No longer is it Steven in control of the body.

No longer is it Marc in control of the body either.

Alas, it is someone else entirely.

As Cleo and the others stand in the cave, a transformation begins to ripple through the shared body. The energy shifts, the essence of the person in control morphing into someone entirely different. The air crackles with anticipation as the presence of a new alter takes hold.

And then, as the haze of the transformation dissipates, his eyes all but light up as he stares as Cleo in the flesh, even if her gaze is one of confusion.

" Who are you?" She asks in a voice calm yet firm.

" Un otro," The man responds simply, his voice laced with an accent.

" Quíen?" Cleo asks once more, the Spanish flowing effortlessly off her tongue.

" Jake," He utters.

Cleo's brows furrow as she processes the man's response. She remains cautious. This sudden arrival of another alter, with his intense gaze fixed upon her, raises her guard.

"¿Qué quieres, Jake?(What do you want, Jake?)" Cleo asks, her voice steady, yet tinged with wariness.

Jake's lips curl into a sly smile, his eyes never leaving Cleo's face.

"Te quiero a ti (I want you)" He declares, his voice filled with an intoxicating blend of desire and confidence.

Cleo's eyes narrow, her voice turning stern.

"No puedes simplemente reclamarme (You can't just claim me)" She retorts, her words dripping with defiance, "No soy una posesión para ser ganada o salvada (I am not a possession to be won or saved)"

Jake's smile widens, undeterred by Cleo's resistance. He takes a step closer, invading her personal space, his presence looming over her.

"Pero puedo salvarte  (But I can save you)" He whispers, his voice thick with a mix of seduction and certainty, "Puedo protegerte de la oscuridad que acecha dentro de ti. Solo tienes que dejarme entrar (I can protect you from the darkness that lurks within. You just have to let me in)"

Cleo's eyes flash with determination, her voice laced with a steely resolve.

"No necesito que nadie me salve (I don't need anyone to save me)" She asserts, her voice filled with a resolute independence, "Soy lo suficientemente fuerte como para enfrentar mis propios demonios (I am strong enough to face my own demons)"

Jake's expression darkens for a moment, but then a predatory glint enters his eyes, and he takes another step closer, his voice dropping to a low, almost menacing tone.

"Pero Cleo, mi vida, no conoces la extensión de lo que acecha dentro de ti (But Cleo, my life, you don't know the extent of what lurks within you)" He murmurs, his words a seductive caress.

Cleo's pulse quickens, a mix of apprehension and defiance swirling within her. She meets Jake Lockley's intense gaze with unwavering determination.

"No necesito tu  (I don't need you)" she retorts, her voice ringing with defiance.

Jake Lockley's smile fades, replaced by a look of frustration and intrigue.

"Eres una criatura fascinante (You are a fascinating creature), He concedes, his voice tinged with a begrudging respect, "Pero recuerda esto, la oscuridad siempre estará esperando, y cuando finalmente te des cuenta de la magnitud de lo que realmente eres, estaré aquí, listo para guiarte (But remember this, the darkness will always be waiting, and when you finally realize the extent of what you truly are, I'll be here, ready to guide you)"

Cleo's gaze hardens, her voice firm and unwavering.

"No te necesito, Jake(I don't need you, Jake)" She declares, her words a defiant proclamation, " Así que, si crees que puedes manipularme o controlarme, piénsalo de nuevo (So, if you think you can manipulate me or control me, think again)"

In an instant, as Jake takes a step forward, Cleo's reflexes kick in. Her instincts honed from countless battles and her own unyielding spirit propel her into action. With a surge of raw power, she swiftly moves, intercepting Jake's advance and pins him up against the cold, rugged wall of the cave.

To her surprise, Jake's face breaks into a wide grin, his eyes gleaming with a mix of amusement and admiration. He seems almost pleased by Cleo's display of strength and determination.

"Que Maravilla (How amazing)," He chuckles, his voice filled with a mischievous charm.

Cleo narrows her eyes, caught off guard by Jake's reaction. She tightens her grip, pressing him further against the wall, a subtle warning that she is not to be taken lightly.

"¿Encuentras esto divertido? (You find this amusing?)" She asks, her voice laced with a mix of curiosity and caution.

Jake's grin widens, his gaze locked onto Cleo's. He seems unfazed by her display of power, relishing in the intensity of the moment.

" Me parece estimulante (I find it exhilarating)" He responds, his voice dripping with a sense of excitement.

Cleo's brows furrow, her grip loosening slightly as she studies Jake's face, searching for any hint of deception. She senses an enigmatic energy surrounding him, a presence that both intrigues and unsettles her.

" No necesito tu admiración (I don't need your admiration)" She retorts, her voice firm, "Necesito aliados, no distracciones (I need allies, not distractions)"

Jake's expression shifts, a glimmer of seriousness crossing his features as he meets Cleo's gaze head-on.

"You misunderstand me, Cleo," He explains, his tone sincere, "I believe we can accomplish great things together."

Cleo releases her grip, taking a step back to create some distance between them. Her eyes remain fixed on Jake, her cautious demeanor intact.

"I don't need anybody to save me."

Jake's smile fades slightly, replaced by a thoughtful expression. He takes a step forward, closing the gap between them, but making sure to respect Cleo's personal space.

"I'm not here to save you, Cleo," He says softly. "I'm here to join you."

Cleo's gaze softens, a glimmer of consideration shining in her eyes. She recognizes the sincerity in Jake's words and the conviction that fuels his every move. While cautious, she also understands the value of allies in the battles that await them.

But that sickening smirk ignites a fit of anger beneath the surface, one fueled by a raging fire that propels her to form a fist and bring it to his head. At the last second, he ducks away, leaving Cleo's fist to collide with the stone wall and create cracks in the surface.

