Three knocks at the apartment door. Marc looked at his reflection who appeared worried.
"Hello?" He heard from the other side.
"Did she just say hello? Gods wouldn't do that, right?" Steven asked.
Marc shrugged.
"I'm looking for Marc Spector."
The man lowered his gun a little and yelled toward the door "Who's looking for Marc Spector?"
"Hathor." The girl answered.
Marc opened the door with his gun to her face. "Where's the sceptre?"
"Is that a gun? Are you going to… going to shoot… Me?"
The girl fainted where she stood, hitting the ground with a thud. The sight of the gun had apparently caused a panic attack.
"Is that Hathor's avatar?" Steven asked.
"No." Marc answered.
"Then who is it?"
The mercenary noticed a small backpack on the girls back. He unzipped it and found a Pokémon wallet.
"No drivers license. School I.D though. Paulena Dawn Peters. Whoever she is, she's college age. Not by much though."
"She's just a kid, Marc. Let's get her on the bed, can you life her?"
Marc grumbled "Can I lift her? Do you know what I bench?"
"No. And I don't particularly care."
Marc did indeed pick Lena up, be it with some difficulty. He did manage to put her on the bed gently.
"She looks like she's barely dressed. I know Khonshu doesn't give a shit what we wear, would Hathor? She's the God of beauty."
"I thought you said she wasn't the avatar?" Steven asked.
"Yeah, I remember saying that, thanks. The other avatar was the entire opposite of this one. I wonder why she switched out."
"Right, and why would she choose her? She doesn't exactly scream Hathor."
"Hey man, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. At least she has her own body." Marc quipped.
Steven furrowed his brow, "What's that supposed to mean? You're the one who—"
"Shut up, she's waking up." Marc noticed her hands moving to her face and rubbing her eyes.
"What happened?" She said, still a little dazed.
"You saw my gun."
"Right. Why did you point a gun at me?"
"Why did Hathor send you?"
Her eyes glowed white as Hathors voice took over.
"Set and Kauket have the was-sceptre."
"No way." Steven gasped "Set and Kauket?"
"Who's Kauket?"
"She was part of the Ogdoad. The female counterpart to Kek. Kek and Kauket represented darkness. Those of the Ogdoad weren't exactly considered Gods, per say. More just deities." Steven explained.
"Kauket is someone who broke the rules. Those of the Ogdoad and Ennead agreed to not interfere in the others' matters. Kauket broke that deal when she participated in the murder of Osiris, Isis, Tefnut and Horus."
"They killed all those gods?" Steven asked.
Suddenly, Marcs eyes turned white as Khonshu began to speak.
"Those are just those we know of. How many Ogdoad remain? How many Gods not in the Ennead?"
"I don't know, Khonshu. But this must be stopped."
"I agree. What do you propose?"
"We both sense Set. Kauket is unknown to us but perhaps they travel together. We can avoid them forever by hiding like cowards, or we fight."
"The others." Khonshu asked, "Did they fight?"
"They were not given the chance." Hathor answered solemnly "We didn't know the sceptre was found."
"We fight a man able to kill us? We should find Anubis to destroy it. If Anubis wasn't Set's first target."
"You do not sense him? He is still alive, Khonshu. We can convince him to make another."
"Another was-sceptre?"
"The battlefield can be even then. After the battle, we return to Anubis and they destroy both forever." Hathor proposed.
"If Anubis can sense our kin dying, I'm sure he's figured it out and is running from Set."
"Good. Then we'll all be far away from the traitors."
"Hathor. I understand my exile and turning to stone. My imprisonment was just. I… don't believe the Ennead were unfair. As the last one left I wanted you to know."
"Thank you, Khonshu. I'm surprised you harbour no ill will to us."
"I didn't say that. I said the punishment fit the crime, not that I don't hope for your deaths every waking moment." Khonshu explained.
"I understand. I do hope that changes."
"It wont."
Both Marc's eyes and Lena's glowed white then normal, indicating both the gods had stopped possessing them.
"That feeling sucked." Lena said, gasping for breath.
Marc hobbled to the kitchen where he threw himself on a chair. "Tell me… about it."
"Um, am I still in my pajamas?"
"Yeah, you are, kid."
"I'd really appreciate a change of clothes." Lena told him.
"Sure, what do you want?" Marc asked "T-shirt and jeans or?"
"You, um… you won't have anything that fits."
"Okay, so?"
Lena chuckled nervously "Do you have any money? I'm Canadian and I'm guessing this isn't Canada."
"Yeah, sure thing." He reached into his wallet and handed her a wad of cash. "One thing before you go. Is there only Hathor with you?"
"Yeah. Me and Hathor. It's been interesting."
"Nobody else?" He asked, staring at Steven in concern.
"No? Is there supposed to be?"
He paused. "No. Just wanted to be sure."
"Cool. I'll be right back. Guess I'm missing school for a few days."
"It's weird that you're just okay with this situation. You're just rolling with it." Marc pointed out.
She shrugged "Something to do." Then she left the flat.
"There's something off about her." Steven said, concerned.
"Pot kettle, Steven."
"You're the one usually quippy, yeah? Why are you dismissing everything I say about her?"
Marc sat on the bed "She's just a kid."
"She's also Hathor's avatar. Which is a question all on its own. Why her? If Hathor wanted to get to us why not choose someone closer? Canada isn't exactly a quick jog down the road."
Marc sighed "Avatars are those in need of saving. The vulnerable. Khonshu found me after I was shot. I was bleeding out and he used that to his advantage."
"I never consented to that."
"I know."
Steven continued on his tangent "And innit odd that she only has Hathor? I thought all Avatars get their own Marc?"
"Yeah. It would be nice to think we're not the only fucked up ones. It looks like we're special, Steven."
Steven shook his head "That's not comforting."
"Wasn't supposed to be."