Isha
Chapter 12
Ardeth found a place to sit, having escaped the large number of people who insisted on having him dance, or join them for refreshment, or offering him shessha. It had been a very odd afternoon, as his tribemates grew accustomed to their most unusual guest. He smiled himself recalling Imhotep's bemused sort of smile at being surrounded by several Medjai who had taken to asking him all manner of questions about ancient Egypt and things they still did not understand about Hamanaptura and about the battles with the tanks and the Germans. It had been a great deal of fun actually to see Imhotep try to find answers to the questions and balance his uncertainty at the welcome with his attempt at being a good guest. Finally, he had thanked them all for their hospitality and taken his leave just before sunset. Rick had said that Anubis had told him that Imhotep was only mortal here once the sun had set and given the torture that he had endured under the German's hands Ardeth could not doubt that. Nor was he surprised that Imhotep had left before whatever reflection of Ammun's grace he had here in the real world was gone
"Did you rest at all, cousin?" Adham asked as he walked over, surprising Ardeth a bit
"Some, before dinner I managed to sleep a bit. For which I am thankful, as much joy as it is to celebrate our victory and belatedly let our lost tribesmates know we remember then, and welcome Rick and his family to our numbers, I am too tired, truly, to celebrate as I should." Not he supposed that he and Rick had really rested in Thebes per say
"Celebrating should be done because you want to Ardeth, not because you have too."
He rolled his eyes. "I meant only that I wish I felt more like celebrating, cousin when I wish too and have not the energy."
"Are you certain you are well, Ardeth?" Adham sat beside him, and looked at him with an expression Ardeth could not decipher in the firelight
"Well and whole, cousin. Only exhausted still."
"Hmm. Truly I am thankful onto Allah that you are well and whole, Ardeth. But I think I will tell to you what I did before, no matter what our enemy did to you, cousin, or the horror of it that still haunts your eyes, I am no less willing to follow you to Paradise or hell. None of us expect you to simply-- shrug off what was done to you, Ardeth. Any more than we would expect Arebe and Kahid to do so, and their wounds, as horrible as they were, were not so horrible as yours. I would have followed you as chieftain for as long as you had lead us Ardeth, even if the old gods, Allah grant them his blessings, had not undone what the German did."
Ardeth only stared at his cousin as he spoke and then reached over and gripped his shoulder. "Allah must know how much that means to me Adham. Truly." He blinked against the sting in the back of his eyes. "There is some horror left, yes. No doubt there will be for a while, but-- there is so much joy in my heart as well, cousin. I can find balance between them I think while I finish healing."
"Good. In a bit my daughters will come and accost you again and giggle. That should cheer you, hmm?"
"Always." He smiled. "They are joys, Adham. You know that do you not?"
"Of course I do. They are terrors as well, but that does not make them less wonderful." Adham smiled. "Come, we shall go and see my family and yours, as Alex and Mohamed it seems are fast becoming very good friends. That way you can be surrounded by family, and mostly protected from all those who would ask you to join them and exhaust yourself even more in the doing."
"There is sense in that." Ardeth smiled. "Truly, Adham, for all our losses and all the pain and horror that still remains, I am forever thankful to Allah that we have come though this most costly victory together."
"As am I, Ardeth." Adham clasped his shoulder. "So, shall we go see our newest tribe members? Does your brother have any idea what name he has accepted?"
Ardeth could not keep from flushing at that. "No. Please do me the favor of allowing me to find some time to tell him, will you cousin?"
"Of course." Adham chuckled. "It is appropriate although I am a bit surprised at the coincidence myself. Rafik being as close to Rick as Azza could come up with."
"There is, perhaps as always with us, Adham, a fine line indeed between coincidence and fate."
"There is truth to that, cousin. Let us go join our families then. I shall endeavor to keep between you and the rest of our tribes so that you may actually make it the 100 feet or so that it is."
Ardeth chuckled. But the offer brought to mind the prayer he had offered himself so often recently. Horus walk between me and all the dark places that I must travel.
"As always champion of mine, I will do so when I can. But I have little power in thy world during the night as well thou know. I have my own battle to fight each night, by Ammun's side."
Ardeth sighed at the warmth of that voice even if it was only in his mind. Truly, Ammun is blessed to have you to fight beside him, bright son of Osiris. And I am as always more than thankful for your aid and your blessings.
