Hetepheres

"I grabbed my ears to help shield them against the deafening noise. I could feel my heart beating my ears and the blood rushing through my veins. I couldn't understand how this could all go so horribly wrong, why didn't mother do something? Was she truly so cowardice that she would sacrifice us all to keep herself safe? Sadie still wasn't moving. I feared she was dead.

I should start from the beginning.

Annabeth and Osiris had performed some spell on me to transport me to this place for youth. It reminded me of the worker's village back when father's pyramid was built. This place had the same type of feel. Many barracks placed near each other to house people while providing the minimum needs to keep the people going. Instead of a station for work tools, there was an area for weapons. These children were soldiers, not magicians. Chiron met my eyes and we had a silent agreement. He shouted something and the crowd dispersed. The boy with blonde hair lingered behind and escorted me inside the largest building. He had me sit down on a piece of furniture while Chiron came in. He seated himself in some contraption that lowered his body and removed his horse half from sight. I'm sure my jaw dropped to me knee. He smirked at me and waved at the boy, who disappeared from sight , only to return a few moments later with drinks. He handed the cup to me and when his hand touched mine, I suddenly felt very sick and dizzy. Images passed before my eyes and I saw the land of Kemet being invaded by these people in red cloaks and shiny clothing. They slaughtered dozens of my people, looted our treasures and tore down our temples. They left the Land of Kemet a barren wasteland and even managed to salt some of our fields before dragging our people back in chains. This boy was one of them. I was overwhelmed with rage and anger. I wanted him dead, I wanted his people flayed alive and his city destroyed.

He looked at me with great concern in his eyes like he could feel my hatred. I closed my eyes and calmed myself. This anger was not mine. Yes, I wanted revenge for the trials of my people but I knew my mother well enough to know when she was manipulating me. I took the cup. It was warm and comforting. I locked eyes with Chiron and took a sip. Sahlab…I smiled in relief. A piece of home. It's heat filled me with warmth and calm. I looked at Chiron in gratitude. It had been many years since I'd seen him.

"Pimah?" I asked.

He shrugged and waved the question aside. "Soah."

I did as he asked and finished my drink. He frowned as he tried to gather his words. "empear saji allah soateam. Chi pi-alou. Kemet, Philae."

This is what he wanted. To take this boy to Kemet, to the island of Phiae, my mother's sacred temple. Was he lucid?"

"Emmon!" I responded.

He was clearly taken back by my outburst. "Teakmav." He said at last. Yes, this was Isis's doing. She wanted us separated. Unknown to her, Setne would win. Divided, we would fall. The others did not know the location of the tomb, they did not know the spell, nor did they have the feather of Ma'at .This rested on my cooperation. I sighed. " eseashoabi."

He smiled at me then the boy. He nodded at the boy who in turn left the room again and came back with others. On was a girl with very regal features that I assumed was a queen of sorts, she seemed to be judging me and I was assured by my instincts that we would not be friends. The other two was a boy with golden hair and stormy eyes. He resembled Annabeth so much that I thought them brother and sister. Lastly, the girl behind him resembled Carter and Sadie, perhaps kin of theirs.

They each stepped forward and pointed to their chest while announcing their names. "Reyna, Jason, Magus and Sam."

Chiron gave me once last look that I could not decipher. Pity perhaps. The boy who brought the drinks, Jason extended his hand to me and I momentarily debated on slapping it. I accepted his hand and warily followed him out of the building. It was late at night here and most people were bunking down for bed. He led me to another building that looked full of people. He knocked politely and began conversing with the person who opened the door. I looked around and noticed that all eyes were on me. Each member of the place was watching me with great interest. I had a feeling that I was on display like some trinket from a bazaar. The boy from the building invited us inside. I was ushered to a makeshift bed on the floor. Ah. I was expected to stay the night.

I laid down on my excuse for a bed on the hard floor. Jason had left and gone to who knows where. Reyna, Magnus and Sam all were sleeping on their own makeshift beds not far from me. It took a long time but I managed to fall asleep.

