Her left eye is completely healed. A thorough check of the Kemetic Statue reveals no further damage. The funerary statue is whole and complete again. I did not assume it was time to take the statue to the next step in her journey, but merely reminded her that when she was ready to depart, I was ready to take her.
“You wish me to stay?”
“You’re not bad company.”
“Do you wish me to stay?” Each word was a interrogation.
“… No. You’re not unpleasant company, but this is my home. I apologize for being blunt, but my emotions are still seared by the Boneyard.”
To my surprise, she laughed with genuine mirth. “There are those that would find advantage in keeping my [funerary statue] with them.”
“I’m not one of them. Besides, Sekhmet is paying attention. I can’t see what I could possibly gain in keeping you that would be worth raising the ire of the Devourer of Men. It took an entire realm’s worth of beer to stop her the last time she went Full On. I’m sure her alcohol tolerance is such that it would take a hundred more now. And that’s even accounting for the help of satyrs.”
As I spoke, I laid out a bowl of water and several cotton cloths. Snake excused himself and left the room, bowing to the funerary statue as he did.
“I’m going on instinct and educated ignorance. You’ve been cooped up in here for three months as the Waking counts time. You’ve been in the presence of materials that I think you would consider unclean. Before I take you, I would like to wash down your statue and wrap it in layers of cotton for the trip. I don’t anticipate any trouble… but…” I held open the satchel. “Besides, I carry a lot of stuff in here, and I don’t want anything to inadvertently damage what has been restored.”
She consented, again with the secretive smile. As I wash, dry, and start wrapping the statue with intense concentration, I realize I felt like I had just been given a surprise test. Wrapping the statue with three distinct layers of white cotton, I’m hoping I passed. I tied a cord around the cushioned statue and sealed it, preventing the strips from being removed by anyone other than me. I knew the chances of being interrupted in travel was very slim, but after all the ‘easy jobs’ I’ve had that turned into complicated life-changing messes, I was going to be prepared the best I can.
Satsekhem was of great help by determining where in the physical world the spirit in the funerary statue would have been buried at. Following her notes, I plotted an Journey that would bring me through the Otherworld version of the area. The landmarks were easy to follow.
First to Memphis in Egypt. The area was bustling with the dreams, aspirations, and wandering spirits of the physical city. Several layers of time were overlaid in my vision, modern tech passed through newly made abacuses. Accents jockeyed for recognition. The sewers smelled the same.
In Memphis I found a trail that led me to Memphis Under the Road. Time doesn’t matter here. A few polite inquiries pointed me to Saqqara Under The Road. Some asked why a living person would be interested in traveling there, and traveling Under The Road, at that. I just smiled and said I was on duty. Most accepted that answer without comment. One blocked me and asked by whose authority did I travel.
“You can find out by laying hands on me. I promise you, you won’t continue in the afterlife with them if you do.”
The spirit stared me down and moved closer. Something flickered behind me just out of my field of view. The spirit saw it, and backed away from me slowly. I continued to Saqqara Under The Road without interruption.
At Saqqara Under The Road, I looked for a particular landmark. True sacred places are often hard to spy from a distance in the Waking realms. It’s not until you stumble across their boundary do you realize that you’re in a different realm. But under the road, the sacred places are bright and sometimes loud beacons. They can be seen for leagues in the distance, and in some places they are the only source of light. I was seeking such a sacred place.
In the Waking world, it’s daytime in Saqqara. Under the road, it was mostly dark and blinding. Raiders had taken their toll on the area, and most of the objects that had been left for the dead had been removed. Some, however, couldn’t be shifted.
Not much remains of the tree in the Waking. But under the road, it was grand and tall and held up the sky with its thick canopy. Faith is a powerful thing. Millennium of faith has made this tree unmovable here Under The Road. I approached and dipped to one knee in greeting. I announced myself and my intentions. From here, I should be able to go where the Kemetic Statue was initially placed. Would the tree point the way?
In answer a single leaf fell from the canopy and drifted towards me. Instead of falling to the ground, it came to a stop before my face and hovered. Glowing softly green, it held my attention easily. It floated away from me and from the tree in a particular direction, then returned to me. It did this three times before I understood.
I thanked the tree for the sacrifice of its leaf, stood, and turned to follow the still floating leaf.
The leaf moved to match my speed. It led me through ruins and buried tunnels away from the formal boundaries of Saqqara. Into an underground room, the leaf and I moved through solid bedrock walls. There was something that looked like a doorway, with an empty space on the raised stone before it. The leaf settled on this empty space and dissolved into motes of light. The motes of light raised and illuminated the painted walls, giving me enough light to see clearly.
I retrieved the bound and wrapped statue from my satchel and broke the sealing cord. Carefully, I unwrapped the cotton cloths from her. I made sure to keep my hands covered in cloth once the stone was bare, and to never allow the statue to touch the dirt while unwrapping it. I took a handful of freed cloth and wiped the raised stone clear of the settled dust.
I set the funerary statue on the stone facing me as square and as center as I could. I put the lengths of cloth and cord in my satchel and sat back on my knees to study the result, if any.
Nothing happened that I was able to see.
I clasped my hands and bowed. “Well. I guess this is goodbye, then. May your gods receive you, Daughter of Sekhmet. And may those that would rise against you be eaten and scattered.”
The motes of light faded, but I was able to see in the pitch darkness because of my dead eye. I saw a thing that made me smile, but I shall keep it to myself. I bowed again, and made my way through the solid stone back to the surface.
When I emerged, the place appeared busy with people. The land’s memories of when the area was great and populated echoed down crumbled walls. I heard something like wings over me and a shadow passed.
I looked up, and the shadow was gone. The echoes of people had faded. But a strong presence solidified behind me. I turned around to see [Redacted] standing over me.
I bowed in greeting. He did not answer for a long time. I asked if there was more for me to do. He only shook his head. I asked if I may be excused. He twitched an eye. I returned his stare stoicly. He huffed.
Then broke out in laughter.
“So much for seeing if you can be intimidated. I guess you’re not as easy to scare as when you met Sekhmet. No, Child. You have done what was required. I am merely here to formalize the event. Go home. I shall tell Sekhmet that her servant has been returned whole.”
He slapped me on the back and nearly brought me to my knees. A phrase came to mind, and I had to bite my lip to keep it within.
He fixed me with a knowing stare and told me to say it.
“This fucking fandom, I swear!” I burst into laughter, but he looked at me oddly.
“Okay, I’m going now, [Redacted]! Thank you!” As I quickly fled, his laughter chased me back above the road.