Will was surrounded by absolute darkness and a suffocating sense of compression, the scent of dust filling his nasal passages as he felt as though he were being forcibly shoved into an extremely narrow pipe, similar to Apparition, yet far more brutal and primitive.
Just when he thought he was about to suffocate, that force violently "spat" him out.
"Cough, cough, cough, cough, cough-"
He coughed, staggering a few steps to barely steady himself, and found that he was in an entirely unfamiliar environment.
There was no longer the scorching desert, but a spacious, cool stone chamber. The walls were carved with familiar Egyptian murals, yet unlike the sacred and solemn style of the council hall, the murals here appeared more ancient, depicting battle scenes and mysterious rituals.
The air carried a faint scent of sandalwood and a... indescribable scent of dust that seemed to have settled over thousands of years.
"Do not panic, young man."
A calm voice echoed within the stone chamber. Will whipped his head around, seeing the middle-aged wizard he had met in passing at the library-Khafre-standing beside a sarcophagus in the center of the room. His expression no longer held the faint excitement from the library, but rather a bottomless calm and majesty.
"Khafre?" Alarm bells rang furiously in Will's heart, his hand gripping his wand tightly as he stared fixedly at Khafre's hands, knowing that Egyptian wizards cast spells with gestures.
"Khafre?" The middle-aged wizard curved his lips into an elusive smile, pacing slowly with an air of arrogance.
"This vessel indeed goes by that name, yet you may also call me Nefertari..."
He paused, his gaze landing on Will like a tangible force, yet carrying a hollow sensation, resembling someone without a soul.
"Or perhaps, you might use that far more widely known