10272/Path of Glory: The Twelve Hours of Night

Path of Glory: The Twelve Hours of Night
Date of Scene:	24 February 2022
Location:	Duat
Synopsis:	Jonathan Sims travels the first half of Du'at, the Egyptian Underworld and passes the trials of the Path of Kings before reaching the Hall of Judgement and surviving the Weighing of the Heart by the hands of Osiris, Anubis, and Ma'at.
Cast of Characters:	Jonathan Sims, Michael Demiurgos
Tinyplot:	Path of Glory

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Jonathan Sims has posed:
    Jon is quiet for part of the way back to Earth, listening to Alya explaining and reassuring. Then there's silence, at least for a time, while they move back through Laniakea and toward the Virgo Cluster, pass the Andromeda galaxy, hone in on the Milky Way and that quiet backwater bit of the Orion Arm where spins the pale blue dot on which the fate of the universe evidently depends. Home, however tiny a corner of the universe it may be.

    "I wasn't even scared," he muses aloud, finally. "When I died, I mean. I'd been so scared, for so long... and then when it came right down to it I was just so... so /angry/ at Michael. How /dare/ he treat Caitlin like that, you know?" He shakes his head. "I knew he'd do it. When I stepped in... I /knew/ he'd kill me, to get to her. And I just... I don't know. I figured I'd give her a chance to regroup. To get away."

    He looks over at his old friend. "Isn't that odd?"

Michael Demiurgos has posed:
    Alya looks at Jon. She's been quiet for the most part as well, simply enjoying being in the presense of her dear friend once again. "If you had asked me 14 years ago I would've said yes, very odd. But having seen what you've become. What you're capable of when you set your mind to it..." she shakes her head.

    "I don't know if you knew this... but you're pretty stubborn, Jon. Obstinate, even." She laughs. "Accepting that you will die is something a lot of people don't have the foresight to do. Even some of those who do refuse to do so because it's scary. I accepted that I might... worshiping a deity of fire comes with the threat of it almost every minute. But..." She blinks.

    "Even I was scared in the end."

    She shakes her head again. "I can see you looking at the fact and shrugging." She lowers her voice in a terrible imitation of him, "'Alright. Best get on with it then. I've got -important things- to attend to.'"

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    Jon glares at Alya. "I do /not/ sound like that. I don't... I'm not... that is the /worst/ fake posh..."

    He glowers for a moment longer, and then the glower relaxes into a smile. "Gods, I've missed you." He's not crying. Really. Except that he's blinking back tears.

    Then he sighs. "I suppose... I did rather react like that. As soon as I heard I was going to die I tried to figure out how to come back, how to make sure Agnes didn't get the Archive. It seemed fruitless to try to avoid something I was fated for... better to focus my efforts on something I could control, something I could manage. Convince the world I'm a Pharoah, and make sure my daughter doesn't become Archivist at /thirteen/."

    He frowns for a moment, then says, "...Did you know? That I was her father, I mean. You could hardly have known about the Archive; even /I/ didn't know, back then."

Michael Demiurgos has posed:
    Alya nods. "I did" she replies giving his hand a squeeze. "It took a little thinking and remembering back to when well. When Elias coerced us into it." She smiles. "I hadn't even started sleeping with Tim until the next week after that."

    She frowns. "The Archive bit is... unfortunate. But she's safe whatever contingency you made for it worked. That much I can see. I look in on her when I can, touch her mind as she sleeps. Let her know that were I there she would be loved and that she -is- loved with you and Martin and Cael."

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    Jon... has to actually stop and gape at her. "...Why didn't you /tell/ me?!" It's almost accusatory.

    Then, slower, "...Because Tim would've had a fit, and we were only /just/ becoming friends again. And because I would've freaked out, because of... of how Agnes was conceived. And because we all agreed to live together and help raise her anyway, so why did it matter all that much?"

    He shakes his head. "She'll make a good Archivist. Probably better than I'm doing, if I'm being honest. But... that's best done when she's an adult, and has had the proper training."

    He regards her for a moment, then says, "Can you... can you communicate with her, in her dreams? I... didn't bother asking the angels, because I figured they wouldn't agree, but... I'd like to get a message to people, if... if I can."

Michael Demiurgos has posed:
    Alya smiles as Jon comes to the answers himself. She knows he's a smart man even without the telepathic ability. She smiles as he compliments their daughter. "She likely will but you are doing wonderful even without training." At his request she nods. "I can. What is it you wish to tell her and those you love?" she asks.

    As they draw closer to Earth it's clear where their trajectory is taking them. It shouldn't be much of a surprise that the sands of Egypt spread out beneath their feet. There is a pulse in Alya's firey aura and she says. "She sleeps even now so it's a good time."

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    Jon frowns thoughtfully. "Let's see... first of all, I know that Agnes will be worried when she finds out my body is gone. She was making noises about /mummifying/ me." He rolls his eyes. "Remind her that there are ways to perform the proper rituals even when a body's been destroyed, and there's linen sheets in the cupboard that she can use to wrap whatever stand-in she uses for my body or a coffin. I know that whatever the living need to do... she'll manage it just fine."

    He thinks for a moment, then says, "Tell her to tell Martin... that I love him. That I'm sorry for... all of this. I'm sorry he can't join me. But he needs to be certain he doesn't pull away from people--you know how he is--and to relax while I'm gone. He's been having to take care of me so much lately... I'm going to return the favor when I get back."

    A pause, and then he smirks. "And Cael... well, I know Cael will be freaking out. I'm certain she'll have found /something/ to think she's messed up, because that's how she tries to exert control over the world around her. If it's her fault, then she can fix it." He sighs. "I see now... this really did /have/ to happen. I don't like it, but blaming Uriel isn't going to do any good. He literally couldn't think of another way to get the attention of the Presence... and I would've needed to come close to death to gain Ma'at's power eventually anyway. Better that I had everything set up ahead of time, hmm?"

    He smiles, softly, fondly. "Tell Agnes to tell her to... remember why I gave her the butterfly bracelet. That we'll come back together, even though we're parted now. Listen to 'Dos Oruguitas' and remember that it's going to be okay. Change happens, but we'll get through it together. She needs to calm down and let Martin make her tea; it'll help him feel better, too."

    He sighs. "I know she's going to worry about Lady Death being, well, dead, but if anyone can meet us down in the lands of the dead it's her. She's tenacious, she won't let dying stop her--and even if we lose her entirely I'm sure we'll figure out what to do. The people up there just need to relax and do their part and everything will work out."

Michael Demiurgos has posed:
    The firey aura around Alya flickers as she takes in Jon's words. "That's quite sweet" she says. She closes her eyes and Jon can feel the power of the connection between the spirit of the mother and their daughter through the realm of dreams.

    After a moment she opens them and says, "It is done. I told her that I am with you as well so she understands that you will be a safe as can be throughout this journey and to meet you in the Hall of Judgement when they take their own journey. Ultimately it would difficult for them to end up anywhere else but... it's good the remind them."

    They are slowly lowering to the ground now, the sand only a few meters from their feet. Before them is a river running east to west and a single large canoe-like vessel sits in waiting. To the West loom a pair of massive peaks, larger than anything in the area in the waking world.

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    "I worry about them," Jon admits, frowning slightly. "The way they're going... they won't have a guide. They're not /meant/ to be there. As difficult as this will be... their path could be so, so much worse."

    He focuses on the river, then, and on the pair of mountains to the west. "Akhet," he murmurs. "The western horizon. The gate to the Underworld." He swallows, hard.

    "You said I've been through worse," he says, softly. "But... I... what I've read about the path Ra takes through the Underworld, it's... dangerous, and terrifying. In some versions he doesn't even properly have /eyes/ until the tenth hour."

    He frowns. "Alya... how... how can I make it through if I can't /see/?" There's fear in his voice. However unafraid he was to die, what's up ahead terrifies him.

Michael Demiurgos has posed:
    Alya smiles and smooths back some of Jon's hair that had fallen from the cord. "Jon, you're forgetting a very important thing about this process. You are not unarmed. Ra never gives up his strength when he makes the journey and neither has any Pharoh. Your magic, everything you have learned, will be accessible."

