Pharaoh’s Curse Pt. 08

"That's one strange but polite boy," Nour muttered, having no idea what her daughter saw in Andrew. Turning her head when Jahi's own snapped over towards Andrew's ship's shrinking image. "What's the matter, Jahi?"

"He's given me the means to keep my dream alive," Jahi muttered softly, handing his wife his phone with his business account centered on the screen with the amount that had just been transferred to him displayed in big white numbers.

"My lord, just who were those people?" Halima asked low as she stepped up to Andrew's side as he stood at the bow of the ship.

"My future in-laws," Andrew said factually. "I hope the two of you know I'll be staying in my city tonight, given how we won't be there until," looking up to the sky, "five o'clock."

"I figured, my lord, we don't mind camping out if the need arises."

"Would hope not, then how did you ever survive at the dig site," Andrew teased.

"It was torture every day, I assure you," Halima joked, keeping her smile hidden that Andrew was speaking to her kindly and not as a combatant like he had over a month ago. Wondering what exactly he had faced in the land of the Gods for him to change like he had done. "Can I ask, what do you see with those eyes of yours?"

"Everything."

Chapter Seven

NeoHierakonpolis

Andrew's eyes scanned the shore as the people of his city lined up to greet him the moment he stepped off the dock. Not that he wasn't used to the pomp; he kind of figured that went along with being Pharaoh. Glancing over to Halima and her companion, noting how they were eyeing those on the shore and him as his ship glided towards the dock. Wondering if the Gods had started picking out their priests and priestesses yet like Bast did with Anta. He knew they were going to choose from the people before them. It was the only logical guess.

"Welcome to NeoHierakonpolis, my city, my capital," Andrew spoke proudly. "Pilous!" he called out in ancient Egyptian.

"Yes, my Pharaoh," Pilous answered from behind him.

"My watchers and I will be needing lodging for the night," Andrew said, gesturing with a wave at Halima and the man. Noting the sheer happiness on the man's face at the fact that he would be within the city for more than a few hours.

"Of course, of course, we've been hoping and praying that your lordship would grace us with your presence in your laborious tasks. We've been planning this, so we made an area just for you, my lord," Pilous said excitedly.

"Thank you, Pilous, your people are too kind to me," Andrew spoke softly to the man before ambling down the gangplank, feeling Bast's amusement in his mind as one of the women held the cushion she had been using high above her as she walked down the gangplank behind him followed by Halima and her friend. Noting how drunk on the praise and worship Bast was becoming as the inhabitants of his city paid homage to her as they all got to their knees and started to sing a hymn to her as the woman carried Bast around them so all could see Bast's magnificence. Wondering if all the Gods were going to become like that, given the lack of worshipers they had throughout the centuries. Nodding to Pilous, silently telling him to go about their daily lives like he wasn't even there as he set off to find Ptah before he went to the Duat to help guard Ra down the River of Night.

"My lord, wait for us," Halima called out to Andrew once her awe had faded as she heard the people's voices singing loudly as they walked down the center road of their village. Pondering if that was how her people acted so many thousands of years ago when the Gods would come down and interact with their people. "Pharaoh, this place is just amazing, and you saved all these people?" she asked in awe as her eyes were squarely on his back.

"Yes," Andrew answered, looking around before taking a right turn and walked aimlessly to where Ptah was working.

"I can't believe she let you hold her?!" Andrew heard Halima speaking behind him as he traveled through the narrow alleys between the buildings where the people had risen since his absence.

"And I will cherish that moment for the rest of my life," the man said in reverence.

"Stick around; it will happen more often than not; she's kind of prissy about walking on the ground," Andrew said, knowing full well she could hear him. Smirking when Bast made her displeasure known.

"My lord, is it wise to speak badly of a goddess?" Halima asked, hoping not to earn Bast's ire for being close to Andrew.

"How can I speak badly when it's the truth, and you know it," Andrew said, looking at the crude image of Bast that was painted onto one of the walls he walked passed. Chuckling in his mind when all Bast did was grumble in his head.

"So, how did this city get raised so quickly?" Halima asked from behind Andrew.

