Return to Giza

Return to Giza

    Light cascaded through the filter of the rings. This was the end of the remaining period of rest. The alignment was in place and the time has come to unleash the signal hailing the end of the great old one. The preparations were set in place long ago. The machines built upon aeons of labour. Now the time has come to begin the undoing, to release the magnum opus; the great work.

    Crystals fractured and slowly drifted away as Ra flexed muscles long dormant. After multiple millennia of isolation in a sarcophagus of ice, the freedom to move was a welcome change. With careful hands Ra removed the remaining frozen covering from his golden falcon head. With unobstructed view the rings of Set's urn stretched before him. The grand craftsmanship of his friend, Set, was spread before Ra now as he stirred from the great slumber.

    Light reflected from the giant gaseous sphere behind causing ice crystals from the sarcophagus and the rings to glint as a trillion diamonds. As the translucent shards continued to disperse, Ra slowly turned to locate his fellow warriors. Completing his revolution, he spied the forms he knew so well. Diminutive Bes, cradling the key that would finish their mission. Ever watchful Anubis with his jackal face. Gorgeous Isis, the sister-wife, with her onyx hair cascading over her breasts. Faithful Set, making ready to begin the next step of their mission.

    The assembled members of such a powerful force regarded Ra in the absolute devotion reserved for the battle hardened. Ra nodded resolutely toward Set. Set moved his hands gently in front of his body causing his staff to materialize from some hidden pocket in space and time. Grasping the staff firmly in hand, Set probed the forked end of the metallic rod into the dust that formed the rings of his creation. A gentle blue light flowed from his hand and down the metallic shaft into the field before the feet of the assembled group.

    The light played through the substance of the rings forming geometric patterns through the layers. Shapes turned to runes morphed to words shifted into a spreading pattern that resembled a pool of ink made from light spreading to consume all that it touched. The light continued to spread through the circular body leaving a grooved disc of uniform quartz behind. With the apparent end end of his current task, Set removed the tines of his staff from the surface of the giant crystalline structure and drifted over to Ra.

Set extended his hand and placed two fingers gently upon Ra's falcon head between the eyes. "It is now time for all of you to go so that I may complete my task." The message was conveyed directly into the mind of Ra from his faithful companion, after which Set removed his hand. Ra extended his own hand to impart a final message of his own. "So it must be.", Ra replied with a sense of hardened resolve. "I will give you one final thing so that you may find me again."

   Ra moved his hand to the chest of Set, placing his palm directly over the location of the heart. A burst of golden light flashed across Set's chest. Ra removed his hand revealing a gilded symbol of life imprinted upon the flesh that was previously covered. With a final nod toward Set, who would remain behind, Ra turned away and raised his left hand. The remainder of the assembled members paid heed to their leader. Anubis, Bes, and Isis uniformly bent their knees and braced their arms, positioning themselves as sprinters readying for a race. Ra assumed the same stance and closed his eye. There would be no returning to this place after this moment.

    A streak of light burst forth from where Ra was once standing, followed by three more. Set stood upon the surface of the massive crystalline disc watching the beams of light marking the passage of his companions. "It is time." he thought to himself. Set knelt and placed his right hand to the surface of the disc.Silently, Set mouthed a word unheard through the lack of atmosphere. Points along the inside perimeter of the disc glowed and then flared into shafts of light that flowed directly into the diamond core of the planet at the centre.

    Waves of protest shuddered through the entire fluid structure of the planet as the spokes of light anchored into the core and transferred rotational energy into the ring of quartz. Storms the size of lesser planets raged across the surface generating incredible amounts of static electricity that sought a relief for the abundance of electrons by arcing along the spokes into the the quartzite structure. The massive disc began to shudder and then accelerate in rotational speed as the massive inertia from Set's urn was displaced.

