by D.A. Dean
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Brown-green reeds and yellow-green undergrowth. Horus looked up at Nalia and Teo, close beside him, their eyes one dimensional, their emotions transparent. Why were they waving their hands around him? "Nali—uh," he said and coughed, spewing a mass of blood. He gazed a moment at its stain over the mud, the rise's shallow, trickling water diluting its bright red to a pale pink. "Am I here?"
Nalia swept her hand, shaking, across her forehead and released a breath. "Yes, Horus," she said, her soft gaze meeting his, "you're here with us."
"I don't hurt anymore."
Teo sat back and covered his face.
Nalia brushed her cheeks and smiled.
"I think—hey, what's wrong with my voice?" Horus asked.
Lifting her brows, eyes full of awe, Nalia answered, "It, along with your body, has changed."
Wind ruffled Horus' hair, a golden strand catching in his eyelashes. Golden? He grasped a handful and stared. He plucked and gazed at one of his eyelashes, now dark brown.
"You're mended."
"What color are my eyebrows?"
"Light brown. And you're now almost as tall as Teo."
"As tall as...?" How was it possible? Horus lifted onto his elbows, waited for the sensation of spinning to abate, sat bolt upright, and surveyed himself. The height of his shoulders nearly matched Teo's. He stretched his hands, larger now than Nalia's, and flexed his muscles. "Well, this will make training easier. I might even be able to catch and pin you," he said to Teo and grinned.
Unblinking, Teo gave a small, brief smile then turned to Nalia, who folded her hands in her lap and bowed her head.
Surely they didn't fear him. Horus ducked his head, catching first Nalia's gaze then Teo's. No, their confusion, amazement, hadn't caused them to rescind their love for him. He scooted nearer. "I saw a room filled with light. Mother was there. I thought I was dead. She said we were in the House of Ra. But how did I get there? Are you sure I'm not dreaming?"
From above, a falcon called. It dived and flew past.
Strange. Falcons rarely made their way over the island. Horus glanced at Nalia and Teo, who exchanged looks of surprise. Instinctively, he held out his arm.
The falcon circled back. Curving out its wings and splaying its tail, it slowed and with precision landed, seemingly carefully gripping its fierce talons over Horus' forearm and wrist.
Admiringly, Horus studied the falcon's streamlined form, its sharp, curved beak, its fine dark head. His gaze moved to the ivory sweeping around its keen eyes and down its cheeks, down its chin and throat, to its black-spotted ivory chest and upper legs. Holding level his arm, he twisted to view the falcon's long blue-grey tail, its muscular back.
Unhurriedly, the falcon stretched and folded and its pointed, ivory-tipped wings.
Horus regarded their feathers, wondering at their delicate strength. The falcon pivoted its head toward him. In its black eyes, he saw reflected his face.
"I am you as you are me," the falcon spoke without speaking. "It is time you awaken to who you are. When you are ready, we will soar together."
Horus' jaw slackened. How could a bird speak? Neither Nalia nor Teo gave any sign of having heard. How had he?
The falcon blinked, its eyes flashing blue. "Awaken." It spread its wings and lifted onto the air. "Awaken."
The word reverberated through him. Horus' questions faded. He folded his hands over his knees and was still. The ocean calmed. The clouds hung close. The wind hushed and rested at his side. He stood, transformed into a falcon, and ascended.
His mind held no thought. His ears strained to no destination or song. His tongue cried no surprise or purpose. His body held no fear or lack of fear.
Wind slipped under him, lifting him. Sun's fire warmed him. Moisture coalesced, cooling him. He felt earth smile, releasing him. He felt the opening of the heavens. He felt the release of matter. He felt nothing and everything, nowhere and everywhere. He was nothing and everything, nowhere and everywhere. He was wind, fire, water, earth. He was sky. The finite and the infinite merged within him.
Falcon dipped and swayed beside him. "Yes, Horus."
White egret and black heron flew near. Flocks flashing every color joined them. All were soaring. All were singing. He felt his mother's smile. He heard his father's cry of triumph. From far beyond, he heard Ra in his splendor proclaim, "The scion rouses."
He floated in wide circles above Nalia and Teo, his beloved ones.
They stood, arms entwined, and lifted their faces.
He lowered his wings in acknowledgement.
They sang out.
He answered with falcon's shrill call of greeting.
He dropped into falcon dive of searching. He lifted into falcon climb of victory. He soared, higher than egret. Higher than heron. Higher than falcon.
Falcon called, "Horus, it is good."
