Draiks and Angels: Deity

22 - Dahabiya

If they were disheveled before, they were filthy now. The High Priest of Thoth offered to let them shower after Satiya talked with the god again, and Satiya gratefully accepted. She sat on the footstool again and was immediately in a vision.

The god appeared and said, "You have done as I asked, and so I bestow the power of Thoth upon the ring around your neck."

A white gem that shimmered like an opal appeared in her sight. It revolved slowly, then swooped down as though to her neck.

Satiya opened her eyes and reached a hand to the collar, feeling the new gem and scalloped edges to the right of Bastet's gem.

"So, what about those showers?" Husani asked hopefully.

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They stayed the rest of the night at the temple of Thoth, before heading to the temple of Nemty. The water that Satiya had conjured was gone, having disappeared when Kek first drained her magic.

"Too bad," Satiya lamented idly, "that took a long time."

Satiya sat on the edge of the pool area with her wings spread straight behind her and began to breathe deeply. Her vision darkened. It was coming faster and faster each time, Satiya noticed.

A man with the head of a falcon appeared before her and said, "To borrow my power, I require you to find my token."

Nemty raised his hand and a black statuette of a falcon with folded wings appeared above it. After a few moments, it and the image of Nemty faded away and the image of the Iteru river appeared.

"Experience in my way. Receive my token. Return here again and I will grant you my gift."

The images faded, and Satiya opened her eyes.

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Satiya and Husani sat on the deck of a dahabiya boat looking out over the waters of the Iteru river. After some debate, Satiya convinced Husani that Nemty meant for her to ride a boat down the river, because he was the God of Ferrymen.

"How will we find the token on a modern boat?" Husani had asked.

"I don't know. But he said to 'receive' the token not 'find' it, so maybe it's different somehow?" Satiya had countered.

So, they used the last of Husani's money that he had received from the Aerie and booked passage on a dahabiya river cruise boat that was headed to the mouth of the river for repairs. There were no other passengers besides the crew, but they would provide some simple meals. Probably the same thing that the staff would be eating. The boat itself was a shallow-bottomed, barge-like vessel, with two sails. It was towed by a diesel-powered tugboat, and had a diesel-powered generator onboard to provide electricity. The generator was not working correctly and that is what they were going in to repair.

"The captain says it will take two days to reach the delta from here," Husani said, making conversation.

"I don't know if that is fast or slow." Satiya replied.

Husani shrugged, "Me neither. Flying is so much quicker."

"This is pretty relaxing, though, just watching the water."

They watched the river roll by for a few silent minutes, then Satiya turned to Husani and asked, "Why don't you tell me something about yourself?"