The Ways of Eternity

by D.A. Dean

Chapter 9: The Way of The Flame

  Deeply submerged within the lake's basin, something cold flitted across Horus' chest then tangled around his ankle. Decaying reed? He kicked, but its hold tightened, cutting into his flesh. Blindly, he reached to loose what held him but could find nothing.

  "Hello, Horus. Fancy meeting you again so soon."

  "No," Horus said aloud, unable to suppress his dismay.

  The voice answered, "Really, what kind of greeting is 'no'? Especially after all the trouble I've taken to follow you to your little island."

  "Let me go. Follow me into sunlight. I'll give you greeting then."

  "Oh, I'm satisfied with where I am. With where you are. I'll forgo the salutation. Though your lack of welcoming acknowledgement shows a lapse in courtesy, I can forgive the omission. You were abandoned to humans, after all. Yes, you've been forced to live among them with no one else to guide you. It's no wonder they've had an effect."

  "I won't be pulled in by by your...what effect?" Fish mouths probed Horus' bleeding leg, and he shivered.

  "It follows you wouldn't learn civility from humans since they've never been able to learn it themselves."

  Incensed, Horus kicked harder. "They're not uncivilized. They're—mm. Who are you to judge them?"

  There came a purr. "Have I upset you?"

  Cold, intensifying, pressed against Horus' side. He focused on the softness of the water and forced his emotions to smooth. "Let me go," he calmly repeated.

  "But you didn't say what they are, these humans. Don't you wish to illuminate me?" As if finding malicious pleasure in its joke, the being chuckled. "I'll give you a moment to gather your thoughts. I realize you haven't had much training in that area."

  Horus frowned. "I don't have time for this."

  "Oh, I think you do."

  Horus' feet touched sand. Fear increasing, he thrashed.

  "I think we have all the time that exists, you and I."

  Sand anchored around Horus' ankles and calves. His thighs were encased. Wincing sharply, sand reaching his wound, he twisted, fighting to free himself.

  "Oh, Horus. Why struggle? We belong together. Stay. I have so much to share with you."

  Eyes burning, Horus tried to see through the water's blackness to his captor. "Tell me your name."

  "We've had that conversation. Why do you insist on being so disagreeable? Don't resist me. I possess secrets."

  "I don't care about your secrets. Let go!" Bubbles streamed from Horus' nose. Desperation growing, he strained his muscles.

  "But you should care. I can answer all your questions."

  "You won't even confirm your name."

  "You're quibbling. Beautiful Horus. I can give you anything you might ever wish for. I can grant any request. I offer you all I have, and you have only to stay with me. Is it so much to ask?"

  Horus' lungs were ablaze. "Release me."

  Hands Horus couldn't see caressed his face. "So beautiful." They moved across his lips. "I can give you what no on else can." They tugged at his chin. "I've watched you with wonder. I've seen how much you've accomplished. I can lift you with praise and restore to you tranquility. I can fulfill even your most secret wishes. I'd never leave you. I could love you."

  Chest quivering, Horus struggled to keep from inhaling. "You don't know what love is."

  The voice's tone hardened, "But you do."

  Horus' fear shifted. "Leave Nalia and Teo out of this."

  "When I could save them for you? Or do you not yet understand? I'm not subject to others' rules. I can help you break them. Precious Horus, there are so many matters about which I alone can instruct you. Let your struggles cease. Accept what I offer. I've made easy for you the way. Take a breath."

  The darkness surrounding Horus grew more intense. "No! I command you to release me."

  The sand swept back, freeing him.

  Horus shot to the lake's surface. He paddled furiously to the shore and then collapsed, cold through and through. "Oh, Father Sun," he called, "reach me."

  The clouds dissipated, and the sun's rays covered him. Mind filled with questions and fears, Horus fastened his hand to his leg. Its pain lessened, and his muscles relaxed. Warming, he stretched out against the basin's shore.