"Thou are welcome champion of mine. It is not an easy lesson thou have learned, Ardeth Bay. But no doubt thou could now face any horror or loss and know with utmost certainty that it can be met and victory achieved. Take this then to thy heart champion of mine. When the night stands between thee and my aid, thou may ask of my brother, whom thy own champions, for aid in my name and I will tell to him to grant it if he can as he would to me."
Ardeth blinked, more surprised than anything by that. I-- do not have words for the honor.
"Thou will do fine, Ardeth Bay. No doubt. Rest now, child of Allah, be content, I, myself, will warn thee before the next battle comes."
Thank you. He glanced over at Adham. "Let us do as you suggest and find our families, cousin."
"If we are not careful, Ardeth we shall have intertwined our families even more. Leila's cousin is quite taken with Evelyn's brother you know."
"Jonathan?" Ardeth chuckled. "Truly?"
"So far as to ask Leila if she will speak to Evelyn and find if he has a fiancee or some woman he loves back in England. ” Adham chuckled.
"That is more than being taken with him then." Ardeth smiled a bit more. "Which of Leila's cousins?"
"Tamima." Adham shrugged. "He saved her from the Germans you see."
"Ah." Ardeth gave a quick prayer to Allah in thanks for that. "I need to find time to thank him again for that myself."
"He does not seem to know how to accept the thanks. I tried to find the words to thank him for saving Leila and could not even manage it."
"Bis'mil'Allah, Adham, I did not know. She is well?" He felt himself shudder at that
"She is. But I owe him more than any man can ever repay that she is so. I am only thankful onto Allah that it is true. She was trying to shield Khalifa it seems when the German came at her with his bayonet. Likely I would not only have lost my wife but my daughter. How do I repay a man for that, Ardeth?"
"I do not know, Adham. I will have to try to do the same no doubt. Come, let us find Jonathan and make certain he knows how thankful we are and that he is enjoying himself, hmm?"
"Many women in our tribes are doing that, Ardeth. But perhaps it would not be a bad thing to give him a bit of a break from their attentions." Adham nodded. "Should we warn Jonathan away do you think? Leila's family is-- meddlesome."
Ardeth chuckled. "If it would make Jonathan and Tamima happy to have her family meddle I will hardly gainsay them, Adham. I recall that you did not think it a bad bargain."
"No, no I did not." Adham clasped his shoulder. "They are good people, cousin. Are you certain Evelyn and Jonathan do not have another sister or a cousin perhaps that they could introduce to you?"
Ardeth rolled his eyes. "Very certain."
"Perhaps we can find a cousin of O'Connell's then? Would that be better?" There was real teasing to his cousin's voice now and he had to work very hard not to flush
"Adham."
Adham chuckled. "While you are finding ways for me to thank Jonathan for the most amazing joy of having my wife and daughter yet to love, Arda. Do you think you could find me words to thank O'Connell for the joy of having you here yet as my friend, cousin, and chieftain? They are both hard thanks to manage."
That did make him flush but for an entirely different reason. "I am thankful myself that you think it so, Adham. Truly. Come, I shall try to find you words for the first at least." He gripped his cousin's wrist.
"That will do for now." Adham agreed
Ardeth had no idea how he was going to thank his friend either but he would think of something. He walked with Adham over to where Jonathan was sitting, and could not help but smile at his friend, who was relating a rather amazing tale to three of Ardeth's tribes women including Tamima. "Hello, Jonathan. Is all well with you my friend?"
"Ardeth." Jonathan looked at him in something like surprise. "I thought you'd have gone to sleep by now. Though how you could sleep through this much noise is a bit beyond me. It's quite the celebration."
"As it should be. We are celebrating our victory over the Germans and thanking Allah for his love in allowing our tribesmates who were killed a place with him in Paradise."
"Jonathan was telling us a tale of his homeland, chieftain. You have been there, have you not? Is it true that water is as plentiful there as sand is here?" Tamima asked
"It was during my trip, yes." He was a bit surprised at the question, but Adham only smiled a bit and gave him a look that Ardeth could not quite decipher
"We are being rude, chieftain will you sit? We can get you coffee or karkaday or tea?" One of the other young women got to her feet. "Sayidi Adham? Yuhan effendi?"
