A/N: so here is a new chapter and remember, please review the story
VIII. Nice family get-together
The others also stared at the book, the only thing most could imagine that someone let knives out and that the cat started hitting them with her paws, which was dangerous because it could get hurt and after the delightful talk about how a certain baby will be born didn't anyone wish to see cuts or read about them.
"I hope that Muffin didn't get hurt." Ruby said voicing her thoughts as she looked over at the children to ask who that irresponsible person was to let sharp objects out.
"You will see what the title means, but don't worry she was fine, the problems come mostly when we took a trip to Central Park." Sadie told her mother.
"Weren't you told to not go there, because seeing my words when you arrived were we at that time not on friendly basis with the other Gods there." younger Amos said while looking at the siblings.
"You will see." Carter told his uncle before looking over at Desjardins who started reading, he wanted to be done with this chapter.
Our baboon was going completely sky goddess—which is to say, nuts.
"Mom/grandmother would be highly offended by this sentence." said the Gods, well beside Set, she only shook her head at the girl comparison.
"Sorry, I didn't exactly know her at that time." Sadie said as everyone looked at her with wide eyes.
"Are you implying that you know her now?" younger Julius asked.
"Book." was the only reply he got.
He swung from column to column, bouncing along the balconies, overturning pots and statues. Then he ran back to the terrace windows, stared outside for a moment, and proceeded to go berserk again.
"He was trying to tell you that big trouble is ahead." older Amos translated before Thoth had a chance to open his mouth.
"Just wonderful to know." Ruby muttered while rubbing her stomach.
Muffin was also at the window. She crouched on all fours with her tail twitching as if she were stalking a bird.
"We would have been happy about that." the siblings said together.
"Perhaps it's just a passing flamingo,"
"In Brooklyn?" asked a good deal of people from the past incredulously.
"Well, it could have escaped from a Zoo or something." Sadie said.
I suggested hopefully, but I'm not sure Carter could hear me over the screaming baboon.
"I only heard the word flamingo and had no clue what you want with that bird now." Carter admitted with a shrug.
We ran to the glass doors. At first I didn't see any problem. Then water exploded from the pool, and my heart nearly jumped out of my chest. Two enormous creatures, most definitely not flamingos, were thrashing about with our crocodile, Philip of Macedonia.
I couldn't make out what they were, only that they were fighting Philip two against one.
A good deal of people flinched at this, mostly those who knew what those things were.
"He had dragged them into the pool, but it is not big enough to drown both." older Amos mused; Philip had done what he could to give the children an edge.
"He is really loyal to those who live in the mansion." Ruby said while looking at those from the present.
"He certainly is." Walt agreed, their Chief Lector was really skilled with shabti, there was no doubt to that.
They disappeared under the boiling water, and Khufu ran screaming through the Great Room again, bonking himself on the head with his empty Cheerios box, which I must say was not particularly helpful.
"Now we kind of know that he was trying to tell us to stop staring out of the window and get ready." Carter admitted.
"Longnecks," Carter said incredulously. "Sadie, did you see those things?"
"Those vile creatures are more than vicious." Narmer growled, he had a good deal of experience fighting them.
"You know, that sending them was kind of ironic considering part of their ancestry." Amos whispered to Set who turned to him.
"It had been intentional, it was not hard to figure out who your ancestor was after I had looked at your brother." Set told him at which Amos nodded in understanding, now looking back at things almost the whole happenings of these books were kind of ironic.
I couldn't find an answer. Then one of the creatures was thrown out of the pool. It slammed into the doors right in front of us, and I jumped back in alarm.
"Yes Carter, I saw them, a bit too good for my liking, but I saw them." Sadie told her brother while Ruby was back to breaking her husband's arm.
On the other side of the glass was the most terrifying animal I'd ever seen.
"I'm taking that back now, have seen worse." Sadie corrected her past self.
"Not reassuring." younger Amos said to Desjardins who nodded his head.
Its body was like a leopard's—lean and sinewy, with golden spotted fur—but its neck was completely wrong. It was green and scaly and at least as long s the rest of its body. It had a cat's head, but no normal cat's. when it turned its glowing red eyes toward us, it howled, showing a forked tongue and fangs dripping with green venom.