  Teo loped over. "Interesting choice you made. I figured you'd fly. Though you'll need to further your understanding of that ability, I'm glad you didn't choose it as the answer to this lesson. I would've had to come up with another task. How's your leg? Healed?"

  Barely listening, Horus gave a shallow nod.

  Playfully, Teo knocked Horus' foot. "Then what took you so long?"

  How could he explain? Horus lifted onto his elbows. "Darkness." His muscles tightened, and he shivered.

  "At the bottom of the lake. I know. So?"

  "It spoke to me. It spoke to me before, when I flew."

  Teo stilled. Concern shining in his eyes, he knelt. "Seht?"

  "I don't know."

  "Horus!" another voice, not the being's, not Isis', called. "Horus, hear me!" It sounded like Nalia's. But that was impossible. "Horus, come back! I need water."

  "Whoa," Teo murmured, rose, and took a step away. "Your eyes changed shade."

  If it was Nalia Horus had heard, she was in danger. The voice had held fear. His wound and the strain of his encounter in the lake forgotten, he leapt to his feet. "Your mother. She's in trouble. We have to leave. Now."

  "Tell me."

  Quickly, Horus explained.

  Blinking, Teo furrowed his brow. Then his nostrils flared. He thrust into Horus' hand a water-skin. "Fly."

  Horus lowered his shoulders. What had happened just before he became falcon? He'd stopped thinking. Was that the answer? Just do it?

  Even if he could transform again into falcon, he didn't know the way back.

  "Hor-us," Nalia again called, voice weakening.

  He had to reach her—now.

  Horus pushed all from his mind but an image of her. Was the ground spinning? Or was it his own body? His heartbeat slowed. From within him came a feeling of pulling, like a string withdrawing from between his ribs. There was a blur of color. He heard the stars singing.

  Images filled his mind. Tents. A shout. Confusion. People running. Screaming. From all around—screaming. People running. On the ground, something dark. Everywhere, blood. The images faded.

  The ocean's roar filled his ears. He felt again ground beneath his feet.

  Horus opened his eyes and was surprised to see he stood beside the clearing's fire ring.

  Nalia stumbled to him. She collapsed into his arms.

  She was so cold, so pale. Quickly, he lowered her onto her mat. "What's happened?"

  "A snake. It bit—oh," Nalia moaned.

  Sick with dread, Horus turned her arm and found the two red dots. A hard tremor ran through him. "Nalia?"

  Eyes glazing, she gave no response.

  He hovered his hands, trembling, over her as he'd seen her do once when Teo had returned wounded from gathering water. What he sensed confirmed what he saw—she was dying.

  No, surely there was a way to halt the venom's spreading, to undo its damage. He hovered his hands closer.

  Nalia convulsed, her body's jerking knocking him back. Finally she stilled.

  He pressed his hands on the ground beside her. "What do I do? Nalia, I need you to tell me."

  "The water," she said weakly and looked down at her arm.

  Swiftly, Horus unsealed the water-skin and splashed half its contents over the snakebite.

  Nalia's eyes fluttered. "Horus." Her breathing was ragged. She held out her hand, and he took it. "Please, hold my hand."

  Holding back tears, he leaned his face to hers. "I am."

  "I love you. Tell Teo. Always remember."

  Horus swallowed hard. "No, Nalia, you'll tell us again. Many times. I love you, too. Teo loves
you, and we'll—"

  "I can't see you. Where...? I can't see."

  His tears fell on her cheeks. "I'm right here, holding you in my lap, holding your hand."

  Her breathing was so faint.

  She closed her eyes.

  His heart sped, his tears falling freely. "Nalia? No, look at me. Please, Nalia. I can't—I'm not—oh, Mother, what do I do?"

  Except for Nalia's inconsistent and shallow exhalations and the whooshing of the sea, there was only silence.

  "Please." Horus pressed his eyes. He was unprepared for this, no closer to finding the way to fulfill his vow as the moment he'd made it.

