SAVVY

Chapter 9

I dove straight between the god's legs as he brought his spear down. Where I was standing a split-second ago was a me-sized crater in the dirt.

He swung his spear around as I ducked, his weapon inches away from my head. My battle instincts were a thousand times sharper, like it had been tuned. The only upside about battling a twenty foot tall giant was that his weapon had been fashioned for someone his size, and I was too small for him. I wondered why he didn't just snap his fingers and turn me into cereal like he promised, but I had a feeling he was just playing with me.

"Carter? Where are you?" I heard Sadie's voice. It was pretty faint, but she was close.

I had to make a plan. Carter was still out cold, and would not be of any help. Sadie was nearby, but I had absolutely no idea where. Me? I was facing off Neper himself. If only he had a weak spot, but it seemed that every inch of him was covered with impenetrable armor.

His bare foot came up, and I got an idea as I once again was forced to dive away. If I could just get him to lift up his unprotected foot again…

I wove around his feet, ducking and diving. For once, luck was on my side; nothing hit me, though I was scraped and bruised from hitting the ground. He gave a roar of annoyance and tried to squash me with his feet. I waited until his foot was hovering directly atop me before I threw Thorn up and rolled to the side. I heard rather than saw as Thorn stuck into his flesh, and as he brought his foot down to the ground I felt a pang in my chest as I heard the crunch of wood which meant that Thorn had been broken.

Neper howled. He shook his right foot back and forth, and I ducked as pebbles of golden blood rained down around me. Then he turned and limped towards me, a fiery glow in his eyes, wincing at every step. I backed up fast, and tripped, eyes darting wildly for escape and breathing fast. Neper raised his spear.

No weapon. No plan. Cornered. I was dead, and I knew it.

Seems like the gods disagreed with me, because suddenly, Sadie appeared, at the edge of the clearing. I yelled "HERE!" desperately as her eyes swept the clearing and took in everything that was going on in a millisecond— Carter out cold, me, backed up with no weapon, and a god, who was in immense pain, probably because my broken dagger was still sticking into the flat of his foot.

Moving with lightning speed, she threw something at Neper. I saw the object roll to a stop. It was a crudely made statue.

She reached into a workbag and pulled out a plain wooden rod, which expanded into a two-meter long red and black staff with the head of a lion. She raised it and started to chant. Neper turned around, eyes widening in shock as he took in Sadie.

Sadie and the staff began to glow. At first I couldn't hear what she was saying, but as I listened, suddenly everything clicked and I could understand everything.

"You are a great enemy," she chanted, "and a curse upon the land. Deserving no mercy, an enemy of Ma'at, you are exiled beyond the earth."

The ugly statue cracked open, and light poured forth, forming tendrils around a moaning Neper, binding him tight and sapping his life force. The blinding white was covering him, overpowering him. With a jolt, I realized he was going to be sucked into the abyss, created by the statue. I turned my head as the light burned my corneas.

"NOOO!" cried Neper. "You will never get me!"

I blinked the light spots out of my eyes as I watched Neper. With a cry, the light was blasted off him, and the little statue shuddered and cracked open. The air was rippling, shifting apart to reveal another dark whirlwind. It was completely black, the darkest thing I've ever seen. Neper half-stepped into the whirlwind and… disappeared.

He was gone. I felt like crying from shock and relief, as I tried to calm myself down. He was gone.

Sadie rushed towards us. "Are you OK?"

"What was that?" My voice broke as I said, "What just happened?"

To my surprise, Sadie shook her head and shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. I mean, I tried to cast an execration spell and trap him in the statue, but he somehow threw my magic off using some dark magic of his own." I saw that she looked exhausted, and was sweating. "That was some powerful magic, it sapped all my energy. I can only perform minor spells now. How's Carter?"

"He got knocked out." I replied, staring down at his snoring figure. "Was he really a god?" I asked, fearing the answer.

