Carter

After the little cat fiasco in the living room, we had all sat down on the couch discussing what to do next. Bast had confirmed along with Horus, Ra, Toth, Nepthis, and Isis that the gods were without a doubt back in the mortal world. However if the gods were back then that would have had to mean that Apophis was also back in the mortal world as well. However how or where he was remained a mystery.

Bast had said we would have to go to two places. Yellow Stone National Park and The First Nome. She said we would have to go to Yellow Stone for a clue on how to beat Setne but although we had already beaten Apophis, Bast said Setne planed on fusing himself with Apophis which the thought sounded frightening enough but we had beaten Apophis before. The problem was with Setne's mastermind there was no telling he what he would do.

Now all we had to do was discuss who would go with who and where. We already decided that I would go to warn Amos and that Sadie would go to Yellow Stone National Park for the clue. I decided to pick Walt to go along with me. Sadie picked Zia, leaving Takori and Isabel left. Sadie and the others were still scolding somewhat for asking the two of them to come along but Horus asked me to saying that they each had some large role to play.

"Takori, would you want to go with me?"

He looked like he was weighing his options, he looked around the room briefly and finally said.

"Alright then, I'll go"

"Which leaves you Isabel to go with me" Sadie stated

Isabel simply nodded. We gathered our bags and headed up to the roof where Freak, our psychotic griffon was staying. He screeched which caught Isabel of guard. She slipped but Takori caught her. After he helped her up they looked away from each other.

"How should we travel?" I asked Sadie

"I'll take the portal, while you take Freak"

After about a few minutes of chanting Sadie summoned the portal to. She and Zia were the first to hop through but Isabel lingered behind. She faced the portal, and then turned. She motioned for Takori to walk over. She whispered something into his ear and walked through. He stood there with his back to us. Walt and I walked behind him.

"Everything alright here?" Walt asked him. Takori nodded simply,

"Is there something you would like to tell us?" I asked, He shook his head no which was indication enough as to things were not ok but I know when Takori needs space and this is was enough to say 'ask me again or I will shove you off this roof'

We untied Freak, and tied our new and improved boat (Since Walt managed to disintegrated the original. We climbed into the boat as Freak began to hover. Like lightning he took off into the sky and slowly into the Duat. The temperature rapidly dropped to freezing and within minutes we were at the statue of the sphinx, however we were not alone.

Standing at the collapsed entrance was Blood Stained Blade with and army of about forty minions.

"Oh for the love of..." Walt murmured

"And when I thought my day wouldn't get any worse" Takori grumbled

As we approached the ground, demons with shotguns for heads (Yes, flipping shotguns but I don't know how but it just happened) began to point the heads at us, we heard a loud BANG. MY ears rung and I checked myself for the bullet. No wound but it might have been adrenaline. I looked behind me to see that Walt and Takori were fine. If they hadn't hit us then who...

Our decent became uneven as Freak began to plummet. They shot Freak, but...where. I had no time to think of such things considering that it would not matter where he had been shot if we all fell to our deaths.

"Brace yourselves!" I yelled of the howl of the wind

"Like we had a choice!" Walt yelled back

After what seemed like an eternity, we finally hit the ground. We all tumbled through the desert sand. My mouth felt dry and i began to taste blood. I slowly got up off the ground. Freak stumbled to get up but collapsed again. I ran over to go try to get him but a demon grabbed me by the neck.

"FREAK!" I screamed, I called his name over and over. Struggling to break from the demon's grasp. Freak turned in my direction and let out a mangled caw, with blood dripping from his beak.

"Carter, Carter, Carter... You should really detach yourself from such things. It is no more than a wild animal. A mere beast at that. but you wouldn't know. You cause suffering to everything you touch. Everyone in your family does. " came a familiar hum.

Standing next to me was Blood Stained Blade. He looked down upon me as though I were a child who had done something wrong.

"And on that note, I must say. It is good to be alive after that no good b-word of a girl you call friend blasted me.

I spit in his face, or what counted for his face. He leaned in close with his axe and began to cut a long gash across my cheek. I screamed in pain, Walt yelled out something inaudible due to the fact I shrieking my lungs out.

BSB stopped cutting and walked away. He muttered something to a demon and instantly they lined Walt and I up side by side. Takori was placed next to BSB.

"Lord Setne, wants the youngest alive and he wants these two killed" he directed the youngest one comment toward Takori

"What the H does your "Lord" want with me?"

"We have had our eye on you and Isabel for quite a while, you two were the key components to our plan. However in reality we only needed one of you. Of which is Isabel."

Takori's eyes widened with fear and anger.

"I swear to Ra if you lay so much as a finger on her I will shove my foot up your-"

"Enough of this, execute them so we may be on our way"

The Demons with shotguns aimed at me and Walt. Walt closed his eyes to what I thought he bracing for the bullet. Except the demon who was holding him turned to dust. No matter, BSB yelled the command. The blast went off but again the bullet never hit. I hoped they didn't hit Walt or Takori. I looked over to see they were fine but what also caught my attention was there was a cyan wall of hexagons protecting Walt and I.

