What if... Walt made a different choice?

My talk with Walt

My conversation with Walt consisted of a few factors.

Before it all went to hell, Walt Stone nearly had a chance to tell me his plan. But he didn't.

To be fair, I wouldn't have listened to him, anyway. Reason?

I had it bad. The constant flood of depression was suffocating my brain: my mother was a spirit. I'd been cut off from Anubis—that horribly frustrating gorgeous god who'd wrapped my heart into knots. Deep down, I'd always known a relationship with him was impossible given our age difference—five thousand years or so—but having the other gods decree him off-limits just rubbed salt in the wound. 

Now to think of Walt as a spirit, out of reach as well—that was simply too much. 

I looked up at him, afraid my bratty behaviour would have made him feel even worse. 

To my surprise, he broke into a smile. Then he laughed. 

"What?" I demanded.

 He doubled over, still laughing, which I found quite inconsiderate.

 "You find this funny?" I shouted. "Walt Stone!" 

"No..." He hugged his sides. "No, it's just...You don't understand. It's not like that."

 "Well, then, what is it like?" 

He got control of himself. He seemed to be collecting his thoughts when his white ibis dived out of the sky. It landed on Philip's head, flapped its wings, and cawed. 

Walt's smile melted. "We're here. The ruins of Saïs." 

That was when the fleeting light went out, and the little puddle of questions grew.

___________________________________________________

Our encounter with the archery goddess wasn't a good one, either. That was the second reason.

Neith hissed through clenched teeth. "Very well. You may go. When Apophis rises, I will fight at your side. But I will not forget how you trespassed on my territory, child of Set. And you—"

 She glared at me. "I lay this hunter's curse upon you: someday you will be tricked by your prey as I have been tricked today. May you beset upon by a pack of wild Jelly Babies!"

 Walt looked distraught.

 "Child of Set?" I narrowed my eyes at Walt. "What exactly—?"

 "Look out!" he warned. All around us, the temple began to crumble. The air rippled as the magic shockwave contracted, transforming the landscape back to present-day Egypt.

 We barely made it to the base of the stairs. The last walls of the temple were reduced to a pile of worn mud bricks, but the shadow of Bes was still visible against them, slowly fading as the sun went down.

 "We need to hurry," Walt said.

 "Yes, but how do we capture it?" 

Behind us, someone cleared his throat.

 Anubis leaned against a nearby palm tree, his expression grim. "I'm sorry to intrude. But, Walt...it's time." 

________________________________________

It's time for what? You ask.

That's what I asked too. The little pool of questions just grew a bit larger.