SECRET OF THE NILE VALLEY (EXCERPT)

“It was in the Sudan where I first came across an astonishing piece of Egyptian folklore swathed in the candor of history. According to the legend, hoards of Hyksos invaders flooded across the breach in the great wall surrounding the city of Memphis. “Hailing their war cries and wheeling their battle-axes, they flooded into the city. Hacking blades and copper tipped arrows cut down the palace guard. The city’s elite garrison was overwhelmed as they rushed to stem the steady flow of Hyksos soldiers into the confines of the temples and palaces. The outer streets of the city were fraught with the Asiatic soldiers, spewing their vile hatred on the defenseless populace. Even those who surrendered were put to the knife. The barbarous invaders showed no mercy. Women were ravished and then murdered; all except those spared in order to carry the seeds of the northern invaders, adding further humiliation to the proud citizens of Egypt When the city was deemed secure, the commander of the conquering army ascended the thrown with 600 nobility knelling before him. Husbands and sons were made to watch while the soldiers violated their women repeatedly. The festival of carnage lasted for several days and nights. When only male prisoners remained, the fathers were made to watch as the drunken soldiers turned their hateful lust upon their sons, sodomizing them with red-hot chewers. When no further death sport was to be had, the high priests were assembled before the commander of the mighty Asian army. Nothing in the sacred temples was disturbed. The high priest weren’t harmed, instead were treated with the highest regard, yet restricted to the temple. Entering the throne room, the high priest of Ra stood before the Hyksos commander. “I demand to known two things. Where is the book and what is has become of the royal family? They weren’t among the other noble houses. “You will not find the book,” the priest canted. “Ah, but, that is where you are wrong, holy one. I know that the book is in your keeping.” The commander started to pace again, stopping before a younger priest. “And, you will render it to me, even if I have to torture every one of you.” Without warning, he drew his sword from the sheath and lopped off the head of the young priest in one fell swoop. “The commander then kicked the head across the temple floor, leaving a trail of blood. “No wonder this dynasty, the Sun king, and the noble houses fell so easily. They are counseled by charlatans and fools.” The high priest didn’t respond to the verbal attack, instead, began reciting an ancient mantra. The other priest joined him. The commander laughed at what he thought to be a feeble scare tactic by his desperate captives. He was about to order more deaths when a deafening reverberation shook the room. A violent wind blew the massive doors off the hinges, as if struck by the hammer of God. Everyone was thrown to the floor and the gargantuan braziers were snuffed out, blanketing the room in darkness. Minutes later the wind subsided and the braziers were relit, but the priests were gone. Only their robes remained.