Ardeth managed not to smile at that. "Coffee please." He replied
"Tea." Adham agreed
"No, truly, I'm quite all right." Jonathan smiled. The women scattered and Ardeth took the opportunity to sit down beside his friend. "Your people are far too good to your guests, Ardeth."
"You are not only a guest now, Jonathan. Truly, I meant what I said earlier, I would be honored to count you amongst my people and my family." He clasped his friend's shoulder. "I owe you more thanks than I will ever know how to express, my friend. Membership in the Medjai, and whatever hospitality we can give you as such is a very small repayment for the joy of knowing that all the young women who just left here, Adham's wife and his daughter, and too many others to name are all here and well and a living part of my tribe because of you." He smiled a bit more at the surprise and then embarrassment his words brought but Jonathan smiled as well, and seemed very pleased. "I do hope you will do me the honor of excepting?"
"Well...it would be a bit rude not to don't you think? And besides Rick, Evie, and Alex obviously will."
"I will be glad for that certainly. However, your inclusion in my tribes does not come from theirs nor is it dependent on theirs. I offer it to you as my friend and a man, who despite his protests and evasions, is often just as brave as the rest of us. And who's courage has saved the lives and souls of so many of my people."
"Really, Ardeth, I said yes. You should get some sleep I think. You're babbling now." Jonathan looked more worried than surprised now
"Am I?" He shrugged. "There is honesty in exhaustion at least. Come and join me and Adham then we are going to go and see your family and his. Then perhaps I shall sleep."
"Likely you will fall asleep in your coffee cousin. Come along Jonathan you can, I hope, help me in keeping him from doing something foolish like walking through a fire pit."
"Adham." Ardeth rolled his eyes, noticing that Jonathan had to stifle a laugh. "I am not that exhausted."
"We shall see. Ardeth. Truly, I did not think anyone more oblivious to things than you cousin. But we shall see, some now let us go and see your brother, your sister and their family, and mine." Adham offered him a hand and he took it to get back to his feet
"Why don't you two go on and I'll tell the ladies where we've gone when they get back with your drinks?"
"They would find us soon enough I think." Ardeth chuckled but he left it at that and went with Adham to where Rick and Evelyn were
"Rick, Evelyn." Ardeth smiled
"Hey, you still awake?"
"Come join us, Ardeth, Adham." Evelyn smiled back
"Thank you." Ardeth sat down, and then had to brace himself as Khalifa came over and threw herself into his arms
"Haltu!”
He hugged the little girl tightly and then resigned himself to being tackled by Numa and Ismail as well. "Hello children of my cousin."
"Got your hands full, huh?" Rick chuckled
"I do. Khalifa, Numa, Ismail I am still tired from-- fighting Germans hmm? So I do not think I can hold all of you at once."
"Are you hurt haltu? Halta Hawati can heal you, can't you halta?" Numa looked over at Evelyn who seemed as surprised by the title as Ardeth was
"Certainly. But I think Ardeth needs sleep, Numa and not magic."
"Oh." Numa climbed off his lap, leaving Khalifa in his arms and Ismail on his other side. "I can get you coffee, haltu then you will not be tired." She scrambled up and headed over to where Leila was fixing plates of some sort of food. He gave her a smile and nodded at Shadiya who was helping her as well and it was good to see the young woman taking some small part in the festivities
"It's not very good coffee, but Numa tried very hard to make it. So, try not to spit it out." Evelyn offered in Egyptian
Ardeth had to smother a laugh and then settled Khalifa on the side that Numa had vacated. "I shall try to manage then." He replied with a chuckle, and then gentled the smile and reached out one hand to the other child who had come to see him. "Hello, Sana."
The little girl said nothing but came over and sat on Khalifa's far side
"Halta Evelyn can make you well, haltu. She healed Diya when the German stabbed her." Ismail put in, suddenly. "And then the other German hit her with his gun."
Ardeth looked down at the young boy at his side. "Is Diya well?" He tightened his arm around Ismail's small shoulders
"Yes. Haltu Yuhan came and he shot the German who was kicking halta Evelyn. I was trying to get Numa to hide but she wanted to find mama and Khalifa."
And it came to Ardeth suddenly that in his first trip through the hell that Anubis had made for him that he had found Khalifa sobbing over Leila's body, Numa and Ismail dead and Mohamed gone to find Adham. He shivered a bit and then glanced over at his friends, because without their aid and that of the army of Anubis he had no doubt that the horrible nightmare of that place would have been real. "Thank you, most merciful Allah, for letting them be well." He whispered. "And you, Ismail? Are you well?"
