Animal Instincts

Chapter XVIII: A Warrior's Heart, A Healer's Hands, and a Magician's Mind

Harry had been glad to know that the people he was supposed to be caring for back in the mortal world were not being left without care as he was here; training as his role for being a Sacred Vessel. Bastet had used her magic to make an...illusion; more like a realistic clone, that would stay there and open his clinic and do his work.

She did this for Tom and Nefertari too; to keep suspicions down.

Harry spent most of his days with the Egyptian pantheon; learning all manner of things to do with skills of survival, weaponry, magic, and more. Tom took care of their daughter during all this, but Harry was not left out of seeing her or interacting with them. Family was, after all, a very important aspect to the ancient egyptian life.

And Tom saw how the training was affecting his bonded; his health was better now than ever before, even his mental health. Of course all the survival training and weaponry training was making his mate's body return to its more athletic shape before the pregnancy, but it was also honing it. Making Tom's eyes wander more than once with lust and desire whenever Harry walked back into their space; dirty and sweaty, and needing a bath.

And beyond that, it was helping him mentally.

Ra was not a gentle teacher; enforcing Harry to remember that sometimes we all had to fight to protect that which we cared for. Harry, of course, knew this. Had fought already for it; but now realized that he could not let himself go complacent and not be vigilant to his family and those around them as he should be.

The Falcon God, along with his daughter and the Warrior Lioness, Lady Sekhmet; they made sure Harry rose early, ate a decent meal, and readied his mind for training. They ensured that if his magical abilities were compromised; Harry would have no shortage of options to defend himself.

They reminded and taught him that in real battle on a battlefield; there was no such thing as fairness. While honor could be kept to it; most times it did not. A battlefield was a place of every man or woman for themselves, and no one would look to him for his tricks if it allowed him to live.

Lady Sekhmet; she had also taught Harry how to fight using his large feline form. How to enjoy the rush of adrenaline that comes from a more bestial fight and primal nature to protect one's land, home, and family.

Meanwhile, Apophis usually taught Harry of dark magic, ritual magic, and all the darker aspects to magic; ensuring that he knew the consequences of abusing it and letting it take over or control him. Harry had, at first, been hesitant; but later changed his mind after a unrestful spirit managed to break into their domain and nearly kidnap his precious Tari.

Harry had reacted on sheer instinct; his thoughts were not rational at all, more like panicked. He had other ways to commune to souls and detain them, but his instinct was to use blood-magic to bind them and hold them. That had frightened Tom somewhat; seeing as blood-magic like he had done required fresh blood...meaning Harry was cutting himself then and there to use his own blood as the spell catalyst.

While Apophis had been pleased their child was not stolen away; he was not pleased by the inherent reaction of panic in which Harry resorted to blood-magic. But after they had spoken more; the chaos serpent god knew that Harry now understood where he went wrong and the value of the magic he taught. Harry resolved to be better; to keep his calm and not go automatically to such things.

Horus, Isis, Serqet; they taught Harry of more magic in the offensive and defensive branches, along with tactics, terrain analysis, and more. Sobek, the Crocodile God, he was more of a mixture to his teachings.

He was considered as a god with pharaonic powers; blessed with military prowess, fertility, and a protective deity over apotropaic qualities...especially those protecting against the dangers of the Nile.