Egyptian Timewave

Chapter 38

Kahotep is waiting for them at the temple entrance. As they approach, he makes a beckoning motion, and they speed up. It must be something urgent. Kahotep doesn't say a word when they reach him, instead turning to lead them to the room where he has been pursuing his research. Once they have finally filed inside, Anippe steps forward to frown at him.

"Kahotep, what is going on? You are behaving quite oddly, and what was so urgent that you needed to send a messenger to summon us?"

He winces. "I apologize, my intention was not to scare either of you. My fellow priests have just been becoming exceedingly curious about why the two of you have been coming to the temple so often, so I believed that it would be wise to . . . hide your appearance in the temple once more."

"I see. Did you find something?"

Kahotep nods. "Two things, in fact. I believe both of them are particularly vital, and I know that the both of you have been eagerly waiting for at least part of this information, hence the messenger I sent."

Abayomi's eyes widen. "What did you find?"

"I'll start with my discovery of how you arrived here to us. As far as I can tell, it was always you who was intended to come to us."

"Why do you think that?"

Kahotep steps over to his desk and picks up a scroll, handing it to Abayomi. "There were requirements, to send you here, and I find it hard to believe that those requirements could indicate anyone but you."

"There were requirements to send me here? Why was I needed? I just want to go home before someone kills me, no matter how cool it is to be here."

Anippe frowns at her. "Cool? You think it is cold?"

Somehow, that breaks through the wave of feelings and tension trying to drown Abayomi. She can't help but laugh. "No, no. It's a figure of speech. It means that it's very interesting, or awesome."

"Okay . . ." Anippe steps closer to Abayomi. "Would you like a hug? It seems like you are struggling a little, and I wish to help."

Abayomi blinks before whispering, "Yes please."

Anippe takes another step and folds Abayomi into a hug, pressing a hand against Abayomi's back. When she pulls back, she gives Abayomi a small smile.

"It is okay to be afraid, especially with the risks you face, but you are not alone, Abayomi. Do not forget that. We are here to help you. Kahotep?" the priest's gaze snaps to them from where he had stepped back in respect for the moment they needed to take. "What were the requirements?"

Kahotep bows. "They were threefold, my lady. The scroll's spell was activated when spoken aloud, but it would never have worked without the other two requirements."

"So the third was the spell?"

"It was indeed. The requirements were in three aspects. Physical, spiritual, and verbal. The verbal aspect was of course, the spell."

Abayomi reaches up to touch the collar necklace, which seems to thrum beneath her touch. "The physical aspect is the necklace, isn't it?"

"Yes. The two of you share the same necklace. It is a physical anchor, but it's not strong enough to work alone. If only the necklace was needed, then what guarantee would there be that you would arrive when you are needed to? The princess' could last for eons, if cared for. You could have been sent to any time in which it existed. So a second anchor was needed, one to anchor you to this time. This second anchor was the spiritual one, an anchor for your soul."

Abayomi frowns in confusion. "I don't understand."

Beside her, Anippe inhales. "But I do. Or I think I do. There's a reason we look so alike, isn't there?"

"There is, my lady. The both of you share the same soul. By using that as an anchor, the spell was able to send Abayomi back to a time in which you, my lady, existed. To a time in which her soul remembered. I suppose we could say that the two of you are sisters, so to speak, as a way to express your closeness. For despite sharing a soul, you are still two different people."

Abayomi's frown deepens, but it's no longer a frown of confusion. "Isn't that dangerous, though?" The two natives to this era look at her in confusion this time. "To have two versions of the same soul in the same moment, isn't that dangerous?"

Kahotep's expression clears. "I suppose it could be, if you were here permanently. But I think the benefits of Amun-Ra sending you to us were decided to outweigh the risks."

"So it's not too dangerous?"

"Not yet, although I suppose the longer you are here the more damage will be stacked up, waiting to crush you both. But you were never meant to be here forever. We all knew that the scroll detailed a way for you to return, we just hadn't known how."

Abayomi freezes. "You found a way? I can go home?"

"I did, but it won't be easy. You were sent here for a reason, after all. There are things you must do, before any way to return you home could possibly work."

Abayomi sighs, slumping. "I knew it wouldn't be that easy."

Anippe touches her shoulder. "Don't fret. I am sure Amun-Ra will help you get home. I'm sure He already knows that you will succeed in whatever you came here for, or why else would he have brought you back? He would not let you suffer just for the sake of suffering, my friend."

Glumly, Abayomi responds. "I suppose."

"I'm glad you agree. Kahotep, why don't you share what else you found, as I feel you are leading up to it."

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Did you expect this? What else do you think he has to say? Tell me your thoughts!

Happy reading and I'll see you next chapter!

~Goddess of Fate, signing out