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Fifth Glyph: Back Again
They ran until they reached a familiar ledge.
"Down here," Sphinx said, pointing to an unseen dock with a door.
He climbed down and waited for her to do the same.
Bast huffed a little, but gathered her dress and slipped down.
"I do not think I have ever been down here before."
Sphinx opened the door for them and it was dark, but surprisingly had some lit torches.
They came upon a gate first.
Pots, a ledge and a pool remained inside.
"I think we should see what is inside," Bast muttered, pushing open the gate.
Sphinx watched and followed her in.
While he got scarabs, Bast stared into the water and spotted something.
Bast dove without another thought.
There was a bag at the bottom.
"Bast!" Sphinx cried, only a muffled sound beneath, and obviously she ignored him.
She grasped the bag and came back up.
Sphinx's arms grasped hers and she was brought up, focused on opening the bag.
"How is this bag dry?" Sphinx asked, feeling the cloth of the bag.
"It is a simple spell. It repels water of course. Whomever threw it down there was certainly going to come back for it later since it is only a temporary spell."
Sphinx understood and knelt by her and watched as she revealed the contents:
Some wrapped pieces of food,
An empty, cracked cup,
A few scarabs, too worthless for anything,
And a scroll.
They seized it and opened it.
"Curses!" Sphinx hissed, looking at the scroll that was only a map of Heliopolis and small glyphs that neither knew what to make of it. They appeared to be notes.
"Perhaps it is pointing us in the right direction, Sphinx. I think we should go back to Master," Bast suggested, squinting at the scribbles.
Sphinx made the decision to go quickly, hoping whoever put that there wasn't coming back soon. He grabbed Bast as she only took the scroll and rounded the corner to offer to the gods.
"Simply this?" asked Imhotep, inspecting the contents of the scroll.
"Yes, but I think those little notes are there for a reason. What would H- he, well they, need here in Heliopolis? There is almost nothing."
Imhotep made a face and turned, trying to get better light to read the small scribbles, "I need you two to take this to the Temple of Anubis, it seems too cryptic, even for me," the old man nodded, giving it to Bast, "Ask him what it means, perhaps he can tell you more."
"Yes, Master," they obeyed.
"Take the portal, it will be much faster," Imhotep instructed. The boy and the cat offered up the portal's amulet and were taken.
"Anubis!" called Sphinx.
Bast had never heard someone call out a god so…informally.
The jackal-headed god appeared in sparks of light and looked down at them for a few mere seconds until, in a blink, he appeared in a solid, more "human"-sized form.
"Ah! Sphinx! My friend, how are you?" he asked, grasping hands with the young hero.
Bast's grip tightened on the scroll, her ears flattened out and her tail rigid and she stood her ground.
"And who is this?" Anubis asked, walking up to the girl.
Sphinx, came to her side and watched the god carefully.
"I am Bast," she almost seethed, "Bast of Abydos."
The god nodded and eyed them.
"I don't think Sphinx is here to simply introduce his girl-"
"I am not his so-called 'girlfriend'," Bast interrupted in a feisty manner.
Anubis turned around, "So you're free?"
He gave a mischievous smile that Sphinx tried not to hate.
"Yes, but if you mean to court me, then no," she replied. If Imhotep knew she spoke to a god this way, especially one that would aid them, he would be furious.
"Aw, why not?"
"I do not intend to play your games, god," she stated plainly. Sphinx reached to cover her mouth before they got into too much trouble, but Anubis made a move before he could.
You'll kill us!
Instead of facing the wrath found in the temperamental gods, Anubis gave them a curled smile and a laugh.
"I wonder where you found her," Anubis said towards Sphinx, "Now what do I owe the utmost pleasure?" he winked towards Bast.
"We need-" Sphinx started.
"We need you to look at these notes on this scroll. Even Master didn't know what they said," Bast mustered, and handed the jackal the scroll.
Anubis made sure to brush her hand and opened it to read.
He muttered some things and turned to the pair, "You, Bast, are you aware of the tales of Apep?"
"Of course, many of the gods defended against him."
"It seems," he said, "that whoever wrote these notes intends to summon him."
"Summon?" Bast demanded, "Who in their right mind would wish to summon him?"
"I do not know, but these," he showed the notes to the pair, "appear to be suggesting the places where the seals are put and names of items that are required to activate them. They're put in ancient runes that perhaps only the oldest of scholars would know."
"But Master is one of them!" Bast argued.
"Perhaps to you, demi-cat, but there are other creatures with the knowledge. Perhaps like the Gebs."
"But they have gone into hiding!"
"Female, do you not know whom is your name sake?"
"Of course! Bast! Or Bastet! Goddess!"
"With the All Seeing Eye," Anubis answered, "I'm sure you will be able to find them."
Bast frowned.
"At least tell us what it all says."
"I think it would be best if I didn't. But I will tell you this," he came close to them, "Pay attention to the details of your adventure, it may mean the difference between the life or destruction of this world."
They looked deeply into the god's eyes as they flashed with mischief.
Anubis shimmered and disappeared.
Bast and Sphinx looked at each other, "Are you okay?" he asked.
"Of course," she replied, "But I am sure we would not have been killed anyway," and they made their way to leave.