The Ways of Eternity

by D.A. Dean

Chapter 16: Essence

  Horus fastened his hands around Nalia's waist and with all his strength flung her toward the shore.

  Nalia's body arched over the water. Nearing the shoreline, she twisted, bringing her legs forward.

  Horus raised his hands, willing the air to wrap around her, willing her descent to slow.

  She slid into the shallow waves, latched her hands to Antuus' mane, and he pulled her from the water.

  Horus dove, channeling his fear to intensify his kicking. Ugly, red waves slung themselves over him, knocking him to sand. He pushed up, coughing, spitting out the wretched water, a horrid, metallic taste lingering in his mouth. "Teo!"

  No answer.

  "Help me, Mother! Anyone, someone—help me!" Horus begged. He wrenched his body back and forth through the waves, searching. No—think. Feel him and find him. Heart racing, he released resistance, focusing only on sensing Teo, and the waves drove him down. Ahead. Horus shot up and tore a path forward. "Teo!" He scanned but couldn't see him.

  Ducking his head, Horus powered on. An enormous wave crashed over him, and he hit bottom hard, assailed by the sharp rocks that lay beneath. Had Teo, too, hit here? Horus had to find him—now. "Water! Stop!"

  The waves halted mid-crest.

  "Take me to Teo! I command it!"

  A hard slip of water pressed behind him. Back bowing, body shaking against the crushing pressure, he was sped forward, on and on, through the wall of water before him. His lungs ached. Quickly, the lack of air and body-numbing pummeling pushed him to the brink of blacking out. "Help me," he pleaded to whoever might hear.

  The water darkened.

  The voice surrounded him, "I can help you, Horus."

  "No! I didn't mean you! Let me go!"

  "I'm not holding you. I'm just easing your way. Why do you offer only reproach? I'll help you. I'll set you both on the shore, safe and sound."

  "For what price? It's a trick. Let go!"

  "Why are you so suspicious of one who offers assistance? Has anyone else answered your call?"

  Chest quivering, Horus pressed his lips, fighting his need to inhale. His limbs twitched.

  "Beautiful Horus. I'll bring him to you. I'll give you rest on my own shore, far away from the concerns you hold. You can forget all your worries and hurts. I can give you peace, both of you, forever. Breathe."

  Horus saw only blackness. "Mother, Father! Ra, I beseech you! Help me!"

  "Refuse, Horus, refuse!" Isis' commanded, voice filled with fear.

  Bubbles streamed from Horus' nose. "I refuse...." His body released to the waves.

  "No, Horus! Up! Command the water to lift you up!"

  "Uh-up. I com...command it." Water slammed into him, propelling him toward the surface. He burst through, the tips of his toes alone still within, and fell forward, gasping, his hands resting atop the awful red. Mist whipped around him, burning his raw skin like a scorpion's sting. Moaning, he closed and covered his eyes. Teo. He lifted onto his knees. "Water, hear me. Bring Teo up. Bring Teo to me!"

  Teo bobbed up through the waves. "Horus! Here!"

  Dropping flat on top of the water, Horus plunged his arms down through it to encircle him. With a heave, he pulled him, bruised and battered, up onto his lap.

  "H-how?" Teo's eyes rolled back, and he draped limp against him.

  Trembling, Horus allowed himself a moment to bend low over him, holding him. A sharp sense of urgency to return to shore swept through him. They weren't safe here.

  Horus slipped his arms under Teo and stood. "Water. Take us to shore. Now." Muscles of his legs and back in spasm, he held Teo as high as he was able, away from the biting mist.

  They glided swiftly back, following the direction of the waves that broke beside them till Horus' feet touched sand. He staggered across the shore, clutching Teo to him.

  Nalia and Antuus raced to them.

  "Is he...?" Nalia asked, fluttering her hands around her son.

  "He's alive."

  Antuus sniffed Horus' legs, turned to the sea, and roared.

  "Antuus, no," Horus said. "It's not the enemy."

  Nalia fastened her hands to Horus' arm. "But the enemy is near?"

  "Near, but not here."

  Nalia gave a quick nod. "We need to get him to the fire."

  Antuus followed, pausing, teeth bared, to turn and scan the shore.

  The fire had fallen low. Horus said quietly, "Make it blaze."

  Pale even across her lips, Nalia hurried to gather and stack fuel.

  Wait, think, Horus told himself. Why risk showing Seht where they were when he could call Flame? Limbs shaking, he lowered Teo to his mat. "Nalia," he called, and she rushed to his side. "I have another way." He stared down at Teo, appraising. His cuts were deep. Several of his ribs were broken, as was his left forearm. But, Horus noted with relief, Teo's back, neck, and head were uninjured.

  "Oh," Teo moaned, his eyelids fluttering. He struggled to sit.

