"Daughters of Isis"
By: Heikou and JanimeLee
Eve of Battle
As the stable hands led the tired horses to their stalls, the Sisters of the Moon and their Guardians quickly went inside the Temple of Isis. They entered the room where the tablets of the Shadow Creatures were kept.
Manu stepped forward before the altar. "Asim, my teacher," he began as he raised his hands, drawing symbols in the air. "We are in need of your help. Come forth."
The tablet glowed with power and the image disappeared. Reappearing before them in the flesh.
Asim blinked and looked at the group. He gave his former student a small smile. "You've learned well, Manu."
Agalameia looked at the spirit creature and opened her mouth to ask, but kept silent. Now was not the time for questions. "Set is coming for vengeance," she spoke up.
Asim closed his eyes. "I feel it in the barrier."
"Barrier?" Gyasi asked.
"The barrier that separates the Shadow Realm from our world," said Peisimemne. "Aziza--the first Daughter of Isis--was the one who created it with the help from Isis and Horus."
"The barrier has held true since that time," Asim sat on the floor and motioned for the others to sit as well. "But I have a feeling that is not the only reason you called me here."
"It was what Set had said," Mosi began and looked at Agalameia.
She leaned against Khalfani and he tightened his arms around her.
"And what did he say?" the mage asked.
"That... Zashida is not my mother. Meshkenet was the one who gave birth to me, and that the Black Scorpion..." Agalameia could no longer hold back the tears and they spilled down her cheeks. "Say he was lying!" she begged.
Asim only looked at her. "You have no idea how much I wish I could, Agalameia."
"It's true," Khalfani looked at the Spirit Creature. "How can that murdering bastard be her father?"
"It is time for you to be told of how the Sisters of the Moon are chosen."
"Chosen?" Duenoro asked.
"When a person dies," Asim set his scepter upright before him, "their soul enters the Valley of the Dead and travels to the Underworld for Judgment--with the exception of me at the time being."
The scepter glowed and the area around everyone changed into the desert sands. Men on horseback flew past them, and then stopped. The one leading pulled down the scarf covering his face.
"The Black Scorpion made a deal with Anubis, which you are all aware of," Asim went on. "He became greedy and grew too powerful. He was a threat to Egypt."
The scene changed to inside some kind of palace main room. The Black Scorpion and a woman wearing dark blue robes stood facing each other with their right hands joined. The woman bore a striking resemblance to Zashida with some minor differences that could easily be overlooked. Around them stood four men and one woman wearing black and red outfits with a tattoo of a scorpion on their upper right arms.
"Meshkenet and Zashida were the first twins ever born to the Sisters of the Moon. Naturally, the firstborn was chosen as Anubis' Daughter. Zashida was also trained as a priestess should anything ever happen to Meshkenet."
The scene changed again. Meshkenet was now standing in a room with the woman scorpion assassin and two other women. Both wore men's clothing--one had a red scarf around her head, the other had scars and a healed-over burn mark on her neck.
"Subira, Nuru, and Meanae," Asim turned to look at the Sisters. "This is who you were before this life."
No one said anything. All they could do was stare at the images of the three women from a time before their births.
Theliane licked her lips. "Nathifa... my mother said before she died that I had suffered greatly before this life... I am Subira."
The mage nodded his head. "Yes."
"If that girl, Meanae, was working for the Scorpion, then why was she reborn as the Daughter of Anubis?" Mosi asked then yelped when Manu hit his shoulder.
"She saw what was happening. They set up a trap where she and Nuru would kill on another." The image changed to show the fight in the banquet which ended when the warrior and spellcaster pierced one another's chest. "Meshkenet managed to get have Meanae's soul reborn as her daughter but the Scorpion King wasn't aware."
"Then what happened?" Kasuyan asked.
"Subira expended her energy but she took out a portion of the army by herself with her own ka."
Subira was surrounded by the Black Scorpion's army. Suddenly the Wingweaver emerged from her and both raised their arms. A ball of energy appeared before the Spirit Creature and flew directly at the soldiers.
Subira collapsed as Wingweaver vanished. Her eyes closed and a small sphere of golden light left her body. It went unnoticed by the remaining soldiers as they began to hack her body to pieces. The orb flew to the Temple of Isis and entered Nathifa, causing the Daughter of Ra to gasp slightly. She placed her hands over her heart and a sad smile appeared.