"I was only scared haltu. Because I did not want the Germans to shoot Numa."
"No of course you did not." Ardeth hugged the boy closer. "I am glad you are well, Ismail."
"So am I." Ismail agreed with a nod, but he also curled tighter against Ardeth and it struck him just how small Ismail still was. So young yet to have seen such horror, so young yet to have to bear what he did. And I thought to make you bear more yet, son of my cousin? No. Allah willing I will live to be Selim's age before I have to even think about passing this title to my son or you. By then you can be grown with sons of your own.
"We are all afraid sometime Ismail, and the Germans were very frightening enemies." He offered, not wanting the little boy to think less of himself
"Were you frightened, haltu?" Khalifa asked. "I was frightened."
"Very frightened, Khalifa." He said honestly. Letting her crawl back into his lap and drawing Sana into his arm. "It is all right to be frightened, certainly."
Adham reached over and put one hand on Ismail's head and the other on Ardeth's arm. "As was I."
"Really papa?" Ismail looked up and Ardeth let the boy go so he could snuggle against his father's side
"Yes."
. "I was frightened." Sana whispered softly. "I did not want you to die."
Ardeth sighed and drew the child closer. "I am not dead, Sana. Only still a bit tired from the battle. But sleeping last night helped much. Did you sleep?"
She nodded
"Sana, Numa and I all slept, haltu. But you slept longer and mama said we should leave you to sleep and have breakfast." Khalifa put in. "But now that you are awake and here and papa and mama and haltu Rick and halta Hawati are here I am not frightened. You will not let the Germans come back and get us will you, haltu?"
"No." He promised. "And they are all gone now, defeated. So we do not have to fear them at all."
"I am still frightened." Sana snuggled closer. Ardeth only stroked her hair with his hand
"It is all right to be frightened still, Sana. I-- am a bit haunted myself yet. But it is better when we are not scared alone is it not?"
She seemed to think about that and then nodded. Adham's hand tightened on his shoulder and then let go. "You speak wisely, cousin."
Rick reached over and gripped his shoulder as Adham let go. "Yeah, you do. And I think we were all pretty frightened."
"I know I was." Evelyn sighed. "I still can't believe we won."
"It is rather like finding paradise after walking through hell is it not?" Ardeth stroked his hand down Sana's back, and squeezed Khalifa a little tighter
"Yeah." Rick agreed. "But I'll take being here over Paradise right now."
Ardeth gave him a smile, wishing despite knowing he should not that he could give what was in his heart at that voice. Rick's hand only tightened on his shoulder and he noticed that Evelyn just hugged him tightly
"Allah must know, as I trust you do, akee, how thankful I am for that. I do not know that anything I can do is enough thanks to offer you both for all that you have done and borne for-- my people and Egypt." It was all he could offer aloud.
"I seem to recall that it's our people now, brother mine. And Rick and I both have as much at stake in protecting Egypt as you do." Evelyn pointed out.
"As you say, sister mine. But I am thankful all the same."
"Let's just thank Allah, Ammun, Horus, and I guess Anubis and enjoy the party, huh?" Rick squeezed his shoulder once more and let go
"And Isis, and Osiris, and Sekhmet too, so we aren't leaving anyone out." Evelyn agreed
"No doubt, what does one offer AmmunRa and Osiris and Isis for thanks, Evelyn?"
"I'll think of something." She snuggled closer under Rick's arm.
"Let me know when you do will you sister of my cousin? I would offer my thanks to them and to you and your husband as well." Adham's voice was a surprise
"Of course, Adham." Evelyn looked a bit startled
"That mean we aren't going to pound each other into dust?" Rick asked, but the smile was obvious
"We shall see, O'Connell. We shall see." But Adham smiled a bit as well
Ardeth just sighed. "Bis'mil'Allah."
"Why do you want to pound papa, haltu Rafik?" Khalifa asked.
Rick looked from him to Adham and then to Evelyn obviously at a loss
"It's something silly men do, Khalifa. Like when Ismail and Nidal wrestle over who's toys are whose." Evelyn answered. And God help him but he could not keep from flushing over that
"Evelyn." Ardeth muttered, unable to manage anything more articulate. But he did not miss that both Rick and Adham were equally embarrassed
"Men are silly." Khalifa decided. And even Sana smiled just a little, so Ardeth supposed it was somewhat worth the embarrassment
"Often." Evelyn agreed with a smile. "But I suppose that's part of why we love them so much, right Leila?"