  Horus laid his hands on Teo's shoulders, stilling him. "You're on shore now, in our circle by the fire. Your mother is here. Antuus is here. We won't let anything happen."

  "Mother," Teo said, reaching out a hand, and Nalia lifted it to her cheek. "Horus?" He lifted his other hand, and Horus grasped it. "I'm frightened." He gave a shallow cough. Blood darkened his lips.

  Horus' heart skipped. He gave Teo's hand a squeeze. "You'll be up teaching me again before you know it."

  Teo nodded. His eyelids slipped closed.

  Brushing her cheeks, Nalia bowed her head and leaned lower over her son.

  With a jolt, Horus realized Teo was injured beyond Nalia's ability to heal. He hovered his hands, what he sensed confirming what he feared. Teo was dying.

  Nalia sat back and lifted her chin. "Horus," she said and stared into his eyes. "I believe in you."

  Horus released a breath and nodded. "Antuus, keep watch. Nalia, I need you to let go of his hand and move away." No mistakes. He squared his shoulders, pressed his hands to the ground, and shouted, "Flame. Know the voice of your bidder. Come to me now."

  A great, shifting column of red, orange, blue, and yellow appeared before him just beyond Teo's feet. "What is your bidding?"

  "Hold firm so I may see you and know you're the one I called."

  The column of fire stood motionless, its flickering fingers stilled, its colors no longer dancing and merging.

  Horus sensed a part of himself from deep within move forward beyond his body and enter the fire. He saw what he'd seen before. Eternity. The part of him that had extended pulled back, reintegrating. "Flame. I know you." He bowed.

  The fire's fingers stretched toward him, its base holding in place. "Felt you, I did, not only my bidder, but my master. For you, I serve. To you, I bow. Light, you are. Happy to Serve am I." The column of fire spread, encircling him. "Light. Master. What is your bidding?"

  Horus held his hands over Teo's chest. "Heal him or show me how or move through me."

  "Healer, you are. What is your bidding?" The circle of fire contracted.

  Horus' back began to burn. He raised his hands and commanded, "Flame, move through me to heal him."

  The fire contracted to a spinning circle in front of Horus' hands and shot into him.

  Flame filling him, tongues of fire emerged from his nose, mouth, and ears. He visualized the fire moving to his palms and felt it sweep down his neck, shoulders, arms. Violet light radiated from his palms onto Teo, covering him.

  Teo's cuts closed and smoothed, the light around them changing to gold. Across Teo's ribs, violet flickered to gold and grew brighter. Over Teo's mid-abdomen, the light remained unchanged.

  Horus leaned forward, sliding his hands directly over the spot. Still, the light didn't alter. "What do I do, Mother?" he called. No response. He focused his concentration to building the light. Flame surged through him, yet the injury wouldn't heal.
<
br />   Teo's breathing slowed.

  "Mother, please, answer," Horus implored, heart racing.

  A long moment passed. Isis' voice held sorrow, "There is nothing more you can do."

  "No," Horus whispered and fell back, his fear and anguish building. He covered his face.

  Nalia softly wept.

  "I'm sorry, Horus," Isis said quietly.

  "No. I'm not giving up." Even if Isis knew of no other answer, surely Flame did. But he had to give Flame a specific command. The part of him that had moved from his body into the fire must hold power. Yes, that was the key. Horus dropped his hands and straightened. "Flame. Can you hear me?"

  "I hear the voice of my bidder, my master."

  "I want to give him part of myself, my essence. Can I do that? Is there a way?"

  "No, Horus," Isis' words rang out.

  Horus pushed them away, focusing only on hearing Flame. "Can I do it?"

  "Healer, you are."

  "How?"

  Isis appeared beside Horus, grasped his shoulders, and pulled back hard. "No, Horus, this is madness."

  Horus held position beside Teo. "How, Flame?"

  "Master, you are."

  Isis tightened her fingers, her fear seeping into Horus' awareness.

  He ignored it. "I bid you—"

  "No, Horus! No!"

  "To give part of my essence to the one I would heal. Flame, I command you to give part of my essence to Teo."

  Isis fell back and wrapped her arms, trembling, around her sides. "What have you done? Oh, child, what have you done?"

  Horus returned his gaze to his friend. "Flame. Is Teo healed?"

  Flame answered, "He holds part of you within him. He is restored." The fire again materialized before Horus, so bright he had to squint. "With reverence, I serve you, my master, O Wonder of Light."

  Teo opened his eyes, saw the column of flame, and started vigorously.

  Horus told him gently, "Be still."

  Isis' face was ashen and somber. "Why, Horus? Why wouldn't you listen to me?"

  "A moment, Mother." Horus stood and bowed to Flame. "I offer whatever I have the power to give."

  "Horus!" Isis clapped her hand to her mouth.

  A form took shape in the swirling column of fire.

