Part 1, Chapter 5

ch. 5, year 857:



The seer attempted to rise to greet the ambassador, Absalom, but the attempt was a feeble one. The pains had returned on the journey from Mitanni, rendering him a cripple on occasion. His mind was no longer able to completely block his agony, and Thoth's ministrations were becoming decreasingly effective. He made a half-hearted gesture to the Israelite dignitary and slumped wearily in his seat. His pet cat - a gift from Ay upon his return - jumped into his lap and rubbed her head affectionately into his side. Feeling the warmth and contentment of her purring, the seer reached down to caress the velvety ebony fur. "Yes, Isis," he murmured absently. "I know. I know."

Absalom, a tall, well-built man with curly black hair and a short beard, bowed low. "Hail, servant of Pharaoh! I come in peace with many gifts and greetings from Pharaoh's servant, Ahab, king of Israel!" He looked up and from behind furtive eyes added, "May the gods of your land grant you life, prosperity, and health!"

Amon-hotep sighed. Absalom's last words, seemingly innocent, actually conveyed the contempt which many peoples held for The Two Lands, even if they were dependent upon her for military aid. He hoped the meeting would not dissolve into a diatribe. Behind him he could sense Thoth's countenance hardening. Mentally he commanded his disciple to act with caution. One needed these petty states of Israel and Judah to act as buffers against the Assyrians. Thoth relaxed but the seer knew he had not reached the younger man's heart.

Absalom straightened. Gathering the folds of his ceremonial robe of office, he stepped closer to the seer - a surprising breach of protocol - and fired the opening salvo. "I have come to call on Pharaoh, my esteemed lord, and to deliver my king's gifts and messages. Yet I find that I am ushered into the presence of his aged counselor - a most noble man, to be sure, if one can believe the accomplishments attributed to him! Why am I here, and why is Pharaoh not?"

Amon-hotep paused as Ay and a short, swarthy companion entered silently behind Absalom. "You know very well why, Absalom, else you would not have been directed to request an audience. We know how the provinces feel about Pharaoh."

Absalom bristled but smiled liquidly. "Why, what do you mean, honored sir? We love Pharaoh, and are happy to call him lord. From him we recieve grain and all good things, and his garrisons protect us from our enemies. You imply that we do not love Pharaoh, yet this is hardly the case! I assure you, we-"

"-despise Pharaoh," the seer finished coldly,"and would gladly trade him for the Assyrians did you not despise them even more."

The ambassador was taken aback. "My lord, this is all false! How can you say these things?"

"Because of certain information which has but recently come to us." said a voice even colder than the seer's. Absalom whirled. "I believe you met my friend here while you were still in Israel?" Ay continued.

Absalom glared at the little man beside Ay. "So! Young Dudu, supposed lieutenant of the Megiddo garrison! Ahab was very curious about the manner in which you questioned people at his court!"

As Dudu bowed, showing a yellowed, toothy grin, Ay grunted. "Yes, young Dudu, a man with considerable political acumen, despite his age, and most efficient at gathering information for me. You speak of the Megiddo garrison, Absalom. Has Ahab captured the brigands who so brazenly attacked the fortress last month?"

The chamber was rapidly becoming uncomfortable for the Israelite ambassador. "No, my lord, he has not. But every effort is being made, I can assure you."

"See that your efforts are improved," Ay snapped, "or I shall personally order the garrison commander to release his troops!"

Absalom blanched in horror. That Kemet’s military would prove more efficient in hunting down and exterminating the brigands he had no doubt. But the resultant cost to the Israelite population-!

The seer did not at all like the way the interview was proceding. "Ay! That is enough! We have a more important matter to discuss here!" The king's nephew bowed and stepped back, yet none but the seer knew the sullen face he wore.

"Absalom!" the seer cried. "Step forward!" Confused and shaken, the ambassador did so, with eyes averted from the seer's face. A small part of Amon-hotep's mind idly wondered if the ambassador knew he was blind. "Honored dignitary from the land of Israel, be at peace. I apologize for Ay's manner, but not, I assure you, for the content of his words. Our holdings in your land and the treaties of friendship, aid, and protection signed between our respective governments must be upheld. Surely you understand this."

Grateful that the seer had allowed him an opportunity to recover his dignity - as well as regaining control of the conversation - Absalom straightened, then bowed, stiffly and formally. "It is I who owe the Great King an apology, lord Amon-hotep. We have failed to keep order in our own country, and Ahab wishes to assure the great lord Pharaoh that his holdings will be protected and our treaties honored. These brigands will be captured and destroyed, good sir. On that I give you my word - and my life." And Absalom bowed once more.

Ay was about to comment when the seer silenced him with another mental command. "Good, Absalom." he nodded. "Now, we shall tell you why you are here, instead of in audience with Pharaoh. I caution you, however. What we tell you here, and what you will see shortly, you must never reveal to anyone. The political consequences are great, and if the news spreads in Israel, I assure you I will hold you personally responsible, whether you have broken the silence or not."

Absalom neither spoke nor moved, yet the look of questioning fear which came into his eyes told all present that he well understood that the seer had made no idle threat.

Amon-hotep spread his hands expressively and paused, contemplating, before continuing. "My friend Absalom. There have been rumors about Pharaoh for many months now, both here in Kemet and abroad. I know many things and many more things are reported to me daily. I employ no spies or agents, nor do I use Ay's methods, yet these things are reported to me. How I shall not tell you - in Kemet we have many secrets, and it is given to us to safeguard them.

"Ahab directed you to seek an audience for the specific purpose of discovering the truth behind the rumors about Pharaoh. And we can understand, perhaps, his motivation. Sadly, the rumors are true. Pharaoh, lord of us all and representative of the gods on this earth-plane, is dying. When the gods shall call him we do not know. But it will be soon. Accordingly, though Pharaoh is head of state, you and your government will henceforth deal through Ay and myself, and you will quietly inform Ahab that Tiy, the Great Lady, speaks in Pharaoh's name."

Absalom allowed himself a small smile. "Your pardon, lord, but that has always been known."

"We have known it, Absalom, but never has she spoken in an official capacity as titular head of state. She has that authority now." He paused to cough. "You understand, of course, that you will have your audience with Pharaoh, but you will not in any way be embarrassed or unduly alarmed by anything you see and hear. Defer to Ay, the Great Lady, or myself should you become confused. We are now Kemet's government, you see."

Absalom understood perfectly. For the sake of protocol and propriety he would remain silent unless spoken to directly. But another matter now concerned him. "My lord, we are saddened to learn of Pharaoh's infirmities! We trust he will recover and live to an exalted age, leading his people! But should the gods of your land decree otherwise, with all respect who will follow him to the throne? We know, alas, that Pharaoh has no son, and his one acclaimed daughter, the Princess Sit-Amon, is unmarried."

Silence descended upon the antechamber. All but Absalom knew the shameful truth about Sit-Amon. Even if married, she might never be able to bear children. Scant weeks before Absalom's arrival, Pharaoh himself, in a fit of despondency bordering on insanity, had forced himself upon his own daughter, hoping she would conceive a son. Confused and horrified, she had instinctively resisted and had been severely injured. Her physicians had reported that she stood a fair chance of a full physical recovery, but they were concerned about the emotional scars left behind. Amon-hotep had looked into her mind but knew that there was little that even his advanced abilities could do. He had taught the girl a few simple mental exercises to help her deal with the trauma and had prescribed bed rest and solitude. But upon confronting Pharaoh, the seer came to realize that his king had blotted the incident from his conscious mind. In fact, Pharaoh had buried the shameful memory so deeply that it would be criminal to retrieve it, even if he could. And more than that, Amon-hotep had been shocked to discover what else rested in the king's unconscious. His absence of sexual fulfillment with the queen he had loved from childhood had caused such distortions and aberrations in his thinking that Amon-hotep found himself praying for Pharaoh's death before his lord's subconscious could destroy him...