    Set rose a short distance from the surface and grasped his staff in both of his hands. He rotated the staff so the points of the forked tines were parallel to his forehead. Slowly he lowered his entire being, placed the curved head of the staff into the groove of the great celestial disc. As the staff contacted the groove the tines on the staff began to vibrate and pulse, translating the information stored upon the surface. A small ball of lightning began to take shape between the tines and in line with the point on the forehead of Set, directly between his eyes. The ball of light remained the same size as the groove in the disc played it's information through the tines of the staff, yet the intensity continued to increase in magnitude.

    The rotational speed of the disc accelerated as inertia was stripped away from the mass of the planet. The intensity of the light radiating from between the tines became so intense that Set was forced to close his eyes to maintain his focus. Rapidly, Set and and his staff approached the outer rim of the translucent platter. The light then ceased as the staff passed through the final groove and the tines continued to vibrate their energy. As the last of the light faded away, a small, black vortex appeared. The vortex grew incrementally until it reached the confines of the tines of the staff. As the tendrils of the vortex brushed against the surface of the tines, Set opened his eyes to witness the fullness of his accomplishments.

    In that instant, a beam of pure energy lanced from the centre of the vortex. The energy raced faster than light across the planetary orbits toward the central star and toward the vastness of the universe. The golden symbol of life emblazoned on the chest of Set flared gold as his spirit poured into the vessel, his head having been pierced by the energy that had been his greatest creation and also his undoing. The soul of set would remain intact in that golden symbol to be revived when the mission was complete. If Ra failed in his objective, then Set having his spirit trapped for all of eternity would be a trivial matter.

~ ~ ~

    Ra, Bes, Isis, and Anubis raced toward their objective. There was not much time as Set had already begun his task. The four beings lined up into a single file with Ra in the lead as they raced past the orbit of the large iron rock. Ra reminded himself to praise Isis for her creation of the barrier wall to shield the energy stored within. It was time to unleash the light of Ert. The four majestic beings approached the place of safe keeping, yet something was not right. There was a wrongness surrounding the sphere. It was not this way when they had finished their tasks here before. The larger reflector they had placed was still intact, but there was a shimmering of a thousand diamonds where things were once clear. There was no time to waste in contemplating this strange circumstance. Time was already running short. Ra continued on his path, blasting past unknown objects that were not in this place before. He must communicate with Bes about this after reaching the lock.

    The surroundings of the lock seemed just a bizarre as those during the approach. "Bes." Ra called out now that there was atmosphere to carry sound. " What is all of this?" The ground was covered in what appeared to be some kind of growth. This location had been chosen specifically because it carried so much energy within it's core. This concentration of energy was carried in the symbol of life and was to be harnessed in the light of Ert.

     "Master," Bes intoned. "It seems to me that the energies here have leaked through their vessel into the ground and other beings have sprung forth. We are not alone here. I would say that this is the remains of some type hive similar to that of K'reshti."

    "Speak not of those abominations made in the image of the old one." Anubis commanded. "It is bad enough that the key you carry is made in a fashion that would be considered of their making and ignored it would have been lost to us. I do not desire to speak of them further. Let us make our way to the lock. Time is short. Besides, Bes, these creatures do not seem to be much larger than you."

    Ra looked to Isis who nodded an agreement with both of the others. "Very well." Ra spoke with steadiness. "Let us be to our mission. Anu, please carry our little friend. His short stride will only delay us further. Plus, he is the one who made the lock and only he is fit to work its key. We will need him to finish this task." 

    Anubis gave a yelp to the wind and with a quick step began running toward the lock, stooping momentarily to snatch up the companion that only rose to the height of his knee. The trio ran north while chasing the river that had carved a path toward their goal. A great many of the hive like structures and paths made from various materials were passed with a blur in a few strides. At last, the destination was achieved as the band came upon a structure that was last seen in the midst of open field. 

    "Bes?" Isis called when they had stopped. " What are all of these things? These beings of stone that look like us, yet so different? I thought you said there was one lock. Why are there many?" 

   "Truth be, sister-wife to Ra," Bes replied. "I have questions as yourself. These are not of my making. Unfortunately we may never know the answers to these questions for I must be about my work, and it's completion will be the undoing of this work as well."

