Valley of the Gods
One whole Chicken, Golden bees wax, White Swan Feather, Stir in fast! A touch of Moon sand to make it Rise, A Phoenix is born when the comet flies! The Bruja worked alone saying the incantation while stirring her caldron. Her name was Rose 🌹 who ran a funeral Parlor in the small shadowy village among the black hills. The spell she found was written on parchment paper inside an old vase handed down by her Grandmother. How old it was, she did not know, as the instructions said the conjuring of a Phoenix bird can only be performed during a meteorite shower or the passing of a comet ☄️ This indeed was the night just before Halloween that the transformation would take place. She wasn’t expecting such a dramatic endeavor as the bubbling brew hissed of crackling magnetic sand.. She added the Chicken last letting the ingredients simmer until the consistency was plunged in. It worked like a charm as soon as it hit the hissing moon water it transformed while the flying comet 💫 soared through the night sky’ She wasn’t expecting such a large bird as the fire from the caldron rose up around her feathers coloring them in red hot flames’ She squealed with delight as she opened her majestic wings displaying rebirth & renewal’ This was the second time she tried the spell’ Her first time had been successful although the creature had flown away, as the spell warns not to forget a hawking glove to be worn for the sorcery to work’ The scroll 📜 inscribed that a Phoenix rising out from moon ashes will be faithful to its master where it needs a suede glove to identify with’ This time she wore the glove, stretching it out upon her arm for it to land’ She swooped down looking the Sorcerous in the eye’ It’s eyes were a piercing gold while her wings burned with bright embers’ She had plans for the splendid creature, she would take her to The Valley of the Pharaohs in Egypt. There she would use the flames of winged fire to awaken the dead’ Concealing the bird for the airplane with a cover 🥀 Rose took a passenger plane to the land of where she planned to awaken a very ancient spirit’ The arid air welcomed her as she carried the covered bird cage off the plane’ To her surprise she found herself in a unfamiliar spot as there wasn’t an airport in clear sight’ The only life she could see among the blowing sand was an old man riding a donkey’ She thought she was in the wrong place as she swirled around to watch her plane taking off’ As the donkey 🫏 came near she could ask’ Where is the airport? The rider shook his head acknowledging that he didn’t understand her words’ Realizing that she was stranded he motioned for her to sit upon the burrow’ She hadn’t a choice, she thought as he pulled her up’ The hot sun was overwhelming as he offered her water until the sun finally sank making it much cooler’ Finally she could see the lights of a small town, although they were not electric lights but burning torches’ As they rode through the dusty streets Rose 🌹 slowly realized that something strange had occurred’ Mysterious it was that their weren’t any automobiles around, feeling as if she had slipped back in time’ The donkey stopped as the old man indicated her ride had ended’ Thanking him with a head shake Rose 🥀 found herself in front of a Palace’ Standing under the torch light were two guards dressed in plumed helmets of royalty’ She didn’t speak a word of Arabic as she planned on hiring an interpreter where now there wasn’t any’ The night sky had turned into inky cold as she desperately needed shelter’ Approaching the flames of the burning torches she came face to face with one guard’ His charcoal lined eyes stared into hers’ Seeing that she was vulnerable he let her into palace grounds’ It was a large clay house with surrounding fountains with little vegetation’ Setting the bird cage down at the fountain she lifted the covering’ The bird had gone for a long time without food or water, yet she endured well’ Setting him down by the water, he drank ruffling his giant feathers’ Feeding nuts & raisins until she resumed her strength’ Scooping up water for herself refreshed her spirits’ A desert owl hooted in the distance, as she heard the shuffling of footsteps’ What are you doing on my grounds? Rose 🥀 turned from the water facing a young boy wearing the tunic of royalty’ How can you know my language? I havnt even spoken yet? I know many things, that’s why I’m Pharaoh. You must be truly magical young King’ The boy smiled saying that he was. He studied her for awhile, noticing the Gold winged bird standing next to the woman sitting by the fountain’ And what do you have here? An ancient gift from the Gods! You could say that, he’s my creation’ Creation! The Gods must have brought me a Sorcerous! Rose 🥀 laughed while taking the bird onto her gloved arm’ Won’t you be my guest? I want to learn more about your magic power! Going inside a warm house felt heartwarming as the room had many couches with a warm fire that took the chill off her tired bones’ The young King ushered her to a wooden table. You must be hungry, clapping his hands he called his slaves. A slave girl appeared from a beaded curtain bringing a bowl of fruits & a pitcher of milk. The figs were delightful as the bird liked them too’ Sitting next to her he asked what kind of bird was it? It’s a magical bird I created during the fallen comet☄️ Oh it is a gift of the Gods! Maybe Horus 🤔 Where are you parents? The boy King laughed, They disappeared that’s why I’m King! Do You live all alone? I rule all the Land, I am the heart of all my people in the land of Punt’ Punt? The land of incense, frankincense & Myrrh, trees used in funerary ceremonials’ Rose thought for a moment that the Earth must have changed its persimmon arch during the meteorite shower’ What year is this? You ask what cycle the Sun is I think. Yes. It is the 18 Dynasty, I