  "Master, I now...am." The form danced within the light. "I send love and know what it is I send." Tenderly, Flame swept through Horus, forward and back.

  Horus looked down, surveying himself, and saw his cuts were healed, his bruises gone. "Thank you."

  Flame reappeared before him. "All in Light. All in Love." The fire began to spin. "I, Happy to Serve, you always in my heart, this day forevermore in my knowing. Master, servant, stretching eternity. I, Happy to Serve, part of All That Is, carrying memory and praise of you." Faster and faster the fire spun, its light growing brighter and brighter. With a tremendous burst of brilliant violet and gold, it vanished.

  "What have you done?" Isis turned from him.

  Horus glanced down at Teo and over to Nalia before going to her. "Please, try to understand."

  Isis covered her face. "Oh, Horus. Oh, oh, oh."

  He'd never seen her like this, starkly vulnerable and tormented, never could have imagined her this way. He didn't know how to comfort her, how to explain what he'd done, why he'd defied her. "Mother." He knelt, reached for her hand, and halted.

  A presence. Powerful. Closing in fast.

  Feverishly, Isis clutched Horus' hand. "You must undo—"

  The presence surrounded them.

  A voice Horus had never fully heard but instantly knew vibrated within him, saying, "Hush, my daughter, hush."

  Shakily, Isis stood and began wringing her hands. "Oh, Father, how do I save him? How do I undo what's been done?"

  Ra answered, "You cannot. Nor can I, nor anyone else. Though others may assist him and, indeed, he has great need of others' aid, only he can save himself, and what's been done is as it now must be."

  Isis' jaw slackened, and she sank to her knees.

  Horus rushed to her.

  Ra said, "Come to me, Isis, my child. There are matters about which it's time now we speak."

  Isis' gaze found and focused on her son. "I love you."

  Horus took a breath and kissed her cheek. "I love you, too."

  She held her hand out to him, and he helped her stand. "I must go now."

  "I know," Horus answered, holding back his tears.

  Isis' eyes were changing so rapidly—blue, grey, hazel, amethyst, rose, green, amber—the colors almost merged. They settled to a clear, sapphire blue. She touched Horus' face and then was gone.

  Horus brushed his cheeks and turned to Teo and Nalia.

  Nalia stared at him, her wonder and love showing clearly in her eyes. "Thank you."

  Horus nodded and knelt beside Teo, who leaned up onto his elbows.

  "So, what happened?" Teo asked. "Last I remember, I was in the sea about to go under for good when you lifted me out. Next thing I knew, there was a huge pillar of fire in front of us talking to you."

  Horus shrugged. "How do you feel?"

  "Good." Teo flexed his muscles and rolled his head and shoulders. "Hey," he said, staring at his arm. "It was broken. And where're all the cuts? What'd you do?"

  Horus caught Nalia's gaze and shook his head.

  Watching them, Teo sat. "I don't want to know? Okay. Well, whatever you did, thank you. I feel better than I've ever felt."

  Through the weariness overtaking him, Horus smiled. "Good."

  "Hey, Antuus," Teo called out, ducked, and ran.

  Antuus licked Horus' feet, gazed a moment into his eyes, and then gave chase.

  Nalia slipped her arm around Horus' waist and tipped her head against his shoulder. Together, they watched warrior and lion play. Finally, she called, "Teo, it's late. Time for sleep."

  Teo trotted back to them, Antuus following. "But I'm not tired, Mother. I feel like I could run forever."

  "Well, I'm tired," Nalia said, tears springing to her eyes.

  "Mother?" Teo glanced between Nalia and Horus.

  Nalia moved the two paces to him, raised onto her tiptoes, and kissed his cheek. "Goodnight, beloved son." She returned, gaze cast down, to Horus, took his hands, and kissed them. "Goodnight, precious Horus." She lowered to her mat and curled onto her side.

  Brows knitting, Teo gazed at her. He turned to Horus and cocked his head. "Hey, you're...pale. Horus, what happened?"

  But how could Horus answer when he didn't really know? He looked away, watching Antuus' flicking tail. "We'll talk about it in the morning. I'm pretty tired, too." He lowered beside Nalia and closed his eyes.

  Antuus sidled to him.

  The warmth of Antuus' body felt good. Horus turned onto his side and wrapped his arm across his lion's back.

  Finally, Teo sat, cross-legged, beside them. "I won't ask anymore about how you healed me, but I do think we should talk. And I don't think it can wait till morning."

  Horus opened his eyes. They ached.

  Teo seemed deeply engaged in stroking Antuus' mane. "I felt something in the sea. I don't know what. Was it an undertow that took me?"

  Horus rolled onto his back. "Was something in the water with you? I don't think so. Did someone or something command the sea? I don't know. I do know someone or something changed its appearance and taste." He sat, and Nalia lifted beside him.