"Last I checked." Sadie looked impressed as she glanced at me. "I can't believe you managed to hold him off. With no magic, even, and Carter lying all useless as usual. In fact, I saw something in his heel. Was that some kind of weapon?"

I nodded, wiping my eyes quickly. "My dagger. I'm not good at fighting close range, but it's the only thing I've got."

Sadie didn't ask me where I got Thorn, and I didn't say, but in truth? I stole it, like I stole about one third of my stuff (which isn't very much, as I barely have anything I can call my own). I found it lying around in an ancient antique shop, and before I could stop myself I was out the door, the dagger in my jacket. It's the only thing I don't regret pocketing, I desperately needed a weapon, and this was the only thing that actually injured monsters. Actually, I have a feeling someone left it there for me because I doubt the old lady who owned the antiques shop sold dangerous weapons regularly. Also, I never found anything else that worked on monsters, though from personal experience, I find that a well-aimed shoe can give one a nice big headache.

The staff in Sadie's hand shrunk into the wooden rod again, and she pushed it into the workbag, rummaged around and pulled out… a Dora the Explorer water bottle.

Yep. Dora the Explorer. It had a smiley face drawn out of black marker, and I half-expected her to drink from it, but instead she said very clearly, "We're 100 miles outside Buffalo, just next to Highway 97. We need a ride, but Freak will do. Carter's kind of injured, and… well, just send over someone. See you."

Then she very calmly started drinking from the water bottle. Screwing back on the cap, she held it away from her and let go. It vanished.

"Just sending a message to the Brooklyn House," Sadie said in answer to my expression. "Whoever's on duty will get it. I'm quite brilliant at making shabti, if I say so myself. Basically, this Shabti are walking and talking statues—statues that will do anything of your bidding, of course. Doughboy there, the driver—" she pointed her thumb in the direction of the car—"He was my dad's."

"What happened to him?"

The question was out of my mouth before I could stop myself. I'm sorry to admit I've quite a big mouth.

Sadie's expression soured. "I see him and Mom sometimes. Very, very rarely. You?"

"I don't have any parents." Of course, I had to give away everything. I realized too late.

Sadie raised her eyebrows. "Your dad was driving you into the city."

"A lie." I admitted openly.

Sadie opened her mouth, probably to demand everything to know about me, but thankfully Carter groaned at the moment, distracting me.

"Carter?" Sadie's hands fluttered over his body, not sure what to do. I could hear the panic and worry in her voice.

"Uggrabugga…" Carter moaned. Sadie looked tremendously relieved.

"Carter, you nutter," said Sadie. "Why are you always trying to be a hero?"

As Sadie attacked Carter, I squinted at the horizon. A black speck caught my eye. I frowned as it appeared to grow larger, too large to be a normal sized bird, or even an eagle at that rate. It was coming straight for me.

"Aaaargh!" I yelled as I dove to the side. A second later the thing (now bigger than me and the size of a horse) landed. It had the body of a lion, and —get this— the head of a falcon! I am getting so sick of falcons…

Its fur was the colour of rust, and its huge wings spread out on either side of it as it landed. A figure wearing camouflage clothes slid off its back. She shook back her hair, and revealed kohl-ed eyes and sharp but pretty features. She was wearing camouflage cargo pants, combat boots, and an olive tank top that flattered her coppery skin. She would have pulled off a demeaning and mysterious act if not for the fact that she looked slightly green.

"Never again, Sadie," The girl said faintly.

I was dumbfounded, but Sadie looked positively delighted. "Zia! Talk about fast!"

"I got your message right away," shrugged Zia, holding up the shabti Dora the Explorer water bottle, which was struggling feebly. "It started attacking me once it finished reciting your message, which made me hurry up. What's wrong with Carter?" She looked really worried as she kneeled over Carter. Obviously, she was close to him personally.

"He's been conked out, Zia, he'll be fine," Sadie said, miffed that her shabti had not proven as brilliant as she had said. Apparently, she also knew Zia from wherever she was from. She glanced at me staring at the creature. "Oh, that's just Freak. He's a griffin, and he's usually our ride."