    Ra looked at Bes and Isis to command their silence. At that moment single star appeared in the sky even though the light of the sun still shone brightly "Enough. It is time. Set will be finished soon. We cannot fail in our efforts." Anubis then placed Bes on the shifting soils near the pyramid of stones in order that he should finish his task. 

    Bes quickly scrambled across a few strides of shifting sands and up a short climb of the side of his master craft of stone. Upon reaching an indentation in the side, he placed a hand onto the surface of the stone. Bes lifted his chin and began speaking with a clear voice. 

    "Bren'oct tuul shannoth. Gis'rama ha'annoth. Tuul uuran phest een ganah!"

    Symbols on the side of the structure became limned in gold, and a stone doorway that seemed previously broken receded into the wall. A pathway just large enough for Bes to enter appeared. Bes removed what appeared to be a large beetle from around his neck before entering into the passage. As Bes disappeared, Ra looked to the sky. The new light was getting brighter.

    "It seems that we may be on schedule with Set's work after all." Ra said with a hint of relief. "That being so, we may yet retrieve him from another cold slumber in solitude." Isis and Anubis looked to the light which Ra had been watching. They were aware of the cost to Set that this plan involved. It was a cost they would all have gladly paid, but it was Set's skill alone that determined he was to carry the burden. 

    There was a rumble from the ground under the feet of the three standing on outside of the pyramid. A cascade of dust fell from the structure as the pitch of the rumble increased. Bes then popped from the opening in the side. "It has begun.", he said as he looked to the sky to see what his fellows were looking at. "Then our work here should be finished soon." Ra intoned with great solemnity.

    Suddenly the point of light in the day sky vanished and was rapidly replaced by a bright arrow of light directly overhead. Ra turned to Bes. "Give the command.", he ordered. Bes lowered his chin to his chest and began a low murmur that was covered by the din from the towering building nearby. Another beam of light shot from the apex and intersected the beam already streaking toward the sun. Ra turned to face his companions and said "Come. Let us make our way through the portal." As they ensemble tore from the ground in streaks of white, the golden light from sun that shone before ceased to shine.

The Accounting.

    The constant clicking was the first thing I noticed. A continuous din in the distance that bore no discernible pattern or reason.  The sound roused me from a slumber that I had no memory of starting. Come to think of it, I was unable to recall any memories of events or times past. I remained where I was in a state of bewilderment. I thought to myself that there must be something missing. I had these ideas of sounds and concepts, yet I was unable to mark a source that began this knowledge. It simply was. I simply was.

    This sudden awareness of knowing yet not having a foundation to rest it upon brought a wave of panic across me. Wave after wave of information flooded my senses as I opened my eyes and became more aware of my surroundings. I found myself in a small room with smooth, grey walls. I recognized what these things were, but they brought me no comfort as they were all foreign to anything I failed to recall. 

    Before I could regain any composure, the angles of the room shifted in orientation. The sensation of weight pressed itself upon me from a different direction, and I realized that I was standing. I had not made any conscious effort to bring this to pass. Further sensations spread and I began feeling what I recognized as touch, temperature, movement. I felt the clothing I was wearing. A pair of pants made from a thin, blue material. A garment covering my torso that wrapped around and fastened in the front with a simple string and sleeves for my arms.

    Suddenly, a wave of what I knew to be electric energy pulsed over the surface of my exterior. The floor I was standing on rose up to meet my face in what seemed to be a blatant display of all the greying glory it could muster. A burst of pain bloomed in every place of me where the electricity receded. A mechanical voice from an unseen location within the room rose over the constant din of distant clicks and clattering. 

    "Upload complete. Please proceed. Upload complete. Please proceed. Upload complete. Please proceed."

