{Mountainous Region of Nubia, Ancient Egypt}
Fulm Rise, the sandy marble mountains of Nubia lay before me its shadow stretched far behind, but in all truth the only thing I could think about was how thirsty I was. The mountains were breathtaking of course, easily the largest structure I've ever seen, and the white marble was accented with veins of gold exposed to the sun and shimmering with a playful light. I stood at the bottom a dark gravel path that lead up the side of the mountain and wrapped around until disappearing from view.
"Back to the matter at hand however." I mumbled to myself as I trekked to the nearby gurgling stream and knelt down on the bank. The water was quick, and as it moved swiftly passed it made a sound as if whispering to me urging to lean closer. As I did so a face formed in the current, if only for a second before it disappeared, but long enough so that I imprinted it in my mind. It was the face of a woman, beautiful with a proud face, one of queens, but also playful and teasing. For some reason the face resonated within me, and a feeling of nostalgia washed over me, but I pushed it away simply taking it as a sign of good fortune.
I reached into the bag and pulled out a water pouch with a reed topper attached with a leather strap, and plunged it into the water filling it up and touching to cool water relaxing my senses temporarily erasing the heat. Then as soon as it had come it was gone and the scorching sun washed back over me. After splashing some water in my face I started my journey up the path.
At the base of the mountain there were little signs of life stemming most likely from the stream, little desert novas sprouted in clumps here and there, their blood red petals a stark contrast to the pale sand and white marble of the mountain. Little sparks seem to fly off the magical flowers, and when I leaned down for a closer look they actually radiated their own heat. I knew I had too grab a sample for Jade and scooped up one of the smaller pants and put it in the side compartment on my pack. Now the hard part was going to remember that it was there and not completely forget about it.
The trek up the mountain path was smooth going for the first bit, but the higher I climbed the more dangerous it became. The once wide and sturdy path started to shrink in size and I had to pay attention to where I was placing my feet lest I lose balance and tumble off the side. The path wrapped around the edge of the mountain so soon I was on the opposite side then I had started and my view of the city was blocked. The air also noticeably started to get thinner leaving me lightheaded and gasping for breathe every few steps.
Soon it got to the point when I simply had to stop and take a break so I sat down on the path dangling my feet over the ledge. Heights had never really been a problem for me, as when I was younger I had always dreamed of flying above the land and oft times Hemetre would have to coax me down from the roof of the First Nome.
Looking down, I saw all of the Egyptian landscape laid out before me, desert stretching for ever and ever, broken up only by the River Nile and I saw the Delta which split the water into several offshoots. The sun was falling ever closer to the sand dunned dotted horizon and the shadows were growing longer as the land itself seem to shift.
A sudden sound to my left made me jump and I scrambled back from the edge trying to identify where the noise had come from. The underbrush shook and I heard the noise again, a soft bleating of an animal in pain. I made my way towards the bush and saw a trail of dark red spots coming from the opposite direction and ending in a thick patch of grasses. Pushing it to the side I saw a goat laying there with an ugly deep gouge of the creatures stomach. It cried weakly when it saw me with its wild eyes and attempted to move only causing more pain.
"Shh, its okay, its okay." I petted the animals back trying to comfort it in its last moments, which I knew they were from the amount of blood pooling up. It seemed to relax slightly and laid its head on the ground its eyes fluttering and breathe growing ever more shallow. I sat with the poor goat until the sun had sunk and the only light was from the illuminations of the desert novas surrounding the clearing. I had rolled up my sleeves to avoid from getting stained, but it was useless as my hands and arms were soon covered from my attempts to make the goat more comfortable by placing it on its side.
The poor animals strength had been all but exhausted and it raised its head one last time to look me in the eyes and nodded as if in respect. Then laying its neck on my lap it took one last shuddering breathe and lay still. I sat there for a while contemplating what to do, knowing that I didn't simply want to leave it lying there for vultures to prey upon. Before I made a decision however the goat started to dissolve into a golden dust and blew into a sudden breeze that had kicked up.
