As the Goddess Wills (Open)

Aneksi stood in front of a crumbling stone etched with hieroglyphics that told a story no one here could properly read. The museum in this City of Death wasn't worth being written about in newspapers, but it did hold a new Egyptian section that was being displayed. Aneksti felt as if the goddess was pulling her to this place, and, when she heard the news, she knew she had to at least investigate the lead. Her search for the Cane had lead her to some exotic places, but all of those leads had turned up nothing but ashes and memories, and she believed this one would be the same. The tablet in front of her managed to almost bring a tear to her eye. She remembered when it was carved long about in Heliopolis, the City of the Sun, one of her favorite cities from the old world. She smiled as she read the elaborate tale of Ra conquering the World-Eater, Apophis. Most of it was decayed beyond reading, but her memory filled in the gaps. She longed for sands of Egypt, but the country that called itself Egypt today was foreign to her. They had forgotten their history and abandoned their gods. Aneksi longed for Egypt, but her Egypt was not more.

She shouldn't let memories of the past distract from the duty she had come to this city to perform. The goddess demanded the Cane of Osiris, and Aneksi would deliver or die trying. Her husband grew weak while it remained in the hands of the godless. Aneksi had to find it and return it to his palace in the World Beyond. She hoped that no violence had to come from this task, but, if the artifact was in the hands of one who would not see reason and part with it, then she would have no choice but to eliminate them. She continued walked through the exhibit, searching for any signs of the Cane. She past old pieces of pottery, more elaborate tablets, and pieces of old weapons and chariots. Nothing here stood out to here as being useful in tracking down the Cane. Perhaps she could talk to one of the owners of this exhibit. She was hesitant to reveal too much, but she really wanted this lead to not be a dead end like the rest of them had been. She'd been searching for the better part of a century since the Cane was removed from its resting place in the Valley of the Kings.

Tien pressed her face as close to the glass of the exhibit as she possibly could. The symbols were so strange and beyond her meager knowledge of other languages. I've got to figure this history thing out... she thought, Everyone here is going to think I'm an idiot. Tien groaned, pushing her long black hair back over her shoulder. "This is nothing like Thailand..." She muttered, a growing pit of homesickness forming in her stomach.

Daedalus looked around the small space of the museum, the ancient artifacts, some older than even he, on display for the world to see. History has always been a fascination of his, though, as he has lived through much of the recorded ages, he focuses on the perception of events. This particular section was on ancient Egypt, and it captivated him in a way other exhibits did not. These were things he had not experienced, and the guesses of so-called archeologists were often wrong, they still were educated to the extent humans could pull and often gave new perceptions.

As he wandered around, the only others, aside from staff, were two young ladies. One clearly had never seen a museum before. She acted with curiosity normally associated with small children. His eyes passed over her with a smile, and fell to rest on the other. This woman was clearly of Egyptian decent, potentially even from the desert where these artifacts once lay. Something was different about her. She seemed to read the tablets and to ignore the descriptions. He thought she might have been like him, a creature of ancient times, but her soul was only human. Within the span of a moment, his curiosity had shifted from the contents of this museum to this woman viewing it.

Aneksi could feel the eyes of someone on her. Years of watching her back from the servants of Set had taught her to be wary of this feeling, but, upon glancing at the man, she knew immediately that he didn't pose a threat. He didn't carry himself like one of the Setites . In fact, his eyes were like hers: old and filled with memory. Still, she didn't want to risk anything. The young girl that was there seemed pretty confused as well. The history in this place was pretty extensive as Egypt had a long one. She walked over from the tablet she was looking at and went to the one that the girl was at. "Do you understand it?" Aneksi asked, speaking in Thai. She had heard the girl mention that this place was nothing like Thailand, leading Aneksi to believe that that place was where she grew up.

Tien was shocked that the dark woman spoke her native tongue, even if her dialect was more... Proper than Tien's own, "No," she responded, a strange blend of Thai and Mandarin, "I don't read the English on the notes at all."