Omari touched her shoulder and gave her a quizzical look. Nathifa answered but her words were silent to those watching. Omari wrapped his arms around his beloved, and then the room was normal again.
Everyone was silent as they let what they had just seen fill their minds. So this was the past, the events that led to the here and now. No one knew what to say.
"If we die... the legacy will die with us," Peisimemne said softly. "We do not have daughters to pass our teachings to."
"No... but should your hearts be lighter than the feather Isis and your fathers may allow you to be reborn."
Before anyone could say anything screaming was heard but this sounded like a creature from another world. The mage quickly got to his feet and ran to the window. The skies and ground were filled with monsters that the citizens have never seen before but Asim knew them well enough.
He turned to look at the young adults. "Set has release the Spirit Creatures!"
Peisimemne looked at her Sisters. They nodded and stepped towards the center of the room, raising their hands above their heads.
Agalameia started, "Muit, Nuit, Khnum, Neith, Nephthys, Nekhbet, Sobek, Sechmet, Sokar, Selket, Anubis!"
"Anukis," Peisimemne continued, "Reshpu, Wadjet, Seshmu, Meshkent, Hemsut, Tefnut, Heket, Mafdet, Geb, Osiris!"
Theliane picked up. "Maat, Isis, Hapy, Horus, Thoth, Bastet, Hathor, Min, P'tah, Shu, Ra!"
The Sisters were enveloped in a pillar of light. It expanded, and the Guardians shielded their eyes while Asim merely stood where he was. The light continued to grow, going outside the temple and pushing back the Spirit Creatures under Set's control. Within moments, all the temples, the royal palace, the market, and the people's houses were sealed within the dome of light.
The Spirit creatures tried to force their way inside but the barrier kept them out. The people were mystified but they quickly ran into their houses, barring doors and windows from inside. The young pharaoh looked out of the window and sighed.
"Set has arrived," he sighed.
Hakizimana frowned when he heart a strange sound, something akin to a drum, holding a steady pattern.
--
"What is that?" Sadiki asked.
Manu frowned. "It sounds like..."
"A heart beating," Hanif said.
The beats became louder and echoed off the walls of the chamber. Theliane clutched at her chest and staggered, the pulsing in her chest forced her own heart to beat in time with the sound.
"Theliane!" Kasuyan grabbed her.
"My father's heart," she gasped out, "is in me... I suffered as Subira... and now I hold his joy..."
"His pain," Asim spoke, "is the heartbeat we now hear. It is looking for one whose pain was taken away."
"What can we do?" Deunoro asked.
"Right now, nothing. The barrier will not hold up forever."
Tumaini had seen the Sisters and the Guardians return. He tried to follow as they went into the Spirit Creature room, but Hanif motioned for him to stay away for the moment. The young boy now sat in the garden wondering about what was happening.
He heard the Sisters call out to the gods, and then a wave of pure light went passed him; it felt warm and relaxing, almost cleansing his entire being. And then the strange sound began. Like a deep drum, it echoed through the temple.
Tumaini frowned and stood up from his seat at the table where he was randomly moving the hounds and jackals on the board. The sound was becoming louder. He rubbed his hand on his chest over his heart the stopped, feeling the beat of his heart. Tumaini's eyes widened.
My heart! It's my heart!
Never before had he felt such a great surge of calmness overtake his body. He looked up at the sky and closed his eyes. He understood his purpose. He understood the path the gods had set out for him. He knew what he had to do.
--
Kasuyan caught Theliane and they both sank to the floor. The Daughter of Ra's breath was rasp, and then she made a strangled cry. Kasuyan looked at his wife, fearing that she would die at that moment. He relaxed a little as her breathing returned to a somewhat steady pace.
"My Father's heart has chosen," she said quietly.
"Who?" Peisimemne asked.
Theliane opened her eyes partly and looked at everyone. "…Tumaini…"
Their eyes went wide and Peisimemne's hand covered her mouth but there was nothing they could do to change the choice. It was Ra who decided and so it shall be the young boy to bear the heart.
"Tumaini..." Hanif had thought of the younger boy as a brother but never had he thought he would be chosen.
"What do we do now?" Gyasi asked quietly. "Set is still out there."
"The Barrier will hold him."
The voice sounded like Tumaini, but there was a strange echo when he spoke. Everyone turned to the entrance, and stared at the young boy standing there. His eyes were now a deep purple color, very similar to the power of the Shadow Realm. Along his arms and legs and running up his neck to his jaw line were strange markings--straight, curved arches, circles, and diamond shapes.
