Mummy Evolution

After the Forest Settlement Battle in the past.

The desert wind howled as Sett and Ismera stepped out of the A-tier Tomb, the pyramid's obsidian silhouette shimmering briefly before it sank back into the sand, leaving no trace of its existence.

The Tomb Heart—a pulsing orb of black and gold—rested in Sett's pouch, a bittersweet prize that weighed on him, making his mood sour.

If he had won that challenge, he would have been in a completely different world now.

But… perhaps, Grandma's lessons were worth failing for.

Each of her words, the way she showed him his faults, the way she dominated the Tomb. The lessons about environmental awareness. Everything had truly embedded itself into Sett due to how emotionally charged the Tomb had been.

The sun dipped low, painting the dunes in shades of amber and dusk, the air thick with dust and the lingering heat of the day.

Sett's beast-skin robes hung in tatters, stained with blood and grime from the Tomb's trials. The coarse hide chafed against his skin, ripped at the seams from his reckless fighting, a stark contrast to the polished prince he'd been before.

The aftermath of his failure clung to him—his impulsive slaughter in the settlement, Ismera's sharp rebuke, the overwhelming presence of the Guardian he'd been powerless against. He'd given the Heart, been told that he would soon be ready to become Tier 5, but it felt like a hollow victory, overshadowed by his shortcomings.

Due to his own high expectations for himself, Sett never enjoyed his victories. Always seeing them as a natural byproduct of who he was.

Ismera walked beside him, her white silk gown—which she had retrieved—untouched by the chaos, though her golden eyes held a quiet mix of emotions.

Sett had rarely seen her lash out at him, and it seemed to have soured her mood a bit as well.

"Are you still angry at me?" He tried his luck.

"Yes. I am. But not really, either."

They didn't speak again as they approached their earlier camp, just outside the Tomb's now-vanished entrance.

The camels snorted softly, tethered to a weathered post near their tents, undisturbed by the pyramid's collapse. Sett's gaze fell on a leather bundle half-buried in the sand beside his tent—his old gear, shed before entering the Tomb. He crouched, brushing away the grit to reveal his crimson tunic and lightweight armor, still intact.

"Better than this mess," he muttered, tugging off the ruined beast skins.

"Gonna wash up," he said, glancing at Ismera.

She nodded, untying the camels with that calm, effortless grace of hers.

He grabbed a waterskin and headed for the small oasis, a short walk from camp. The water glimmered under the fading light, framed by scraggly palms and tufts of green that looked almost defiant against the sand.

Sett kicked off his boots, the cool earth a relief under his feet, and crouched by the edge. He splashed water over his face first, letting it drip down his chin, washing away the grime and the faint coppery tang of blood.

His hands scrubbed at his arms next, the cold biting just enough to wake him up. He caught his reflection in the rippling surface—golden eyes staring back, tired but sharp, framed by damp hair sticking to his forehead.

He changed quickly, slipping into the familiar fabric and buckling the armor over his chest. It wasn't as ostentatious as his ceremonial garb, but it felt right—clean, purposeful. Ismera watched him, her expression unreadable.

"Let's go. Don't mind the weird vibes, usually, it is normal for people to be in a gloomy mood after Tomb Raiding."

They mounted in silence and rode toward Khetar, a bigger oasis town nestled a short distance away. The journey was quiet, the rhythmic plodding of hooves and the whisper of sand filling the space between them.

"Grandma, I love you," Sett suddenly said.

"I love you, too, my child."

"Hm."

Sett's mind churned—replaying his missteps, the Guardian's fall at Ismera's hands, the weight of her expectations.

She'd pulled him through, given him a display of her power, and she had taught him valuable lessons.

Sett had realized his flaws completely.

He was worried about not meeting expectations, and thus, he was sabotaging his own chances. That had come instinctively in the Tomb, so it hadn't been the first time either. And now that he knew his flaws, he could consciously change them.

"Maybe, Sett, what you need to do is to try not to meet others' expectations."

Sett smiled. "If it were that easy, I would have done it long ago. I am Sett, the prince of Ehyut, if I fail to meet up to expectations, I will be a nobody and I won't like being alive anymore."

Ismera smiled. "Perhaps, then you should try surpassing the you of today, and repeat that every day. Instead of meeting expectation, make it a habit to be better than the you of yesterday, the more better you can be, that good it is."

Sett thought about the words deeply.

Soon, they reached their destination.

Khetar rose from the horizon, its mud-brick walls and swaying palms a welcome sight. The streets buzzed with evening life—traders haggling, the scent of spiced bread wafting through the air.

They handed their camels to a stable boy, bought some clothes, and went to the oasis to really wash up. Men and women had different sections, so Sett didn't have the chance to enjoy any good sights.

Once fresh, he and Ismera entered the town's only inn, a squat building with a faded sign creaking in the breeze.

The interior was dim, smelling of roasted meat and stale ale, and the innkeeper—a wiry man with a sun-creased face—glanced up from the counter.

"Rough day?" he asked, eyeing Sett's tired face.

"Something like that," Ismera replied, sliding a few coins across the wood. "We need a room."

The innkeeper scratched his beard, looking at Sett with a contemplative face. Then, he looked back at Ismera. "Got one room left. Just one bed, though. Take it or leave it."

Ismera nodded. "We'll take it."

Sett's lips curved into a faint smile, subdued but unmistakable.