Daedalus eavesdropped on the conversation, though with so few people present, it was not a very hard task. He noted the language change, and was able to follow seamlessly, though it took him a while to note what it was. Thai, though the younger woman spoke in a dialect he could not place. This did explain her curiosity. If she was remote enough, then museums would be a very new experience. He did not bother heading over, as a second stranger would greatly confuse the young girl.

Aneksi smiled as she heard the girl respond. The dialect she spoke in was familiar to her, but she had rarely heard it spoken. Her travels in the Far East had been long ago, but much of them still clung to her. She looked at the tablet she was looking at. She had chosen a marvelous one to be fascinated with. " This tablet depicts a grand story and one that is as old as Egypt itself. It speaks of Ra, the sun god, climbing aboard his evening ship to sail across the sky of the World Beyond to give the dead their light. The journey is treacherous as every night he must fight Apophis, the World-Eater, and win or the sun will never return to the east side of the Nile. That is what the Egyptians called the land of the living because of how the sun rises." Aneksi told the child, happy to recite a tale she had grown up with. She switched over to the girl's dialect so she would understand better. The man who watched seemed to grow more curious. In fact, Aneksi said aloud, "Please, join us, stranger. I have more tales, if you'd like to hear them."

Tien glanced over the tablet, unsure of how the wide array of pictures made any sense to the woman. She must have had a far better education than Tien herself did. "My name is Tien Phan." She introduced herself in Thai. "You seem very smart. I'd have never figured it out."

Daedalus nodded and approached, not surprised that the woman had noticed his slight intrusion. He stood on the opposite side of Tien. He gave a brief thanks to the middle eastern woman, his Thai much more proper and a little on the old side. Again, he wondered at her origins, as her knowledge of the tablets and storys surpassed having enough English to read the placards.

"It can be pretty confusing, child. Egypt is a place that I hold close to my heart. I have felt the warm sand under my feet and swam in the waters of the Nile. Sometimes I wish I.....oh never mind. You don't need to hear me enthuse." Aneksi told her, though her eye remained on the new man who stood next to them. The Ankh grew heavy around her neck as he drew nearer. He didn't seem like a threat to her, but he was definitely dangerous. The Ankh only reacted to mystical energies, meaning there was definitely more to him than meets the eye, but, ultimately, she had to respect that. After all, she always walked around with a burden she could never talk about. "So, tell me, stranger, what do you wish to learn from this place?" Aneksi asked of him, trying to learn more of who he was.

Tien shifted her weight on her feet. His dialect was far different from her own, so it took some extra thinking to understand but it was still easier than her trying to communicate in English. She followed the woman's eyes to the stranger, letting him answer the question meant for him, and minding her own place in silence.

Seeing the womans face up close, he became confused and curious even more than before. She had an age to herself that did not fit with a humans lifespan. Seeing no reason to lie, he answered her question truthfully. "I am fascinated with history. Ancient Egypt is one I am least familiar, and so it is one I enjoy the most." He glanced at Tien as she waited patiently for them to speak. Not wanting to be rude, and also to try and garner information, he waved the conversation back to the Thai girl. "You should continue with helping  her. I believe we both will have plenty of time afterward to speak."

Aneksi picked up on he subtle hint that the man laid at the end of his sentence. The Ankh hadn't lied, and Aneksi put herself on more alert. However, the young child near here who seemed to wish to learn so much just touched her heart. She remembered when she had been that young, though she was nowhere near as innocent. She was taken and given to Pharaoh as his concubine when she was fourteen, after all. She gestured for them to follow her and she led them to an enclosure that held a golden sarcophagus. "This once held the remains of Khufu, a pharaoh that reigned in Egypt over four thousand years ago. He was a generous and pious man and, under his reign, the Great Pyramid at Giza was built." Aneksi informed. She tried to keep her information more general and concurrent with what was known in this world. In truth, Khufu had been a cruel man who had so many people killed in the construction of his pyramid. Aneksi had only been a girl when he finally passed away.

"A thousand years?" Tien responded, looking up at the woman slightly, "Was there magic then? Like in the stories?"

