The Ways of Eternity

by D.A. Dean

Chapter 18: Unexpected Encounters

  "Don't know me, huh? Well, how about that. Don't even know your own...?"

  Incredulous, Horus asked, "Father?"

  "Greetings," Osiris replied cheerily.

  Horus sat. "Father? Is it really you?"

  "Yes, it's me, Osiris, mighty and magnificent, blah, blah, blah. Good to meet you. Sorry it's taken so long. Haven't been quite myself lately. Well, actually, I haven't 'been' at all. Being dead has some rather profound effects. Interesting ones, though, that's for sure. Everybody says I've loosened up." Osiris chuckled. "So, Son, how are you?"

  "Speechless."

  "Imagine so, imagine so. Well, get over it. Don't have a lot of time, you know." Osiris' voice seemed to turn, "I know. What's that? I said I know. What's the matter with you? Can't you see I'm trying to have a chat?"

  Horus tilted his head. "Hello?"

  "Yep, I hear you, Son. Doing okay? You look good. Remind me of your mother. Got her nose and fingers. Not sure where you got your eyes. Oh, rot. Can't you be quiet back there? I'm trying—oh, never mind. You got my chin. Hear you bear a certain resemblance to your grandfather, too. Actually, I hear you inherited quite a lot from him. Know what that means? Well, you'll sure find out. Hope you didn't get his sweet tooth, though. He always eats all the honey, and I have, well, had, to search up some more. What? Can't you—oh, alright, alright. Be right back, Son."

  Ra loved honey. Like Horus. He felt a sudden longing.

  "Still listening? Anyway, where was I? Oh, right, your grandfather. Insatiable sweet tooth. I really think he taught people about bees pollinating flowers just for the honey. He had his own honey pots, of course, but he'd go through them like mad. He taught his priests the idea of offerings, you know. Because he wanted more honey.

  "Not that he always eats it. Doesn't really go there much anymore, just a few secret excursions here and there. No, mostly, he just pulls it to him in essence. You know about essence, right? Oh, yes, of course you do. Your mother's still pretty shaken up about that, you know. You scared her half witless, and she has a lot of wits, so that's saying something.

  "Anyway, Ra explained it to her, so it's okay now. But you didn't know, when you did it, I mean, and you did it anyway. Whew, you really are a handful. Well, guess you've got a right to be. Yes, I hear you. I'm getting to it. So, anyway, ready to learn about your opponent?"

  "I, um." Horus leaned back. "Sorry. Just feel a bit—"

  "What's that? Overwhelmed?"

  Horus straightened, surprised.

  "Oh, I don't talk very much, as a general rule, but when I do, well, you get the idea. So, what do you want to know about my darling brother? He's a real stinker, by the way. Yes, I'm sure you've heard. Everybody's heard about that. Word travels, wouldn't you say? I'd say. So, you want to know how to fight him, right? Speak up, my boy, speak up."

  Horus cleared his throat. "I have so many questions. I'm not sure where to start. First, may I say how happy I am to know you're okay, and second, how wonderful it is to learn your voice. I'm so glad you're—"

  "Mush, mush. Appreciate it. Love you, too, and all that. Getting off subject, aren't you, Son? Let's cut to the heart of it."

  "Your sword," Horus said.

  "Sword? Mine? Oh, yes. Where's it hidden? That's what you want to know, right? No idea."

  Horus scratched his temple. "But I need it. Don't I?"

  "Ah. Well, let's just say it'll either help you or kill you. Can't really say more at this point. Oh, well, except, of course, once Seht thinks you might become a threat, he'll want it. Use the father's sword against the son and all that. Surprising he hasn't tried to get it before now just based on vanity and vindictiveness. Anyway, you're getting ready to march toward battle with one nasty battle-monger. You want to know how to fight him, want to know you can stand a chance, right?"

  "Yes...O King? Father? What do I call you?"

  "Try and keep up, Son. Father's fine. Questions, give me questions."

  There was so much Horus wanted and needed to know, but his mind, muddled, went blank under the pressure. "Um."

  "Come on now—questions."

  "Can I defeat him?" Horus blurted.

  "Right. There you go. See, I told you he'd get it. So you just shush up back there, you lot. Sure you can. Next question."

  "I...really?"

  "Of course. You've got me, your mother, and even old Ra himself floating around in you. Think Seht can match that? What's that? I know, I'm getting there. So, Son, what do you think?"

  "I don't know," Horus said and shrugged, feeling stupefied by his father's rapid delivery and shifts and still trying to take in the fact he was actually talking with him.

  "Nope, can't touch it. He got me, alright, that's for sure. Sneaky, rotten, well, anyway. If I'd been on guard, oh, who knows, no point in speculating. But I know he resorted to tricks to do it. Wouldn't confront me straight out. An important point, by the way. Get it? But, okay, to be fair, he did it. However he did it, he did it. Pretty stunningly, too. I mean, who'd have thought? He's clever. Anyway, he can't touch your potential. Understand?"

  Horus tapped his lips. "He can't beat me? That's what you're saying?"

  "Oh, no, I'm not saying that. Not saying that at all."

  "I don't—"

  "Understand. No. Alright, let me try—I know. Would you stop pestering me? Okay, I'll try to make it plainer for you. Little slow, Son."

  "Excuse me?"