Slowly, Amon-hotep cleansed his mind and returned to the problem at hand. He smiled benevolently. "Fear not, my friend Absalom. The gods shall provide - provided, of course, that we remain faithful to them and to our king! Of this I have no doubt." Suddenly realizing that he had been leaning forward, he eased back into his chair with a heavy sigh. "Heed our words, Absalom. We are finished here. Thoth, would you escort our honored guest to the throne room? Pharaoh is about to appear. And take master Dudu with you. I would have words with Ay in private."

As Thoth moved to comply with the seer's commands, Ay folded his arms across his burly chest and began to pace. He watched morosely as the room emptied. Amon-hotep was shrewd and knowledgeable, but he was old, and lived in the past. The situation reported by Dudu was potentially explosive and the utmost measures had to be taken lest Kemet lose her vast power and influence in the area. Surely the seer knew that. As the last person filed out through the narrow doorway, Ay turned to the man fifty years his senior. "Well?"

At once, Isis' purring ceased and her lithe body stiffened. She raised, ready to hiss and spit but with a single stroke, the seer calmed her. "I know what you are thinking, Ay. True, the situation on our northern frontier is grim, but little is to be gained by bullying our allies."

"Coddling them won't help, either."

"I agree, but I did not coddle Absalom, as surely you saw. I coddle no one, not even the students of the Order; indeed, they are pushed harder than most."

"What would you counsel, then?"

"The Hebrews chide themselves through their own sacred literature, making their god call them 'a stiff-necked people.' Keep this in mind when you deal with them. They are proud and stubborn, and make excellent allies, but are potentially a dangerous enemy. Wisdom, and a loose but firm reign are what is needed lest their strengths one day eclipse ours.”

Ay chuckled in spite of the seer's chastisement. "You said the same thing to Pharaoh about my sister more than twenty years ago."

For a moment the seer looked quite startled. Ay had referred to something he had long forgotten - the night of the first birthday celebration of the prince - and with a second start, the seer recalled just who that prince was. He marveled at the intricate workings of the Eternal. How Absalom's fate could be so subtly yet directly linked to Thoth-!

Amon-hotep laughed to cover his discomfiture "Indeed, you are right, Ay! But how ironic that Tiy's greatness has come through no fault of Pharaoh's own!"

Ay grunted, unsure of what the seer truly meant. Many times he was unsure of the seer's words - it was said that he spoke on several levels at once. Ay himself was a student in the Order, but he had never advanced very far in his studies, feeling alternately bewildered and intimidated by the great man before him. But now was not the time for idle musings. "I should go, Amon-hotep. Tiy may wish my assistance with Pharaoh."

The seer nodded. "Yes, yes, of course. I should not have detailed you. Send Thoth to me, if you would."

"At once." Ay bowed and exited the chamber, not noticing that Isis had visibly relaxed upon his departure...

He had not gone more than a few paces down the corridor, however, when his spy beckoned to him from an intersecting passage. “Dudu! Why are you still here?”

"I remain, as always, as close to my lord Ay as possible," the little man replied. "What did he want with you?"

"He and I differ on how to handle Absalom and his kind." Ay answered. "But he is the senior advisor to Pharaoh and I must defer to him. Come, I must go to the throne room."

They walked in silence for awhile. "Lord, what will you do when Pharaoh is taken by the gods?"

Not pausing in his measured tread, nor deviating from his straightforward look, Ay answered, "Nothing. It is not for me to be Lord of the Two Lands."

"But brothers and sisters have married in the past, lord, and Kemet needs a king! Pharaoh has no sons, and it is doubtful that Sit-Amon would ever marry-"

"She will do what her mother tells her to do!"

"True, lord, true. But then, what of you?"

"I will serve the Two Lands as I have always done. If the gods give me the throne, I will accept it for their sake, and for Kemet's, but in all ways I shall do what is right. I will preserve ma'at, Dudu!"

"Tradition holds that Kemet must have a king." Dudu persisted.

"Tiy is quite capable, and Pharaoh is still alive. Out of love and respect for them both, I will end this conversation."

"Lord, what if the Great Lady Tiy suggested that the two of you marry so that ma'at be upheld?"

Ay stopped and glared at his servant so fiercely that the latter unconsciously stepped back a pace. "In such a case I would not hesitate for surely the gods speak through Tiy as they speak through Pharaoh and the priests of Amon. But Tiy is not one to suggest such a thing, and it is doubtful that the gods would use so unwilling a tool. And don't attempt to persuade her otherwise. I know how covetous of power you are, and how strongly you would like to see me take the double crown. For your own purposes, no doubt. The succession is indeed in peril, but I will never attempt to secure the throne for myself unless that be the only way. Pharaoh is still alive, and while he lives, the gods live, and we continue to hope. If he dies without naming or engendering a successor, then it will be up to Tiy to safeguard the throne. What she would will, I would do. Mark me, Dudu, I shall be nothing but the great and good servant, and men shall say after me, 'He did what was right!' Is that understood?"

Dudu's immediate obeisance told Ay that his servant understood very well indeed.



When Amon-hotep, escorted by Thoth, entered the throne room, Pharaoh had already been seated. Tiy was in the smaller throne to the king's left, and Ay stood between the two, albeit back a pace. Nubian fan-bearers gently waving colorful ostrich plumes kept the royal pair cool. To the right of the fat, balding, now-sedentary king, on a small cedarwood table inlaid with lapis lazuli and ivory, stood a bronze statuette of the goddess Ishtar. A gift from Tushratta, king of Mitanni, the statuette was reputed to channel Ishtar's magical healing powers; Tushratta had immediately dispatched the statuette to the Two Lands upon learning that Pharaoh had fallen victim to severe dental abscesses. But though no healing had taken place, Pharaoh had experienced a measure of comfort in knowing that his brother monarch had cared. This, as the seer had pointed out, was as good a healing as any. The physical problem was too far gone to be reversed, he had noted, but the gift had helped Pharaoh endure the pain.

The small company facing Pharaoh - Absalom, three aides, and servants and scribes standing behind them - bowed low. Due to his exalted status - and his bad back - the seer had long since been relieved of the requirement to make obeisance; Thoth, as his aide, had been relieved of the same responsibility. The pair stood off to one side, yet between Absalom and the throne. Absalom stood, and his aides stepped back a pace, leaving him to face Pharaoh alone.

And the blood drained from Absalom's face. Directly in front of him, oblivious to all, the monarch of Kemet had allowed his left hand to sneak underneath his kilt. Horrified, Absalom realized that Pharaoh Amonhotpe was abusing himself in front of his queen, his court, and a foreign dignitary and his party.

