Chapters 3&4: The Hall of Thoth
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“Aren’t you going to take responsibility!”

I stood in a white void with Bella’s words echoing around me. No matter the direction there was nothing but endless whiteness. I started to think I hadn’t just passed out, but outright died.

How great would that be? Dying because my friend yelled at me. I can imagine Tara laughing at my funeral.

I stood still trying to reason through my situation. Conscious, but not anywhere that I should be. Maybe I was dreaming or hallucinating? The overwhelming brightness surrounding me carried a slight warmth like the heat of a cloudless day in summer. There was no breeze and no points of reference. I thought about trying to take a step or doing a spin to test my position and ability to move, when I realized there was one oddity.

My chest felt a slight pressure. I couldn’t see anything, but it felt as it something was pushing against me. Reaching out I moved my hand toward my chest but was blocked. Moving my fingers to feel the shape, the soft texture. As my mind began to make sense of the sensations I felt, the void began to fade away.

First a shape blurred into existence in front of me. I held a soft hand which in turn held my book against my chest. I followed the hand back, up the arm and eventually to Bella’s red face. Her proclamation freshly ringing as her face contorted through a variety of emotions.

With her figure solidly within my sights, the background blur formed from the newly remolded void. I’m not sure what Bella saw, or if she had seen the void, but she seemed just as confused by the large hall we found ourselves in. Behind her a row of pillars. White stones covered with gold reliefs which seemed to glow, emitting a soft white light. Behind them a large double door with similar reliefs. They were too far to make out in anything from their intricate design.

The architecture mixed so many styles, and the materials were amazing. Tall pillars pulled my vision up toward the high vaulted ceiling, where I saw only stars. Perhaps an open design or an illusion? The fact that it had just been the middle of the day didn’t even enter my mind. Lost in the design of the room, Bella pulled my attention with by squeezing my hand.

“Oh, sorry Bella,” I said trying to release her hand. But her grip only tightened as her emotive face settled on shock and terror. I followed her eyes to the side of the room where there stood a very lifelike statue of an Egyptian god.

A man’s body and a thin bird’s head with a long, curved beak. An ornate golden collar separating the head from a long blue and gold cape which draped over thin yet well-toned human frame. I admit that it was lifelike, but Bella wasn’t the squeamish type. So I wasn’t sure why she seemed so scared. At least until it raised a hand to wave at me.

“Please don’t mind me,” It said in a decidedly not birdlike tone. “It sounds as if you were in the middle of something rather important. I’m actually quite curious what it is she wants you to take responsibility for and of course whether you will?”

At his words I felt Bella pull herself toward me, her breathing jagged. She was terrified. Had I been able to move at that moment, I would have embraced her. Had I been able to speak, I would have attempted to sooth her. Had I been in my right state of mind, I would have enjoyed the sensation of her pressing up against me. As it was, we stood close holding each other for comfort the other could not give.

“Oh my,” the bird-headed creature said tilting its head. “I seem to have truly interrupted. My sincerest apologies.”

With a deep breath the thin black head rose. He began walking along the wall, slowly circling our position before stopping at the far end. Behind him a large opening, a sort of veranda overlooking what looked to be a vast white dessert.

“Although I should warn you, the summoning can impact the summon's mental state while activating so you may want to take a moment to reorient yourselves," the thin beak spoke. "Until then allow me to provide you an explanation to your current circumstances.”

He spoke with a gentleness, as a person trying to calm a cornered animal. Which, incidentally, was what I felt like. He kept his distance and maintained a soft tone.

“A summoning ritual has been invoked by a follower of the goddess Ulla in the world of Praecantio,” he stated, raising his palms, pushing his cape backwards. “As a god of your world, I have been asked to stabilize your transfer. That is the reason you are here in my hall. Consider it a stop between worlds; a place to catch your bearings before diving into a new world.”

A stop between worlds. Doesn’t that kind of sound like we’re dead? Were we killed at the café? I had so many questions.

“I should let you know I have no control over the transfer itself. I neither chose you nor do I have the right to return you. Although it is strange, the type of transfer used should only carry a single soul at any time. Yet you were both summoned.”

