Horus
Mindscapes are weird. I should be used to them after so many centuries of hosts, but usually I would've been alone in here by now. It's rare that I get to explore someone's mind without affecting it. It's a nice change. Nevertheless, mindscapes are weird. This one is no exception.
It's dark. Stripped of color. And pretty much empty. The only lit up area is the control point – a small protective circle, surrounded by a holographic 180 degrees image of the outside world. Thoughts and emotions spin around the circle. Some memories are there, too, but not all. In my experience, memories like to fly away from the circle. Sometimes it's because they are bored and want to roam around. Other times, it's because the soul in the control circle is not ready to face them. That's when they fly the farthest, to the dark void mortals like calling the 'back of the mind'.
This place is in an urgent need of decorating. I can only see as far as the light of the circle shines, so it's hard to tell what it's supposed to represent. The ground is hard and solid, probably some type of rock. Some sweet smell lingers in the air, but it's so faint I can't pin it down.
A sudden shift in lightning catches my attention. The hologram around the circle lights up. He's awake. I kneel behind Carter, careful not to touch the circle. Not yet.
The first thing on Carter's mind is confusion. The poor kid, he even almost calls out to his dad. Then yesterday's memories drift closer. The museum. The sarcophagus. His father. Shining bubbles, replaying the scenes over and over again, are closing in, hiding the outside world from view. Carter holds his breath, as if it will hurt to exhale.
I lift my arm, shielding him from the memories. "Stop," I tell them, then I turn to Carter. "You don't have time for grief."
At first I'm not sure if he could hear me. After a moment the thoughts react. Good.
"Remember what you saw," I continue. "He's after you. You have to be ready."
The poor kid. Carter Kane is powerful, his magic shines brightly in Duat. But untrained magician can only go so far. Hopefully he'll let me take control before he gets hurt. That's the only way I can see us be ready.
The cat jumps off the bed and sniffs at the ivory headrest, looking up at Carter.
"You can have it," he tells her. "It's uncomfortable."
From the look on the cat's face I can physically feel Bast's lecture. That's one judgmental cat.
Surprise of the day №1: Carter's old clothes have disappeared in the night. One of 21st's magical abilities. Instead, the wardrobe is filled with linen clothes. Not very regal once, for that matter. The past couple of decades so many magicians have specialized in tailoring linen versions of modern trends. Why do new initiates always automatically get all the baggy pants and loose shirts? The slipper shoes, too. How, in my name, is anyone expected to fight in those?
The door to Sadie's room is open, but she isn't there. Carter's door isn't locked either and so he walks downstairs. The rooms we pass by are eerie. This place could've been full of live, was it not for the House of Life.
The only one in the Great Room is Khufu. He is watching TV and eating something pink. Is that a flamingo? I try to remember if there is a god of flamingos. If there is, he probably won't be happy.
Even though he's weirded out, Carter tries to speak to the baboon.
"Hey. Lakers win?"
Khufu looks at him and pats his basketball. "Agh, agh."
"Um, yeah.. We'll play later, okay?"
Sadie and Amos are out on the terrace, eating breakfast by the pool. By the blazing fire pit, neither of them look cold. Carter heads their way, then hesitates in front of the statue of Thoth. It's hard to shake off the feeling that those lifeless eyes are looking down upon us expectantly.
Set's words echo. He wants to catch the kids before they've learned their power? Let's teach them then. A hand on his ba's shoulder is all it takes. My power moves, as real and physical as the blood in my veins. I direct it down my hand and through his arm. For a moment, a surge of strength takes over him. What should we do? Lift the statue? Carter steps forward. I'm about to move his arm when the cat meows impatiently and butts his foot. The little control I had dissolves. Thanks, Bast.
"You're right," Carter tells the cat. "Stupid idea."
I almost sigh. It was a great idea. My powers are limited as long as his magic is dormant. What is so impor.. oh. Food. Yeah, can't blame the cat for being in a hurry. The smell coming from the terrace is delicious. French toast, bacon, hot chocolate. If there's one thing mortals excel at, it's food. Carter walks out on the terrace.
"Ah, Carter," Amos says. "Merry Christmas, my boy. Join us."
Sadie frowns. "About time, I've been up for ages."