    The mechanical voice stopped as abruptly as it had began. The distant clicking still remained as constant as when I has first noticed it. Gradually the pain ebbed away, and I lifted myself from my prone position. I took inventory of the small room I had found myself in. Flat grey walls about two arms span apart with a ceiling that seemed to be the same distance. A small platform that I knew to be a cot was against the wall behind me. I assumed this is where my confusion began. The light still radiated softly from the ceiling. I was unable to make out any features and it was too far away to touch. 

    Near the cot against the wall I noticed a small semi-circle recess about the height of my middle. I stepped over to take a closer look. I bent over slightly and peered into the small recess. There was nothing to be seen inside the recess other than some more of the same grey colour as the surface. I cautiously placed a few of my fingers into the empty space in the wall to probe its depth only to find a hard surface about half a finger in. I ran my fingers along the curved surface only to be similarly disappointed.

    I then ran my fingers across the flat surface of the semi-circle. A loud beep resounded through the small area causing me to startle and reflexively snap my hand away. The semi-circle spun around so the flat side of the recess faced the opposite direction. A portion of the wall moved away into the larger remainder. The constant clicking that had seemed so distant now increased in magnitude to the point where I used my hands to block the noise.

    I looked into the new space that had been opened to me. An area just over my arms width apart with the same flat, grey features as before. I cautiously moved into the new room. after taking a few steps I turned around only to find that the room I had previously occupied had been replaced by another smooth wall. Probably the section of wall that had moved before was returned by the same unseen force that had moved in the first time. With only one way to go, I continued further into the longer, narrower room.

    I had taken about twenty steps away from my previous position when the narrow room opened on my left hand side. I turned and peered into this new region only to be amazed by the scene unfolding before me. A hunched  figure of a man rested on a wooden stool in the midst of three walls built from thousands of coloured beads suspended on wires between small wooden slats. Long silver hair flowed down the back of garments that appeared to be similar to my own only black in colour. There was some kind of motion creating a blur around the hunched figure, the beads seeming to move on their own accord. Abruptly, the motion stopped and the delicate hands of the figure were plainly visible.

    The figure slowly brought his hands to its front and out of my sight. Slowly, the figure stood to its feet, turned around toward me, and used the stool to straighten out its bent posture. The man's face was filled with wrinkles and speckled with time. I looked intently into eyes with irises to match the shimmering strands descending from the top of his head. The old man mouthed some words that I was unable to make out clearly. He then raised his hands to his ears and then slowly brought them down in front of him. That was when I realized that I was still covering my own ears to block out a sound that was no longer present.

    "I see that you have come." 

    The man spoke with a dry rasp in his throat.
   
    "Time is shorter than I have read. So be it."

    The old man tucked his hands into his sleeves as he turned around and slowly returned to his roost on the wooden stool.

    "Come.", the man implored. "There is much work to do. Much that you must learn."

     He extended his hands from the sleeves and extended them toward the strange walls. His fingers reached out and caressed a wire, coaxing a faintly sad note from the strand. Motion exploded all around the man while his arms became a blur. The room filled with the sound of a million pebbles raining down, and the beads again moved as by some unseen force. 

Stories cast from Fate and Chaos.

The premise is simple. The challenge is yet to be seen. Use gaming dice, story dice, or some other random number/event generating device to generate characters, plot twists, problems, and resolutions for short story development. This venture is designed primarily as a personal exercise, but it is available to all aspiring creative writers. I will be leaning more towards the fantastic with an aspiration for interwoven science-fiction, horror, and pure fantasy.(Magic, swords, mythical creatures, and the like.) This does not preclude any other form of creative writing. It's just a personal preference.

 The rules are very simple:

• Assign arbitrary values to the faces of the dice. Making a list for dice with numerical values will allow for remembering your own arbitrary values in the future. This is less of a requirement if you decide to use story dice or an equivalent symbolized device. 

• You must use all of the dice you choose to roll and the elements they represent. 

• A separate die may be cast to determine the amount of words, lines, paragraphs, or chapters you will have at your disposal to resolve the tale. This must be determined before writing begins.

• As an optional part of the exercise will be listing the variables for open criticism as to the resolution of the elements.

Good fortune and good writing .