I stood from the spot and saw that the blood had seeped into the earth leaving the spot clean of any incident other than the impression left in the grasses and the blood on my tunic. I knew of course that the leopard had done this and started back on the trail having new found energy to avenge the innocent goat. I stopped to summon my staff from the Duat and pulled my wand from my bag realizing that I must be getting close to the beast's lair.
Odds are I would've have missed the opening and kept climbing all the way to the summit had it not been for the smell of decay and death. There was a low crevice in the side of the mountain expanding out into a full tunnel stark of any lift.
"Tahen" I muttered and the tip of my staff shone with a blue-ish tinted light illuminating the burrow. The passage had a strangely high ceiling despite the low entrance and the roof was dotted with stalactites with razor sharp points. I walked forward following the trail of remnants of the beasts previous meals and prizes, taking several turns until the point where I'd become almost completely disoriented.
I thought about retracing my steps back to the entrance and planning out more of a decisive route when I tripped and stumbled into an underground room littered with bones. As I landed I snapped a couple causing enough noise that I knew that I had just basically sent out a signal for any hungry monsters to come have a free meal. Quickly realizing how noticeable it was I extinguished the light from the staff and struggled to stand while making as little noise as possible.
I backed myself into a wall and tried to make myself as small as possible as I heard a low growl come closer and closer. A hole in the ceiling exposed the cavern to the moonlight and its in this that I saw the beast for the first time, and I knew in that moment I would have nightmares of it for several years.
The leopard was a hulking mass of muscle and it rippled through it's coat of obsidian black spots with every step. It's paws were the size of dinner plates, but landed softly never even cracking a single bone as it stalked it's prey silently. It extended claws of black steel, and opened its mouth to reveal fangs of ivory that were so large they rested outside of the monsters mouth. It's powerful tail waved in anticipation of it's next meal and brushed across the ground.
I made the mistake of breathing because as soon as I did, the beast's head snapped towards me and I nearly froze in terror. The moonshine caught the beast's eyes just right and illuminated them to the point where they looked like blood red gems plucked from hell itself. It took one more step towards me and then lowered itself to the ground in preparation to pounce.
I knew if I let this beast get close to me it would turn me into a pile of shredded meat with those claws. I used the only advantage I had on my side in the form of surprise, and unleashed a sudden blinding light from my staff causing the leopard to stumble back and hiss in anger. It blindly lashed out in anger and caught the tip of my staff shattering the wood in my hand reducing the once beautiful tool of magic into a pile of splinters. I took the moment of distraction and bolted in the opposite direction running into a tunnel different from the one I had come in.
I instantly knew I had made a huge mistake after tripping once more and tumbling down a slope until I rested in a crossway between two tunnels. I was left without a weapon and had no clue which path would take me back to the entrance where perhaps I could use the bigger space to get the jump on the beast. The left one was full of grass and vines hanging on the walls and in the far distance I could see a source of light looking very inviting. On the other hand the right was full of jagged rocks and two spears were jabbed into the ground forming and X over the entrance. I started to rise off the ground and prepared to go through the path on the left, when a shimmering apparition appeared before me.
How to describe him, he was a normal man with tanned skin and he had a big chest. He was wearing what looked like a white bed sheet tied in a way that it covered only half his chest and his legs. Between his hands he juggled a single golden key, it caught the little moonlight that shinned through the roof and gleamed. Then I looked slightly higher and saw his face, or should I say faces. He had two of them sticking horizontally out of his head. The face to the left was bearded and weathered as if he had lived a million life times, but his eyes radiated untold wisdom. The face of the right was young, proud and quite honestly looked similar to a general in the army.
When he, or rather they talked, it sounded like it was only coming in one of my ears, left for the left face and right for the right.
"Perceus Jackson, I've heard of this one." The left face said.
"Oh yes, so have I, 'A boy with limitless potential and the savior' blah blah blah, youth doesn't even look like he can hold a sword." The right face answered.