It seems I wasn’t the only one with questions. The bird’s head seemed bothered by the situation. Not as bothered as us mind you but bothered none the less. Like him not knowing was inconceivable.

“I can see you two still need a moment. We still have time, so don’t worry. Breathe and orient yourselves.”

The man’s body turned, waved a hand and pulled a large green stone from the air. Light began to dance around its surface as the bird’s eyes glowed a faint white blue.

With that I understood. I felt my body loosen as my mind began working through the evidence I had been provided. Bella must have taken my slacking muscles as a sign of surrender.

“We need to get out of her,” she whispered, tightening her grip. “While that monster is distracted.”

She began to motion toward the back of the hall and the large door beyond the glowing stone pillars. Pulling gently on my arm. Urging me to run with her.

“No,” I said, holding my ground. The situation was too fantastic, but I was sure I knew who this was. Or at least I think I knew who he seemed to be. I was still not convinced this wasn’t some sort of dream or delusion, but if my nightmares taught me anything it was that running would only insight a monster to chase.

“Bella,” I said, placing my hand around her shoulder, “he isn’t a monster. He is…”

Turning to ensure the creature could her me I asked, “you’re the Egyptian god Thoth. Aren’t you?”

He turned with a cocked head. “You know me?” He asked. Were it not for his mouth being no more than a beak, I would have assumed he gave me a pleased smile.

I felt Bella’s tension fade. Perhaps curiosity had finally won out. After all we both just indicated he was a god.

“Who?” she asked.

“Thoth, the Egyptian god of ... wisdom, the moon and magic,” I began. “supposedly responsible for language and written knowledge. Oh and someone who manipulated the heavens themselves to change the length of the year and who guides souls between the worlds of life and …”

I trailed off at my own realization, but the god quickly covered my ascertain.

“You are not dead,” he stated, returning to his tablet while he continued his explanation. “At least not in the traditional sense. You are not headed to an afterlife, but another world. You do not seem like one who worships me. Are you perhaps one who looks to the religions of others for study?”

“Religions of others?” I repeated.

“Oh...oh I see," he said as if seeing something interesting on his tablet, before turning to me again. "Perhaps I should ask outright. How do you know me, child?”

Child! I’m nineteen years old … I’m in college ... I’m talking to divine and perhaps ageless being. Okay…child.

“I just like to learn,” I said. “When we were in school our teacher mentioned the many gods of the Ancient Egyptian religion. It was part of a lesson and she didn’t give us much information. So, when I got home, I started to look up all the gods and tried to learn as much as I could about the religion. I thought it was interesting.”

“Knowledge for knowledge sake?” He asked, beginning to walk toward me, leaving the tablet floating in the air.

Bella moved slightly away from me as Thoth placed his hand on my shoulder and began laughing and clicking his beak.

“Well said child! Well said!”

I could have done without the child bit though.

Once he stopped laughing, he stepped back and awkwardly extended his hand. “Indeed, my name is Thoth,” he declared, “god of knowledge and magic. Welcome to my hall.”

Taking his hand, I introduced myself. “It is a pleasure … no, an honor to meet you sir. My name is Elliot Norad, a student of knowledge and understanding. This is my friend Bella Hall, a student of medicine and healing.”

Bella slowly extended her hand to greet the ibis-headed god, adding a quiet “Nice to meet you.”

“I see," Thoth muttered to himself, before seeming to realize he still held Bella's hand.

"My,” he exclaimed seeing Bella, “You are drenched. What in the world happened to you?”

Really. A god of wisdom and he pushes me into a landmine like that!

“There was an accident before that white light brought us here,” Bella stated calmly. “It really isn’t that big a deal.”

What!? I thought she was furious with me. When did it turn into not a big deal? Or maybe, that was what Thoth meant by the summoning affecting us. Maybe she wasn't really mad at me. Still it would be better not to say anything. That’s right. ‘Elliot, keep your mouth shut and don’t remind her!’

“I see,” Thoth mused, his hand placed against his long beak. “Even so, I can’t have you going to Praecantio looking like that. You’re a representative of Earth you know!”