" Bloody hell, Cleo! You almost hit me!"

The words and voice of her beloved Steven make her gasp, her eyes widening as she sees the crack in the wall, then turns her head to meet his gaze.

" Steven?" She asks, her voice soft and breathless, " Is it you?"

" Y-Yes, yes! It's Steven!" He exclaims, " Be a bit weird if Marc starts talking like this, innit?"

An exacerbating sigh escapes her lips as she closes her eyes and pinches the bridge of her nose. Her jaw tenses and her muscles ache and her heart holds a strong pitter-patter that sends her marching outside of the cave where she stands in the sand and looks up at the picturesque sky and setting sun.

" Khonshu!" Cleo shouts at the top of her lungs, " Khonshu!"

Steven stumbles out of the cave, slightly wincing at the volume of her voice as he watches her shout into the abyss.

" Khonshu!" She screams, " I know you can hear me, Big Bird! Come out and face me!"

An old and withered breath releases an exhale just as the sun disappears beyond the horizon. Khonshu materializes before them, standing tall with his frail hair and grand staff.

" YOU SUMMONED ME?"

" Fix this," Cleo snarls as she faces the God.

" FIX WHAT, CLEOPATRA?"

" This, everything. Give Marc and Steven their freedom back."

" I'M AFRAID I CANNOT."

" And why is that?"

" A DEAL HAS BEEN STRUCK."

" By who?"

" THE THIRD ALTER... JAKE LOCKLEY."

Cleo grits her teeth, frustration boiling within her. She can feel the weight of the situation pressing down upon her, the magnitude of the choices made by these alters beyond her control.

"You can't keep them prisoner forever," She challenges Khonshu, her eyes burning with defiance.

" THEY ARE FREE TO COME AND GO WITHIN THEIR SHARED BODY. THEY CAN CHOOSE TO FIGHT FOR DOMINANCE OR TO FIND A WAY TO COEXIST PEACEFULLY."

Cleo's mind races, searching for a solution, a way to break free from this cosmic web of fate and free her loved ones from the clutches of Khonshu. She knows that her strength alone won't be enough to defeat a god, but she refuses to back down.

"I won't let you use them as pawns in your games," She vows, her voice unwavering.

Khonshu tilts his head, his gaze fixed on Cleo with an almost curious expression.

" AND WHAT WILL YOU DO TO STOP ME?"

Cleo's jaw clenches as she stands tall, her eyes locked with the god of the moon.

"I'll find a way," She declares, her voice filled with determination. "I'll find a way to break your hold over them and set them free. And when I do... you'll have to face me... alone."

" A BOLD CLAIM, CLEOPATRA. I LOOK FORWARD TO WITNESSING YOUR EFFORTS."

With a final flourish, Khonshu dissipates into the darkness, leaving Cleo and Steven alone in the desert night.

Cleo releases a scream of pure rage and fury. With her hand forms a clump of sand, one that transforms into a rock that she hurdles across the desert. She is at her wit's end. She is fed up and she is tired. She is angry with the Gods for toying with their lives like so, and she is angry with herself for not being able to fix it.

" I'm not the only one?" Steven's small and meek voice asks, bringing Cleo back to a sense of reality, " I'm one out of three?"

" Yes," Cleo sighs in defeat, " One out of three, Steven."

A cruel and unusual punishment. Steven and Marc suffered so dearly at the hands of a God... and yet their alter has brought them right back to where they started. An alter they never even knew existed. An alter that's been hiding in the depths and lurking in the shadows all this time. An alter that dares to destroy everything they hold dear.

But as Cleo turns around, eyes expecting to meet with Steven... she finds only the vast Egyptian desert. Sand as far as the eyes can see.

"Steven? Marc, where are you?" Cleo's voice trembles with fear as she calls out into the empty desert.

Panic starts to well up inside her, and her heart beats faster with each passing moment. She frantically searches the surroundings, hoping to catch a glimpse of her beloved Steven, but he is nowhere to be found.

Her mind races with thoughts of the worst possible scenarios.

Taking a deep breath, Cleo pushes down her panic and centers herself. She has faced gods and monsters before, and she won't back down now.

As she walks, her mind drifts back to the revelations about the third alter, Jake Lockley. She can't help but feel anger and betrayal, knowing that there was someone else within Steven and Marc, someone who struck a deal with Khonshu. But there's no time to dwell on that now. She needs to focus on finding Steven.

The desert stretches on, seemingly endless and unforgiving. The scorching sun beats down on Cleo, the heat making her skin prickle with sweat. But she presses on, her determination unwavering.

And then, just as she's about to lose hope, she spots a figure in the distance. It's Steven, lying motionless in the sand. Relief washes over Cleo, but it's quickly replaced by anger as she realizes that Anubis is standing over him, his dark, shadowy figure casting a menacing presence.

"You!" Cleo's voice trembles with rage as she confronts the god of death, "What have you done to him?"

Anubis chuckles, his voice echoing with an otherworldly resonance.

"I have taken what is rightfully mine."

"He's not yours to take!" Cleo snaps back, her fists balling up at her sides.

Anubis takes a step closer, his form shifting and contorting in the shifting desert sands.

"He is connected to me, just as you are, Cleopatra," He says, his voice cold and unforgiving, "You cheated death, and now you must face the consequences."

Cleo narrows her eyes, her anger fueling her resolve.

"I won't let you take him," She declares, her voice steady and unwavering.

Anubis tilts his head, his golden eyes glinting with amusement.

"And what will you do to stop me, mortal?"

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[ big fight scene coming up! ]