Iskandar

A boat comes to a stop before the giant metal gate blocking its path. The gate shines amidst the waters of fire, a bronze disk as wide as the boat, half swallowed by the river. On either bank of the river, facing the disk, is a giant bronze baboon with its arms raised. Four figures stand on the boat - a woman in a leopard jumpsuit, a baboon (from flesh and blood) and two kids I'm unfortunately familiar with. Kanes have always had a way of getting in trouble. This time, maybe I can help.

"What is this?" Sadie Kane asks, looking up at the baboon statues.

"The Gates of the West," Bast says. "Ra's sunboat would pass through and be renewed in the fires of the lake, then pass through to the other side and rise through the Gates of the East for a new day."

The baboon barks at the statues and quickly hides behind Sadie's legs.

"How do we get past?"

"Perhaps, you should ask me." I speak out, my voice hollow and detached. My form flickers a couple of times before my ba finally takes shape. As it does, my magic also takes form. Everyone on the boat freezes, paused in time. Only Sadie stays awake. It's her who shall read the spell, it's her who shall receive the feather. It must be her who passes the test of the guardian of the Gates of the West.

"Iskandar?" she asks.

"Hello, my dear."

"But…" her eyes fill with tears. "You're really dead, then?"

I chuckle. "Last I checked."

"But why? I didn't make you—"

"No, my dear. It wasn't your fault. It was simply the right time."

"It was horrible timing!" Even if she is sad, it quickly turns to anger. "You left us before we got trained or anything, and now Desjardins is after us and—"

"My dear, look how far you've come. Look how well you have done. You didn't need me, nor would more training have helped. My brethren would have found out the truth about you soon enough. They are excellent at sniffing out godlings, I fear, and they would not have understood."

"You knew, didn't you? You knew we were possessed by gods."

"Hosts of the gods."

"Whatever! You knew."

"After our second meeting, yes. My only regret is that I did not realize it sooner. I could not protect you and your brother as much as—"

"As much as who?"

Zia. As much as Zia. As much as my dear girl. I raised her like I would a grandchild. I just hope when the shabti fulfils its final tasks and release her she won't be sad. She needn't mourn an old fool like me, not whit all the trouble that'll be hanging over her head.

"I made choices, Sadie. Some seemed wise at the time. Some, in retrospect..."

"Your decision to forbid the gods. My mum convinced you it was a bad idea, didn't she?"

My wings flutter. "You must understand, Sadie. When Egypt fell to the Romans, my spirit was crushed. Thousands of years of Egyptian power and tradition toppled by that foolish Queen Cleopatra, who thought she could host a goddess. The blood of the pharaohs seemed weak and diluted—lost forever. At the time I blamed everyone—the gods who used men to act out their petty quarrels, the Ptolemaic rulers who had driven Egypt into the ground, my own brethren in the House for becoming weak and greedy and corrupt. I communed with Thoth, and we agreed: the gods must be put away, banished. The magicians must find their way without them. The new rules kept the House of Life intact for another two thousand years. At the time, it was the right choice."

"And now?"

My glow dims. "Your mother foresaw a great imbalance. She foresaw the day—very soon—when Ma'at would be destroyed, and chaos would reclaim all of Creation. She insisted that only the gods and the House together could prevail. The old way—the path of the gods—would have to be reestablished. I was a foolish old man. I knew in my heart she was right, but I refused to believe...and your parents took it upon themselves to act. They sacrificed themselves trying to put things right, because I was too stubborn to change. For that, I am truly sorry."

Sadie's face softens. "I forgive you, Iskandar," she says. "Honestly. But Set is about to destroy North America with a giant red pyramid. What do I do about it?"

"That, my dear, I can't answer. Your choice..."

"Iskandar!" I tilt my head back toward the lake. "Who's at the door?" Anubis calls out.

I turn back to Sadie. "Our time is at an end. I must do my job as gatekeeper, and decide whether or not to grant you access to the Lake of Fire."

"But I've got more questions!"

"And I wish we had more time," Iskandar says. "You have a strong spirit, Sadie Kane. Someday, you will make an excellent guardian ba."

"Thanks," she mutters. "Can't wait to be poultry forever."

"I can only tell you this: your choice approaches. Don't let your feelings blind you to what is best, as I did."

"What choice? Best for whom?"

"That's the key, isn't it? Your father—your family—the gods—the world. Ma'at and Isfet, order and chaos, are about to collide more violently than they have in eons. You and your brother will be instrumental in balancing those forces, or destroying everything. That, also, your mother foresaw."

"Hang on. What do you—"

"Until we meet again, Sadie. Perhaps some day, we will have a chance to talk further. But for now, pass through! My job is to assess your courage—and you have that in abundance."

My form flickers and disappears, invisible to mortal eyes once more. From afar, I see the bronze disk in the middle of the river sink below the syrface, clearing the way into the lake. The boat shoots forwards towards the Hall of Judgement.

Kheper en medu-tjen shesep en hekau-tjen.

May your words occur, may your magic shine.