Role Playing Fan Fiction ❯ Island of Apophis ❯ Chapter 1

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

The Island of Apophis

 

Dr Sheldon Cooper, a young and very powerful Sorcerer, was walking through the narrow winding streets of the city of Hawada, the capital of the first nome of the Desert Kingdom, his fiancée Dr Amelia Farrah Fowler, a healer, waking hand in hand with him. From time to time he was glancing to make sure that his friends were following him, Dr Leonard Hofstadter, his best friend and future brother in law, Penny Black, a half Ubasti thief, Sheldon’s sworn sister and Leonard's fiancée, Howard Wallace, a Hunter, Bernadette Rostenkowska, a swordswoman of noble descent and Howard's lover, and Dr Raj Koothrappalli, a wizard of Air, Fire and Earth, and Lucy Fiore, a shape shifter and Raj's lover.

Penny was looking around eagerly at the white square flat roofed houses with fluffy green palm tree tops jutting above their walls, street performers with monkeys and drums or flutes, street vendors selling things like dates, watermelons, peaches, oranges, amulets shaped like eyes, fishes, scarab beetles or ankhs, jewellery with garnets, turquoise or lapis lazuli, little jugs with geometrical patterns and pointed bottom or finely carved wooden cups, and at the passers by, swarthy men in white linen skirts and long curly wigs and with colourful wide necklaces and women in long white tight fitting dresses with shoulder straps and bead embroidery and in long curly wigs and wide colourful necklaces too, and swarthy soldiers in leather overkilts and with Spears and pointed oval wooden Shields, at the palm trees lining the streets and temples with powerful pylons with intricate carving.

'Wow, great!' Penny grinned. 'Desert Kingdom is something else, really!'

'Yes, Penny, it's fascinating,' Sheldon smiled softly. 'Do you know that the Ubasti lived in Hawada before they immigrated to the desert oases, and the patron deity of Hawada is none other than Bastet, the cat goddess, the goddess of singers and dancers? And Maybe because of this the best singers and dancers in Khet come from Hawada.'

'Oh, really?' Penny grinned. 'So Maybe I'll find some Ubasti in Hawada and ask them if they know something about my dad!'

'Perhaps,' Sheldon smiled gently. 'What was his name again?'

'Mom told me his name was Aken which means joy,' Penny smiled gently.

Sheldon nodded smiling softly.

'That's a good Khettim name, Penny,' he observed.

Penny nodded grinning.

'Indeed it is, and he gave joy to your mother and to all of us, especially Leonard and Sheldon,' Amy smiled softly.

'Aww, thanks, Amy sweetie,' Penny smiled broadly. 

Leonard smiled shyly to Penny and squeezed her hand.

'And you gave joy to me, Benio moja ksieznicka,' Howard grinned.

'Aww, thanks, Howardzie, moj misio,' Bernie grinned.

Raj smiled shyly to Lucy and squeezed her hand. She smiled tenderly to him.

'So where are we going now, Shelly?' Penny grinned.

'Well, we must see the Provincial Palace, the seat of the local government, the Temple of Ra and the Temple of Bastet,' Sheldon supplied.

Penny nodded grinning.

Sheldon led them resolutely through the streets, and eventually they came to a majestic stone building with massive pylons. 

'Well, here we are,' Sheldon informed his beloved, sister and friends.

'I can see that,' Leonard said dryly.

'Impressive,' Amy said calmly.

'Yeah, that's some Palace all right,' Howard grinned.

Bernie nodded grinning.

'Not like the spectacular palaces in Ghat, but pretty good,' Raj smiled shyly.

'Yes, it's not like the royal palaces of Midia, Khet, Keshite cities or the Land of the Sun, but it's pretty impressive,' Lucy observed shyly.

'Well, figures that the seat of the provincial government will be great,' Penny grinned.

Sheldon nodded smiling softly. 'Now let's go inside!'

He slid between the pylons, holding Amy's hand tenderly. Their friends followed them.

They found themselves in a large courtyard with tall slender palm trees and rows of slender carved Pillars. But its beauty was marred by crowds of people, wailing and beating their chests.

'What in the Hades!?' Penny frowned.

'I don't know, really,' Sheldon frowned gently. 'There are always aggrieved supplicants in such places, but such a lot!? We have to learn what's the matter!'

'Agreed,' Leonard nodded firmly.

'Yeah,' Penny grinned.

'Yes, without doubt, my love,' Amy nodded resolutely.

Howard, Bernie, Raj and Lucy nodded firmly too.

Sheldon nodded firmly and tapped one man on his shoulder.

'Excuse me, good man, why all this wailing and beating of chests?' he asked gently. 'Has some disaster fallen on Hawada?'

The man looked grimly at Sheldon. 'Not Hawada, exactly, but it causes much grief to us. Lots of people from Hawada perished in the Delta of Khet lately. They say it's a cult of Apophis, the fearsome Serpent!'

'Uh-oh,' Penny said and grasped her Spear of Athena tighter.

Leonard frowned deeply.

Sheldon frowned gently, 'Well, my good man, I have good news for you. I'm Sheldon the Black-Gold, powerful Sorcerer, and my friends are powerful wizards and mighty warriors! And we are going to deal with this cult of Apophis!'

The Khettim man looked at him and nodded in awe. 'Is that so!? Good luck to you, sir! You'll find the scribe Tothmosis inside the building, you can ask him for directions and money!'

'Oh, money isn't an issue for us, but we shall need directions,' Sheldon replied. 'Thank you, my good man!'

'Welcome, sir,' the Khettim man smiled gently.

Sheldon marched resolutely across the courtyard and through a door in the far wall. The room inside was officious and drab, and a weary shrivelled middle aged man was sitting at a desk by one wall.

'Excuse me, sir, are you the scribe Tothmosis?' Sheldon asked firmly.

'Yes,' the scribe answered gloomily. 'What is it?'

'I'm Dr Sheldon Cooper, a powerful Sorcerer, and my companions are powerful wizards and strong warriors,' Sheldon informed him. 'I've heard that there is a cult of Apophis in the Khet Delta, and I and my companions shall defeat it if you will give us directions as to where it is believed to exist.'

'Oh,' Tothmosis said, relieved. He fished in his desk, produced a scroll and handed it to Sheldon. 'Here you are, Doctor Sheldon, this is a map of the Khet Delta with the Island of Apophis marked on it. It's an island where an old Temple of Apophis stands. Do you need money or something else, Doctor Sheldon?'

'Oh No, thank you, Master Tothmosis, money isn't an issue,' Sheldon said calmly.

'Very good,' Tothmosis muttered. 'I hope you fare better than the previous party.'

'Oh, have No doubt about it, Master Tothmosis,' Sheldon smiled proudly.

Tothmosis nodded briefly. 'Good luck to you then, Doctor Sheldon!'

Sheldon nodded, bowed and turned around. They left the building.

'Well, now what?' Penny frowned.

Sheldon unrolled the map and peered at it. 'Let's see,' he drawled thoughtfully. 'Well, here is the Khet Delta with its rivulets, and here, in the middle of it, is the Island of Apophis. I believe it's about six hours of travelling by boat to there. We'll need to buy a boat by the waterfront. And I believe we must visit the Temple of Ra and ask the priests if they have any advice for us or Sacred items that could help us.'

'All right then,' Penny nodded grinning.

'What, another evil cult!?' Raj asked fearfully

'Raj, you have mastery of three elements out of four now,' Sheldon reasoned with him. 'And you have all of us with you! What have you to fear!?'

'You're right, Sheldon, thank you,' Raj smiled shyly.

'I'm always with you, Raj mate,' Howard grinned squeezing Raj's hand. Raj smiled shyly.

'I can't wait to try my Sword of Ruse on whatever could be in there,' Bernadette grinned.

'And I, my Spear of Athena,' Penny grinned. 'Monsters and cultists, beware, Penelope Black is coming for you!'

'I have No doubt you'll defeat them all, my love,' Leonard smiled gently. Penny squeezed his hand.

'I've been in the Khet Delta as a cat, Fox and Deer, I could warn you about the dangers that can be found there,' Lucy smiled shyly.

'Thank you, Lucy,' Amy smiled softly. Lucy blushed gently.

After some wandering through the streets of Hawada they came to a massive Temple with huge pylons with fine carving on them and palm tree tops showing above its walls.

'Is this it?' Penny asked grinning.

'This is the Temple of Bastet, and the Temple of Ra is much smaller and hidden behind it,' Sheldon informed her. Penny nodded grinning.

They walked around the massive Temple and saw another, little Temple with small elegant finely carved pylons with palm trees showing over them. Sheldon walked between the pylons resolutely, Amy holding his hand tenderly and their friends following them. They entered a small courtyard with elegant Pillars and palm trees. At the far end of the courtyard were smaller pylons. Sheldon slid between them, holding Amy's hand tenderly. Their friends followed them. Behind the second pair of pylons was a smaller courtyard ending in a wall with a tall doorway in it. Sheldon crossed the second courtyard resolutely and stepped through the doorway, Amy holding his hand tenderly and their friends following them. They found themselves in a large tall hall with lots of columns. Sheldon looked around and saw a young priest hurrying by. He called, 'Holy brother, might we see the High Priest? We want to vanquish the cult of Apophis in the Khet Delta!'

The young priest looked attentively at them, 'And who might you be?'

'I'm Sheldon the Black-Gold with my companions,' Sheldon replied proudly.

The young priest looked them over and nodded, 'All right then, come with me!'

He led them to a chamber off the main hall. Its walls were covered with exquisite tapestries with scenes of Hunting in the Delta, dark wooden carved chests and tables stood along the walls, and in a woven chair was sitting a thin middle aged swarthy man in a long white linen skirt, long curly wig and a wide necklace with turquoise and garnets. He looked attentively at Sheldon and his companions.

'Father superior, this is Sheldon the Black-Gold with his companions, they want to vanquish the cult of Apophis,' the young priest reported.

The high priest looked at Sheldon, 'Oh, pleased to meet you, Doctor Sheldon Cooper, and your Valiant companions. I've heard a lot about you!'

'Thanks, holy father, I must say that everything you heard is most likely true,' Sheldon said proudly.

The high priest nodded smiling softly. 'Well, Doctor Sheldon, I must say that the mission is most daunting, but I know you are not one to be daunted. I can give you a map of the Khet Delta and an ancient manuscrit which tells how to deal with the Serpent Apophis.'

'We already have a map, it was given to us by the scribe Tothmosis at the Provincial Palace, but a text about Fighting Apophis would be most helpful to us,' Sheldon replied.

'Very good,' the high priest smiled gently. He rose, walked to one of the chests, fished inside, took out a yellowed scroll and handed it to Sheldon. 'Here it is. Good luck, Doctor Sheldon, may the Gods be with you!'

'Thank you very much, holy father,' Sheldon bowed and left, holding Amy's hand tenderly. Their friends followed them out of the Temple.

When they were in the street again, Sheldon unrolled the scroll and read it attentively. 'Aha, trample Apophis, impale Apophis, lay chains upon Apophis, cut the body of the dragon, burn the dragon. Got it. We have to buy some items in the Markets!'

'What exactly?' Penny frowned.

'Well, obviously, a harpoon, some strong chains and a meat cleaver,' Sheldon explained. 'How hard can that be?'

Amy smiled gently. Sheldon's friends rolled their eyes.

Sheldon led them to one of the street markets of Hawada, a place with rows of stalls with Bright awnings, in which everything was sold, watermelons, peaches, oranges, dates, wickerwork baskets and seats, fine jugs and cups of clay, copper and silver, Bright jewellery with garnets, turquoise, lapis lazuli and malachite, finely carved wooden chests, seats and tables, golden brown loaves of bread and pies, pink cuts of meat, fresh Green herbs, skirts and dresses, and weapons, daggers, swords and Spears. Sheldon navigated resolutely through the markets and stopped by a stall with hardware. He looked at a sharp long harpoon, some sturdy chains and a formidable meat cleaver.

'Excuse me, I wish to buy a harpoon, some strong chains and a meat cleaver,' Sheldon requested from the merchant.

'That will be thirteen deben,' the merchant informed him.

'Six,' Sheldon said firmly.

'Eleven,' the merchant parried. 'And this is robbing me! Look how strong these chains are, how sharp the harpoon and the meat cleaver are, just you look!'

'Seven,' Sheldon insisted. 

'Ten,' the merchant parried. 'The best price!'

'Eight,' Sheldon said resolutely, staring at the merchant.

'Oh well, nine is my last price!' The merchant said, apparently scandalised. 'And this is only for you, because you are obviously a wizard!'