But as shocking as that was, even more so was Absalom's realization that everyone else in the throne room, obviously knowing what was transpiring, remained as oblivious to Pharaoh's masturbation as Pharaoh was to his surroundings! Absalom gulped. Clearly, this was what the seer had referred to when he had told him not to be ‘embarrassed or unduly alarmed by anything you see and hear.’ And just as clearly, he more vividly understood the seer’s threat. By letting him into their confidence on this matter, he was actually being made more of a slave than ever. He could not reveal - not even to Ahab - what he had just seen, and would be afraid to report anything other than that Pharaoh was alive and strong, the protector of his allies, and the terror of his enemies. Additionally, it was a subtle way of enforcing the edict on Ahab and Absalom to find and destroy the brigands attacking the Kemetan garrisons. The Israelite smiled inwardly in spite of himself. He had to admire the seer's method. In no other way could he be counted on so completely to carry back to his country the message he was intended to deliver - a message not only to the Israelites, but one which would carry to the ears of the Assyrians as well: "The rumors are false! Pharaoh is yet full of life and vitality!" Like the brigands, the rumors had to be rooted out and destroyed, for if they persisted, he, Absalom, would be held personally accountable...

Absalom felt more like a spoke in a wheel than ever. Like his country, he harbored only the illusion of independence; like his country, he was only a small link in a great chain. White-faced, and uncertain of what to do next, he made obeisance to Pharaoh once more. Amon-hotep's victory was complete.





Year 856:



"And so, young Naphuria, you plan to make some changes when you come to the throne of Kemet. Ah - very interesting, so very interesting indeed!" Elijah's mystic orb was a blazing emerald light in the darkness of the cave, and the air crackled with the power of his words. The Hebrew prophet spoke softly but his voice fairly boomed in the narrow confines. Behind humorous words Naphuria sensed disapproval and deep concern. Elijah cackled and slapped a bony knee, then proceeded to pop a monstrous handful of dried figs into his mouth. He munched noisily for a moment, then washed the fruit down with sour wine from a goatskin. When he leaned forward, his brow crinkled and the emerald eye's glow intensified. "Tell me what you wish to do."

Naphuria sat down quickly. The prophet's visage had become menacing, even threatening. But surely Elijah posed no danger. Had not the master, Khaemwaset, sent him to Samaria to seek him out? No, the man was intensely interested in him, and justifiably so, for Elijah, too, was a master of the arcane arts, and greatly concerned with whatever happened to the Order in Kemet.

He searched Elijah's face, wondering where to begin. Just finding him had been a near-miracle. For many months he and Paren-nefer had searched for the prophet but everyone they had spoken with had told them that Elijah had disappeared. Discouraged, Naphuria had then sought out Elijah's successor, Elisha, and on the main road from Damascus, finally realized what had happened. The new prophet had related, in loud words and a gesticulating manner that had terrified Paren-nefer, how his mentor had been borne up to heaven upon a mighty whirlwind while riding a chariot of pure flame. Naphuria grunted at the memory of the tale. Elisha was a giant brute of a man, eminently unschooled, and a devout believer in his god and in what he thought he had seen. He would never have believed the truth, and for the people of Israel, it was perhaps just as well, Naphuria concluded. The prophet seated before him, so innoculously munching figs and swigging wine, was as much a master as Khaemwaset or Amon-hotep. He had long since mastered the art of manipulating both matter and men's minds - though not frequently, for the procedure often left one exhausted - and had summoned a sirocco and created the chariot vision; while Elisha's senses had drunk in the flaming chariot, Elijah had simply slipped away. No doubt this was what the Eternal had intended for Israel, and Elijah had acted according to the Divine Will. Naphuria had thanked Elisha for his information without commenting on it and had gone his way, hoping that the Eternal would guide him in his search.

He had found Elijah a few months later just off the old coast road that ran along the northern edge of the Sinai; he recalled that mystics were often attracted by the ocean due to the magnetic properties inherent in water. Elijah had confirmed his thoughts about his "departure" and they had spent several days in meditation together while Paren-nefer had kept them well supplied with fish, bread, and wine given as offerings by the local populace. Elijah, it seemed, had worked a few wonders when he had first arrived and was something of a local diety. Only this diety was a man laden with immense knowledge in many fields, Naphuria knew, and he often felt the unnerving feeling of being in the presence of someone who knew his thoughts before he could give voice to them.

"That is often true, my young pharaoh-to-be!" Elijah cackled. "But not this time! Hah! No, it most certainly is not! Tell me what is in your heart, Naphuria, for if the Eternal returned you to me from the land of Mitanni - as seems so obvious - there must be a purpose. Come, banish fear from your heart and have some wine! It is an excellent vintage, as the local wine goes, and it does seem to loosen one's tongue!" He took another swallow - a huge one - for emphasis.

Naphuria shrugged and accepted the goatskin. He imbibed deeply, belched and wiped his mouth, then began. "While in Mitanni, Elijah, I had much time to think. I thought of the Elder God of the world, and how many peoples revere Him under many different names. A Mitannian sage named Ardama - to whom I related the tale of your confrontation with the Baal priests on Mount Carmel - felt that because of that confrontation, I was to become a kind of spiritual leader, and return the world's peoples to their former worship.

"I also had much time to think upon the political situation in Kemet. My own father - Pharaoh! - had to send me out of my homeland because he feared for my life from the priesthood which has been encroaching upon the authority of the throne for over a century." His eyes flashed as he set down the wineskin. "These priests are of Amon, Elijah, and have made the sect of priests and sages at Heliopolis who venerate the Aten a near-extinct minority with virtually no power or authority of their own! Ardama revealed to me that one of the names of the Elder God was Aten - a name that came to me in my meditations directly after the incident at Carmel! Elijah, the priests of Amon are enemies of the Elder God and seek to overthrow Pharaoh, upholder of ma'at, the proper order of things!"

"So?" Elijah hiccupped. "What will you do? Start a revolt of your own? You? By yourself?"

"No. I am going home and I will assume the throne upon Pharaoh's death. I am the royal heir, after all, and will be recognized as such. In the meantime, I plan to go to Heliopolis, study with Khaemwaset, and learn as much as I can about the Elder Days and the Hidden Ways of Truth. Then I will institute these changes when I am secure as king."

Elijah raised an eyebrow. The plan was certainly audacious, if not downright foolhardy. And it was nebulous at best. "Is that all, my young friend? You plan to remake your country's society in a few short sentences? Have some more wine. As you seem to have dulled your senses, you may as well take leave of them completely."

Naphuria ignored him. "The crux of the problem, as I see it, is that the kingship and the High Priesthood of the Order are separate positions. So that Pharaoh might never again be threatened, I plan to consolidate the two."

Elijah's eye glowed again, dangerously this time. For a moment he said nothing. "This could have perilous consequences, Naphuria, not the least of which would be the risk of the release of the Sacred Teachings to those who are uninitiated and thus unprepared to receive them." He paused, then added quietly, "There are those around you who would use the Knowledge to their own perverted ends."

The prince stood and clasped his hands in front of his chest. He seemed to Elijah a mere schoolboy at prayer but that vision was quickly dispelled and replaced by a high priest humbly worshipping his god. That Naphuria was indeed both Elijah had no doubt. "I have been," Naphuria intoned, "and will continue to be, a student of the Mysteries. Never will I permit the Sacred Teachings to be misused by those who do not understand them. No, Elijah, the combination of Pharaoh and High Priest would be known only to those in the Order, and to those who might threaten it. No one else need know. I am convinced that this must be the way. I am convinced further that this was the way of things in the days of the Elder God's magnificence, and to this ma'at we must return."

Elijah bowed his head for prayer. He knew there were things that Naphuria had withheld from him but he would not press for their revelation. If it was for him to know, he would know. "You are intent on doing this," he said at length. "Therefore, I would strongly advise you to walk the path of the Ritual of Asar (Osiris) - the way of the dead. You must die to this world, and be reborn into the realm of the Spirit. Only in this way will you be able to succeed in what you wish to accomplish."

"I have heard of this ritual. Is it not frightfully dangerous?"