    She pauses to consider her words and then touches on what makes Jon unique among Archivists. "Perhaps not the entire Archive. But you have all that knowledge up here even without it being attached, don't you?" She taps his temple with a grin. "You will succeed because of who you are. There are heroes out in the world who topple criminal empires without their eyes... I have complete faith in you to be able to adapt just as well, if not better."

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    Jon frowns at her for a long moment. Shifts uncomfortably. "You always did believe in me more than I believe in myself," he murmurs. Swallows, and says, "I'm not... I don't feel like a hero, Alya. I've evidently tricked the universe--or at least the gods--into believing I am one, but..."

    He turns to look at the mountains and sighs. "Well, there's nothing for it but to go forward, I suppose." He flexes his hand a moment and then steps down to the ground and walks over to board the barque.

Michael Demiurgos has posed:
    Jon is familiar with the Book of Gates and so the reaction to his stepping foot on the barque is likely not altogether unexpected. Two more figures appear on the barque with Jon and Alya. In the middle of the boat is a golden statue of a scarab beetle with the timeless symbol of the ouroborus around it. With these fixtures of the journey in place, the barque begins to travel down the river heading west. "If only it were so easy to trick yourself, hm?" she says as they travel towards the mountains rising up on the western horizon.

    As they continue on, four figures with two standards come into view. One standard has the head of a jackal on it the other the head of a ram. The two figures with the standards are the same on either side of the river, one is blue skined and bears the pharaonic beard. On it's head is a pair of horns with a sun disc and a pair of tall feathers on either side. The figure and it's meaning come to Jon with relative ease: Tatenen, the creation diety whose presence means that Jon has the blessing of the land. The other is a dark skinned figure with the head of an animal that is not easily identifiable. But Jon knows the being well enough he's met him before: Set, god of storms and, in some legends the protector of Ra when the sun god faces Apophis at the end of this journey.

    As they continue past the bearers there is a sense of waiting, as if the entire procession cannot continue without something being done. Alya smiles to Jon. "It's time. I trust you know the words?" she asks with a smile.

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    Jon looks around the boat with the faintest of frowns. He relaxes a bit on seeing the statue of the scarab beetle--truth be told, he was half-afraid /he'd/ have to become a scarab beetle to move forward. If there's a symbolic representation of Ra in the statue, and he just has to speak the words and perform the actions (like slaying serpents), that's much easier than... well. Becoming a beetle.

    He looks to the mountain, pulling up the memory of the Book of Gates, which he's read directly, very recently, courtesy of Tim Drake helping him find the most complete copies of the funerary texts.

    His voice, when he speaks, rings forth with power that is not entirely his own. He speaks the words in Middle Egyptian, his voice carrying the power of Ra for whom he stands in: "Send forth light, O Mountain! Let radiance arise from that which has devoured me, and which has slain men and is filled with the slaughter of the gods. Breath to you, O you who dwell in the light in your habitations, my splendours shall be to you. I have decreed their slaughter, and they have slaughtered everything which exists. I have hidden you from those who are upon the earth, restoring the crown to those who are on the Mountain."

Michael Demiurgos has posed:
    The peaks on the horizon shudder and quake with the power in Jon's words. Twelve figures rise up from the ground on each mountain. They speak in unison as if answering the words of the sun. "Let the jackal-headed scepter emit the words of this great god who joins his members." As they speak the mountains begin to shift, drawing apart as if opening to allow passage between them. "Come then unto us, O you from whom we have come forth! Cries of joy are to thee, O you who are in your disk, great god whose forms are manifold."

    The barque continues forward and sure enough the mountains have parted to allow passage for the ship carrying its precious cargo. Just as the boat is about to pass in a great serpent rises from the waters of the river. It is bright salmon red in color, a flat hood flares around its face revealing a darker patch of scales just under the mouth. It coils in on itself and hisses a warning to the approaching boat.

    Alya steps up to Jon and places a warm hand on his arm. "The first of your adversaries, Jon. Saset is not the strongest of the serpents... but it is still quite formidable. Subdue it and we can pass."

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    "Subdue?" Jon says, raising a brow. "Not kill? Well, that makes things... somewhat easier."

    He steps forward, moving so he stands before the state of the scarab beetle. This whole time he's been wearing the same clothing he died in, looking generally like his normal self. Now, with a thought, he changes that, to copy the garb of the ancient kings. First he adds a second arm, though it's clearly magical, an almost holographic thing that glows yellow-orange. Then he changes his clothing. A wrapped skirt of sheer pleated linen, held by an elaborately ornamented belt. A broad collar made of gold, studded with blue and teal faience beads and golden citrines. Bands of beads and citrines around his ankles, upper arms, and wrists. Leather sandals, secured by cords wrapped about his calves. A leopard's pelt, worn over one shoulder and wrapped around his chest to hang by his side. A nemes, the striped headdress so many associate with the pharaohs, with rearing cobra and Egyptian vulture.

    There are two additional details that Jon didn't consciously include but that appear all the same: the nemes also bears the feather of Ma'at, and a cape of feathers in gold and teal and blue is attached to the armbands and wristbands and back of the collar.

    Another thought, and he summons up a copy of his staff, which he holds in the magically-summoned right hand, and an ankh for the left. He raises the staff and points it at the serpent.

    "I bind thee, Saset, as I will shortly be bound. I subdue thee, Saset, as I will be subdued. Let this be proof of my authority and primacy, that I can overcome that which the serpent cannot." There's more confidence in his voice than he truly feels. /Can/ he overcome the loss of his sight?

    Nonetheless, he conjures a /large/ strip of cloth, which he wraps around the serpent's head, aiming to bind its eyes and render it sightless, thus--he hopes--subduing the god.

Michael Demiurgos has posed:
    The Great serpent Saset thrashes and writhes as Jon's binding settles over its eyes. At the last moment it opens it maw and a spray of venom strikes Jon in the face. Even so the binding settles over it and the serpent grows still. Sia, the personification of the ability of the human soul to perceive, speaks to Saset. "Open your door to Ra, throw wide open your door to Khuti. The hidden abode is in darkness, so that the transformations of this god may take place."

    Saset hisses once and falls back beneath the waters. the barque continues forth past the opening. Even as they continue the mountains begin to draw together again, sealing of the road of Duat once more. As the barque floats forth, a great cry of anguish and despair rises up from the twelve gods of the mountain.

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    As the spray of venom hits Jon's face, several thing happen. He cries out in pain, the force of the venom throwing him back. He was in the bow of the barque; he gets thrown amidships, a few feet in front of the statue. The venom burns out his eyes, leaving nothing but ragged strands of bloody flesh in their sockets. The neurotoxin in the venom shuts down his ability to hear, and his mouth convulsively closes, swallowing his cry of pain.

    The venom's splatters upon his outfit have an effect as well. The citrines he wears turn to emeralds, the blue and teal faience beads to lapis lazuli and turquoise. Gems more befitting the king, prized in both antiquity and modern times. And yet, more than just that: his summoned magical arm changes color, too. Where once it was the yellow-gold of citrine, now it glimmers and shines with emerald light.

    He pushes himself up to a sitting position, and the venom drains down off his face and onto the collar, coalescing into an emerald scarab, inscribed on its underside with a spell from the Book of the Dead. The Heart Scarab, a protective amulet which stands in for Jon's heart since his own has been destroyed. And which, hopefully, will aid him when he stands before Osiris and gives the Negative Confession.

Michael Demiurgos has posed:
    As the gate closes behind them, the light from Jon blazes out illuminating the path of the Afterworld of ancient Egypt. The venom of the serpent still tingles on Jon's face and body but then the pain is gone and his voice and hearing return all at once. His sight however is well and truly gone. At least for the moment. Alya's voice comes to him. she is near to his side. "The Gate is closed and this god's mouth is opened." Her hands, unmistakeable to Jon even though he cannot see her press something into his own. "We have a moment longer, Jon, before we reach the shallows of the Second Gate."

    In his hands is an earthenware jar or some sort with liquid inside, if the sound is any indicator. Inside is a strong but pleasnt tasting beer. "I have sweetened bread for you as well once you're ready." She smiles and touches upon the changed artifacts of his attire. The lapis and turquoise as well as the emerald scarab at his chest. "'His forms are manifold' indeed." she says marvelling at the change. Clearly it was more than she anticipated.