'Agreed!' Sheldon said smugly.

'Yay!' Penny shouted, grinning broadly.

'Will you wrap these for me, my good man?' Sheldon requested.

'Of course, sir,' the merchant grinned, fished behind the counter, took out some sack cloth and neatly wrapped the harpoon, the meat cleaver and the chains into it. 'If I may ask, sir wizard, are you by any chance going to defeat the cult of Apophis in the Khet Delta?'

'Indeed we are,' Sheldon said proudly. 'And I can tell you with surety than we will defeat it, because I'm Sheldon the Black-Gold, and my companions are a powerful Sorcerer, though of course not as powerful as I, a very gifted Elementalist and healer, two strong warriors, a gifted shape-shifter and a cunning Hunter!'

The merchant looked at Sheldon's companions attentively.

'I've heard about you, Doctor Sheldon,' he nodded. 'And also about your friends, Doctor Leonard, Doctor Raj, Doctor Amelia, Miss Penny, Master Howard, Lady Bernadette and Miss Lucy. You are a formidable band indeed, you vanquished the cult of Moloch in the Woodlands of Samera and, people say, some monsters near Maveleth!'

'Indeed,' Sheldon smiled proudly. 'So, you understand...'

'Oh Yes,' the merchant grinned. 'Good luck to you, Doctor Sheldon, and to your friends!'

'Oh thanks, my good man,' Sheldon bowed.

And they left the market, Sheldon clasping the large parcel tightly in one hand and holding Amelia's hand with his other hand tenderly.

'So now let's go to the waterfront and rent a boat,' Sheldon said resolutely.

'Oh, of course,' Leonard nodded.

Penny nodded grinning.

'Indeed, my love,' Amy nodded firmly.

'I'll tell you which boat is better,' Lucy said gently. Sheldon nodded briefly.

'Aren't there crocodiles and hippos in the water here!?' Raj asked fearfully.

'Oh, don't worry, Raj mate, we will slay them all!' Howard grinned.

Raj nodded smiling shyly.

'Damn right,' Bernadette grinned.

And Sheldon led them through the narrow winding streets of Hawada to the waterfront. They came there, where long Reed boats and rich galleys were moored. Sheldon looked at all the Reed boats and marched resolutely to one of them, big and shiny Green. He saw a strong swarthy man squatting in the boat. 'Hey, good man, can you rent your boat to us?' Sheldon called loudly.

'Depends on where are you going, good sir,' the boatman answered squinting.

'I won't lie to you, my good man, we're going to the Island of Apophis,' Sheldon informed him. 'We want to vanquish the evil cult of Apophis. Don't worry, we're fit for it, I'm a very powerful Sorcerer, perhaps you've heard about me? I'm Sheldon the Black-Gold, and these are my brave companions, a Sorcerer, an Elementalist, a Healer, two swordswomen, a Hunter and a shape shifter!'

'Indeed I've heard about you,' the boatman grinned. 'You are quite famous in Midia! Well then, I agree! My name is Ipy. When are we going, Doctor Sheldon?'

'Well, I have something to do in the city,' Sheldon drawled thoughtfully. 'In two hours time or so, I think.'

'Very good,' Ipy grinned. 'I'll wait here for you.'

Sheldon nodded and turned around.

'In two hours time?' Penny frowned. 'Why the delay?'

'Er, Penny, I have a something to ask from Bernadette, Lucy and you,' Sheldon said blushing slightly. 'Something concerning my upcoming wedding and Amy.'

Penny raised her eyebrows and then grinned. Bernie grinned too. Lucy blushed gently.

'Alriight,' Penny grinned. 'Amy, Leo dear, boys, excuse us please!'

Amy released her fiancé's hand smiling gently. Leonard nodded smiling broadly, Howard grinned, and Raj blushed.

Sheldon led Penny, Bernie and Lucy aside.

'So what is it, Shelly sweetie, don't know what to do with Amy on your wedding night?' Penny grinned broadly. Bernie grinned too, and Lucy blushed deeply.

'What nonsense, Penny!' Sheldon said going beet red. 'I've studied anatomy, I know perfectly well how to have intercourse!'

Penny grinned. 'Then what is it, Shelly dear?'

'Well, you see, sis, I want to choose a perfect wedding ring for Amy,' Sheldon said softly. 'One that matches her beauty and personality. I'm going to wed Amy here in Hawada when we return from the Island of Apophis, you see.'

'Oh,' Penny smiled gently. Bernadette squealed like a small dog, 'Yay!' And Lucy just smiled dreamily.

'All right, Sheldon, count on us!' Bernadette said resolutely.

'Damn right!' Penny grinned.

Lucy just smiled gently.

And Penny gripped her brother's hand tightly and led him away from the waterfront.

The girls escorted Sheldon through the Markets, stopping at each jewellery stall. Sheldon looked at all the rings, frowning deeply, and rejected all of them.

'Still not found it, Shelly?' Penny asked compassionately. 'What exactly you have in mind?'

'Something unique, not like all these commonplace trinkets,' Sheldon replied frowning deeply.

'But how unique, jade, Ruby,  amethyst, what?' Bernie frowned.

'Oh No, No, I'll l know when I see it,' Sheldon said frowning gently.

'Oh Artemis, and what could it be!?' Penny rolled her eyes.

'Wait, I know one very talented, unusual jeweller at the Western Market,' Lucy smiled gently.

'Oh great!' Penny grinned broadly. Sheldon nodded thoughtfully.

Lucy led them to a little market by the south gate of Hawada and to a jewellery stall. Sheldon looked thoroughly at all the ornaments and pointed at one. 'Here it is!'

Penny, Bernadette and Lucy looked at the ring. It was golden, with a pointed oval bezel set in the middle with a large light Green pointed oval stone, with a frieze of dark Green and white enamel triangles around it, and with two pairs of small diamonds in pile at each point, the ring itself with two Green and gold enamel triangles on the broad ends adjoining the bezel. 

Penny, Bernie and Lucy looked at the ring and nodded smiling.

'Yes, Shelly, this one will suit Amy all right,' Penny grinned.

Sheldon nodded beaming, 'Yes, thank you very much, lil' sis, my friends!'

The jeweller, a tall strong middle aged man, looked at him smiling, 'Choosing a ring for your Lady love, sir?'

'Not just a ring,a wedding ring,' Sheldon smiled softly. 'My betrothed is lovely and brillant, just like this ring. I'll buy it, my good man.'

'Oh, my congratulations, this Amy is a most fortunate Lady,' the jeweller grinned.

'No, it is I who is fortunate to have her,' Sheldon smiled softly.

'That is as it should be, good sir,' the jeweller smiled softly. 'Ten deben if you please. My name is Nefér by the way.'

'All right, Master Nefér, you are a great craftsman,' Sheldon said fishing ten little copper weights from his pocket.

'No haggling, Shelly?' Penny grinned.

'Of course not, Penny, I'm a gentleman and this is the wedding ring for my bride,' Sheldon said indignantly. Penny nodded grinning broadly.

Nefér smiled and handed the beautiful ring to Sheldon who pocketed it carefully.

Sheldon, Penny, Bernie and Lucy left the market and went back to the waterfront.

Amy smiled tenderly to Sheldon when they returned. Sheldon leaned to her and kissed her tenderly. She answered him passionately.

'Ama, a word with you,' Bernie grinned. Penny and Lucy nodded smiling broadly.

Amy frowned but nodded gently. The girls led her aside.

Leonard frowned gently, Howard grinned, and Raj smiled gently. Sheldon smiled mysteriously.

'What's they going to talk about?' Leonard asked.

'Girl talk, I presume,' Sheldon smiled softly, fished the ring out of his pocket and showed it to his friends. 

'Woah!' Leonard said, Howard whooped with joy, and Raj put his right hand on his heart.

'It's wonderful, Sheldon, where did you get it!?' Raj exclaimed in awe.

'From one very talented jeweller whom Lucy recommended,' Sheldon smiled softly. 'I'm going to wed Amelia here in Hawada.'

'Oh hoooly cooow!' Raj exclaimed starry eyed. Howard grinned. And Leonard smiled gently.

'So, my sis, Lucy and Bernadette are going to prepare Amy for our wedding,' Sheldon smiled softly. 'I don't think she needs to be told how to have coitus, because she's a healer and had to study anatomy like me. But you know, things like make-up or wedding dress, which I'm not supposed to see until the wedding, as you all probably know.'

'I don't,' Raj said astonished. 'Why is that?'

'It's said to be bad luck, you see,' Sheldon explained. Raj nodded gently.

At the Same time Amy looked at Bernie, Penny and Lucy, enquiring.

'Amy, Shelly bought a wedding ring for you, he wants to marry you in Hawada,' Penny grinned broadly.

'Whoo, really!?' Amy shouted. 'I want to buy a wedding dress, the best one in the world, immediately!'

Bernie grinned, 'No questions about the wedding night?'

'Benio, please, I'm a healer, I know how human body works,' Amy said evenly.

'All right,' Bernie grinned. 'But the dress, and Maybe a necklace, you really need our help there!'

'I know,' Amy said smiling softly. 'Help me please, my friends.'

'I know a very good jeweller,' Lucy smiled gently. 'It's the one Sheldon bought the wedding ring from, he's really good!'

'All right,' Amy smiled gently. 'But first of all, dress! The necklace has to go well with the dress, am I right?'

'Oh Yes,' Penny grinned. 'So, going for the dress now!'

And the girls walked away from the waterfront together.

Penny, Bernie and Lucy showed Amy to all the stalls with clothes, but Amy was very fastidious of everything. 'No, No,  No, this won't do,' she kept saying. Penny, Bernie and Lucy frowned deeply. 

'Oh Amy, it's hard, isn't it?' Penny asked compassionately.

'You bet it is,' Amy frowned. 'It's going to be my wedding dress after all, some rubbish won't do!'

Penny, Bernie and Lucy nodded gravely.

At last Amy stopped in her tracks near one clothes stand, 'Oh, this is it! Look, look!'

She approached the stall and fingered the dress. It was really lovely, long and tight fitting with its hem widening like a flower, oval neckline, short flared sleeves, white silk embroidered with golden rosettes of leaves, golden scallops along the sides of imitated openings on the sides, embroidered with vertical lines of silver circles, and golden outlined ovals embroidered along the neckline and hem.

'Oh Amy, Yes, this is it, it will fit you nicely, a perfect wedding dress!' Penny squealed.

The woman at the counter smiled at them, 'Wedding, is it? My congratulations, Miss Amy!'

''It's Doctor Amelia Fowler, actually,' Amelia corrected her proudly. 'I'm a healer.'

'Ooh sorry, Doctor Amelia,' the merchant smiled. 'I wish you happiness!'

'I will have it, thanks, because my betrothed is Sheldon the Black-Gold, one of the most gifted wizards in this world, and very handsome, may I add,' Amy smiled softly.

'Oh, Sheldon the Black-Gold!?' the merchant squeaked. 'He's a great hero, you are very fortunate, Doctor Amelia!'

'That I am,' Amy smiled softly.

Penny, Bernie and Lucy smiled broadly.

'I will have the dress, please,' Amy requested.

'That will be twelve deben,' the merchant told her.

'All right,' Amy nodded. 'Wrap it for me please, will you?'

'Oh of course,' the merchant smiled softly, took the lovely dress, folded it neatly, fished undeprosím the counter, took out a length of linen cloth and wrapped the dress in it, then proffered it to Amy. 'Here you are,' the merchant smiled broadly.

'Thanks, good woman,' Amy smiled softly, fished twelve copper weights out of her pocket and handed them to the merchant, took the parcel with the dress and bowed to the merchant.

Amy, Penny, Bernie and Lucy left the market. Lucy led her friends to Nefer's stall at the Western Market.

'What, here again?' Nefér grinned. Penny nodded grinning.

'So this is Miss Amy, I think?' Nefér grinned.

'Doctor Amelia Fowler, if you please,' Amy corrected him gravely.

'All right, Doctor Amelia, so how can I help you?' Nefér grinned. 'Some jewellery to go with the wedding dress, I think?'

Amy nodded, unwrapped her parcel and showed the dress to Nefér. 'What can you recommend me?'

Nefér looked at the dress and took from the counter a delicate Pearl necklace in silver twisting setting. 'I think this will suit you perfectly, Doctor Amelia!'

Amy looked at the necklace fastidiously and then nodded. 'Wrap it for me please.'

'All right,' Nefér nodded. 'I must tell you suit your betrothed as this necklace suits this dress!'

