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[Sheb]

We could find a red rag for awesome torero moves.

[RAM]

Ammut is too awesome to kill! We could try some form of incapacitation...

Call to the place Ammut is guarding for assistance. And loot that silver blade...

[Digital Hellhound]

You decide fighting this thing wouldn't be worth the effort, and might anger the Egyptian survivors. Better just get past it somehow.

There seems to be no obvious route out of the clearing, the void spreading everywhere around you. However, there is another spot like the one you entered the clearing from behind Ammut, most likely the way to Aaru. Shame you didn't go there while Ammut was busy with the Seraphim.

You pick up the fallen blademaster-angel's sword, for some reason, and take a few cautious steps towards Ammut. She shows no reaction, until your third step.

With speed out of place in such a huge creature, it leaps high into the air and opens it's jaw wide. You jump well clear of where you think she will land, but Ammut changes direction in mid-air and slams into you with devastating force. The force of impact sends you crashing down into the dusty ground. Ammut roars in triumph above you, obviously enjoying the moment.

But you're far from done and spring up. The creature's finishing move slams into the ground instead, and she snarls, her kill so abruptly stolen. You're already running towards the exit from the clearing, though, and know Ammut's not going to be fast enough. She launches herself into another leap, but you're already touching the exit spot.
Just as suddenly as you entered the clearing, you're gone from it.
 
The way to Aaru is normally long and perilous, but now the dangers are gone, the guardians missing. You drift up the path until you arrive at the Gates of Aaru.
The fifteen gates are now open, though. The demons guarding them are there, and draw strange, curved knives as you approach. A crowd of miscellanous lesser Egyptian gods, pharaohs and the souls of those who have reached Aaru stand behind them at the border of Aaru and look at you with a mixture of weariness and curiousity.
 
The demon guards suddenly put down their knives and stand down. The rest of the Egyptians suddenly seem a lot more active, listening to some unheard voice.
There is a flash of light, and tall, green-skinned man clad in white robes and a crown appears, smiling faintly. Osiris.
 
' Guide. You have gotten past the Council's killers and... past Ammut, an impressive feat. You must be Yggda, the leader of these new Psychopomps, then. Have you come to offer your aid?'

[dragnar]

"I come both to offer aid and ask it in return. The council must be stopped before they grow any stronger, and all the pantheons will need to work together to drive them off."

[Sheb]

"I come both to offer aid and ask it in return. The council must be stopped before they grow any stronger, and all the pantheons will need to work together to drive them off."

[nbonaparte]

"I come both to offer aid and ask it in return. The council must be stopped before they grow any stronger, and all the pantheons will need to work together to drive them off."

[quip]

"I come both to offer aid and ask it in return. The council must be stopped before they grow any stronger, and all the pantheons will need to work together to drive them off."

[Digital Hellhound]

' I come both offering aid and asking it in return. You have witnessed the Council's strenght first-hand - we cannot allow it to grow yet even stronger. All of the existing pantheons must work together to drive them off before it's too late.' you reply immediately.

Osiris, to your surprise, simply nods. ' Yes, I agree. But as you have no doubt already seen, the Council's troops await outside. If we leave, they will surely attack, and take the souls of our dead. I cannot allow that to happen.' he pauses, sighing 'The others have fled back into the Stream, I fear. Only us, the gods of Duat, remain. And unless the Council's forces are destroyed, we cannot leave.'

' I do not think they will be able to field a sizeable force any time soon, Osiris.' you chuckle, remembering the Infernal hordes. ' You could easily drive them off.'

Atleast for a little while. You fear that even the might of the Infernals will not be enough to defeat the Council's new armies.

' You are sure of this? Then, perhaps... I will gather the rest of us and ask for their opinion. Perhaps an attack is in order.' Osiris says, surprise clear on his face.

You realize you don't actually know the real strenght of the Council's forces here. Even though they most likely cannot bring in reinforcements, the Egyptian counter-attack might still fail. Twelve gods and their servants is pretty good, though. You can't say. Bringing in your own Guides could balance things out in your favor, but their numbers are low enough as it is.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

[EGYPTIAN PANTHEON RELATIONS INCREASED BY +20!]

[RAM]

This is already a war, they need some experience fighting these angelic armies, and the Egyptians would be valuable allies.

[nbonaparte]

If possible, slip past the Council troops in the Stream and bring in the other guides while the Egyptians begin the attack.

[RAM]

Also, this is an important strategic battle. If we can show the Pantheons that the Angels were defeated even after the other Egyptians fled then we can use it to demonstrate that fleeing wasn't the wise choice. Regardless of the truth of the matter...

[Digital Hellhound]

Right, you need the Egyptians on your side alive and full-strenght, as far as they can be such right now. Even if that means a few casualties on your side. Best to minimize them, though.

' Osiris, I have a plan, if you'd care to listen.' you say to the god, currently talking with one of the lesser ones. He turns around, looking thoughtful.
' Let's hear it, then.' he beckons you to speak.

