They agreed to stay in the desert for a while because their presence anywhere else would put them and other people in danger. Then, Nader returned to his Sekhmat form and went to retrieve Ahmed's father's body, as they had agreed.

Ali: "I think we need to find a better place, like an oasis or something."

Maryam put her hand on the ground and created a huge palace.

Maryam: "I found a place for me. Good luck to you all."

Ali: "Great! Now make one for us."

Maryam: "Sorry, but I don't have another design memorized, and I won't let you use my design."

She went inside and closed the door.

Ali, annoyed: "Fine, but you won't get to use our air conditioning service."

Youssef: "What do you mean?"

Ali: "We're going to use your powers to control the weather for us. Did you think we agreed to stay here if you weren't with us?"

Maryam leaned out of a window.

Maryam: "I think I remember the design for a shack. I'll make you one."

Ali, quickly: "Four of them!"

Maryam with a sly smile: "Two."

Ali: "Why are you even negotiating? It's easy for you."

Maryam: "I don't know. But this feeling of being a tyrant is fun."

Ahmed, quietly and with a disappointed look: "They're all crazy, without exception."

Maryam built the shacks, and Youssef adjusted the temperature in the area. Then they all sat outside.

Ahmed: "I was wondering, what are your teacher's abilities?"

Maryam: "He used all the Artifacts before, so he can use all of our abilities. But I don't know if he can do anything else."

Ahmed: "But you have the Artifacts now. How can he use your powers?"

Maryam: "It's a side effect. When you use any Artifact for a long time, it changes your body permanently. So, you can still use your powers, but in a very limited way."

Ahmed: "Limited to what degree?"

Maryam: "The teacher said we can use about 1% to 2% of the maximum power we had with the Artifact. It's small, but for someone as strong as the Teacher, it was enough."

Ahmed: "Was he that powerful?"

Ali: "*That* powerful? I'm sure he could defeat that 'Omar' guy without even taking the Artifacts from us."

Ahmed, surprised: "Can you defeat him? I mean, have you gotten close to his level?"

Youssef, sarcastically: "We managed to touch him. Every month, the Teacher would fight the three of us together. To win, we just had to touch him. We succeeded at that in the last month before he left us."

Ahmed, very surprised: "You mean just *touch* him? Literally touch him?! Was it that hard? Were you using that 'Focus Mode' or is it forbidden?"

Youssef: "It sounds easy, but it's harder than you think."

Ahmed: "If he's so strong, why doesn't he just use the Artifacts himself? Why does he need you?"

Ali: "We've been asking ourselves that since we met him. He never told us the reason directly. He always says we'll figure it out on our own. He's always mysterious. But his personality is kinder than you'd expect. I think he's old, but he acts young or something. He's always boasting about his muscles and strength. He's as huge as Sekhmat, which is why I suspected he was the Teacher at first."

He paused for a moment.

Ali: "Speaking of Nader and Sekhmat, are we really going to rely on him from now on? Nader seems nice, but the other personality doesn't seem very friendly."

Ahmed looked at Youssef.

Ahmed: "And you all are so very friendly yourselves."

Ali: "Well, your plan doesn't rely on us as much as it relies on Sekhmat. I mean, he's the one who brought us to and from this place, and he'll bring food and all that. What if he stops bringing food and leaves us to die here?"

Maryam: "You know we don't need food to live. The energy from the Artifact is enough to keep us alive."

Ali: "Yeah, but I get hungry."

Ahmed: "Really? Can the Artifact be an energy source for the body?"

Maryam: "That's what the Teacher said."

Ahmed: "So, even breathing is optional?"

Maryam: "Yes, we told you before. You haven't been human since you got your Artifact."

Ahmed: "Didn't the Teacher tell you when he'd be back? I think he's the solution to all my problems."

Ali: "When we asked him, he said, 'I won't spoil my return for you. I want it to be a surprise. I'll make sure my entrance is heroic and eye-catching.'"

Ahmed: "This guy annoys me, but he's still intriguing."

Ali: "Anyway, we're in Chapter Nine. There's plenty of time before we meet him."