"Accurate description." Narmer said before he threw a dark look at the Red Lord, but it was returned by her follower, he really could not understand how that man had turned to that God after his earlier statements in the last chapter.
I realized my legs were shaking and I was making a very undignified whimpering sound.
"It was an understandable reaction in that situation." Walt whispered to his girlfriend who smiled at him, maybe if he continues to be so sweet she could make his punishment a bit more merciful.
The cat-serpent jumped back into the pool to joins its companion in beating up Philip, who spun and snapped but seemed unable to hurt his attackers.
"We have to help Philip!" I cried. "He'll be killed!"
"What, I love animals and at that time had I not known that Philip would be fine." Sadie said in her defence, shabti were not easy to get rid of, mostly if their creator still lives. This seemed to also relax the queen who really adored crocodiles and this one was no exception.
I reached for the door handle, but Muffin growled at me.
"I'm glad that she did that." Sadie said, Carter would not have managed to grab her and in her weakened and scarred state would she have met Anubis sooner than she would have liked and her brother still needed her.
Carter said, "Sadie, no! You heard Amos. We can't open the doors for any reason. The house is protected by magic. Philip will have to beat them on his own."
"But what if he can't? Philip!"
The old crocodile turned. For a second his pink reptilian eye focused on me as if he could sense my concern.
The siblings turned to Amos who nodded his head that he did.
Then the cat-snakes bit at his underbelly and Philip rose up so that only the tip of his tail still touched the water. His body began to glow. A low hum filled the air, like an airplane engine starting up. When Philip came down, he slammed into the terrace with all his might.
The entire house shook. Cracks appeared in the concrete terrace outside, and the swimming pool split right down the middle as the far end crumbled into empty space.
Everyone flinched at hearing this.
"That must have really been a large impact if it caused something like that." Desjardins said before continuing.
"No!" I cried.
But the edge of the terrace ripped free, plunging Philip and the monsters straight into the East River.
My whole body began to trembled. "He sacrificed himself. He killed the monsters."
"Sadie..." Carter's voice was faint. "What if he didn't? What if they come back?"
"I hate being right." Carter mumbled under his breath while Zia leaned against him.
"One should be ready for a renewed attack if you don't see either your enemies' corpse or a monster designating." Horus said in a lecturing way.
"Meaning, the danger is not over." Ruby groaned, why needed it to be her children.
"Don't say that!"
"I—I recognized them, Sadie. Those creatures. Come on."
Carter suddenly tensed and carefully looked over to his side to meet Set's eyes who was frowning at him.
"You remembered what the longnecks were while you had no clue what my animal form was?" Set asked the young pharaoh who gave his uncle a pleading look to help him.
"Erm…you see Set…I…uh…"
"Set, I think you should not dwell on this, now he knows it." Amos told the God gently as he placed his arms around her smaller frame and pulled her back.
"Fine." she replied with a huff while Carter gave his uncle a thankful look.
"You are pretty good with keeping Set in check and to make him or in the current case her listen to you." Ruby whispered to her brother-in-law who resisted the urge to shake his head.
"It might only be because of the pregnancy." Amos said, saying this made him feel really awkward in a way seeing that the original gender of his child's mother was and is male no matter the current female form.
"Where?" I demanded, but he ran straight back to the library.
Carter marched up the shabti who'd helped us before. "Bring me the... gah, what's it called?"
"What?" I asked.
"Something Dad showed. It's a big stone plate or something. Had a picture of the first pharaoh,
Narmer looked up at this in interest, so they will be ready with it.
the guy who untied Upper and Lower Egypt into one kingdom.
"And now had one of his descendants united the House of Life with the Gods again." Zia whispered to her boyfriend who tried not to blush, he kind of forgot about this parallel he had with his ancestor who was now looking rather proud.
His name..." His eyes lit up. "Narmer! Bring me the Narmer Plate!"
At this Narmer blinked a few times before looking over at his brother questioningly.
"Did I order a plate or a palette, because I could swear that it was the later one." he said to his brother.
"I also remember a palette and not a plate." Ashkender said before turning to a blushing Carter.
"I kind of switched that up for a few seconds." he explained at which both men nodded their heads.
Nothing happened.
"No," Carter decided. "Not a plate. It was... one of those things that holds paint. A palette. Bring me the Narmer Palette!"