  "What's it mean?" Teo asked.

  Hesitant to say it aloud, it was a moment before Horus answered. "It was a warning. Seht wants me to come to him. It was his way of letting me know what he'll do if I don't." He lowered his shoulders. "It's time we leave our island."

  Teo propped his elbow on his knee, covered his mouth, and was still. Nostrils flaring, he stared at his mat. As if to himself, he nodded. He lowered his hand and sat back. "Then we'll go."

  Nalia's chin trembled. "Oh, Horus, how I wish it
could be different. How I wish you could have had the blessed childhood of the others among your kind or even the childhood of a human, innocent and free of care. How I wish...."

  "No, Nalia," Horus said gently. "It's as it must be. As you've taught me, I have to accept and learn from the past to step, prepared, into the future." He held his hand out to her, and she took it. "Yes, I've had sorrow and fear, but I've also had friendship and love.

  "I miss my mother, but I have you to nurture and comfort me. I have you to guide me. I long to meet my father, but I have Teo to teach me games and tell me stories. I have Teo to train me. I've been learning, from both of you, things I might never have known, and I'm thankful. My time with you has been a gift."

  Nalia blinked at the ground. "It has been our honor," she said softly.

  "I think the honor's been mine." Horus held his smile a moment more and then sat back and lifted his chin. "Tell me about my father's sword."

  Teo drew and released a breath and then glanced at Nalia, who nodded. "A sword is a weapon, like a knife, but, unlike my knife, it's made of metal."

  So even without being imbued with Osiris' power or Isis' magic, a sword was dangerous. But surely other gods and goddesses had swords. What had made Osiris' sword special? Horus spread his hands over his knees and asked, "What kind of metal, and how is Father's sword different?"

  Nalia answered, "Legend has it your father crafted his sword's core from molten metal, what kind no one knows, from the heart of a newly-formed star."

  Horus' brows shot upward. "Impressive."

  "I'll say," Teo murmured.

  "Have either of you seen it?"

  "I once did," Nalia replied. "I'll never forget. The people of twenty-six villages had gathered to greet him."

  "Where was Mother?"

  "In a private meeting with the healers, instructing them how to tend to the sick and injured."

  "You weren't at that meeting?"

  "That wasn't my path."

  Horus nodded. "Go on. The people had gathered...."

  "Before meeting with the chieftains, your father acknowledged the villagers by lifting high his sword. The clouds, as if commanded, parted, and the sunlight reflected brilliantly off his sword and cuffs, played across his golden skin. It was both breathtaking and inspiring."

  "Did you see it well, the sword? Can you describe it?"

  "Arlahtti's chieftain saw it up close, and he described it to us later. My high priestess explained to me some of its meanings."

  "This was before I was born," Teo interjected.

  Nalia continued, tracing her finger along the ground, "Its straight, double-edged blade, representing righteousness and justice, strength and truth, is covered with gold, representing perfection, and etched with symbols. Its guard is laid with twined gold, malachite, representing joy and peace, capping its ends.

  "Its grip, also twined with gold and etched with symbols, is topped with a pommel of unmarked gold, capped with carnelian, representing love and wisdom. Consider it, Horus, the symbolism he, a true king, chose."

  Horus responded, "Wisdom and love leading to balance and happiness. Wisdom and love ruling strength and justice." How old had he been when Isis had said those words to him? Two. How many times had Nalia, acting as his mother, reiterated them? Countless hundreds. And wasn't this what Teo had tried to explain, acting as his brother, in the stories he told before bedtime?

  Tears sprang to Horus' eyes. He blinked them away. "Tell me about the sword's power."

  Teo, eyes brightening, said, "I once heard with his sword in his hand or sheathed at his side, he could look into anyone's eyes and see the truth. Also, there was a story the sword knew the map of all that exists, and, with it, he could roam the skies as well as the earth.

  "Plus, unlike the swords of others of your kind, according to the stories, Osiris' sword can't be broken. If he'd had it with him, Seht wouldn't have been able to kill him." His expression fell somber. "And you wouldn't be in this position. But here you are."

  "Yes. Here we all are." Resigning himself to his path, Horus turned his gaze toward the shore. The scant moonlight dimmed, the night encompassing him. Through so many nights he'd struggled to stay awake, cherishing blackness' beauty and calm. This night seemed devoid of all but grim warning. Suddenly, morning seemed nothing more than memory, and he wondered if the sun could possibly survive.

  Teo fastened his hand against Horus' shoulder. "Many will want to fight alongside you."

  Allowing Teo to buoy himself in the thought, Horus nodded, knowing it would take an army to defeat Seht's followers. Knowing the battle against Seht was his alone. Knowing if he failed nothing else would matter. Knowing he had to find his father's sword before Seht did.

  * * * * *