined Zoser closely, as if she were sensing something deeper. She then began speaking in strange words, an incantation that triggered the mystical mechanisms around them. She whispered:
"Now, no one will interrupt us, O descendant of Narmer."
Outside, Orion and Lena felt nothing unusual.
Onar took a small vial containing a glowing green liquid, and poured a few drops into Zoser's mouth. After a while, Zoser's condition began to improve. His eyes slowly opened, and he spoke in a faint voice, trying to focus on his surroundings:
"Where am I?" He was trying to understand the unfamiliar room around him.
Zoser noticed a woman in her fifties standing in front of him, observing him carefully.
"Onar? Why am I here?" he asked weakly.
Onar answered him in a calm, cryptic voice:
"Because I wanted it."
Zoser paused for a moment, then remembered the strange glances Onar had given him at the governor's palace. He felt a sense of unease, but decided to confront her.
"Okay, what do you want?" he asked quietly, trying to remain calm despite the anxiety building inside him.
Onar smiled enigmatically and said:
"Don't worry. I don't intend to harm you. I will help you, and give you strength and knowledge."
Zoser continued to watch her with suspicion in his eyes, then said sharply:
"So, you're the reason for what happened to me."
Onar replied calmly and confidently:
"There was no other way to meet you without being noticed."
Zoser let out a sharp breath and said angrily, as if his frustration mirrored his confusion:
"How can I trust you after all this?"
Onar smiled reassuringly and said:
"You don't need to trust me now, but soon enough, you'll realize that I am on your side."
Zoser turned away and said in a dry tone:
"You told me you wanted to meet me alone. Now we're here, do what you must."
Onar smiled widely and said:
"I will tell you a long story, a story about you and your destiny."
And with that, Onar began telling the story, not waiting for Zoser's approval, fully aware of how it would change the fate of them all.