"Carter." Amos was about to say, but said person held up his hand.
"Yes, I should have been more specific." he said sighing while the initiates looked amused; the others only shook their heads.
"Let me guess, he will get the original one." Ramses asked with a small grin while the others nodded in confirmation.
The empty-handed shabti didn't move, but across the room, the statue with the little hook came to life. He jumped off his pedestal and disappeared in a cloud of dust. A heartbeat later, he reappeared on the table. At his feet was a wedge of flat gray stone, shaped like a shield and about as long as my forearm.
"No!" Carter protested. "I meant a picture of it!
"Too late, it would have needed that in his order beforehand." Thoth said in an amused tone, this was the first time he had heard about such an accident, at least was he not asking for an obelisk, now that would have caused hilarious reactions.
Oh great, I think this is the real artifact.
"It was." the siblings said while some of the past face-palmed.
The shabti must've stolen it from the Cairo Museum. We've got to return—"
"Wait a moment, does that mean that…great my grave will be invaded." Narmer mumbled in annoyance.
"Technically, that one was found in Nekhen, in one of Horus's temples." older Julius told the pharaoh who nodded at this, he was fine with that while said God felt pleased about the mention of the temple.
"Hang on," I said. "We might as well have a look."
The surface of the stone was craved with the picture of a man smashing another man in the face with what looked like a spoon.
"A what?" Narmer asked in confusion while some people either stared spluttering or snorted as Sadie blushed.
"That's Narmer with the spoon," I guessed. "Angry because the other bloke stole his breakfast cereal?"
"I really have no clue what those are." Narmer said again in confusion.
"Let me help you." Set said snickering as she snapped her fingers and Narmer found himself suddenly holding a spoon and a strange bowls with milk and what looked like puffed up wheat with some darker spots on them. "That is a spoon and breakfast cereal." Set explained while a good number of people broke out laughing at the expression the pharaoh had on his face, not to forgetting how he looked with the spoon and cereal in his lap.
Desjardins had a hard time getting himself to read again while the others tried to get their laughter under control, not that it was going easy.
Carter shook his head. "He's conquering his enemies and uniting Egypt. See his hat? That's the crown of Lower Egypt, before the two countries untied."
"The bit that looks like a bowling pin?"
"Bowling pin?" Narmer realized too late that he should have stayed quiet because Set snapped her fingers again and a white thing made of wood with a coloured string which formed a collar around the slim neck.
This of course set the others even more of into their laughing fits and most to his displeasure was his brother also laughing with the others and he was sure that his face had gone red. It also took almost ten minutes for everyone to calm down and gasp for air.
"I'm rally starting to love Set's humour." Sadie whispered still giggling to those with her on the couch while Amos tried and failed to look cross with the God who was giving him a cheeky smile in return, her face still slightly flushed from laughing.
"You're impossible," Carter grumbled.
"He looks like Dad, doesn't he?"
Narmer stopped glowering when hearing this, what did that mean? On the other had were both queen and prince nodding their heads, they had guessed right.
"Sadie, be serious!"
"I am serious. Look at his profile."
"You mean that you are my descendants?" Narmer asked as he looked at the male and one female Kanes who all nodded back before he groaned. "That means that…"
"Yup, your beloved God had managed to get me even more into your family line." Set replied grinning while she leaned against Amos, she had once not managed to stop that man from destroying someone with a potential to be one of her followers, a second time would she not allow the loss.
"I certainly like the idea, even if the second part is still a bit strange to know." Ashkender said in an amused tone as he shared a grin with Amos as both tuned to Narmer who had his face buried into his hands and was muttering something under his breath. "Just ignore him, he does that often when frustrated, he will get around eventually." he told the others, his grin still in place.
"Poor guy, this kind of gave him a kick where it really hurts." Sadie whispered to those sitting closest to her.
Carter decided to ignore me.
"At that time had we no time for looking at ancestors and doing comparisons in the family." Carter explained himself while the others nodded in understanding one could do that when there are no demos attacking you.
He examined the stone like he was afraid to touch it. "I need to see the back but I don't want to turn it over. We might damage—"
I grabbed the stone and flipped it over.
A few people groaned at this while Sadie blushed.
"Sadie, that is one of the most ancient and intact artefacts." her father admonished her.
"Sadie! You could've broken it!"
