Chapter 7: Meeting with the King of Kings

Ptah, "This would have been easier while you were asleep, but your mental defenses make that a hassle."

Anwen blinks, "Wait, we are going Now ?" Bast nods, and Anwen vanishes.

Ptah, "What ? Where did she go ?" Bast laughs, "To fix herself up I suspect, brush her hair, change her dress, things like that. Meeting Ra is a big deal after all and she probably wants to look her best."

Ptah looks at her then at the space Anwen had been in and sighs, "Knock her out, grab her astral self, go to Ra, so much easier."

The cat shakes her head, "Ptah my love, do you know what she is likely to do if you attack her like that ? While she carries that staff ?"

Ptah, "oh right That staff, I wonder how Ra will react when he sees it. Considering it's from a different Pantheon and god king."

Less than 20 minutes later she is back, in her armor and cloak and really looking pretty good. Bast looks a little surprised, "Armor, really ?" Anwen shrugs, "It's actually my nicest looking outfit. No offense but I really don't care for the local women's costume." Ptah grins and shrugs, "Don't look at me I have not changed my look much in centuries." Bast smirks, "It's because you have such an impressive chest isn't it ?" Anwen nods, "I keep falling out of the local stuff. My armor actually has some built in support so I am not being pulled down so much and they don't swing wildly." Bast nods, "It's why I keep my breast on the smaller side. I tried those like yours and well, it is a bit much. But I know you did not know about that when you designed the body."

Anwen nodding, "Well that and the time period I thought I was going to had undergarments designed to help keep them up or at least under control." Bast looks thoughtful even as she shifts to her cat head form, "Point."

Ptah opens the way and Bast takes her arm to guide her, "Now stay close my dear. I know you know the dangers of distraction but the path is purposely tricky which is why there are 2 of us with you Oh! Hello Anubis, I did not know you were here." The jackal headed god nods to her, "I am here about something else. Thousands of souls imprisoned in this place need to be freed, but we need mortal help to do so."

Anwen nods, "A scholar I met says the place needs to be dedicated to a new god, so that the spirits can be free to move on."

Anubis looks impressed, "Yes that is so. Though finding a good god to dedicate that place to will be difficult. The god whom it is presently dedicated to is not well liked. By anyone, including the other dark gods."

Nodding, "The more I hear of this being the more he sounds like the evil one from the main religion back home. They call him Satan there."

The others are quiet, leading her through a long trail then Anubis nods, "The name fits for this being. He and his counter point want all the attention and do not like to share it with the other gods. Trying to make themselves out to be the Only gods of good and evil."

Anwen sighs, "Yep that sounds like the ones alright. They push for no god walking the earth and other 'rules of conduct' that work in the long run to cripple other religions and give them and their fanatic followers the edge in the world. Their trick is to send 'Angels and Demons' that are only under Their control to act as their agents. This works as not being a breach of the agreement, but they make sure any other god who tries the same tactic is labeled a Devil and forced to either join their pantheon as a lesser being, or be turned on by the masses. I have watched hundreds of world and seen this happen in every one." Anwen moves forward ignoring the sights around them and paying attention only to the 3 Gods she is with. Peripherally she notes things trying to distract her or make her take the wrong paths, or once something sent shadow versions of the gods to lead her astray. She said something and a Light appeared over the group, dispelling the shadows to a goodly distance from them. The gods actually looked impressed.

Ptah, "You have learned some things during your time at the Center."

"Actually I learned that one recently from something the Cloak told me. I just combined it with a spell for light I use normally and as my people say 'walla the Light of Truth'. Not sure how well that would work in the physical world though."

Ptah and Anubis both look at the light, Anubis states, "It would drive back the shadows, both figurative and spiritually quite well. Keep the evil spirits at bay nicely. I would not have thought to try that. Do you mind if I teach this to my priest ?"

Smiling up at him, "Oh not at all. I am happy to come up with something so useful." The others smile at her.

Ptah from the lead, "I have to wonder why you are in that place though. Last I heard you were corraling monsters for an attack on the People of the Sea."