"You know as well as I do that physical strength is often conquered by that of wisdom." Left face replied.
Um, if I may ask who are you?" I interrupted and for the first time both faces focused completely on me.
"You Egyptians and your lack of knowledge, only concerned with your little bubble." The right far almost sneered.
"Now, now the boy isn't fully Egyptian so ease up, my boy we are your best friend." Left face consoled.
"Your worst enemy"
"Your true goal"
"Your greatest failure."
"I'm Janus," both gods said in harmony, "God of Doorways. Beginnings. Endings. Choices."
"And I'd love to stay and enlighten you, but the monster currently stalking you doesn't seem apt to wait so I'll have to ask you to hurry." There was a flash of lift and in his hands appeared two new items. In his left a simple crook, one used by the sheep herders it's wood a dark shade of brown and clearly worn with use. In his right he held a beautifully crafted spear. It was a stunning polished white wood, but bronze bands wrapped around it in an infinity loop. The tip was a golden metal that almost buzzed with power and gave off its own light. On the other end was a pommel adorned with a blue gem looking strikingly like the sapphire I had lost what felt like moments ago.
"I offer you the chance of a normal life Perseus, one to live out your days in a simple lifestyle. You will face no challenges and live in tranquility, you can escape this beast and return to your home free from your burdens. But your life will have no impact on the world, and your destiny will end much before it even starts. The course of the universe will be forever shifted and because of it great disaster." The left face offered, but in his voice I heard pity.
"An interesting weapon, it blends your ancestry quite nicely, but its amazing it can even exist due to the polar opposites infused in it. Nevertheless, in this hand I offer you the chance of legends to be famed among the ages and too be the key piece in the destiny of the world. However, with great power comes great responsibility and a great price. For every victory you accomplish you will face a tragedy just as great, you will not find rest in this life, but without your sacrifice nothing will ever be the same, and it is through it that your ancestry shall be preserved." The right face said, but even he sounded remorseful as if he was handing me my doom.
I was tempted to take the choice the left offered, I mean I was only a boy, how much could be expected of me. I wanted to live in simplicity, I didn't want tragedy, but even as I considered it I knew I couldn't. Perhaps it was an act of stupid bravado or a deeper sense of moral conclusion, but I grabbed the spear from the right hand and felt a sudden surge of power rush through me. A red aura surrounded me and glowed brighter until I was surrounded and then with a flash it was gone. However, it left several remaining effects, my body had matured in the matter of seconds. I knew I was suddenly much taller than previously, simply by sizing myself up to Janus, who I no longer had to look up at. My previously none existent muscles had developed hundred fold in the form of real definition and my chest was more pronounced.
"The aura of the War God.. You are quite special Perseus, but I must bid you farewell and good luck." Janus said as one and disappeared by turning his key, which had reappeared, in the air and vanishing.
The tunnel to the left collapsed with a massive roar leaving only a pile of rubble and the wing to the right. I knew the leopard must have heard it and took off in a dead sprint down the tunnel. I dodged in between the jagged spikes with a new sense of agility and started to pick up speed as the ground evened out. Despite my newfound energy though, I still heard the beast closing in on me hissing in furiousness every time it barreled through the spikes crushing the rock as if paper.
After running for several minutes I saw a source of light ahead and bolted towards it jumping over a small pit that went on for forever. I got closer and closer squinting as my eyes adjusted to the light, and because of this I nearly ran right off of the platform jutting out of the side of the mountain. The edge went straight to a pool of water hundreds of feet below that had been formed by the stream. I whipped around to retreat back into the tunnel and find a safer way down when my breathe caught in my throat.
The leopard had finally found me, and it was much much larger than I had previously thought and even with my new growth it still dwarfed me. It was about two-thirds the size of the rhino that had terrified me before, and it didn't have claws and fangs sharp enough to shred me by just looking at them. The monster licked its teeth and prowled towards me watching me hungrily with its demon eyes. It had cut the distance in half by the time I recovered enough to brandish the spear in front of me and to my surprise it hissed in response and recoiled as if stung.