have no knowledge of years’ You ask many questions for a traveler, we shall talk more when the ball of fire ignites for a new day’ Now I must sleep’ The boy clapped his hands to bring his slave. See to it she gets a room’ Instructing the servant his wish, the young King went to his chambers. Rose 🥀 followed the slave girl to one of the many rooms where it had an atrium where she placed the bird upon a tree limb. Sitting on the bed Rose thought about the number 18 having a past memory of a room she had lived as a young woman. She stayed in room 17, across from room 18. The room across the hall had a similar looking boy who was a child a few years younger. He lived there with his parents who were distant, as she could hear him crying very loudly sounding as if he were up in space. The sound echoed through the hall where children his age gathered to see just who owned the powerful voice. They were waiting at the door excited to get a peek at who had moved in. The crying stoped with the other children who visited the boy. One day their was music playing too loud from the room. Upon knocking at the door, Rose found the boy standing very strong looking, with the stature of young man. Where are your parents? The child stood motionless. Your MaMa? He opened his door showing an empty room with a loud music box. He then shut the door while the music softened. The following week the family moved out. His face a faded memory, yet resembling the young king. Rose thought something did travel to & from on the roof as it had sounds of running footsteps while spirits rapped on the walls. She thought this while tucking into the papyrus sheets. Outside a jackal howled startling the golden bird. The night ended with the gold ball of the sun as if it were a new flame 🔥 enlightened the Earth. Everything felt so solid as if everything that had been created had been snuffed out. The stillness of each hour became like a silent film while the valley felt like a cradle of a new civilization. A knock upon the door brought in the slave girl who brought clean clothes to wear after a bath. The bath was a warm pool where soaps were made of scented shea butter & coconut oil’ A scarab beetle crawled across the tiled floor. The bird swooped down taking it as a prize scaring the slave girl out of the room. Clothing herself in the robes brought to her Rose stepped out to find the young king sitting in the kitchen. Another servant was cooking over a stone stove making bread 🍞 Please, have bread with me while the day renews. The meal of fresh bread was served along with quail eggs, cereal & plums using wooden eating utensils & ceramic plates. Glasses were ceramic as well as food containers held juices of lemons & oranges. I have a whole field of sugar cane workers, the king said as he offered sugar for the cereal. I should like to see more of your palace. The women smiled while the boy king didn’t know what to call her. He chewed on a piece of sugar cane in deep wonderment. Your wondering what my name is? Yes, he nodded. I am Rose 🥀 widow of a Count. What is widow? It means that the man I had married had passed leaving me the sole survivor. And what name is your given title? I am king Tutan, son of Amenhotep lV. Leading her over to a wall he pointed to a relief with the emboss of a family under the rays of the sun. Studying its character Rose was able to see that he had a lovely family that ended unexpectedly. Tutan! Will you show me the grounds of your palace today? Here in the Valley we have only the plantation fields & Temple to offer prayers. If you’d like I’d show you the ceramics & clothing & soap shop that lye in a cave underneath the Temple. I’d like that very much. Together the new friends strolled down the avenue that led to the temple. They walked past the barren places where in the future would stand the pyramids that the young King was proof that they did exist. The temple was whitewashed in Calcareous where inside the prayers of the sacred daughters of the Nile danced in white kalasiris dresses while priests lit offerings of incense. The roof was open as the prayers were made to the Sun God who could unite with them by its beam of gold sunlight. Dancers & shaved skull headed priests gathered around the king in amazement at the gold bird perched upon Roses gloved hand. They asked how she had created such a creature while Tutan told through a incantation from far away. She explained to Tutan how she found a scroll that said the conjuring of the bird would awaken a mummy bringing an end to death & suffering. You must show her the funerary chamber where she could learn our ways of preserving the body, preparing it for the afterlife! One of the priests insisted. Together they walked in silence down the steps into a damp room where sitting in the middle was a glowing rock of a strange formation. What is that your heinous? It is a most sacred object fallen from the heavens that fell the same night of my parents disappearance. Touching the stone with her palm Rose could feel its icy texture that emitted a thin cloud of mist. It glistened among the torches burning on the walls. When it fell it scorched the ground of fire while it burned for days until it grew cold. Because of my parents disappearing the night it fell I insisted it to be moved to this chamber & used as an embalming table. This is our embalming room. Rose looked around to see large vats of bubbling liquid used in the cleansing preparation. I understand the art of embalming she said as a body was being carried inside that had made an appointment with the afterlife. A group of doctors worked at dressing the body that lye upon the mysterious stone from space. The young king motioned for Rose to move to the next chamber. A smaller room were many tables that had to her surprise animals that were being mummified! Walking to one table