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    "Gods, that hurt," Jon mutters as Alya presses the jar into his hands. He takes a swig of the beer, then another, taking a moment to appreciate the taste. This isn't modern beer, made in factories, nor even a smaller craft brewery. This, he knows, is beer made as it had been long ago in ancient Egypt; still the same basic process, but there are subtle differences.

    He reaches out a hand. "The bread, please?" His brow furrows slightly. "I don't... what are you talking about? What are you seeing?" He turns his head down, reflexively, to look at his chest where Alya touched the scarab, but of course cannot see a thing. His brow furrows more deeply. How is he going to manage this? How would *Ra* manage this?

Michael Demiurgos has posed:
    "Your coloring is different now" Alya replies pressing a chunk of the bread into his hands. The taste of the bread also has a significant difference from anything store bought or even bakery made. The blend of spices and sugars along with the heavy earthen taste of the wheat is likely a marvel to the man.

    "Faience to lapis lazuli and turquoise. Citrine to deep emerald. And this..." she presses a hand to the scarab once more. "The Heart Scarab. Wise of you to prepare for the Lord of this Kingdom already." There is a pride and exultation in her voice.

    The barque starts to slow and the sound of the bottom of the boat sliding along the bottom of the shallows comes to Jon's ears. Though he cannot see it, he can feel tha scarab and ouroborus shift and change into that of a highly stylized ram's head, the visage of great god Atum. "Can you stand? There are many who wish to meet with you."

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    Jon tilts his head as though he's peering at Alya, even though he can't see her. "The Heart Scarab? I didn't prepare..." Well, no, didn't he? Hasn't he been going out of his way to prove himself, to perform the appropriate duties of the ancient kings? Leading troops, defeating foes, speaking truth and balance, keeping ma'at in his heart. The Heart Scarab is a spell meant to ensure that his heart will not betray him when he stands before the gods to be judged. And hasn't he been deliberately trying to lighten his heart in preparation for this journey? What else is that, if not the same sort of spell?

    Jon takes Alya's hand and rises to his feet, turning to face the side of the barque near the shore. He cannot see, and he frowns again. There's never any indication that Ra cannot see on this journey, nor the pharoah, so how is he supposed to face these trials...?

    "Sia," he says suddenly, and turns to Alya with a grin. "Sia means 'to perceive' or 'to know.' The deificiation of perception, particularly divine perception. I am to call on Sia and Heka to unite themselves to me... so I can see through Sia's eyes by use of magic. It's a /spell/."

Michael Demiurgos has posed:
    Alya ponders the concept for a moment and then nods. "That is -one- way that one could interpret the passages, yes. Do you think... it might be a bit more...intense that you are used to. After all, the personification of perception sees a great deal more than mortal eyes are used to. It's possible it is even more intense than the Sight."

    It seems that they will find out soon enough. Four men tie off ropes to the barque and begin to drag it along the shallows. They stop a ways in and a gathering of beings wait on the left side of the river shallows.

    They approach and bow in unison as two seperate lines. "Welcome, great god, to the halls of division and distiction" they say in chorus of union. "Allow us to greet you and give you sustanence before you continue on your journey."

    Even as they speak, Jon's mind can touch on seven distinct beings among the thirteen voices. Names and identies come to him from a myriad list of lesser and greater dieties of Ancient Egyptian legend.

    As the thirteen move away to allow the barque to find a better mooring for their meal, a weight of anticipation hangs in the air. The great god must speak the words to initiate his journey through the second gate.

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    "I suppose we'll find out, won't we?" Jon murmurs aside to Alya, as he focuses his attention on the gods greeting him. His mind touching on those distinct deities gives him an idea, a way that he can, perhaps, link his mind to Sia's in order to faciliate sight in this realm.

    He raises and spreads his arms, real and magical, and begins to speak. "O grant to me that I may restore the crown, and that I may have possession of my shrine which is in the earth. Let Sia and Heka unite themselves to me for the working out of plans for you, and for making to come into being their attributes, you have what is yours." As he says this, he reaches out his mind to Sia, there on the barque with him. The linking of their minds goes surprisingly smoothly; either this is indeed what is supposed to be done, or the god has no protest.

    It's nearly overwhelming, seeing through the eyes of the god of divine perception. Clearer even than the magical Sight, sharper and more focused. He can see colors he didn't know existed, see in sharp detail, zoom in and out on faraway objects. He falters, for just a moment, in his speech, gasping for a moment with the sheer /beauty/ of Duat as presented through Sia's eyes.

    "Isis hath made to be at peace the wind, and offerings are there. None shuts the door against you, and the damned do not enter in after you. That which belongs to you is to you, O gods." He manages to finish the ritual greeting, and takes a deep, steadying breath. Alya was right--this /is/ intense.

Michael Demiurgos has posed:
    As if on cue the thirteen reply: "There is darkness on the road of the Duat, therefore let the doors which are closed be unfolded, let the earth open, so that the gods may draw along him that hath created them."

    A banquet table is set up, defying physics as it hangs between the land and the river so that the great god has no need to step foot off his royal barque. The food is extravagant and rich. More of that sweet and savory bread, a variety of figs and dates, grapes, and berries, as well as meat, poultry, and fish dishes. The drink this time is water, clear, cool and more refreshing than any Jon ever encountered in life.

    As they eat, Jon learns who his hosts are: Nepeh--also called Neper--an ancient god of agriculture, specifically grain; Nenha--also called Nehebkau--the serpent god and one of the 42 assessors of Ma'at; Ba--also called Ba-Pef--the ram headed judge of the damned;the great Hor--also called Horus--falcon faced god of the sky and king among kings;Baha-ab--also called Geb--the great primordial god of the Earth itself; Khnemu--also called Khnum, the goat headed creator god of all living things; and Sedjet--also called Wadjet--the serpent-headed patron of the lower Egypt.

    The other six beings are called the gods who are in the entrances. Gatekeepers of the various realms of reality. Jon also gains a greater understanding of this level of the Duat. The left bank is lined with spirits who shine with power and purity. They have been judged and deemed worthy; they are the blessed dead who await acknowledgement from their king, the great god.

    Past the right bank is their opposite. The blasphemers and the damned, waiting to be served their punishement by the great god, Atum. Even so, they too wait their acknowledgement by the great god before he continues his jouney.

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    For the briefest of moments Jon hesitates. The part of him which is not Egyptian--the part, particularly, that is Irish and English--quietly reminds him that eating the food of the Underworld usually means some part of you stays there. The Fair Folk offer food and that keeps their targets in Faerie. Hades offers Persephone pomegranate seeds and she must remain in his realm for part of the year.

    He shakes it off. Even if that's true, well, some part of him will surely have to stay here anyhow. He will not come out the other side of this journey quite the same person he was when he began.

    Jon eats and drinks, having a little trouble at first trying to see his plate through Sia's eyes but finally deciding to just reach for his food without looking, and focus his sight on those around him. He makes conversation with the gods around him, asking questions, commenting on the food. It's oddly relaxing, even if he knows what to come will likely be difficult and dangerous. If this is the way things always are in Duat, would it be so terribly bad to go on to Aaru, the Field of Reeds? He's been through so much already. He could ask Ma'at to destroy the Archive--or to transfer it to another relative. Someone else can surely take up the role of Champion, defeat Michael. Once they save the universe... couldn't he just... stay here?

    When the meal is done, there is one more task to perform here. Jon stands and goes to the left side of the barque, to face the spirits of the blessed. He raises his arms in benediction and says, "Your offerings are yours, you have power over your cool waters, your souls shall never be hacked to pieces, your meat shall never fail, you who have praised me, and have vanquished Apep for me."

    Then Jon turns around and walks to face the right bank, where the spirits of the damned await. He drops his arms and frowns as he looks out over the damned. The text of the Book of Gates says that Atum says this part, and yet he is playing both Atum and Ra; Atum speaks as the son of Ra, and the pharaoh is said to be the son of Ra. Atum is Ra and Ra is Atum.