She holds his eyes for a moment. A bubble of light flies out from the darkness and hovers in front of her image. The memory is hazy, the picture shimmers like a mirage. It's from a Christmas morning, maybe 6 or 7 years ago. A small version of Carter is sitting under a Christmas tree with his sister. They are making god's-eye decorations. Yarn and Popsicle sticks are scattered all around them. I smile. It's a cute memory. Unfortunately, it's been stained by the House of Life. The door opens. The image is distorted from that point on. It ripples, as if someone's touched a lake's surface. Voices start to drift away. The only thing the ripples let on about the newcomers is the spark between her fingers. I thought they were raised without magic? I try to clear the image, but the bubble shrinks and hides again in the darkness.
My attention is back on the present moment just as things start to get interesting. Carter looks over at the swimming pool. Something long and pale is gliding just under the surface of the water. He freezes.
"Is that—"
"A crocodile," Amos confirms. "For good luck. He's albino, but please don't mention that. He's sensitive."
"His name is Philip of Macedonia," says Sadie.
"That's a long name," says Carter.
"He's a long crocodile. Oh, and he likes bacon."
To prove her point, Sadie tosses a piece of bacon over her shoulder. Philip jumps up in the air and catches the treat. His hide is pure white. His eyes are pink. It really is a long crocodile.
"He's quite harmless to my friends," Amos assures. But are we friends? "In the old days, no temple would be complete without a lake full of crocodiles. They are powerful magic creatures."
"Right," says Carter. "So the baboon, the crocodile...any other pets I should know about?"
Amos takes a moment to answer. "Visible ones? No, I think that's it." I don't like that answer.
Carter sits at the table and the cat circles his legs.
"So, Amos," He says between bites. "Explanations."
"Yes," he agrees. "Where to start..."
"Our dad," Sadie suggests. "What happened to him?"
Amos takes a deep breath. "Julius was attempting to summon a god. Unfortunately, it worked."
Unfortunately?
"Any god in particular?" Carter asks casually. "Or did he just order a generic god?"
I don't know if I should laugh or cry. Thankfully, Sadie Kane does reacts for me. She kicks Carter under the table, scowling. This girl shares my mom's way of shutting people up.
Amos takes a bite of bagel. "There are many Egyptian gods, Carter. But your dad was after one in particular."
He looks at Carter.
"Osiris," Carter remembers. "When Dad was standing in front of the Rosetta Stone, he said, 'Osiris, come.' But Osiris is a legend. He's make-believe."
"That doesn't make him less true." Amos looks out at the East River at the Manhattan skyline, gleaming in the morning sun. "The Ancient Egyptians were not fools, Carter. They built the pyramids. They created the first great nation state. Their civilization lasted thousands of years."
"Yeah," Carter says. "And now they're gone."
Amos shakes his head. "A legacy that powerful does not disappear. Next to the Egyptians, the Greeks and Romans were babies. Our modern nations like Great Britain and America? Blinks of an eye. The very oldest root of civilization, at least of Western civilization, is Egypt. Look at the pyramid on the dollar bill. Look at the Washington Monument—the world's largest Egyptian obelisk. Egypt is still very much alive. And so, unfortunately, are her gods."
"Come on," Carter argues. "I mean...even if I believe there's a real thing called magic. Believing in ancient gods is totally different. You're joking, right?"
And what about what happened back at the museum? I ask him. What about how the statue's eyes seemed to follow you? Carter swallows quietly and hopes no one saw it.
"Carter," Amos says softly, "the Egyptians would not have been stupid enough to believe in imaginary gods. The beings they described in their myths are very, very real. In the old days, the priests of Egypt would call upon these gods to channel their power and perform great feats. That is the origin of what we now call magic. Like many things, magic was first invented by the Egyptians. Each temple had a branch of magicians called the House of Life. Their magicians were famed throughout the ancient world."
"And you're an Egyptian magician."
Amos nods. "So was your father. You saw it for yourself last night."
At this, even Carter's scepticism can't argue. The boy is hard to convince, I'll give him that.
"But he's an archaeologist," he says stubbornly.
"That's his cover story. You'll remember that he specialized in translating ancient spells, which are very difficult to understand unless you work magic yourself. Our family, the Kane family, has been part of the House of Life almost since the beginning. And your mother's family is almost as ancient."
Carter raises an eyebrow. "The Fausts?"
"They had not practiced magic for many generations," admits Amos. "Not until your mother came along. But yes, a very ancient bloodline."
Sadie shakes her head in disbelief. "So now Mum was magic, too. Are you joking?"
"No jokes," says Amos. "The two of you...you combine the blood of two ancient families, both of which have a long, complicated history with the gods. You are the most powerful Kane children to be born in many centuries."