Anwen sighs, "Kitten, Althea and I were having a secret meeting with a group of Immortals of her type, when we were attacked by a group of Setites. One that had some idea how some of my powers worked and took precautions against them. They tried to trap us all in a building and moved in to kill us. I heard them coming and dropped a fireball on their advanced scouts. That seemed to be a signal for their psions to block my psionics and keep us from just teleporting out. Became something of a protracted battle but I finally remembered to use the Angery Badger, threw him right on to their leaders head. The Badger went berserk all over his face. Then the Immortals went on the defensive with me tossing out weapons or whatever I could grab from my cloak to help fight off the snakes. Lots of thralled asp actually. Found out an old rowboat makes an effective wall when dropped in front of a door, crushed a few of the snakes to when it appeared 5ft in the air. Weapons wise was a bit of hit or miss, same for getting an exit out the back. Pulled the straw door, which worked as far as an exit went, but I was hoping for an Iron one, that at least could be locked from the other side.

The other side however proved to be 6ft from the ground and the ground was covered in snakes. so I pulled out my pit traps and dropped them. Which made the ground, and the snakes, some 16ft down. Digging around I found the crossbow, one of the immortal warriors took it from me, I tied my rope around it and turned it in to an impromptu grappling gun. Worked quite well. He secured it to the far wall as I tossed out anything that felt like a weapon from my cloak to the battling immortals. Very random period that. Once out of weapons I turned to leave but well one normally very brave immortal is afraid of snakes and would not cross the line over the snakes, so I searched around and found a 10ft block of Ice in among the patches, dropped that in to the middle hole, crushed a few snakes and made her feel better about getting out. I went first, then the others followed. The scholar, he cast an illusion that made it look like we were running away upon climbing over the wall. The enemy followed them while we regrouped. While everyone was doing that I located the psion block, which turned out to be 3 old bald men in grey robes. I tried to fireball them but they were protected from spells. I turned once again to the cloak and found a pair of mastiff war dogs. I sent them after the men. They were Very effective. Killed all 3 then returned and asked for more orders. I set them up to guard our flank. Nice dogs, very well trained. Oh shit, I forgot to let them out for walkies before we left." The others grin at that last part, Bast states, "I am sure the immortals can look after them."

Anwen frowns, "If they don't eat them first."

Anubis nods, "There is a chance of that. What were they doing when you left, the Immortals I mean."

"Clearing the entrance tunnel and shoring up the walls and ceiling. I sent 3 of them, with some coin, to get more supplies from some local businesses." seeing the look on Anubis's face, "oh no worries they ate before the events with the snakes. And not in Egypt. I teleported them from the places they were previously to the meeting place. Which was an old warehouse on the edge of the desert. I just know we are not getting our deposit back on that one."

Her story and theatrics while telling it, took up much of the journey and made it more interesting for all.

Soon they arrived at a large impressive dock with a much less impressive house sitting next to the dock. Moored at the dock was a large Egyptian styled ship with dancing blue lights around it and an empty throne at the back. The gods though did not go to the boat, but instead went to the house. Ptah knocked and a spirit opened the door and allowed them entry. This simple looking house turned out to be where Ra relaxed after his nightly journey. Instead of a grand palace, or manor home he chose something simple, almost middle class, if Egypt at the time had a middle class.

Inside, sitting in what was unmistakenly an Ez-boy recliner was Ra, dressed in a bath robe with his feet up. "Come in, Come in. Have a seat. Anyone want a glass of Tea ?"

Anwen nods, "I for one would love one." A spirit comes with a tall cool glass of tea. Anwen takes it, thanks the spirit and takes a sip, "Ah, that is good tea. I have not had any sense this whole thing started." She sits on a comfortable looking loveseat and nods in thanks to the King of the Gods, who smiles at her, "Most of them don't care for black leaf tea. I found it very relaxing after a long trip." He takes a sip of his own glass.

"So you are Anwen Cinaed aka Robert Pennington, yes I know who you are and were." Anwen does not even react other than to sit back, cup her tea and sigh contently.

Ra looks at the others, Bast is keeping her emotionless cat face on. Anubis is pointedly looking at a picture and Ptah is slipping in to the kitchen.

Ra turns back to her, "They did call it, you really don't care that I am a king or a god."

Anwen shrugs, "I got a comfy seat and a glass of very fine tea, for the moment I am happy. I respect your authority and job but with this much comfort it's hard to care about much."