    "The word of my father Ra is /ma'at/ against you, and my word is /ma'at/ against you. I am the son who proceeds from his father, and I am the father who proceeds from his son. You are fettered, and you are tied with strong cord, and it is I who have sent forth the decree concerning you that you should be The Apostates and Blasphemers of Ra, who are doomed to destruction, with their arms bound. Bound in fetters; your arms shall never more be opened. Ra pronounces the formula against you, his soul is prepared to attack you; my father has gained the mastery over you, and his soul utters words against you. Your evil deeds have turned against you, your plotting has come upon you, your abominable acts have returned upon you, your destinies are for evil, and your doom has been decreed before Ra; your unjust and perverted judgments are upon yourselves, and the wickedness of your words of cursing are upon you. Evil is the doom which hath been decreed for you before my father. It is you who have committed sins, and who have wrought iniquity in the Great Hall; your corruptible bodies shall be cut in pieces, and your souls shall have no existence, and ye shall never again see Ra with his attributes as he journeys in the hidden land. Hail, Ra! Adored be Ra! Your enemies are in the place of destruction."

Michael Demiurgos has posed:
    There is both jubilation and wails of agony from the sides of the river as the four men drag the barque further down the river to the path of the next gate. The gate lies at the end of a corridor filled with spikes and guarded by mummified gods and warriors. The gods and warriors extend their own greeting to the great god and bid him well on his way.

    Suddenly a gout of flame fills the corridor. Two great serpents at the corners of the corridor belch fire from their mouths. At the end of the firey corridor is another single serpent though this one does not appear nearly as aggressive or antagonistic as the guardian of the last.

    The four men carrying the barque stop at the edge of the entry way. Alya turns to Jon. "A choice has to be made, Jon. You must choose to take the step into that and let the fires of the Duat make you anew. Or turn back and make your way along the path that has no return. I can do nothing else but offer you that counsel. They" she gestures to the four men, "await your command."

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    Jon swallows, staring at the fire. "The path that has no return... you mean the typical way one goes to Duat." It /would/ be easier. Not safe, there are still challenges, but there would be fewer gates. And, maybe more importantly, at the end of it all there would be rest and peaceful bliss, instead of the pain and strife in the world of the living.

    He has no eyes, his right arm is magically summoned, and now he has to go through a corridor of fire.

    He's so /tired/.

    He opens his mouth, very nearly ready to order the barque to turn around--but hesitates. He fought and struggled to prove himself. He's speaking the words of Ra and Atum. What was all of that for, if not to move forward through this? He can't turn around now. Whatever else, he committed himself to this path, whether or not he ever returns to the world of the living.

    He draws himself up. "I have proven myself worthy of the Path of Kings. I will not dishonor myself, and the gods, by turning back now." He raises his voice. "Pull the barque forward, into the fire!"

    It's not being burned he's afraid of, not really. The Book of Gates states that the fire replenishes Ra, rather than hurting him. Of course, what that will mean for Jon is hard to say.

Michael Demiurgos has posed:
    The men dragging the barque start forward. As they enter the corridor the fire comes. It scoures over the men first, reducing them to ashes almost instantly. But the current has the barque now and onward it goes.

    The fire touches Jon's skin and the effect is instantaneous. Replishment is right. Power and strength fill his muscles to the brim. He could move mountains if he needed to. The strength of the great gods flows in and through him, the light of his form illuminating the hall even more than the flames.

    But nothing is free in this realm. Memories and experiences are seared away to make space for the great god's determination. It's little things. His favorite meal. The way he likes his coffee. Inconsequential things that matter little to one who is dead and has a greater purpose. The faces of this friends and acquaintances blur some. Their features harder to recall. He knows their names and if he focuses he can remember aspects of them... but to do so requires effort.

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    Jon was braced to scream, but the fire... doesn't hurt. It replenishes, just as the funerary texts say. He holds up his hands so he can see them through Sia's eyes, one burning with the light of the sun and the other glowing with viridescent power. He laughs, joyously. He hasn't felt this good in... months? Years? Ever? Has he /ever/ felt so powerful, so /alive/? Ironic, that, but true.

    The memories fade, and he barely even notices. The cares and concerns of the living are no longer his, certainly not while he's down here. What does it matter how he takes his coffee or his tea when neither exist in this place? What could his favorite meal possibly be but the delectable fruits of this land? He will recall the faces of his friends with clarity when they come and join him here.

    He hasn't entirely given up on going back to the world of the living, but he's losing the reasons why he would want to leave this place.

Michael Demiurgos has posed:
    The great serpent, Aquebi--who is also called Kebechet--resting on its tail, watches as the boat comes to a halt before it. It's eyes, thin slits for pupils, regard the party for a moment and then it inclines its head in a bow. "Let thiss gateway be unfolded to Khuti, and let the doorss be opened to him that iss in heaven. Come then, O thou traveller, who journeyss in Amentet. She who iss over this door opens it to Ra."

    Sia again intones the great command: "Open your gate to Ra, unfold your door to Khuti. He shall illumine the darkness, and he shall force a way for the light in the habitation which is hidden. This door is closed after the great god has entered through it, and there is lamentation to those who are in their gateway when they hear this door close upon them."

    Aquebi slithers out of the way and the gate of the Third Hour opens to allow Jon, the great god, and his entourage to pass throught it. The river flows faster now, and water again begins to drag the barque along into the swampy marsh of the Lake of Osiris. Here a great multitude of the dead and honored wait to pay and be paid homage and respect by the great god who illuminates all things.

    There is land mass to the left surrounded by twelve jackal faced warriors and twelve great serpents. Those beyond the twin circles bathe in the blood of their enemies, slaughtered in the name of the great god and whose sacrifices of life were made in his name. The barque floats along this marsh and comes close to the lake of blood. The men there, sensing the approach of their god, rise from their bath of slaughter and await the blessing of the one they have died for.

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    Jon still remembers what he needs to do here. He turns to the side of the barque, looking to those who rose from the lake at the barque's approach. He lifts his arms in benediction and says, "Open you the doors of your shrines, so that my radiance may penetrate the darkness in which you are! I found you weeping and lamenting, with your shrines tightly closed, but air shall be given to your nostrils, and I have decreed that you shall have abundance to overflowing."

    The radiance of the sun is supposed to restore them, at least for a time. While the barque pulls along through this place, they will be given food and drink, though they'll be shut back in when he's gone.

Michael Demiurgos has posed:
    Once the benediction of the great god is given those of the lake praise him, shouting: Hail, Ra, come you into our lake, O great god who never fails!" It is then that they are allowed their feast. The barque continues onto the greater part of the Lake of the King of the Underworld.

    Surrounding this lake are a great number of gods, all dressed in garb befitting their station, yet their faces are not the animal-like visages of the creatures they embody. No, here the gods heads are uncovered. They stand watch over the boiling lake and guard the herbs of the shores, which have mystical properties that are sacred.

    They raise their eyes to Jon as the barque floats by and speak to the great god as he passes their charge, awaiting his blessing to them and that which is their duty here in this land.

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    Jon can't help but wrinkle his nose at the smell of the boiling lake filled with sacred herbs, and a brace of birds that had alighted on the barque take flight to get away from the fetid stench. Still, he looks to the gods who tend these sacred herbs, knowing from his own training and knowledge left in his memory from the Archive that sometimes medicine smells /awful/. So he raises his arms in benediction again, calling out the ritual words.

"O you gods whose duty it is to guard the green herbs of your lake, whose heads core uncovered, and whose limbs are covered with garments, may there be air to your nostrils, and may offerings be made to you of the green herbs, and may your meat be from your lake. The water thereof shall be yours, but to you it shall not be boiling, and the heat thereof shall not be upon your bodies."

Michael Demiurgos has posed:
    The company of gods reply in chorus: "Come you unto us, Oh you who sails in your boat, whose eye is of blazing fire which consumes, and has a pupil which sends forth light! The beings of the Duat shout with joy when you approach; send forth your light upon us, O great god who has fire in your eye." They also move to feast as the great god passes their task.

    The barque of Ra turns and angles towards a raised platform set in the middle of the lake. Another boat is held aloft lofted by eight mummified beings. This is the Barque of the Earth, supported the poles with the bull's head on either end and overseen by four men and four mummified gods.

    Alya speaks to Jon as they approach the archway through which they intend to travel. "The unity of Ra and Geb of the Earth is significant. It shows that Ra, the lord of the sun is truly meeting with the Earth and is ready to be truly hidden by the horizon. Prepare and be ready to speak when the feeling takes you."

