"Tem."

Opening his eyes, he smiled. "Did it work?" It felt like it worked.

Soft hisses of amusement followed his question. "See for yourself."

Nefertem glanced down at the man currently lying at his feet, and sighed in contentment as he watched the muscled chest rise and fall in a steady, healthy rhythm. "Thank Isis for that." He swayed in exhaustion; only the strategically placed tail of his friend kept him upright until his body started working again.

"You should rest, Lotus Child. You have done a great magic here today. Calling on feelings you felt nearly twenty years ago to work Empathetic Healing on a man you barely know is no easy task. Surely you can allow yourself some rest?"

"Tem, Tem, listen to Papa. Papa always makes me take naps even when I'm not tired! Come, come! We can have a sleep over!" A tiny snake wiggled around his feet enticingly, trying to draw him away from his Father. "Please Papa, tell him he doesn't have to study anymore!"

The Prince of Punt smiled indulgently at his offspring. "Return to your nursery; I'll see if I can convince this silly human he deserves some time off."

"My Prince," Tem tried intervening, but the Great Snake was already shooing the young snake towards his Home Temple. "Please understand that I still have much to do before Lateef wakes, Apep." He'd only been studying Empathic Healing for three years. He knew that natural talent would not be enough when it came to repairing torn ligaments and shattered bones from nearly two decades prior. But without actual training and a human mentor to teach him, he could perform no other medical healing without being sure he wouldn't cause more damage.

"Tem, your friend will sleep for another hour yet before more Healing need be done. It will do no good to sit here waiting for him to wake."

"But…"

"Nefertem."

Oops. His full name hissed in the 'I am the father of over thirty thousand offspring and you will listen to your elder' voice. "Yes Apep." So much for that argument.

"Good." Apep leaned forward and rubbed his snout across Tem's cheek affectionately. "Stubborn human. He will most likely sleep the day away. Worry not for your friend."

The human man ducked his head in mild embarrassment. "I know. It's just…" He sighed. "I've waited so long for him to wake. Twenty years is a long time to go without..." He glanced up at Apep from beneath lowered lids. "Human comfort."

Apep nodded his head in understanding. "I know, Child. It must be hard for you. Forgive me for what I cannot change."

Tem felt his face redden in shame. "Please don't misunderstand, Apep. I am happy. I..." he closed his eyes. "I don't remember much before I came to this place. Sadness, pain, trapped," he shuddered. "I don't think I want to remember more." He gave the Great Snake his most heartfelt smile. "I've known such freedom here; nothing can compare Apep. I would be happy staying here the rest of my life."

"We would be honored to have you stay, Lotus Child. You know this, do you not?"

He nodded, kohl-rimmed eyes downcast once more. "I wish I could. Truly. But those visions…" He shuddered. Some horrible beast slowly devouring the world, destroying those in its path, darkness, pain, death...

"Yes. True Visions," the Prince hissed quietly, nudging his shoulder before the memories overtook the tired human. "Just one more assurance of your destiny."

Said human grumbled. "I'm a slave, not the second coming of Moses."

Apep hissed in amusement. "A talented man, Moses. Quiet interesting for a human."

Tem blinked. "You met Moses?"

"Many years ago, during the Dark Time of Egypt. When"

"Moses?"

Apep looked down his snout. "Do not interrupt me, Child."

"My apologies, my Prince."

Said Prince smiled graciously. "Very well. As I was saying…the Divide began just after a human of no magical descent sat on the thrown, and nearly destroyed all. It was not long after his reign that Egypt divided."

"Divided?" Tem asked, fascinated. He had studied all he could on the history of his yet-to-be homeland, and had never found much on the subject.

"Come with me, and I'll tell you more," Apep told him slyly, slowly slithering away. He smiled when Nefertem followed after only a moment of hesitation. He knew well the thirst for knowledge within the Lotus Child, had encouraged him to try and understand what his role would be once returned to Egypt.

"Alright, you win, you win. Tell me more about this divide. Is it similar to how the British split the worlds apart?"

As they chatted they slowly made their way to the largest of the temples scattered across the island, where the Great Snake and his many offspring resided. The jungle around them was lush and beautiful to any eye, green vines laden with colorful flowers creating brightly painted rainbows that swayed in the warm breeze. Creatures long extinct from the world beyond the Isle bowed their heads in respect as they passed; returning to their peaceful lives along side what would have been their mortal enemies after the Great Snake and the Lotus Child had gone. Even the flora swayed towards them, for even they knew it was the Great Snake's will alone that sustained them on the timeless stretch of land.

"Apep, I don't understand. I thought it was only within the last three hundred years that the wizards of Egypt decided it was best that they leave non-magicals behind and retreat to their own world."

"No, Child," he was corrected. "It was long before that."

"Apep..."

"No more lectures today, Lotus Child. You heard my offspring; you are to do nothing but play until you can play no more."

"You said you would tell me more if I went back to the temple with you," Tem said crossly, pouting.

"Tomorrow is another day. If you have not found the answers you seek by then, I'll be more than happy to indulge you."

"…promise?"

High pitched hisses laughed at him as he walked into the snake's den, over a dozen of Apep's youngest offspring having heard his childish reply. The human blushed. Apep quieted the giggling serpents as he pushed the embarrassed human towards his room. "I give you my word, Nefertem." One final shove and the human sprawled unceremoniously on the nest of pillows and throws that made up his sleeping area. "Now to bed."

