-Jason Grace-

Problem number one, Theo is clearly part Egyptian magician. The hieroglyphs blocking us from bombarding the house makes certain we know as much. It's worse when we can hear screaming beyond the door being answered by what I assume is Theo responding back to them. Whoever he has trapped with him would likely not rank him as a very good host, I'm sure.

Percy tried to warn me against it, but I still attempted blasting the door with electricity to only watch the magic seemed to bounce it off. Thankfully only having affected the porch area that I had already made certain was clear. "We need a different approach then," Hazel voices.

Percy paces a bit, eyeing the gold lettering that was now fading after my attack on it earlier. Another scream, quickly dying into crying. I still can't make out what Theo is saying, but he sounds annoyed at this point. We need to break in now.

"We can try another window with a rock again," Percy offers. "Though not entirely sure he wouldn't have considered that at this point."

"Dismiss that," a voice behind us speaks up.

I take a moment to process the grouping of Egyptians that approached us. The one looking like he's auditioning to be the Blue Man Group's security guard having waved for everyone else to stay back while he marches up the steps of the porch. Brings his curved sword to the door to find the same golden symbol on the door. It seemed as if he was studying it some.

Sadie, the chaotic Egyptian I have gotten to know during the attack on Olympus, is the one to respond. Speaks, sending a red hieroglyph at the door that quickly disintegrates the magical block put on the door. The one at the door stops to stare at her for it, which is responded by her shyly moving her staff behind her back. She must have upgraded her staff; I remember it being wooden before. She's giving a nervous laugh to the glare that is still on her.

But the scream that sounds stops him from saying anything about what had just happened. Followed by an explosion that seemed to have happened along the side of the house, rattling it some from the impact. Someone else trying to break in? I'm alert until I spot the Chief Architect approaching us from that direction. "He should be distracted," she directs towards Julius.

That's all he needed, taking his foot to the door with enough force to break it from the hinges, falling inside the building. Percy follows after him, I'm close behind as the others appear to want to pour into the house now that it's been breached.

I froze to the sight we are met with. Kane had dropped to his knees in the fresh pool of blood on the floor, keeping his tone calm as he pulls cloth out of the air seemingly. The dried pool of blood is back, recalling the dead animal that is still missing. I look up to find the threats are back, painted on the walls in the donkey's blood.

Carter lets out a pained breath to the pressure applied to a very gruesome wound to his left shoulder. "Don't talk, just relax," his father instructs him, quickly wrapping the injury up.

Carter's gaze seems like he is on the verge of passing out. And despite being told otherwise, he tries to talk anyway while trying to keep his eyes on the man bandaging him up. "I… didn't tell…"

I lift my gaze from them once I noticed what he said was enough to make the man pause mid-wrapping. Percy had just checked the hall to the left with Hazel, shaking his head to inform Theo isn't there. He must have gone to investigate the explosion to the other side of the house like the Russian intended. And she had decided to block the door that was torn down with whatever rock she had just pulled out of the yard, the porch creaking in complaint to the weight of it but holding.

"We wouldn't have judged you if you did," My eyes are back on them, seeing Sadie has now kneeled beside him, also not caring about the blood pool they are in. Julius ties up the linen, earning a sharp hiss from his son. "You don't know everything on purpose, alright? And, I'm sorry."

"Julius Kane," Theo calls from the doorway to the kitchen, where I suspected he would appear from. "I was wondering when I'd finally land on someone with some answers to my questions."

He's leaning against the doorway, Egyptian sword in hand. Smirking down at the Kanes tending to their Pharaoh he had clearly victimized. Didn't stop Julius at all, however, finding bandaging his son's hand more worthy of his time rather than face the man addressing him. The rest of us, however, are readying for a fight with the man casually acting as if we are not threats to him.

"Your brother spoke fondly of you too. Not as much as your son, of course. But then again, he also viewed Iskandar highly, so his judgement seems a bit warped in my opinion."

He seemed to have his attention at that, stopping for a second before tightening the linen on Carter's hand while taking a deep breath. "Sadie," he speaks calmly without facing his daughter. "Take your brother home. Call Maria, she'll help."

"Retreating?" Theo seems offended by the idea of it, eyeing the two Egyptian magician women seeming to be eyeing him for advantages if they launched on him. "He mentioned you were trained as a weapon of the Per Ankh." He talks as if he had longer than two days to socialize with the General of Armies. "Do I scare you?" He asks, peering back down at Julius.

"Mel said he was giving you too much information," the more tense woman speaks now, her grip on her sword tightening.

He faces her with an evil grin on his face. "Your General's brain was easy to pick at. I've known peasants with stronger walls."

I haven't gotten to know Amos well. But the insult pissed me off as well. His arrogant speaking down on us enough that I want to electrocute him where he stands. And yet the man Theo is addressing seems to be more coolly collected than the rest of us, facing his daughter instead. "Go. Please."

"Yes, the adults are talking now," Theo continues to taunt. "Are you intending to fight me then? I could use a proper combat magician for once."

Sadie seems like she is about to protest the matter to her father, but suddenly sinks through the floor, Carter going with. Julius clears his throat, as if that's a normal occurrence to him. "Death angrily wins the war." He sounds like he is reciting something he is recalling. "I know Iskandar's apprentice. I was charged with protecting him. I know what you are looking for, and I'm here to tell you it's gone." Julius stands from the pool of his son's blood he had been kneeling in, gripping his khopesh tightly as he finally meets Theo's gaze.