"That's what mend spells are for, yes?"
She blushed even harder by the gazes she got for that comment.
We examined the back of the stone, and I had to admit I was impressed by Carter's memory.
Two cat-snake monsters stood in the center of the palette, their necks entwined. On either side, Egyptian men with ropes were trying to capture the creatures.
"They're called serpopards," Carter said. "Serpent leopards."
Set glowered at the squirming Carter, but seeing how Amos had put his arms back around her and held her firmly against himself had she no choice to remain in place, not that she really minded his closeness and touch, damn hormones.
"Fascinating," I said. "But what are sepopards?"
"No one knows exactly. Dad thought they were creatures of chaos—very bad news, and they've been around forever. This stone is one of the oldest artifacts from Egypt. Those pictures were carved five thousand years ago."
"So why are five-thousand-year-old monsters attacking our house?"
"Last night, in Phoenix, the fiery man ordered his servants to capture us. He said to send the longnecks first."
"Yup, this was the explanation for the first time monsters attack, that they were sent to get you." Set said while the Kanes from the past sent her a little glare, but it was hard to do it really intense, they still remembered last chapters talk.
"What do you mean by first time?" Carter asked, he didn't like the tone how Set said this.
"Ah, you know demigods attract monsters with their scent which either want to eat them or just kill them and the more powerful the demigod is, the sooner his scent gets strong enough to attract monsters. Meaning those who get to babysit will have the golden opportunity to meet a good number of Egyptian monsters like those on the other side the Greek monster list." Thoth explained for Set while the others paled.
"I'm starting to see why in the original plan the whole thing with Egyptian demigods being born was planned to happen a few years later after he discussions end." Walt said nervously as he looked over to the thrones where Anubis was looking again at his father with an unreadable expression and Walt felt that he would be intruding if he tried to see what the other was feeling by his news regards his half-bother or sister.
"Yes, by that time would also the plans for a separated camp been ready, the place where it should be decided and built." Amos said while now was everyone looking at a squirming Horus.
"I did not know that this would happen." he tried defending himself, but by the looks he got could he tell that he was doing a rather horrid job at it so he only waved for Desjardins to continue.
I had a metallic taste in my mouth, and I wished I hadn't chewed my last piece of gum.
"Well... good thing they're at the bottom of the East River."
By the way those from the present looked at each other wanted those from the past to groan, well except Narmer, he was still to busy muttering.
Just then Khufu rushed into the library, screaming and slapping his head.
"Suppose I shouldn't have said that," I muttered.
Carter told the shabti to return the Narmer Palette, and both statue and stone disappeared. Then we followed the baboon upstairs.
The serpopards were back, their fur wet and slimy from the river, and they weren't happy.
"They are part cats, not many of those like being wet." Ruby stated in a worried tone.
They prowled the broken ledge of the terrace, their snake necks whipping round as they sniffed the doors, looking for a way in. They spit poison that steamed and bubbled on the glass. Their forked tongues darted in and out.
"Agh, agh!" Khufu picked up Muffin, who was sitting on the sofa, and offered me the cat.
"Huh?" asked many in confusion while Iskander nodded his head, his suspicions seem to be correct and the title now had more meaning to it then a pet pawing on sharp objects.
"I really don't think that will help," I told him.
"Agreed." Amir said while those from the present tried not to grin.
"AGH!" Khufu insisted.
Neither Muffin nor cat ended in –o, so I guesses Khufu was not trying to offer me a snack,
Those from the present snickered while their visitors still looked either confused or worried, some even both.
but I didn't know what he was on about. I took the cat just to shut him up.
"Mrow?" Muffin looked up at me.
"It'll be all right," I promised, trying not to sound scared out of my mind.
"It didn't work the slightest bit." Carter told his sister who nodded, she had a hunch.
"The house is protected by magic."
"Sadie," Carter said. "They've found something."
Ruby was back to grip her husband's arm with one hand, the other was on her belly as she prayed that the children would be fine.
The serpopards had converged at the left-hand door and were intently sniffing the handle.
"Isn't it locked?" I asked.
Both monsters smashed their ugly faces against the glass. The door shuddered. Blue hieroglyphs glowed along the doorframe, but their light was faint.
"I don't like this," Carter murmured.