'Yes, you are quite right,' Amy said gravely. 'Sheldon suits me perfectly, and I'm very fortunate to have him.'

'This is what Doctor Sheldon said too,' Nefér grinned. Amy nodded gravely. 'How much does it cost, Master Nefér?'

'Ten deben if you please, Doctor Amelia,' Nefér requested.

Amy paid him and wrapped the necklace along with the wedding dress. 

Then Amy, Penny, Bernie and Lucy left the markets and went back to the waterfront.

Sheldon looked curiously at them when they appeared.

'Well, Sheldon, I have something in here that you cannot see yet,' Amy smiled softly.

'Oh, a wedding dress?' Sheldon beamed. 'See, my friends, I was right!'

'And when you ever aren't?' Leonard said dryly.

'Very rarely,' Sheldon smiled softly.

Howard, Raj, Penny and Bernadette rolled their eyes. Amy and Lucy smiled gently.

'Well, now let's go to our boat,' Sheldon commanded.

His fiancée, sister and friends nodded briefly. But at that point they saw a tall slender youth with golden wavy hair and in a red short tunic trimmed with gold, who approached them and asked, 'Excuse me, are you Dr Sheldon Cooper with companions?'

'Indeed we are,' Sheldon said evenly. 'And who might you be, my good man?'

'I'm Hippolyte, a servant of Master Nikos Rhinotomos of Argos,' the youth answered. 'Master Nikos  wishes to see you on his galley Oikoumenakton, he has a job for you.'

'All right, Hippolyte, lead us to him,' Sheldon said evenly.

Hippolyte led them to a long galley with dozens of oar holes, long prow with a gilt dragon figure, gilt carved reliefs along the boards, and a stern chamber with three big finely carved lanterns on its roof, gilt Statues of Gods and pictures of scenes from myths and history along the walls, vaulted roof, arched windows and a balcony with finely carved rails in front of the chamber. There was a gangway leading from a break in the rails to the pier. Hippolyte led them up the gangway and into the stern chamber. The floor of the chamber was covered in a red and gold fluffy Oriental carpet, and along the walls stood chests and benches covered in crimson  velvet, and a dark wooden carved bed with crimson curtains and cover. On one bench was sitting a tall thin middle aged man with dark alert eyes, dark wavy hair and beard and an aquiline nose, in a dark blue long tunic trimmed y with gold. He looked at Sheldon and his companions attentively and asked calmly, 'Dr Sheldon Cooper, I believe?'

'Indeed, Master Nikos,' Sheldon replied evenly. 'Your servant said that you have a job for us? I must warn you that we already have a job here, the provincial authorities and the high priest of the local Temple of Ra asked us to defeat the cult of Apophis in the Khet Delta.'

'Oh, but this is a very fortunate coincidence!' Nikos exclaimed. 'You see, my nephew Agapios went on trade business to Hawada some time ago and disappeared without a trace here! I believe that he was abducted by the cult of Apophis! So if you're already going to the Island of Apophis, please try to find my hapless nephew there!'

'Oh, of course, Master Nikos,' Sheldon said evenly. 'We shall do our best to find your nephew, you can count on us.'

'Very good!' Nikos said hotly. 'Do you need anything?'

'Oh No, Master Nikos, we already have everything we need,' Sheldon replied evenly.

'Then Godspeed to you, Doctor Cooper,' Nikos said hotly.

'Thank you very much, Master Nikos,' Sheldon said evenly.

'Hippolyte, see our guests off,' Nikos ordered. Hippolyte nodded and led Sheldon and his companions away. When they were back on the pier, Sheldon looked at his fiancée, sister and friends.

'So, ladies and gentlemen, let's head to the Island of Apophis,' he commanded.

Amy nodded smiling softly. 

'Sure, Shelly,' Penny grinned, grasping her Spear tightly.

Howard and Bernie grinned. Raj nodded shyly. Lucy nodded smiling gently.

And they went to the place where Ipy's Reed boat was waiting for them, rocking gently on the river waves.

'Well, Master Ipy, we're ready,' Sheldon informed the boatman. Ipy nodded grinning, 'Please get in then!'

Sheldon gave his hand to Amy and they jumped into the boat swiftly. Penny, Howard, Bernadette and Lucy jumped into the Reed boat too. Penny gave her hand to Leonard and helped him into the boat, so did Lucy for Raj. They sat down on the benches in the straw boat, Sheldon with Amy, Leonard with Penny, Howard with Bernie and Raj with Lucy. Ipy dragged the anchor chain in, pushed the boat from the shore forcefully, took two oars from under his bench and started rowing vigorously. Soon Hawada was far behind, and they were moving along a river branch among tall Green reeds and overhanging trees.

They were navigating the river branches for about an hour already. Sheldon was looking at the river, reeds and trees eagerly, so did Amy, Penny, Howard and Bernie. Leonard and Raj we're looking at the scenery a bit fearfully.

Suddenly a big oblong Green scaly form emerged from the jade coloured water and tried to snap at Sheldon but he dodged swiftly and chanted in his drawl, 'I unleash a Psychic Attack on this crocodile for five power points!' The crocodile roared horribly and dropped into the jade water with a horrendous splash.

Amy embraced Sheldon tenderly. He leaned to her and kissed her passionately.

'That was great, Doctor Sheldon!' Ipy grinned.

'Oh thanks, the praise is entirely deserved,' Sheldon smiled smugly.

Another hour passed and they saw a tree with large Bright red fruits hanging right into the river. Raj reached, picked one and put it to his mouth. But Sheldon swatted his arm, and the fruit fell into the river.

'Own, what was that for!?' Raj yelped rubbing his hand.

'It could have been poisonous, Raj,' Sheldon said with reproach. 'Really, for an Elementalist you could be more cautious!'

Raj huffed. But Ipy grinned broadly. 'Your friend is right, Doctor Raj, these fruits are poisonous and can be deadly! Delta folks know to avoid them like plague! But children or Foreigners die from them sometimes. Doctor Sheldon is very wise!'

'That I am,' Sheldon smiled proudly. Raj nodded sheepishly.

Howard grinned, 'Same over again, Raj máte? '

'Shall I remind you, Howard, that you once brought a swamp Adder into an university chamber?' Sheldon drawled acidly. 'Then it was I who saved you three nincompoops!'

'Sure,' Howard rolled his eyes.

'Swamp Adder into an university chamber!?' Ipy blurted out. 'Oh Toth! And you studied at an university, Master Howard? You don't seem the type! And who was your fourth friend, Doctor Leonard?' 

'Yes, Leonard was the fourth, but only he studied at Princeborough with me,' Sheldon informed Ipy. 'Raj and Howard didn't study there, they just came into mine and Leonard's rooms as Leonard's friends, and mine too.  Howard is just a Hunter, he didn't study at an university.'

Howard rolled his eyes, and Ipy nodded grinning.

In another hour they saw an island with group of hovels.

'What's that?' Penny asked curiously.

'I don't know, looks suspicious,' Sheldon said cautiously.

'You are right, Doctor Sheldon, it could be a bandit lair,' Ipy nodded.

'Well, we weren't asked to defeat those Bandits, and they didn't attack us,' Sheldon said evenly. 'Let's row away, Master Ipy.'

'Good decision, Doctor Sheldon, you are a very reasonable man,' Ipy grinned.

'Yes, unlike some people here,' Sheldon said dryly.

Howard, Leonard and Raj rolled their eyes. Penny and Bernie grinned. Amy and Lucy smiled gently.

In another hour or so another crocodile darted our of the jade water and tried to bite Penny. But Penny hit it in its neck with her Spear. The crocodile roared horribly, Blood gushing from it's neck  and lashed it's tail at Bernie, but Bernie hit it in its belly with her Sword. The crocodile dropped into the jade water, Blood gushing from it's belly.

'Good work, Miss Penny, Lady Bernadette,' Ipy grinned.

'Aww thanks,' Penny grinned.

'Thank you very much, Master Ipy,' Bernie grinned.

'Yes, that was great, lil' sis,' Sheldon smiled softly. 'And of course Bernadette.'

'Miss Penny is your sister, Doctor Sheldon?' Ipy frowned gently. 'But she's half Ubasti! And she's certainly not your sister in the sense of lover, as we would say in Khet!'

'Me and Shelly, lovers?' Penny snorted. 'Oh Artemis, No! We're sworn siblings!'

'Indeed,' Sheldon smiled softly. 'I'm betrothed to Amy and Penny to my best friend Leonard, soon he shall become my brother too.'

Ipy nodded grinning. 'I think your father was an Ubasti vagabond, Miss Penny?'

'Yeah,' Penny grinned. 'His name was Aken. And my mom was a farmer from Leominster called Fiona Black.'

'There are some Ubasti in Hawada, Miss Penny, you know that?' Ipy grinned. 

'Yes, Shelly told me, he knows nearly everything,' Penny grinned.

'As a wise Sorcerer should,' Ipy grinned.

In another hour they saw a perfectly square island with a majestic Temple with mighty pylons towering in the middle, tall gray stone wall around the island, and powerful trees and mi great sphinx Statues with serpentine heads showing above the walls. Sheldon looked at the island, frowning thoughtfully. 'Master Ipy, there must be a jetty on this island, please row around the island to see where it is.' Ipy nodded and rowed along the walled island. When they turned a corner, they indeed saw a stone jetty protruding from the island halfway through the north side. Ipy rowed to the jetty swiftly, and when one side of the Reed boat hit the stone pier, Ipy threw the anchor.

'All right, Master Ipy, wait for us here,' Sheldon commanded, offered his hand to Amy and jumped to the pier. Howard and Bernadette jumped to the pier holding hands too. Penny jumped to the pier and gave her hand to Leonard, helping him to the shore. Lucy helped Raj to the shore. They headed along a straight alley guarded by the great lizard faced sphinx Statues and surrounded by powerful trees from the right side. When they stepped onto the alley, something ahead banged with a loud metallic sound, as if closing shut. Sheldon looked ahead and saw the great pylons of the majestic Temple ahead. 'Dash it, it had to be Temple doors closing shut, a cunning defense!'

'Indeed,' Leonard said dryly. 

'Well, what do we do now?' Penny grinned.

'Well, Penny, we won't go to the Temple straight now, let's search the garden first,' Sheldon replied.

'Yes, that's wise, my beloved,' Amy smiled gently.

'There might be some prisoners around here, such as Master Agapios of Argos or some hapless adventurers,' Bernie nodded grinning.

'Oh Yeah, and we'll free them!' Howard grinned.

Raj and Lucy nodded shyly.

Sheldon slid between two serpentine sphinx Statues to the left, holding Amy's hand tenderly. His sister and friends followed them. They found themselves in a neat lawn. On it were standing six burly men with snake tattoos and in white skirts, they were armed with slings and all on alert. When they saw Sheldon and his companions, they charged at them. Three stones hurled from slings flew at the adventurers but they dodged swiftly. 

Sheldon chanted in his drawl, 'I unleash a Psychic Attack on this cultist for five power points!' One cultist thug yelled horribly and dropped to the ground, motionless. 

Then Raj chanted, 'I unleash a Blezing Sphere on these cultists for four power points!' A huge fiery sphere formed in front of him and flew at the thugs. Two dodged it but three were engulfed in flames. When the flames subsided there was only a pile of Ashes instead of them. 

Lucy's outlines blurred and the turned into the black slender horse. She charged at one thug and hammered him with her heavy hooves. The thug yelled and fell to the ground, bleeding. Bernadette darted to him and thrust her Sword into his chest. He yelled horribly and fell still, Blood gushing from his chest.

Penny charged at another thug and thrust her Spear into his belly. He yelled horribly, Blood gushing from his wound. Howard who already had his longbow in his hands and an arrow notched, aimed leisurely at the last thug and let his arrow loose. It whizzed through the air and hit the thug in his chest. He dropped to the ground motionless, Blood gushing from his wound.

Sheldon looked around, took the map from his pocket and peered at it. 'Well, ladies and gentlemen, the prison must be south of here,' he pointed to the right.

'Goody, let's free the poor prisoners,' Penny grinned. Sheldon nodded.

 

They headed to the right, along the row of serpentine sphinx Statues. They saw a box hedge with a gap in it. Sheldon and Amy slid through the gap, their friends following him. They walked among the trees that were behind the hedge, and saw a square stern Adobe bulding. There was a door in one wall. Penny walked to it and pulled it. Naturally it was locked. Penny fished a Master key out of her short black blouse and opened the door. She grinned. Sheldon threw the door open and marched in, holding Amy's hand tenderly. Penny, Leonard, Howard, Bernie, Raj and Lucy followed them.