My dream was the strangest I've ever had save the one I had when I first woke up. I saw myself standing at the island of Philae, at the temple of Isis. There was a terrible storm that day. Ra's light was blocked out by the clouds. There were snakes on the grounds, slithering around. I recognized them. Some were cobras, others were horned vipers. We knew enough in Kemet to never both them for one bit would lead to death. I saw Setne at the columns. He was chanting from the book of Thoth, trying to make himself a god. I shivered with fear. The snakes became more agitated. I saw our group coming towards Setne, preparing to fight. Serapis rose from the group and wiped us off our feet with his arm. We fell into the nest of vipers and all went black. I woke up screaming.

The youth around me were shaking my arm. I blinked against the light of the building's lamp. Ra was just starting to rise. It was time to move. Jason, Reyna, Sam and Magnus quickly strapped on their weapons while other children handed us each a pack with food and water. We would not have time to eat here before the attack started and I felt that it was start soon.

We shouldered our light packs and Jason led us to a small stone in the middle of the courtyard. He pointed at it and looked at me. "Kemet." He said. It took a moment for me to realize that he was asking for a portal. I nodded in understanding and pointed at the newborn light breaking on the horizon, then I pointed at the stone. He seemed to understand that I needed a specific time in order to open it. I touched the stone and muttered the word. "w'peh." The stone light up in a brilliant golden red. As Ra was reborn into the world, the glowing of the stone grew brighter and brighter. Once the sphere was completely floating above ground, the stone opened into a circling, black mass of a portal. I gestured to the young and leapt through, hoping they would follow me.

In the darkness I heard crackling of objects breaking and I fell. I landed hard against a familiar feeling. Limestone. I opened my eyes and saw that I had opened a wall in the temple and landed on the rubble with the others beside me. I saw Carter , Percy and Annabeth but not Sadie. My eyebrows furrowed in concentration to search into the Duat for her. I saw the plumes of the Wings of Isis beneath the rubble we were standing on and shouted her name while pointing down. Quickly, we got off the limestone and began digging her out. Magnus pulled her free and she thanked his heroism by introducing his face to a limestone brick. Tensions ensued and Carter had to restrain his kin.

I was almost tempted to laugh if we were not running out of time. The group decided that at best, we were needed as a team .We had to trust each other in order to work together. We needed to know what the other knew, what they had been through and judge them. I listened silently as they all told their stories. Amos and Chiron both had attempted to teach me the common tongue but there was not enough time to learn a full language. I groaned inwardly at my disadvantage. I could only pick up a few words with each story.

As the stories wound down, I began to feel uneasy. The type of feeling you get when someone is watching you. A cold chill settled between my shoulder blades and nearly froze me in place. Maniacal laughter flooded my ears. "I await you." A voice permitted my ears. I shook from shock and jumped to my feet. My body was filled with energy and fear. I couldn't decide whether to run towards danger or whether to run from it. I paced in agitation, waiting for something to happen while I made my decision.

The air grew colder and I focused my sight into the Duat where all I saw was red. I panicked and turned towards my companions.

"Carter!, Sadie!, Percy!, Annabeth!, Jason!, Reyna!, Sam!, Magnus! Moshi! Setne!" I pointed outside.

After some communication between themselves, the youth looked up at the sky that was darkening just as thunder struck. I had a terrible feeling about this.

Without word, we all made our way outside of the temple into the storm. The halls of the temple echoed our footsteps which did nothing to dispel the eerie mood as it was. We made our way to the second courtyard inside the inner part of the temple. We each drew our weapons from their sheathes or from the Duat itself and we headed outside to meet the invading messengers of chaos.

We hesitated once we broken through the gateway to the temple and arrived outside. Our bravado was melting away like water in the hot sun.

The sky was dark as ink on a scroll, the air felt dangerous and pulsed with electricity. Geb trembled with anticipation as if he knew about our plight. We pushed onward. Carter spotted Setne at the columns on the side of the island and shouted to the rest of us. We crept along, hunkered down, moving along the edges of the buildings to get a better look at him. The evil magician was standing in the center of the columned area, reading from a scroll. My heart quickened. He was reading from the book of Thoth. I knew we were running out of time.

