"You have arrived safely. For that I am grateful. Sofia seems stable, but she is nowhere near recovering from the reaction." Paul said as they arrived in the temple.

"Francois is out there looking for tracks by the Southern entrance. We saw him at a distance. He did not spot us and we left no tracks to show our route, so we should be safe for the time being." Said John, as he finished his ritual of greeting Paul and the statue of Isis with Marie.
"You killed an entire army?" Martin asked.
"I killed 80 men sent to destroy the temple of Bast, Saska and myself. As for Alexander and his army, they never arrived at the temple, they vanished en-route to Egypt. It was not my doing, his invasion was not to be. His successor Alexander the Great was destined to lead Egypt. His arrival was foretold in the skies for many Centuries before his birth. When he came to Bast's temple to be crowned Pharaoh, I told him some of what was foretold about his destiny. The rest, which was written down during the time of the Triaxial Temple is still stored here. The time for it's release is close at hand, but not yet." Paul replied.
"I understand you have your traditions, but 80 men? Another 36 this year? That's nothing to do with tradition. It's mass murder." Martin said.
"Martin, you do not understand the traditions, you cannot call any of us mass murderers for what we have done in our lifetimes." Marie said.
"No, Marie. To the outside World we are mass murderers, there is no escaping that. No matter how long ago, we were responsible for the deaths of hundreds of men in the name of tradition. It is we who do not understand how the modern world views us. We can no longer do right in the eyes of the World. If we sacrifice a goat we are cruel, make a human sacrifice and we are murderers and cannibals. When we were much younger, the world was different to how it is now, human sacrifice was part of life for every tribe in every country, now it is seen as sacrilige to kill someone. Yet politicians around the world have indulged in sacrificing the lives of a great many more men than even I in the name af freedom. Worse, they willingly sacrifice women in the cause of their beliefs. Are they any worse than we are for what they do? No, but history is written by the winners, and in their eyes we are evil." Replied Paul. Marie pondered his words, watching Martin as he walked around the temple taking in ecerything. Kieran was standing in front of one of the walls studying it intently. "Uncle Paul, if this temple was hidden from the world before my father became High Priest at Amun-Ra's temple, how come he is pictured here with you?" He asked. Paul walked over.
"Kieran, that is not your father pictured with me. That is your Grandfather, Nicklaus, Amun-Ra's first High Priest and my very good friend." He replied.
"I wish he were still alive. When you give up the High Priesthood, is that it? You die soon after?" Kieran asked.
"I do not know. I do not believe your Grandfather wished to die when he did, with your father being still young, but it happened. Being High Priest or Priestess does not give us immunity from death, as Claire's death proves." Paul replied.
"You really loved her, didn't you?" Marie said, walking up to him.
"At least I avenged her death at the hands of Ademus, If only I had left the temple earlier that night, Claire would still be alive and we would not be in this mess we find ourselves in." Paul replied.
"Paul, Sofia is starting to come round, you should be with her." John called over. Paul hurried over, kneeling by his daughter.
"Sofia, do not panic. I am here as I promised you I would be. You must be strong now and fight against the pull of darkness. I am with you Sofia, at all times, you must not give up now." Sofia heard the words, stronger than she had heard the voice before. She recognised it as her father's and struggled to reply to him. Happiness surged through her body as she heard herself speak his name and felt his arms round her, seeing the inside of a temple sh did not recognise. "You must rest now, Sofia. Do not fear sleep, you have won the fight and avenged your mother's death at the hands of Ademus." Paul said, helping her to her feet and across to the quarters.