Zia stared at me like she's just spotted me. "Maybe you could bring me up to date, Sadie?"

"This is Savvy, Zia. Honestly, I have no idea who she is, but she gave us a hand with our friend back there, and it's rather obvious she's one of us. Savvy, Zia. She helps us train in the Brooklyn House."

"Friend back there?" Zia inquired.

"Tell you later, along with everyone else," Sadie replied.

Zia was staring at me like she could pierce through me with her scorching brown eyes. I stared defiantly back. Finally, she turned to Sadie and said, "She is a magician, I think. Untrained, definitely, and unaware of her powers, likely so."

"She is more," insisted Sadie. "Something about her… she held off a god all by herself, and well," Sadie looked over at me, and I was shocked to see reluctant impress.

"'She' is standing right next to you," I muttered. Zia studied me as if about to decide my fate. Sadie looked as if waiting for her decision. I shifted uncomfortably, avoiding their eyes. It must have been the first time strangers spend so much attention on me.

Then, Zia shifted her gaze to Sadie. "Amos had something crop up, he needs me right away," she said. "I don't think you and your brother can continue with your mission anymore, anyways, so I could take you and Carter to the First Nome. If we drop her off at the Brooklyn House, that's going to take too long though."

"So we'll drag her to the First Nome," Sadie glanced at me. "Then we'll bring her to the Brooklyn House after staying overnight, and she can start her training."

Freak, the griffin, gave a loud "FREAK!"

"I… am more than a little confused," I said trying to tear my eyes away as Zia reached into her sack and toss Freak a couple of dead mice, which he promptly tore apart. "Now would be a good time to start explaining, before you 'drag'—" my fingers formed quotation marks around the word "— me to… wherever you're going."

Sadie sighed noisily, but Zia straightened up and faced me. "What do you want to know?"

"Well, who exactly are you guys?"

"Magicians. Descendants from certain families have the ability perform Egyptian magic," said Zia. "We used to train to fight gods, but… well, it's a long story. So now, anyways, we work alongside them. Well," Zia corrected herself, "we worked alongside them, but after the last battle, they were banished into the Duat, along with the god of Chaos, Apophis."

"Uhhhhh…"

"Giant snake would 'bout sum it up," said Sadie. "But Zia, that's the problem. The gods are back."

"What? No! You were there. You saw them go. They can't appear in the mortal world any longer. "

"Rubbish. I mean, it's true I saw them go, but Neper is back," Sadie insisted. "He's the patron of harvest and the god of…"

"Yes, yes, god of wheat, barley, and grain. I know."

"Of course you do." Sadie rolled her eyes. "We'll talk about it with Amos, when Carter revives."

I shook my head. "None of this makes sense."

"We train at the Brooklyn House, Savvy," continued Sadie. "The First Nome is headquarters for all magicians, the oldest branch of the House of Life. The initiates at the Brooklyn House train to follow paths of gods. We try to stop evil whenever possible. We're going to the First Nome now, on Freak here." She attempted in vain to lug Carter onto Freak the griffin, but he just rolled over and gave a snore.

I swayed as my brain tried to process the information. "This is all… a little hard… to…"

"Take in?" Sadie panted. "Here, I'll show you…"

She dropped Carter with an "Oomph!" and said, "_" (lift in Egyptian)

Golden lines burned, hanging in the air, forming shapes and pictures— hieroglyphics. Mesmerized, I somehow understood the hieroglyphics for the word lift.

As if attached to a hundred imaginary strings, Carter slowly rose into the air, his head flopping onto his chest as he hovered over Freak. Suddenly, like all the strings had been cut, he fell onto Freak's back as the Egyptian hieroglyphics faded. I stared.

"Well? Hop up," Sadie called as she clambered onto Freak's back. I swung my foot onto his back as well, gripping his sleek and slippery feathers in a death grip hold.