Ra actually laughs at that, "Yes I get my furnishings from other worlds. I love my people but they have a long way to go in comfortable furniture." Anwen nods, "I been making do, but I miss my innerspring mattress and indoor plumbing. The comforts are about all I miss from my old life really."

Ra nods in understanding, "I can imagine. I have been going over the reports on what you have been up to since coming to our time. Over all I am impressed. A few things I did not care for, but your motivations are mostly to the good. Your knowledge of future and past events in multiple worlds is very helpful. For one I am not letting our group be talked in to that 'taking the backseat' stand point again. I heard your arguments and insights in to how it always turns out and think your correct. So while yes we need to be more organized in our religions and how the temples work, especially for prayers and magics received through them, I don't believe my people need to with draw from the world to do it. Having a physical presence sometimes bolsters faith more than a few parlor tricks."

Opening one eye and looking at him, "You and Amun are not the same beings are you, despite what the mortals believe."

Ra now sits up, "True, he and even Horus are separate beings from me. The churches just like to try and force us all in to one being. I rule the afterlife and am King of the Gods, Amun is a creation god who would have people believe he created himself. So not true, but getting mortals to believe that has proven impossible. They get an idea in their collective heads and that's pretty much it. Only a few know the truth and they tend to keep it to themselves. Unfortunately it is safer that way for them.

Hm, how did you know ?"

"Your aura, you don't have that 'self-centered prick' feeling to you. Amun always came across to me as a Narcissistic asshole."

Ra chokes on his tea for a moment then smiles, "Oh good I am not the only one that feels that way about him."

Anwen nods, "Well he goes on and has all his priest basically say that all other gods are just extensions of himself, so yeah. He is much like the Christian gods in that regard. I have seen the Center, I know what it is and I know no mortal really worships that and even if they did it would not care. And it is as close to the concept of an over god as is likely to exist. Seeing as it literally is the seat of all knowledge."

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

Bast nods and corrects, "But it is not truly sentient. It only receives, sorts, and releases knowledge There is no self-mind to it."

Ra and Anwen share a look, take a sip of their tea and don't comment on that.

"Well by any account you’re an advanced soul and perceptive person. I can see why the White Lady let you stay in our world. She is a bit of a meddler but she usually means well. She is a great one for testing people and gods to. Not sure what her long term goals are though. That has always been something of a mystery."

"No clue, except she was having trouble with something polluting her realm till recently. Causing all kinds of problems. Have not heard anything since though."

Ra nods, "Yes she came and tried to fix the problems her minions created. That is rare in and of itself. Though it had nothing to do with you personally, she was doing that with everyone who had been affected thus." Anwen nods, looks at her empty cup, frowning slightly. A gesture from Ra and a new cup was brought out to her. "ah thank you." she says to both Ra and the spirit.

"As I was saying prior, I have been looking things over and I think you will be good for Egypt in the long run. I have looked over the things You came with, skills, knowledge's and the like, even the staff you carry, which was created by an old friend of mine and, oh he gives you his blessing to use it. He is pleased it is back in the world and being put to use by such a creative mind. Which reminds me, wait here a moment." he gets up and leaves the room for a few minutes when he returns he hands a package to Anwen, "Some new patches for your cloak. Nothing fancy mind you just a few small items I hope you will get some good use out of. One patch pulls forth a pitcher of cow's milk, pasteurized and grade A as you call it, one is a 3 pound bag of natural sugar, crystalized, and there is also a selection of tea's including the black tea and a small container of basic coffee, roasted and ground. Oh and a coffee pot, camp style crossed with drip style. Basically you pour the hot water in the top, over the coffee or tea leaves and gravity takes care of the rest."

"Cool, thank you. I was having a horrible time finding cream or milk for my morning coffee." Ra smiles, "I know they are not the most Useful things I could have given you but I thought you would appreciate them."

Anwen places them in the cloak, which absorbs them then moves them in to places for use. The cloak is humming happily. "Oh no, they are fine actually. I like to cook and those will come in most useful for that."

Bast rolls her eyes at the gifts, "Normally when you take a personal interest in someone they get better gifts than food."

Anwen looks at her, "But it's good food, multiple uses, and a coffee pot. I like them fine."