Percy quickly kissed Annabeth in a moment of odd timing, and then all four of them rushed forward towards Setne. I was stunned at their lack of strategy but I followed them none the less. Setne did not seem to notice as we approached him. I saw Percy take a wild swing at Setne's head and it seemed to go straight through the magician with no apparent damage to him. It was like he wasn't even there. I stayed a few good measures behind the rest and focused. I opened my eyes to the Duat and saw. Setne was existing in another place within the Duat. He was only here in this world by a very small degree. The largest portion of his existence seemed to be based in the Land Of The Demons. I shuddered what that meant. Though we could see him, we could not hurt him. I gritted my teeth as Carter shouted the problem to Percy, though I could not understand most of my companions, at least some of them proved to be clever.

Setne waved at us in a dismissing manner that I once used all the time to corral and dismiss my servants. I felt enraged that he would dare use that on me. I let myself grow angry, I felt Isis stir within me, filling me with rage and power. A hissing caught me off guard. I looked and noticed that Setne had sent an army of snake after us. I looked closer and saw they were a mix of cobras and horned vipers. The same creatures from my dream the night before. I shouted in alarm and backed up.

If my dream was repeating then.. Oh No!

The ground shook violently beneath us and knocked us off our feet. Geb split open like the opening of a large maw. Geb was trying to swallow us whole. We quickly backed away, avoiding the whole while I secretly hoped the snakes would fall in instead. No such luck. The pit was not there to pull us in, rather it was there to let something out. I squeezed my hands together in a mock prayer of something helpful, rather than hurtful. A giant hand appeared at the mouth of the pit and grabbed the edge, then the other hand appeared. My spine tingled under the sheer shock of knowing what I was seeing. The hands pulled against Geb and a face broke free. Sadie gasped and Annabeth chocked back a sob. Serapis had been reborn into this world yet again. The Duat released him from the heavens. He smiled at us in a disturbing manner.

"Hello, my friends. Welcome to your deaths. "

I glared and stuck my hand out. "He'qat." My staff appeared in my hand. It had been millennia since I had held it together. It pulsed with life in my hands.

"Hot! Smokin hot lady!." A voice called from behind. I turned and Magnus was looking deeply annoyed. He pointed down at his sword which was a fiery shade like Ra's departure. I frowned. Was that blasted sword talking to me.

Magnus seemed to sense this and pointed at my staff while the annoying sword kept shouting flirts. Sadie giggled to my side and whispered in my ear. "His sword is in love with your staff." She translated. I rolled my eyes and refocused on Serapis. Sadie pointed her staff at him and muttered some type of foreign spell. "απεργία"

A large explosion dropped from the sky and hit Serapis in the head. "Ow." He muttered. It wasn't much against a god but enough to distract him. Percy, Jason, Reyna, and Magnus rushed forward while he was dazed and slashed at his feet with their swords. "Ow!, Ow!" The god screamed. Golden blood trickled from his ankles. It wasn't enough.

I gestured to Sadie and pointed at her staff. She nodded. We stormed in and pointed our staffs at his face. "Ha-Di!" We yelled. Large explosions hit the god in the face and stumbled backwards. Reyna, Jason, Percy and Magnus were careful to move out from between his feet. I noticed Sam flying above the god's head, smacking him with her golden staff. Wait, she was flying?

Serapis righted himself immediately and stomped the ground. We went flying backwards against the entrance to the temple. Our backs colliding with the hard limestone from Aswan.

Annabeth and Reyna had some type of serious discussion as Serapis stomped forward. From the distance, Sadie screamed. Though most of us had been sent towards the temple walls to our left, Sadie had been hurled off to the right hand side which meant…I was stupid, so stupid. I didn't think quickly enough. In my dream, Serapis had sent us flying back in a nest of vipers. I should have known.

Disregarding the god, we raced to Sadie's side. Carter was in the lead as expected. I raised my staff and ye

lled the spell "A'max". The nest of snake burned to ash in a molten fireball that surrounded Sadie. The flames licked at the ground around her but did not harm her. Carter raced to her side to check for damage. Hanging from her wrist was a horned viper, its jaw hinged on her skin, burying its fangs into her skin. Percy yanked the snake off of Sadie's wrist and tossed it on the ground. He severed its head with his sword. Carter held Sadie's shoulders in his left arm and examined her left wrist in his right hand.

Manic laughter brought us back to the present. Serapis was not far behind us. He grinned evilly at Sadie. "Horned vipers are a nasty bit of snake. Very aggressive, easily provoked and quite deadly, my dear. Their venom is hematoxic, it'll have you bleeding to death internally very soon. Quite an ordeal for a little girl with more than enough bite herself. "

Carter passed Sadie to Annabeth and lifted his khopesh at Serapis. "You! Fix This Now!"