  "No, no, don't get all in a snit. There you go, that's better. Get those brows back up where they belong. What? No, he just said 'excuse me?' He's fine now. See for yourselves. Anyway, I'm racing around, aren't I?"

  "Are you asking me?"

  "Who else would I be asking? Aren't you paying attention? Okay, I'll try to slow it down. Let's try this again. Pay attention. Ready?"

  Horus propped his elbows on his knees and rested his head in his hands. "Go ahead."

  "Didn't sound very sure, Son. You want to know or not?"

  Horus sat up straight. "Yes, I—"

  "Alright, here goes. Seht's strong. And fierce. Has a job to do and does it well, got to give him that. Like to give him something else, but that's another matter. Anyway, he's clever, quite a smart fellow, in a generally unpleasant way, at least I think so. What's that? I will, I will. Okay, so I should probably tell you, he's quick on his feet and uses whatever's presented to advantage. If he weren't so despicable, he'd be admirable. Well, maybe that's not really fair. Despicable is my opinion. Ha! He doesn't stand a chance! But he can certainly defeat you. Understand now?"

  Horus' brows squeezed together. He rubbed his forehead. "No."

  "Son, Son. Right. Okay, let's try this. If you don't botch it, he can't possibly win."

  "If I don't botch it. Oh, well, of course. That helps."

  "Sarcasm. She's right. You've got a bit—"

  "Sorry. It's just—"

  "You're frustrated because this is important and you think I'm not making any sense. No, no, don't shake your head. I get it." Osiris took a breath and hurried on, "See, Horus, it's like this. Seht has the ability to win, has what it takes, but not against you. I'm telling him. Not if you use your natural talents. The question's not whether you can defeat him. It's whether you're ready to defeat him."

  "Am I ready?"

  "Are you?"

  "I don't know."

  "Doesn't matter."

  Horus returned his head to his hands.

  "You don't have to know what you can do. You just have to do it."

  "But can I do what I'll need to do?"

  "What'll you need to do?"

  Horus smacked his hands against the ground.

  "Don't get testy. I'm trying to help you, you know."

  Horus tilted his head, pressing his lips together. "I—"

  "Ah, watch what you say."
<
br />   His father's sigh reminded Horus of his mother's.

  Osiris continued, "You're not wholly who you'll be yet. How much of it you can draw out, that's really the question." His voice moved off, "Oh, alright. I'm coming," then returned to Horus, "Got to go."

  Horus jumped up. "No, please, Father, not yet."

  "Just do your best, Son. Oh, and watch out for—no, you'll figure it out. If I tell you now, it'll just make you nervous."

  Lifting his hands, Horus shook his head. "Great."

  "We're all counting on you. Don't even want to think about what would happen if you lose. Oh, well. Just do your best. Bye."

  "Wait. Father?" Horus called. "Rot." He sat and thrust his chin down onto his palms. "I think I'm ready to lose my mind."

  "No, don't do that," Osiris' voice drifted in from somewhere seemingly far off, "not a good idea," and receded.

  Horus raised his brows high, stretching his eyes wide, and sighed.

  A scorpion, its odd, orange-colored stinger arched over its back, crept from around the fire ring and scuttled toward Horus' feet.

  Rubbing his temples, Horus kicked it away.

  "Son, Son. Pay attention."

  "What? Father?"

  No reply.

  The scorpion returned.

  "Go away." Horus drew his foot back to kick again and halted. "Teo," he whispered urgently, "wake up."

  "W-what? Why're you hissing at me? I was finally asleep, and I was actually having a pleasant dream." Teo's eyes focused. He bolted upright. "What's wrong?" He saw the scorpion and jerked his hand to Horus' chest. "Your mother rid them from the island."

  "I know she did. What's it doing here?"

  Nalia sat. She clutched Horus' wrist.

  Antuus stirred, lifted his head, and began to growl.

  Horus pressed Antuus' back. "Unless I tell you otherwise, stay."

  The scorpion raised on its rear legs, its stinger nearly touching its back.

  Teo withdrew his knife from underneath his mat. "We're not alone."

  "No," Horus confirmed.

  "Where?" Teo felt around for a spear.

  Horus stared at the scorpion. "Here."

  The scorpion dropped the front of its body to the ground and began scuttling in tight circles.

  "That's not normal," Teo cautioned. "What's it doing?"

  "Don't know." Horus secured a spear and stood.

  Teo rolled a spear to Nalia and jumped up.

  "No, Nalia, stay down. Teo, stand back." Horus took a step toward the blur that was the scorpion. "What are you?"

  The scorpion curled its tail to its back, stinging itself. A dense plume of acrid orange smoke swirled up, concealing the scorpion from view, and fingered toward them. Antuus roared and sneezed.

  "What magic is—" Teo stopped, doubling over, coughing.

  "Don't cough, you'll take it in deeper," Nalia warned. "Breath through your...fingers." She wobbled, dropping to her knee.

  Teo staggered to Nalia and fell.

  The ground seemed to spin. Horus tumbled beside them.

  "Horus," Nalia said, fraught, and grasped his shoulder, trying to steady herself, "there's terrible magic here. You must stay awake. The scorpion...."

  Eyes swimming, Teo tried to lift himself but slipped.

  Eyes closed, Antuus lay on his side, legs twitching.

  Nalia reeled, and Horus fumbled to catch her. "We can't help you." She sank back.

  Horus' head cleared. The moment he'd dreaded had come.

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