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    Jon glances aside to Alya, Sia's face turning toward her as well. "I don't /have/ eyes right now. They aren't... literally on fire, are they?" He puts his hand up to his eyes to check. No, no heat from them, and Sia looking at him just sees empty sockets. Alright then.

    He takes a deep breath and nods aside to Alya, then turns to the Barque of the Earth. He has an inkling of what might be coming. The first serpent spat venom at him, and while the fire didn't hurt him, it did strip away parts of him. And the Double Bull... is supposed to /eat/ him.

    Well, nothing for it but to get on with the business of sacrificing himself to Geb.

    He steps off the Barque of the Duat, walking up the stairs onto the raised platform as his barque continues on underneath. He stops to address the gods holding up the Barque of the Earth. "Hail, gods who bear up his Boat of the Earth, and who lift up the Barque of the Duat, may there be support to your forms and light unto your Barque. Holy is he who is in the Boat of the Earth. I make to go back the Barque of the Duat which bears my forms, and truly I travel into the hidden chamber to perform the plans which are carried out there."

    Then he walks forward, underneath the Barque of the Earth, as the last rays of the sun can no longer be seen above the horizon. Twilight is ending and true night descending. He kneels, and bows his head, presenting himself as willing sacrifice to the god of the earth.

    If only he could still the trembling fear coiling in his gut.

Michael Demiurgos has posed:
    As Jon's head is bowed he doesn't see the strike coming. A monstrous creature charges forth and gores Jon in the chest with tenacity matching it's counterpart in the real world. The black bull that is Geb backs up after striking, reading itself to strike again or to consume its charge.

    The force of the strike and the horns hurt but there is more to it. They knock away more of the identity of Jonathan Sims. Those faces are more vague now. Only a handful are even recognizable to him. Those of his family: Martin, Cael, Agnes, Lyra. The rest are amorphous and transient.

    Another blow is given to the man and more of him is jarred loose to fade away in the waters below. And then the bull begins to eat him. Consuming all that he is and merging with him in the process. When it is done the bull is gone and the great god stands, ready to pass on to the next leg of the journey. The four mummified watchers of the ritual speak as one and call out, "Praised be the Soul which the Double Bull has swallowed, and let the god be at peace with that which he has created."

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    It hurts. Again.

    Jon's still quite aware while the bull eats him, unable to see anything but the underside of the platform as Sia passes beneath. He can hear his own screams of pain--because he screams, and doesn't care whether the kings who've come through here before did too. It's horrific, and the only saving grace is that he can't watch the bull consume him.

    It's still Jon that stands back up, but far less Jon and far more 'the great god' now. The light of Ra is growing strong here in the 'daytime' of the Underworld, what amounts to mid-morning, consuming and merging with him the way Geb consumed and merged with Ra.

    Beyond the loss of the faces of his friends the biggest piece knocked away--and maybe, if he's lucky, that won't come back--is that constant worry about what people think of him. It's not merely the bull that strips that away--that part of him dies in large part because he simply walks on back to the barque to rejoin his retinue as if they hadn't just heard him screaming in pain and anguish. He is the great god, just now, and his authority and honor cannot be removed by something as small as showing momentary weakness. He didn't flinch away, after all, didn't flee. He knows who he is, and so do those on the Barque of the Duat.

    Hopefully, when Jonathan Sims comes back to himself, he'll remember just who he is and stop caring so much what others think.

Michael Demiurgos has posed:
    As Jon rejoins the Barque of Ra the four mummified gods call out: "?Praised be Ra, whose Soul has been absorbed by the Earth-god! Praised be the gods of Ra who has rested!" His depature allows those who hold up the Boat of Duat to feast on their offerings.

    As they eat and the Barque carrying the great god continues on its way they speak to mummified gods calling the Utau which means pristine. "Oh Utau Of the earth, whose duty it is to stand near his habitation, whose heads are uncovered, and whose arms are hidden, may there be air to your nostrils, O Utau, and may your funeral wrappings be burst open, and may you have the mastery over your meats, and may you have peace in that which I have created."

    The gods holding up the Barque of the Earth move and share their offerings with the Utau rejoincing and shedding tears in the wake of the great god.

    Alya's gaze on Jon is steady and she nods. "Well done, great god. We can continue now." She nods and the barque continues to pass across the great lake leaving the platform of Geb behind.

    

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    "That," Jon notes to Alya, "/sucked/. I do not appreciate the way the texts glossed right over the fact that all of this actually /hurts/. Ra never seems bothered by any of it." He sighs, and shakes his head.

    He frowns and tells Sia to turn forward so that he can look ahead. "I had to play Atum back there," he notes. "Am I going to need to restrain Apep here, or is Atum himself going to appear? Or am I just Atum /and/ Ra through this whole business?"

    He has to wonder if this was /quite/ so confusing to people who lived at the time this religion was being practiced in a widespread manner. Is he over-thinking the fact that Atum referred to Ra as separate from himself, given that Atum /also/ declares himself to /be/ Ra? The Pharaoh was said to be Horus in life and Osiris in death; if a mortal can be two different beings why not a god?

Michael Demiurgos has posed:
    "The mysteries of death would not be a mystery if every aspect of it was revealed" Alya says with a small smile on her face in answer. As the barque of the great god crosses the lake a struggle appears on the north bank.

    Nine men are attempting to corral a massive serpent. They fight against it their contest seeming to be an almost eternal struggle with neither side giving up ground. A large pit stands empty behind the serpent perhaps meant to be its prison if they could ever gain ground against it.

    As the barque draws closer, the men call out to the great god, begging for his assistance against the great and powerful serpent, calling it Apep.

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    "Well, our ancestors certainly tried to learn every mystery. This is... frighteningly close to what's in the funerary texts." Jon takes a breath, lets it out, then walks to the front of the barque and raises his arms, one holding the staff, the other the ankh.

    "I strike thee down in the name of Atum, who is Ra, from whom creation came, and who will eventually drown all creation in the primal waters from which he arose."

    He waves the staff, using Sia's eyes to target the spell, and hits the great serpent with a ray of light that has incredible force behind it, as though hitting the thing with a solar flare. It doesn't touch the nine men, nor is it truly meant to damage the serpent. It is, instead, meant to knock the serpent into the empty pit. After the serpent topples into the pit Jon recites yet more of the Book of Gates.

    "You art prostrate, and you shall never more rise up; you art enchanted by me, and you shall never more be found. The word of my father is /ma'at/ against thee, and my word is /ma'at/ against thee; I have destroyed thee for Ra, and I have made an end of thee for Khuti."

Michael Demiurgos has posed:
    The great serpent also called Apophis hisses in rage as it falls into the pit and is held in containment by the nine beings who form the company of gods with Ra. The condemn the serpent saying, "Your head is slit, O Apep, your folds are gashed, you shall never more envelop the boat of Ra, and you shall never again make a way into the divine bark. A flame of fire goes out against thee from the hidden place, and we have condemned thee to your dire doom."

    Then they too feast upon the food of the great god in celebration of his great work for their effort. During their feast one of the nine bows before the great god, and offers up a cased sword belt with a scythe like blade sheathed on it. "For you who has defeated the vile serpent Apep, great god. Please accept this trophy for the victory you have bestowed upon us."

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    Jon hesitates a moment at the offering, clearly slightly surprised. But then he reaches out to take the belt, unsheathing the sword to reveal an iron khopesh inlaid with electrum in spirals and sworls along the blade. the hilt wrapped in black leather. Aside from the electrum on the blade and gold gilt on the casing, the curved sword is unadorned, clearly meant for practical use.

    "A fine weapon," he says, nodding to the one who offered him the sword. "I thank you." He reaches around to put on the belt over his more ornamental one, hanging the sword on his right so he can unsheath it with his left hand.

Michael Demiurgos has posed:
    Once the feast is finished and the offerings to the great god is given along with more praise, the barque of Ra continues toward the gate in the west. Another long corridor greets him and is guarded by a company of gods and two of the mummified gods of the dead. Nine gods guard the corridor and just as before they greet the great god, chanting in unison. "Open the earth, force you a way through the Duat and the region which is above, and dispel our darkness; hail, Ra, come to us."

