The Isle of Cattacus was a lush oasis situated between the banks of Egypt and Arabia on the Red Sea. Despite its optimum location, no man ventured there. The legend told of a curse upon the island where demonic cats morphed into beautiful women and beguiled unsuspecting wanders to their deaths. Such tales did nothing to frighten Mozenrath as he stepped boldly through the trees. There was only one place to go on the small island. Upon a cliff that toward over the island like a sentry, stood an ancient temple to honor some forgotten deity. A smile slid across his face. He knew he was in the right place. Xerxes trailed behind him watching every direction carefully.
As they made their way upward pushing through dense leaves and fallen trees, Mozenrath felt the increasing sensation of being watched. However, he did not stop. Their stalkers would show themselves when they were ready. He could dispatch them quickly once they did.
Finally, after what seemed like an hour’s journey, Mozenrath came upon the steps that led up toward the temple. His way was blocked by a large tiger. It watched him hungrily, the eyes of a beast, and licked its fangs. Slowly it paced back and forth, never taking its eyes of its prey.
Mozenrath withdrew a red amulet. This should do the trick.
However, before he could activate it, hundreds of agile women, tanned and well muscled, leapt down from the trees and surrounded the party. They pointed fierce spears at them, most focused at Mozenrath’s throat.
“Tch,” he said. He knew he would not be able to attack them faster than they could strike him. He held up his hands and dropped the amulet in the sand.
“I don’t want to cause you any trouble.” He said to his captives, keeping his voice even. If he swallowed hard enough, he could have sliced his Adam’s apple on the blades.
“I’m here to see someone,” he continued when they made no move. “A goddess actually. I believe she is amongst you.” He looked over the faces in front of him. The truly seemed more beast than human. All of them had some individual markings tattooed across their bodies. Some were snarling.
“Bastest. An honorable goddess who has been cast aside by her own people. I’ve come to offer her a way to return to her original power,” he said as humbly as he could manage. He couldn’t help but mentally note to destroy this island and every single inhabitant as soon as he obtained the Ring of Osiris.
The tiger roared and the women lowered their spears. They still kept them trained at Mozenrath in case their supposed leader ordered his death. The tiger turned its back to him and began to make its way up the stairs. After a moment, it turned back as if signaling him to follow. Mozenrath hesitated for a moment. Should he really take directions from a cat? Then he began to climb.
After what seemed like an hour but could have only been 10 minutes, the emerged at the top of the cliff. The temple was massive, far larger than it appeared when Mozenrath first saw it from a distance. It was rectangular had large beige pillars, possibly sandstone, and icons of giant wild cats engraved over every inch. The pictures probably told a story. Mozenrath wasn’t interested. Two giant marble sphinxes guarded the entrance. To the wizard’s surprise, the heads moved and watched the intruders’ approach.
Inside the temple was white and red. Pale scarves hung down from the high ceiling. Statues of cats lording over humans sat at every corner. A small gray cat flitted out of their way. The tiger guide brought them into a main chamber that had large pool filled with water. It stretched all the way to the back of the room. Stairs stood beyond there that led up to what appeared to be a marble throne upon a platform However, most of the platform was covered in long hanging scarves just like he had seen at the entrance. Even so, Mozenrath could see there was a figure curled up in the chair’s cushions.
A voice like a purr and definitely female called out from behind the scarves. “I hear you have an offer for me wizard?” it asked.
“What kind of offer can a mere human give to a goddess? In the end, nothing you can give me will be of worth.”
Mozenrath smirked. “Lady Bastest. Do you think your power has no worth? That is what I offer you.”
Cat slit eyes glowed from behind the curtains. Slowly, she appeared. A woman emerged with the head of a cat. Her body was covered in a sheen layer of dark gray fur. She moved lithely, stepping down the stairs with a careful ease. Despite her beauty, she looked tired.
“I have not been called that name in awhile wizard,” she said. “Not even here,” she cast an arm around as if to encompass the entire island in that simple movement. Never did her eyes move from Mozenrath.
“Now I am called Mirage. Another sign of my failing power, no?” she said when she reached the bottom of the stairs. She chuckled, a sound that reminded Mozenrath of a cat spitting.