"Hah! Yes, it is, but only to those not prepared for it! It is a series of tests and trials held in long-forgotten chambers under the sands at Gizeh. When you research the ways of the Elder God, you will learn of it, I am sure. Take, then, these words to Khaemwaset. Ask him to instruct you in the higher Teachings of the Order, and seek his aid and counsel in the resurrection of Asar (Osiris). And always keep close to those things sacred to Asar (Osiris), Naphuria, for Asar (Osiris), too, was one of the names of the Elder God."

"Of course!" Naphuria exclaimed. "Though Asar (Osiris) is venerated throughout Kemet, Ardama said that he is the same as their most holy Brahma!" He stopped, puzzled, "But you worship Yahweh. This is not the same god."

"Yahweh rules over my people, and while He does, I am His. He is a child of the Elder God, whom we Hebrews call Elohim. It is said that when the Elder God departed, he sent the lesser gods to rule over the different countries of the world. This is why each country has a different national god - Yahweh in Israel, Varuna in Mitanni, and Amon in Kemet. All proceed from the Elder God."

"But Amon seeks to destroy Kemet!"

"No, Naphuria, not Amon. Only his priests. But I fear that if you seek to return Kemet to the older ways, you will have to do away with not only Amon's priests but also your people's desire to worship Amon - just as I tried to turn my people from Baal. This is a most difficult task, my young friend. The people will not allow themselves to be changed. They will change as they will - if they choose! They must be given sufficient reason, and that reason must come from you, their king. You must set the example! If you do not, your people will turn against you, and all the good you seek to bring them will be as nothing."

The prince of Kemet nodded gravely. "I understand, Elijah. I shall be cautious."

"See that you do," Elijah rejoined somberly. Then he broke into a wild grin. "Or I shall send Melkart to torment you!" He hurled a handful of figs at the prince, who failed to dodge in time; amid Elijah's mad laughter, a raven's squawk and Paren-nefer's cries could be heard outside the cave. Naphuria knew the prophet was only teasing him and so did not worry.

But deep in his heart Elijah did. He knew of the other changes Naphuria planned when he acquired the throne of Kemet, and he did not like them at all. It mattered little if xvaetvadatha was practiced in honor of the Elder God and in memory of His celestial history. The people of Kemet would never accept such a practice. Naphuria was doomed before he could even begin!

And yet Elijah knew also that even this tragedy - this impending horror - was part of a much grander scheme, and all would eventually come to the good if events were allowed to take their natural course. Things had been set in motion for a powerful purpose; though he could not fathom what that purpose was, Elijah felt suddenly at ease and knew what he must do. As the prince of Kemet crawled around the cave collecting the scattered figs, Elijah mentally created a powerful ball of pure white light and settled it, as a protection, around the prince's own aura. He hoped it would be enough.







Year 855:



The rain squall threatened to wash them away in its ferocity but Khaemwaset trudged steadily onward ahead of his companion, tugging at the leash of the loudly-protesting camel carrying their supplies. Her brays could hardly be heard above the howling wind but the Master of Heliopolis needed no such reminder for he knew perfectly well that she was terrified. His mental suggestions of calm had not helped - her fear had blocked them completely. Amid the fierce onslaught of rain and stinging wet sand, whipped up by violent, whirling winds, the pair pushed doggedly forward.

The outpost loomed up out of the darkness. Sa’inu (Pelusium) was a small town on the border of the desert and Kemet proper, but its significance was all out of proportion to its size. A sentry station had been set up on the crest of a hill overlooking the main road, and through it passed all of those who came overland to Kemet. Caravans of fabulous merchant goods and political emissaries and tourists from all over the known world knew tiny, squalid Sa’inu (Pelusium). It was a nuisance to them to have to come through the place, but a security necessary to Kemet. Its only saving graces were the splendid view of the Great Northern Sea and the daughters of the local Beduin chieftains who provided exquisite pleasures for exorbitant prices.

All this passed through Khaemwaset's mind as the station's sentry approached them. "State your business." he barked over the squall. "Names and destinations!"

"Khaemwaset, master of the Brotherhood school and temple at Heliopolis, and an aide. We have come to greet your visitors from Mitanni."

Though he could not see very well in the gloom, Khaemwaset knew that the sentry turned white. All students of the Mysteries were held in awe and fear by the general populace, and the man before him was no exception. There would be no need to explain how they knew Pelusium harbored such important guests.

Without a reply the sentry creaked open the door to the sentry house. "Intef! We have visitors! House their camel, but take care, man! The beast is frightened unto death!" As the servant hastily saluted and rushed past them into the darkness, the sentry ushered Khaemwaset and his aide inside.

The first thing that greeted them was the smell - a foul mixture of sizzling lamb, rotten camel dung, and the rank odor of many men living in close quarters. The aroma of lamb was provided by a carcass roasting on a spit in a hearth, underneath which an enormous fire roared, occasionally flaring as the fat melted and drizzled down. Khaemwaset's nostrils twitched. If no one tended to it, the sentries' meal would soon be burnt beyond recognition. He looked around. The post commander was just putting down his beer cup when a very feminine shriek rent the air. "Naphuria!" Instantly, the girl was in the prince's arms, causing the commander to laugh heartily. "Ha! A concubine for a Kemetan nobleman! By Herishef and Set, I might have known! Ha! I knew this one had the look of a dancing girl!"

Naphuria whirled, his eyes blazing like the hearth fire. "Take care, Seneb! This woman is the daughter of Tushratta, king of Mitanni! An insult to her is an insult to him, and I shall see to it that your words are reported!"

The burly Seneb slammed his cup to the table. "And you take care, whelp, for in this station, I am king, and all others be damned!"

Khaemwaset stepped between them, his unseen, yet prominent aura flaring a radiant sapphire. Instantly, the hostile atmosphere vanished. "Good Seneb," he bowed, "we have come a long way and are tired, wet, and hungry. We apologize for our manners - we mean no disrespect. If you would, your lamb smells enormously appetizing. May we partake of it with you, and sit by your fire and dry ourselves?"

The station commander stepped back. Khaemwaset's interjection had given him time to think. "You know my name," he said, raising his hands and making a protective sign. "I have never seen you. How did-“

"They are from Heliopolis," the sentry said through chattering teeth, "and everyone knows that those of the temple there know all things!"

"Heliopolis, eh?" Seneb grunted. "Are you magicians, then, abroad on some dark mission? This night would be good for it, I'd wager!"

Khaemwaset chuckled. "No, good sir. We are not magicians, just humble students of the Mysteries, and, despite what you may have heard, we mean harm to none. Through our mystic arts, we ascertained that you were to have a royal visitor from a foreign country and we wished to be here to greet her on Pharaoh's behalf. The storm delayed us." At that moment, the rain crashed into the building with great intensity, as though confirming Khaemwaset's words. Seneb looked up sharply, then back at Khaemwaset. The priest's beguiling smile and - unknown to him - soothing mental energies soon relaxed him. "Well, if you are men like ourselves, come! Sit and sup with us! This lamb is almost done and by all the gods it will be good to throw some hot food down this aching gullet! Why, for three weeks-!"

"Your pardon, air, but I wish to be alone with the lady for a few moments." Naphuria interjected. "Where can we talk?"

Seneb laughed afresh. "Of course! There is a room in back. I gather you know each other, then?" He winked obtrusively.

Naphuria ignored the rude jest this time. "We - uh - met while I was in Mitanni on business for the temple."

"I see. Well, don't be too long, my young friend. If you are fortunate enough to find some meat when you return, it may very well be cold." But Seneb's expression told all that he felt Naphuria need not be so concerned.