"Oh, I'm sorry, my little pharaoh but that is something I cannot do. Horned vipers were regarded by the Egyptians, both feared and revered for their deadly gift. Even now in this modern world of technology, there is no cure for their poisonous kiss. Your sister is beyond all hope, little Kane. Give up this farce of a army and maybe I will save your petty lives. You may be kept as pets in my great new world. "

Carter charged forward but Percy held him back, anger blazing in his green eyes. He patted Carter on the shoulder while attempting to control the boy's temper. Since when was Percy the reasonable one?

Serapis raised his hand to swipe at us when Annabeth grabbed Sadie's staff and yelled her own spell. "Hu-Ai!" Serapis fell backwards against the sand and remained there while he attempted to get up.

"Yes." A voice answered in my head. Greco and Kemet. Together, they can bring him down." I was so startled that I couldn't tell whose voice it was. My neck tingled as I realized that I could understand Serapis in the language he had spoke, though it was certain it was not the language of my people.

I nodded at the rest of my crew who quickly jumped in to help. Percy raised his arms and closed his eyes in concentration. The sky seemed to darken more, and the mighty river of life churned uncomfortably and splashed onto the island like it was being pulled. The Nile swirled and left the ground. It spun in a circle until it became a large mass of spinning water, taller than the temple. Percy sent it inland so it circled Serapis's body. Reyna charged in with her spear and stabbed the god repeatedly wherever she could. Carter yelled the word "Khefa!" A large blue fist smacked the god in the face. Percy winced in sympathy. Jason and Magnus worked together, each stabbing one of his feet until he was leaking a fair amount of blood. Annabeth had left Sadie in the care of Samirah and was blasting the god with all sorts of spells."Sa-Mir!" Serapis screamed in agony before he managed to break free of his bonds.

Percy's water trick had run out and he was on his knees gasping. I did the only thing I could do for a water elementist and summoned a simple spell. "Maw!" A waterfall of water appeared from the sky and doused Percy head to foot. He sighed in relief and held up his thumb at me in an odd gesture.

Serapis kicked away the rest of us and stood up. He was hurt but not badly enough. Annabeth gritted her teeth as the rest of us regrouped. She pointed Sadie's staff at Serapis and yelled "Sa-Hei!" Serapis seemed to be stunned. His body fell apart like limestone bricks in a temple. The rubble collected in front of us. Sam hoisted Sadie to her feet and she staggered over to the pile of the god Serapis. Annabeth returned the girl's staff to her and Sadie pointed it at Serapis. "Zeheb."

The pile of bricks were lifted into the air and swirled. They vanished into the Duat with loud pop. Suddenly, it was over. He was gone and we were exhausted. It was over.

"No, No, No!" A voice shrieked from off to the side. We turned and faced the columns. Setne marched himself over to us, waving his hands in an erratic movement while cursing us in the language of Kemet. His face was so red from frustration that I nearly laughed out loud at how cute it was rather than intimidating. His sheen black hair was soggy and wind blown to the side of his face. His clothing, which was odd was complexly moist and dripping profusely so it enhanced the image of his bony, malnourished body. His bones were so deprived of meat that I imagine even the jackals and vultures would have ignored him in search of a better meal.

He stood before us with his hands on his hips and glared. "You are ruining my plans."

Percy, Jason and Magnus simply rolled their eyes at him and exchanged fighting words, no doubt explaining to him that he was defeated. Carter had gone back to helping Sadie lie down. It was obvious to me that she was starting to succumb to the effects of the venom and he was anxious to be at her side rather than to deal with this old fool. Annabeth and Sam tried their best to console him while Percy got tired of talking and slashed his sword at Setne's head. As per usual, it simply passed through. The helpful voice had not returned to give me any insight into taking Setne down. How does one kill someone who was already dead? Setne simply vanished and reappeared atop the columns and resumed his reading as if we had been dealt with.

A cold feeling grew in the pit of my stomach when a great honking interrupted my thoughts. Yes, a honking. White plumage filled my sight before a great white bird landed just in front of me. It was the size of the temple and had large, red eyes. "Gengen Wer." I whispered.