  If Isis couldn't or wouldn't help, would Ra? Horus called, "Grandfather, I need you."

  Again, silence was his only answer.

  Could the being who'd spoken from the darkness of space, the darkness of the lake's basin help him?

  Something within him recoiled.

  He gripped tighter Nalia's hand. "Nalia. Don't leave me. Please."

  Isis' voice, full of sorrow, came to him, "You must release her."

  "No!" Sick with with sorrow, Horus pulled Nalia closer against him. "No. I do not accept this."

  There had to be a way to save her. On instinct, he clamped his hands around Nalia's arm. "Let the venom pass from her into me."

  "No, Horus!" Isis frantically commanded. "Rescind!"

  Refusing, Horus repeated, "Let it pass into me." His vision clouded. His mouth went dry.

  "Oh, foolish child. You should have burned it away."

  "Then you should have told me how. It's too late now." The venom travelled through him, spreading pain. Horus fell back, writhing. "Tend to her, Mother," he gritted out.

  From far off, Isis sighed. "Perhaps this experience will teach you to seek other ways of healing."

  Horus' tongue swelled. His throat began to close. He gripped the ground. Burn it away? His body shook. If he could have done it for Nalia, he could do it for himself. How? He groaned. "Oh, mighty Ra, this hurts."

  He convulsed and passed the point of pain. "Fire burns. Is fire somehow the remedy?"

  "You know the answer."

  Horus gazed at the fire ring, the fuel stacked within it unlit. Teo'd taught him how to hold the flints and with them create sparks. But Horus had never succeeded in creating a flame. Could he now? He shook his head. Even if he did, no ordinary fire would afford him what he needed.

  So, if a spark and fuel-generated fire wasn't the answer, what was? An energy-created one?

  Horus gazed at the sky, his mind for a moment finding shapes in the clouds. A heron. A palm. A waterfall.

  He took a breath and concentrated, picturing a great column of flames, seeing clearly its flickering orange and red, yellow and blue.

  The column of flames materialized before him. "What is your bidding?"

  "Oh," he exclaimed, startled, and wrenched his body sideways.

  The column of flames disappeared.

  Redoubling his focus, he visualized again. "Flame?"

  The column of fire reappeared, closing nearer.

  Heat scorched Horus' face, and he grimaced.

  "What is your bidding?" The fire covered him.

  He twisted wildly, screaming in pain. "The venom! Burn away the venom! Then slip back!"

  Flame's searing heat lifted from his body.

  He moaned, closing his eyes. Seeing the flame's image, he jerked, his eyelids flashing open.

  The column of fire was gone.

  The venom was still inside him. Exhausted, Horus allowed his eyes to shut. The image reappeared.

  The flame was inside him.

  The fire became violet and began spinning. Expanding and contracting, it shot off through every part of his body. Finally, it settled in his palms. "Healer, you are. I do your bidding. I burn away corruption."

  Horus examined his hands. There was no visible change. Still, he felt within them the fire's spinning.

  Suddenly, the flame, undiminished, was before him again, red and orange, yellow and blue. "I am yours. I come when you call, for I know your voice, my bidder."

  Slowly, Horus sat. "I don't understand. You're mine?"

  The flame transformed, becoming a shifting column of dazzling golden light. "See me."

  Horus strained his eyes but saw only flickering gold. He let his focus relax. Within the flame's center was a pulsing vortex of colors, the spinning of time. Eternity. With wondering reverence, he stood and was still.

  "Now you know me, my bidder."

  "Yes." Horus bowed.

  The flame curled down, as if returning the gesture of respect. Then it rose, narrowing, till it stretched from earth to sky. With a flash of multi-hued light, it vanished.

  Eyebrows high, Horus tapped his steepled fingers against his lips.

  Nalia stirred.

  He turned and dropped to his knees beside her. "I'm here."

  "You know the Way of Flame." Her gaze remained fixed to to the spot where the column of fire had stood. "How is it possible?" she asked, hushed.

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