Zia, however, had other means of transport. She gripped her amulet (one of the many) and closed her eyes. In a few second a large vulture appeared from the middle of nowhere and swooped down, its talons gripping her shoulders. When I looked up at her retreating figure, I saw her tightly squeezing her eyes shut and muttering under her breath.

"Zia doesn't like using her amulet," Sadie remarked. "But there's no space on Freak. I'd rather get carried as well, honestly. Freak is a little…"

"Freaky?" I managed weakly.

Sadie laughed. "We'll be traveling through the Duat, now. It's the fastest way to the Cairo airport."

"The what?" I called as Freak gave one last "FREAK!" and spread out his wings. In a second, we were in the air.

For future references, traveling through this "Duat" thing would not be one of your preferred transportation means. Freak moved with astounding speed. My vision blurred, and we were swallowed in a thick fog. Strange sounds echoed from the dark; faint screaming, slithering, hissing, whispers that I couldn't quite catch. Actually, I felt like I was on a roller coaster, and I love the feeling. I couldn't help myself as I gave a loud whoop.

I closed my eyes tightly as we sped up. My stomach was protesting, and the sounds blocked my ears. Suddenly, I felt Freak slow down and start descending.

We were in a completely different place. A warm mugginess made my hair stick to my forehead. It was almost dark which meant a different time zone. I looked down to see tall buildings, a bustling city. Yet this wasn't anywhere I have ever been.

I didn't trust myself to talk until Freak landed right outside a building. You would think somebody would notice a flying creature land in the middle of your path, but people everywhere didn't notice us. Their eyes skirted right past us, and they walked right around us without seeing us.

Zia was waiting for us. Her vulture had disappeared. "We're in Cairo, Egypt." She told me. "We're right outside the Cairo airport."

Sadie pointed at Carter's limp body and said, "Follow". Carter' body rose into the air again and hung there.

"You may leave now, Freak, thanks," Sadie said. Freak cawed and took to the air.

"How come no one can see Freak?"

"Manipulation. Mortals see what they want to see," Sadie said. "Come along." She pulled me into the building. Carter followed as if like a marionette, his feet trailing on the ground.

I could tell straight away that we were in an airport even without Zia pointing that out. There were shops, windows and polished steel columns. People bustled past wearing headscarves, robes, or clothes of different nationalities.

"Um." I looked around. "I thought we were going to headquarters of some sort."

"We are." Zia answered, grabbing my arm and pulling me through the crowd. Sadie followed closely, Carter dragging behind. When it was obvious none of them would offer answers, I tried again.

"This is an airport."

Sadie rolled her eyes. "Obviously."

I sighed. Those two were as helpful as Rachael when she is immersed in a book. With a pang, I realized I hadn't thought about Rachael in a long time. I hadn't even given any thought to Beth. Ananya and the rest of the school— what had happened to them? But Rachael and the rest would have to wait.

I followed… no, I was dragged through a maintenance door. On the other side was a broom closet. Zia placed her hand on the door, muttering the words "Sahad" and the image of a closet door shimmered and disappeared, revealing a set of stone steps.

"These are the uncovered ruins of Heliopolis." Zia said. "Follow closely, and don't touch anything."

Sadie rolled her eyes again. "Zia, you're way too serious. The First Nome is fun. Let's go, shall we?"

The stone steps went on forever. We crouched and crawled our way through the passageway and ended up on the edge of a chasm. A wooden plank led the way across.

"This is the entrance to the First Nome. Every magician must unbar the path for themselves. The challenge is different for each supplicant." Zia looked at me pointedly.

I gulped. I felt vulnerable without Thorn by my side.

I stepped onto the plank. Nothing happened.

I put one foot ahead of me carefully as I inched my way across. At the very middle, I looked back at Sadie and Zia.

"I…" I started when suddenly, a blanket of chilling fog rose from the void. It rose and swirled around me. I couldn't see Sadie or Zia any longer. Every breath I took rattled as I sucked in the fog.