"Upon Ba'al's defeat," he knew he was acting like every other Pharaoh before him, rewriting history, "as penitence to those that are left from the land of Punt, she built them this city so they can live out their lives. Seems they've added some buildings to the place since I've been gone," Andrew mused as his eyes ran over what he could see of the area as he peered through those same narrow alleyways. "So since I was the one who freed them and brought them into this century, it falls on me to provide for these wanderers of time," he said low, gesturing to the people he passed.

"But how do they not know they're in the modern age?" the man asked, confused. He got all that, and he understood that; he even admired it.

"In order to protect the people of Punt not just from the world around them, yet also from themselves. You have to understand these people still think they're in 2000 BC. You don't honestly think it wise to slam the progression of the world over the past four thousand years all at once in their faces, right?" Andrew asked, peering over his shoulder at the man.

"But why make your city out here?" Halima inquired about their surroundings.

"This is where the rebirth of Egypt will rise once more," 'Andrew said, peering back at them when he stopped in his tracks. "Where the land, the people, and the Gods will reforge the link that was extinguished when Pepi II died. Why do you think I'm keeping it so low-tech? No one knows how to live like this anymore, and you can't tell me modern-day people would agree to live like this? Okay, they might," he admitted, "yet I don't have that kind of time. So these good people will help bring back the Age of the Gods to the world of man. Mean I have the knowledge to do it, but again, don't have that kind of time."

"I see," Halima muttered at a loss; she couldn't even begin to fathom what was going through his mind at the moment. The stress Andrew must be under to have all that responsibility resting on his shoulders that wasn't placed there by his own choices. Hoping to when Andrew continued his trek to where she couldn't say. Yet as she followed him through those narrow back streets, she knew the others of her order... her body stood frozen when her eyes stared horrifically at the cat-like men and, oddly, some women as they lined the rooftops, paying no heed to them as they scanned the city for danger.

"Now you know why I'm not all too concerned about your little group. I already have bodyguards," Andrew said smugly. Halima and her companion felt their killer instinct baring down on them the moment those words came out of his mouth. "Do you really think Bast, the Protector of the Pharaoh, is going to allow something like whatever your group might be plotting to happen? But they do present a challenge to me," he mused, tapping his chin in thought. "Since you wish to prove to me that not all your order are as rebellious as those plotting against me, you have chosen to become my personal bodyguards, oh?" he uttered when Bast told him to wait and watch; she wanted to see how they would react without knowing her eye was on them. "If that's what you want," Andrew stated with a shrug of his shoulders. "Sorry, sometimes that happens, don't let it bother you," he spoke, walking off with an amused look on his face.

"By the Gods, Halima, we are so not prepared for this?!" Nofre-it said, knowing Mido had no clue who he was moving against. There was no way Mido was going to win or get out alive when Andrew had a goddess looking after him.

"I know, to think he has all those protecting him. I got the sense they weren't mortal, if you know what I mean," Halima said slyly as she glanced over at him as they followed after Andrew.             

"I'm totally with you on that," Nofre-it nodded; in all his years of army life, he didn't feel this sense of being outright outmatched as those strange beings' eyes never left them.

"Ptah! Hey, Ptah, you out here?" Andrew called out as he entered what he had come to learn was the foreman's dwelling.

"Of course I am, Pharaoh, you knew that," Ptah greeted, startling the other two with Andrew. Noticing the man nearly sharted himself when he had just appeared out of the air.

"True, just the looks on their faces were worth it," Andrew chuckled wickedly. "But I brought the blueprints of the temple and my Palace, but I want to design something else, just you and me. Might I bequeath you to impart your wisdom to me on that matter?" Andrew asked politely, not knowing if he could do what he was planning without the God's help.

"I might be able to; I suspect this project you're thinking of will require someone of a more... precise hand?" Ptah mused as he took the tube from Andrew.              

"Something like that," Andrew nodded.

"I assume you have a quarry to mine all this stone, yes?" Ptah asked, casting Andrew a glance.

"Something better and without the cost," Andrew said with a smirk.

"I see, yes, wise to get the spawn of Yahweh's debt removed as soon as you can. His ilk leaves a bad taste in one's mouth," Ptah muttered low. "These will be no problem. It's a good thing I thought ahead and had the ground cleared for the foundation of the Palace."

"It is," Andrew nodded. "Can I ask a question, Lord Ptah?"