The thoughts spinning around us freeze, as Carter tries to let it all sink in. For the first time since I've come, his ba moves. Glitches is a better term, now that I think about it. His power buzzes around, jumping excitedly, ready to be used. It all disappears as quickly as it's come.
Letters jump around for a second before forming a new, this time conscious, thought. 'I don't feel powerful. I feel queasy.'
"You're telling me our parents secretly worshiped animal-headed gods?" he asks, finally.
"Not worshiped," Amos corrects. "By the end of the ancient times, Egyptians had learned that their gods were not to be worshiped. They are powerful beings, primeval forces, but they are not divine in the sense one might think of God. They are created entities, like mortals, only much more powerful. We can respect them, fear them, use their power, or even fight them to keep them under control—"
"Fight gods?" Sadie interrupts.
"Constantly. But we don't worship them. Thoth taught us that."
Ah, yes, the thing separating pagans and Egyptian magicians. That's a lesson I've had to learn the hard way through the years.
Carter looks at Sadie for help, still sceptical. The boy has seen loads of magic in 24 hours, what more proof does he need? Sadie, however, seems to be believing Amos.
"So..."says Carter "Why did Dad break the Rosetta Stone?"
"Oh, I'm sure he didn't mean to break it. That would've horrified him. In fact, I imagine my brethren in London have repaired the damage by now. The curators will soon check their vaults and discover that the Rosetta Stone miraculously survived the explosion."
"But it was blown into a million pieces! How could they repair it?"
Magic.
Amos takes a saucer and throws it on the ground. It shatters instantly.
"That was to destroy," says Amos. "I could've done it by magic—ha-di—but it's simpler just to smash it. And now..." He holds his hand out. "Join. Hi-nehm."
A blue hieroglyph shines above his palm. The pieces of the saucer fly in his hand, the molecules reassembling and connecting once more. Amos puts the perfect saucer back on the table.
Carter is freaking out. "Some trick," is all he manages to say without his voice shaking.
Amos pours milk in the saucer, and puts it on the floor. The cat comes padding over. "At any rate, your father would never intentionally damage a relic. He simply didn't realize how much power the Rosetta Stone contained. You see, as Egypt faded, its magic collected and concentrated into its remaining relics. Most of these, of course, are still in Egypt. But you can find some in almost every major museum. A magician can use these artifacts as focal points to work more powerful spells."
"I don't get it,"
Amos spreads his hands. "I'm sorry, Carter. It takes years of study to understand magic, and I'm trying to explain it to you in a single morning. The important thing is, for the past six years your father has been looking for a way to summon Osiris, and last night he thought he had found the right artifact to do it."
"Wait, why did he want Osiris?"
Oh…
Sadie looks at him the same way I feel – troubled.
"Carter, Osiris was the lord of the dead. Dad was talking about making things right. He was talking about Mum."
All of a sudden, the weather has remembers it's winter. The fire pit sputters in the wind coming off the river.
"He wanted to bring Mom back from the dead?" Carter asks. "But that's crazy!"
Amos hesitates. "It would've been dangerous. Inadvisable. Foolish. But not crazy. Your father is a powerful magician. If, in fact, that is what he was after, he might have accomplished it, using the power of Osiris."
Carter stares at Sadie. "You're actually buying this?"
"You saw the magic at the museum. The fiery bloke. Dad summoned something from the stone."
"Yeah." Last night's travel surfaces in his mind. "But that wasn't Osiris, was it?"
"No," Amos says. "Your father got more than he bargained for. He did release the spirit of Osiris. In fact, I think he successfully joined with the god—"
"Joined with?"
Amos holds up his hand. "Another long conversation. For now, let's just say he drew the power of Osiris into himself. But he never got the chance to use it because, according to what Sadie has told me, it appears that Julius released five gods from the Rosetta Stone. Five gods who were all trapped together."
Carter looks at Sadie. "You told him everything?"
"He's going to help us, Carter."
I'm feeling sceptical about this and, thankfully, so is Carter. Call it a personal prejudice, but I don't trust uncles. Carter sighs. It's not like we have much choice.
"Okay, yeah," he says. "The fiery guy said something like 'You released all five.' What did he mean?"
Amos takes a sip of his coffee. "I don't want to scare you."
"Too late."
"The gods of Egypt are very dangerous. For the last two thousand years or so, we magicians have spent much of our time binding and banishing them whenever they appear. In fact, our most important law, issued by Chief Lector Iskandar in Roman times, forbids unleashing the gods or using their power. Your father broke that law once before."