Despite her illness, Sadie laughed and began making honking noises at the great goose. Though I did not consider her a close friend, I had to admire her courage and perseverance. She found enough strength to laugh at a monster even in the face of death. Unfortunately, the goose was quite a sensitive soul. He honked at such a loud volume that I surely thought my ears would burst. He must have understand Sadie's comment because he lurched forward and snapped at her. Carter pulled her back far enough to save her life.

Gengen Wer pulled back his feet one by one and I knew he would charge.

"Percy!" I yelled and gestured to the goose. He held his hands up in an effort to ask what I wanted before the goose charged after Carter and Sadie. "Ugh." I groaned. Annabeth yelled something to Carter who replied back a garble of words I couldn't comprehend.

Annabeth snatched Sadie's staff and pointed it at me. I froze in shock and she muttered the spell. "Med'wah." A burning sensation covered my skin and then it left as quickly as it came. "You all right?" She asked in a perfect representation on my tongue.

I grinned. "Yes, but we need to stop Setne. The bird is just a distraction."

"Yes, I got that. We need to split into groups and keep the goose away from Sadie. "

I nodded. "You and I take Gengen Wer, the boys can take the goose and Sam can protect Sadie and Carter."

"No, I have a better idea. " "Sam!" She yelled. "You stay with Sadie. Carter, help Percy and Jason take down the goose. The rest of you, with me!"

I furrowed my brow. "Why them?"

"Magnus and Reyna are great fighters, you have magic and are familiar with Setne. I have strategy. We all need to use our talents where they are best suited. "

"I don't know where they are best suited, I couldn't understand anyone's stories."

She nodded in agreement as Magnus and Reyna arrived. "How do we defeat Setne?"

"Magic is the only way to kill him, weapons won't work. He's too close to godhood to be completely mortal, I have to fix that but I need you to keep him occupied and I need the book of Thoth. "

"Allow me." Magnus said and pulled out his sword, whom his affectionately called Jack.

"Whats' up, buddy?"

"I need that scroll, Jack, think you can get it for me?"

"No problem, aim to the right to compensate for the wind."

Magnus nodded and threw the sword towards Setne. The fool was so engrossed in his chanting that he didn't even look up. The sword went right through him and pierced the Book Of Thoth. Like a child's toy, it flew off again in the swing of the wind and brought the scroll back to Magnus.

"Hey!" Setne cried out. "That's mine!"

I pulled the scroll free and smiled. "Not today, Setne."

"Oh, you were a fuddy duddy even in the scrolls. No wonder you were such a bad queen."

"Excuse me?" I asked.

He got closer. "And you, Magnus, you really believe that working with these old outsiders will help in your war with Loki? Hmm Ragnorak will happen anyway. It just won't affect here. You can stay you know. Once I take over, I will return your mother's spirit to you if you simply leave. "

"No thanks, I don't negotiate with terrorists. "

"Pity then. Tas!" He yelled and the ribbons of Hathor engulfed Magnus, holding his sword at his side while he struggled to free himself.

Reyne jabbed her spear at him but it vanished down Setne's gullet. He opened his mouth and spoke "Ha-di!"

Reyna quickly grabbed her cloaked and held it up in front of us as if she was taunting a bull. The cloak seemed to absorb Setne's spell.

Carter ran to catch up with Percy and Jason as the goose was getting closer. "What do you call this thing?" Percy asked.

"Gengen Wer. He's the goose that guards the egg of life."

"What kind of name does Gengen Wer translate to?" Jason demanded as he became winded.

"It means The Great Honker."

"Well, that's lovely."

"How do we kill it?" Jason asked.

"I don't know, it's supposed to be friendly." Carted answered.

"Well, it's not." Percy supplied sarcastically.

The boys ducked down into the hallway leading into the temple, hoping it was too short for the bird. The great honker simply plowed into the hallways, taking apart the limestone.

"Now what do we do?" Percy asked as they reached the courtyard.

"We have to kill it." Carter said.

"Yes, but how?" Jason asked.

"Shame it won't fit into an oven, I'm kinda hungry." Percy whined.

The other two boys turned to look at him in utter awe.

"What?" Percy complained. "It's been awhile since lunch.

Carter shook his head and mumbled something impolite as Jason thoughtfully rubbed the scar on his mouth.