"Me neither," Ruby said worryingly while beside her Julius tried not to show that he was in pain.
"Either the constant attacks are weakening the magical seals or someone had manipulated with them." younger Amos said in a thoughtful tone.
"Amos, you are not helping my nerves." Ruby snapped at her brother-in-law who held his hands up defensively.
I prayed that the monsters would give up.
"And of course not to me." Isis mumbled to herself while doing her best to not look at her older brother, she was not sure how to feel about him.
"Unfortunately are monsters persistent, they don't rest till either you kill them or they kill you." Carter said sighing.
"Carter, the same goes for you to." Ruby told her son, what was it with people trying to make her even more worried then she already was.
Or that perhaps Philip of Macedonia would climb back to the terrace (do crocodiles climb?)
"In a way yes, they can." Hatshepsut said in a thoughtful tone.
and renew the fight.
Instead, the monsters smashed their heads against the glass again. This time a web of cracks appeared. The blue hieroglyphs flickered and died.
"AGH!" Khufu screamed. He waved his hand vaguely at the cat.
"Maybe if I try the ha-di spell," I said.
"Don't!" Ruby yelled, she was to drained a new ha-di could kill her.
Carter shook his head. "You almost fainted after you blew up those doors. I don't want you passing out, or worse."
Sadie gave her brother a thankful smile at this, she knew that in the past had she shown really little appreciation for the way he tried protecting here, but now she didn't mind showing it somewhat.
Carter once again surprised me. He tugged a strange sword from one of Amos's wall displays. The blade had an odd crescent-moon curve and looked horribly impractical.
"I personally find it more than practical." Carter said with a grin, he loved his sword.
"You can't be serious," I said.
"Unless—unless you've got a better idea," he stammered, his face beading with perspiration. "It's me, you, and the baboon against those things."
I'm sure Carter was trying to be brave in his own extremely unbrave way, but he was shaking worse than I was. If anyone was going to pass out, I feared it would be him, and I didn't fancy him doing that while holding a sharp object.
"I agree with Sadie on not fainting while holding a sword in your hand." Ruby said nervously as she tried not to imagine the scene.
Then the serpopards struck a third time, and the door shattered. We back up to the foot of Thoth's statue as the creatures stalked into the Great Room. Khufu threw his basketball, which bounced harmlessly off the first monster's head. Then he launched himself at the serpopard.
Everyone winced at this, but seeing no sadness in the eyes from those of the present they all guessed that the baboon would survive the attack, this was at least a small comfort.
"Khufu, don't!" Carter yelled.
But the baboon sank his fangs into the monster's neck. The serpopard lashed around, trying to bite him. Khufu leaped off, but the monster was quick. It used its head like a bat and smacked poor Khufu in midair, sending him straight through the shattered door, over the broken terrace, and into the void.
I wanted to sob, but there wasn't time. The serpopards came toward us. We couldn't outrun them. Carter raised his sword. I pointes my hand at the first monster and tried to speak the ha-di spell, but my voice stuck in my throat.
"Mrow!" Muffin said, more insistently. Why was the cat still nested in my arm and not running away in terror?
The others were also looking strangely at the book while those from the present smiled.
"She would never leave her kittens in danger." Sadie said proudly, confusing the others even more.
"Desjardins." younger Julius said, the other only nodded he also wanted to know what was up with that strange cat so he didn't care that it had been Julius telling him to read.
Then I remembered something Amos had said: Muffin will protect you. Was that what Khufu had been trying to remind me? It seemed impossible, but I stammered, "M-muffin, I order you to protect us."
I tossed her on the floor. Just for a moment, the silver pendant on her collar seemed to gleam. Then the cat arched her back leisurely, sat down, and began licking a front paw. Well, really, what was I expecting—heroics?
"Patience, this takes a few seconds to get done." Set said while the other Gods, even if some only reluctantly, nodded their heads, one cant rush when it was about turning from a full animal form into a human form.
"What do you mean?" Rachel asked when suddenly Desjardins gasped before scowling.
"I really should have known." he said and started reading again before someone could ask what he meant.
The two red-eyed monsters bared their fangs. They raised their heads and prepared to strike—and an explosion of dry air blasted through the room. It was so powerful, it knocked Carter and me to the floor. The serpopards stumbled and back away.