Fifteen emaciated prisoners stared at them. They were some Khettim, some Midians, some Gallians and one male Ubasti with black fur and Green eyes, in a white skirt. The Ubasti stopped his eyes on Penny, his pupils widening to black circles. 'Oh, you arre adventurrerrs, I see? Fourr wizarrds, two warriorrs, a shape-shifterr and a half Ubasti thief!?' he blurted out, waving his tail.

'Yes,' Sheldon replied. 'We were asked by the authorities of Hawada, the high priest of Ra and a Minean merchant called Nikos Rhinotomos to defeat the cult of Apophis. I'm Dr Sheldon Cooper, and this is my betrothed Dr Amelia Farrah Fowler, my sworn sister Penny Black, her betrothed and my best friend Dr Leonard Hofstadter, Dr Raj Koothrappalli, Howard Wallace and his lover Lady Bernadette Rostenkowska, and Lucy Fiore, Raj's lover.'

'And I'm Inukhet of Hawada,' the Ubasti replied. 

'I say, you don't have a relative called Aken, an Ubasti vagabond?' Penny asked eagerly, waving her tail.

'My second brrotherr is called Aken, he left Hawada long time ago, like me,' Inukhet replied waving his tail.

'Oh really?' Penny blurted out. 'I'm his daughter! My mom is Fiona Black from Leominster, he stayed at her farm twenty three years ago!'

Inukhet purred. 'You don't say!? And you are betrrothed to a wizarrd!? And sworrn sisterr to anotherr wizarrd!?'

'Leonard and I are Sorcerers, actually,' Sheldon informed him. 'And Yes to both your questions. Leonard and Penny are my best friends.'

Inukhet nodded smiling. 'Oh Penny, I'm so glad I met you! And you have such a good company!'

'Yeah,' Penny grinned waving her tail. 'There is little we can't do, Uncle Inukhet. I bet you we'll defeat that cult!'

Inukhet nodded waving his tail, and other prisoners looked much heartened at her words.

'Can you tell us anything about this cult?' Sheldon asked frowning gently.

'Not much,' Inukhet said. 'But what I can, I'll tell you.'

'Proceed,' Sheldon nodded briefly.

'The Grand Master is a cold, inhuman fellow who sends shivers down the spines of most stout men. Most other cultists are just licentious thugs,' Inukhet started.

'Oh Yes, we saw them, the prison guards,' Penny nodded. 'We defeated them.'

'Hmmm, a cold inhuman fellow?' Sheldon drawled thoughtfully.

Inukhet nodded. 'Sometimes you can hear the rumbling roar of Apophis. It's deep and heavy like an earthquake, and it shakes the ground!'

'Oh Hoooly cooow!' Raj gasped. 

'Raj, you are a powerful Elementalist, you can shake the ground yourself,' Sheldon said dryly.

'Oh thanks, Sheldon, you're quite right,'Raj nodded gently.

'Of course I am, Raj,' Sheldon smiled proudly. 

Inukhet smiled. 'Another group of adventurers arrived here before you. They went into the Temple complex, and we haven't seen or heard anything from them since.'

Sheldon nodded grimly. 'We'll Save them if we find them. Was there a Minean youth called Agapios among them?'

'Oh Yes, along with Epiktekos from Thena, a Gallian called Kloviz, an Amazon princess called Rhetia and others,' Inukhet nodded.

'Good, he's Master Nikos' nephew, and we were sent to find him,' Sheldon nodded briefly.

Inukhet nodded. 'Every few days a gong sounds, and then the terrible wait starts. The evil cultists burst in and take one of us and drag him to the temple, and the victim never returns. They say that the dread dragon Apophis itself emerges from the waters and devours the poor soul. We can only wait for our turn.'

'Well, not anymore,' Sheldon said resolutely. 'Run away, the lawn before the prison is free now. I've seen some Reed boats on the pier, get into them and row away from here!'

'Oh thank you, we will!' Inukhet shouted. 'I'll wait for you on a nearby bank!'

'All right, Uncle Inukhet,' Penny grinned waving her tail.

Inukhet nodded waving his tail.

'All right, ladies and gentlemen, let's search the island further,' Sheldon said resolutely.

'Sure, Shelly,' Penny grinned. 

'Of course,' Leonard nodded.

'You bet!' Howard grinned. Bernie grinned too.

'Of course, my beloved,' Amy smiled softly.

Raj and Lucy nodded shyly.

Sheldon marched out of the prison, holding Amy's hand tenderly. His sister and friends followed them. Then the prisoners burst out and ran through the garden to the pier.

Sheldon led his fiancé, sister and friends to the west. But they were met with a high wall. They walked along the wall. It led to the Temple. They passed along the wall of the Temple and came to its pylons. Sheldon peered inside and saw a courtyard with tall palm trees, some cultist thugs in the courtyard and huge closed bronze doors behind them. 

'So I was right,' Sheldon sighed. 'Well, let's see if we can find something useful for opening the doors in that garden!'

Penny nodded waving her tail. They crossed the Temple parade and slid between the serpentine sphinx Statues to the western side of the garden. They found themselves in another garden with powerful trees and came to a square seawater pond. Several crocodiles were languishing in the sun by the pond. Sheldon crawled by the pond, holding Amy's hand tenderly. His friends followed them stealthily. They managed not to alert the crocodiles and came to a box hedge with a gap in it. Sheldon slid through the gap, holding Amy's hand tenderly. Their friends followed them. They found themselves in another garden. They passed through the garden and came to a mastaba, a red brick tomb in the shape of low truncated pyramid. They passed along the walls of the mastaba. At some point Sheldon heard a shuffling noise and saw a shadow sliding by. 

'Penny, someone here, apprehend him!' Sheldon commanded instantly.

Penny darted in the direction where the shadow went and seized its hand with her strong left arm and dragged it to Sheldon. It turned out to be a little thin trembling middle aged man. He looked fearfully at the adventurers. Sheldon fixed him with a cold stare. Penny was holding the little man's hand in iron grip.                                                  

'Who are you and what are you doing here?' Sheldon questioned evenly.

'Eh, I'm M-mebek the Craven,' the little man replied. 'I'm one of the priests. I'm hiding here.'

'Mebek, can you enter the Temple?' Sheldon inquired.

'O-of course, I'm a priest, I have keys to all the doors in the Temple,' Mebek answered quaking.

'Very good, I Command you to come with us,' Sheldon said evenly.

Mebek's eyes became glassy, and he nodded. 

'Penny, release him,' Sheldon commanded. Penny grinned and let go of Mebek's hand. Mebek stood near them. Sheldon marched back to the Temple, holding Amy's hand tenderly. His sister and friends followed them. Mebek dragged in their steps.

They came to the Temple pylons. 'Mebek, give me the key to the great Temple doors and then hide somewhere in the garden,' Sheldon commanded. 

Mebek fished in his skirt, took out a key, handed it to Sheldon and scurried away quickly.

Sheldon pocketed the key and looked at his fiancée, sister and friends.

'Well, ladies and gentlemen, now we enter the Temple where the cultists and Apophis have to be,' he said gravely. 'I have an idea about what these cultists are, their Grand Master, at least, and what the dragon Apophis is.'

'And what are they?' Penny asked curiously.

'I believe the Grand Master and some other priests are serpentoids, Serpent men,' Sheldon supplied. 'See these serpentine sphinx statues, and remember what Inukhet said about the Grand Master? 'A cold, inhuman fellow.' Serpentoids ruled a great empire in ancient times. I think some of them want to gain power once more, and they keep local people in fear using some great reptile, such as a Gigantosaur or a Royal Crocodile. I have a déjà vu here, as the Gallians say.'

'Déjà-whatsit?' Penny frowned.

'Déjà vu is a feeling that you have seen all this earlier,' Leonard explained smiling gently.

'Oh Yeah, that's because we did,' Bernie grinned. 'In the Woodlands of Samera!'

'Alriight,' Penny nodded frowning. 'So, snake men and a great lizard?'

'Yes,' Sheldon nodded gravely. 'And serpentoids have Psychic powers, I must add.'

'Just great,' Howard said dryly.

'Well, if the job was easy we wouldn't get it, now would we?' Sheldon retorted.

'That's right,' Raj sighed.

Amy and Lucy nodded gently.

'So, ladies and gentlemen, we are going to fight some serpentoids, some cultist thugs and a great reptile,' Sheldon concluded. 'Good that we're great heroes!'

'Oh Yeah,' Penny nodded.

Sheldon nodded and marched to the Temple pylons, holding Amy's hand tenderly. His sister and friends followed them.

They rushed into the courtyard, Penny, Howard, Bernadette and Lucy encircling Sheldon, Amy, Leonard and Raj. The cultist thugs charged at them immediately. There we're nine of them. 

Sheldon chanted in his drawl, 'I unleash a Psychic Attack on this cultist for five power points!'

The cultist yelled horribly and fell onto the ground, motionless. 

Then Raj chanted, 'I unleash a Blezing Sphere on these cultists for four power points!'

A huge fiery sphere formed in front of him and flew at the cultists. Two cultists dodged it, and seven we're engulfed in flames. When the flames subsided there was only a pile of Ashes in their place.

Then Leonard chanted, 'I unleash a Psychic Attack on this cultist for five power points!' One of the remaining cultists yelled horribly and fell to the ground.

Then Penny charged at the remaining cultist with her Spear and hit him in his chest. He yelled horribly and fell to the ground, Blood gushing from his chest.

Sheldon nodded grimly and marched to the great bronze doors. He took the key out of his pocket, found a keyhole and put the key in it, then turned it. The doors banged open. Sheldon marched through the great doorway, holding Amy's hand tenderly. His sister and friends followed them.

Behind the doors was a large hall with carved walls, a black man rising from the Seas and a pharaon figure battling a Serpent. There was also a platform with a great bronze gong on it in the middle of the chamber. And also in the hall were two cultist thugs and one tall thin humanoid creature in a long wide hooded cloak, with a serpentine Face. 

'These are Seth, Osiris and Apophis on the walls,' Sheldon murmured. 'And two cultist thugs with one inner circle priest, just great!' 

'But the priest is human, though creepy, such a cold stare!' Penny frowned.

'No, Penny, he's just wearing a human form,' Leonard explained. 'Sheldon can see it, and so do I, because we're Sorcerers.'

'Alriight,' Penny nodded frowning.

One thug darted to the gong, but Penny darted to him and tripped him, then hit him with her Spear in his belly. He yelled horribly, Blood gushing from his wound.

Raj chanted, 'I unleash a Blezing Sphere on this cultist for four power points!' A huge fiery sphere formed in front of him and flew at the thug, engulfing him in flames. The thug yelled horribly. When the flames subsided there was only a pile of Ashes in his place.

Then the serpent man intoned, staring at Leonard, 'I unleash a Psychic Attack on this Sorcerer for five power points!' But Leonard just smirked, and pointed his Rod of Lightning at the serpent man.  A lightning issued from the Wand and hit the serpentoid, burning it to ashes.

Penny embraced Leonard hotly. He kissed her gently, and she answered him passionately.

Sheldon looked around. There was a large stone door at the other end of the hall.

'Penny, look if you can open the stone door,' he commanded. 

Penny walked to the door, felt it and shook her head sadly, her ears dropping.

'No, Shelly, I can't, the door was not used for a long time,' she supplied. 'Maybe I should apply a Feat of Strength?'

Sheldon shook his head, 'No, Penny, none of the cultists look strong enough to open this, yet they get into the Temple somehow. Search for a secret door!'

'Alright,' Penny grinned and started feeling the far wall with her nimble fingers. 'Aha!' she grinned at last, waving her tail. She pressed a recess in the wall, and a small doorway opened.

'Very good, lil' sis,' Sheldon smiled softly.

He marched through the doorway resolutely, holding Amy's hand tenderly. His sister and friends for followed them. They found themselves in a small room with another door and a bunk bed on which one cultist thug was lying. He jumped to his feet immediately and charged at them. 

Penny hit him in his chest with her Spear swiftly. He yelled horribly and fell on the ground, Blood gushing from his chest. Penny grinned.

'Well done, lil' sis,' Sheldon smirked. They exited the room through the other door.

They found themselves in a large hall with many doors and a large enclosure in the middle.

'That must be the Inner Sanctum where the high priest and Maybe the Serpent may be found,' Sheldon supplied. 'So let's go there, ladies and gentlemen!'

'Alright, Shelly,' Penny grinned.

'Of course, my love,' Amy smiled softly.