Tumaini rose slightly into the air and floated across the room--everyone backed away as he passed. The boy landed next to Theliane and Kasuyan. He reached out and touched Theliane's cheek.
"Tumaini," she said quietly.
"Sleep now, Daughter of Ra," Tumaini spoke yet his lips did not move. "You and Tumaini both need to rest."
Her eyes closed and Kasuyan gently caught her.
"Theliane!" he was relived to see her chest rise and fall in sleep.
Hanif quickly caught Tumaini when his eyes closed. He was still shocked but the boy was safe.
--
"Theliane."
She looked up. "Father…"
Amun-Ra gently touched his Daughter's cheek. "You now understand what kind of burden your mother and everyone before you have carried."
"We are to protect your heart--your joy. But why must Tumaini be brought into this? He is only a child."
"His pain was taken away when he was found after his family's senseless death. He has known nothing but happiness living with you and your Sisters."
"But Tumaini won't live when your heart returns to the Shadow Realm," Theliane said bluntly.
Ra stepped back. "No… he won't. Such is the fate for the one who is chosen to hold my anguish."
She didn't want this kind of burden on the young boy, but it was not her choice. "Set has broken the barrier between our world and the Shadow Realm. What can we do to defeat him?" she asked.
"We expected for Set to do this; we gave each of our Daughters the ability to summon a god from the Shadow Realm but be warned. Summoning them will use every bit of power you possess."
"If we summon them... we'll perish... and we have no daughters of our own-" her eyes went wide.
The great god nodded sadly. "The legacy will die with you three."
Theliane closed her eyes. "Tumaini…" she looked at Ra. "Please, Father, I beg of you. Tumaini is a pure soul. Spare him the fate that awaits me and my Sisters."
"That I cannot do, Daughter."
She bit her lip then said, "If you cannot spare Tumaini's life then I ask for you to give him a greater one than this life now."
Ra titled his head.
"When I prayed to Isis, she told me to pray to Anubis and Osiris," Theliane paused. "Osiris allowed me to see visions of Egypt's future ruler. He will be loved by his people. He will become master of the Shadow Games that they will play. Make this vision be of Tumaini. Let him be that brave young pharaoh I saw."
The great sun god looked at his Daughter quizzically for a bit. He then reached out and placed his right hand under her chin.
"In two hundred years," said Ra, "your wish will be granted."
She smiled, sighing within in relief. "Thank you, father."
He just smiled at her lovingly. "Awake now, your Sisters are worried about you."
"Alright. Thank you again, Father."
Ra smiled as he stepped back and watched her vanished but the smile faded from his lips. The Sisters of the Moon will not survive the battle against Set but as gods, they could not stop the inevitable.
--
Peisimemne and Agalameia would glance at each other every so often during their vigil over Theliane. The Daughter of Ra was on her bed, her breathing even as she slept. The marking that covered Tumaini had also appeared on Theliane. Kasuyan leaned against a pillar near the bed he had placed his wife upon, while Sadiki and Deunoro were farther back in the room near the balcony.
Time passed much too slowly for the sisters but both looked down as they heard a very soft moan. Theliane's hand twitched and her eyes fluttered open, blinking once before they focused on the worried gazes of her sisters.
"Sister..." they whispered, catching the attention of the other Guardians as they helped her to slowly sit up. Kasuyan slowly sat next to her, taking her hand in his own as Sadiki and Deunoro approached the bed.
"Are you alright?" the foreigner asked with great concern in his voice.
"Yes," Theliane answered. She looked at her arms in surprise at the markings, and then turned her eyes to her Sisters. "Tumaini?"
"He sleeps," Peisimemne answered.
"What happened?" Agalameia asked. "You were in deep sleep. This only happens when your Father speaks to you in your dreams."
"He came to me, my Father told me everything..." she said softly, explaining what she had learned in her dreams. Everyone was silent but they understood. It was her burden as the Daughter of Amun-Ra. But before anyone could speak there was a knock on the door.
"Enter," she called out.
The door opened and a messenger entered the room. He bowed deeply and from his clothes they could tell he came from the palace. "Forgive the intrusion, Sisters of the Moon. But the pharaoh has requested for your presences," he told them.
"Set's forces. Tell him we will arrive shortly." The messenger bowed and silently left, closing the door behind him. "I must tell him of my dream."
