I was floating, it feels like being in a meditative state. I'm half-conscious, everything felt distant.
"...s...time...I...ill...never...le...go."
I can't hear, who's talking...does it matter? I feel like going to sleep; maybe I'm asleep, maybe this is a dream, but if so, why my heart breaks when I see those eyes full of tears. It is like this happened long, long ago.
'The sun was high up in the sky, the breeze touches the soft grass "¡Wait for me Heqet!" I hear the sound of faint footsteps running behind me and the voice of a young girl screaming.
"Hahaha, no way, I want to refresh myself, this heat is terrible!" I run even quicker and at last, I see the Nile river. Without much thought, I jump into the water, splashing it everywhere.
Taking with my hand a big mouthful and letting the sun dry my face.
"Uff...uff...ugh couldn't you wait for me; running here made me more tired than in the palace, for the grace of Isis, next time I'm coming by horse," Nedjem said while wetting her head in the cool water.
"hehe...oops, sorry I just wanted to come quicker, you know that I´m extremely busy these days, The rainy season is close and I must help to make the Nile bigger and the crops flourish." I responded, looking to the fishermen capturing in the nets the fish for the market.
"Yes, I know you are doing your heka this year at the Waset, in Thebes to make the flooding more stable from the north." Nedjem always liked it when I perform my heka, magic to make the country thrive.
"That's right, though you know is a secret it is me, so I need to transform my face so no one recognizes me."
"I know don't worry I won't tell, I prefer to eat sand than tell such an important secret." She smiles in the most mischievous way possible, I just laugh at her silliness. "Though I don't understand why in Ra's name you choose to hide in the head of a frog, there are more cool animals out there."
"What's wrong with frogs, they are the first ones to thank me for the rainy season and think all the others already have chosen the best animals out there, the crocodile, the cat, the Jackal, the lion, the-"
"OK, Ok no more, I know all the other Gods pretty well thank you, for Isis, you sound exactly like my priest master." She shivers with a grimace.
"Pft!...you're the one that wanted to be a priestess and Master Baniti is not that bad." I can't contain my laugh when she looks at me in such a murderous way.
"Really, then why not accompany me to the next lecture, he said that we have to write all the history of every God and Pharaon till today, plus extra points, if you can describe all the rituals of the six primordial gods and next, is-"
"Oh for Isis, it's so late, I have to go and prepare for the journey bye!" I jump up and run as far away as possible before Nedjem gets me, for I'm sure that she will truly bring me to the temple just to make me pay.
* * *
I get to my house and start to pack all my manuscripts for the magic ritual that will take place, a few amulets for the people of Waset as I know the pregnant women ask for my amulets to give a healthy birth. I already contacted Osiris, Hapi and Geb for the annual event of Nile inundation event.
Each of us is a god that represents something of the flooding: Osiris is the agriculture, Hapi is the flood, Geb that will fill the earth with the nutrients of the water and lastly me explicitly with the last stages of the flooding of the Nile and good childbirth for this next year.
Then I take my grepond eye paint and black kohl*, (What girl would forget makeup?) I reach for my copper mirror to apply the makeup but pause; for some reason, my face feels different than usual, dark skin, delicate factions, still my eyes are familiar, these purple eyes so dark yet so bright.
Shaking my head I continue applying the kohl, (what was that?) well better get going before is too late to start the long trip. I finished packing and I'm just strapping the bags on the horse when I feel someone taking my hand away, I turn around and see a man in a long white tunic with the hood obscuring his appearance.
"My friend, you should practice more your heka for I could approach you without notice, that could be dangerous." In an instant, I recognize the voice and jump to hug him.
"Osiris, when did you get here? I thought that we'll meet in Aswan with the others to go to Thebes." I step a little back to see if anyone is near. "And is clear you don't need to hide."
"Thank you." He takes off the hood and the most striking thing is his green skin and then of course his Atef crown.** " I didn't want you to travel alone you distract yourself with anything plus you'll get there faster with my help. This way I can repay your help when Horus was born." He smiles and the earth below him starts to grow plants in a moment.
"So kind but you know that I love Isis like a sister, there was no way I would not help in her birth." I mount the horse while Osiris floats a few inches above the ground, his bound legs never moving.
I remember that when Set killed Osiris, Isis escaped, she disappeared however, she called me when she felt that her child was coming into the world, so I helped and I gave Horus his first breath of life. So when everything calmed down they gave me the childbirth and resurrection title.