Naphuria closed the door to the storeroom and turned to Tadukhipa. She had matured somewhat, but her childlike simplicity and raw sensuality were as strong as ever. They kissed hungrily. "How long have you been here?" he whispered.

"Less than a day. Captain Seneb had invited me to dine alone with him when you arrived. How did you know I was here?"

"I saw you in a dream. I have been studying with Master Khaemwaset for two years now and have learned a great deal. He has promised to help me try and recover the lost knowledge of the Elder God, Tadukhipa, and to aid me after I take the throne!"

Her eyes shone as she touched his face. "This is wonderful news, my Naphuria! Truly, I am filled with joy for you. May Ishtar and Holy Varuna grant that we share this together one day."

"'One day’? What do you mean? You are here now, with me! Nothing shall part us again!"

"No, beloved. I am to travel on to Thebes and become part of your father's harim! This was the condition of his signing the friendship treaty with Tushratta. I fear we may never see each other after today!"

Naphuria threw his head back and howled like a wounded dog. "My father! Again he curses me! First he deprives me of my childhood and now he exacts further revenge by depriving me of my manhood!" He looked at her, his eyes full of ferocity. "From this moment, I have no father but the Elder God! From this moment forward, my allegiance is to Him alone! Your retinue shall return to Mitanni saying that they have turned you over to Pharaoh's representative. But you will never go to Thebes except when I go. And I shall never see Thebes while Neb-ma'Re Amonhotpe lives!"

The girl sagged in his arms. Thinking she was near exhaustion from her journey, Naphuria laid her gently on the hardpacked earth floor. Only then did he notice that her breathing had become rapid and shallow, He put his hand to her forehead. It was burning. "Khaemwaset!" he cried. "Master Khaemwaset! Come quickly! She's dying!"

The door flew open in an instant and Khaemwaset entered, pulling Naphuria aside and kneeling by the girl in one motion. He passed his hand over her heart without touching her body. "I feared this," he muttered. "There was something in the air when we first entered..." His voice trailed off as he realized how silent the room had become. Tadukhipa had stopped breathing.



Khaemwaset found Naphuria the next morning outside the sentry station watching the distant surf crash upon the shore. The storm had blown itself out during the night and the dawn was bright and clean. He inhaled deeply, the crisp air searing his throat with its tangy saltiness, and waited.

"We will take her body with us," the prince declared softly. "She should be buried in Heliopolis."

"Kemet was where she feared to go," Khaemwaset reminded him, "even though she knew you would be there. That fear, combined with her frail composition and a difficult journey, caused her to contract the fever. I might have been able to help her, even at the end, but she remained attached to her fear." He stepped closer to the prince. "Bury her here, lord, and bury your hatred of your father along with her! You will never succeed in your aims as pharaoh if you do not release your anger!"

Naphuria continued to stare at the sea. "I have no father but Aten, Khaemwaset. When I become pharaoh, I shall raise Him above all the gods on this earth, in Tadukhipa's memory. But I shall also remove any trace of the king who presently occupies the throne which will one day be mine."

"Lord-"

"I have no father but Aten." Naphuria repeated ominously.



The night was unusually chilly but Naphuria did not notice, or even care. Before the morning light he would be initiated into the most solemn of the Mysteries - the Osirian ritual of death and regeneration within the Chamber of the Open Tomb, the very heart of the Great Pyramid itself. For the occasion he had clothed himself in the simple white robe of the Neophyte student, and had girded himself with the ritualistic apron of service. But on this apron he had affixed a symbol non-traditional in the extreme - one which would become the mark of his kingship. From just below his waist blazed the golden, glorious ATEN - ATEN, symbol of the Elder God of the former world order, from which tiny hands descended, each bearing ankhs with which to regenerate the earth.

He stepped forward into the causeway. In order to reach the Pyramid via the Sacred Path, one had to enter the Sphinx and travel through a series of underground passages, then climb the interior of the Pyramid itself. He recalled a passage from an ancient text Khaemwaset had discovered: "The greatest of heights are by attained by those who reach the greatest depths." The symbolism was apt - to gain what he desired in the spiritual, he would follow the text to the letter in the physical. Traveling the causeway from the Nile to the Sphinx was the first step in the ritualistic drama, and it had been whispered by some that the entire structure had been designed so that the cosmic energies would flow from the mystic waters through the Sphinx and into the pyramids where they could be amplified and utilized by those who knew the secrets of the monuments. In walking the path, he would be symbolically carrying the energies with him, and as he traversed the causeway, he could feel the energy flow increasing along the nerve centers in his spine. /It would seem,/ he told himself, /that the legends are, at least in part, true./

From his vantage point, Naphuria could look up directly into the face of the Sphinx, and as he did so, he wondered whose face had been immortalized in those cold, impenetrable features. Many were the names given the supposed identity of the Sphinx - even in the Heliopolis temple where the Scribes of the House of Life were said to have recorded it - but none knew for certain. He breathed deeply of the damp air, filling his lungs, then released it slowly, just as he had been taught to do as a child when learning mystic relaxation. It did not matter whose visage the Sphinx portrayed. What was important were the faces swirling within his own mind: the father who had betrayed both him and his country; the mother who had believed in him; the Mitannian girl who had taught him xvaetvadatha; the sages Ardama, Elijah, and Amon-hotep, and what each had contributed to his life; the face of his faithful servant Paren-nefer; the serene visage of his master, Khaemwaset. His thoughts calmed as he centered his mind on the master of the Heliopolis school, just as the full moon showed herself from behind the apex of the Great Pyramid, casting an eerie white glow over everything.

From the day they had buried his beloved Tadukhipa in the temple cemetery at Heliopolis, Naphuria had immersed himself in meditation and devotion to learning all he could about the Elder God and the Paradise at the beginning of the world. He had returned to Heliopolis intending to give himself fully to his work but Khaemwaset had insisted he study for initiation into the higher degrees of the Order instead. In the course of the next five years, Naphuria had astounded everyone by successfully completing what should have taken two, perhaps three times as long. With this, Khaemwaset had realized just how elect Naphuria truly was, and had named him his successor. After his final initiation, which would formally install him as High Priest and chief Kheri-Heb - for Khaemwaset had decided to retire - Naphuria and his mentor planned to thoroughly search the temple archives and the crypts and halls rumored to have been built under the complex for further texts and perhaps artifacts of the long-forgotten age.

Naphuria stopped. He had come out of the causeway and stood on the open stretch of pavement leading directly to the Sphinx. Between its massive paws stood a simple limestone altar on which sat the remains of burnt herbs and incense, and behind which stood Khaemwaset. The master of Heliopolis was resplendently attired as the Hierophant of the Sacred Mysteries. A beautiful cerulean robe flecked with thousands of embroidered stars which caught and brilliantly reflected the soft moonlight fell loosely from his shoulders, girded only by the aureate cincture about his waist. On his chest was emblazoned the CRUX ANSATA, the cross of life of the Mystery Schools, and from around his neck, suspended on a chain of purest gold, hung a massive sapphire encrusted with seven diamonds. Naphuria recalled the legends which asserted that such a crystal once had topped the apex of the Great Pyramid and that through it the cosmic energies had been refined and channeled directly into the Chamber of the Open Tomb below. When connected with the energies brought down the causeway and through the Sphinx, the resultant effect could be staggering. And this was precisely what he was about to do.

Khaemwaset stepped from behind the altar and raised aloft the torch he carried. "Who seeks admittance to this temple?" he inquired.