In a single pounce, she leaped over the long pool and landed gracefully in front of Mozenrath. Had he been a less stubborn person, the wizard would have stumbled back. Instead, he allowed Mirage to meet him face to face and nose to nose. She hissed and raised a claw. Mozenrath did not flinch.
Calming, she stood back. “I see you are determined then. Tell me. Why and how do you plan on retrieving my power little mouse? What, as they say, is the catch?” She narrowed her pupils at him as if looking over something disgusting.
Mozenrath sneered back, “I suppose you know of the Osiris Ring?” he said. “Help me obtain it, and the position of goddess of the Underworld is yours. You will have more power than before.”
Mirage’s eyes widened. Then she chuckled again. “Oh. It’s nice to know you were not a complete waste of time human mouse. To hear such tales…” she sobered. “Why do you think you will be able to obtain Osiris’s ring so easily?”
“Don’t worry about that, I have my ways. All I need you to do is open the Gates. Only a deity can cross to the other side and open them. Even one with…ailing power,” Mozenrath added while arching an eyebrow. It was his turn to look her over.
Mirage glowered and she hissed again. “If you succeed, I have no guarantee you won’t simply take Osiris’s place. If you fail, I will have condemned myself even further to hell for betraying by brethren. No, I will not help you. Leave at once!”
Mozenrath held up his hand. The tiger entered. “Wait.” He was not going to give up so easily. “You rather condemn yourself to certain mortality while feeding off these measly prayers rather than risk a chance to become the most powerful god or goddess? Perhaps I should have approached Set,” he goaded.
Mirage glowered. She held up a hand to stop the tiger from pouncing. “I may have weakened, but I still have more sense than that sniveling hound,” she growled. “He’s about as trustworthy as a snake.”
Mozenrath nodded, “Perhaps, but he may be more willing to take a risk for more power.”
“You can’t!” her voice rose. “He would try to wipe out every god and goddess he can.”
Mozenrath knew it would be a good idea to reference Set in his bluff. After all, Set was deemed to be the incarnation of that was evil and jealous. He seemed to be Mozenrath’s kind of guy, which was exactly why he would never have hired him. But as long as Mirage thought otherwise…
It seemed she was struggling with something. Then, her shoulders sank a little. “Very well human mouse. If that is your plan then I will agree to assist you. But only this once. And…you must give me something now to ensure you will keep your word,” she said with a sly look in her eyes.
Mozenrath had not anticipated this. Wasn’t the promise of power in the future enough? He quickly opened his pouch of magical trinkets and emptied its contents onto the floor. Mirage snorted. “Don’t mock me. My services are worth more than such trifles.”
Mozenrath straightened his shoulders. “What would you ask for then?”
Mirage thought for a moment. She circled around him once and stopped in front. “That,” she said pointing to Xerxes.
Mozenrath’s eyes widened. “Xerxes? Why? What would you do with him?”
Mirage laughed. “Oh? You refuse? Is the price for power to high human mouse?”
Mozenrath glared. After a long moment he muttered to his long time companion. “Xerxes. Go to her.”
“But-but Massster?”
“Shut up! I said go!” Mozenrath shouted without looking at him.
Xerxes looked as if he were going to refuse. However, it was his duty to trust Mozenrath’s decision no matter what. He slithered to Mirage’s side. She was possibly more frightening than Mozenrath. At least he didn’t have claws.
Mirage laughed again. “Very good. How touching. After you obtain the Osiris Ring and restore my power, I will return it to you,” she said.
“Fine. Are we done here?” Mozenrath said testily.
Mirage smirked. “We’re done. Scurry along human mouse. Before my pets get hungry.”
The tiger roared as if to emphasize her point. Mozenrath began to walk away. He glanced back to see Mirage transform Xerxes from a flying eel into a brownish scrawny cat. It mewed helplessly in protest and looked sadly at Mozenrath as she picked it up.
Laugh all you want Mirage. You’ll pay for this… Mozenrath decided as he left the shade of the temple. However, his next stop would be Cassim, the King of Thieves. The sooner he got to those Gates, the better.