Chapter 19: I am the Nuclear Option (part 2)

Sadie and Carter looked at me expectantly, like they thought I would say 'Just kidding.'

I wasn't however and their expression changed.

"Like I said you should never think about the fact that there are multiple Pantheons. As long as you just do your own business, you will never even notice them."

Sadie nodded, "Got it, just some other useless piece of information that makes my life stranger."

I laughed.

"But there is something I don't understand." Bast began.

"What?"

"The Ancient laws, they divide the different Pantheons which should make it impossible to interact but I also sense you are the host of an Egyptian God or Goddess."

'Egyptian?' I asked Chaos.

'Show your battle avatar.'

'Why?'

'Do me a solid.'

I focused on Chaos and suddenly I was inside Chaos holographic body again.

Bast's eyes widened and she gasped. "Impossible!" she said.

"Oh, we are possible!" Chaos said.

"Bast what is Percy doing inside of Space Woman?" Sadie asked.

'HAHAHAHAHAHA' Hemera laughed.

'I must admit Spacewoman is a great name.' Aether suddenly said.

Bast kneeled and gestured to Sadie and Carter to do the same.

"Percy is the host of a Goddess."

"Like us?" Carter asked confused and uncomfortable.

"No not just a Goddess, Ma'at itself."

"You mean Magic and itself?" Carter asked.

I deactivated the combat avatar and fell to the ground.

"So you guys call her Ma'at?" I asked exhaustedly.

"Well, we never considered her a sentient being." Bast admitted still kneeling. "Just a force of nature."

"Can we stop kneeling?" Sadie asked annoyed.

"Sadie he is the host of Ma'at, an entity even higher and mightier than Apophis and Ra together."

"Nah don't bow or kneel." I said which resulted in a confused look from Bast and a relieved gasp from Sadie. "I never wanted admiration or something. Only a few people know about me being the host of Chaos."

"Chaos?" Bast asked, confused.

"Yeah, it's weird, but we Greeks call her Chaos even though you call her Ma'at and Chaos is evil by the Egyptians."

Bast thought about it, "Well the name doesn't the matter."

"So now that's is done and cleared out, how we are going to kick Seth's ass?" I asked.

"Well, for starters," Bast said, "Carter must use the power of Horus to defeat Seth."

"Oh, is that all?" He said. "All by myself?"

"No, no. Sadie can help."

"If Percy is so powerful, can't he just destroy Seth?" Sadie asked but I shook my head.

Iskander had a point,

"I can't help you guys out. I will assist you two for now but I can't keep doing this."

"Why?" Sadie asked.

"I'll guide you as much as possible," I promised, "but in the end, the two of you must fight. Only Horus and Isis can defeat Seth and avenge the death of Osiris. That's the way it was before. That's the way it must be now."

"Ugh, it sucks to have a nuclear option that we can't use." Sadie exclaimed.

'Comparing a nuclear weapon to me is like comparing an ant to Jormungandr.' Chaos complained.

"Like I said it's not my Pantheon and this is something you two must go through together." I told them.

"Don't worry, I bet you'll get through the underworld with ease." Bast reassured them.

"Underworld?" Carter asked, visibly paling.

Bast wavered. "If all goes well you two need to travel through the underworld. It's part of the quest to defeat Seth."

"But we are not prepared." Carter cried out.

"You'll learn along the way." I said. "Unless you wish to give over control to Horus. Being a God he should be able to use your form, and you would not have to worry but that's your choice."

I wanted to add that Carter could finish this quest without Horus taking over but I didn't. It was his own choice and I had no right to influence it.

Carter had gone silent for a moment before he said, "No."

"Hearing one side of a conversation is confusing." I noticed.

"I mean I'm not giving up control," Carter said. "This is our fight. Our dad's locked in a coffin. Our uncle's been captured. Not yours and not Horus's but our fight."

"Captured?" Sadie asked.

Carter told us about his dream where Seth spoke French to Amos.

Sadie looked stricken. "God, no."

"Yeah," He agreed. "And Set spoke in French 'Bon soir'."

"Sadie, what you said about Seth getting away," Carter eyed Sadie. "Maybe he didn't. If he was looking for a powerful host…"

"Desjardins," Sadie finished. "We might not be the only ones that are hosting a God."

Bast growled deep in her throat. "Desjardins was in London the night your father broke the Rosetta Stone, wasn't he? Desjardins has always been full of anger, full of ambition. In many ways, he would be the perfect host for Seth. If Seth managed to possess Desjardins' body, that would mean the Red Lord now controls the man who is Chief Lector of the House...By Ra's throne, Carter, I hope you're wrong. The two of you will have to learn to use the power of the Gods quickly. Whatever Seth is planning, he'll do it on his birthday, when he's strongest. That's the third Demon Day—three days from now."

"But I've already used Isis's powers, haven't I?" Sadie asked. "I've summoned hieroglyphs. I activated the obelisk at Luxor. Was that her or me?"

"Both, dear," Bast said. "You and Carter have great abilities on your own, but the power of the Gods has hastened your development and given you an extra reservoir to draw on. What would've taken you years to learn, you've accomplished in days. The more you channel the power of the Gods, the more powerful you will become."

"And the more dangerous it gets," I warned them,"The magicians told you two hosting the Gods can burn you out, kill you, drive you crazy."

Bast fixed her eyes on Carter. Just for a second they were the eyes of a predator-ancient, powerful, dangerous.

"Not everyone can host a God, Carter. That's true. But you two are both blood of the pharaohs. You combine two ancient bloodlines. That's very rare, very powerful. And besides, if you think you can survive without the power of the gods, think again. Don't repeat your mother's-" She stopped herself.

