Cursed Times - Only Yesterday! Sequel to Wattys 2015 winner!

Chapter 21: Trueth - At the Crossroads Part 2

Last paragraph from preceding chapter for your convenience:

Trueth checked, with the exception of Metjen her friends seemed to mirror her confusion. He, however, was still frozen in mid-movement like a robot with circuit problems.

Your thinking is defective! The warriors of the light carried the seals with them when they sallied forth to defend the portal. They were meant to pass through, then close the access. They never did, so the plugs were left behind.

'Left behind where?' Trueth asked.

In the demon world.

The realisation hit Trueth like the kick of a particularly vicious mule. 'What did you say?'

Metjen shook himself and splattered juice down his chest. 'Ack, where was I?'

I have told them.

Trueth's ears were ringing with the rush of her blood. 'Do you mean-'

'-the seals are on the other side, yes.' Metjen said. 'So, we have to go back to our world and find them. There were seven once. One will do. By 'we' I mean all of us. Including you, Seisi, so don't hang your ears. We saved this world once, the circle thinks we can do it again.'

It might be easy. I knew the Guardians had the wig. I kept the headrest in the store rooms at the last temple of Ra.

'Oh, now you tell me.' Metjen was pressing his lips together in a way that indicated a rough ride lay ahead for Iseret.

Would you have me speak out to the circle? I can do that. Then you will lose your little foray into your home world. The other high priests only let you leave because they think your quest will be a difficult one.

Metjen ignored her. 'Trueth, there is one thing you need to know. The high-priestess of Selket has decreed you should be given an opportunity to decide where you wish to be. And what it is you intend to do. We all seconded that. You never wanted to follow us through here. So you are given a second chance to make a proper choice. Are we nice, or what?'

'But-I thought the portal was sealed forever?' Seisi had gone quite pale in the face. Trueth felt pity for him, despite all the thoughts tumbling through her brain which made it almost impossible to sit still. He would not want to lose her.

'I've said it already.' Metjen hit the cushion for emphasis.' It should be. It isn't. Something that powerful, something that kept a whole civilisation in the balance for so long-that we have to shut down. Permanently.'

'You can't go,' Ranofer said, pointing at his brother. 'They need you here in the temple and in any case the bigwigs never get their hands dirty. Only the minions do.'

'Minds, not hands, dear,' Rani-Ra said. 'And a dirty mind big bro definitely has.'

'In the name of the Devourer, give it a rest, will you?' Metjen had got up and was pacing the deck in a familiar fashion. 'I'll be your return ticket. We can't set up another permanent gate. So I have to be with you. I might be a rookie high priest but I'm also the only one who can keep in touch with the circle. So, no chance little brother. I'm coming. We all go. Including mum and dad.'

A growl came from inside the cabin.

'Ah, all right, you can join us as well.' Metjen turned his back on his pets and smiled wrily. 'I'm probably still pretty expendable. That's why they're letting me off the leash. But it doesn't matter. I can live with that.'

'We will return to Kemet when all is done?' Seisi asked.

'Well, I guess I'm now the spokesperson of the heavenly Ra here on the ground. Plus I have to sort out this midden that calls itself a temple.'