"That's right you over sized kitten, I've got a new toy to replace the one you so rudely destroyed." I attempted to taunt, but my words fell flat as soon as I had said them and the beast soon regained its posture and extend it's claws even further than before. It took another step forward when a falcon swooped in out of nowhere and raked at one of the monsters eyes making the one bright red spotlight go dark. It then flapped over and landed on the lip of the cave entrance, happy to sit and watch the battle now that it had evened the scales.
I knew that I had to take advantage of the temporary distraction the falcon had caused and capitalize on the leopard's confusion. I went on the offense and lunged at the beast with my spear, but it simply knocked me to the ground with an off handed swing with one of its paws. I felt hot pain run up chest as I looked down and saw the quickly darkening tunic soaked with my blood. Rather than get nauseous the sight of my own blood, it caused my blood to boil with rage and I pressed forward with a new sense of urgency.
I jabbed at the beast glancing its side and drawing blood, then rolled under a swipe that would've took my head off. I swept out it's other leg with the back of my staff causing it to stumble forward loosing its balance. I thrusted the spear tip at it's head and only managed to knick it's ear. My breathes were becoming shallower and knew that I was loosing blood fast, and if I didn't finish this up soon I would die on this mountain.
In one last fit of stupidity I threw my wand off my back at the beasts smacking it square in between the eyes. I walked backwards and snared my foot in an over grown root ending up on my back. It roared with a furious growl, tensed and then pounced with its fangs aimed directly at my throat. Time seemed to slow down, as if moving through molasses and I knew exactly what to do as I grabbed the spear and with one final push of energy jabbed it into the beast's maw piercing through and stabbing into the brain.
The beast let out one more great shudder before it grew still and crumpled to dust as the goat had done before. Soon the only remnant left was the skin of the leopard, now shrunk that would fit perfectly as a cape. But my glorious moment was soon cut short as I realized the full extent of damage the beast had down. I had three jagged claw marks running from my chest to hip, and they were bleeding none stop.
"That stupid leopard tore up my new body before I could even enjoy the look on Jade's face, damn it." I swore to no one in particular, but then as in response the falcon from before flew over and landed on the ground next to me, and unless my eyes were playing tricks on me, it shifted into a man dressed in the pharaohs garb with brilliant bright blue gleaming eyes. And then in a second it all clicked together.
"Lord Horus, an honor." I said weakly as I attempted to raise my arm to my breast in a salute, but my body was still going through shock.
"Hush son, I'm hear to help." And with that he scooped me up along with my spear and wrapped the leopard cloak around my waist. He walked to the edge of the platform and looked down at the water below and then looked at me, "I'm sorry, but this is the only way to save you. I hope you'll forgive me in future."
Before I could ask what he meant, Horus put the spear in my hands and dropped me, and I tumbled through the air. Needless to say, I was scared out of my wits, but I was so dazed I didn't even struggle as I watched Horus flash in a golden light and disappear, and I had just managed to look down to see my fast encroaching doom as I smacked into the water. Just as I did, I felt the familiar touch of unconsciousness rush to meet me and my vision faded to black as I sank to the bottom.
A/N: Hey guys I thought it high time to post once again and I must say I'm pretty proud with how this story is shaping up, but perhaps its too soon to say. Regardless, without your guys support none of this would be possible so I'd love to give back in the form of interacting with you guys. Currently I have two pressing matters, one being that I'm looking for a new Beta, one to keep me on schedule and also to catch those pesky spelling mistakes (alongside story inconsistencies, oops I'm not perfect) that always slip through. So if you're interested send me a PM.
Another thing is I'm opening up to suggestions for a name for Percy's new spear. So comment possible ideas and I'll review them and you could be the lucky winner.
So until next times, may your swords stay as sharp as your wit.