Aelira made her way down the mountain path from the monastery, her head spinning on what Maester Lun had said. He was old, so old that Aelira had lost track of his counted years and imagined he had stopped counting several decades ago himself, but his words felt true. Taking a turn in the path, she shook her head and chuckled derisively. There was no sense in letting herself get carried away by fantasies that she was somehow chosen by the gods. The amulet was one she had picked up at random before leaving the monastery, it had no special significance. Did it?

She crossed a short bridge that covered a small creek and led into the woods. It was growing dark, but she knew she needed to get to the Facility before dawn, to give her the maximum daylight possible for navigating the maze of halls and rooms. She brought out her torch and clicked it on, bathing the trees in front of her in a pallid light.

Picking her way gingerly through the pathless trees, she noticed how quiet it had become. Usually at dusk, there were animals rooting around in the underbrush. They foraged and fought, sometimes loudly. There wasn't a single sound of movement except her own.

Coming to a small clearing, she stopped and looked up. Out of the thick of the woods, she could see the stars beginning to appear in the darkening sky. One shot across her view, and she said a silent prayer, wishing for guidance and help. Almost before she had finished, she felt the amulet in her pocket become heavy like a stone. She pulled it out and saw that it glowed--brightly! This was no vague shimmer, it was truly shining in her hand. She tossed it in front of her, but it did not land in the grass. Instead it hovered a few feet above the ground, and started to slowly turn.

Aelira watched in wonder as the amulet began to pulse with light. She dared not move from her place, lest it break whatever spell was being cast. The amulet spun faster until it was like an eye, a solid ball of light staring at her and pulsating in a strange pattern. In the blink of an eye, it stopped. It stared at her, glowing without pulsing again, and then shot straight up into the sky. It was like a miniature sun; the whole clearing was bathed in its soft glowing light.

A shadow appeared within the light in the sky, the form of a man. It seemed to be walking on the beams of light, down toward her. Aelira drew the sword strapped to her back, ready to defend herself. As the figure drew near, she saw it was not the form of a man but of a god! She knelt in reverence, burying the blade of her sword into the soft dirt at her feet and holding the hilt to her forehead as she bowed it.

The god descended the rest of the way and stepped onto the grass. Flowers sprung up around his steps, spreading throughout the clearing. Aelira didn't dare raise her head. Her heart pounded in fear and exultation. She could barely believe what was happening, a god himself had come down to answer her prayer. A sudden shiver of fear struck her cold. What if he isn't here to respond to my prayer, she thought. What if I am to be punished for something? The shiver of fear turned to panic as she realized that no god had ever responded to her prayers.

The god was dressed resplendently. His robes were of whiter than white silk, with gold piping along the hem. On his head rested the most amazingly large crown. It looked like two golden pillars, stretching back to heaven. He carried in his hand the ankh amulet she had thrown, and his other arm held a staff. This was truly Amon-Ra. Aelira whimpered silently, positive that her end had come. She waited for the burst of light that would obliterate her from existence, but it never came. Slowly she raised her head to gaze upon the god of gods, and was shocked to see a smile upon his face.

"Why do you cower, child?" he asked, his voice a booming whisper. She felt instantly calmed by his tones.

"I feared for your retribution, my lord. I have never seen a god before, and have only heard tales of them appearing to exact justice on those unworthy of the gift of life."

Amon-Ra laughed softly and the forest sang with the same sounds. He reached out and touched her cheek. It burned with an icy fire that made her draw in a sharp breath. "Child, there is so much you do not yet know. The gods do not punish, we teach. There will come a day when your toil here on this earth will be finished, but today is definitely not that day. We have work to do."

"...We, my lord?" she asked, unsure of his meaning.

"We." Was the response. One word, but spoken with such finality and authority, she didn't dare argue or question.

Against her better judgment, she heard herself saying, "I'm not sure I understand. I know what I was tasked with, but surely it is beneath the notice of the gods."

Again, the laugh. This time it was heartier, and Amon-Ra threw back his head in mirth. When he looked back at her, his eyes danced with merriment and amusement. "You do not pursue this creature alone. You have seen one aspect of it, it is written in your eyes and on your soul. You have been struck by its horror and that has changed you. But you are not prepared for the battle ahead. We will help you, protect you, fight alongside you. It is our right, is it not?"

"Of course, my lord! I do not presume to know the rights of the gods, or that you will help me in this." Aelira's eyes widened in shock and a momentary frisson of fear.

Amon-Ra placed his hand on her shoulder comfortingly. "Aelira. We named you such for your quest. You have always been destined to defeat this crawling horror, just as we have been destined to help you. It is in the stars, my child." He indicated the sky, now fully dark and dotted with the sparkling diamonds that were stars. "We shall always be with you on this quest. You only need call on us, and we shall assist you in any way we can." His face darkened as he went on. "However, when the time comes to face the beast, you must be prepared. There are places even the gods may not tread."

"I understand, my lord. I shall do as you command." Aelira's head bowed again as she made her vow. When she looked up again, the god was gone and she was once again alone in the clearing.

The sounds of the forest began--crickets and creatures alike. The clearing was covered in wildflowers, and firebugs lazily darted around just above the grass. Aelira stood, sheathed her sword, and touched her cheek where it had been caressed. It still burned slightly and she could tell there was a mark there. Reaching into a pocket, she pulled out a mirror and her torch. Facing the torch toward her cheek, she held up the mirror to look at it in the small light. The symbol of Amon-Ra, the right eye of Horus, was burned onto her face. She touched it and found that the burning had stopped finally. "Marked by the gods," she mused quietly as she stood and continued on her way. She still had to reach the Facility by dawn.