The hiss from the doorway that lead back into the residential area of the shop drew the attention of the three in the shop proper.Abyzou had somehow managed to wiggle herself to the door frame and was currently looking up at Bastet with a look that could scare a serial killer, and hissing for all her worth.

Bastet pulled back and looked at Dan with a strange look that was part concerned part intrigue.

“Don't ask...”  he said, slowly shaking his head at the Lamia who was trying with all her might to get over to them.

“So, how much is this going to cost me?”  Bastet asked, her arms were still around Dan, and she was still purring ever so slightly, but she had stopped rubbing her cheek up against his.  “I have mountains of gold and jewels, just name the price.”  she said with a smile.

“I have no need for mountains of gold or jewels.”  he said, reaching back into his pocket he pulled out a piece of paper, on it had all the required items to make the Khatam flame sword, thankfully after they had met Abyzou they had whittled it down to about 20 items seeing as she had an extensive collection of items she had gotten over the past tens of thousands of years. “I need these.”  he said presenting the paper to her.

She let go of Dan and grabbed the paper, Abby’s hissing grew slightly softer and less threatening, even if it didn't go away entirely.

“I have most of these, or rather all but three, and one of those I can make,”  she pointed to the paper, both Dan and Amani leaned in to look at which one she was pointing at.  Arzil oil.

“Really you can make that?”Amani asked looking up at her with surprise.

“When I abandoned my life as a warrior goddess I got well acquainted with healing and curative ointments.” she nodded.

“Was that due to your curse?”  Amani asked.  Bastet nodded her head sadly.

“So, if you can acquire the Sistrum Menat,” she paused and looked at them all. “It is an artifact that is held by Anubis and is one of his favorite artifacts, or so he liked to tell me as he held it over my head.”

“So, we need to get this from Anubis asap, when can we go?”

“Right now if you wish,”  she said, there was a little surprise in her voice when he asked how soon they could leave.  

“Wait! Wait! Untie me! Please! Dan! Amani!”  Abyzou stopped hissing and started wailing in a desperate attempt to not be forgotten and left behind.

[Anubis’s temple]

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“It would appear you have brought some interesting guests with yourself Bast.”

“Use my full name Anubis.”  Bastet hissed.  Dan looked around, he found himself in a place that looked exactly like the ancient egyptian temples he had seen in movies and tv, complete with the golden throne.

Dan looked at the person talking, honestly he had been expecting this, but it still disconcerting to see the head of a animal talking atop the shoulders of a human body.  Even more so when the head in question was that of a doglike creature.

“Since when did we become so distant?”  he asked with a feigned sense of hurt.  “I don't remember ever parting on any sort of bad feelings or blood between us.”

“Then perhaps you need to go find your embalmers and let them know you might need the jar with the liquid remains of your brain.”  she spat at him, her cat ears were almost entirely plastered back on her head.

“Your quips are getting worse dear wife.”

“I am not your wife, I was never and I will never be.”

“We need to stick together, we have very few worshipers these days.”  he sighed looking down at them.  He took Dan in in a second, before moving his eyes over Amani and Abyzou, and his eyes lingering on their figures much longer than Dan liked.

Dan knew he was talking to a god, but how was he supposed to let that slide.  “Hey asshole.”  he growled, the egyptian god tore his eyes off of Abby and looked back at Dan. “You may be a god but if you think that makes it ok to oogle my wives like that, then we are going to have some issues.”

“You don't have to worry about him Dan, he might have wondering eyes but there is one redeeming quality about him.” Bastet said with a scathing voice.

“Only one?”  he laughed.

“He has always been respectful of the boundaries created through marriage.”  she laughed, “Though I think most of that is due to her...”

“You paint me as some bad person...”

“How is Anput?”  she asked, her voice growing softer.

The dog headed man smiled with a happy smile. “She is doing good, very absorbed in her work.”

“Some things never change.”  Bastet sighed with a slight smile on her lips.

“And other things change entirely, is there no thought in your head or heart to come back?”

“None, I - I have met someone, I doubt I would be able to remove myself from them.”  he cheeks turned a dark color as she blushed.  Anubis seeing this sat forward in his chair and looked her over.

“How long has it been since i have seen you this happy?”  he sighed, “very well, you have my permission.”  he laughed “A joke, a joke!”  he chuckled to himself as she stared murder at him.

“I didn't come for your permission.”  She hissed.

“All the same it has been given.”  his large wolfish mouth pulled back into a smile. “But that brings us to the entire point of this conversation, why exactly have you come?”

It was Dan who spoke next.  “I am in need of an artifact.”

“Oh?”  Anubis asked, raising his canine like eyebrows in query.

“We need the Sistrum Menat,”  he said, and he watched as all the mirth melted off the god’s face.

“So this is how you are going about it this time,”  he barked at Bastet, “Normally I would simply kill you for such insolence, but since you are here and I am intrigued as to why Bastet brought a mortal here, so I will tell you what.”  he leaned forward, setting his chin on the folded knuckles of his hands.

A large necklace appeared in front of him, and floated there in between them.

“It is yours, if you can survive the التجارب for shall we say an hour?”

“What is that?” Dan asked.

“A place of darkness and despair.”  he answered.

“We need to just survive an hour?”  he asked.

“Who said anything about we?” Anubis flashed a large canine grin, and with a flick of his hand Dan disappeared in a flash of light.

“Dan!” Amani screamed.

“WHERE IS HE ASSHOLE!?” Abyzou hissed

“You sent him there?” Bastet looked over at her fellow god with disdain. “I was worried you were going to give him a difficult trail.”  she laughed, and it looked like some tension had eased up in her shoulders.

Both Amani and Abyzou looked over at her, “So he is safe?” Amani asked, she was holding her hand and looking at a glowing mark in the palm, if it ever started to fade she would be by his side in an instant.

“No, but this is one trial he can overcome, should he apply himself.” Bastet said.