"I am called Nefer-khepru-Re wa'enre Amonhotpe," Naphuria announced, "and I humbly desire to cross the threshold and enter the Sacred Inner Chamber."

"What do you seek?"

"The Life in the Spirit, and the Eternal Oneness of All."

"Are you prepared to die to this world?"

Naphuria hesitated but a moment. "I am prepared, Master Guardian."

The Hierophant came and stood before him, and stared directly into his eyes, as though searching for something. When he spoke again, his voice was quiet and somber, filled with deep reverence and majesty. "You have come to this temple to acquire the right to listen to your soul, to your ever-present heartbeat, and to commune with the Divine Master within; to you I say this: the doors of this Temple are always closed to the profane - her highest chambers are known only to the greatest of Initiates. Those of the lower self, of the material world, cannot enter here lest they raise themselves by themselves, and thus prove themselves worthy of the Beyond. Be mindful of this, always.

"I am the High Priest of Heliopolis, the Hierophant of this, our original Temple, and Guardian of our Sacred Truths. Listen to my voice! Guard yourself from the prejudices and passions which might draw you from the true road to the Eternal; fix your thoughts upon the Celestial Architect, and keep Him ever before your eyes, in order to better govern your heart and senses, If you earnestly desire to tread the Sacred Path, remember that you are always in the Presence of that All-Powerful Being who governs the Universe! This Sole Being has produced all things; through Him alone they exist, and He preserves them; no mortal can behold Him, and nothing can be hidden from His Sight.

"Harken always to the Will of the Eternal, and keep close to its ways, for only in this manner can you truly uphold the honor and integrity of our Sacred Order, and keep it safe from harm." Khaemwaset paused. "Do you understand, and pledge these things?"

Naphuria nodded reverently. "With my life."

"Then follow me, and do or say nothing except as I command."

"It shall be done."

Khaemwaset turned towards the Sphinx, handing the torch to Naphuria as he did so. He then raised his arms, threw his head back and uttered a sacred chant:

"E-e-e-e-r-r-r-a-a-a-h-h-h-h!"

He repeated the mantric sound three times; then, as the chant faded into the night, he crossed his hands over his chest in ritualistic fashion and bowed deeply. For long moments, nothing happened. Then, without a sound, the tablet which lay against the breast of the Sphinx slid inward, revealing a deep, powerful darkness. Khaemwaset took the torch and the pair stepped forward. Directly they had entered, the tablet slid back into place, leaving them engulfed by an impenetrable blackness, and a silence which echoed and re-echoed from nowhere.

As they stealthily crept forward, Naphuria recalled his youthful initiation into the Mysteries. To a child the tests had seemed frightful and dangerous - there was the one where the point of a sword had been held to his throat and he had been made to swear upon pain of death never to reveal the secrets of the Order under any circumstance. Later, he had had to endure a trial where he had been blindfolded in a dark room, left alone for several days, then brought outside at midday only to have the blindfold unexpectedly removed. The first test, he knew, was to instill loyalty to the Order, and the second to demonstrate the difference between the darkness of ignorance and the illumination of wisdom. But these, and others like them (Naphuria would never forget the day when the KheriHebs had buried him in a pit of snakes to test his courage) had been tests every candidate attempting to enter the Brotherhood had to pass. But what he and Khaemwaset had set out to accomplish this night was of a different order entirely. For this night, Naphuria would attempt the Initiation of the Luminaries, said to be conferred not by priests but by the very Eternal itself, and given only to a Master-Avatar. Through Ardama, Naphuria had convinced himself that he was the world's Avatar, come to save them from the darkness of their ignorance...

As their eyes gradually became accustomed to the darkness, Naphuria began to make out the interior of the Sphinx. Far from being a solid, massive block of sandstone, the builders of the Sphinx had hollowed out its interior, creating a small chamber which they had finished with rose granite walls. In the center of the floor an opening beckoned to a flight of steps leading deep into the earth, and from somewhere far below, a faint light flickered and soft chanting reached their ears. Khaemwaset extinguished his torch and, grasping Naphuria's hand, called into the darkness: "I have come with one who desires to pass into that which is Beyond. You know him well, and I vouch for his qualifications. Will you admit him?"

At once the light from below was extinguished and the chanting stopped. Again Khaemwaset called, "Will you admit him?"

For a moment, silence, then a voice called from the depths: "Let him come forward, and show himself."

In the utter darkness, Khaemwaset led Naphuria down the steps to what they both knew was the reception chamber beneath the Sphinx. When they reached the bottom, the voice called, "Hold." Khaemwaset loosed his grip, and Naphuria felt him glide away. The young prince was now utterly alone. The disembodied voice continued: "Your qualifications have been duly noted, and have met with great favor. The Supreme Architect of the Universe is most pleased. Naphuria, as you call yourself, you have come to plead for admission to the Initiation of the Luminaries. To have come to this chamber at this hour means that you have endured much, and overcome many trials and temptations. Yet before you are permitted to journey further, one final test is required of you. It is the simplest, and yet the most profound of tests. Tell me, young Neophyte, what is the meaning of Darkness?"

Naphuria bowed low. "Respected Guardian, Darkness is an illusion caused by one's separation from the Great Light. Every man, upon coming into this earthly life, has separated himself from the Great Light and dwells in the darkness of ignorance and superstition. But yet the separation is also an illusion because a portion of the Great Light dwells deep within each and every soul, waiting to be released. The profane ridicule this fact, not knowing the glory that might be theirs, and go on living lives of ignorance. I plead this night that the Eternal grant me the privilege of being a living example of the Great Light to all men, that all may know the glory of the Divine Spark within. Darkness, then, O Guardian, is itself an illusion, for it is only the absence of Light!"

At this, the reception chamber was flooded with a vibrant, unearthly green luminescence. Naphuria saw that the chamber contained no other living beings and instantly understood that he had been speaking with a true, esoteric Guardian, a nonphysical Master who perpetually stood guard, unseen, at the entrance to the temple. This being had scoured his soul for imperfections or insincerity, and had not found him wanting. To be allowed to pass in this manner constituted the highest praise.

As if to confirm his thoughts, Khaemwaset stepped before him, his aura radiant beyond measure. "Naphuria, the Eternal has need of you and will grant your request, but beware! There are forces moving beyond that of your request, and the work of this night will impose a great karma upon your soul. Whether this be for good or ill depends upon the innermost strength of the heart. Are you prepared to assume such a burden? For if you are not, if you would shirk your obligation, then leave this chamber now, strike out upon another path, forgetting all you have seen and heard here, and no harm will come to you! For this path is dangerous and full of treachery, and you may one day come to believe that it had been better that you had never come to this place!"

The prince shook his head stubbornly. "Master Khaemwaset, I will persevere! No matter what trials come to me, I swear that I will not turn from the path I walk this night!"

"Then I am commanded to tell you this; remember well the definition of Darkness - it is the absence of Light! But be certain that this principle applies in all ways, in all things!"

"It shall be done even as you say, Master Khaemwaset! This I swear before the Lord of Eternity!"

"Then let us continue upon our way. We must tarry here no longer." As they pressed on, the eerie light of the Guardian guiding their way, Khaemwaset mentally noted that Naphuria had ignored his statement that the Eternal had need of him. It was not part of the ritual, nor were Khaemwaset's words which had followed. Clearly, Naphuria had his own reasons for requesting the Initiation of the Luminaries, yet it seemed to Khaemwaset that these reasons were a large part of why the Eternal had need of Naphuria. Khaemwaset had long since given up his concern over the matter, yet as always, he was intensely curious. Naphuria's ego would certainly prove disastrous, yet it seemed precisely the tool the Eternal desired. And Naphuria's ignorance of being used as a cosmic tool was probably for the best, too, he concluded. For if he knew that, Naphuria might ruin the entire cosmic plan, whatever it was...