    There are no great gouts of flame to burn at Jon or spikes to offer resistance to his path and he meets with the other mummified god of the gateway's end. Beyond him at the gate is another monstrous serpent.

    The horns atop the creature's eyes give it an almost dragon-like appearance. It coils and rears, before Jon and the barque baring the path with its aggression.

    Alya touches Jon's real arm and says, "Another of the great serpents, Tchebti--who is also called Kebechet. You will need to show her that your power is true and great for her to grant you access to the chamber beyond. She will relay your actions to her father who will see that they are accounted for in the Great Weighing."

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    Jon nods briefly to Alya and paces to the front of the barque, using Sia's sight to stare up at the snake. He considers Alya's words. That the snake will be reporting on what he does, taking it into account, for a moment makes him think he should try to resolve this peacefully. But then he considers... he's standing in place of the pharaoh, of Ra. He's supposed to show strength, particularly by defeating his foes. And they /did/ just give him a new sword.

    He removes the khopesh from its casing and brandishes it at the snake with his left hand. He raises his right hand and makes a crooking gesture with the fingers, using magic to reach out and pull the snake toward him so that he can slash at it with his sword. He's not entirely elegant about the use of the sword--he's never really trained with them, and even if he had he wouldn't have trained with a khopesh--but slashing isn't that difficult.

Michael Demiurgos has posed:
    There is a definite resistance from the snake at his draw but it surrenders under the pull from the great god, releasing it's own resistance and instead letting the god use his own force to draw it in. At the last moment it adds its own strength in the forward motion and manages to score a strike on the god's shoulder before having its throat slit by the god's weapon.

    Blood turns the scalding river red as the serpent is defeated. Jon's shoulder shows two angry holes that trickle with a thin current of blood. He can already feel the poison in his system, coursing in his veins but there are no ill effects at the moment other than a tingling sensation at the bite point.

    Sia intones the words that allow the gate to open and gives them purchase to the fourth hour of the Duat. "Open your gate to Ra, unfold your doors to Khuti, that he may send light into the thick darkness, and may make his radiance illuminate the hidden chamber." As the gate opens the barque slides forth on the river. There is great triumph as the gods departure that turns to great despair as the presence of the god departs from the chamber.

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    Jon winces as he's bitten, but it's a lot less than he's gotten from other means, of late. He shakes the blood off his sword before replacing it in its casing and grinning at Alya. "Well, that was... easier than I thought it'd be," he comments.

    Then he frowns and has Sia focus his gaze on the shoulder that was bitten. "Is that going to be an issue?" he wonders aloud, before recalling that he /can/ heal himself. He conjures up a globe of his healing water and applies it to the wound, doing his best to draw out the poison and heal the bite marks.

Michael Demiurgos has posed:
    Alya smiles a bit. "You are part god at the moment, Jon." She frowns at the wound. "I'm not sure. It's possible that even removing the toxins from your bloodstream won't truly neutralize the effects of it. Wel will have to wait and see."
    They pass through into the next hour and immediately the landscape changes. The river becomes a thin strip, barely wide enough for the barque of the great god. Which has also changed. Where it was a royal boat adorned with gold and symbols of the sun god, now it has the faces of serpents at bow and stern. The central figure--meant to be a representation of the transformative nature of Ra chas also changed. It is now the familiar solar disc, deep red in color but set in a bowl of royal serpents.

    A vast desert stretches out across this plane. Not far into the realm another lake with the honored warriors appears. Again the twelve jackal faced sentinels and the twelve Uraei stand watch over these soldiers of Ra. They give praise and rejoice in the Sun god's presence much as those from the last realm did and Ra gives them benediction and acknowledgement before granting them to feast. The jackal headed gods and the holy Uraei are also given permission to dine as well.

    Further in the landscape changes. Nine shrines are lined against the banks of the thin river. An archway made of a great serpent snakes over the thin river, lined on either side by six goddesses. The barque stops in the midsts of the nine shrines and Alya looks at Jon, expectantly.

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    Jon speaks the ritual phrases, slightly different than before but similar in tone and tenor. Blessings to those he's resurrecting and who are being fed, acknowledgement of the praise they give. As the boat continues to draw him through the Duat he turns to the gods towing the barque and speaks to them.

    "Draw me along, O beings of the Duat, look upon me, for I have created you. Pull with your arms and draw me there, and turn aside to the eastern part of heaven, to the habitations which surround Ares, and to that hidden mountain, the light of which goes round about among the gods who receive me as I come forth among you into the hidden place. Draw me along, for I work on your behalf in the gateway which covers over the gods of the Duat."

    As he's speaking, they reach the archway amongst the shrines, and Jon turns to regard the goddesses, continues speaking. "Look upon me, O gods, for I strike those who are in their sepulchre. Arise, O gods! I have ordered for you the plan and manner of your existence, O you who are in your sepulchres, whose souls are broken, who live upon your own filth and feed upon your own offal, rise up before my Disk, and put yourselves in a right state by means of my beams. The duties which you shall have in the Duat are in accordance with the things which I have decreed for you."

Michael Demiurgos has posed:
    The shrines burst open and the Nine followers of Osiris are remade by the light of the great god, ready to do their duty to the King of the Afterworld. The barque of the great god moves forth on the thin river and under the archway of the Goddesses of the Twelve Hours.

    After the arch the path begins to slither like a great serpent itself over the desert. As the illumination of the great god burns away the darkness, more of his works can be seen. The great son, Horus, stands before the Nine followers of Osiris and commands them, "Make inquisition for me, O gods who are in the following of Khentiamentiu, stand up, and do not withdraw yourselves, and be masters over yourselves; come, and live delicately on the bread of Hu, and drink of the ale of Maat, and live upon that whereon my father lives there. That which belongs to you in the hidden place is to be behind the shrine, according to the commandment of Ra. I call unto you, and behold, it is for you to do what it is your duty."

    The followers are given leave to feast as commanded by the great Horus and then the falcon headed one speaks again, commanding them as such: "Smite the enemies of my father, and hurl them down into your pits because of that deadly evil which they have done against the Great One, who found him that begot me. That which belongs to you to do in the Duat is to guard the pits of fire according as Ra hath commanded, and I set this before you so that, behold, you may do according to what is yours."

     As the barque approaches another corridor leading to the gate of Arit Alya nods to Jon and smiles. "Your mastery over the command of the serpents and enemies of Osiris is felt along this realm. You are almost ready. One more realm remains." The jackal heaed guardians Aau and Tekmi along with the fourth company of the gods guard the corridor and greet the great god. "Ra-Heru-Khuti unfold our doors, and open our gateways. Hail, Ra, come to us, O great god, lord of hidden nature."

    There is no battle to give but even so, Jon feels more of his sense of self fade as they pass through the corridor. Even those faces he held so dear start to blur and fade into obscurity. Who is he besides the Great God now? Is there truly any purpose for him but the give blessings to this realm as he passes through? Is that existence so terrible? It holds necessity and is an honorable purpose in itself.

    The serpent over the gate of Arit is Teka-hra and as they approach Sia speaks to it. "Open your gate to Ra, unfold your doors to Khuti, that he may send light into the thick darkness, and may make his radiance illuminate the hidden habitation." The serpent relents to its master and the gate is opened for them to pass through into the 5th hour.

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    Jon glows bright as the sun now, difficult to look upon, though Sia can look at him and see past that brightness with his divine perception. Doubts and fears fall away; he is still Jonathan Sims, but his insistence that he can walk this path has begun to change him, to align him to be more what a king should be, internally and externally. Proud, confident, unyielding against his enemies, but also concerned chiefly with ensuring the wellbeing of his subjects.

    Would it be so bad, to be this thing he's insisted that he is? To take his place among dozens before him? How long has it been, after all, since any walked this path? How long have his subjects languished in the dark? Even if Ra has continued this path, surely the passage of a mortal along this route must be reinvigorating the entire place; these structures depend on mortals to fuel them.

    He could take this path as he's meant to, unite with Osiris in the chambers beyond, rise anew as the sun. He is Gaea's Champion, but what gives life to the Earth more than the sun? Might it not be best, to take his place ensuring that life goes on, even if it's from afar? The physical sun will continue to warm the Earth, but these chambers /need/ their great god.