"Please, Pharaoh, I know you went through the trials. So I know you know what our relationship entails. Ptah will be fine; now, what is your question, young Pharaoh," Ptah stated, gesturing for Andrew to continue. He knew what had happened to Andrew; they all were watching. He was pleasantly surprised to find his calculations turned out wrong with his opposition to Ra's plan to bring this all about.

"That crossbow, or ballista," feeling his mother coming out in his question, "as you will, did you get it to take down Horus yet?" Andrew asked, remembering it when he passed them.

"Oh?" Ptah cooed, his eyes lit up in devilish glee at what happened after Andrew had entered the fissure. "Yes, Pharaoh, I did get my revenge, that I did," he said as shadows played along his face. "Now please enter this humble abode these generous people gifted me; your guards can wait outside," Ptah ordered.

"Best you stay here; better for your brain, trust me," Andrew said gently as he turned and followed after Ptah.

"Now, Pharaoh, what exactly could you not say in front of those people?"

"I need your mind on a way to pierce the heavens?" Andrew said factually, noting how that made Ptah sit up on the sofa the people made for him.

"My, that hasn't been done..."

"I know, since Senufo," Andrew said somberly, knowing he might not be coming back from this, given where he was going.

"Are you sure this is wise?"

"Wise or not, it has to be done, you know it, Ptah; without it, we should just forget the whole thing. You know, without Nu, Egypt's rise is as good as dead, and I'm the only one that can without starting an all-out war with him. I'm not saying I'm going to run out and do it right now. I'm not that crazy or stupid. I have other things to get in place before that happens. So it gives me time to get Egypt settled after the transfer of power. Because you and I know how bad this can and probably will go, don't you?" Andrew asked seriously.

"Of course I do! We all do! Whatever he's done, he's still a god! And he has the power of Nu! That makes him extra dangerous!"

"I know, you think I've forgotten; hey, I'm the one going into that place, remember?"

"Yes, but... are you sure this is the path you want to take?"

"Not really, no, think you have to be insane to even go along with this plan Ra cooked up!" Andrew nearly shouted, keeping his voice down. "But... as you all have stated numerous times to me, I don't have a choice. So I want to make sure Egypt will roll on if something happens and the line of the Pharaohs carries on even if I don't," Andrew stated, resigned to his fate.

"Then yes, you would need someone of the divine hand if you're planning what I think you're planning. What kind of stone were you thinking of making this out of?" Ptah asked, his hand lightly tapping the blueprint he was creating as they talked.

"Onyx," thinking it would symbolize how this all started for him, "and the rest pink granite," Andrew stated, wondering how the people were going to take this. He would face that if he actually survived his insane idea. "Also, I need a tomb, and honestly, you're about the only one here I know that could possibly figure out how to carve that out and make it where they can't find the entrance to it. I'm not about to have my mummy ransacked years down the road. And I need you to make tombs for my family. Oh, and you can use the stone from it to make the pylon Halima had added to the temple," he said, watching Ptah hurriedly shuffle to the blueprint.

"Oh, yes, Pharaoh, this will look nice when it's all complete," Ptah said, peering over the edge of it. "Now all I need is the stone, and I'll get right on that Palace of yours."

"I'll let you know when we're done," Andrew said, taking that as his cue to leave. "Come, we have a lot to do before nightfall," he spoke in a commanding tone as he led them off to where his Palace would sit.

"Where are we?" Halima asked, looking around at the giant hole in the ground.

"The future site of my Palace; please don't freak out," Andrew warned as he brought his phone up to his ear.

"Hey, Pharaoh, kind of quicker than I thought you would take to call me back. What can I do for you?"

"It's time." These were Andrew's only words.

"I see; I'm bringing someone..." Andrew looked at his phone oddly when the line went dead.

"Still hate that, you know?" said an unseen voice, causing Andrew to look up only to find six wings filling his view. Glancing over at his shadow, noting how their minds were melting and the hysteria was about to begin muttering: "Hold it together for a few minutes."

"I know; why do you think I do it?" Andrew heard Ira's evil chuckle as his wings began to unfold.

"This is how you treat your friends?" Andrew heard that same male voice answer, noting the rather too gothic appearance he was starting to see; he had an idea who Ira had brought along.