"Anyone else notice this storm is lacking something?" Jason asked.

The other two nodded. "No rain." They answered.

"No lightning either." Jason pointed out. "Lets roast this bird. "

Carter had no idea what to make of that but he nodded his head. "I have an idea."

The boys ran into the center of the temple where the portal was first opened and Carter closed his eyes. Focusing on the power of Horus, he let himself become filled with power. "Percy, get Magnus and the girls ."

Without question, Percy took off out the destroyed wall towards the girls.

Carter focused in and pointed at Jason. "You are an egg."

Jason's form became smaller, his clothing turning the color of his hair. Slowly, he shrank until he became a round, yellow egg. "This is uncomfortable."

"Get ready." Carter announced as he hide behind one of the corridors in the temple. As predicted, Gengen Wer burst into the temple, leaving a trail of limestone destruction in his wake. He saw Jason in egg form and honked very loudly in triumph. He bounded over to Jason and sat down, cradling the egg against his body. Carter tried not to laugh and crossed his fingers, praying to the gods that this would work.

Percy burst in a few moments later with Magnus,Annabeth, Reyna and myself trailing behind him. Setne was following us, squawking at us to return the book. We filed in and quickly raced over to the corridor where Carter was hiding. Genger Wer honked in alarm as he was not glad to see us so close to his egg. Annabeth stuck out Sadie's staff at Setne. "Stay back!" Setne just grinned.

"Come on, doll. Don't be like that. Just give me back my scroll and I'll be on my way," It was cramped in the corridor but I held on tight to the Book Of Thoth. I lifted my staff and pointed it at Setne. "Drowah." A bright light appeared and surrounded the passageway's opening, blocking Setne from coming closer. He frowned at me as I opened the Book Of Thoth in one hand and kept my staff glowing with light enough to see. Annabeth held my staff as I thumbed through the scroll, trying to find any spell I could to reverse Setne's magic.

He wiped my spell away with his hand. I nudged Annabeth and Percy and they left the passageway to distract Setne. Annabeth bounded out and light up the top of Sadie's staff with fire, teasing Setne with it to burn away his precious clothing, or perhaps to singe his hair. "Stop that!" He cried.

There was no spell to destroy his immortality but I could use one of the spells in reverse to help me. "My cavern is closed, the spirits fall in the darkness. The eye of Horus has renounced me. Wepwawet has sent me away. O Imperishable Stars, do not accept me. Refuse my entry into your portals. "

He sent a wave of fire at me and I ducked to avoid burning my script. "Stop that! Stop Reading!"

I grinned in defiance. "Let me stand out among you. My vision is clouded, my heart has told lies, it is not in its proper place. My name is Khaemweset, Prince of Kemet, son of your son, Ramesses. I am not worthy in your sight. Take from me, my divine life, reject me as I reject you!"

Thunder boomed and Gengen Wer honked in alarm. Mists of red and blue rose up from the sand and swirled around Setne, engulfing him until I could not see him. Percy and Annabeth backed away from the steaming dead man. Magnus pushed past me in a rush to escape the passageway. He smiled in wonder as Setne's form became visible again. No longer did Setne look so smug. I lowered my vision into the Duat and was relieved to see he was mortal. The shroud of immortality had fallen away. Setne stumbled backwards, dizzy from the mist and completely unaware of the giant goose behind him.

"You!... You fools! I don't have to be immortal to take you down. I'm the greatest magician that has ever lived. I do not need the blasted scroll to destroy you."

Magnus whistled and his sword flew at the dead man who shrieked in alarm and fell backwards, right into Gengen Wer who promptly snapped him up and swallowed. Setne, the greatest magician who ever lived had become a nice dinner for a rather large bird.

Percy laughed as the goose god burped and Jason seemed to take his cue. The air stilled for a moment before it turned electric and Percy threw himself on top of Annabeth as Magnus ran backwards to the passageway.

A large crackling sound emitted from the "egg" and a bolt of lightning came down from the heavens and hit Gengen Wer. An explosion of plumage filled the air and I spit out a few feathers. Where Gengen Wer had stood was a large cooked bird.

Jason rolled away in his egg form until I ran up to him and focused my mind. Immediately, the egg grew and changed color until it was a golden haired teenage boy. Jason looked up at Percy and grinned. "Dinner's on me tonight."