Michael Demiurgos has posed:
    Passing through to the next realm forces another change over the landscape. It is still the great desert of Sokar but it is dominated by a temple in the middle of the realm. A procession follows along the path of the river. Those who knew Ra upon the earth and make songs and praise his existence. Their song drifts on the air of the realm. "Come, Ra, progress through the Duat. Praise be to you! Enter among the holy places with the serpent Mehen."

    More go before the procession, they carry a great cord for measurement. They are the Holders of the cord in the Duat, and their duty is to measure, and give designation to the gods and the Khu; to give the gods lands for their temples and their thrones and to allow space for those who serve under them.

    Beyond them stand four bearded gods. The Henbi--overseers--of this process who ensure that the service of Ra and the gods is done properly and to see that the land is distributed in accordance to the great command of Ra.

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    Jon gestures to see that the offerings and food is distributed to those here, and says in reply to those who speak to him, "There are offerings for you, O you who made offerings. I am content with what you did for me, both when I used to shine in the eastern part of heaven, and when I was sinking to rest in the chamber of my Eye."

    Then as they pass toward the Holders of the Cord, he turns to them and says, "Take the cord, draw it tight, and mark out the limit of the fields of Amentet, the Khu whereof are in your abodes, and the gods whereof are on your thrones."

    The measuring is done, the lands parceled out. Jon turns to the Khu and says, "What is right is the cord in Ament, and Ra is content with the stretching of it. Your possessions are yours, O gods, your homesteads are yours, O Khu. Behold, Ra makes your fields, and he commands on your behalf that there may be earth with you. Hail, journey on, O Khuti, for verily the gods are content with that which they possess, and the Khu are content with their estates." Food is given out to the gods and the Khu, from the estate of Sekhet-Aru, and offerings made, and the great god watches it all with approval.

    The four bearded gods are the next to be greeted. They, too, have received food from Sekhet-Aru, and Jon says to them, "Holy are you, O Henbi gods, overseers of the cords in Amentet. Establish fields and give them to the gods and to the Khu after they have been measured in Sekhet-Aaru. Let them give fields and earth to the gods and to the souls who are in the Duat."

Michael Demiurgos has posed:
    As the barque passes the procession it draws closer to the great temple in the middle of the realm. Standing before the entrance are nine gods holding back the coils of a great serpent called Ennutchi. The snake tries to get to the entrance of the temple but cannot quite make it as twelve more beings stand guardian over the entrance.

    They are the souls of those most blessed men in Duat. And are led by the god, Hetepi.

    Alya nods to Jon. "Once more are you called to destroy the Great Serpent lest he gain entrance to the Hall of Mystery. Take your blade and destroy him once again to show that you are not afraid and that he holds no power here in the land where you reside."

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    For once in his life, Jon /isn't/ afraid. He steps forward and takes out the khopesh again, raising the sword in his left hand. Ennutchi is another name for Apep, and this is yet another moment to subdue the serpent that sought to destroy the sun.

    He swings at the nearest coils of the snakes, calling out, "Strike the serpent Ennutchi there, give him no way to escape, so that I may pass by you. Hide your arms, destroy that which you guard, protect that which comes into being from my forms, and tie up that which comes into being from my strength."

Michael Demiurgos has posed:
    The beast jerks and the nine do as commanded by the great god. Again is the serpent defeated and praises are sung in chrous and return between the servants and their savior. The barque bumps against the steps of the temple and here Alya looks at Jon.

    "The next part of the journey you must do alone. We cannot follow. I do not know what trials you will face inside the temple before you arrive at the Hall of Judgement." She leans forward and presses a kiss to Jon's cheek. "My faith in you has only grown as you have progressed through here. I know you will succeed within. We will wait for your return on the other side of the temple." She steps back and allows Jon access to depart the Barque of the great god.

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    Jon turns to smile at Alya. "Thank you for all your help," he says, sincerely. "I... I know I was planning to leave, but... I think I'll stay. This place, what I'm doing, it feels... right, you know?" He reaches out to take her hands in his own, real and magical both, and leans forward to kiss her cheek in return.

    Before she can respond, he pulls away and then turns to leave the barque and head into the temple. Beyond this is the Hall of Judgement, he knows... and he remembers that people were meeting him down there. They will bring balance to the universe, and then he will go on and unite with Osiris and continue as he's supposed to.

Michael Demiurgos has posed:
    As soon as he steps into the temple he finds it filled with darkness. Even his own light. The light of Ra seems unable to travel much further than a few feet. A dreadful cold settles over him and were it not for the transformations before and the protection of the Heart Scarab, he might be consumed by the cold itself. It is the cold of a sunless land. The cold of the grave. The cold of death.

    Further in is a set of stairs that go up. At the first step a question booms out of the darkness: "Who are you?" It's a simple question in most cases, but here so close to the Hall of Judgement it is one that bears heavy consideration.

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    Jon falters for a moment as the darkness envelops him and the cold touches him. His connection to Sia is strong enough now that he can see as if through his own eyes, but now he is well and truly blind, and terribly cold as well.

    But he knows, in a way his ancestors did not, that the sun exists in a vacuum of cold and darkness. That it was spun out of a cloud of swirling gas, ignited through the action of gravity. It started its life in a stellar nursery and was flung into the void, to take its spinning dance about the edge of the Milky Way. That somewhere out there in the universe is endless dark, terrible cold, and it is through this dark and cold that the sun and all its planets travel.

    So he presses on, into the darkness and the cold, knowing that it cannot extinguish his core. That has not yet run out of fuel. At the question he straightens and calls out, "I am Jonathan Sims. I am the Archivist. I am he who carries the spirit of the great god Ra through the gates of Duat."

Michael Demiurgos has posed:
    It seems that the answer is satisfaction enough for a time. Five steps pass and Jon reaches a landing. A moment of respite before more stairs require ascent. The same voice booms out: "Who are you?"

    The there is a strange double voice to the question. A voice Jon remembers rather well so close to the same fate that she shares. That of a young girl who died in his arms during an attack on New York three years before his own death. Lyra, his eldest daughter who now rests in her own afterlife.

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    Jon frowns for a moment, considering the question. Who is he... who is he to /her/? To Lyra. That's the question.

    "I am your father," he says. "Not by birth, but by choice. You are the child of my heart, if not my blood.

    He says, more firmly, "I am a parent. A mentor. I care for those younger and more inexperienced, try to help them, to guide them." A pause. "I suffered for lack of that guidance. My parents died when I was young and my grandmother saw to the needs of my body but not my heart. I had little guidance as a youth. My mentors have proven to be cruel or uncaring, seeing me as weak, a tool to be used, or forever less than. I did not have mentors that lifted me up, called me to become more, to potentially surpass them."

    He hesitates. He barely remembers those he's agreed to mentor, his living daughter. But he remembers this sentiment, in terms of Lyra. "Any parent should hope their child is better off than they were. Any mentor should hope their student can surpass them. I strive to give them that which I never had, in the hopes of making a brighter future."

Michael Demiurgos has posed:
    The next steps press in heavily on him. The cold grows more intense. Were Jon breathing his breath would surely be coming in puffs of frozen water vapor. It must be so intense to affect his soul so deeply.

    Another ten steps and he reaches another landing. Again, the voice calls out in the same double tone: "Who are you?" There is a probing sense to the question an urging to go deeper. Beyond what he has given, who is he?

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    "I..."

    Jon hesitates.

    Who /is/ he?

    A healer. A seeker of truth. A keeper of order. One who would restore balance.

    He discards each answer as they come to him. In this place, with such pressure upon him, all of that falls away. Even the things that seemed most core, most /true/ about him, he knows are mutable. Had his life gone differently, he might not have been any of those things.

    In another world, in another life, what else might he have been? A teacher? A monster trapped in a castle? A siren, using his voice to lure the unwary? An immortal space cowboy? A researcher led by a cruel superior into destroying the world? A demigod, a savior, a thief, a sacrifice...

    He is all of those things, and none of them.

    He remembers the revelation he had in the desert. He knew then that it was not a new thing, because surely many before him have realized this as they have died: that they are but a tiny piece of a larger whole, an imprint for experiences, a reflection of the wholeness that is existence.

    All is one, and one is all. I am that I am. Thou art God.