"What?" Sadie demanded. "What about our mother?

"I shouldn't have said that."

"Tell us, cat!" Sadie said."

Bast looked guilty down at the floor.

Sadie looked at me but I only looked at Bast. "I have no idea what this is about, however you better explain yourself Bast.."

"When your parents released me from Cleopatra's Needle...there was much more energy than they expected. Your father spoke the actual summoning spell, and the blast would've killed him instantly, but your mother threw up a shield. In that split second, I offered her my help. I offered to merge our spirits and help protect them. But she would not accept my help. She chose to tap her own reservoir..." Bast said with a small voice.

"Her own magic," Sadie murmured.

Bast nodded sadly. "When a magician commits herself to a spell, there is no turning back. If she overreaches her power...well, your mother used her last bit of energy protecting your father. To save him, she sacrificed herself. She literally-"

"Burned up," Carter said."That's what Zia warned us about."

Sadie wiped a tear from her cheek. She picked up her amulet and glared at it resentfully. "We've got to save Dad. If he's really got the spirit of Osiris..."

I got up, "now are we going to stay here whining or are we going to do something?"

"Well, it's not your father who is locked up in a coffin!" Carter said angry but quickly regret filled his eyes.

"No I wish my problems were as simple as yours. Within 4 years Mother Earth will try to kill everyone and within a few years the deadliest wolf in the world will try to break free. Your problems are small compared to mine." I said angrily.

'Take it easy. They are just new to this.' Hemera said calmly.

I sighted while Carter looked afraid.

"Look I now it's hard and weird right now and nothing makes sense and the goal you try to reach is impossible and I would lie if I told you it will get better. Set is just the beginning, Bast can tell you all about it. But we must focus on what we can do now."

Sadie nodded while Carter looked questionly at Bast.

"All right," Carter decided. "So how do we stop Set?"

Bast thought for a moment, then smiled. "There might be a way without completely giving yourself over to the Gods. There's a book by Thoth-one of the rare spell books written by the god of wisdom himself. The one I'm thinking of details a way to overcome Seth. It is the prized possession of a certain magician. All we need to do is sneak into his fortress, steal it, and leave before sunset, while we can still create a portal to the United States."

"Perfect," Sadie said.

"Hold up," I said. "Which magician? And where's the fortress?"

Bast stared at me as if I were a bit slow.

"Why, I think we already discussed him. Desjardins. His house is right here in Paris."

When we saw his house, I chuckled. It was a huge mansion on the other side of the Tuileries, on the rue des Pyramides. Oh, the Fates do have humor.

"Pyramids Road?" Sadie said. "Obvious, much?"

"Maybe he couldn't find a place on Stupid Evil Magician Street," I suggested.

The house was spectacular. The spikes atop its wrought-iron fence were gilded. Even in the winter rain, the front garden was bursting with flowers. Five stories of white marble walls and black-shuttered windows loomed before us, the whole thing topped off by a roof garden. I'd seen royal palaces smaller than this place.

"So are we just knocking?" Sadie asked.

"There will be guards," Bast said. "And traps. And alarms. You can bet the house is heavily charmed to keep out gods."

"Great!" I chirped.

"Magicians can do that?" I asked. Maybe this could be useful later.

"Alas, yes," Bast said."I will not be able to cross the threshold uninvited. You, however-"

"I don't think I can enter it either. Being a demigod and hosting Chaos which makes me...three quarters God? Unless you count Hemera too." I said.

"I thought we're Gods too," Sadie said.

"That's the beauty of it," Bast said. "As hosts, you are still quite human. I have taken full possession of Muffin, so I am pretty much me-a goddess. But you are still-well, yourselves. Clear?"

"No," Carter skeptically frowned.

"Don't worry we wait outside." I told the siblings.

"I suggest you turn into birds," Bast said. "You can fly to the roof garden and make your way in. Plus, I like birds."

"Wouldn't it be cool if they turned themselves into dragons?" I asked.

"You can turn into a dragon?" Bast asked.

"Not yet."

"First problem," Carter said, "we don't know how to turn into birds let alone dragons."

"Easily fixed! And a good test at channeling godly power. Both Isis and Horus have bird forms. Simply imagine yourselves as birds, and birds you shall become."

"Just like that," Sadie said. "You won't pounce on us?"

Bast looked offended. "Perish the thought!"

"Okay," I said. "I'll make sure the cat lady doesn't attack you, now go on and focus."

Sadie and Carter closed their eyes.

Sadie turned into a kite pretty quick but it took Carter longer. Then he transformed into a falco.

'Why can't we turn into birds?' I complained but Chaos stayed silent.

Carter and Sadie were chirping at each other but I had no idea what they were talking about.

"Oh, you two look delicious"

Bast said, licking her lips. "No, no-er, I mean wonderful. Now, off you go!"

They spread their wings and headed off into the mansion.

I summoned some cat-food for Bast with the help of Chaos and a sandwich for myself with Hestia's powers.

We were waiting on a bench till a swarm of bats were chasing two birds.

Great.

"We need to open another portal," Bast said.

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So as explained Percy will stick around till they enter the underworld.

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Here's your preview/trailer to the next book

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Chained by flames, Raise your sail,

A high pitched scream came from the hearth, suddenly Percy realised the bulls were just a distraction.

Without Demeter's daughter you shall fail,

"We drifted out of the Sea of monsters," Nyx said grim, "We are on strange sea's."

Free the lost from their jail,

"The Ship!" She yelled exhausted, "It speaks to me!"

And stop the song of madness to no avail.

The man looked worried, "I don't know why you are here. All I wanted was to visit my daughter Hel."

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