The trek through the corridors of the Great Pyramid had been long and arduous, and not without difficulties. Aided by the Guardian, Khaemwaset and Naphuria had entered the monument from below through a small chamber and had been obliged to crawl upwards through a cramped passageway. This passageway, they knew, was called The Descent in the funerary texts; it symbolized the fall of man into earthly matter and his willful separation from the Divine Source. A prospective Avatar, traversing the passage in reverse, showed his willingness to shoulder the burden of reversing this process for all mankind. But when they had come to an intersection with another passageway - The Door of the Ascent - they had found their path blocked by a massive slab of granite. At this juncture, they had asked the Guardian for assistance and in reply, although no words were ever spoken, both Naphuria and Khaemwaset had been told to "Seek the Well of Life!"

Instead of a finished granite corridor, the Well of Life revealed itself to be a cleverly-concealed shaft which thrust itself upwards through the limestone core of the Pyramid. Commencing near the spot where they had entered, it debouched at the intersection of three major passages: a cramped one which sloped downwards, one which followed a level path (to the gods alone knew where), and a third which continued upwards at a sharp angle. A huge, yawning chasm of a corridor, its roof was so far above them as to be indistinguishable from the darkness. This place, they knew, was called The Crossing of the Pure Roads of Life, and they realized that their short-cut had proven successful. As if in confirmation, the emerald light of the Guardian had extended itself down the cramped passage, revealing to them the granite plug which had barred their way. The meaning had then become obvious - though they had had to retrace their steps, they had been able to surmount the obstacles in their path, and eventually come to their destination.

But at that point, though they could rest temporarily, choices still had beckoned to them - tests and temptations rising up to block their path anew. They could go back down, admitting defeat; they could traverse the horizontal passage, which would mean that they had accepted that level of development and would go no further. Or they could take the longer, higher path rising before them. This path - The Hall of Truth in Light - they had vowed to walk, for it, and it alone, would lead them directly to the very heart of the Pyramid: The Chamber of the Open Tomb.

All these thoughts reverberated through the minds of Khaemwaset and Naphuria as they clambered over the Great Step at the uppermost portion of the Great Hall, and stood, panting and sweating profusely, before the Great Royal Arch of the Solstice. Ahead of them a smooth granite floor beckoned, and behind them the Guardian blazed, bathing all in an eerie, emerald brilliance. Khaemwaset in the lead, they stepped forward.

And immediately the chanting began. Like the sound made by the Nile caressing its banks at midnight, the soft, wistful sounds flowed over and through their bodies. These were the same voices they had heard upon their entrance into the Sphinx, and now the sounds emanated from directly in front of them, beckoning them, like children who had lost their way, to return to their true home. The sounds echoed and reverberated through them, raising their levels of vibration to an exalted state of consciousness and ecstasy.

They bent low to enter The Chamber of the Triple Veil, the last act of humility before The Chamber of the Open Tomb. Ahead of them a light flashed as incense was ignited. Candles, too, were lit, and as they entered the final chamber, Naphuria drew himself to his full height. The scene before him was precisely what he had expected.

Before him was a chamber of polished granite, measuring ten by twenty cubits, whose only entrance was the passageway through which he had come. Near the west wall, to his right, sat a plain, unadorned granite coffer flanked by alabaster candlestands. Arrayed around the walls of the chamber stood many students from Heliopolis along with the Scribes of the Houses of Life; scattered among these were many dignitaries from the various mystery schools of many lands, including Mitanni. But what caught Naphuria's eyes - and brought a sense of joy and pride to his heart - was the central element of the ceremony, the Kheri-Hebs of the Heliopolis mystery school. These were nineteen in number, and were divided into two groups. One group, the one nearer to him, consisted of twelve members dressed completely in black, symbolizing the death and darkness of the material world. These motionless, ebony statues intoned the sacred chants in the lowest octave, thus carrying the symbolism still further.

The second group of Kheri-Hebs stood between the coffer and the first group, clad in royal crimson, the blood-color, representing the vital life-force flowing through matter which is stirred into spiritual motion by the first faint glimmerings of a higher consciousness. These seven teachers swayed softly back and forth in harmony with the chanting, singing at a middle octave.

Flanking the coffer and in front of the candlestands stood the two Master Kheri-Hebs, one man and one woman, clad in pure white linen, symbolizing the highest illumination and enlightenment, and chanting at the highest octave possible - a soundless sound that could only be heard by those of the highest development. These teachers led the chanting by the upsweep and downstroke of their arms, the women chanting on the upstroke and the men intoning their chants on the downstroke. Though they did not move otherwise, the discerning student was completely aware that their bodies, through their attunement, were in powerful harmonious motion with the Divine Mind, their auras pulsating with the full power of the most sacred vibrations of the Eternal. In this manner they cleansed and energized the chamber, and in their sanctified presence, Naphuria would undergo the Initiation of the Luminaries. And in that moment he felt in attunement with the Master Teachers, and knew he was ready.

The two acolytes stood before them and the chanting ceased. Bald, and clad only in short skirts of leopard skin, each carried a flaming torch. They bowed, then turned back towards the interior of the chamber. Naphuria and Khaemwaset followed. They walked along the east wall, then turned and proceeded down the south side of the chamber past the black-robed Kheri-Hebs, then turned again. They passed between the two groups of teachers; then, at the north wall, turned once more and proceeded to the west. When they had cleared the second group, they turned back and came to a point exactly halfway between the north and south walls. Stopping momentarily, Naphuria bowed and made his salutation, then stepped forward three paces. The acolytes deposited their torches in the stands, then melted into the throng. Khaemwaset stepped around behind the coffer, forming a perfect triangle with the master Kheri-Hebs. In addition to his cerulean robe and jewels of office, he now wore a stole of pure white wool and a golden diadem with a perfect diamond at its center, symbolic of the pineal gland, or mystic third eye. Khaemwaset, too, was a Kheri-Heb, and Naphuria understood that each teacher, as well as the position he occupied within the chamber, stood for a sacred letter of the alphabet of mankind's original language, the language by which, it was whispered, creation itself was said to have been accomplished. The path he had walked was symbolic of his soul's growth - from out of the darkness of the ignorance of the material world to the beginnings of awareness through the transition-stage of emergence to the full knowledge and illumination of man's Oneness with the Divine. The initiation would complete the process - not only would Naphuria be aware of his Divine Oneness with All Creation, he would call down from heaven the Power of the Elder God and become His Living Personification on earth.

Immediately had Naphuria and Khaemwaset begun their journey through the Chamber of the Open Tomb, the Guardian had retreated down the Chamber of the Triple Veil. As he did so, he had allowed a portion of his emerald Light to remain behind him, sealing the passage against any kind of intrusion. Upon reaching the Royal Arch of the Solstice, he burst forth in a magnificent radiance, sending his Light throughout every passage and chamber in the Pyramid, the divine effulgence quickly seeping into the limestone and granite blocks of the structure and into the bedrock of the plateau beneath it. Eventually, the splendid illumination poured forth from the monument and the Pyramid itself became a vital, glowing entity, radiating emerald phosphorescence in all directions. The Guardian was satisfied. Those within would now be protected from harm, and the plans of the Celestial Architect would bear their fruit without interference. At that very moment, Khaemwaset, standing erect behind the granite coffer and gazing directly into Naphuria's eyes, spoke: "Our Brother has been admitted and the temple is now properly tyled."