Walt ran over and turned the demon binding to dust. With my free hand I threw my hepesh at the demon holding Takori. He reached into his bag and pulled out his staff and spoke a command

"Izuke!" A beam of light came from the staff and sliced the shotgun demons in half. The three of us regrouped and began taking down demons one by one, but there were too many. When I thought everything was over and now there was no more running, a beam of crimson light similar to Takori's blasted at least thirty or so demons. The stragglers including BSB ran through a portal of a liquid of what appeared to be blood.

"This is only the beginning Kanes! THE BEGINNING!" Blood Stained Blade yelled through the portal before it closed.

Standing behind us was Amos and two more magicians. He looked better than ever. His hair was salt and pepper style but still the same as before. His figure was no longer a barrel shape but now a slim, muscular man as though he had been working out. He gave us a grin.

"Carter, Walt. It was been much too long" He embraced us in a bear hug. He looked at Takori "And of course I can't forget my own son"

Takori's tone became dark "Gee, because you did for at least fifteen years, going on sixteen in three months. I bet you don't even care what you put mom through, what you put ME through. . !?"

"Dude calm down, this is not the time to let your emotions-" I was cut of by his sudden fury

"What do YOU know? You have everything you could possibly want! Do you know what it was like to be bullied all my life for being the smart one!? What it was like to be picked on for having been friends with a girl who had emotional breakdowns in class in elementary school!? None of you do!"

The desert remained quiet

"Takori, you are blowing this out of proportion" Walt tried to reason

"Shut up Walt" He shouted

"No, you need to stay level headed. Takori, your life is not bad, have you ever had a curse that slowly eats at your life until you die? Have you ever had to fight the very source of chaos? No, you have not. Look, you have had some trouble in the past, but sometimes you have to put those troubles aside for the greater good. No matter the costs"

Takori seemed to consider this, then his shoulders sagged. He nodded grimly.

"Fine..."

Amos cleared his throat.

"I believe it is time we all had a little chat about what is ahead"

...

The 1st Nome had changed a great deal since I was last there, it seemed more lively with magicians. People from different Nomes had been asked to stay here in order to prevent disaster from happening. Shops were scattered everywhere. Selling charms, scrolls, and even (which was very out of the ordinary) selling potato chips. I looked closer and they were labeled [WARNING: DO NOT TAKE IN HIGH DOSES, FOR MAGICAL USES DIRECTLY. OVERDOSES WILL RESULT IN MISCASTS, DEATH AND/ OR HAVING THE HEAD OF A DEMON]

It was slightly unsettling but at the same time I found it quite humorous. Amos and I had struck up a conversation about how they made architectural improvements as well to make room for the new members. Amos also asked me how things were in Brooklyn. I told him it was fine.

"That's what I like to hear" He said pleasingly

"Amos, the gods have returned as I already told you" He nodded "Has Set returned to you?"

"As a matter of fact, yes"

I took a deep breath and asked the next hard question

"Are you sure you can handle him?"

I half expected him to be a little angry at me for asking such a question, but he merely chuckled and said.

"Carter my dear nephew, have a bit more faith in your uncle"

I wasn't quite sure if those were Amos' words or Set's words. I pushed it aside. Amos was now to the most powerful magician in the world. Besides, I turned around and saw that Walt and Takori were no where to be found.

I scanned the room for them. I found Walt starring at the wall. On it, was a picture made of light with Anubis on it. I walked up to him and tapped him on the shoulder. He jumped, and became relaxed when he realized it was me.

"Oh, hey... did you need me for something?"

"No, are you alright?"

"Yeah, just thinking about how great it has been with Anubis taking care of the curse for me"

I smiled, I almost forgot how Walt was cursed because of his ancestors. I also remembered he was officially my sister's boyfriend. It was hard imagine a guy like Walt putting up with my sassy sister. (ok Sadie stop pinching me. I take it back)

"Hey Walt, have you seen Takori?"

"No, I have not have you checked.."

"I'm right here."

Standing right behind me was Takori, with some sort of deer mouse on his shoulder. However its fur was lined with royal blue lines like a circuit board.

"Where did you find that thing" Walt asked

"I bought it"

"For how much' I asked him carefully

"One U.S dollar"

"And what exactly is that?"

"A neon mouse, one of Toth's many animals"

"Why do you have it?

"Because it does this"

The animal formed a ball of light in its mouth. Then from that ball fired a beam at Walt that hit him in the arm. Walt just looked at his arm as there was a glowing blue stain on his shirt.

"You owe me a new shirt" he grumbled.

I AM SO SORRY! I have not been able to update for so long. Due to writers block and the transition from middle school to high school has been rough. However i might not have time to post another chapter for another week or so. Anyway again my sincerest apologies