Sadie looks at him, eyes wide. "Does this have something to do with Mum's death? Cleopatra's Needle in London?"
"It has everything to do with that, Sadie. Your parents...well, they thought they were doing something good. They took a terrible risk, and it cost your mother her life. Your father took the blame. He was exiled, I suppose you would say. Banished. He was forced to move around constantly because the House monitored his activities. They feared he would continue his...research. As indeed he did."
"Is that why you never came round?" Sadie asks Amos. "Because Dad was banished?"
"The House forbade me to see him. I loved Julius. It hurt me to stay away from my brother, and from you children. But I could not see you—until last night, when I simply had no choice but to try to help. Julius has been obsessed with finding Osiris for years. He was consumed with grief because of what happened to your mother. When I learned that Julius was about to break the law again, to try to set things right, I had to stop him. A second offense would've meant a death sentence. Unfortunately, I failed. I should've known he was too stubborn."
The delicious food has gone cold, but eating's the last thing on Carter's mind. The cat rubs his hand and after a moment starts eating the bacon.
"Last night at the museum," says Carter, "the girl with the knife, the man with the forked beard—they were magicians too? From the House of Life?"
Unfortunately.
"Yes," Amos says. "Keeping an eye on your father. You are fortunate they let you go."
"The girl wanted to kill us, but the guy with the beard said, not yet."
"They don't kill unless it is absolutely necessary. They will wait to see if you are a threat."
"Why would we be a threat?" Sadie demands. "We're children! The summoning wasn't our idea."
Amos pushes away his plate. Looks like no one is enjoying breakfast today. "There is a reason you two were raised separately."
"Because the Fausts took Dad to court," says Carter, matter-of-factly. "And Dad lost."
"It was much more than that," Amos says. "The House insisted you two be separated. Your father wanted to keep you both, even though he knew how dangerous it was."
Sadie blinks and stares at Amos. "He did?"
"Of course. But the House intervened and made sure your grandparents got custody of you, Sadie. If you and Carter were raised together, you could become very powerful. Perhaps you have already sensed changes over the past day."
Not enough. Scenes from the previous night creep in closer. They part for something else, however. Another one of those hazy mirage-like memories. This time when I reach out to fix it, it clears up.
"Your sixth birthday," Carter tells Sadie.
"The cake," she responds immediately.
The memory bubble expands. Sadie's sixth birthday. The floor is covered in colorful balloons. A bunch of kids are standing around the table and singing happy birthday. A man with a fedora is holding a camera, Julius by his shoulder. Ruby is lightning up the candles as the kids cheer. Sadie is sitting on the sofa, between Carter and a girl that looks about Sadie's age, maybe a year younger.
"Okay, sweetheart," says Ruby after and the last candle is ablaze. "Wish for something."
Sadie grins and closes her eyes. Carter takes her hand.
"Sadie? Can I blow the candles for you?"
She looked at him. "No. It's my day."
"But-"
"Carter," Ruby says gently. "Let Sadie blow out her candles."
He crosses his arms. "But with Aya they blew out my candles last year!"
Sadie crosses her arms, too, and scowls at him. "You told us we can!"
"Because you wanted to and you're little!"
"I'm not little, I'm six!''
"And I'm eight!"
"So?"
"So, you have to listen to me!"
"Why?"
"Cause I'm older!"
"That's not fair!"
"You're not fair!"
Carter leans in to blow the candles. Sadie grabs his shirt to keep him away. He pushes her. No one is cheering anymore. Julius rushes towards them to intervene. The cake explodes. Icing splatters the walls, their parents, the faces of Sadie's little friends. Startled, most of Sadie's friends start crying. Sadie's also crying, a chunk of cake stuck on her forehead. Carter and Sadie's parents escort the guests to the front door. They send Carter to his room. As he is walking away he sees the man with the fedora pick up the girl, that was next to Sadie, to clean the cake off her arm. The man's glasses are sparkled with white frosting. Some of it is stuck in his braids, too. That man…
Carter turns to Amos.
"That was you. You were at Sadie's party."
"Vanilla icing," he recalls. "Very tasty. But it was clear even then that you two would be difficult to raise in the same household."
I can't be separated from Sadie again!
Aww.
She's not much, but she's all I have,
Aww?
"And so..." Carter tries to keep his voice from shaking. "What happens to us now?"
"You must be trained properly," Amos says, "whether the House approves or not."