"Egyptians had a very prominent sorcery. Though stories may not be the right term." This was something he understood fully. Magic has had much influence in his life. And while he was no witch or sorcerer, his tribe utilized rituals and chants in their everyday lives. "Magic has always existed. It is what fuels you as a Weapon. And you are very real, not just words told generation to generation."

"Well said, stranger. Indeed, magic is the lifeblood of this world. Remove it, and it will wither away into nothing." Aneksi said almost automatically. Her knowledge on the arcane was extensive. She knew no one else in this world except the higher beings that knew more of magic than she. Since the goddess had turned Aneksi into her mouthpiece, Aneksi had worked to become an authority on the topic. However, normal humans typically did not know as much, and her knowledge had caused her to slip up. There was no way this stranger would believe her to be a scholar after what she had said. Magic was a subject abandoned in this modern age, and few credible scholars pursued the topic with academic zeal. If she appeared older, she could pass it off, but only looking the age of a woman in the prime of her life played against her.

Seeking to change the subject to help distract from her error, she said, "There is more here that you can look at. Perhaps you should pick something out, my child?" Aneksi told her. She wanted the girl to explore and learn. This world was a complicated place and ignorance was a massive hindrance. Aneksi also had to keep her eyes peeled for any signs of the Cane. She could feel the goddess' eyes on her while she was in this place. She was heavily invested in this, and Aneksi would not fail her. She had manged to never do so yet and she would not begin today. The knowledge of the ancient traditions could be taught later. The mission must always come first.

Tien looked at the display, looking around for anything that appeared interesting. "Is magic always so hard, then?" she asked, sighing at the word "weapon" embroidered in bright English on her jacket, symbols that she was told the meaning, not explained individually. Separate, they were meaningless. She looked up at a cane resting half behind a stone slab, "How about that?"

"Very. As an academy member, you have heard of witches. In today's world, only they use magic without effort. Other forms require much training and skill, such as the golem crafters." Of course, there were always exceptions, the most recent being the beast Blair, but better to simplify for the young girl. Speaking about witches brought them closer to the front of his mind and the current situation. This Egyptian woman might be a witch. They can shield souls and live a very long time, and would match with what information he had. He didn't care though, having known nice witches and evil men, and instead looked at the artifact found by the young lady.

Aneksi turned to look at what the girl had pointed out and took in a quick breath. The Ankh grew heavy again and began to glow slightly as she gazed upon the very object she had been searching for. Without saying anything, she walked forward, leaving the other two to follow her or remain there. The Cane was the only thing that was on her mind. "I.....I can't believe it. After nearly a century of search....." she muttered, not even caring that nonbelievers were around her. She had to do something to obtain the Cane. Perhaps she could buy it off of the person who owned the exhibit. The money that she had at her disposal should be enough to cover it.

She stood in front of the display case, still just taking in the artifact. However, her world shattered when she glanced up at the entrance to the exhibit. A group of men were heading to the exhibit, and, sensing from the darkness clinging to them, Aneksi knew who they were and who they served. Without thinking, she held up her hands and, calling on the goddess' power, summoned a barrier of magic to block the entrance. Glowing hieroglyphics appeared and formed a wall of force between them. It would hold them, but not for long.

Looking down, she had no choice but to take the Cane by force. She swung at the case, using magic to increase her strength, and shattered the glass, allowing her access to the Cane. She grabbed the object, which immediately exploded with light as power returned to it. Only the faithful could wield the power of the Cane, but the Setites were, unfortunately, among that number. Keeping it from them became her new priority. She thought she would have more time to make her escape, but another man appeared behind her barrier, causing her blood to chill. The barrier would work against mortals, but Sobek was no mortal. The god laughed and, with a mighty kick, smashed through her barrier like it was wet paper. The Ankh shone brightly, enfusing her the goddess' magic. She sent a hail of magical orbs to slow him before turning and running, calling out, "Run! There is too many of them, and the big one is no mere mortal!"

