The fictional version of Egypt in which the game is set is in a period of turmoil when the player is introduced to Sphinx, one of the main protagonists. He and his fellow apprentice Horus are given the task of retrieving the legendary Blade of Osiris by their master, Imhotep. They are taken to Uruk, "the land of darkness", where they eventually find the Blade. Horus is attacked and supposedly killed by a deadly ray that protects the Castle of Uruk. Sphinx retrieves the Blade, but while trying to escape is also attacked by the ray and forced to travel to an unknown location through the use of a portal system.