"Yes." Leila gave Adham a smile that held a great deal of love indeed and his cousin shocked him more than a little by leaning over and kissing his wife in public
"Al'hamdil'Allah."
"Adham." Leila blushed and Khalifa giggled
"Haltu Rafik kisses Halta Hawati all the time mama. Alex says so." Ismail put in
Ardeth had to chuckle. "No doubt he does."
"Would you mind if we joined you, Chieftain? Adham Saiyidi? Cousin?" Tamima asked as she, Jonathan, and three other young women walked over
"Of course not." Ardeth smiled. And it seemed to take no time at all for them all to find places around the fire to sit. Numa brought him his coffee and it was as Evelyn had warned not very good coffee at all but he drank it just the same. Thankful that Leila poured him another cup right after which took the taste of the first from his mouth
"Sitt O'Connell, your brother is telling us stories of England. We are not certain he is not telling us fables though." One of the other women spoke up
"Here now, I told you they were true stories." Jonathan protested. "It really does rain that much, just ask Ardeth."
"It always does seem to rain when you visit us, doesn't it Ardeth?" Evelyn laughed.
"It does. Or snow. Allah forbid I ever visit again when there is snow." He rolled his eyes
"What is snow, haltu?" Khalifa asked
"Rain that has grown so cold it becomes almost solid, Khalifa." He answered
"Rain is not solid haltu it is water." Khalifa giggled.
"Someday, Khalifa, your papa and mama and haltu shall have to bring you and your brothers and sisters to visit Rick, Alex and I in England and we can see the snow." Evelyn smiled. "We shall go sledding."
Ardeth could recall Alex trying to master that more than dubious feat himself and tried not to shudder at the thought of Khalifa trying the same. Sana pressed tighter against his side and Ardeth glanced down at the little girl. "Would you like to see the snow, Sana?" He asked gently, because it was hardly fair to not include her when the others had been invited
Sana sniffled, but then nodded just a little. "I thought-- you would leave me."
Ardeth sighed. "My word to Allah little one, even when I must leave and be about my duties I will always find you when I come back to camp, hmm? And if I do journey to England or some such for only the joy of the trip it would make my heart glad if you came too." And it would he realized. Somehow the idea of Khalifa and Sana giggling in the snow as Alex had done was not nearly so frightening despite the danger he was sure this sledding would be
"Can Sana and I go to England, papa?" Khalifa asked, sounding entirely too happy with the thought. "I want to see this snow."
"Perhaps, Khalifa, perhaps, but it is not that time of year yet, so we shall have to see." Adham answered. "Right now we must stay here in Ahm Shere."
"I do not like Ahm Shere papa." Numa put in. "It is even more scary than Hamanaptura. And Germans are much more awful than mummies."
"So it seems, Numa, so it seems." Adham sighed.
"I will not be afraid of Germans or mummies, papa. As long as you and halta Hawati, and haltu Yuhan are here. And Haltu Ardeth and haltu Rafik can kill tanks." Khalifa decided firmly, snuggling back into Ardeth's lap. "Haltu Yuhan will shoot the Germans for us, won't you haltu?"
Ardeth looked over at Jonathan who seemed utterly shocked by Khalifa's statement. Then he smiled a bit sadly. "God willing, Khalifa." Jonathan nodded
"Will you really?" Sana looked from one of them to the other, her dark eyes bright and Ardeth only squeezed her tighter again.
"As Allah gives us all strength, little one, we shall always be here to protect you, hmm?" He stroked her hair again. "In'sh'Allah."
"Nothing is impossible if Allah does not want it to be." Khalifa agreed. "Right haltu?"
"That is very true." He hugged her a bit, and looked over at Jonathan himself, meeting his friend's eyes with all the honesty he could. "Thank you." He stroked one hand through Khalifa's hair. "It seems my friend, that your marksmanship has saved not only my life upon these sands now but much of my family's lives as well."
"Least I could do, Ardeth."
"I do not think it is the least of anything." Adham put in firmly, sliding his arm around Leila.
