Curses and Nightmares

Maeve wrapped her travelers cloak around herself tightly as a gust of wind blew up sand in her face. She trudged on through the sandstorm and sighed, Now I remember why I hate this place...

She walked to the edge of a massive sand dune and looked over it. Up ahead was a massive pyramid. According to the information Komui had given her, there were rumors of a curse being on the pyramid .Many had tried to go to the pyramids to steal the ancient gold that lay deep in it's tombs. But anyone who went near the place went missing or came back to their home having gone mad.


Maeve's visible silver eye observed the pyramid and them she slid down the dune and walked quickly towards the pyramid.

Once she reached it she sniffed the air. Akuma have been here... great that just makes my job easier... Her hand moved to her Innocence's hilt casually.

Maeve walked to the sealed entrance and braced herself against the wall as a gust of wind and sand slammed into her back. She pulled herself out of the path of the wind into the small alcove in front of the entrance.

Her eyes narrowed as she noticed the symbol on the door. The right eye of Horus. She placed her hand over the symbol and whispered some ancient language. The eye seemed to come alive and look at her.
As if in immediate response to the right eye, Maeve's scarred left eye became covered with the symbol that was on the hilt of her Innocence. The left eye,or Lunar eye of Horus.
The eye on the door looked at her left eye and then the door opened.
Sighing Maeve entered the pyramid, And now I know why I was the one who had to come here... tch. As soon as she entered the door sealed shut behind her and darkness surrounded her.

She sniffed the air again and in a flash unsheathed 'Eye of Horus' and slashed it at what appeared to be nothing. A loud explosion filled the chamber, and Maeve smirked, " I may not be able to see you, but I can smell your virus, you stinking Akuma! "

She slashed again at the air around her and more explosions filled the chamber. After a moment she paused and sniffed the air, then walked on, holding 'Horus' in her left hand casually.

The path in the tomb led downward and she followed it, in the dark. Darkness didn't bother Maeve. She had been blind in one eye for a long time, and had gotten used to sounds and smells. After her vision had returned she had become too dependent on her vision and Yuu always warned her to not do that.
Maeve smiled a little, This is ideal for what he wants me practicing. She continued walking silently through the tomb. As she walked she felt dizzy, Must be from being so far underground... maybe... After a half hour her head was pounding, Urgh... another reason they chose me huh?! Because they know I'll recover faster than others... tch. She leaned against a wall and closed her eyes letting her head clear.

Maeve sniffed the air and frowned. Death reeked around her. Human blood, she could definitely smell that. She opened her eyes and continued to walk. " Innocence Activate. " 'Horus' ' blade glowed a dull red.

She saw a glimmer of light ahead and slowed down slightly. The smell of blood was much stronger now. Maeve silently moved forward into the chamber where the light was coming from. A torch was lit on the wall and revealed blood painted all over the walls, and bones everywhere.
Maeve staggered back slightly as the smell was overpowering. She looked at the wall in front of her and frowned when she saw the pentacle carved into the wall. " So the Earl's minions were here... huh? "

She spun around and stabbed her blade into an Akuma. Then slashed out at another. Her left eye stung, " N-nani!? "

" You should not be here. You who holds the other half. " A figure appeared in the chamber.
Maeve glared at the figure, " What other half? "
The figure pointed at her eye, " They sent you because of that didn't they...? Because you'd be able to open the door? " The figure chuckled. " They were fools. The door may have opened on the outside, but who said it'd be as friendly on the inside... " The figure paused, " Looking for this? " It held up a small glowing piece of Innocence, " Good luck getting it. " The figure vanished.

" We'll see about that! " Maeve slashed through another Akuma and hurried down a passageway deeper into the tomb to find the figure and the Innocence.