'Yeah, time to get in the middle of it all!' Bernie grinned.

'Oh Yes,' Howard grinned.

'The décisive fight,' Leonard nodded.

'Time to meet the big bad,' Raj nodded fearfully but resolutely.

Lucy just nodded quietly.

Sheldon marched resolutely to the enclosure, holding Amy's hand tenderly. His sister and friends followed them.

The enclosure had an Abyss in the middle, and bronze Shields around it were reflecting a distorted image of a huge fearsome reptile. Along the far wall stood Statues of humanoids in ancient Khettim garb, with scaly hands and erased faces, each one of them holding a bronze Axe in it's hands.

By the edge of the Abyss was standing a tall, lean humanoid in a long  wide hooded cloak, with scaly hands and serpentine head with cold, imperious yellow eyes. Three unarmed cultist thugs were standing near him. He fixed  Sheldon and his band with a cold stare.

'Intruderss again?' he laughed dryly. 'My men, attack them!'

The three thugs darted to the serpentine Statues. But Penny and Lucy darted after them, and Howard drew his longbow, aimed at one of the thugs leisurely and let his arrow loose. It whizzed through the air and hit the thug in his side. He yelled horribly, Blood gushing from his side. Howard grinned. Bernadette darted after the wounded cultist and hit him in the belly with her Sword. He yelled horribly and dropped to the floor, motionless. Bernie grinned.

Penny meanwhile hit other thug in his belly with her Spear. He yelled horribly and fell to the ground, motionless. Penny grinned.

Lucy hammered the remaining thug with her heavy hooves. He yelled horribly and fell to the ground, bloodied.

And Sheldon meanwhile marched to the Grand Master resolutely. The Grand Master chanted in a cold even voice, 'I unleash a Psychic Attack on this wizard for five power points!' But Sheldon just smirked and aimed his Beta Ray Wand at the Grand Master. A white ray issued from it and hit the Grand Master, enveloping him in Bright white light. The Grand Master yelled horribly. Sheldon smirked. Then Leonard aimed his Rod of Lightning at the Grand Master. A Bright white Lightning issued from it and flew at the Grand Master, burning him to Ashes. Leonard smiled grimly.

Amy ran to Sheldon and embraced him. He kissed her gently, and she answered him passionately.

Penny ran to Leonard and embraced him hotly. Leonard kissed her gently, she answered him hotly.

Howard ran to Bernadette and kissed her soundly. Bernie answered him passionately.

And Lucy darted to Raj, waving her tail. Raj caressed her fur gently.

Sheldon looked at the pile of Ashes that were left of the Grand Master, and saw two golden rings, one with a Ruby and another with a sapphire, and a long finely carved Ivory staff. Sheldon looked at them thoughtfully, then put the rings on his long slender pale fingers and took the staff in his right hand, pocketing the Beta Ray Wand.

'What are these, Shelly?' Penny grinned waving her tail.

'Rings of Sorcery, they magnify a Sorcerer's Mystic Strength and Fortitude by one point each, and the Staff of Power in which additional power is stored,' Sheldon smirked. He put his left hand on the staff, and white light passed from his hand to the staff. 

'Alriight,' Penny nodded grinning.

Sheldon walked to the Abyss and peered inside. It was indeed a Gigantosaur down below, huge and scaly, squat, with four thick clawed paws, long thick tail and long large head with sharp long teeth.

'It's a Gigantosaur down there, just great,' Sheldon said dryly. 'And No stairs in sight.'

Howard took his longbow from behind his back and an arrow from his quiver, notched the arrow, aimed at the Gigantesque leisurely and let his arrow loose. It whizzed though the air and hit the Gigantosaur in its side. It roared horribly and lurched into the darkness somewhere.

'Damn it!' Howard shouted. 'It must be a large cavern down there. I wonder where is the entrance to it!?' 

'Somewhere on this Island, this is all I can say,' Sheldon replied dryly. 'Let's go and search for it.'

He marched out of the enclosure resolutely, holding Amy's hand tenderly. His sister and friends followed them.

As soon as they exited into the large hall, eight cultist thugs charged on them. But Penny hit one of them with her Spear in his belly. He yelled horribly and dropped onto the floor, Blood gushing from his belly. Penny grinned. Leonard aimed his Rod of Lighting at another cultist. A white Lightning issued from it and hit the thug. He yelled horribly, and in the next moment there was only a pile of Ashes in his place. Leonard smiled grimly. Then Sheldon aimed his Beta Ray Wand at another cultist, and a Bright white ray issued from it and hit the thug. He yelled horribly. Sheldon smirked.

Then Raj chanted, 'I unleash a Dart of Fire on this cultist thug for two power points!' A bolt of fire issued from his hand and flew at one of the thugs, enveloping him in flames. He yelled horribly, and when the flames subsided, he was very singed, a charred stump instead of his right arm. Raj smiled grimly. Howard aimed at the singed thug leisurely and let his arrow loose. It whizzed through the air and hit the thug in his neck. He yelled horribly and dropped to the floor, Blood gushing from his neck. Howard grinned. Then Amy charged at the thug hit by Sheldon's Beta Ray and brought her staff down on his head. He yelled horribly and dropped to the floor, Blood gushing from his head. Amy smiled grimly. Then Bernadette charged at another thug and hit him with her Sword in his side. He yelled horribly, Blood gushing from his side. Bernie grinned. Then Lucy darted to another cultist thug and hammered him with her heavy hooves. He dropped to the floor, yelling horribly. Lucy waved her tail. The thug with bloodied side lurched at Bernie but she dodged swiftly and hit him in his belly with her Sword. He yelled horribly and dropped to the floor, Blood gushing from his wound. Penny grinned.

Amy ran to Sheldon and embraced him. Sheldon kissed her gently. Amy answered him passionately.

Penny ran to Leonard and embraced him hotly. Leonard kissed her gently, and she answered him tenderly.

Howard ran to Bernie and kissed her soundly. She answered him passionately.

And Raj caressed Lucy's black coat gently. Lucy waved her tail.

'Well, let's search the other rooms around the hall, ladies and gentlemen,' Sheldon commanded. His fiancée and companions nodded briefly. 

They headed to the left. The first two rooms on the left had bunk beds, they had to be rooms of the cultist thugs. Third room was a messy private bedchamber with a single bed and a large ornate wardrobe. Sheldon grimaced seeing the disrepair in the room, but searched it. He found a small amphora with black sticky ointment

'Oh, the ointment of Meretseger,' Sheldon said satisfied. 'It is an antidote.'

'Oh goody,' Penny grinned. Sheldon nodded grinning softly and handed the amphora to Penny.

They continued their search. The fourth room was an ornate chamber with its walls painted with Hunting scenes among tall Green reeds, with blue cranes, red Deer, golden brown snipes and plovers and swarthy Khettim archers in white skirts and long curly black wigs, and tabby cats accompanying them in the hunt, for example, sitting on the reeds and catching the birds with their long clawed paws. A finely carved stone reading pulpit was washed by light from a single window, and scrolls were littering the floor. A tall thin humanoid in long wide hooded cloak, with scaly hangs and long serpentine head, was reading at the pulpit. He looked at the adventurers in startled horror. 'Please don't kill me, I'm just a ssscribe!' he shouted. 

'Don't worry, we don't kill peaceful scholars,' Sheldon drawled. 'I'm a scholar myself, a Sorcerer, and so are my friends Dr Leonard Hofstadter, also a Sorcerer, Dr Raj Koothrappalli, a wizard of Air, Fire and Earth, and my fiancée Dr Amelia Farrah Fowler. And I'm Dr Sheldon Cooper, at your service, and my other companions are Penny Black, my sworn sister and Leonard's fiancée, a half Ubasti thief as you see, Howard Wallace, a Hunter, his lover Lady Bernadette Rostenkowska, and Lucy Fiore, a shape-shifter and Raj's lover. And what is your name, good sir?'

'Atumkhotep,' the scribe said smiling wryly. 'I'm the older brother of the Grand Master, Sssufut, and I promisssed myself to care about him when he wasss born. So, when Sssufut told that he wanted to found a sserpentoid colony in the Khet Delta, I went with him. But when we departed from our caves, Sssufut and hisss minionsss captured a Gigantosaur, I realized he wasss up to sssomething very wrong. And then we came to this Island, and Sssufut placed the beassst into the Abyssss beneath the Temple, and he and hisss minionss recruited sssome disssreputable thugsss from the neighbourhood and they ssstarted abducting local people and sssacrificing them to the beast. I wasss dissstraught but what could I do? I'm No match in power to Sssufut, nor in ssstrength to his thugsss. Ssso I remained here, watched with horror what wasss happening, and waited when sssome fearlessss adventurersss will come and defeat Sssufut and hisss minionsss at lassst. Sssome adventurersss came, but Sssufut with hisss minionsss captured them all and sssacrificed sssome of them to the beassst. But thank Godsss you came at lassst! I assssume you defeated Sssufut and hisss minionsss? For you, Doctor Sheldon, have Sssufut's ssstaff in your hand and his ringsss of sssorcery on your fingers?'

'Yes,' Sheldon replied gravely. 'I'm sorry, but we had to slay Sufut and some of  his supporters.'

Atumkhotep nodded sadly.

'It's as expected,' he signed. 'Now can I help you to defeat the ressst of Sssufut's gang and the Gigantosaur? I'm not a very good Sssorcerer but I wish to be of ssservice to you!'

'Oh of course, Master Atumkhotep,' Sheldon nodded hotly. 'Between I, Leonard, Raj, Amy and you we shall make a great Magical forte!'

'Oh thank you, Doctor Sheldon!' Atumkhotep cried gratefully. 'I won't let you down, I promissse!'

'I believe you as you we're with your brother until his death,' Sheldon nodded smiling gently. 'Let's go, Master Atumkhotep!'

Atumkhotep nodded hotly.

Sheldon marched out of the chamber resolutely, holding Amy's hand tenderly. His sister, friends, and Atumkhotep followed them.

'Could you tell me what's in those Chambers, Master Atumkhotep?' Sheldon asked gently.

'Well, the next room is of No use to you, it containsss jarsss with food for ssserpentoidsss, - fliesss, beetlesss, and ssso on,' Atumkhotep supplied gently. 'And the next room is a dormitory for the thugsss, they're sssleeping now.'

'Sheldon nodded. 'All right, Master Atumkhotep, then we won't go there.

He marched past two next rooms resolutely, his fiancée, sister, friends and Atumkhotep following him. He stopped by the next door. 'And what next, Master Atumkhotep?'

'Well, the next room is for the ssstorage of ssspicesss, myrrh and incenssse, and alssso for ssspiritual textsss,' Atumkhotep informed him. 'And the next room to that is the Chamber of the Grand Massster, Sssufut used to sssleep here.'

Sheldon nodded. 'And the next chamber? The two last rooms are dormitories for the cultist thugs, I know that because they charged at us from these when we entered the inner Temple. ..through the corner room, I might add...'

Atumkhotep chuckled. 'Well, the next room is the chamber for the inner circle priests, one of them is always resting in there!'

Sheldon nodded. 'Well, time to leave the Temple...Master Atumkhotep, do you chance to know the  whereabouts of the entrance to the Abyss where the 'Apophis' dwells?'

'Of course,' Atumkhotep nodded hotly. 'It's in that mastaba tomb behind the Temple.'

'Oh, that's ingenious, I would never have guessed this,' Sheldon observed. 'Well, let's go outside!'

Atumkhotep nodded gently.

But at this point from the chamber of the inner circle priests burst one serpentoid priest accompanied by two cultist thugs. 'You insssolent intrudersss!' the serpentoid priest hissed. 'Ssservantsss, attack them!'

And the two thugs charged at the adventurers and at Atumkhotep.

But Penny lurched at one thug with her Spear and hit him in his belly. He yelled horribly and dropped to the floor, Blood gushing from his belly. Penny grinned. Sheldon aimed his Beta Ray Wand at another thug. A Bright white ray issued from the Wand and hit the thug. He yelled horribly and dropped to the floor. Sheldon smirked. The serpentoid priest chanted, staring at Sheldon, 'I unleasssh a Psssychic Attack on this Sssorcccerer for five power pointssss!' But Sheldon h just smirked. Then Leonard aimed his Rod of Lighting at the serpentoid priest. A Bright white Lightning issued from the rod, flew at the serpentoid and hit him, burning him to Ashes. Leonard grinned.

Amy ran to Sheldon and embraced him. He kissed her gently, and she answered him passionately.

Leonard kissed Penny gently. She answered him tenderly.