Percy bumped his fist against Jason's in an odd gesture of kinship while Reyna hugged him. We each come out of the passageway, clearly baffled by what had just happened. We joined the boys in the celebrating. I looked around to see Carter and I saw him. He was back over by the columns, where Sadie lay. He was sitting on the ground, holding on to her, softly stroking back her hair.

I quickly nudged the rest of our group and we hurried over to Carter's side. Sadie was quite pale, her eyes listless. A small trail of blood trickled from her mouth and Carter tried to wipe it away. Unlike herself, Sadie wasn't talking. She kept her eyes focused on Carter's face. His tears smeared the blood on her face. Percy tried to lay his hand on Carter's shoulder but Carter pushed it away harshly. "No." He choked.

"Go away.., just go away." Annabeth locked her eyes with Percy but said nothing. Jason, Reyna, Sam and Magnus stood aloof behind them, uncertain what to do. I felt powerless and racked my brain for any spell that I could use on her. Magnus pushed his way through and sat on other side of Sadie. He put his hand on her shoulder and closed his eyes in concentration.

"Leave..Her..Alone." Carter growled.

"Carter, he is a healer." Annabeth said softly before looking at the rest of us. None of us specialized in healing.

"Too much damage." Magnus muttered. Sweat broke out on his forehead and he looked exhausted from the effort.

I sat on the sand and opened the Book of Thoth, tossing through each section of the scroll, searching for anything to stop the venom if there was time. I was not reassured when I felt a warm prescense at my shoulder. I stood in the shadow of death long enough to recognize him anything. I looked up into the eyes of Anubis.

His presence was melancholy as usual. He tried to avoid looking at Sadie directly and I got the feeling he would rather not be here either.

"Carter." He said softly.

"Go away."

"You know I have to."

"You don't have to do a thing, you could simply walk away."

Anubis sighed. Magnus looked at him. "Is there a way to fix this?"

"You don't have the power on your own, Magnus." Anubis answered.

Magnus followed his gaze to the place on the ground where the columns met. He quickly got up and walked over to the ground. There was nothing there. He looked back at Anubis who met my gaze. I trudged over and looked not with my eyes but with my soul. The ground cracked and the sand poured off to the sides revealing a staircase. I knew what lay at the bottom, I could feel it calling to me and pulling me in. This was why I was here. I looked at Carter." "Bring Sadie, hurry."

Carter tried to gather her in his arms as Percy supported him. They journeyed down the end of the staircase to the tomb below. Carter suddenly knew what to do. Percy opened the sarcophagus and Carter placed her inside.

Setne appeared in a familiar place. The halls of Osiris reflected their usual scene. The torches burned bright against the walls, offering a surplus of light. Seated on the throne in front of him was the god Osiris. His face changed back and forth between that of his host, Julius Kane. Julius wore a smug smile like he had received a great gift.

A tight feeling engulfed Setne and he realized he was once again bound in the Seven Ribbons Of Hathor. A demon pushed him from behind to the scales ahead. Anubis materialized at his usual place beside the scales of Ma'at. He also looked rather pleased with himself as Setne's heart was unwrapped and placed in the empty scale adjoining the feather of truth. Setne stiffened his backbone and began reciting his most favorite of spells, the spell to lighten the heart. "O, my heart, which I received from my..ow!" The demon guardian hit Setne with his staff to silence him.

The heart sank on the scale and Ammit jumped at it with great stride, and devoured the heart in single bite.

Author's Note: Wow. My 7 page finale turned into a 13 page book. This, guys, took me a while to think up and even longer to jot down. My head hurts and I am exhausted. I hope this was satisfying enough to you for your wait. Thank you to my readers who are way more patient than me. Thanks for all 100+ reviews and pms. I hope I gave everyone what they wanted. Plz pm me if there was something that I promised to add that didn't make it. I tried hard to keep it all written down but I do forget from time to time. I will be revising the chapters in the next few days to make sure it all makes sense and to replace the Swedish with Coptic. YAY! I plan to make a series involving the 3 Roman emperors from Trials Of Apollo, I'm still thinking about it. Rick's been ticking me off lately with his political statements in his books so I've put them on a shelf.

And I'm going to bed, night all.