Tien stood dumbfounded, not understanding what was going on, or these strange men and magic she had never seen. She couldn't think, but grabbed the arms of the woman and man with her. All of a sudden, the world stopped turning on its axis. Everything was still but for the three of them. Tien's muscles tensed and spasmed, control she hadn't quite learned yet holding the world still, "I-I can't hold it long. But it's time for you to think in."

Not quite following what had happening, but clearly able to see those strange men were of ill intent, Daedalus planned to go all out on them. However, with the shattering of the barrier and him laying eyes on the God before him, he knew they were outclassed. He wasn't sure what happened when the young girl grabbed his arm, but he took advantage of the halted state to shift, his exposed arms sprouting feathers and his shoes shredding as talons burst through the soles. He opened his mouth, and a heavy mist poured out coating the area, his markings glowing though the mist soon obscured even them.

The slowing of time to halt surprised Aneksi. Magic of this caliber was rare and hard to control. The latter was reinforced by the fact that she could see tears in the magic that caused time to stop. It was rudimentary and incomplete, but it would serve them well despite the flaws. The young girl definitely had some surprises in her. She was least surprised by the man being able to performed exceptional feats. She guessed that a few of their unspoken questions had been answered, but now several more just appeared. The think mist would provide excellent cover for them to make their escape.

Pulling them along until they were following, Aneski tried to search for a way out of this place that wasn't blocked by the Setites. Time had been frozen for only a few seconds, but those precious seconds had put them far enough ahead and disoriented them enough that the group had an advantage. Sobek would seize it back if they didn't move quickly, though. However, despite their efforts, Aneksi couldn't find a back exit or anything. It seemed like she would have to fight off the Setites and Sobek. It wouldn't be the first god she had taken on, but those battles had been long and challenging and she didn't want to subject these strangers to their game.

As if someone had heard her worry, and, indeed, someone might have. A dark shadow stretched from the floor to the ceiling in front of them. It seemed to come from nowhere, but Aneksi knew immediately who it was and she sighed in relief. A voice seemed to come from the shadow. It said, "Quickly, run through!" Aneksi didn't even hesitate. Without explaining, she pushed the other two through the darkness, being careful not to directly touch the man. She could feel the cold coming off of him and she didn't want to harm herself. Once they were through, she went through, allowing their ally to close the darkness, saving them from a huge fight.

On the other side, the group appeared to be in room filled with desks and chairs. A clakboard dominated the front of the room and a podium rested in front of it. A quick location spell told Aneksi that they were still in Death City, but they were in a classroom in the Death Weapon Meister Academy. She sighed in relief as not even the Setites, or the gods who followed Set would dare to come her. Lord Death did not take lightly to intruders that intended harm. Near the group, a young man stood near them. He was darkly complected like Aneksi and one of his eyes was drawn up in Egyptian style, but it was a specific style. She went over and hugged the man who had saved them, and he returned it. "I came to help as soon as I heard Sobek was leading the group against you." He told her, letting go.

"I cannot thank you enough, Anubis. You saved our lives." She replied, knowing that show would have a lot of questions to answer.

Tien blinked, the names sounding simply like more unfamiliar english as far as she could tell, but the girl's nose was trickling red like thick wine, and a blood vessel in her eye had ruptured, turning half of it a strange pink-red over the white. Hard to control indeed. Outside her weapon form, it was damned near impossible. She pressed the back of her hand to the underside of her nose, trying to catch what she could, looking strangely between the woman and the strange figure with her.

Daedalus looked at the new surroundings, not quite certain what had happened, but multiple theories did come to his mind. Determining that they were in fact safe, he shifted back, his limbs and features returning to a fully human guise. He observed the man called Anubis with a keen eye, his mind only taking a few seconds to place the name as one of the Gods of Egypt. He seemed very familiar with his companion, though whether he was the actual God, or a powerful being with the same name had yet to be set. However, that would have to wait. Daedalus knelt in front of the Thai girl and placed a cool hand on her face. He could tell that she needed proper aid, magic or otherwise, one he could not provide.