Through the Gates

I really don't like this place. I'm noticing a theme across cultures that the underworld is not a place you want to go. The Aesir at least have a place for honored dead, but even then it's an endless existence of fighting and feasting. No other afterlife that I'm familiar with is a nice, cozy eternity. I just hope I never have to see the Greek underworld as a spirit. Being a guest wouldn't be a fun prospect, either.

Us ladies took our designated positions as guardians of the Gods of the Canopic Jars. Ken was ready with her rifle, Claire her pistol, Lexi's sax and me with my ax. Imhotep laid down on the slab on the boat and Andrew led the ceremony to guide his soul through the gates. We managed to press through them and when I say "press through" that's really how it felt. This place wears on you and I could see it really getting to Hal, how he slumped on the wheel.

Once we reached the fourth gate we were presented with a new problem. We had to make it through a maze, without taking any wrong turns or we'd be screwed. Mercifully we all have ways of seeing through it. Hal tapped the walls to read the layout of the stone, Andrew cast his magical thread to follow the Solar Barque, which had already passed through and Ken's sharp eyes can actually track the water where the barque traveled.

I think we can make it through this, I just worry about what will happen when we reach the scales of Ma'at. Will we all be judged on that scale? I hope not, otherwise we're really in trouble. There's also a lake of fire beyond that.

I hate underworlds.

A Sobering Experience

There's nothing more agonizing than watching your friends struggle against something and being powerless to help. I wanted, very badly, to dive into that river and rescue the others, but I couldn't.

Hal had tossed Andrew back on deck and he told me it was a bad idea. Claire also told me to take her place and provide light. She'd killed her sunlight as soon as the others had gone overboard. I took the light from the Solar Barque and reflected it around, much like the moon does to the sun.

I had to stand there and watch as Hal went after Rufus and Ken struggled to catch him with her shadow control. I thought we'd saved him when they got him on board, but somehow, we only had his soul. Hal dove back in, this time with a line on him and went after Rufus' body.

Ken and I pulled with all our might when Hal gave the signal. We freed the two of them from the water. I thought we'd be able to bring the soul and body together and all would be right. I was wrong. I don't know what Ken saw, but it was over so fast. The body of Rufus attacked Ken and just as Hal restrained it, Ken blew it's head off.

Hal had been pretty shook up in Alaska when the Einherjar had died, but those guys, their whole being is tied to fighting, dying, coming back to life, having a feast, then doing the whole thing again. Death is a mild inconvenience to them. Rufus is gone, his soul preserved by Andrew, sure, but I don't think we'll be getting him back.

I can't help but wonder, how many more loved ones will we lose before this war is over?

Going Overboard

Wandering through the tunnels is kind of blurry in my mind. I remember the tunnels cracking, water streaming in, avoiding snakes in the water. We got out of there into a large antechamber and Imhotep revealed that most of that experience was an illusion. A test. Fair enough, I suppose, but this sort of bait and switch loyalty testing is beginning to wear on me.

In the chamber was Ra and his guardian deities while they blessed the souls about to brave Duat. We stood by and watched the proceedings and as we were about to leave, another god showed up. This one named Khonsu who singled out Andrew. Seems he still had a grudge with Thoth and since he was being supplanted by Andrew, it fell to him to deal with it. Are the gods of every pantheon this petty? I mean, I know the Greeks wrote the book on petty vendettas, but damn.

Khonsu tried to goad Andrew into entering a bet to play some ancient Egyptian game for time. Without his "help" we'd be unable to keep up with the Solar Barque, or so he said. You know, thinking about it, I bet that if we loose track of the Barque, it'll be his fault anyway. Especially with his parting words being that one of the younger Scion souls with us can contact him at any time. He also unleashed some sort of mind-fuckery on Andrew for a perceived slight. Douche.

There was also an opportunity given to us to be anointed in Khebuet's waters and be made more capable of braving the tests of Duat. Well, Kenny and Hal took the plunge, but... I don't really need my divine makeup fucked with any more than it already is. Andrew also got wet out of respect.

We got back on our little barge and made way to follow the Solar Barque. Claire lit herself up, I guess to provide some light to ward off the beasties in the water. However, we got bumped by something big. I staggered into a wall (embarassing) while Hal, Andrew, and Rufus went overboard. First thing I did was fall back on what I was taught to do while sailing, lacking a flotation device I started tying a rope to myself and securing it to the ship. I don't really need it for myself, but I'm not jumping into that black water without some sort of lifeline.