Enjoying the Freedom.

The breeze reminded James of his freedom. No restrictions, no expectations and no need to dwell on old thoughts and opening the box that Athena had given him watched as the Isu made raven unfolded and now set on his shoulder, “Is this working?” Athena spoke and nodding James nodded expecting as much, “Should have guessed” “It’s not what you think. This will allow me to help locate potential areas to search” “And you can talk to me instead of working!” “And I can’t talk to you instead of working yes. I always did want to explore freely like you now have. At least now I can in some fashion. Plus my insight will be helpful. I can inform you on what to say and what to do…” “Fine. Just let me do the talking.”

“It’s great here, so different” James muttered examining the stores and guards, “This is the oldest Clan of Isu we know. They should be the wisest and best of us but for some reason like us they aren’t United and like to stick to their own set groups. Sekhmet is a blood savage, blinded by blood so be careful” “Everyone has a price for information. What about Sobek?” “He values strength and determination. He personally hunts out the weak! So be strong!” James nodded checking his arrows were intact and shrugging said, “Either an crocodile or Lion… I suppose, if I survive a meeting with Sekhmet, Sobeck would have to respect that. I’m guessing by the lion statues it’s this way!”

“Wow!” Athena spoke from the raven as they saw the massive temple and flying above him called down, “She’s in” James nodded continuing along the path until four guards stood in his way, “Halt, what are you doing here Human!” “I’m a Isu hybrid, grandson of Hades and Persephone!” “Aaah those pretenders. You god of wisdom is nothing more than a little girl stuck under her fathers thumb!” the guard spoke and laughing James replied, “Tell me about it. I was foolish enough to fall in love with her but she turned me down, I guess because I don’t have a big beard, a small brain and lightning bolts I had no chance” the guard laughed and offering out a drink from his flask James offered out the documents as well, “Here take this. Your ale tastes like Sand. Also the documents; I am actually on business. Each Clan signed up for an agreement to share knowledge and a representative be chosen. No one has so I will be the representative” “You! From the South?!” “Who hates the South yes, I will find the missing knowledge, bring it back to Athena or whoever wants to study it and send copies to each clan” he drank another mouthful from the flask and nodding stopped James from moving, “A few moments, Sekhmet is just finishing another meeting” there was an scream from the woman in the temple beyond him and offering out his hand the guard spoke, “Asim” “James!” “So you are the representative” James nodded before leaning against the wall whilst waiting for Sekhmet to finish, “Yes. I’m deemed not important so if I die who cares, personally I get to explore the civilisations and be away from that hellhole it’s a win-win” “So Zeus is your high king?” “To them yes, me no but considering I am a nobody it’s irrelevant what I think!” James took a drink from the flask he was sharing and seeing the body get carried past them Asim advised, “Show confidence and you will live!”

“Goddess Sekhmet, let me introduce to you…” Asim spoke until James said interrupting him, “I can do it myself. My name is James” “James?! Is that it? No title nothing?” Sekhmet growled and shrugging James said, “Why use a title when it’s irrelevant to the conversation?” Sekhmet growled feeling her patience already being tested and staring at her James said, “If you are going to eat me then do it. You know it’s rude to play with your food!” Sekhmet fell back in her seat and laughing to Asim’s joining laughter at that James had challenged her she said, “So James of whatever you are. Clearly by the faint lines you are either Greek or Roman. The younger Clans. What are you doing here challenging me?” “I’m not challenging but I have a document that informs you that I am the United realms explorer; I find lost knowledge or artefacts get it deciphered and send a copy to each of your realms leading figures” she got up and walking around him, circling him like he was prey he heard her lips lick as she came up behind him and whisper into his ear, “So what do you want me for?” James chuckled feeling her whiskers brush against his neck and holding up the image she took it being careful that her claws didn’t go through the parchment, “Book of Thoth, impossible it has been missing for centuries” “Now I know you have been around for a lot longer than us but the South thrives for new technological advancements. We have conducted a sweep and found an cave buried in the sands the problem is… the scans are rough and everywhere has sand” she shrugged before studying the image captured laughed before saying, “Near the mountains. To the West of here, but that’s about it. Have fun digging.” “I’m free to go? No nibble or anything” James asked, “You amuse me that’s why I want you to return to me after you have found it. Call it an update on your progress” James nodded and shrugging Asim joked, “She’s likes you. Go to Sobeck, it’s more his area; he can help” James nodded and taking his leave said, “Come on Athena let’s go!”

