The boats emerged from the underworld in a scummy retention pond, bobbing gaily in about two feet of water. “Last stop,” called Thoth wearily, “Everybody off.” (Of course, you could stay aboard, but it would just take you to the Egyptian underworld and no one wanted that.)
They were in Oldpeka, a dusty ruin of a city. But in the distance, the towers of Central gleamed. Had Southern been that tall, or that shining? It was hard to tell – no one present had ever gotten far enough out of their city’s looming shadow to tell.
While Des walked Cerberus in the crunchy grass on the shoreline and the Players and their families disembarked, Persy approached Thoth. “How do we get to the city?” she asked. The pyschopomp looked at her with his black bird eyes.
“Pick a manhole,” he told her. “Any manhole. All drains lead to Central.”
Persy nodded. “About Anubis,” she began, but Thoth cut her off.
“He was a good god,” he nodded. “A good leader. We came into being together and served our people together, but that was a long time ago.” He glanced down at Persy, who still looked distressed, and continued, “Persephone, child, for as long as there have been men to rule, gods have been born and gods have just as easily faded away. You are younger than Anubis and I, but you have seen the Game played before. You know its outcome.”
He gestured to the players milling about on the shore, starting to disperse away into the cover of Oldpeka. Persy sighed.
“I know,” she said, “But Anubis—
“Was fully reconciled to his fate. I expect I shall join him soon,” remarked Thoth. “But these children – they will find believers, they will master their powers, and they are the future of our race. You must accept that.”
Persy sighed again.
“You don’t have faith in them,” observed Thoth.
“They make me nervous,” she confessed.
Thoth placed a fatherly hand on her shoulder and nudged her towards where Des stood with the dog. “A lot can happen between here and the endgame,” he assured her.
Resignedly, Persy joined her husband. Thoth stepped back onto the boats and poled them out into the middle of the lake. They vanished in a dark flash.
“What was that all about?” asked Des as Persy shouldered her bag.
“God stuff,” she sighed, and Des gave her a knowing look. He was gradually getting the hang of all this. Persy wrapped an arm around his waist, and he draped one around her shoulders. “Come on,” she said. “Let’s go find a manhole and get into the city. I want to set up shop before my orchids wilt.”
They were in Oldpeka, a dusty ruin of a city. But in the distance, the towers of Central gleamed. Had Southern been that tall, or that shining? It was hard to tell – no one present had ever gotten far enough out of their city’s looming shadow to tell.
While Des walked Cerberus in the crunchy grass on the shoreline and the Players and their families disembarked, Persy approached Thoth. “How do we get to the city?” she asked. The pyschopomp looked at her with his black bird eyes.
“Pick a manhole,” he told her. “Any manhole. All drains lead to Central.”
Persy nodded. “About Anubis,” she began, but Thoth cut her off.
“He was a good god,” he nodded. “A good leader. We came into being together and served our people together, but that was a long time ago.” He glanced down at Persy, who still looked distressed, and continued, “Persephone, child, for as long as there have been men to rule, gods have been born and gods have just as easily faded away. You are younger than Anubis and I, but you have seen the Game played before. You know its outcome.”
He gestured to the players milling about on the shore, starting to disperse away into the cover of Oldpeka. Persy sighed.
“I know,” she said, “But Anubis—
“Was fully reconciled to his fate. I expect I shall join him soon,” remarked Thoth. “But these children – they will find believers, they will master their powers, and they are the future of our race. You must accept that.”
Persy sighed again.
“You don’t have faith in them,” observed Thoth.
“They make me nervous,” she confessed.
Thoth placed a fatherly hand on her shoulder and nudged her towards where Des stood with the dog. “A lot can happen between here and the endgame,” he assured her.
Resignedly, Persy joined her husband. Thoth stepped back onto the boats and poled them out into the middle of the lake. They vanished in a dark flash.
“What was that all about?” asked Des as Persy shouldered her bag.
“God stuff,” she sighed, and Des gave her a knowing look. He was gradually getting the hang of all this. Persy wrapped an arm around his waist, and he draped one around her shoulders. “Come on,” she said. “Let’s go find a manhole and get into the city. I want to set up shop before my orchids wilt.”
