Chapter Eleven Part 2 of 3: The Journey home

Map of the Red Sea

Horus, Neith, Serket and Hathor found the route to cross the red sea, with the instruction of Sobek.

They started travel South along the red sea, until they came close to the boarder between modern Egypt and modern Sudan. Here they came close to become far away from the region control by Seth. They cannot get far away from the coast line, moving in land is going into the territory where even the former Apep didn't dare to venture into. That dessert is the land of the dead. When they reach closer to the boarder between modern Egypt and Sudan, as Sobek promised, a small city. This city, belongs to those whom were once of the Apep. A small community of whatever is left of them that didn't return to Egypt, under the promise of Osiris. Hathor, Neith, Serket and Horus, entered the city carefully, they don't know what to expect. However, to the surprise of Hathor, Neith, Serket and Horus the people of this small town is rather friendly, they are not like the Apep that his grandfather Ra, fought. The harsh reality of been defeated by Ra and then suffer defeat in the hand of Osiris, has led changes to the Apep completely and led their further generation to leave the way of the thugs. This community, doesn't want to return to Egypt, their life here might be harsh, but it is fine and they know how things in Egypt become, after the rule of Seth. Originally, they were a community that wanted to return to Egypt under the rule of Osiris, but decided not to do so, foreseen the rise of Seth. These people survive by fishing and camels. They also know trade, travel along the coast of the Red Sea, but they only got one ship, the Apep was driven out of Egypt, before entering the bronze age, relying a stone tool means, making ships are insanely expensive.

Horus, Hathor, Serket and Neith went to meet with the mayor of the city.

"Our ship, is to trade important goods, with society that are South of our land, it is precious cargo. We got over two thousand people living within our town and little room to spare. There is nothing you can offer us in trade." the Mayor said.

"My Lord." Horus said and put a huge bag of wheat onto the floor of the room, in front of the mayor. "And there are even more that we got to offer"

The Mayor took a look at the wheat "This is almost one kilo of food, how could you have that many?" the Mayor said

"We also saw there are lots of sick people in your city, injured. Give us a ride for our journey and we will help them." Serket said

The Mayor fall to his knee, in his eyes, these are not mere human, but gods that walk amount us.

"If you are able to cure those who are sick, we will be forever grateful." the Mayor said

So, it was decided, three kilo of wheat and in addition, one bronze axe, to help make their life easier and Serket would look at those who are wounded, in their hospital. Their witch doctors, can do little for most of them, other then making their life a little bit more comfortable, before they die. For some, Serket was able to use a form of herb to disinfected the wounds, before stitching it up, for others Serket disinfected it with fire, before stitching it up.

There are others, with only one choice, Serket order for people to tied up their leg to stop the blood from floating out of the body and got the patient drunk with beer and tied the patient up and number of men holding him down and with a single blow of the axe, chopped off the leg. Afterwards, the wound was disinfected with fire and herbal leafs.

Not all survive the procedure, some of them live, others died. But Serket warn them the danger of the procedure, beforehand, but, these people know if they do nothing, they are going to die, anyway.

When the ship of the town returned, Hathor, Serket, Neith and Horus jumped onto the boat. It is not a very big ship, only the size of a sail boat. Horus as a proficient sailor volunteer to help in the sailing of the ship, while been aboard. The ship sail along the coast of the Red Sea, passed the east coast of modern Sudan and reached the East coast of modern Eritrea, during the journey the ship made three stops, to make trade with local villages, what these people got to offer in trade, is unique and different, from what Horus have seen. Horus as a trader, was soon to recorded all of these in his journal.

It is during their journey that Horus discover, that Serket and Neith been teaching Hathor to read and write.

"How long has this been going on?" Horus asked

"Since we left Cynopolis." Hathor replied. "I am tire of always been a burden to everybody. Everybody around me, Serket is a witch doctor. Neith is a warrior and educated in maths and some witchcraft, you are a warrior, witch and trader. I can only make bread, only know enough about fighting to handle one or two minor street thugs with the element of surprise, because they expect me to be a complete helpless damsel in distress. I guess I want to be more. I use to be a slave, I want to know more then what a slave could possibly know."

By the time the ship reach a place close to the boarder of modern Sudan and modern Eritrea, the ship made its first full stop and is prepare for repair and resupply. This ship is the common property of four Apep city along the coast of the Red Sea, this city is the second Apep city along the coast. This ship, is their most treasured, it is how they trade and maintain connection with each other. During this period of travel between Eritrea and Yamen, the ship again stopped at two coastal town and trade with them.

After the ship was fixed and resupplied, the ship started to set sail again and continue to travel. When they reached the Southern boarder of modern Eritrea, the ship travel North and reached the west coast of modern Yemen and started travelling North and started travelling along the West coast of modern Yamen, here along the Southern west coast of modern Yamen, is the third Apep city, with a population of four thousand. If the the Apep, to travel further North along the East coast of Yamen, it would reach Persia, which is modern Iran, next to them would be Babylon, which is modern Iraq, Syria, Jordan, Palestine and Israel. At this stage, Horus, Neith, Serket and Hathor got the choice, to leave the ship and travel north along the coast of Yamen, until the reach modern Oman, continue to travel North along the coast of modern Oman and they will reach the Golf of Oman, which would be territory of Persia and then through Persia, take the long route home, but that route to modern Persia along the coast of modern Yamen and modern Omen is not charted. Alternative, they can continue to travel with the ship, until they reach the last city of the Apep, located near territory of modern Saudi Arabia city Jizan. There, Hathor, Horus, Serket and Neith would travel North, until they reach modern Duba, which is where Horus' home is located, but the route between these two pieces of land, is also not charted. However, the reason Horus is able to live on a land, free from the rule of Seth, is also due to that land is not charted, technically speaking, it belongs to the abyss.

After discussion, it was decided to continue with the ship and travel to the location of modern city of Jizan. So, when the ship was once again been resupplied. Horus, Neith, Serket and Hathor, again got onto the ship and start their journey.