"Why wouldn't they approve?"
"I will explain everything, don't worry. But we must start your lessons if we are to stand any chance of finding your father and putting things right. Otherwise the entire world is in danger. If we only knew where—"
"Phoenix," Carter blurts out before I can stop him.
Amos stares at him. "What?"
"Last night I had...well, not a dream, exactly..." Stupidly, he tells him about last night's travel.
Amos looks troubled.
"You're sure he said 'birthday present'?" he asks.
"Yeah, but what does that mean?"
"And a permanent host," Amos says, his voice a weird mix of hope and fear. "He didn't have one yet?"
"Well, that's what the rooster-footed guy said—"
"That was a demon. A minion of chaos. And if demons are coming through to the mortal world, we don't have much time. This is bad, very bad."
"If you live in Phoenix,"
"Carter, our enemy won't stop in Phoenix. If he's grown so powerful so fast...What did he say about the storm, exactly?"
"He said: 'I will summon the greatest storm ever known.'"
Amos scowls. "The last time he said that, he created the Sahara." Oh, yeah, I remember that. It was a nice, sunny day... you know, before the storm hit. "A storm that large could destroy North America, generating enough chaos energy to give him an almost invincible form."
"What are you talking about? Who is this guy?"
Amos waves away the question. Why won't he tell them? "More important right now: why didn't you sleep with the headrest?"
Carter shrugs. "It was uncomfortable." he looks at Sadie for support. "You didn't use it, did you?"
Sadie rolls her eyes. "Well, of course I did. It was obviously there for a reason."
"Carter," Amos says, before my host's annoyance gets a chance to shine. "sleep is dangerous. It's a doorway into the Duat."
"Lovely," Sadie grumbles. "Another strange word."
"Ah...yes, sorry. The Duat is the world of spirits and magic. It exists beneath the waking world like a vast ocean, with many layers and regions. We submerged just under its surface last night to reach New York, because travel through the Duat is much faster. Carter, your consciousness also passed through its shallowest currents as you slept, which is how you witnessed what happened in Phoenix. Fortunately, you survived that experience. But the deeper you go into the Duat, the more horrible things you encounter, and the more difficult it is to return. There are entire realms filled with demons, palaces where the gods exist in their pure forms, so powerful their mere presence would burn a human to ashes. There are prisons that hold beings of unspeakable evil, and some chasms so deep and chaotic that not even the gods dare explore them. Now that your powers are stirring, you must not sleep without protection, or you leave yourself open to attacks from the Duat or...unintended journeys through it. The headrest is enchanted, to keep your consciousness anchored to your body."
"You mean I actually did..." Carter's mouth fills with a metallic taste. It reminds me of blood. "Could he have killed me?"
Amos's expression is grave. "The fact that your soul can travel like that means you are progressing faster than I thought. Faster than should be possible. If the Red Lord had noticed you—"
"The Red Lord?" Sadie asks. "That's the fiery bloke?"
Amos stands up. His voice is tense, almost sounds strained. "I must find out more. We can't simply wait for him to find you. And if he releases the storm on his birthday, at the height of his powers—"
Carter freezes. "You mean you're going to Phoenix? Amos, that fiery man defeated Dad like his magic was a joke! Now he's got demons, and he's getting stronger, and—you'll be killed!"
Amos smiles, but it doesn't reach his eyes.
"Don't count your uncle out so quickly, Carter. I've got some magic of my own. Besides, I must see what is happening for myself if we're to have any chance at saving your father and stopping the Red Lord. I'll be quick and careful. Just stay here. Muffin will guard you."
"The cat will guard us?" Yup. "You can't just leave us here! What about our training?"
"When I return," Amos promises. "Don't worry, the mansion is protected. Just do not leave. Do not be tricked into opening the door for anyone. And whatever happens, do not go into the library. I absolutely forbid it. I will be back by sunset."
Then he proceeds to walk calmly to the edge of the terrace and jumps. I suddenly remember something a friend of mine had said centuries ago: Doors are for people with no imagination.
Sadie screams. The kids run to the railing and look over. The East River is flowing calmly beneath. There is no sign of a splattered red dot in the distance.
He'd simply vanished.
Of course. Magic. What a show off, though.
Muffin jumps onto the railing and licks Sadie's arm.
Carter looks at Sadie. "What do we do now?"
She crosses her arms and tilts her head, the same way my mother does when she deems something to be a stupid question. "Well, that's obvious, isn't it? We explore the library."