"Demon, remember?" Ira teased warmheartedly as he patted Samuel's shoulder. "And what's up with that outfit anyway?"

"What? Pandora picked it out; think I'm going to say no, even though it makes me look clique," the man countered.

"Yeah, I have met her; I can't fault you on that; come, want you to meet someone," Ira said, nodding over to Andrew.

"This the dude you mentioned when you brought me the book?"

"He is," Ira said, hiding his smile that his friend's group got another member.

"But he doesn't look like a Pharaoh."

"You don't look like some all-powerful vampire Ira told me about," Andrew countered, eyeing Samuel's ordinary exterior.

"Touché," Samuel chuckled, holding up his hands in surrender. "Just didn't think showing up the way I normally look wouldn't go too well with normal people," he said, pointing at the two that were having their worlds shattered.

"Oh? And what do you look like? Normally, I mean?" Andrew inquired, intrigued.

"I have gold skin, and I'm a vampire; not a combo you expose people to?"

"That all?" Andrew countered he would give anything not to shine like a lightbulb when he used his divine spark. "At least you don't light up like Coney Island." Wondering why Ira's friend was eyeing him; it was starting to border on the side of creepy. Only to watch how Ira gently nudged his friend in the ribs.

"You're a Demigod, aren't you?" Samuel asked curiously.

"Yes, and how do you know that?" Andrew asked suspiciously.

"When you're the hand of the Titan of Magic, you're around a lot of cosmic beings, plus having the well of magic residing in my body, you tend to develop a sense to other divine beings." Samuel said apologetically, "Samuel Goodall."

"Andrew McCain," he introduced himself. "So how about you do that thing you do before those two blow their tops," Andrew said, pointing over his shoulder at Halima and Nofre-it.

"Right, just tell me what kind of stone you want coming out here," Ira spoke, hastily making the pad where all the building supplies would appear on. While he could simply create the structures for Andrew, yet it seemed this was one thing he had to do on his own. Nodding when Andrew told him what he wanted to do, he quickly encased him in his wings and teleported them over to Djed.

"So you really the Pharaoh of Egypt?" Samuel asked once they appeared at the barren site of Djed.

"I am; you really some vampire sex witch?" Andrew rebutted, peering over at him when Ira was creating the pads for Andrew that held all the stones Andrew asked for on multiple pads.

"Yep," Samuel said, releasing his hold on his illusion.

"Ira?"

"Yeah?"

"I thought vampires were supposed to be the handsome type," Andrew called out.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Ira answered, trying not to ball out in laughter.

"Oh, now I know why Ira wanted me to come along, ass!" Samuel snapped, getting a howl of laughter out of Ira, who was bent over in his mirth. "Forget about him; he tends to do that, even when he wasn't on a level of a god. So can I ask, what are you building here?"

"Temple and some other things," Andrew said offhandedly. "Hey, you were serious about that help, right?" he asked; he had waited until he was well away from prying ears.

"What, like to get Nu back? Yeah, said I would; why?"

"Good, I'm taking you up on your offer. I know you can't enter, given..." Running his hand up and down Ira's body, who had a 'Really dude?' look on his face as Andrew did, "but thats to the gate and back if it's written like it says it, so yeah, going to need a hand," Andrew spoke, noting how Samuel was looking between the two.

"Ira, what's this Nu he's talking about, and why did it sound like he's planning to raid his realm?" Samuel asked, quickly picking up on the situation.

"Why I brought you here, Sam, even I know it'll be a death trap for him if he enters alone, I might be powerful, but there are things even I can't do, like entering his realm and reigniting what you and I fought to stop," Ira said in a serious tone. "Why I wanted you to meet Andrew. He's a cool dude, a little full of himself," flashing Andrew a smirk, "I chalk that up to the god part of him. Other than that, he's pretty much...." Ira' stopped in his tracks, really noticing the change in Andrew. He didn't think only a few months, he'd grow that much. "So I thought if I can't cover him when he's in Heaven, I thought someone with the power to put the being before everything back to sleep, then he would increase the odds of Andrew coming back alive."

"What's he talking about?" Andrew asked, confused.

"Long story short? We stopped all reality from ending by returning she who will sleep for all eternity back to her slumber," Samuel said, giving a brief rundown of the event.