"Should we tell him, about Tumaini?" Peisimemne asked with slight concern.
"... No. He does not need to know who holds the Heart of the Shadow Realm."
"The less people that do know the better," Sadiki agreed.
"But what are you going to tell him?" Deunoro asked.
"What we can," Theliane rose from her bed and looked at her Sisters. "We must first speak to Mother Isis."
The ladies nodded and together they left the chamber, followed by their guardians. When they reached the statue of Isis the young men stayed back and the girls nodded to one another. Theliane stepped forward, lighting a stick of incense then stepped back with her sisters. Moving as one they silently knelt on the floor and brought their hands together.
"Mother Isis, please hear our prayer," the girls said softly, focusing their thoughts to reach the heavenly goddess.
A gentle wind blew into the room and the torches burst suddenly into roaring fires. The statue of Isis changed, turning from stone to flesh, clothed in the sky.
The eyes opened and focused on the three young women. "My Daughters," Isis smiled gently.
"Mother," Peisimemne spoke, "Set is coming."
"I know," the goddess answered. "My brother has finally found a way to return to Egypt. He seeks revenge not only on you, my children, but to us as well--despite my kindness to him."
"Is there anything we can do to stop him?" Agalameia asked.
"There is a way... we knew that one day Set would poison the minds of the people and use the dark energies of the Shadow Realm for his own greed. Each of your fathers has bestowed not only a gift but a spirit creature so great their powers are equal to the gods," she explained. She raised her hands and the image of the gods appeared in each of the girl's minds.
"Agalameia, Anubis has given you as his daughter the destructive god known as Obelisk, the Tormentor." A huge creature with dark blue skin rose, his body resembling that of some high-level demon with long leather wings. With a single hand he could ruin nations and leave nothing in its place.
"Peisimemne, Osiris has given you as his daughter the serpentine dragon known as Slypher, the Sky Dragon." She saw a flash of blood red scales, an impossibly long serpentine body, and skeletal wings. It roared deeply, both mouths opening wide. Filled with such power it soared through the sky, demanding obedience.
"Theliane, Ra has given you as his daughter the most glorious of beings, his Winged Dragon." Brilliant light, greater than the sun could barely be seen. Slowly it took the shape of a huge bird that looked like it had been made from gold. The head of a fierce eagle yet had the body that resembled a great lion. A long whip-like tail and feathered wings glinted into the light. This was surely a creature of light.
"They are powerful," Isis continued, "but even the most powerful can have a weakness."
"Then they can defeat Set," said Theliane.
"That will depend completely on you."
"What do you mean?"
Isis looked at her. "Their power comes from their masters' hearts--just as your power comes from the Shadow Realm."
"As it will when the Shadow Games begin," Theliane closed her eyes. "I saw it. But it won't be just the House of Pharaoh to master the art. There will be others, and they will try to let lose the evil destruction Set has caused."
"Yes... no one will be able to stop them... but you have seen the fate of the future." Theliane slowly nodded. "Tell the pharaoh what I have told you, tell him the danger of the Shadow games, tell him that in two hundreds years a pharaoh will hold the power to lock away the darkness."
"... What happens, if we do not survive the battle?" Agalameia asked with slight fear in her eyes. "What will happen to the gods? To our legacy?"
"We must protect Egypt," Peisimemne looked at her Sister. "The gods will be passed on to those who are of pure heart. That is our legacy."
Agalameia looked at the Daughter of Osiris, and then to Theliane. Strength renewed within and she nodded.
"Go, my Daughters," Isis said as her form began to revert back to its original state. "Speak with the pharaoh, and prepare for battle." Her voice echoed and the statue was normal.
The girls blinked and slowly stood. They had their answer and now it was time to see the pharaoh.
--
Pharaoh Hakizimana sat upon the throne. He still felt unused to the weight of the crown but he would hold his head high and rule with a gentle fist. He watched as three of the most powerful women in Egypt entered and stopped before the throne. They nodded their heads in greeting and he did the same.
"I need your help," he began. "Sisters of the Moon, Egypt needs your help. These invaders are strong and their power is too dark..."
"They call upon the Shadow Realm," Theliane explained.
"How is it possible? You call your powers from the Shadow Realm."
"It does not matter where the power source is from," Peisimemne said, standing to the left of Theliane. "How we use it is what makes the difference."
"Is there any way for you to stop them?" Hakizimana pleaded. "My people are in great danger."