    "I am the universe, trying to understand itself."

Michael Demiurgos has posed:
    There is a pause as if the weight of the underworld is considering his words. And then the light blossoms all around him. He is almost to the top of the great stair. Two doors of stone stand before him and they slowly slide open in tandem with his approach. Within is a lit hall that seems more like an auditorium than anythign else. A multitude of tiers rise above the central floor filled with a multitude of faces: 42 in total.

    Two figures stand in the center of the great hall upon a raised dias. Two figures that Jon knows well.

    One is the Jackal headed figure with the scales: Anubis. The other is the feather crowned woman in the red sheath dressed: Ma'at. Behind the pair is a mummified form on a massive throne. The Lord of the Underworld, Osiris presides over this ordeal before accepting those who have died into his embrace. There is another door that is closed next to the doors Jon enters from. Ma'at speaks, a single command: "Step forth, Jonathan Sims, to be judged and weighed."

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    Jon steps forward, into the hall, carrying his own light with him as he goes. He moves forward to stand before the dias and bows respectfully to those gathered.

    "Hail, Lord Osiris, ruler of the Underworld. Hail Anubis, who is Anpu, Lord of the Sacred Land. Hail Ma'at, Lady of Truth. Hail..."

    He stops, frowning. Looks around the hall, peering at each figure in turn. Not one of them is ibis-headed, and there are no baboons.

    "Where is Thoth? Judge of the Dead? Where is my /patron/?" He doesn't bother trying to keep the irritation out of his voice.

Michael Demiurgos has posed:
    Anubis responds to Jon's question. "The Great Scribe has removed himself from these proceedings as he feels he cannot be impartial in this situation." He looks at Ma'at. "He has presented a number of objections to this ordeal and the Great Pharoh has granted him leave."

    Ma'at steps forward and replies to Jon. "I am able to facilitate his position during the Weighing." She gestures to the gathered audience on the tiers above. "One of my assessors will ensure that the record is kept." She fixes Jon with a dark-eyed stare. "Do you understand?"

    Her choice of words is significant. Not 'do you object?' Not 'do you have questions?' These are not permitted, but in order for the proceedings to go further, Jon must understand his position.

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    "Objections?" Jon's voice becomes, if possible, /more/ indignant. "Of what sort?" He shakes his head. "No, I do /not/ understand. If it's /routine/ for Thoth not to be present when the Archivist is judged, then just say so. If Thoth has some kind of... problem with what I've done to get here, he could have given me some indication of that /long/ ago. I know he didn't want me to be Archivist, but this... this is..."

    He glowers around at the gods. "This is /highly/ irregular. Thoth is supposed to be my /advocate/. If my /patron/ does not feel he can advocate for me, I deserve an explanation."

Michael Demiurgos has posed:
    Ma'at and Anubis share a glance before the former starts to speak in a calm and patient tone. "The Great Scribe feels that his agent was unfairly taken as the Champion of mortal kind."

    She considers her words as if going over something she's been told. "In his words: 'Knowledge is power, but choosing my agent to be the representative of all mortality is unfair to my authority and his agency. I feel that the Archivist should be spared and I further object to the agreement of his death so early in his tenure."

    She frowns at Jon. "In short he feels that your death and our agreement or at least our lack of involvement in its determination shows a clear disregard for the position he oversees. Which... to be fair to him, it does. But that does not mean that we do not care, simply that we were not..." She frowns and searches for a phrase. "I believe the proper phrasing is: 'we were not invited to the table'."

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    Jon's indignation subsides as Ma'at speaks, his glower replaced by more of a thoughtful furrowing of his brow. "I... can see the source of his frustration. I was rather upset myself, as I recall." It seems vague and strange, almost extraneous. He remembers being angry and bitter, screaming at the sky, singing maudlin songs in abandoned subway tunnels. He remembers crying a lot. It seems strange, now. Death isn't so bad. He's happier, lighter, than he remembers being in a very long time. He's traveling with an old, dear friend. And as for those he's left behind... he'll see them again, when they come this way.

    "Would've been nice if he'd at least showed up to offer his support," he murmurs, then shakes his head. Disappointed? Quite. But there's nothing for it, now.

    "Well." He straightens his shoulders and looks around at the gods. "I understand, then, that Ma'at is to stand in as my advocate? Or am I expected to... represent myself?" He grins, briefly.

Michael Demiurgos has posed:
    The figure of Osiris behind the pair leans forward and seems to scrutinize Jon for a moment. When he speaks it's with a tone of absolute authority. "You should know better than to make a mockery of these proceedings, Jonathan Sims." He nods to Anubis and Ma'at. "Begin."

    Anubis steps forward, the scales of Weighing in his left hand. "Jonathan Sims, you come before the Great Pharoh, Osiris and the 42 assessors. Present your Declaration of Innocence before those who are fit to judge you against the words from your mouth."

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    Jon considers Osiris for a long moment. He shines with the power of the sun, after all. In some ways, he is Osiris' equal just now. But... this /is/ Osiris' domain. So he bows his head respectfully, in acquiesence to the god's statement. And doesn't voice the opinion that Osiris is /really/ going to have to get a better sense of humor if they're supposed to merge.

    Then he looks to Anubis, and nods respectfully. He steps forward and addresses the first of the Assessors of Ma'at by name. What he's supposed to do here is declare that he has not committed the sin associated with that particular judge. However, the first sin is 'falsehood' and Jon has, indeed, engaged in falsehoods. Rather than claim he has not, he merely nods respectfully to the judge, then moves on to the next.

    "I have not committed robbery with violence," he says to that judge. To the next, "I have not stolen." To the next, "I have not slain men and women."

    And so it goes, to each of the judges, naming them and then--if he has not committed that offense--saying so. If he has, he remains silent. He has lied, he has made people weep, he has eavesdropped, he has felt remorse. He has been angry without just cause, acted with undue haste, pried into matters he should not, shut his ears to the words of truth. He has spoken arrogantly, spoken against his leaders, cursed his gods.

    All this, despite the spell on the Heart Scarab he wears, a spell meant to keep his heart from alerting the gods if he claims not to have done something that he has. But he is strictly precise in what he claims not to have done, even hesitating in a couple of places as if going back through his life to be /certain/ he's never done the thing he's claiming not to do. Not normal behavior here, perhaps, but Ma'at /did/ choose the man to be her avatar for a reason.

    When he is done he stands before Osiris again. "I stand before you, Lord Osiris, ready to be judged."

Michael Demiurgos has posed:
    Osiris gazes at Jon with penetrating eyes. "It is done. Now we will see if your heart is pure and you are allowed to continue, or if you will be sent to the maw of the Devourer and tormented until the end of time." He nods to Anubis and Ma'at for them to proceed.

    Ma'at plucks a long feather from her wings offers it to the jackal faced god. Anubis, with no sense of judgement in his eyes, after all the judge of the dead was ultimately themselves he simply provided the pivot for the scales, takes the feather and sets it on the scale. He then extends his hand and a human heart materializes in it. It's small, escpecially given the god's extraordinary size. But even so it pulses and beats as if it were still alive.

    "This is the heart of Jonathan Sims" the Jackal-faced god of Judgement says. "The Archivist. The instrument of She Who Is Balance. She Who Is Truth. She Who Is Order. Harmony. Law. Morality and Justice. All in attendance, bear witness to the Weighing of his heart." He places the heart on the empty dish and removes his hand. The scales tip one way and then the other, like a pendulum swinging. The attendants and the gods watching seem to stop, as does time as the pendulum stops, with the feather down and the heart up.

    A single chine of a bell rings throughout the chamber.

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    Jon watches, apprehensive, as his heart is taken and put on the scale. The statement about him makes him frown, slightly; has Thoth so abandoned him that he's not even said to be his instrument? But he brushes that off and focuses. This is the moment that matters the most. He'd been told, before, that his heart was too heavy to pass into the Underworld, and he's done all he can to become truthful, to live righteously. Has it been enough?

    A tension he didn't even know was there flows on out of Jon at the chime of the bell. It's done. He's been judged and weighed and found... worthy. He managed, against all odds and pain and fear, to lighten his heart. He can't help but smile, as he bows to the gods and judges, placing his hand over his heart.

    As he straightens, and begins to speak, the door crashes open.