“That was mean what you said!” “About who? Zeus? Well he deserved it!” “No, me!” “It’s called playing to the crowd. Something you never have to worry about” “I suppose. I think it hurts because it’s sort of right” “Maybe so but you didn’t need to hear it. So let’s move on. Was Sekhmet off to you or is it just me?” “Well yeah she’s a lion. You see they believe in mutation and adaptation. Take the best parts of animals and place it in their bodies. Continued over exposure to this and bam… they are all like this” “I was on about personality wise!” “Probably, I wasn’t really listening” “Thanks! I’m guessing the other direction is Sobeks dwellings.”

“Ready?!” James asked Athena who responded that it didn’t matter on her behalf James’ eyes rolled walking once in, to be greeted by an oversized crocodile on two legs stare at him, “Who are you?” the crocodile ordered, “James, I represent the joint project that all the clans have signed to find missing artefacts and share the information onto each group” “A human like you do this? You should be working the fields or hunting for your family. Not this. You Human’s aren’t tough enough to deal with this type of work!” “Funny enough Sekhmet thought the same when I met her!” “Wait! Wait! Wait! You survived a meeting with Sekhmet during this time of the year? How did you manage it?” “Just stood there stern but respectful and a few jokes to show I was a guy who could be more friendly if she preferred it!” he laughed before saying, “No I… never mind. What is it that you seek!” James showed him the images of the book and the scan Sobek got up to study his own map of the area asked, “the Lost Book of Thoth. Why?” “Just an item on the list. I don’t make the list, I just find them!” Sobek sighed and pointed to the points that matched the scan asked, “How do you know it’s here?” “Southern technology scanned the area and found a cave. If it’s not this it’s still going to be interesting to find what is in the buried cave” Sobek nodded and pointing to his guards said, “Order a exploration party. Let’s show good faith to the Southern counterparts. Get the book but leave everything else. It’s technically mine!” James nodded before asking, “Agreed but could you do your own studying of the items and send it to Athena. I’m sure she would love to see what you have found out!” he nodded before dismissing him said, “Go, now if you don’t mind I have stuff to do!”

Weeks later and watching the next set of sand from the location Athena spoke from the Crow, “Update?” “We has found the top of a cave. A few more metres and I can crawl in” “Good. Any issues?” “Nope, Sobek just wants whatever else is in there and has promised to send his own report to you of the findings on the items” “Good. Good. Great work. Just… please be careful. Who knows what is in there” he nodded before adjusting his gear said, “Going in light. Just shirt, shield knife, rope and torch. The shield is just to cover an potential threats” “I will go in with you and scan ahead” James grunted and studying the hole muttered, “Thankfully I’m not a fat guy. Let’s go!”

“I’m not picking anything up!” Athena spoke and hearing her giggle when James fell hard to the floor and finding the torch James coughed whilst lighting it, “I think I swallowed sand. *cough cough* right where now?!” James took an hesitant step forward before hearing Athena’s encouragement to push ahead, “What does it all mean?” James muttered studying the images and hieroglyphs, “It’s going to take some time but my people are already working on translations. But this looks like a temple dedicated to Thoth. One of the smartest Isu ever known, even if he was considered mad with some of his prophecies” “So this… so this could be a secret temple that none of the Isu here knew about and were never likely to find due to the lack of investment to advanced technology” “Possibly. Making a note of the Idea. Go straight!”

Twenty minutes later and dodging the set off traps James heard a cheer from Athena who said, “Should be behind the next door” “Um… Athena, there is an lock blocking it” “What?!” “Yes the size of an handprint. Should I?” “No! Don’t be stupid. Look on the right side and I will look to the left” James grunted by agreeing studied the area seeing the vast images questioned, “Is this clan symbols?” “What do you mean?” “Well look… a pyramid; that’s here. A Hammer, the north I presume? Lightning bolt that’s the South, eagle that’s our neighbours; Jupiter etc., a crow… that’s Morrigan; so it must be the East…” “Yes of course. But none of us knew of this place! What could it possibly mean?” “Behind the door will tell us!” James muttered, Don’t you dare!” James ignoring it put his hand on the door and seeing the door swallow his hand he groaned, “Shit!” “Told you!” she snapped back, “James! James!” Athena cried but seeing the man frozen his nose bled as his cried out almost in a wail, “James! James! Answer me!” Suddenly the lock released him and slumping through the door he fell into the room that the torches now automatically lit, “James what happened!” “I… I saw” “What?” “Burning. Death, a solution maybe Thoth going mad from what he knew. A job… no prophecy” “Speak sense” Athena snapped but ignoring her James studied the engraved markings, “Wow. I’m going to scan the images from her and try to translate it. You get the book!” James picked the book up and opening it saw how the images on the walls lit up Athena moaned in pleasure seeing the texts she could now see. James however stopped and seeing the images nearest to him asked, “Athena… something I never asked. Why was this the first book on the list?” “A raven told me of its infinite wisdom, something that in the right hands could help us all! Why?” James took an pen and studying the images continued to ignore Athena’s questions and dotting down with sketches what he saw, stopped when Athena had enough and projected herself from the raven and snapped, “Now stop and tell me what you are thinking!” “Looking sexy Athena” James teased and giggling annoyed at herself that he had got through her defences asked, “What is it?” James pushed the torch holder to the side and showing the image said, “Lannister’s logo. This is my mum with me. The next image is my rejection by you; see you are an owl. This one here is… you guessed it right now” Athena nodded and studying the next few asked, “Why is Ragnarok depicted here and this explosion? Are humans rioting? What did your future self do?” “Doesn’t mean I am the cause. Could be a witness or trying to find a solution during this. What’s this?” Athena stared at the images and seeing how one was spilt into several smaller images, “Too show no matter what happens your fate remain the same. It leads to what? What is that you are drinking here? And is that you leading a group away. To where? Who are they?” “From the split image the question is who are they?” “Is that me?” Athena pointed and shrugging James grumbled, “Doesn’t matter; it’s fate or something, either way it’s always going to happen. So I might as well be surprised. I got the book. I will pop back to Sekhmet and head back. Just… don’t tell anyone about this stuff!”

