What if... Walt made a different choice?

Fight even more

Kwai sent a chain of red lightning across the room, knocking over most of the other magicians, including his own followers. Isis must have protected me because the electricity rippled over me with no effect. Amos didn't seem bothered in his swirling red tornado. Anubis stumbled, but only briefly. Even Carter, in his weakened state, managed to turn aside the lightning with his pharaoh's crook.

The others weren't as lucky. Jaz collapsed. Then Julian. Then Felix and his squad of penguins. All our initiates and the rebels they'd been fighting crumpled unconscious to the floor. So much for a massive offensive.

Kwai raised his hands and created his own sandstorm. dozens of whirlwinds spun through the hall, thickening and forming into creatures of sand—sphinxes, crocodiles, wolves, and lions. They attacked in every direction, even pouncing on our defenceless friends.

I cast hasty shied spells on our initiates, first Julian, Then Felix, and his penguins. Then Cleo. Until... Jaz. I was almost finished casting the spell when Kwai noticed me and blasted me with another arc of red lightning. I stumbled, which broke my attention. 

Using this as a benefit, Kwai aimed his staff at Jaz. "Tas!" He yelled, and binds shot out and pulled her in a tight knot. 

"No!" I screamed. I had to do something. It was my fault this happened. I should've realized Kwai had seen me. Now Jaz was going to... She was going to... 

She had saved us once before. I wasn't going to do this to her again.

Kwai sneered at Jaz. "Weak little youngling. Everyone, watch what will happen to you if you dare oppose me. I will swallow the sun, and you cannot cheat destiny. Ha-di!"

"NO!" I screamed like a maniac, but it was no use. She was a good friend to us. She did not deserve this. Yet what was done was done. 
_____________________________________________

"Anubis," Kwai hissed. "You should have stayed in your funeral parlour, boy god. You are outmatched." 

By way of answer, he spread his hands. On either side of him, the floor cracked open. Two massive jackals leapt from the crevices, their fangs bared. Anubis's form shimmered. Suddenly he was dressed in Egyptian battle armour, a was staff twirling in his hands like a deadly fan blade. 

Oh, look, Anubis is fighting. Let's get a good look at this.

Kwai roared. He blasted the jackals with waves of sand. He hurled lightning and words of power at Anubis, but he deflected them with his staff, reducing Kwai's attacks to grey ashes.

 The jackals harried Kwai from either side, sinking their teeth into his legs, while Anubis stepped in and swung his staff like a golf club. He hit Kwai so hard that I imagined it echoed all the way through the Duat. The magician fell. His sand creatures vanished. 

(Somewhere in the background, The Power of Love by Huey Lewis strangely echoed in my ears.)

Anubis called off his jackals. Amos lowered his staff. Carter rose from the rubble, looking dizzy but unharmed. We gathered around the fallen magician.

A death, a promise to Apophis. We are not completely defenceless. Anubis held my hand and whispered the words into my ear. It is not completely hopeless. We can do it.

"Mistake," I told the serpent. "You should never threaten my family." 

"DEATH!" Apophis screamed, emerging from the column of fire with his eyes blazing. 

Bast and Bes—the two greatest friends and protectors we'd ever had—charged to meet Apophis. 

Carter and Sadie Kane, two most powerful magicians to exist in centuries, began the spell.

Once the spell started, it couldn't stop, and neither could my thoughts about anything else. Walt wasn't here to throw camels anymore. Jaz wasn't here to aid us in dire times and provide us with a cool head to think.

"Shortsighted mortals!" Apophis writhed and began to shrink. "You haven't just killed me. You've exiled the gods!"

 The Duat collapsed, layer upon layer until the plains of Giza were one reality again. Our magician friends stood in a daze around us. The gods, however, were nowhere to be seen. 

A ball of fire rolled up from the serpent's neck. The body of Apophis crumbled into sand steaming goo, and Zia Rashid stepped out of the wreckage.

 Her dress was in tatters. Her golden staff had cracked like a wishbone, but she was alive.

Carter ran toward her. She stumbled and collapsed against him, completely exhausted. 
________________________________________________

I was glad to visit the Underworld and be reunited with my mum and dad. At least they weren't off-limits. But I was quite disappointed not to find Anubis there. He had let Walt die, but I've forgiven him for the most part. We just needed to talk. A lot.

About what? I don't know. But I just needed someone to share this with me.

Mum pulled me aside when Carter was talking to Dad... or Osiris. Whoever.

"You've grown strong, Sadie," Mum said. "You've had to be brave for so long, it must be hard for you to let your defences down. You're afraid to lose any more people you care about." 

I was too lightheaded to say anything. So exhausted, just wanted to go home, collapse in my mother's arms and drink some hot chocolate.

"Sadie, Anubis has told us everything. We know what you're facing, Walt's choice, and the backup plan. Don't be afraid of making the wrong choice, Sadie, because you won't. Whatever you choose, we'll be there to... support you."

"What choice?"

"The backup plan. In a few moments, Anubis will probably appear in the far dark corner, and then he'll probably tell you, and then comfort you and give you a kiss and oh, young love, how sweet." Mom smiled at me.

"Mom!"

"But this is all up to you. If there is one thing that I trust about you, it's your heart. Sadie, my daughter." 

There it goes again: sacrifice yourself for the greater good. But what Mum said, about the backup plan? Anubis didn't tell me anything about that. Yet again, he didn't tell me anything he's been conspiring with Walt anyway.

Oh, Walt. Mom pulled me in for a hug, then seemed to remember that she was a ghost and that I can't really touch her. My heart ached at the sight.

She said, "Anubis is here. Go, talk." She pointed to the far corner of the Hall of Judgement. 

Standing there, both hands stuffed into his sky-blue jeans, was none other than Anubis himself.

I walked towards him.

"Sadie," my mother called before I reached a few steps. "Trust your heart." Then she floated to my father and Carter. 

Anubis smiled shyly from underneath his dark locks, and I never saw a brighter smile more alive than the one the god of death just gave me.