He met the clouds and thanked them for rain. They parted before him. He swept to the stars and thanked them for promise, and they shimmered. He flew to Ra. Ra urged him higher still. He went on, past the point of time, past the point of existence, the beginning of beginnings, touched the hands of the Void, his pulse timing to her tender heart.
He turned and saw the galaxy explode in a storm of light and color. He saw the Earth come together. He saw the moon slip into orbit. He felt the fire of Venus' song, Mercury's cool reserve. He lingered with Earth's Brother, met the Second Star and dipped his wings, spiraled with Saturn's rings, skimmed near Uranus' smooth pale grey. The winds of Neptune called his name, the Secret Lovers whispered mystery and waned. He continued on.
He saw a universe of light, felt its harmonic rhythm. And then he saw the darkness. He saw the beauty in it, felt the divine relationship, no light without darkness, no form without shadow, no balance without opposites.
There was something else, out of balance, dedicated not to potential but pain.
"Ah, come closer, Horus," the words, filled with hatred, emerged from the lair, deep within the darkness.
"You know me?" Horus asked warily.
"Better than you yet know yourself. For so long, I've waited for this moment. Oh, yes, I know you. I intend to possess you, and once I do, I'll never relinquish you. Nor will I relinquish those you hold dear."
"Possess me?" Cold seemed to encircle Horus, and he shuddered. "Who are you?" he demanded.
"Don't you know? I am the one who will destroy you."
"So, you're Seht."
"Hm, is that who I am?"
"Yes. You're not fooling me. And you aren't going to kill me—or anyone I love. I won't let you. You have power, yes, I feel it—"
"You feel only the merest hint."
Horus continued, "But what have you sacrificed to gain it? For I feel, too, an emptiness."
"Again, you're mistaken. I make no sacrifice. That's your role." He who spoke through the darkness moved closer.
Horus' wings quivered.
"Horus. Precious Horus. I hear your heartbeat. I know what you want. Come to me, and I'll let you share my world. Come to me and be my brother."
"I already have a bro—" Horus stopped.
"Teo. Yes. And a surrogate mother, Nalia."
"Leave them out of this."
"Or what? There's so much you don't understand. I'm trying to help you. What use are humans to a god? Ah...but you love them. And what do you think you understand of love? You exist inside a dream. This is reality. Come to me. I'll teach you, help you understand. Or go and await what I'll bring you and them."
Hands Horus couldn't see began caressing him.
"Your decision?"
Horus twisted, trying to shake off the hands. "You already know my answer."
The caressing changed to pulling.
Horus fixed his strength to hold position. "I won't give in to you, Seht, or whatever name you want to use."
"Oh, I have many names."
"Perhaps I'll allow your Nalia to meet me."
"You stay away from her," Horus shouted.
From the lair came a low moan. The strength of the hands' pulling increased.
Forcing down his fear and rage, Horus strained back.
The voice's tone became resonant, soothing, "There's no need for us to be enemies. Surrender to me, and I'll keep with you those you love."
"I don't believe you."
"Because you're too exhausted to understand. You've accomplished so much. You long to rest, and so you should. Come to me, and I'll hold you. I'll give you peace. I'll, hm, yes, I'll take you to your father. You'd like to join him, wouldn't you? I can facilitate your reunion. Come."
Horus felt himself drawing deeper into the darkness. Had the stories about Seht been wrong? Might he really be willing to let Horus live? Let Nalia and Teo live?
A spike of cold plunged through Horus' chest. Gasping, he tumbled, struggling, through the air.
"One way or another, dear Horus, I will have you. It's inevitable. It's...fate."
"You're wrong. Fate is," confused, Horus trailed off.
"What we make it? Or what you make it? You think you're the only one with the power to force others' destinies? Foolish child. Let me show you what can be."
"No! You'll have my sympathy—not my company!" Writhing, Horus broke free.
From the lair, there erupted a cacophony of screaming.
Horus tightened every sinew, and dove, down and down, through time, through space, back to his world of love and light. His world. Had he created it? He'd believed his dreams of dancing among the lights to be true. Was his life with Nalia and Teo also a dream?
He re-entered Earth's orbit and swept lower, scattering clouds. Sick with uncertainty, he scanned. Yes, there, the sea and far shore, the palms and marsh and sand. Where were Nalia and Teo? In the clearing awaiting his return.
No dream could be this layered. Could it? Horus landed hard by the fire ring, transformed, and fell forward, his loved ones rushing to him. He leapt up and pulled them tight against him. "Please," he begged, "promise me this is real."
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