Asima stared at him for a few moments, before shaking her head. "You've never been inside. And you didn't see him in the white sand. Malum can survive when no one else can. It's possible he is still there, and you won't even check." She choked on a sob for a minute, before continuing. "Please, just crack it open, let me slip through?"

Solum shook his head, burying his face in his arms "You'll die to" he whispered, "it'll tear you open and steal your soul. It makes you empty inside, nothing but a shell. We've seen it happen before, to someone else. Malum tried to save them, he said it nearly broke him to pieces, just trying to get her back and then..."

Asima ignored the pang that tore through her at the 'her' Solum spoke of, instead forcing herself to focus. "I don't care, then. I won't go down without a fight, and I can't go on just not knowing. I'm begging you..."

He took in several deep breathes before returning to his feet and focusing his eyes upon Asima once more. The tears had subsided for the moment and he set her with a hard gaze, "Get out" he ordered, "Take your family and friends, leave Frodan, and never return."

The woman flinched back momentarily, before shaking her head. "I won't go. That's not fair! Please, Solum. Just one chance? I'm nothing to you, what should it matter if I die? Just let me try!" Her own tears began overflowing, and she bowed her head to cover them. "Please?"

"As King of Thieves I reserve the right to banish you from here." Solum replied, "Frodan isn't a part of Egypt that anyone knows. It's our land... My land. Now get out."

Asima found herself choking on the words she wanted to say. It was minutes before she could get anything out. "I...I had to watch him leave me, and now you are sending me away too?" Knowing she couldn't convince Solum of otherwise, Asima fumbled for the dagger, finally tugging it out. "S-Solum, I know I can't kill you. B-but I have to try something. Please, let me go through the door."

Solum grabbed her wrist and twisted the blade from her hand the moment she went for it, "There is NOTHING you can do!" he exclaimed, "What do I have to do to get that through your damn head! I swear to you, I give my word that nothing can make me open that door again, other than Malum himself. Now move on! And don't give me any horse shit about not being able to. You're not the one who has the hear his name every time someone calls for you. You don't have to try and live up to everything he was, and you don't have to die impersonating him. So don't, don't even talk to me-not about this or anything else ever again."

Still sobbing, upset she'd been thwarted so easily, Asima finally lifted her head, glaring at Solum. "Fine, then, Solum. I'll ease your suffering. You can't cast me away, and you can't just do nothing!" She cast the spell Malum had created then, following it with sand tugged up from the ground, attempting to harden it and keep Solum in place.

Solum hit her hands to direct the spell swiftly in a different direction, but gave a bit of a startled yelp as the earth latched onto his feet, "ASIMA!" he yelled, "You think I'm going to do nothing? I'm going to honor everything he ever did for me, no matter how much it hurts. He fought his whole life so I'd have a chance at something better and I'm not going to disgrace him by opening that damn door. He'd never allow it and you know he wouldn't, but fine. Go ahead and try to kill me. Try to bring him back from the dead and know that you will condemn all of Egypt along with him. I've never killed a man, but you're about to become the murderer of millions and Malum would hate you more than he ever hated Keg for that."

The princess flinched,and the ground stopped right away, becoming sand once more. Solum was right. But, when she'd just gotten Malum...she had to give him up. "T-there has to be away..." Asima told Solum, her legs shaking so badly the female had to sit down.

"If there is, he'll find it" Solum replied, "but there is nothing we can do on this end. He's gone, we're just going to have to face that."

"No." Asima muttered, refusing to look up. "There must be something we can do."

She fell silent for a few moments, finally looking up, pleadingly. "Solum...are you truly making me leave Frodan?"

He paused and then averted his eyes from her, "I... I think it'd be best if you left. Not just because of this but... I don't know how long I can control this place without Malum. Like I said, I've never killed someone before. Malum was always the one who did that, the necessary evil he used to say. And he'd never let me be a part in it more than I had to. I can't really just start that up now, now can I?"

Asima hesitated, before standing quickly. "L-let me do that, now. I...I'm not the best guardian or anything, but so the..thing doesn't have that claim on you, I'll kill whoever...needs to be killed for you. Let me stay, for just a bit longer." The princess begged, desperate to have more time around the door, more time to find out about the creature, more time to wait for Malum.

Solum shook his head, "You're not qualified. These guys will tear you apart, they aren't exactly push overs, they've spent their whole lives fighting dirty and backstabbing to get where they are today. Malum was down right paranoid-it was ridiculous sometimes but it also kept us both alive."

Unable to argue her point, but feeling like she'd fall apart, Asima simply stared at the male.

Eventually, she stood, staring down at her dirty dress quietly. After shaking it out and breathing deeply, she finally spoke without looking up. "How long will you permit me to stay, then?"

Solum glanced aside, averting his gaze from her, "tomorrow" he replied, "it would probably be best if you headed out tomorrow. For now you should go back and rest, I have a brawl to take care of." he turned back towards the fighting.

So soon? Asima hugged herself, watching him go for a moment, before sliding down the wall.

It was a long while before Asima even recalled where she was, and stood, slowly making her way back to the tiny group. None of them could even know, could they? Solum was taking Malum's place, and she wasn't permitted to reveal that secret.

Nemiah was up when she returned and he quickly came over to hug her, "Asima, where did you run off to? Set said you seemed really upset about something. Is everything alright?"

The princess lied, forcing a smile on her face, though she couldn't meet Nemiah's gaze. "I'm fine. No, nothings wrong. Whatchu doing?"

Nemiah looked at her with concern, "Set's taking care of Lakar, I was just keeping watch. You know, in case... are you sure you'll be alright?"

"Of course I will," Asima whispered, glancing behind her brother to seek out Set. "Will he be ready to...to...to move tomorrow?" The princess had trouble choking out the last words, almost breaking into sobs again, though she choked them back, looking away from Nemiah.

"I think so..." Nemiah hesitated, it hurt to see that something was clearly bothering. A small knot of guilt twisted in his stomach, "Asima, I know we've had our differences but... you know you can still trust me right?" he didn't want to see her hurting like this all alone.

The female stared at her brother for a while, frowning, before once more forcing herself to smile. "Yes, of course. Thanks, Nemiah. I'm gonna get some sleep, okay?" Asima doubted she'd be sleeping, but she needed to think.