Atumkhotep smiled gently looking at the two young couples. 'There isss much love between you and your fiancéesss, Doctor Sheldon and Doctor Leonard,' he observed. 'And your sssisssster isss a very good Warrior, Doctor Sheldon.'

'Indeed,' Sheldon smiled proudly.

'But have you ssspent all your power, Doctor Sheldon and Doctor Leonard?' Atumkhotep asked gently.

'Well, not exactly all our power, but what's left is insufficient for a Psychic Attack,' Sheldon explained gently. 'So now we have to go and rest in the gardens to restore our power. I stored some of my power in the staff.'

'Oh, I sssee,' Atumkhotep nodded gently. 'Well, let'sss leave the Temple then!'

Sheldon nodded briefly. He marched through the doorway to the corner chamber resolutely, holding Amy's hand tenderly. His sister, friends and Atumkhotep followed them. They marched through the peristyle and the courtyard and returned to the western garden, sliding between the serpentine sphinx Statues. They crawled by the crocodile pond, passed through the gap in the box hedge ans marched through the southern garden to the mastaba.

'Well, here we rest,' Sheldon commanded. 'That is, I, Leonard and Raj. And the rest of you ladies and gentlemen guard us.'

Penny, Amy, Howard, Bernie, Lucy and Atumkhotep nodded gravely. Sheldon, Leonard and Raj lay down on the grass and soon fell asleep. Lucy's outlines blurred and she turned human again. She smiled shyly at Atumkhotep. 'Ssso thisss is your true form, Missss Lucccy,' Atumkhotep smiled gently. Lucy nodded shyly.

 

Next morning Sheldon yawned and opened his eyes, 'Good morning, my beloved, good morning, lil' sis, good morning, my friends!'. Two of his friends opened their eyes slowly, others smiling at them.

'Good morning, Sheldon, my love,' Amy smiled gently.

'Good morning, Shelly,' Penny grinned.

'Good morning, Sheldon,' Leonard smiled gently.

'Good morning, Doctor Sheldon,' Atumkhotep smiled gently.

Sheldon put his left hand on his Staff of Power, and a Bright white light passed from his hand to the staff. Sheldon nodded satisfied. 'Well, now there are eight power points stored in this staff!'

Penny nodded grinning. Amy smiled softly.

'Well, now let's move, ladies and gentlemen!' Sheldon commanded. His companions nodded briefly. 

Leonard and Raj rose, yawning. Lucy's outlines blurred, and she turned into a red Deer. Atumkhotep nodded smiling at her transformation.

Sheldon took Amy's hand tenderly and marched forwards resolutely. Penny, Leonard, Howard, Bernadette, Raj, Lucy and Atumkhotep followed them.

There was a large stone door in a recess in the northern wall of the mastaba tomb. Atumkhotep took a key from his robe, put it in a keyhole and turned it once. The door opened with great wheezing, and Atumkhotep came in. Sheldon, Amy, Penny, Leonard, Howard, Bernadette and Raj came in too. Lucy waited outside. Inside was a small chamber with an altar, covered in wilting Lotus flowers and minuscule serpentine figures. On the walls were inscribed 73 names in High Khemi, all inscriptions very old except the last name, Sufut. Atumkhotep stood silently for a while before the altar, his scaly hands put together. Then he sighed, took a stylus and inscribed beneath the name of Sufut another name, 'Atumkhotep.' He said resolutely, 'Yesss, my friendsss, I'm going to be the next Grand Massster of Apophisss.'

Penny, Howard and Raj gasped. But Sheldon, Leonard, Bernadette and Amy just nodded sadly.

Atumkhotep smiled sadly looking at Penny, Howard and Raj. 'Oh don't worry, I don't intend to continue human sssacrificesss or to keep the beassst here! I want this to become a peaceful placcce of worship, reminding people that without chaosss there wouldn't be order or no light without darkness. I intend to recruit young ssserpentoidsss from our cavesss and to teach them Sssacred textsss and gardening.'

'Oh goody,' Penny grinned relieved. 'But I see No doors in this chamber, is there a secret door I must find!?!?'

'Oh Misss Penny, there are No other doorsss in thisss chamber,' Atumkhotep informed her. 'It'sss a placcce of worship and remembranccce only. The real door to the massstaba isss in the wessstern wall!'

Penny nodded dumbfounded.

'Well, let's go out of here then,' Sheldon commanded and marched out of the little chamber, holding Amy's hand tenderly. His sister, friends and the new Grand Master followed them. Atumkhotep led them to the western wall of the mastaba. 'Well, Missss Penny, try and find a sssecret door here,' he smiled gently.

Penny waved her tail and felt the western wall with her nimble fingers. She sensed a door and grinned triumphantly. She felt the door and found a recess. She pressed her finger into it, and the small door opened. She grinned and waved her tail, 'Here you are! I'm not a half Ubasti for Nothing!'

'Ssso I sssee,' Atumkhotep nodded smiling gently.

Sheldon bowed his head and passed resolutely through the doorway, holding Amy's hand tenderly. Penny, Leonard, Howard, Bernadette, Raj and Atumkhotep followed them. Lucy crawled on her belly through the doorway. 

They found themselves in a corridor like chamber along the walls of which stood six sarcophagi, intricately decorated with gold and precious stones. At the far end of the chamber was a heavy stone slab door. It seemed there was nobody in this room, but Sheldon looked at the sarcophagi frowning. 

'Leonard, Raj, Amy, prepare your spells!' he commanded. 'Howard, prepare your arrows! Bernadette, Penny, get your weapons ready! Lucy, attention!'

Atumkhotep smiled with approval at the young Sorcerer. This young one was really clever, No wonder he was so powerful! And Sheldon's companions nodded briefly and did as he said.

When they were passing the last two sarcophagi, these last burst open, and two vacant eyed Mineans darted from them at the adventurers. One was a tall strong blonde Minean Warrior in a gilded cuirass over a red tunic, with a gilded red plumed helmet on his head, and with a red plumed Spear and a gilt round shield in his hands. Another was a tall slender female in a gilded cuirass over a blue tunic, with long flaxen hair falling from under a light gilt helmet, and with a purple plumed Spear and a gilt oval shield in her hands. The female Warrior tried to attack Penny with her Spear, but Penny parried with her Spear and hit the female Warrior with her own Spear in her side. The female Warrior yelled and dropped onto the floor, Blood gushing from her side.

Another Minean Warrior tried to attack Bernie, but she dodged swiftly. Then Sheldon chanted in his drawl, his eyes focused on the Minean, 'Warrior, I Command you to retreat and to return into your sarcophagus!' The Minean nodded and returned to his hiding place.

Then Amy knelt in front of the female Warrior, put her hands on her side and intoned, 'O Asclepius Almighty, I implore you to heal this Warrior for eight health points!' 

Bright white light issued from Amy's hands and went into the female Warrior's side. Blood stopped gushing from her wound instantly, and the Warrior opened her eyes and looked at Amy who was removing her hands from the female warrior's side.

'Oh thank you, good Healer!' she blurted out. 

'Don't mention it, my Lady, it's my duty,' Amelia smiled softly. Sheldon smiled softly at his fiancée.

The female Warrior looked at Sheldon, Penny, Leonard, Howard, Bernadette, Raj, Lucy and Atumkhotep. 'So you are brave adventurers who came to defeat evil Sufut and his minions!? But I see a Serpent man with you!' she blurted out.

'Yes, we are called Dr Cooper's Men,' Sheldon clarified. 'And don't worry, this serpentoid is just a peaceful scholar, he's our ally.'

The female Warrior nodded. 'I'm Princess Rhetia of Amazonia, and my hapless comrade is Cleontes of Thena. We were part of previous rescue expédition. Thank you for commanding Cleontes to retreat, good Sorcerer.'

'Oh, don't mention it, Your Highness, though the praise is entirely deserved,' Sheldon smiled proudly. 'I'm Dr Sheldon Cooper, and these are my sworn sister Penny Black, her fiancée and my best friend Dr Leonard Hofstadter, also a Sorcerer, Howard Wallace, a Hunter, Lady Bernadette Rostenkowska, Howard's love, Dr Raj Koothrappalli, a wizard of Air, Fire and Earth, Lucy Fiore, Raj's love, Master Atumkhotep and last but not least, my fiancée, Dr Amelia Farrah Fowler, a healer as you see.'

'Glad to meet you, ladies and gentlemen,' Princess Rhetia smiled gently. 'Have you gone to the Temple already?'

'Yes, we defeated Grand Master Sufut and his minions,' Sheldon nodded proudly. 'Now only the beast and those who might be in this mastaba are left.'

Princess Rhetia nodded resolutely, 'I'll help you and your friends fight, Dr Cooper.'

'You're welcome,' Sheldon nodded firmly.

'Dr Cooper, can you remove the sorcery from Cleontes?' Princess Rhetia asked eagerly.

'Who enslaved him?' Sheldon asked frowning. 

'A Serpent man who stays here in the mastaba,' Rhetia replied. 'He must be here somewhere.'

'Very good,' Sheldon nodded firmly. 'The spell on Cleontes will be raised with the death of the Sorcerer who enslaved him. And have No doubt, I will slay that evil Sorcerer personally, I hate Sorcerers who use enslavement on humans.'

Sheldon smirked grimly.

'Oh, all right, I'm perfectly fine with that,' Rhetia smiled grimly.

Sheldon nodded gravely and looked at the stone slab door. 'Some door this is! Penny, could you open it?'

'Sure, Shelly,' Penny grinned and walked back, waving her tail. Then she sped to the stone slab door and kicked it with all her might and speed from the run. The stone slab broke in two. Penny grinned, waving her tail, her fists against her sides.

'Miss Penny, you are a very powerful Warrior,' Rhetia said with great respect.

'You bet!' Penny grinned, waving her tail.

Leonard beamed proudly at his fiancée. Penny grinned to him.

And Atumkhotep just stared at Penny wide eyed.

Sheldon slid through the gap, holding Amy's hand tenderly. His sister and friends, aas well as Rhetia and Atumkhotep, followed them. 

They found themselves in a large room, lit by wax candles and it's floor littered by shed scales. A hooded serpentoid was standing in one corner, and two glassy eyed blonde Minean warriors, one with a Sword and other with a Spear, were standing by him. Sheldon marched resolutely to the serpentoid, holding Amy's hand tenderly and their friends following them. The serpentoid fixed him with a cold stare and commanded, 'My ssslavesss, attack thessse intrudersss!' 

One Minean Warrior lurched at Penny but she parried his Sword with her Spear. Another Minean Warrior lurched at Leonard but Leonard dodged his Spear swiftly.

Then the serpentoid priest chanted, staring at Sheldon, 'I unleash a Psssychic Attack on this wizard for five power pointsss!' But Sheldon just smirked and chanted in his drawl, 'I unleash a Psychic Attack on this serpentoid for five power points!' The serpentoid yelled horribly and collapsed onto the floor, motionless. And at the Same moment the two Minean warriors blinked and looked at Sheldon and his friends as if just awoken. And instantly there was sound of running footsteps from the first chamber, and Cleontes burst into the second chamber and looked in amazement at Sheldon, his companions, Atumkhotep, Rhetia and the two other Minean warriors.

'Rhetia! Anaksimander! Lysimachos!' he shouted. 'What happened, by Ares!?'

'You were enslaved by this Serpent man, as was I and our two comrades,' Rhetia answered calmly. 'But Dr Sheldon Cooper here slayed the Serpent man and broke his spell. Dr Cooper came to the Island of Apophis with his fiancée, sister and friends, and they defeated most of the evil cultists already. Now they're going to defeat the rest of the cultists and their beast.'

'Oh,' Cleontes said looking at Sheldon and his companions. 'Thank you, Doctor Sheldon, and your friends too, for saving us!'

'Oh, don't mention it, Master Cleontes, though the praise is entirely deserved,' Sheldon smiled proudly.

Cleontes nodded grinning. Anaksimander and Lysimachos stared at everything in confusion.

'Good adventurers, thank you for saving us,' Anaksimander said gently. Lysimachos just nodded.

'Oh, don't mention it,' Sheldon smiled proudly. 'Will you help us, Master Anaksimander and Master Lysimachos? And you, Master Cleontes?'

'Oh of course!' Cleontes blurted out. 'We'll be Happy to help you! Oh! You must know there are another five of our comrades here somewhere, controlled by another Serpent man!'

'Would one of them happen to be a young man called Agapios of Thena?' Sheldon asked frowning gently.