"They are our people as well, mighty Pharaoh," Agalameia spoke up. "There might be a way for us to help. We were told by our mothers that we must never use them unless the situation is dire."
The young ruler looked puzzled. "Them?"
"They are the Three Egyptian Gods," Peisimemne explained. "They are not true gods but their powers are equal to the gods. They were given to our families should Egypt ever need to be defended indefinitely. I can call Slypher the Sky Dragon. Osiris has given him to me."
"I can call Obelisk the Tormentor," Agalameia said, "Anubis has given him to me."
"Ra has given me his Winged Dragon," Theliane. "We can call upon them when we wish. They have the power to defeat the invaders and save Egypt. But it will be at a great cost."
"There is a possibility that we may lose our lives after we call them," Agalameia pointed out. "It requires a great amount of power to summon them."
"Should our deaths be inevitable," Theliane spoke softly, "as you know that we do not have daughters to take our place as we have our mothers, we shall leave our gods in your care, great Pharaoh."
He was shocked and very upset by what the Sisters of the Moon, his friends, had told them. "But why... why leave them with me? If you lose your lives just to summon them... how can I take care of them?"
One of the ladies chose this moment to step forward. "In two hundred years," she said, "the power of the Shadow Realm will be used to play a deadly game. It will be called the Shadow Games. There will be a young Pharaoh who will be great and loved by his people. He will master the art of the Shadow Games, and will be able to call upon Slypher, Obelisk, and the Winged Dragon of Ra. He will also guard the Millennium Items--his Item shall be the Puzzle."
"You have foreseen this?" he asked, looking at her with hope.
"Mother Isis instructed me to consult Anubis and Osiris," she answered. "They showed me."
"Thank you, Sisters of the Moon," the Pharaoh sighed. "When the time comes, I will ask for you help."
The three Sisters bowed to the Pharaoh and silently left the young ruler. Now was the time to prepare for battle. They would not let Set win.
Deunoro, Gyasi, and Manu waited patiently inside the tablet room for the Sisters to return. Manu, unable to bear the silence any longer, summoned Asim and told him of the recent events.
"So it begins," the Dark Magician sighed, sitting upon his tablet.
"What will happen?" Deunoro asked.
"Patience," said Asim. "It was prophesized in the beginning days of Rehema, Olabisi, and Ain, there is one trial the three Bookkeepers must face should a day such as this ever come."
Gyasi looked at him. "And that is…"
The red clad spell caster closed his eyes. "When the bloodline of the Sisters of the Moon nears the end, the Bookkeepers must let the gods decide which Book must remain. One Keeper lives to continue his task, the other two leave this world with their Books attached to their souls."
The three men looked at one another. Two would leave for the Afterlife and one would continue living. But who? Manu thought hard about it and sighed deeply.
"If Agalameia died... Khalfani and Mosi will follow her... I will follow Mosi," he said softly. "I refuse to let him go alone and end up doing something stupid even in the Afterlife." The others weakly smiled at the thought.
"Yeah he needs to have someone to listen to," Deunoro laughed. He thought about it and his family. His brother and sister-in-law had taken in his younger sisters, the lands still in their names as his father intended. They were in good hands what with the witch Maibe gone so what else was there for him? "I, would like to join Theliane. My brother and sisters can split my share of the land. I don't really have a reason to stick around if Theliane were to die.
"So that leaves me," Gyasi sighed. To be quite honest he didn't really relish the fact that he would have to die even if Peisimemne was a friend. "I won't lie and say I'm not relieved, but I'm not going to say I won't miss everyone. But we've made our choice."
"You have chosen by practical means," Asim said, "it is for the gods to decide if your decisions are well meant."
"Forgive my intrusion," a servant spoke from the entrance. "The Sisters of the Moon have returned, and would like to speak with the three of you. I am to escort you."
"We'll be with you in a moment," said Manu. He faced his teacher.
"We will see each other again," said Asim, "even if we don't remember."
"True," Manu whispered as he tried to keep the tears at bay. "Goodbye, Asim."
"Take care, my sons."
Purple smoke enveloped the former Guardian and the image appeared on the tablet before sinking back into the floor.
Authors' Notes:
Janime & Heikou: HAPPY NEW YEAR 2006!
Janime: Took us a while to finish but here's the latest chapter.
Heikou: Which means this story is coming to a close real soon.
Janime: Until next time-
Heikou: Same ff channel!