she could see a cat wrapped up in the garments they believed preserved a body from decay. Tutan smiled as he told how animals held souls such as humans. He then led her to a underground river where a boat was waiting with a masked oarsman who was there to take the departed souls to the afterlife. Walking down into another chamber there were tombs aligned that all had a small opening in the rock. A soul has to depart through the hole, if it wasn’t important enough to travel to the afterlife, the boy king explained. There are more tombs embedded in the high cliffs outside where if desired a Ba is placed inside the tomb to take the soul to the heavens. These tombs are for the rich, as my ancestors of former kings are buried there. What is a Ba? A vulture bird that takes the soul after one day after the body is sealed in, flying the following day out through a hole carved especially for the bird, such as yours. Your parents are not buried there? No, their bodies were never found, only my Grandparents are there. The boy looked down feeling a loss. They walked back up past the river Tutan called Styx because he said the oarsman was a skeleton consisting of boney sticks. I wish we could go there, I’d like to see the afterlife. It is not allowed’ I have an idea, what if I preform a ritual with my bird upon the rock that fell from space. Maybe it could bring your parents back’ Seeing my parents again would be something I never imagined’ Going back to the Temple a meal was served of fish from the Red Sea with Modak potatoes & papaya juice. The group of priests, priestesses, & king sat down at the table holding hands blessing the food. Rose bowed her head while her bird was perched on a chair waiting for a portion of fish Rose shared’ What is needed for the ritual? The priests asked. All that is needed is a cup of sand from a ancient burial site while I say the words written on the scroll’ The elder priest instructed a servant to bring sand from the catacombs while they would prepare for the ritual’ The servant returned within an hour while they sipped chamomile tea. The priest looked inside the bag of graveyard dirt & moaned a sigh of exclamation’ The King looked in the sack & also became concerned. I said to bring just the Earth! Not a whole hand! Rose 🥀 looked in the sack seeing he had taken a hand clutching a cup of Earth as if he had died that way. It’s alright, I think the ritual will be more powerful with the entire hand! Taking the sack downstairs she placed it upon the giant asteroid. King Tutan followed her into the room lighting candles preparing for the ceremony. The hand lye with the sand where his fingers still wore rings after death. Tutmak stood admiring the jewels while the assembled coven of priests & priestesses entered the room wearing darker robes maroon colored. The gold bird was placed upon the alter of the fallen rock. Rose chanted the said words of the spell. Sands of Eternity, from an old Mummy’s hand, I speak the words, for the return of woman & Man’ A King & a Queen, lost long ago, Who needs the Phoenix to make it so! The eyes of the Phoenix turned red as the bird grew power lifting up the heavy stone’ It turned on its side standing in the air looking more like a portal’ While the bird hovered over the stone a vision slowly appeared upon its surface. It was blurry at first, then focused into the face of the boy king’s parents. Looking down they could see their child, calling out to him’ Is that you Tutan? Mother! Is it truly you? Yes my son, how we have missed you! Where did you go? We were crushed from a fallen pillar in the temple in Thebes when the earth shook around us, dear son, we perished’ His father spoke. Oh I’ve been made King after so many days! The boy cried tears as the three spoke through the meteorite. It swirled in colors as the magic resurrection had worked. Who is this lady with you? Rose stepped out from the circle of praying robed beings. She is the lady responsible for this conjuring! She brought a magical bird with golden wings! Then she shall be rewarded for this is something serendipitous for our departed souls have missed the Land of the Pharaohs’ What is it you wish Sorcerous of wisdom? Rose looked around at the room full of incarcerated beings feeling as if she would never forget this experience. Then speaking to the slab of illuminated mystery she said, I want to return home. Then you must come with us, we will find a way. The boy king appeared sad at her request, knowing he would miss her presence. Rose turned to Tutan, kissing him on his cheek, while he cried in disbelief. Speaking to him, she told him that he could keep the bird in order to speak with the oracle. He shook his head in understanding’ I think you can find the words to utter when placing the ancient sands’ Goodbye my friend, Rose then stepped through the barrier disappearing with the mystery. Until we are summoned again, Goodbye dear son. The image faded as the bird rotated the disc horizontally setting it back down’ The glove he needed to call the bird lye upon the floor. Tutan slipped on the glove calling over his new creature. The golden bird obeyed resting upon his shoulder. Rose fell into a deep sleep while someone was shaking her to awaken. Startled she found herself back in the air on the airplane. A face that resembled the old man on the donkey was sitting next to her. We’re about to land via the airport! He said as she could see out the window her familiar homeland. Clutching something in her hand, she found a strange ring of a scarab beetle. Inscribed were the words, Each day, A scarab beetle rolls the Sun across the sky creating a new dawn. Tears streamed in her eyes at the remembrance of her pet Phoenix devouring the beetle. It hadn’t been a dream, as the bird had left an offering. Looking out the plane window, she let the clouds decide.
