Thanks for the kind reviews X-tremeFighter2000 and crazyferretgirl and to everyone who;s been reading, reviewing, and favouriting!
On a side note, the Duat mentioned in this chapter is sort of like the 'Underworld' of Egyptian belief. It is the land where the gods live, where all souls, etc. go after death and other supernatural things happen (and what happens there affects us, the living so yes, things can also exit out of the Duat); the Duat is located right below the earth.
Second Glyph: Off To See the Wizard
By the time that Sphinx could catch up with catch up with her, she was across where he knew a half-brute was.
Damn it.
He heard the half-brute cry before the place shook.
"Hyaa!"
Then a cry of pain.
"Bast!"
"Hurry, Sphinx! Or all the monsters will have gone!" she laughed, peeking from behind the pillars.
Sphinx's mouth gaped open, "Don't go anywhere! Stay!"
Bast looked reluctant while she crossed her arms.
Sphinx attempted to cross as fast as he could.
"You didn't tell me there would be Mummy Chihuahuas," she huffed without a scratch one her.
"Why?"
"Some dogs I cannot stand," she growled, "especially Chihuahuas."
"Oh," the demigod nodded, forgetting she was half cat.
Fierce.
Bast frowned at him and waited for him to take lead.
"I can't lose you," he said, his eyes and words serious.
"Are you truly worried about me?" she laughed.
Yes, he thought as he continued.
Bast followed his example with considerably more grace and fluency as they entered the next room.
It was of much different atmosphere. It was dark and illuminated only by braziers and torches.
More dangerous creatures resided here...
"Spikes!" Bast cried, arriving to them before Sphinx could notice.
One minute she was there studying a way to get through and the next she was gone.
Bast!
"Do not worry, Sphinx! I am not dead yet!" she cried with a little snicker, "C'mon!"
Once again she was kept waiting, but once Sphinx arrived she seemed ready (and maybe even eager) to be shown what's next.
"Hey! Watch out!" Sphinx cried, stabbing a creature right behind Bast.
She only saw shimmers as the creature's force returned to the Duat.
"Thank you," she said sheepishly.
How could she not have sensed that?
The demigod shook his head, "No problem."
"The Blade of Osiris!" Bast gasped, marveling at it.
He nodded, "Yes," looking at his most valuable possession.
"Where is your weapon?" he asked, curious now.
"I will show you!" Bast called, closing her eyes and reaching out a hand.
Sphinx, first thinking that it was invisible or something, the one who had seen more strange and amazing things, had never seen this.
Out of thin air materialized a metal rod. A staff.
"I had forgotten that Master Imhotep did not tell you I was apprenticing for magic."
That face, she smiled.
"We must use our weapons soon, is that not right, Sphinx?" she asked, looking at the gaps in the ground.
At least she knew the sign of a trap...
"Shall we proceed?" she asked, visualizing what was ahead.
He nodded, taking the all too familiar first steps.
Right on cue, the gates raised and locked. The only means of escape was to your death.
Two bursts from mid-air, or more technically the Duat, appeared, blasting two very fierce monsters to the field.
"This will be a great opportunity to show our skills!" Bast piped up cheerily, licking her lips and ready to strike.
"Indeed," Sphinx muttered.
"I will take the armadillo," Bast purred.
"Fine," Sphinx said as they rushed into battle...
The first few minutes were simple. Bast took out the electric armadillo with ease as did Sphinx with the Sharpbeak.
With a twenty-second breather, the next set emerged.
"I want to take the swordsman!" called Bast.
Good enough for Sphinx.
As he was slicing and stabbing, Bast was using magics of her own.
Not only did her staff serves as a useful weapon, both offense and defense; it conjured both types of spells too. She sent offensive blasts that were summoned by muttered words.
With one final blast, the enemies were defeated.
"Any more?"
Bast panted a little.
"Four more."
"Perhaps we should handle them together," the feline suggested.
"Good idea," agreed the demigod with a nod and they accordingly stood back-to-back, ready to take on what faced them.
One set down, one to go...
"Jump!" Sphinx cried, having taken the half-brute.
Bast jumped while she sent a shot to the skull swordsman.
Having taken the final blows, their trial was done and the gate receded.
"It gets easier, correct?" Bast asked.
"Thankfully, yes."
The pair emerged back out, exhausted.
"May we go back now?" Bast asked, hoping they could.
"Yep," nodded Sphinx.
"Oh, thank the gods."
"Ah! You have returned safely!" Imhotep greeted happily.
"Of course, Master," they grinned, looking at each other as they exchanged secrets.
"Well done!" the master congratulated, "I hope you have grown more trusting?" he asked, eyeing Bast.
"Yes, Master," she purred eagerly.
"Well, you two need some well deserved rest. Tomorrow is a new day!" Imhotep nodded and released them
They obeyed and began to leave until the master called for Sphinx to speak to him quickly.
"Yes, Master?"
Imhotep looked to see if Bast had left.
She had gone.
"So, Sphinx," he began, "How was your day out with Bast?"
His apprentice did not find anything strange about the question.
"Good. Bast ran off but she learns fast," the young man smiled.
"Did she follow your orders?"
"Well enough. We worked together to defeat monsters. You never told me she used magic like you."
"Yes. I am sorry. She is a strong magic user, thankfully she wasn't pulled into...previous events because of that."
The demigod nodded.
"Watch her carefully, Sphinx. We cannot risk losing her like we did-"
Imhotep stopped, remembering his apprentice he lost to the side of chaos.
"Yes," Sphinx answered, knowing about what little of Horus he called friend and remembering how much that pained the master.
"Besides, I think she can teach you a thing or two," he chuckled on a lighter note, "You are dismissed."
And Sphinx left quietly.
Once both apprentices were gone, Imhotep sighed.
"Horus..."
Imhotep still cared for the youngling and summoned an image of what he was doing at the moment.
Ever since the day Set was defeated, he had not seen the demi-falcon.
In the shimmering light, he could make out Horus, dirty and ragged, stealing through the night with torches after him.
"He's turned to petty thievery," muttered Imhotep, feeling so much guilt wrench in his heart.
From what he could see, the boy was also in Abydos, a bundle in his hands.
The citizens were pulling closer and when he was stopped at a ledge... he jumped, diving into the cold waters and hiding behind an idle boat.
Imhotep could hear the shouts to return.
As the city went back, Horus made his move to the small, unknown doorway at the bottom and slipped inside.
And that's all Imhotep saw of him.