'Oh Yes!' Cleontes nodded hotly. 'He is a brave young man, perhaps even too brave.'

Sheldon nodded smiling wryly. 'Very good, because his uncle, Master Nikos Rhinotomos, sent us to Save him.'

'Master Nikos Rhinotomos, a prosperous merchant?' Rhetia asked curiously. 'Agapios didn't tell us he was his nephew!'

'He wouldn't, to avoid rumours,' Sheldon said dryly. 'But he jolly well is, and his uncle is worried sick about him. Of course, that's not the only reason we came to the Island of Apophis, the provincial authorities of Hawada and the high priest of Ra also asked us to do something about the evil cult of Apophis, as their misdeeds were clamoring to the Heavens!'

'Well, you came to the provincial authorities and to the high priest of Ra yourself, Sheldon,' Leonard observed dryly.

'And that's because the courtyard of the Provincial Palace of Hawada was full of wailing and chest beating applicants!' Sheldon retorted. 'How could I, Sheldon the Black-Gold, not to help them!?'

Leonard rolled his eyes. Penny, Howard and Bernadette grinned. Amy smiled tenderly. Raj smiled gently. Lucy waved her little tail.

Rhetia, Cleontes, Anaksimander and Lysimachos grinned.

Sheldon looked around the room. A pile of clay tablets was lying by one wall, and in the far end of the room, in its right wall, there was a smashed stone slab door, with a gap larhe enough for a humanoid to pass through it. Sheldon walked to the pile of tablets, picked them up and peered at them. 'Hmmm, old maps in serpentoid language, to two locations in Charybdia. I'll keep this and investigate it.' He pocketed the tablets.

Amelia nodded smiling gently.

'Alrighty,' Penny grinned.

'Ooh, new adventures!' Bernie grinned. Howard nodded grinning broadly.

Leonard nodded slowly. And Raj looked at Sheldon starry eyed.

Lucy waved her small tail.

Rhetia, Cleontes, Anaksimander and Lysimachos looked at them curiously.

'All right, ladies and gentlemen, I'm certain we're nearing the beast's lair now,' Sheldon said resolutely. 'So please be on your guard, will you?'

'Oh of course, Shelly,' Penny grinned gripping her Spear more comfortably.

'Sure,' Howard grinned, trying the bowstring of his longbow.

Bernie nodded grinning, and gripped the hilt of her Sword tighter.

'Of course, my beloved,' Amy smiled gently, gripping her staff tighter.

Lucy nodded waving her short tail.

Leonard and Raj nodded gravely. So did Rhetia, Cleontes, Anaksimander and Lysimachos.

'Very good,' Sheldon said, satisfied. 'Now let's go!'

His fiancée, sister and friends nodded briefly.

Sheldon marched resolutely to the second smashed stone door and slid through the gap, holding Amy's hand tenderly. His sister and friends followed them.

They found themselves in a partly ruined room, its far wall downright collapsed and a dark cave gaping through the breach, and the floor of the room littered with stone debris.

'Woah,' Penny blurted out. 'This place is a mess!'

'You tell me, lil' sis,' Sheldon said dryly. 

And at this point a giant rat the size of a rhino sprung on them from the debris. It tried to attack Penny but she dodged swiftly.

Then Sheldon chanted in his drawl, 'I unleash a Psychic Attack on this Giant Rat for five power points!' The Giant Rat roared horribly. Sheldon smirked.

Then Howard aimed at the Giant Rat leisurely and let his arrow loose. It whizzed through the air and hit the Giant Rat in one eye. The Giant Rat roared horribly and collapsed onto the floor, motionless.

Amy ran to Sheldon and embraced him. He leaned to her and kissed her gently. She answered him passionately.

Bernadette ran to Howard and embraced him hotly. Howard leaned to her and kissed her soundly. She answered him tenderly.

'Master Howard, is that a Quiver of Artemis that you have?' Rhetia asked with great respect as she saw that the arrow in Howard's quiver was instantly replaced by a new one.

'Why Yes, it is,' Howard grinned. 'Artemis the Huntress favours me...and Sheldon asked for this quiver as a reward for me!'

Rhetia nodded smiling gently.

Then Sheldon looked around the room inquisitively. He saw lots of closed baskets and crates. He walked to one basket, opened the lid and peered inside. 'Hmm, bananas. Those are definitely Charybdian. Let's look into other baskets and crates!'

He opened several other baskets and saw dates, mangoes and sugar apples. 'Hmm, all Charybdian as   I thought,' he observed.

'Yesss, Sssufut was very fond of Charybdian fruitsss,' Atumkhotep explained sadly.

Sheldon nodded and looked into the cave mouth at the other end of the ruined room. 'Well, ladies and gentlemen, let's make the last spurt,' he declared resolutely. 'That is surely the cave leading to the beast's lair. Amy, Leonard, Raj, Master Atumkhotep, keep close to me. Penny, Howard, Bernadette, Lucy, Princess Rhetia, Master Cleontes, Master Anaksimander, Master Lysimachos, form a circle around us! Let's move!'

'Sure Shelly,' Penny grinned.

'You bet,' Howard grinned.

'Yes, my beloved,' Amy smiled gently.

Bernie just grinned. Leonard nodded resolutely. Raj nodded fearfully but firmly. Lucy nodded and waved her short tail. Rhetia and the Minean warriors nodded resolutely. Atumkhotep nodded fearfully.

Sheldon marched to the cave mouth resolutely, holding Amy's hand tenderly. Leonard, Raj and Atumkhotep followed closely. Penny with her Spear on guard, Bernie with her Sword bared, Howard with his Bow in his hands and an arrow notched, Lucy with her sharp  horns forwards, Rhetia with her Sword drawn, Cleontes, Anaksimander and Lysimachos with their Spears on guard, all followed them. Sheldon slid into the gap resolutely, holding his fiancée's hand tenderly. His sister and friends followed them. Raj whispered something to himself, and a small fiery ball formed over his head, lighting the cave. It was a rough tunnel with roots growing from it's walls. Sheldon grimaced but continued on his way.

The tunnel went downwards. Suddenly a cave hall opened to the right, and three giant rats barged out of it and charged on the adventurers, roaring horribly.

One of them lurched at Penny but she dodged swiftly and hit the giant rat with her Spear in it's side. It roared horribly. Penny grinned.

Then Raj chanted, 'I unleash a Blezing Sphere on these three giant rats for four power points!' A huge fiery sphere formed in front of him and flew at the giant rats. One rat dodged the fiery ball but two were enveloped in flames. They roared horribly, and when the flames subsided, there we're only Ashes instead of one rat, and the other one was very singed.

'Way to go, Raj sweetie!' Penny cheered. Raj smiled shyly.

Sheldon chanted in his drawl, 'I unleash a Psychic Attack on this giant rat for five power points!' Another giant rat roared horribly and dropped onto the cave floor, motionless. Sheldon smirked.

Then Leonard chanted, 'I unleash a Psychic Attack on this giant rat for five power points!' 

The remaining giant rat roared horribly and tried to attack Bernadette, but Bernadette dodged swiftly and hit it in its side with her Sword. The giant rat roared horribly and dropped onto the cave floor, motionless, Blood gushing from its side. Bernie grinned.

Rhetia looked at the adventurers in awe, 'You're really great heroes!'

'Why thanks, Your Highness,' Sheldon smiled proudly. 

Amy ran to Sheldon and embraced him tenderly. Sheldon leaned to her and kissed her gently. Amy answered him passionately.

Leonard and Penny embraced, and Leonard kissed Penny gently. Penny answered him tenderly.

And Howard ran to Bernie and kissed her soundly. She answered him tenderly.

Rhetia looked at the three couples smiling gently.

'Well, ladies and gentlemen, let's move!' Sheldon commanded. 

His fiancée, sister and friends nodded briefly, qand they continued their way down the dark tunnel.

Suddenly the tunnel opened up into a massive cavern. It extended far upwards and downwards, a great somber hall, and before them was a natural platform to the left of which a narrow ledge ran along the wall of the cavern. And the platform wasn't empty, of course. A robed Serpent man guarded the platform, and with him were two strong blonde Minean warriors armed with Spears, and a tall, strong Gallian Warrior with blue eyes and long braided red hair, in a crimson tunic embroidered with golden flowers and dark Green trousers with golden stripes, with a large Axe in his hands.

'That's Kloviz,' Rhetia said sadly. 'Sieur Kloviz de Beaumont.'

Sheldon nodded gravely.

Meanwhile the serpentoid noticed the adventurers and commanded, 'My sslavess! Attack these intruderss!' Kloviz and the three Minean warriors charged at Sheldon and his companions. But Leonard aimed his Rod of Lightning at the serpentoid. Bright white Lightning issued from it and hit the Serpent man. The Serpent man yelled horribly. Kloviz attempted to hit Penny with his Axe but she dodged swiftly and hit him with her Spear in his side. Kloviz cursed, Blood gushing from his side. And Howard aimed leisurely at the Serpent man and let his arrow loose. His arrow whizzed through the air and hit the Serpent man in his eye. The Serpent man yelled horribly and dropped onto the floor, Blood gushing from his eye. And instantly Kloviz and the two Minean warriors stopped, looking at the scène wide eyed.

'Princess Rhetia!?' Kloviz shouted. 'What in the blazes happened!?'

'You were enslaved by that filthy snake Spawn,' Rhetia informed him. 'But brave heroes here slayed him and saved you, Protesilaus and Admetes.'

Kloviz nodded, dumbfounded. 'How am I to thank you, noble sirs and dames!? Name it, Sieur Kloviz de Beaumont shall do anything for you!'

'Stay here on the platform, Sieur Kloviz, and guard your friends,' Sheldon told him. 'We will be greatly obliged if nobody gets in our way while we're battling the beast.'

Penny snorted. Kloviz looked in amazement at Sheldon but then nodded.

'You're a wizard, sir? And you're the commander of your band, isn't that so?'

'Why Yes, Sieur Kloviz,' Sheldon nodded. 'Dr Sheldon Cooper, a Sorcerer with five academic degrees, pleased to meet you!”

'Likewise, Dr Cooper,' Kloviz nodded firmly.

And at this moment three people appeared from the Shadows of the ledge and stepped onto the rock platform. They were three blonde Minean nobles, armed with swords.

'Oh, thank Hermes that you came, good sirs and ladies!' shouted one of them, a short handsome young man in a purple tunic embroidered with golden stars and trimmed with gold.

Sheldon looked at him attentively. 'Would you be Master Agapios of Thena?'

The young man looked at him in astonishment, 'Have you read my mind, Dr Cooper!?'

'No,' Sheldon snorted. 'Your uncle, Master Nikos Rhinotomos, was worried sick about you and asked us to find you, Master Agapios.'

'Oh,' Agapios nodded, deflated. 'I'm sorry I caused you trouble!'

'It's all right because the provincial authorities of Hawada and the high priest of Ra asked us to vanquish the cult of Apophis,' Sheldon informed him. Agapios nodded with relief. Penny snorted.

Sheldon walked to the edge of the platform and peered down. Sure enough, there it was, the Gigantosaur, chained to one wall. And only a rope ladder with knots led down. Sheldon shuddered, No, he didn't have a fear of heights which was irrational, he had a fear of falling down which was completely rational and justified. And the rope looked extremely untrustworthy and the cave floor was a very long way down at that. But he knew he had to do it. He clenched his teeth and sighed.

'Well, time to go down,' he said resolutely. 'Penny, you go first, you'll catch me in cause of fall. I'll go second, Amy dear, you'll go after me, then Leonard, Howard, Raj and Bernadette. Lucy, leap down, your magic will support you. And you, Sieur Kloviz, stay here with Princess Rhetia and your other friends.'

Amy looked at her fiancé with great concern but nodded. 

'Sure, Shelly,' Penny grinned.

All the rest nodded briefly.

Penny lay down on the edge of the rock, gripped the rope with her strong hands, then swung down over the edge and put her feet on the first knot. Then she slid her hands down, and put her feet on the second knot. Continuing like that, she descended swiftly into the darkness below. 

Sheldon looked down with concern. Then Penny called loudly, 'I'm on the floor, Shelly! Follow me!'

Sheldon looked down with great trepidation. Then he sighed and lay down on the edge of the rock, gripped the rope with his long slender hands, swung over the edge awkwardly and stepped on the first knot. He sighed deeply and slid his hands down, then stepped onto the second knot and continued his way down cautiously. He did his best not to look down. After what seemed an eternity he felt his feet hit the floor. He sighed with relief, put his feet firmly on the floor and let go of the rope. He looked around. Penny was standing nearby, grinning broadly. Sheldon made a few deep breaths to calm his fast beating heart and smiled softly to Penny.