"I gotta agree with Adham and Ardeth on that one, Jon. Thanks." Rick added
"All right, all right, you're all welcome." Jonathan rolled his eyes. "Let's just say it was a good thing all around that we all managed what we did and celebrate the victory, all right?"
"Yuhan effendi does not seem to believe us when we tell him we are also thankful." One of the three women who sat to one side of Jonathan spoke quietly
"Come now, my friend, have we not convinced you yet that Medjai do not lie?" He smiled a bit
"It isn't that I thought anyone was lying, Ardeth. I know you and your people better than that. I just think everyone is making far too much fuss over it. After all, I'm hardly the only one who helped. A lot of your people did. Not to mention Evie, and you and you too Rick, for God's sake."
"Perhaps Jonathan is right, chieftain, and we should all simply be thankful to each other and Allah and the old gods and let the rest go." Leila spoke quietly.
"As you say, Leila. There is wisdom to that." Ardeth nodded. "Could I impose upon someone then to get me more coffee?" He asked
After a moment's surprise two of the young women sitting by Jonathan got up and went to get coffee for them all. Tamima, Ardeth noted with a smile, did not give up her place beside Jonathan though. "So, Jonathan, what stories are you telling my tribeswomen about England? No doubt the children would like to hear the stories too."
"I was trying to describe the British Museum actually, and that led to telling about our bus ride, but I'd just started on that one."
"Ah." Ardeth smiled a bit more. "That was an adventure."
"Well that's one word for it." Rick rolled his eyes
"Tell us the story haltu." Khalifa put in
"You must be more specific now, daughter of my cousin. Which of us was that request too?" Ardeth smiled
"All of you." Khalifa smiled. "And halta Hawa too."
"Very well, I suppose we can manage that story can we not my friends?"
"Certainly." Jonathan nodded. Ardeth settled Khalifa a bit more in his lap and Sana against his side. Then he gave a quick glance eastward toward Mecca. My thanks to you, most merciful Allah, for the joy of having my family here and well. Truly, it is worth the cost. He listened as Jonathan began the story, pausing every now and again to translate certain things from English to Arabic. For now, he was more than content to listen
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The light of dawn was just breaking over the camp and the mostly uncovered pyramid that set amongst the remains of Ahm Shere. She stood a bit up the western side of the pyramid, looking down at the camp and the battle field beyond, still hidden in the shadows
"What brings you here?" Anubis' voice was a dark growl as he stepped out of the shadows to join her
"I am watching shadows, brother of mine."
A grumble of acknowledgment. "So, you see them as well."
"Yes." Sekhmet agreed. "The wind smells wrong."
"So it does." He nodded, sounding not the least bit pleased. "It does not smell of battle or of death."
"No." She agreed. "I do not recognize the smell, but it seems I should."
Great Ammun's disk of light crested the dunes and painted the pyramid in swaths of gold and scarlet dawn and a bright patch of sunlight coalesced beside them. "Heru." She smiled, as always because she was Hathor's shadow and Hathor loved him so. But at this moment Egypt needed her as the wrath of AmmunRa, protectress of the two lands and not Horus' beloved
"Sister, brother. What occurs that you are both here?"
"We are watching shadows, brother." Anubis replied. "And champions."
"I did not think you cared for your champion, Anpu." Horus chuckled.
Sekhmet gave her dark brother a smirk of her own. But she did not fail to notice that even Anpu seemed amused
"He is stubborn and does not understand much, but-- he does not lack courage and he is now more familiar with death. I shall keep him for a while." Anubis gave a jackal grin. "Besides, your champions would be of little use if I allowed mine to be destroyed."
Sekhmet growled herself at that. "They would manage." Then she looked back over the camp. "But-- it is perhaps better that they do not need to."
"Well said. What shadows are you watching?" Horus looked over the plain below
"The ones that pool about them. Although they are less now that you are here." Anubis answered. "Why is that?"
"I do not know." Horus' eyes sharpened and looked over the plain again.
"Sekhmet says the wind smells wrong." Anubis added
"It does." She grumbled. "Although that too is less now that you are here."
Horus sniffed the wind and then again before spitting vehemently.
"What is the smell brother? I do not recognize it."
"I do." Horus' normally bright voice was cold. "I must speak to AmmunRa." And with that their brother was gone
Sekhmet growled. "Do you understand him, Anpu?"