Everyone blinked at the book when suddenly three of the antique gasped in realization.
I staggered to my feet and realized that the center of the blast had been Muffin. My cat was no longer there. In her place was a woman—small and lithe like a gymnast. Her jet-black hair was tied in a ponytail. She wore a skintight leopard-skin jumpsuit and Muffin's pendant around her neck.
Desjardins hurried on reading while the others stared gaping at the book.
She turned and grinned at me, and her eyes were still Muffin's—yellow with black feline pupils. "About time," she chided.
The serpopards got over their shock and charged the cat woman. Their heads struck with lightning speed. They should've ripped her in two, but the cat lady
Set lightly snickered at this, Bast would certainly be offended.
leaped straight up, flipping three times, and landed above them, perched on the mantel.
She flexed her wrists, and two enormous knives shot from her sleeves into her hands. "A-a-ah, fun!"
The monsters charged. She launched herself between them, dancing and dodging with incredible grace, letting them lash at her futilely while she threaded their necks together. When she stepped away, the sepopards were hopelessly intertwined.
"Nice work as usual." Set said, she and Bast may argue on occasions, but they were also still a team when it come to defending Ra and in some ways were they also friends, he would never tell it to her face, but she had come the closest as something like a sister to him, unlike his blood sisters.
The more they struggled, the tighter the knots became. They trampled back and forth, knocking over furniture and roaring in frustration.
"Poor things," the cat woman purred. "Let me help."
Her knives flashed, and the two monsters' heads thudded to the floor at her feet. Their bodies collapsed and dissolved into enormous piles of sand.
"So much for my playthings," the woman said sadly. "From sand they come, and to sand they return."
"Which unfortunately will reform eventually." older Amos said sighing, he will have to keep a good eye on the defence of both Brooklyn House and the First Nome when the baby is there.
She turned towards us, and the knives shot back into her sleeves. "Carter, Sadie, we should leave. Worse will be coming."
Carter made a choking sound. "Worse? Who—how—what—"
"All in good time." The woman stretched her arms above her head with great satisfaction. "So good to be in human form again! Now, Sadie, can you open us a door through the Duat, please?"
"Wish it would have been so easy to do at that time as it is now." Sadie said in a wistful tone while some of their visitors were still staring questioningly at the book.
I blinked. "Um... no. I mean—I don't know how."
The woman narrowed her eyes, clearly disappointed. "Shame. We'll need more power, then. An obelisk."
"But that's in London," I protested.
"At that time was Carter the Egypt expert so I didn't know that there was also one nearby." Sadie said.
"Was this what you meant by a trip to Central Park?" younger Amos asked his niece who nodded, which of course made her parents groan.
"We can't—"
"There's a nearer one in Central Park. I try to avoid Manhattan,
"Now not so much." Sadie said, Bast loved to have more places to roam.
but this is an emergency. We'll just pop over and open a portal."
"A portal to where?" I demanded. "Who are you, and why are you my cat?"
The woman smiled. "For now, we just want a portal out of danger. As for my name, it's not Muffin, thank you very much. It's—"
"Bast," Carter interrupted.
"What?" asked those who didn't know.
"You mean the Goddess?" Mrs. Faust asked as the others nodded in confirmation.
"Great, we will have a Goddess in the house." Mr. Faust grumbled while both Sadie and Carter tried not to flinch at that what will come in the next book.
"Your pendant—it's the symbol of Bast, goddess of cats. I thought it was just decoration but... that's you, isn't it?"
"Very good, Carter," Bast said. "Now come, while we can still make it out of here alive."
"Wonderful my children are running for their lives into at that time hostile territory while hosting two Gods, not fully understanding what is happening and being lead by a Goddess who was my daughter's pet for years. Just what every expecting mother wants to know about her children's future." Ruby groaned while Desjardins handed the book over to the Chief Lector, making the French letters turn into Alexandrian-Greek.
Looking down at the title needed the old magician to smile, both of these children certainly had some imagination when it come to some of the titles or things in the chapters, they both were certainly much like their parents and uncle.
We Run from Four Guys in Skirts
"Skirts?" some asked again in confusion.
"Well you need to admit that some clothes they wore in ancient times looked king of like skirts and dresses." Sadie said while Ramses tried not to shudder as he remembered what his little sisters had done to him.
To be continued…