The rest of us are more ready for a fight now that Carter has been removed from the situation. Julius seems to be emitting an aura to him that seems to fuel confidence in all of us. Theo laughs in response, taking us all in as he finally straightens his posture now. "Finally, someone willing to talk! Now, where are they?"

"Aaru," Julius answers. The silence that follows is what ends up making him laugh this time. "Where I continue to protect him. So either way, your only access to him is through me."

Theo sighs, seeming disappointed in that answer to his question. "Must it be this way then?"

"You ripped the Per Ankh's shield out of their hand. Not exactly smart when so many weapons have been waiting for any reason to strike back."

The Egyptian god of Chaos appears from behind Theo, of course, choosing to be in the form of his former host. Khopesh swung towards his left shoulder, but Theo had realized the attempt at a surprise attack, swiftly backing off from the furious deity to parry the next strike.

-Sadie Kane-

The house dissolved, and I promptly found myself sitting on the familiar reed boat. Carter having came with, groaning to the shock of landing on the boat it seems. "Should we pull Kyra too?" Caroline suddenly asks from ahead of me.

I look ahead to see Uncle Amos seeming to be observing above us. "No, Julius seems fine with her around for now." He answers her calmly, lowering his gaze to meet mine. "Apologies for the surprise, but I fear you forgot you happen to own a boat now."

"Eh, I wouldn't allow that," Set chimes in. "I'm still trying to get your coat to warm up to me after all."

Uncle immediately crosses his arms over his chest as if it's preventing him from losing it on anyone. "Maria is in Peru, scry her. She'll make the travel to New York for this," Amos gestures towards Carter, who seems to be struggling to take in anything happening around him.

"Oh, and ask her about her book," Aunt Caroline pipes in as if she almost forgot. "It's tradition."

"Why are you here?" I can finally ask, eyes still locked on my uncle. "You should be in Aaru."

"Yes, just how your dad should be holding his post as Lord of the Afterlife?" Amos' words hold enough anger in them to make me realize that's the real reason they ventured out here.

"The break is kind of nice," I pause as Dad responds, but his facial features are softer than what I had seen above the Duat earlier. This must be Osiris instead. "Besides, as he had told Ruby, he needed this."

He pinches the bridge of his nose at this. Caroline instead moves him off the boat. Set speaks in what I assume was French, the animated coat seeming to take instruction and speed the boat off. I stand, wanting to protest, but the speed of the boat is much faster than I could form words. Not soon after, the mansion's roof is in front of me instead.

That's not fair, I say with intention towards Set.

Hmm, perhaps, he responds. However, as I said, I operate with all due respect to the former host.

Thank you, Isis surprisingly says in response.

"Was…" Carter gains my attention again, a tear tracing his face.

I realize quickly that Amos having pulled us out of the situation in that house had been the final confirmation to my older brother. There was no hope left that our uncle was alive now. And despite what he had just been through, it was the added cherry on top.

"Carter, I-" I'm interrupted by the door slamming open.

Jaz is quick to call out instructions, Khufu keeping the door wide open as Walt and Julian go to pick Carter up from the boat to carry to the infirmary. I take a moment to watch them disappear from the roof, Khufu belching at me to hurry up. I unboard the boat, the animated coat again tapping me as a reminder to grab them, watching the boat disappear as I hesitate to drape the jacket on my arm. I sigh and put the hat on my head, turning on my heels to follow after them.

They managed to situate him in the infirmary, the entirety of Brooklyn House stirred up to the commotion going on. I take the time to slip away and scry this Maria person that Dad and Uncle seemed to insist I ask for help from. This woman's eyes seemed to light up some upon taking me in. I realize I'm still wearing the hat and quickly set the animated driver on the foot of my bed.

"Sorry, I-"

"You must be the infamous Sadie Kane I've been hearing so much about," she starts. "No need to apologize to me, you've done nothing ill towards me. Now, can I be of assistance?"

"Dad and Uncle suggested I call you. My brother is seriously injured. We just came back from San Fransisco."

She is taken back for a second before nodding. "Are you in New York now?" I nod, she speaks in what I'm assuming is Spanish before dismissing the scrying.

I take a moment to process the silence and darkness around me. The blood on my clothes, and then everything finally hits all at once. I wipe the tears off my face, talk myself up before making my way to the infirmary again.

Maria is fast and brought a few other magicians with her through the portal. A woman in her forties I assume calls me away from following Maria into the infirmary just yet. She bows to my eyes on her now.

"Animal Charmer Yessica Diaz, I have just been promoted to Nome Leader of Peru. Maria explained you've just come from the battlefield that is the Sixtieth Nome. I wish to provide my services to protect the Twenty-First."

"What happened to Palacios?" I ask, cautious as this is now the second newly promoted Nome Leader I'm facing this week. And the last one was from Vika stomping out an assassination attempt.

She noticed my nervousness about the question. "A mutiny of sorts. I would like to explain the situation thoroughly once Pharaoh is in good health enough for it."

Well, they don't seem aggressive for now. So, I allow them to take over our defenses of the mansion, but note to keep an eye on all of them to make sure there's nothing fishy going on.