Surprisingly he was let immediately back in the temple of Sekhmet but seeing see was nowhere to be seen, James continued through the halls that lead off from the throne hall. James continued along the hall before stopping heard a voice call to him. “James” James turned around and seeing the Isu queen look over James muttered as the water fell from her fur, “That answers my question!” “What question?” “If fur covered the entirety of your body or not” she chuckled and not bothering to cover herself asked, “Happy now?” James gulped but tearing his eyes from the curious sight replied, “Came to say I found the book… you know the one you wanted to read first!” “Book? Book! Oh yeah. I don’t actually want to look at it, I just wanted to know if you succeeded or not” “Oh…. We’ll yeah. I did. Just a question… why did you care?” she smiled before licking her lips leapt at him, taking him down and growling with lustful eyes she purred, “Because you are my prey!”

“Wait what?!” James called and digging her claws into the flesh on his skin she licked her lips before launching herself at his lips, biting at them as her tongue battled to enter his mouth, “Oh… that type of prey” James muttered fighting back the pain she tore at his trousers and forcing the cock inside snapped, “Get it hard now!” James nuzzled into her chest found the sensation weirdly pleasurable, she groaned and rocking her lips back and for rapidly James responded with, “You are doing this all wrong you know!” “Don’t tell me how to breed human!” James groaned rolling his eyes before crying out as she dug her claws into his back moaned then head falling back she growled feeling herself unleash her warm substance over his cock but not stopping until he had done the same continued riding out her orgasm until feeling him return the favour she panted feeling the heat inside her calm and eyes widening seeing the blood pour out from his body she gasped feeling herself be thrown to her knees, “James I’m sorry. It’s just my heat cycle” she cried when she felt her head be pulled, forcing her to look back James muttered entering once again, “Time to show you how to do it properly. Just no more claws!” she groaned and supporting her body weight as he thrusted into her she nodded accepting the “breeders” dominance acknowledging he would be her breeder, for this litter at least.

“So that’s what she meant by eating me all up” James joked watching as Sekhmet sat up her towel wrapped around her body, “I again apologise. Unfortunately as we took the best parts of the animals we also inherited the negative parts. The heat season irritates me the most. I thought it stopped the older I got” “But you don’t get older. You are stuck in the same age” she sighed looking down but confessing she said, “Most don’t even surviving the breeding process. Saying that most of them were humans or young Isu” “And I have been modified to have my durable skin that heals quickly” she nodded standing up to stretch and reaching for her outfit she froze when the young man pondered half in shock, “So… I’m going to be a father! Fuck, didn’t expect that responsibility when I can’t even keep a girlfriend” “Oh… you have another?” James shook his head and summarising the story he explained, “We look down at Hybrids in the south, I fell in love with Athena; a virgin and the lead Isu of knowledge in the southern realm. Zeus found out and said no. I pleaded for Athena to stand up to him for US and she didn’t. She broke up with me and never even tried to talk me afterwards; ‘it was for the best’ shit excuses” Sekhmet nodded before shrugging said, “If it helps in our lands you are technically my consort and unofficial husband. Don’t worry too much about the children, I have slaves to take care of them and it won’t be anymore than four, hopefully” “I will visit them and that’s a 100% promise!” she nodded handing him his shirt but changing her mind she snarled seductively, “One more for the road!”