AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hey this is for greenplanet as you reviewed the suggestion, mythomagic just coz she's awesome (if you have read her story no we have not copied each other) and all my other reviewers ( including ellen and pepsi who I hope to use ur characters in da future). My first review was pony but she/he doesn't have an account so I could get your details to be a character, greenplanet and Zoe Zues' Girl win yes you gave me descriptions but I will add some of my own extra details so don't get offended and do review to say if I portrayed your characters correctly. For those who entered but I didn't chose I might use at another time! (I hope this is bold enough for ya PurpleTea88)

A Starter For Zarter Part 1

Carters POV

Damn that was close! This thing is a bit heavier then I had expected. Perhaps I'll take Sadie's suggestion and start working out. No, why should I? Anyways, I ran through the portal and at the other end I had face planted onto the floor and the sistrum was on top of me. Next time, Sadie can take it.

I hadn't really had time to look around but I had already noticed that it was different. No frantic gods, no rushing about, no silk carpets and white décor. No, it was more like…

Home!

Sadie was an imbecile. She was supposed to take us to the gods not to our home.

" SADIE! Why did you take us here? We need to see the gods!' I yelled.

"I felt a presence, a strong one, it took me here!"

"Did you think that maybe, just maybe, that presence was Bast, you know our cat who is also a Goddess" no it just occurred to me Bast wasn't here, was she?

"No, no no-OWW!"

"Sadie what's the matter?" I replied quite concerned.

"I think I have a broken jaw" Replied Sadie through gritted teeth but still was going to talk and try to prove a point "But this was different, that thing was linked to it. I thought -no, I still think- that it's Hathor." Sadie Protested

"You are here. I have been waiting for you to come. I hope you don't mind me making myself at home, momentarily." It was said by a girl and you are probably thinking well Sadie's a girl but then what she said wouldn't have made sense. It was a girl and it was not Sadie. I turn my head to see this beautiful girl staring back at me. She was fairly tall, had nice proportions, her dark brown hair fell so effortless and went past her shoulders in a loose curl the way people would spend hours trying to look the same yet it seemed natural, her eyes were a piercing yet stormy green like they could just possibly burn a whole in metal if she were to stare at it long enough at it, her eyes, they were lined in a green metallic kohl. Her face was natural, not caked in make-up but there were hints of it there. She had skin that was slightly tanned and an athletic figure. She was in blue skinny jeans and a deep red strap t-shirt and she made such a simple outfit totally hot but I wasn't interested, I'm after Zia.

"Yes Sadie, you felt that presence for a reason and it is Hathor. I'm hosting her for a bit and getting a headache in the process" Said the girl.

"How come you know my name, isn't it only fair we know yours and have a reason not to kill you, cause you did brake into our home and that could give me a decent motive to 'ha-di' you" Sadie rudely retorted with wand and staff at the ready to prove her threats aren't empty ones.

She smiled almost amused, this doesn't seem to be new to her as when we found all this out we took it worse then she appears to currently be.

"Alright, I'm Marissa Terrin, a girl which is fairly obvious, I'm 15 years of age and I'm similar to you. As not only am I a magician but I'm a host and therefore I must be the Blood of the Pharaohs"

"Sooo Marissa, why are you here?"

"Sadie she may have found the package, don't be so rude to her" I just had to say that.

"Then why Mr. Smart-ass is she wearing that amulet and not the djed? Why do you care Carter, after-all you have a crush on Zia"

I just blushed, I mean tomato red and not all too many shades off beetroot purple as not only did she have a point [no, not about Zia, about the djed] but I hadn't noticed it myself.

Sadie had managed not to kill Marissa. But I spoke for a while with her while Sadie rested in her room. I figured out that Marissa's family were magicians and she had been brought up around it. For her last birthday, her parents had brought her an amulet (the amulet of Hathor) but at the time they didn't quite realise Hathor was actually in the Amulet. So when Marissa started to wear it she became inhabited by Hathor. And Hathor had led her here. And I explained the whole deal with Zia to her.

So now we're up to speed.

But there is still one problem: we haven't given the Sistrum back to Hathor. "I'm sorry if this sounds rude but me and Sadie, well, we weren't meant to come here. We were supposed to go to see Hathor and give her the sistrum." I told her.

Melissa chuckled. "It's alright, Hathor knows it's alright. I have to be going soon so I'll make a quick stop and give it to her then, Okay?"

"Yeah. Thanks, but what do you mean you have to go?" I was confused, I mean she hasn't even been here all that long and she's leaving already.

"I'm sorry; you've been lovely, really. But I must leave, I need to find my own way in this world of magic and I want to be able to do it on my own. I know you are studying the path of the gods but I need to do this alone. When it all comes down to it and you need me then yes, I'll help but for now I need to do this. Maybe one day we'll see each other."

"Okay, I wish you luck and I hope maybe we do meet again and I hope it's not a bad reason either" And with that she waved goodbye, picked up the sistrum and disappeared into a portal in which she created.

Me and Sadie had gone to all that trouble and we were still no closer to finding Zia. Or were we? Marissa and I had spoken and she did say something to me but nothing exact. That's when I remembered.

Flashback

"So, is Zia your girlfriend?" questioned Marissa.