Ra nods, "Helps to know your audience to. Now back to business. I understand you found one of he whom I shall not name's old temples. Anubis told me of the trapped spirits in it. But it's up to you to pick which god gets the dedication."

Anwen nods, "Been thinking on it and well I am a mage, so I thought to be appropriate to my primary occupation, that the goddess of magic Heka."

Ra and the others cough, "Um, Heka is a god, male. Where did you get the idea he was a woman ?

Looking blank, "Oh, I thought he was one of the ones who came and mooched my last bottle of Evermead from me, has all the runes and words swirling around them ?"

Anubis, "That was Maat, goddess of justice and truth."

Anwen, "Ah, no not her, nope. I don't think I am in her good book by now anyway."

Ra smiling, "No probably not. You have stolen things, granted they were from an enemy, but still, you have killed, allot, and you consort with the Immortals who are unrepentant killers themselves. No, you are not high on her list. But she does love Evermead and is not beyond getting some anytime someone is giving It away."

"They mooched my wine. Bast asked me to take some to her temple to give to her priest to 'share the happy' and they all showed up, with cups out and I just could not say no."

Ra nods, "Intimidating bunch even for you."

Anwen nods, "Oh yeah. I just hide my reactions well. Totally blank my face, cry in my pillow at night."

Anubis slips out of the room at that point, him being first in line at that time.

Everyone is quiet as Anwen reviews her knowledge of their gods. Occasionally she ask a question and Ra or Bast answer. Eventually Ptah returns, carrying what looks like a Dagwood sandwich and a cup of milk. Then he to answers questions, between bites of his monstrous meal.

One thing becomes clear, while she knows many of the names she is lax in some of what the names mean or who they belong to.

Eventually though she settles on Nut, Ra squirms a bit about that one. "Why her ?" He ask in an aggrieved tone, "Well, I am thinking of all those trapped souls. It is my understanding that she is one of the gods that has to do with passage to the afterlife. Also I like stars. Bright, old, and many are long dead but we still see their light."

Bast snickers, "And there is the scientist in her. She knows things that would make the scholars of this world head's spin."

Sadly, "I saw a stars light go out once, when I was a child." Bast hugs her head, "It died a looooong time ago. Still it can be a sad sight to see a stars last light fade away."

Ra squirms, "any other choices ?"

Anwen shrugs, "Well Bast, but I can't really see Cats like being in what is effectively an underground bunker." Bast ends up laughing in her ear, "Wait you thought of me, then decided against it because of my cat aspect ?"

Anwen nods, looking up at her furry headed friend. Bast looks at Ra, "She does have an interesting way of looking at thing's doesn't she."

Ra smirks and nods, "I think Bast would be a better one for that place. It's actually on the border between upper and lower Egypt And she is a war goddess as well as a goddess of protection and motherhood."

Anwen nods, "And fertility from what I have heard." Bast nods, "Yep I do like my sex as my lovers can tell you." Ptah nods, "Yes she does." Anwen giggles in her throat, "Ok fine, Bast then. But if they try burying mummified cats in that place I will mummify the ones doing it, without bothering with them being dead first." makes a 'zap' gesture. Bast still smiling, nods, "Ok no dead cats in your place and I will help get the spirits out to. And I won't bar your new nasty little blood drinkers from that place either. I don't know why you even like them but it's your life so I won't pry, too much."

Ra clears his throat, "She is partly of them actually. She is a Revenant."

Bast eyes open wide then she nods, "OH well that certainly explains allot of her mental powers."

Anwen nods, "The glowing eyes, high resistance to domination, and my little fanged teeth to. Came about cause I tried to convince the White Lady to make me a Dhampyr, all the benefits none of the problems with being a vampire."

Ra laughs and hits the arm of his chair, "HA! Yes I can see that not going over well. Good compromise though. More balanced. "

"She made me pick a weakness though, so I chose Weirdness Magnet. I think it's a little strong cause I seem to attract gods."

Bast, "Well better than attracting dragons. Sure you don't want to be a priestess of mine ?"

Anwen grins and shakes her head, "Thanks but no. Feel weird worshipping my friend. Don't mind promoting you a little but no."

Switching to a different language that Anwen can't understand:

Ra nods, "She is to far advanced to pull off being a Priest of ours really. Also with her set up of 3 minds in one form, if you tried to add more to her it could be bad for her."