I yelled as the fog covered me completely. Objects I couldn't discern were flying everywhere. I could hear strange and distant sounds, like screams, laughter, and whispers. The plank was shuddering. The building was rumbling. I dropped down and grabbed hold of the plank with two hands, my heart pounding.

It was chaos, and I couldn't do anything about it. In a case of emergency, I would very calmly start forming plans, but I couldn't think. I needed order. The words from the quote ran through my mind. Nothing gives a person so much advantage over another as to remain always cool and unruffled under all circumstances.

I took a deep, shuddering, calming breath, and yelled the first thing that came to my mind: "Ma'at!"

A hieroglyph appeared in front of me, burning gold, shining through the eternal fog. The plank stopped shaking, objects stopped flying around me. The room became still. I focused on that one hieroglyph, channeling my energy into it. I could feel my insides, my very soul start to literally burn up. Coughing and gasping, I crawled the last few metres and collapsed onto the other side of the plank.

I heard faint yelling and footstep, and raised my head slightly to see two blurry figures cross the chasm and kneel down by me.

"That has never ever happened before." Zia's voice was laced with awe. "Nobody has ever responded to a challenge like that… I've never seen anything like it."

"You used the most powerful divine word, Savvy!" Sadie shook her head. "Ma'at means Order. You've created Order in the face of Chaos! I've only been able to use it once, after loads of training, and then I bloody well nearly died. Are you alright?"

I stiffly got to my feet. "I'll be fine." But now that I said it, I felt waves of exhaustion and hunger threaten to overcome me. My legs shook standing up.

I couldn't believe I knew the hieroglyph for Order. But now that I thought about it, the word Ma'at had come as easily as my name, like it had been hiding at the back of my mind all this time. But that was stupid! I've never heard of the word before.

"You're probably feeling a little peaky at the moment," Sadie said. "It's a result of a big spell. You shall have to restore your energy." I leaned against her as she led me through the doorway. Carter was still out cold, and he trailed behind, occasionally scraping the ceiling.

I was so stunned walking through what happened next I kept silent. It was a vast city of halls and chambers. Every chamber was lined with massive brightly painted stone columns, and I got the feeling we were many miles underground. Fires burned in braziers, and although they didn't give off any smoke, the aroma smelled of spices. There were many other people. Some looked like they would never in a million years fit in that scene, like people in business suits, but there were others in linen robes. There was a little army of brooms, mops, and buckets that went around cleaning up the city with a man following around, yelling orders. There were tons of statues around, and we even walked through an open air market at the time, with stalls selling staffs, clay shabti, linen robes, papyrus scrolls and amulets.

We crossed a bridge over a river teeming with dark fish, with sharp teeth. I decided not to ask what kind of fish they were.

We also passed another building. Sadie poked my arm and pointed inside to reveal rows of children sitting cross-legged on cushions. They all had bags at their side, and a glance revealed staff rods and boomerang objects sticking out. They were fashioning a figure out of clay. Shabti. In another room, there were children staring into bowls of liquid and muttering incantations.

"Those are younger initiates, learning how to scry. They see images in the oil, and we use some children as our operators to keep in contact with other Nomes all over the world." Sadie muttered.

"They're really young," I said. They ranged in age from six to ten.

"Well, initiates don't start combat training until ten years of age. The younger ones have more receptive minds, so they do our scrying, and they learn how to make shabti and amulets."

We kept going until we were facing a pair of heavy, massive bronze doors with fire blazing on either side.

Zia pressed her hands to the seal on the doors, which bore an image. Looking closely, I saw it was the Per Ankh, the House of Life. It was one of the hieroglyphics we had learned for fun in the MACC classes.

The hieroglyphics glowed brightly, and the doors swung open slightly.

"Come," Zia said. "We are about to enter the Hall of Ages. Do not touch anything, unless you wish to die."