Maeve ran quickly through the passageway, the deeper she went into the tomb the more her eye began to burn. She winced a little and continued to run, ignoring the pain.
She came upon another chamber this time blazing with light. Torches were lit all over the walls, and a sarcophagus lay on a platform in the center of the chamber. Around the sarcophagus were many treasures, and the bottles that held the organs of the one buried here.
Hesitantly Maeve entered the chamber, she held her scimitar in front of her, and looked around.
" You're certainly brave to enter the tomb of a Pharaoh. The gods will punish you for this. " The figure appeared sitting leisurely on one of the massive statues of the gods that stood against the walls. He was a boy no older than fifteen with short black hair and cat-like eyes. The Innocence floated in his hand.

" And what about you, you're killing humans in here, aren't you? Will the gods look in favor upon that? " Maeve raised an eyebrow slightly.

The boy chuckled and jumped down from the statue. He walked over to the sarcophagus and trailed his fingers over it's lid. " Me? I'm only doing my job. I was buried with my king to protect his treasures, and him. "

Maeve frowned, " I see. Was that part of his treasure? " She pointed at the Innocence.

The boy nodded, " I found it among the treasures... and protected it from all those pathetic grave robbers. I haunted them, and sent Akuma after them, "
" How is it you can control the Akuma...? "
The boy laughed, " Because the Earl let me have a small batch, in exchange for the Innocence someday. All I asked is that I be able to protect my King as the deity I am. Enough talk though. " He walked towards her, " You coming here makes my plans much easier. The eye of Horus. It lets the dead see in the afterlife, it is a sacred eye, and yet a mere girl like you has it... I wonder why... regardless... My king needs the other eye, so he can be powerful in his afterlife. So I'll be taking it. " He reached for Maeve's left eye.
Maeve slashed her blade through the boy's arm. He hissed and glared at her, " Over my dead body! "
The boy's hand regenerated and he smirked, " That can be arranged. "

Multiple level three Akuma appeared around Maeve. And the boy took a step back and sat on the sarcophagus smirking, " Kill her, and give me her eye! "

Maeve moved quickly as the Akuma attacked her. Her blade blocked them and slashed at them hard. She slashed through one, then two, and eventually most of them were gone. As she focused on fighting the Akuma, the boy stood up and threw himself at her.
His hands grew claws and he went for her left eye. Maeve slammed him into a wall and pushed away from him.

The boy crouched on his hands and knees like a cat and hissed at her. He then started to chant something that Maeve didn't understand.
As his voice sped up and grew louder Maeve felt like her head was going to crack open. She clutched at it and her eyes widened as blood began to drip from her eye.

She closed her eyes briefly and when she opened them she was standing in a scene from her past. Screams echoed around her and she shook her head. This isn't real... this already happened... I'm already past this... She sniffed the air and smirked. Maeve stabbed down at nothing, but then the nightmare faded and the boy looked at her, her blade had gone through his chest. " Sorry, but you smell of Akuma and cat so strongly... that it was hard to miss... "
The boy coughed up blood and glared at her, " That eye will be your demise! Give it to the ones who can use it! "
Maeve shook her head, " Let's the dead see in the afterlife, huh? Good this I have it then. "

" You're a fool! " He threw himself at her, his claws slashed at her, one managed to gouge at her eye.
Maeve screamed and kicked him off herself, then Ran at him and beheaded him. " Rest in peace you pathetic cat. " The boy's body transformed into that of a cat. Maeve crouched down and picked up the Innocence. She ignored the fact that her eye was bleeding like crazy now, and hardly looked like an eye anymore.

Maeve walked to the exit of the tomb and looked at the door. The boy had been right it wasn't going to open for her. She sighed, and slashed 'Horus' through the door many times, until it fell to pieces in front of her. " Sorry Pharaoh... but you shouldn't have had a cat as your guard. "

Maeve left the pyramid behind her and carried to Innocence to where she had left the Finder who had come with her. Just when she was about to reach the Finder she finally felt the impact of her wounds. Her body felt weak and sore. Maeve cursed under her breath and shouted for the Finder.
As he came running Maeve fell on her knees and looked at 'Horus' , " You really want to kill me don't you... Tch. So be it, I won't die that easily... "
The Finder treated her eye as best he could, by wrapping it in gauze. He then walked with Maeve back to the town nearby, and then they headed back to the Order.