Bast looks up, "What do you mean ?"

Ptah points it out, "She is a composit being, human soul mated with a Immortals essence and a touch of Elven Spirit, all perfectly balanced by the White Lady to make her the way she is now. IF you tried to add to that, either by making her a priestess or her daydream of being a shifter, it would both alienate her from us and unbalance her both mentally and physically. As it stands though she likes the people of our lands and most of us to. As Ramsey's said, she is good for Egypt because she Likes us. I don't think getting on her bad side would be good for us."

Ra nods, "She also has knowledge she is keeping to herself for fear of advancing the people to fast. For her they are small things, pieces of a greater whole. But in some ways she is right. Hm, though ... maybe we can get her to introduce some of her math. The concept of nothing is known but not as a number. Basic accounting would be a great boon to the world really."

Ptah nods, "The down side is she really wants to advance things a little to fast. Some would be ok, advances in ship building, building from the frame outward and block and tackle would be in the realm of what our people could do and not upset the balance to badly. Not sure beyond that."

Bast nods, "Ok I see what your saying. Still can flirt but don't take her past that to ?"

The men nod.

"Do you know about this Quest she is on ?" Bast ask Ra. He nods, "Yes. Kitten was in Sets control for a time. They have her heart, or did. The idiot got it and it's hidden Somewhere in Kemet, don't know where. The quest is to get that and return it to Kitten."

Bast nods, "So it's likely somewhere in Amuns unholy places." Ra nods.

They turn back to Anwen. Bast sighs, "Ok so what we worked out, you would not do well as a priestess. Your to far advanced as a soul for that. Can't do the shifter thing either because of your Revenant part, not compatible."

Anwen nods and waits. She heard names but that is all she understood.

Ptah, "We were also disgussing certain knowledges we know you have but have been keeping to yourself. We worked out a few you can let in to the world that would not greatly upset the balance. Them being Math, the number zero and negitive numbers. That alone would help with commerce and keeping track of supplies."

She nods, "That one is hard on me, I keep wanting to point it out but I know it's not supposed to come around for about 1500 years or so."

Ra shrugs, "The Elves and Dwarves know it already but they like to keep the humans ignorant. Same for block and tackle. Dwarves has had it for a couple hundred years now."

Slow nod, "You talking to my human side now." she says with a narrow look at them. They shrug.

Ptah grins, "Ship building hints would not hurt either. I know you don't know much but what you do know would give us a leg up against some of the non-human races."

"You all know I am trained in the Sciences to, Natural Laws and basic Physics. If I had arrived where I was supposed to, this knowledge would not have been so bad. Still advanced but not to the level it is now. Some of that I can put to your scholars, post it as Theory and let them go from there." She offers.

Ra slowly nods, "Not a bad idea really. Posed as Theory it could help the people advance but not to an over powering extent. May annoy Thoth a bit though. Though I think you intimidate him a little. Something about star ships."

Wide smile, "Battle of Worf 359. There are actually 3 or 4 different versions on that, one involves a ship accidently being pushed out of time and how that one event radically changed the future. Holo-Novels are such fun."

Ptah just chuckles and nods, so understanding something now. He looks at Ra, "It's a work of fiction, shown in a scientific form of Illusion magics. From what she has hinted at, her people have nucular energy and Primitive space craft, Not the level from their imaginings, not yet. But Thoth, well I think his threat to send her 'home' makes her pull up every bit of science fiction she knows and uses it as a defense against him."

Ra and Bast slowly nod. Thoth, for all his strenths, has a bit of a short sighted problem with sharing knowledges 'to fast'.

"So basically you want me to help increase their Financal side of things over the war side right now ?" Anwen ask.

Ra nods, "Don't mind your war help agains the Assurans, People of the Sea and such, but also things to strengthen and improve the peoples wealth and the wealth of the nation would be much appreciated."

She nods, "Ok, makes sense." She stands and smiles, "Wish I could take the furniture with me though."

Ra nods, the chuckles, "No. Nice try though." She shrugs, "So tempted to teach someone to make an innerspring mattress." She sighs.

Ptah grins, "On that, I almost agree. But the metal work needed does not exist yet."

She nods and sighs, "True."

And with that the interview is over and she is led back to her people.