Ahmed stood up.

Ahmed: "Anyway, let's train until Sekhmat gets back."

Maryam stood up and stretched.

Maryam: "I'll train you. My ability is closer to yours."

She touched the sand.

Maryam: "Right now, I can feel every grain of sand near us. You're touching the air all the time. What do you feel?"

Ahmed: "I don't feel anything."

Maryam: "Are you sure? Then how did you change the weather yesterday? Didn't you notice it rained right when you felt sad? It's summer."

Ahmed: "I wasn't in my right mind then!"

Maryam: "Anyway, you're not disconnected from your power like you think. You use it all the time without feeling it, like breathing. But you have to learn how to breathe on purpose."

Ahmed took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and stayed silent for a full minute.

Ali, sarcastically: "Did he die again?"

A portal opened next to Ali, and Sekhmat stepped out.

Sekhmat: "I did as we agreed. Now every news channel in the world is talking about your father and you too. What's your plan now?"

Ahmed: "This moment of calm made me realize something important."

He went and whispered into each of their ears, one after the other.

Ali, protesting: "Impossible! I won't do this!"

Ahmed quickly put his hand over Ali's mouth.

Ahmed: "Shhh! Don't you think I was whispering?"

Maryam reached her hand out to Ali.

Maryam: "Didn't you say you were the smart one on the team? You have to accept his ideas then."

Ali took his phone out of his pocket and gave it to Maryam, annoyed.

Ali: "If he doesn't have a logical reason, I'll bury him here."

Maryam took Youssef's phone, put hers with them, placed them on the ground, and made the earth swallow them.

Ali yelled at Ahmed.

Ali: "What is this! Are you crazy? I only agreed to make the desert our base because I had dozens of series downloaded on my phone! Are you trying to kill me from boredom!!"

Ahmed: "During that silent moment, I remembered something. If the wolf mask was just something to cover Omar's face and not a symbol or anything like that, it means he was in a hurry when he attacked the hospital. He probably just stole that mask on his way, maybe from a store or even from a kid."

Ali, in great confusion: "And that's a great reason to bury my phone?!"

Ahmed: "What I'm getting at is: Why the rush? I mean, I was in the hospital for more than a day, but he suddenly decided to come quickly. And how did he even know my location? But I remembered something important: shortly before he came, I called Maryam and told her enough details for her to figure out that I had the Artifact, and I told her my location."

Ali: "Will you stop accusing us of treason? She definitely didn't tell him."

Youssef: "Use your brain a little. He means that Omar was tapping our phones."

Ali, scratching his head: "Oh, I see. But we're very far from signal towers. He can't tap us here."

Ahmed: "We don't know what technologies our enemies use. In fact, we don't even know who they are. But everything confirms they use advanced technology. It's possible he's spying on us with satellites or some other method that defies nature."

Youssef: "Why don't we just burn the phones? That way we make sure they leave no trace."

Ahmed: "Because they might be our only lead if we want to find *him*."

Ali looked at Sekhmat.

Ali: "Aren't you going to join the conversation?"

Sekhmat: "You haven't answered my question yet. What's your plan? Are you still determined to go to Atlantis?"

Ahmed: "Yes, of course, but..."

He and Youssef said in unison: "We're going to kick that traitor's ass first."

Ali: "Wait a minute, wait a minute, friends. I understand your anger, but I don't like mixing personal matters with work. We were supposed to reach Atlantis back in Chapter Three."

Maryam: "Actually, they have a point. What if there's a whole army of people like him in Atlantis? After facing Omar, I think charging into Atlantis without a plan might be suicide."

Ali, frustrated: "Do I always have to be the only one with the different opinion?"

Sekhmat: "Alright. The plan is to catch your traitorous friend and force him to reveal everything he knows."

Ahmed: "Exactly. I only quoted the part about him."

Youssef stood up, brushed the dust off his clothes, and asked Maryam for a spacious room underground. He looked at everyone.

Youssef: "I'm going to train. You all should do the same. I won't slow down for you."

He looked directly at Ahmed during the last sentence.