' I'm no general, but unless you've got something else, this will have to do. I will leave now to our base of operations, and rally my troops. In the meantime, you will prepare for battle. At my signal - I'll send a messenger or come personally - you will engage the Council army, hopefully driving them outside the palace, or atleast to it's outer levels. Don't take any chances - if their lines won't break, feel free to retreat - within reason, of course.' you pause, trying to gauge his reaction. Osiris simply nods slowly, and you continue. 'Then, once their troops are locked in fighting with you, I'll bring my Guides out of the Stream and strike into their rear. They'll have absolutely nowhere to go. It will be a slaughter.
Simplified, you'd be the anvil, and we'd be the hammer.'

' I suppose so... but it sounds like we could lose much of our army in this battle. I do not know what Horus and the others will think. But perhaps that is a matter to be considered later. I think... we will begin preparations immediately, Guide. Together we will triumph.' Osiris answers after a long pause. The lesser gods and servants around him scatter, most likely going to spread the word.

They're going to take casualties, that's true without doubt. The Egyptians will do most of the work here. With your low numbers, that's the only way it can go, really. As long as the gods survive, though, finding more troops and followers shouldn't be too hard.

Do you wish to leave for your base now, change a part of the plan or do something else here?

[Ottofar]

To the base then.

[Sheb]

To the base.

[Digital Hellhound]

((As this update will most likely be tl;dr, I'm summarizing it at the bottom.))
 
You say your farewells and quickly head out and slip into the Stream. You wish you could re-enter realms at any point as well, not just leave them so.

The journey to the city-world is quiet and uneventful. Only a few are using the Stream at the moment, it seems.

Again, you exit the Stream and find yourself next to the same skyscraper. It takes you a while to remember the layout of the city correctly again in the darkness of the night, but soon you move out, heading for your headquarters.

You land gracefully on the yard of the house. Inside, the house looks pretty much the same as before, though it is much quieter now in night-time. Most Guides don't sleep much, though, and you head downstairs confident you will find the Valkyries still working.

As you reach the bottom of the stairs, however, no-one is anywhere to be seen. The portal stands at the end of the room. The doorway seems much more solid now, and you think you can smell fresh grass from the other side. The portal's location in the realm seems to have changed though, now standing to overlook an impressive-looking mountain range bathing in the morning light.
 
As you watch, two Valkyries suddenly appear from seemingly nowhere, and, in a blink, appearing right in front of the portal. The next moment they're in the basement with you.
You guess time moves faster there.
 
' It is finished, as you can see. These mortals work surprisingly fast.' the first Valkyrie says, recognizing you on sight. ' Hrist is still inside, but we can fetch her for you, if you wish.'
 
' Tell her to be upstairs in five. Is Vogarm awake?' you say, and upon the Valkyrie nodding her answer, turn to leave.
 
The upper floors seem to be much more awake and active, filled with Guides and mortals from Vogarm's sisters' organization. You find Vogarm in the same room as before, reading some papers. The room is covered in piles of records and papers, and you're suddenly fortunate you haven't been handling all this paperwork.
 
' I need everyone you can get armed and ready as soon as possible.' you say immediately. No point delaying it anyhow. Vogarm seems equally surprised at seeing you and hearing this, and simply stands there eyes wide. You continue. ' I have much to tell you, but we need to get that underway as soon as possible. Have any of our guides been given any training at all?'
 
Vogarm finally snaps out of his stupor, and fortunately doesn't question anything. ' I've had the more experienced ones training them for a couple of weeks now, but they barely know how to hold a sword without chopping their own heads off. They're nowhere near a working military unit.'
 
' They will have to do. They'll be fighting with minds full of vengeance  in any case. The Council will soon regret the day they decided to go to war with us.'
 
Vogarm shrugs, using the runes in the table to apparently send messages to the Guides. Before he's done, Hrist barges in, and you wave her silent as she starts asking questions. Once both are silent, you begin.
 
' First things first; two of the Essenceborn have promised their aid - they all have different opinions. I've also recruited the Winged Serpent... or well, convinced him to come fight the Council. I don't know if he'll come work with us at all.' you pause, and Vogarm and Hrist voice their very low opinion of the Serpent. You can't help suppress a smile.
' Now, this is important. As I left their realm, I was attacked by Za... an angel I've encountered before. In the Stream. The Council's constructing... engines of war, from the souls they've captured. They can force someone out of the Stream, and wherever they want them. And these things are tough in combat, as well.'
 
Hrist mouths 'that's impossible' to which you shake your head. If only.
 
' Good news is... or well, news is I managed to escape, and fled to the Infernal realm. The angel... followed me. The Infernals reacted.. badly. In short, I met with the Morningstar, who went on to lead the Legions of Hell in an attack on the Silver City itself. I do not know how they will fare, but I doubt it will be a victory for them.'
' After that, I headed for the Egyptian pantheon's palace, and found the gates broken open and the palace in ruins. Most of their pantheon had fled, but some remained in the Underworld, protecting their souls. And that's why I need everyone ready. We're going there and helping them clear their realm from the Council's troops.'
 
Should you talk/ask more with Vogarm and Hrist, wait for the troops to gather or perhaps something else?

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

 ((Right. The portal to the safe realm is ready, you explained everything that happened to Vogarm and Hrist and the Guides are gathering at the base and preparing for battle. I can't believe I managed to write this much about that.))