"No, but Sadie would probably disagree"

"But you seem to go through a lot of trouble just to find her" Marissa replied while rubbing her temples.

"Is she talking to you?" I asked.

"Yes, she is. Hathor wants me to tell you to think back to when you to when you first met."

"I don't see the relevance, Zia was holding a knife to my throat how will that help?" I was puzzled now.

"That's rude-"

"What?"

"Oh, I'm sorry Carter I was talking to Hathor; she's laughing at that particular moment. She now tells me to say think back to the shrine. I hope that means something to you."

"The shine, what shrine? Oh, that shrine. The shrine to her village and her family?" I got it, the penny dropped.

"Yes, that's the one"

Back to Now

I understand. I get it all. Zia was hidden their in them reeds all those years ago and they saved her life. When that monster was unleashed she was hidden there, she survived when the monster had claimed the lives of the rest, that was where Desjardins found her, where it all started and I now am sure its where she is. Well, maybe, just maybe they have just saved her life again. I believe that's where Desjardins hid Zia and I'm gonna find her.

A Starter for Zarter Part 2

Carter's POV

So now me and Sadie are about to endeavour in yet another perilous search.

After Sadie had a nice long 'beauty' sleep (I personally think she needs a lot longer if it's supposed to make her beautiful) [Ouch, that hurt] anyway we are standing in the middle of the room and Sadie is about to open a portal into the duat to Egypt.

My hurt felt a strong tug just before it opened. I think this is how the portal knows where to take us even if me myself doesn't know.

I stepped out (yes I as in me on my own, Sadie couldn't be near all 'loved up people' so she went back) well, fell out, and I looked as though I had just come out of the wrong side of a sand storm as sand completely covered me head to toe. We matched the surroundings, all that could be seen for absolute miles was sand, sand and even more, you guessed it, sand.

Only one other thing was there, a river. Could this river be the one where Zia was in hiding? Oh I pray that it is, I pray to every God up there, please let this be the one.

I walked up to the river and stared at it for a moment. I knelt by the side and peered down into it. It was difficult as the river was murky but a face appeared.

The face became more humanoid and along with a body it stepped out. This person was a female, fairly short and had sandy blonde hair with piercing blue eyes and lightly tanned skin. She was pretty, I guess. This girl looked about my age, she looked like she was 14, how old she actually is I weren't too sure about.

She stepped out of the river and it was odd because you would expect her to be dripping wet, but she wasn't instead she was bone dry. She looked at as if she though were inspecting me. It was like this girl was trying to figure out who I was. I wanted, no I needed to know, who she was and where was Zia I mean I have come all this way I for Zia and I was gonna find Zia

"Hello, I'm Carter Kane. And you are…?" I asked.

"I know who you are, I've been waiting. As to your question, I'm Diane. Want more information on me don't you" I nodded "Well, I know you've been searching for Zia and I know were she is but you see I'm here to look after her to protect her. No-one has come before to find her so this proves you have a pure heart just by coming here but I need to know do you have a clear mind as well."

"I don't understand what I'm meant to do." Why couldn't they have just given me a monster, I've fought monsters before and I've fought gods but how do I get Zia if I don't even know what to do?

"Just answer these questions; why are you really here? Why do you want to find Zia? And What would you do for her?" Oh damn it them are good questions!

"Why do I want to find Zia? Easy, I want to find her because the shabti had saved our lives and I thought it was Zia so in turn I will save the real Zia. I vowed it to myself. Besides I promised the shabti hat once this was over I'd take her to the movies and mall and just before she died she told me that Zia would like that so I'm keeping my promise. But if you want to know the true answer it's because I was beginning to fall in love with her but then we found out that it wasn't her and I need to know if the shabti is like her and if she knows us."

Diane looked touched. "That's sweet, real sweet. And it's true so on to the next question"

"What would I do for her? I've already done I lot for her. I have fought gods for her, went on a perilous quest so I cold just found out answers and I risked mine and my sister's life but I would do it again and again for her."

"Carter, I'm pleased to say your head and your heart seem to be in the right place. Iskandar wanted you to be the one to come and save her, and now you can as you've proved yourself even Iskandar would be pleased. I must get back to the water." Diane turned around with a book in her back pocket and dived head first. I almost screamed for her not to, the river wasn't deep enough, but she dived and was alright. I am beginning to believe she was a water sprit. One that was sent to look over Zia and protect her, to make sure only the right person would come.

I jumped in and searched around but I saw nothing, it was too murky. I went back to the service for air and come back down, I looked over by the reeds and found nothing. I needed to take a breath, I had been down too long. I took a breath by accident and I realised I could breathe down there. Maybe this was to do with Diane, maybe she knew I would need it so she helped.

I couldn't see too well but even a blind man could have seen the girl lying on the bed of reeds. She had short black hair, caramel skin and her eyes were lined in kohl yet she was asleep. This was Zia. In the back of my mind I heard Diane say "Take her!"

I gently placed my hand on her cheek.

Zia's eyes opened.

AUTHOR'S NOTE:How was that? Review! Tell me what you thought; was it good was it bad? But don't forget to review. Hope you liked it and like the fact Zia is here. This now means it will go into the romance part and I've never wrote a romance. Just for Pony; Anubis will be in the next chap, I promise! And I just have to say Merry Christmas as I won't be able to say it again.