I heard Osiris chuckle "I know still let me accompany you, lately, I have no time for many conversations with friends." As a primordial god for the people, I imagine how difficult it must have been.
We are called gods but in reality, we are normal humans the only difference is that we can control heka, magic in an efficacious way, yet it helps the people so we let them believe we are gods. We hide our normal faces so we use an illusion heka to make us appear with animal heads but Osiris, Isis and Hopi can't do that, their heka changed their appearance.
Isis grew wings and horns for using soul heka, a type of heka that helps the soul to transcend to the afterlife and guide it to the stars where they truly belong; Osiris skin became green for the plant and grow heka, he made plants blossom and crops perfect for picking although when he died his body was in a terrible state, Isis resurrected him and bandaged him, thus he can't move freely anymore.
Hopi is another case, he has blue skin and green hair for the water heka that he made to make the Nile stronger but he hides in a cavern and never goes out unless is the flooding time, so he doesn't need to conceal his appearance.
As Osiris floats beside my horse, he talks of old times when he had a little more freedom but strays away from any conversation about Set, which doesn't honestly surprise me. Their fight is something that nobody can soon forget; especially Horus as he is fixed to exact revenge.
"A desert is a dangerous place, lately some people have been saying that some have gone missing when they enter the west into the dunes. Some even say that they hear screams in the night but are not capable of knowing from where exactly are they coming from, except that is into the deepest parts of the desert." Osiris shares some of the rumours that he hears often in his temple.
"I just hope that it is not a bad omen." I answer shivering, thinking that if what they say is true then is a monster, it may be too powerful even for all of us together.
"True we have to stay alert." Osiris is calm while talking for he has decades living through difficult situations.
The journey goes more or less the same way, stopping in some towns to eat and rest, then continuing our path into the city of Aswan where Hopi is living (more like hiding) and Geb is waiting for us.
* * *
Finally, we got to Aswan and found the cavern where Hopi lives.
"Wait Heqet, the entrance needs a password to let us through." Osiris stops me from getting closer to the entrance, just as he said I could feel a tingling sensation that told me about the heka that protects the place.
As we didn't know the password we waited and just as I was going to suggest going back later the earth started shaking and a snake came from a hole in the ground, transforming into a man in a second.
"Hello Osiris my son, though we saw recently; for the other part Heqet, you grow more beautiful every year. haven't seen you in a long while, when was the last time? no, don't respond to that I feel old already as it is." Geb was (as always) full of energy, never stopping for breath.
Being the God of Earth had its advantages, traveling anywhere was one, knowing where the other Gods were, another.
"Pft...hi, Geb yes it has been some time, you look the same...pft...do you know the password to Hapi's cave? we are stuck." I said trying very hard to not laugh at Osiris face, been dismissed by his father so easily.
"Hello father, it seems that the age has finally gotten to your head. We haven't seen each other for a Whole Year." Osiris talked in a clipped tone that made me contain my laugh harder, his eyebrows narrowed just a tiny bit as well, so obvious how he accentuated the 'Whole Year' part.
"Really? I thought I saw you this month, oh no wait it was actually a weed in the road what I saw that day, the colour was so similar to you that well, maybe I just confused you two." Geb teased, he loved to infuriate Osiris, he once said 'He is so calm all the time, is not good for his health, I'm just helping him to let out his emotions'...(I think he only wants to entertain himself with his son's temper.)
"Tch, how old is he...uff" is so funny to see Osiris trying to not lose his composure, breathing deeply and calming like nothing is wrong if it wasn't for his eyebrows twitching almost violently. "Do you know the password? if not we have to wait for Hopi to come out." I was kind of proud for Osiris to talk like nothing happened with an almost benevolent smile.
Of course, Geb didn't buy it for even a second, the fake composture of his son. It didn't deter him to continue poking the lion until it bites.
"Of course I know it and if you say: 'Oh my dear, marvellous and perfect father I missed you so badly can you please tell me the password' I might tell you." Geb grinned wider, like the cat that got the cream, his eyes say 'humour me'.
Osiris was about to retort to more bickering when an explosion made us look at the entrance of the cavern with concern.
"Help please!!!" That was Hopi's voice, Geb quickly says the password and we run inside into the darkness.