Ahmed: "One month... the same timeframe Nader gave me. Test me for one month to prepare and make a solid plan. If I can't do it, we'll just go our separate ways, because I'll just be a burden."

Youssef nodded.

Youssef: "Fair enough."

Then Youssef went to train underground.

Ali: "Am I dreaming, or did these two agree on a lot today?"

Ahmed tried again to control his powers. He closed his eyes for a moment, and when he opened them, he found himself in front of a deep chasm, almost falling in by accident. He looked around and found he had been transported to the top of a high mountain, with only Sekhmat floating beside him.

Sekhmat: "If you continue like this, it will take you a year to control your powers. In these cases, I prefer shock therapy."

Then Sekhmat kicked him, making him fall into the chasm. But just before he hit the ground, Sekhmat teleported him back up.

Ahmed was breathing rapidly, with clear signs of panic on his face. He yelled at Sekhmat.

Ahmed: "This is insane! What did you expect me to do?"

Sekhmat: "You control the air. Make it carry you."

Ahmed: "If you had been one second later, I would have been smashed to pieces! Wait, are you asking me to *fly*?"

Sekhmat: "You won't die, that's the main thing. Sure, your skull would probably shatter, but that's a side effect."

He sighed and continued.

Sekhmat: "I once saw a documentary where birds teach their chicks to fly this way. Don't tell me you're less talented than a baby sparrow. I won't catch you again. You're going to fall from here right now, and if you can't use your power, you'll have to endure the pain. Then you'll climb back up here and try again until you can save yourself."

Ahmed: "I think I want to continue my superpower lectures with Maryam and Ali, because that hawk mask you wear has probably brainwashed you."

Sekhmat: "They're good, but if your test is tomorrow, you can't study like someone who's been studying since the beginning of the year. I mean, their method will make you reach your goal far too late."

Ahmed: "It really annoys me that you're right."

Ahmed looked down the mountain and saw Maryam and Ali below, cheering him on. He took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and jumped. But as expected, his bones shattered.

Ali raised his hand and put it in front of Maryam's eyes.

Maryam: "Is his condition that bad?"

Ali: "So bad that Youssef would be extremely happy right now."

Ahmed's consciousness was transferred into the System. The System was sitting on his throne, laughing at Ahmed.

Ahmed: "Maybe you could help, instead of enjoying your role as a spectator."

The System: "I've given you almost all the control permissions. Your problem is that you ask to use your powers like a little child."

He looked serious and continued.

The System: "You are a king. You don't ask. You command. Order these damned atoms to move as you wish."

As soon as Ahmed regained consciousness, Sekhmat teleported him back to the top of the mountain.

Sekhmat: "Do you still want to continue? I won't take you back up the mountain again. You'll climb the mountain yourself."

Ahmed: "As if I had a choice."

Then he jumped again, but his attempt failed, so Sekhmat went down to Ali and Maryam.

Ali: "How many times is he going to do this per day?"

Sekhmat: "If I were him, I wouldn't stop as long as I could breathe. But he's free to stop anytime."

Then he transformed into Nader's form.

Sekhmat/Nader: "We have some meat. We can grill it together if you want."

Ali, mimicking him:  "I don't understand what kind of split personality you have, but I really like this one."

Nader: "I can explain it to you better over lunch."

Nader brought firewood and some grilling tools and sat with Ali and Maryam around the grill.

Nader sat as if he was embarrassed by them. Then he spoke, stammering.

Nader: "Since we'll be working as a team... I think you might need to know my story to understand why Sekhmat and I aren't one person."

Maryam: "I'm all ears."

Sekhmat's voice shouted in Nader's mind: *"No more revealing secrets! You're ruining our secret vibe!"*

Nader replied in his mind: *"Look at them. They don't seem like the snitching type."*

Sekhmat: *"That's what they said about their friend who almost killed them."*

Nader: *"Well, no risk, no fun. Besides, you made the decision last time. Now it's my turn."*

Ali waved his hand in front of Nader's face.

Ali: "Hey, man, you were about to speak and then you suddenly froze."