He seemed to stop and ponder for a moment. Although it looked incredibly forced. Like how a grandparent pretends to struggle with a children's game.

“I know. Why don’t you head that way,” he said pointing to a wooden door off to the side of the room.

‘Strange,’ I thought. ‘I hadn’t noticed that door before.’

“Through there you will find a selection of clothing from Earth. You are welcome to borrow anything you like,” he said gleefully. Quickly adding, “my wife and daughter have plenty to choose from.”

“You want me to take clothes from a goddess?” Bella asked nervously.

“You needn’t worry child,” Thoth laughed. “Ma’at won’t mind sparing a piece of clothing to help another. She is a goddess of justice who shines brightly in the face of goodness.”

“Besides,” he added with a click of his beak, “if balance is required, I will happily accompany her to find any clothing she desires.”

Bella awed at the god’s praise of his wife’s beauty before graciously accepting his offer. Leaving me alone with an ancient god of wisdom.

I could ask anything. Although there is no guarantee he would answer me. But, still a divine source of knowledge. My mind began to churn, thinking how I could best utilize this opportunity. Should I start with the big questions of the universe or little things that lost to history or yet undiscovered. While I thought, Thoth took the opportunity to lead the conversation.

“I can see you thinking of questions to ask me,” he said. “It makes me genuinely glad to see your inquisitive nature. However, while your friend is away, I need to tell you something.”

That doesn’t sound good. “What do I need to know that Bella can’t hear?”

Thoth stretched his hand behind him. The stone tablet he left floating off to the side immediately flew to his outstretched fingers.

“I have found the cause of that which I did not know,” he stated, shaking his long head. “I told you that the summoning could only bear one hero. I tested you both. That girl is the hero, you were somehow pulled along during the transfer.”

“Pulled along?” I interrupted. “She had her hand against me. We were touching when she was summoned.”

“Perhaps,” Thoth replied. “The problem is the nature of the summoning. It is performed in such a way that a portion of the summoned creatures’ soul is used as fuel for the interdimensional travel. Generally, the energy is stabilized and replenished by the energies present between the walls of the worlds, but it is a fine balance.”

“What are you saying?” I asked.

“If the summoning continues as is, that girl will not survive the trip. She will die the moment you reach Praecantio.”

Die. Bella can’t die. That can’t happen.

“But if the energy comes from the soul, then wouldn’t two souls mean twice the energy?” I demanded. “Shouldn’t that make the whole transfer easier for her!”

“No.”

A blunt answer.

“She was the summoned being,” he continued. “Therefore, it is only her soul connected to the summoning.”

In descriptions of Thoth, he oversaw the passage between Earth and paradise. He was uniquely qualified to know the consequences of such things, but there must be a way.

“Why are you telling me this? You wouldn’t bring it up if there wasn’t something you could do, right?”

I couldn’t think straight. I was furious and terrified.

“I am telling you, so that you might prepare yourself,” he calmly explained, despite my own distress. “When you arrive, she will be dead, and the goddess will recognize you as a secondary traveler. Although the humans will likely see you with the status of hero, you will not have any of hero-like abilities.

“I don’t care about being a hero!” I yelled. “Tell me how to save Bella’s life! You must know. Of all the gods, you must know! You need to do something!”

“A demand?” he stated flatly, raising his long neck even higher above me. “You make a demand of a god?”

For a moment I felt myself pulled back to the reality of my situation. I realized that Thoth was a god of reason. There is a chance he would see my actions as unreasonable and therefore a reason not to help me. So, I bowed my head and tried again. “You are a god at the heart of knowledge. A god of magic and wisdom who has solved divine problems. Please… Please help my friend. Please save Bella.”

I felt a sigh above me. “The rules of the summoning are clear. If two souls are carried across the void by the power of only one, then the soul will be consumed.”

“Then,” I raised my head to look into the bird’s dark black eyes, “What if I don’t go with her?”

“You have moved beyond the Earthly realm. This is a land beyond life. Staying here, means facing divine judgement. You may pass to the afterlife or perish in oblivion as the devouring entities consume your soul. Either way you die.”

GULP

“But, what happens to Bella?”

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