Anubis was silent and then sniffed the wind again himself. "Yes, I believe I do. I shall need to speak to my mother, and perhaps my father, Sekhmet. You are welcome here at my temple of course." And with that he was gone just like Horus
Sekhmet growled again, lower and more angry now. But she watched the camp below just the same, because something was wrong, and the something was dangerous
Oberfuhrer Erik Kratz woke feeling dizzy and more than slightly ill. But considering that he had never expected to wake at all he was not unhappy with the development. The desert was dark and stank of death and flames. He raised his head to look about the tattered remains of the great army the Fuhrer had intrusted to him and winced. The unbelievable creatures who had swarmed out of the desert like some biblical curse given form had torn even the tents and troupcars to shreds, not to mention the men. His own side throbbed where one of the creatures had swiped at him, tossing him away from his prisoners.
Kratz looked about, but could find no trace of the two damned Arabs he'd been questioning
"They are long gone." The voice was cool, but amused
He turned to look at the speaker, and then blinked again, because the thing did not look that much unlike the creatures that had torn through camp. Then it came forward and he realized it did not look that much like the dog things at all. He was tall, easily seven feet, and had mostly fair skin except for his hair which was bright red, and the fur that covered the odd sloping head which was black as obsidian with only the stripe or red along the muzzle of the long snout for contrast. Erik Kratz had studied the Egyptian hieroglyphics and texts long enough to easily recognize the form that stood above him. "What do you want?" He asked
"Your Egyptian is abysmal." The thing answered him with a grin. "I am here to offer you a chance at revenge."
"Revenge?" He stood up slowly, realizing as he did so that the pain in his side was almost gone now. "Against the arabs?"
"The Medjai. Yes." The last word was a pleased hiss.
"It that their name? Medjai?" He tried to repeat the word
"Do you wish revenge against them, against the men who defeated you?" The thing walked over and then patted him on the head as if he were a dog. "Do you wish to have them once more under your whip? Hear their screams? Taste their pain, and fear and know they are defeated?" The low voice caressed the words and Kratz found himself smiling.
"Yes." He agreed.
"Good. Good. So do I. You may yet be useful, German. Come along then, we must find you your fellow champion."
"Champion?" He asked. "Do you mean that I am to be a champion?"
"You are already, German. I chose you. Because you made him scream you see." A horrible smile of teeth. "It brought my heart joy." The thing laughed. "As it did yours."
"Why?" He blinked as the desert simply dissolved around him and was replaced by a different desert, darker and full of more carnage this time however of Arabs like those they had encountered on their trip here. He smiled. "Did you do this?"
"After a fashion." The thing replied and then moved over to a specific bloody spot and reached down into the sand, gripping onto something and then pulling. And he drew forth a man from the sand, spitted like a hare on a long golden spear. He shook the spear and the dark skinned man tumbled to the sand
"He's dead."
"Only for the moment." The thing answered and true to its word the dark skinned man got to his feet and shook himself off a moment later. "There you are. You failed me."
"You should have made me better." The man replied with a growl
The thing laughed a grating horrible laugh that made Kratz smile. "My nephews are fools to so discard such useful toys. We shall have to teach them manners. Them and their champions."
The dark skinned man smiled and then nodded. "Can it be done?"
"If we can not teach them manners, we shall teach them-- humility. And despair, and defeat, and long sweet agony. Does that not sound like a reasonable substitute, little hounds?"
Kratz almost bristled at the remark but then smiled. "It does."
"Then let the tutelage begin. We shall need more men of course. I believe you both have followers yet that you can gather together."
Kratz nodded as did his fellow Hound. "It will take some time." He pointed out. "Germany is a long distance from here."
"Time is not important." The thing gave a slight wave of one hand. "It will only make them less cautious."
"And then we shall strike." The dark skinned man turned to him. "I am for the moment, Lok-Nah, leader of the Asenusi, until my master decides I serve him better as someone else. Who are you?"
"Oberfuhrer Erik Kratz, Einstatzkomandos." He looked at the creature standing beside him and then smiled at the most wonderful madness of it all. "Is seems Asenusi we are Hounds of Set together."
"Then let us go hunting." The Asenuisi agreed. "What do we hunt first, Great Set?"
"First we gather followers, then-- I think we shall start the hunt with jackals."
Kratz laughed a bit at the very old joke and followed his new god away from the field
Here ends the first part of the story.
The second part of the story, An Uncertain Rest, will begin soon.
Isha:ToC