"What?"

"Sleep!"

"Apep! Its not even sundown!"

"Does the sun tell you when you should be tired?"

"No…"

"So why should the suns decent have any bearing in this?"

"Because…because I'm nearly twenty four years old, and should be able to decide when I do or do not go to bed?" He could feel that he was going to loose this battle. He always had before.

A patient look was given from the Prince of Punt. "Do you truly believe the words you are saying?"

No. As a wizard, twenty four years would still look like a nestling in the Great Snake's eyes. "Yes?"

"Child."

"But you said I could stay up and play with the others."

The Prince was almost vibrating in his mirth. "Who was it that was just now proclaiming his vast age of twenty four years?"

"…you didn't seem impressed at the time…"

"True."

"So does that mean I can stay up for a little while longer?" His eyes shifted to the doorway. Maybe if he made a run for it…no, the temple tiles would betray him again and he'd end up with a smacked face and a bruised pride. He didn't want the younglings to have another reason to make fun of him.

Apep tilted his head to the side, eyeing the fidgeting human. "You do know your body will give out?"

Tem had the good grace not to disagree. "I thought maybe an hour or two more before my lack of magical reserves caught up to me."

"Understand that working through Empathy is a highly unfocused use of magic. It demands more of your magical reserves than a spell would. Without a wand or staff to force your magic into focus, you use huge quantities of energy in place of the usual thread of concentrated force."

Nefertem bowed his head. "I heed the words of the Great Prince of Punt. I will rest if you bid so." To a human, it would have sounded as if Nefertem were talking back. But to those who knew him best, it was clear he understood what his friend was telling him. To prove the truth of his words, he arranged some of the brightly colored pillows around him and leaned back with a content sigh. He could admit he was a little tired, after all.

"Such an obedient Lotus Child I have raised," Apep hissed quietly, slithering toward a torch and blowing on it. All the fires in the room dimmed to a soft glow. "I will send in some of my offspring to amuse you as you rest. Would that please you?"

Tem smiled. "Thank you Apep. It would be a kindness."

"Very well." He nuzzled the man's cheek and let him be, silently sliding through his temple back towards the Entrance Hall. "Would any be willing to keep the Lotus Child company while he rests?" he asked, eyes bright with amusement as nearly all present made hasty retreats to the human's room. Good. He didn't want any of his younger offspring present if things got out of control with his "guests". He glanced at one of the many mirrors adorning his temple. It was focused on the short boat slowly making its way through his waters, no more than a half dozen men armed and ready to search for their lost kin. "Foolish children of men…do you honestly believe you could take my humans from me if it were not my will?" He shook his head. "If it were not for the emptiness I know would reside in my Nefertem should he not be returned to his destiny, I would force you back to your warring world unaided and never allow you to find him."

Many hours later, long after day had succummed to night, Apep could still be found staring at the scrying mirror holding the images of those who had come searching for the Lotus Child.

"Father?"

He looked up; one of his oldest had decided to join him. "Yes, daughter?"

"They're going to take Nefertem away, aren't they?"

Apep nodded his head. "Yes. They will."

"Must he go?" The tip of her tail twitched in dismay.

Apep rested his snout atop her head. "Yes, my daughter. There is a great deal he must do for the world before he may rest."

"But, but I thought he was bought as a slave for the Royal House of Pharaoh."

"This is true as well."

"Nefertem is such a good human, Father! He does not deserve the life of a mere slave! Why must we allow them to take him?"

"We all have our place, my daughter. As your Father, I lead. As my daughter, you follow. You will learn this in time. For now, believe me when I say that he will be happy in Egypt."

"You've Seen this?"

Apep shook his head. "No. When he first came to be on our Isle, I searched his mind for the answers to questions a human child of four years could not truly comprehend. If he had stayed where he was, his life would have been no different than that of a slave except it would be by no choice of his own. That is the true difference, my daughter. It is a choice that he has made for himself."

"He did not understand what was happening when the Captain of the Guard offered to buy him from that awful non-magical!"

"But he did agree to go with Donkor when he asked. Nefertem made that choice. If he had not, he would have been returned to those who only wished to be rid of him."

"Papa..."

"Be at ease, daughter. As a slave of the Royal House, it will also be his right to become a Keeper of the Lore."

A hiss of surprise escaped her at the reminder. "Truly?"

"This I have Seen. He will be part of the Memphis Triad. Egypt will rejoice at the strength he will provide them." He gave her an affectionate nudge. "Fear not for the Lotus Child. From Dark beginnings, he will be reborn in Light."

The tension slowly left her tightly coiled body. "Thank you for your kind words, Father. I will try to rest my anxious heart."

"Of course, daughter. I would not have you worry so."

She glanced at the mirror's reflection. "Should we warn Nefertem about those who would be his rescuers?"

Apep laughed. "Let us first greet our guests. I would like to have a word with the Captain of the Guard before I allow him to take our Nefertem away."

"And after?"

The Great Snake gave a heavy sigh. "We return him to those who need him most."

She bowed her head. "I do not want him to go, Father."

His heart ached. "I know, daughter." Neither do I.