At a gesture from the Hierophant, the two Master KheriHebs strode forward towards Naphuria. They stood, for a brief moment, the woman before him and the man behind, then the woman made a mystic sign in the air and touched Naphuria in the center of his forehead, sending him into a deep hypnotic trance. Naphuria fell backwards into the outstretched arms of the second Master whereupon the first bent down and grasped his ankles, lifting him off the floor. They turned and placed him gently into the cold, stone sarcophagus, then resumed their respective stations. Naphuria's last act before he slipped into full unconsciousness was to cross his hands over his heart. The torches were extinguished and Naphuria's initiation began. And though no one in the chamber that night ever learned what fully transpired, two who were not physically present watched over the young initiate.

One was the faithful Guardian who had surrounded the Pyramid with his powerful mystic nimbus. No physical being could enter the temple complex, for the Brotherhood's sentinels watched all the entrances with the utmost care. And no astral being could penetrate the emerald nimbus. But as the Guardian patiently watched over all, he percieved an entity fast approaching. Thunderstruck, he manifested a human form on the astral plane to deal more effectively with the intruder. As he did so, he recognized the interloper. "Amen-hotep, Hapu's son! Come, worthy Brother, and witness this most auspicious occasion!"

The blind seer came on, his eyes vibrant in the astral. "Ah, so it is you, as I suspected! Elijah, prophet of Yahweh, why do you guard the Temple of Temples?"

Elijah tossed his head with laughter, his emerald eye flashing. On the earth-plane, lightning flashed above the Pyramid and booming thunder pealed. "Because Khaemwaset asked me, of course! And because Naphuria is under my protective care! I am under orders from the Eternal, you know." Thunder rumbled once more.

The seer raised an eyebrow. "You? Hrmph! Perhaps a better choice could have been made! You have a reputation in Kemet as a wild man. I understand you blew the top off of Mt. Carmel with that apparition of yours, and nearly killed the soul you were sworn to protect!"

"Oh, that! Well, the Eternal wanted to impress the boy's mind for some reason, and I dreamed up that little stunt to impress Jezebel. When I perceived that the two tasks could be accomplished together, I presented my case before the Celestial Court-"

"But, Elijah, the risk-!

"-which agreed to my proposal. Yes, Naphuria was in some danger, but so was everyone on that mountain, myself included. If we hadn't kept a tight control on things, you and I wouldn't be having this conversation!" Elijah's eye sparkled. "Ha! So I had some assistance, you see! But even so, the experience was draining. I slept for several days, awakening only to see Naphuria off."

Amon-hotep's visage hardened and he began to pace, his staff clattering along the rocky ground of the portion of the astral space they had chosen to meet. Inside the Chamber of the Open Tomb, the sound of thunder increased in intensity. "Yes, you sent him to Mitanni, where he learned the accursed xvaetvatatha! And he will probably introduce it here! Why did you let him go?"

"I was told to. And as for his contact with xvaetvatatha, it was a test for him, as is this initiation. Do not be deceived! All is under the direction of the Celestial Architect! Each test produces results, the consequences of which must be borne by he who is tested! Naphuria will have to bear the consequences of decisions made in Mitanni, to be sure, as well as of decisions made as a result of those decisions! One is even now taking place beneath us. And our discussion is disturbing the vibrations of the Temple. Shall we not sit quietly and observe, my friend?"

Amon-hotep nodded his assent, though not without misgivings. He was still worried. Where would all this lead? Ultimately to the good, he was certain, but the path to that end seemed thorny with obstacles. Must it always be so? A flicker of emerald light caught his eye and he found himself laughing in spite of himself. Truly, his questions had answered themselves, and with a relaxed mind and an open heart, he turned his full attention to the ritual drama playing itself out on the earth plane below.



Naphuria had no sooner been laid in the coffer when the "temple sleep" had come upon him. During this time, his spirit would disengage from his physical body and wander, unfettered, through the astral worlds, eventually to rise and experience a moment of true oneness with the Eternal - or so the priests had told him. Naphuria hoped instead to use the experience to commune directly with the Elder God and receive a personal commission to re-establish His Kingdom on earth.

And he saw his spirit rise from his solar plexus, and then he felt himself become one with it as it slowly floated up to the ceiling of the chamber. He hung there momentarily, savoring the moment as he felt the loving thoughts of his brethren below, then he glided through the ceiling and out of the Pyramid itself...

...and stopped. For in front of him flashed an aura of brilliant green ensconced by a dazzling white light. Was this the Elder God in a different guise? /No,/ his heart responded, /but it is a being to whom you should listen./ Before he could choose otherwise, Naphuria felt an intense flow of information flood his mind, much of which could not be immediately processed, but which passed into his subconscious for storage and future use...

And he awoke in the tomb alone but for the two candles which were now lit. Incense now burned on a small table in the center of the chamber and as he inhaled, strength and vitality came back to his body and he hauled himself out of the coffer. He swayed slightly as he tried to stand and braced himself on the edge of the sarcophagus. He breathed deeply once again to steady himself. /How long?/ he wondered.

"Three days," answered Khaemwaset from the far end of the chamber. "Was it all you hoped for?"

"Yes, my brother." Naphuria drew himself up straight and proud. "I have received my commission! I am to take the name 'Akhenaten' which means 'The Living Spirit of the Aten." Through this name all shall know what I have come to accomplish." Khaemwaset bowed and came forward. "Truly, the ways of the Eternal are mighty and mysterious. To the Celestial Architect, and to he who is his living essence in physical form, I pledge my life, my works and my thoughts. May the Divine Will be done!"

Naphuria strode forward and laid his outstretched hand on Khaemwaset's shoulder. "Worthy Brother, I am commissioned to make you GrandMaster in the works of the Order. In this office, I charge you with handling the daily tasks of our efforts in the physical world so that I am free to act as Pharaoh and as Chief Priest of the Elder God, the Aten. May the Divine Will be done!" Akhenaten allowed the words to echo and re-echo throughout the chamber, then assisted Khaemwaset to his feet. "Arise, GrandMaster Khaemwaset, and walk with me. Our New Order is about to dawn and there is much we must do. Let us depart into the light of day and begin our endeavors."

Khaemwaset turned and led Akhenaten out of The Chamber of the Open Tomb and down through the Hall of Truth in Light. The new GrandMaster never learned, in that lifetime, what had actually taken place, for Akhenaten never told him. In truth, Akhenaten believed just as he had spoken, yet there remained, to the end of his days, a still, small voice within, always lurking beneath the surface, reminding him of what his true commission was. For even the Elect have lessons to learn...



In the astral, Amon-hotep and Elijah departed also, their joint tasks having been completed. They had not been aware of the two other presences which lurked menacingly below their astral plane, yet just beyond the mortal world. Ineni had seen to that. Through Khaemwaset, he had called Elijah to safeguard the Temple with his special talent, and had beckoned Amon-hotep to rise from his sleep-state and witness the initiation from the astral. Ineni sighed as he watched his favorite pupil depart. Amon-hotep was not yet ready to combat the demons but he would be soon. Akhenaten had not been the only one to receive Initiation. As Ineni departed to the higher astrality he shook his heat. /Would that it were otherwise!/

And the Celestial Voice rang in his ear: "All things in their own 'time'..."







...and Ineni smiled and turned in the direction of the Throne of the Celestial Architect. Though he could not see through the blinding white light that was always present, he got the distinct impression that the Master Craftsman had nodded his approval...