'Well done, Shelly!' Penny cheered.

Sheldon nodded smiling softly and called, 'Leonard! Get gown please!'

Some time later a panting Leonard, grinning Howard and Bernadette, and wide eyed Raj, were standing on the cave floor too. Then Sheldon heard a thump, and the graceful red Deer that was Lucy landed on her slender hooves near them.

Sheldon peered forwards and saw the massive dark hulk of the beast. 'All right, it's the décisive battle, ladies and gentlemen! Leonard, Raj, Amy, prepare your spells! Howard, prepare your arrows! Penny, Bernadette, get your weapons ready! Lucy, do what you see fit! Understood?'

His fiancée, sister and friends nodded briefly.

They marched resolutely towards the beast.

The Gigantosaur roared and charged at them. But they dodged swiftly.

Raj chanted, 'I unleash a Blezing Sphere on this Gigantosaur for four power points!' A huge fiery sphere formed in front of him and flew at the Gigantosaur, engulfing it in flames. The Gigantosaur roared horribly. When the flames subsided it was very singed. Raj smiled proudly.

Then Penny lurched at the Gigantosaur with her Spear and hit it in its side. The beast roared horribly, Blood gushing from it's side. Penny grinned.

Then Leonard chanted, 'I unleash a Psychic Attack on this Gigantosaur for five power points!' The Gigantosaur roared horribly.

'You go, Leo dear!' Penny cheered. Leonard smiled shyly.

Then Sheldon put his right hand on his staff, and a white light travelled from the staff to his hand and then faded. Sheldon drew himself to his full considerable height and chanted in his drawl, 'I unleash a Psychic Attack on this Gigantosaur  for five power points!' The Gigantosaur roared horribly and dropped onto the cave floor, motionless. Sheldon smirked proudly.

'You did it, Shelly!' Penny grinned broadly.

'We did it, lil' sis,' Sheldon smiled softly. 'Without you, Leonard and Raj, I wouldn't defeat this beast.'

Leonard beamed at him. Raj smiled shyly. And Penny opened her arms to Sheldon.

Sheldon came into his sister's warm embrace and sighed, relaxing. Penny grinned broadly to him.

Amy looked at them, smiling gently. 

Penny ran to Leonard and embraced him. Leonard kissed her gently, and Penny answered him tenderly.

Then Amy ran to Sheldon and embraced him. Sheldon kissed her gently. Amy answered him passionately.

Lucy came to Raj, her outlines blurred, and she became human again. Raj blushed, leaned to her and kissed her gently. Lucy answered him tenderly.

Penny looked at the dead beast, then at the edge of the rock far upwards that she could easily see with her sharp feline vision. 'So what, let's climb back up, Shelly?'

'Oh Athena, No,' Sheldon said shuddering, and patted his Armlet of Janus. 'Thankfully I have this, and the rock platform is a place I've been to!'

'Swell,' Penny grinned broadly.

Sheldon nodded smiling softly. 'Now, you know the routine, ladies and gentlemen, let's go!'

His fiancée, sister and friends nodded. Amy took Sheldon's right hand tenderly, Penny took Amy's free hand, and everyone linked their hands the Same way. Sheldon rubbed the sapphire in Janus's eye on the copper bracelet, and commanded, 'To the rock platform!'

There was a Bright flash of white light, and a falling sensation, and in the next moment Sheldon and his companions we're standing on the rock platform.

Rhetia, Kloviz, Agapios and the rest just blinked.

'But how?' Agapios blurted out.

'A very useful artifact called the Armlet of Janus,' Sheldon smiled proudly. 'I found it in a 'Temple' of an evil cult of Moloch which we vanquished. It can transport one to any place where they have once been, but only two times a day.'

Rhetia, Agapios, Kloviz and the rest nodded in awe.

'So, now let's go back to the surface, and return to Hawada,' Sheldon said resolutely. 'I have to hand Master Agapios to his uncle. And then you can go where you want. But I must tell you that I'm going to wed Amelia as soon as we return to Hawada. You all are invited to my wedding.'

'Oh, congratulations, Dr Cooper, of course we will all come!' Kloviz said hotly.

Rhetia nodded calmly. 'We don't have weddings in Amazonia, but I respect foreign customs, and you are my friends, so I'll come.'

'I'll come if Uncle Nikos will let me,' Agapios said sadly.

'Well, if I say that it's on my word of honour, he will surely allow you, Master Agapios,' Sheldon said evenly.

'Oh thank you, Dr Cooper!' Agapios shouted.

Sheldon smiled softly.

'We'll gladly come to your wedding, Doctor Sheldon!' Cleontes said hotly. All the other Mineans nodded emphatically.

'And I would better stay here and restore the Order,' Atumkhotep said gravely. 'The Khettim won't be glad to see a serpentoid in Hawada.'

'Master Atumkhotep, but you can use whatever Sufut and other 'priests' used to appear human,' Sheldon supplied.

'Oh, that's right, they wore Amulets of Seth that look like Khettim protective Amulets,' Atumkhotep said, brightened. 'Thank you for your advice, Doctor Sheldon!'

'Well, I'm not one of the brightest minds of Mythika for Nothing,' Sheldon smiled proudly.

Amy smiled gently. Penny, Leonard, Howard, Bernadette and Raj rolled their eyes. Lucy smiled shyly.

Sheldon marched out of the cave resolutely, holding Amy's hand tenderly. His sister and friends, and their new friends, followed them.

They passed the dark tunnels, the ruined hall, the lair of the Serpent m'en and the vestibule quickly, and left the mastaba tomb. Then they went straight to the pier. Ipy, who was sitting in his Reed boat by the pier, grinned to them.

'I see you vanquished the evil cult? I see a new staff in your hands, Doctor Sheldon, and two new rings on them, and there are Mineans with you!'

'Indeed, the staff and rings belonged to the Grand Master of the cult of Apophis, and the Mineans, a Gallian, and an Amazon Princess, were prisoners of the cultists,' Sheldon said proudly. 'So we return victorious to Hawada, Master Ipy. Have you seen where the other freed prisoners have gone? There's a relative of Penny among them, that black Ubasti.'

'Oh really!?' Ipy blurted out. 'I'll bring you to where they are! And congratulations on finding a relative, Miss Penny!'

'Thanks, Master Ipy,' Penny grinned. 'He's my Uncle Inukhet, a second brother of my dad.'

Ipy nodded grinning. 'You get into my boat! And you, good sirs and Your Highness, will have to take one of these other boats, sorry.'

'We will, thank you, good Ipy,' Rhetia said firmly. Her comrades nodded briefly.

Sheldon jumped into Ipy's boat hand in hand with his fiancée. Penny jumped into the boat and helped Leonard to get aboard. Howard and Bernadette jumped into the boat hand in hand. Lucy jumped into the boat and helped Raj aboard. They settled on the banks, and Ipy pulled the anchor up and pushed his Reed boat from the shore, then took his oars and started rowing away from the Island vigorously. Sheldon, Amy, Penny, Leonard, Howard, Bernie, Raj and Lucy sighed casting the last look at the Island. And Ipy rowed to a bank nearby. Right enough, the former prisoners were sitting on the grass around a bonfire, Inukhet among them. When they saw Ipy's boat with Sheldon and his companions in it, they cheered loudly. Inukhet ran to the shore, waving his tail.

'Penny! Leonard! Doctor Sheldon! So you vanquished the cult of Apophis!?' he shouted merrily.

'Indeed,' Sheldon smiled proudly. 'And you, Master Inukhet, are invited to my wedding when we return to Hawada.'

Inukhet nodded waving his tail. And at this moment Leonard jumped out of the boat onto the shore and knelt in front of Inukhet. 'Master Inukhet,' Leonard said firmly. 'I ask for your nièce Penny's hand in marriage. Do you agree?'

Everyone, even Sheldon, gasped at these words. And Inukhet said waving his tail merrily, 'Of course, Doctor Leonard!'

Amy and Bernadette squealed, Raj shed a tear, Howard grinned, and Sheldon smiled softly.

'It looks like it's going to be a double wedding,' Sheldon said softly. 'Leonard, I know where to get you a perfect wedding ring. And you, my dear Amy, Bernadette, and Lucy, please help my little sis to find a perfect wedding dress.'

Amy smiled softly, Bernadette grinned, and Lucy smiled shyly, and all of them nodded. Leonard blushed deeply. Penny grinned. Howard grinned broadly, and Raj took out a handkerchief from his waistcoat pocket and wiped his tears.

At this moment another boat, rowed expertly by Rhetia, neared the shore.

'My friends, now you are invited to a double wedding,' Sheldon informed them. 'Leonard is marrying my sister.'

The Mineans, Kloviz and Rhetia cheered loudly at that announcement.

 

Inukhet blew out the bonfire quickly and marched to their boat that was moored by the grassy bank. Other former prisoners followed him. And Leonard jumped back into Ipy's boat. Ipy pushed his Reed boat from the shore. Inukhet and Rhetia did the Same with their boats. Ipy rowed vigorously along the rivulet, two other boats following him. 

'Doctor Sheldon, and how you met Doctor Leonard, Penny, Doctor Raj and the rest?' Rhetia asked curiously, her boat being next to Sheldon's.

'Well, Princess Rhetia, when I was studying for my second doctorate in Princeborough University, I  thought once that I could use a Roommate to keep me company,' Sheldon explained. 'And then I placed a notice on the university billboard, 'Roommate wanted, whistlers need not apply, refer to Dr Sheldon Cooper'. And one Master Leonard Hofstadter answered my notice. I interrogated him and found him intelligent and easy going, so I accepted him as my Roommate. Leonard already had two friends, Dr Raj Koothrappalli and Master Howard Wallace, and he introduced us. We became friends. Once Howard had a brillant idea to bring a swamp Adder into my rooms. He imagined that Leonard, Raj and he could deal with it. Well, when Howard let the snake out of his bag, Leonard tried to use his Psychic Attack on it but he failed. And both Raj and Howard just froze. Well, I finished the snake with my Psychic Attack and rebuked these three fools. I told them they better take me to the woods with them always. And they agreed, of course. Well, after some very successful adventures in the woods under my wise Command Howard had a really brillant idea, that we should become a band of adventurers when I get my second doctorate and Leonard his only one. And so we did. And then in the White Turnip Tavern in Thena Penny approached us and asked if she could join our band. Leonard, I believe, fell in love with her at first sight, and asked me to accept her. Well, we could use another Warrior, a thief at that, so I agreed. Later I told Leonard that he was obviously in love with Penny, and that she also liked him. Then Leonard kissed her for the first time. Well, then we came to Midia, and Lord Hasdrubal Eshbelya of Solus asked us to Save Goyeta, the native village of his mother, from some monsters. We came to Goyeta and there we met Bernadette and my dear Amy. It turned out to be that the Elders of Goyeta asked them to defeat the monsters, in addition to asking Lord Hasdrubal for help. And well, I fell in love with Amy at first sight, and Howard with Bernadette. We joined our forces and defeated what turned out to be a cult of Moloch in the Woodlands of Samera. And I asked for Amy's hand in marriage, and she made me the happiest man in Mythika by agreeing to this. Howard and Bernadette, they just made passionate love. Then we met Lucy in the Woodlands of Samera, and Raj and she fell in love instantly. And Lucy called Penny my sister. Then I realized that Penny was practically a sister to me, and I entered into sworn brotherhood with her, by Midian laws it's simple, you only have to declare each other brother and sister, which we did. And now Leonard is betrothed to my little sis. This is our story, Princess Rhetia.'

Rhetia nodded smiling gently. 'Yours is an extraordinary and wonderful story, Doctor Sheldon.'

'I should think so, because it's mine,' Sheldon smiled softly. 'And of my dear friends.'

Amy, Penny, Leonard, Howard, Bernie, Raj and Lucy smiled fondly.

 

Six hours later they saw the waterfront of Hawada. Ipy rowed to a pier vigorously and threw the anchor. Sheldon and Amy jumped to the pier hand in hand, and so did Howard and Bernadette. Penny jumped to the pier and helped Leonard. Lucy also jumped to the pier and helped Raj. 

Sheldon looked at Ipy and said, 'Well, thanks, Master Ipy. We'll remember you if we need to go somewhere.'

'Welcome, Doctor Sheldon,' Ipy grinned. 'Any time!'

Sheldon nodded smiling softly.

Rhetia with her comrades and Inukhet with his fellow prisoners got out of their boats too and now were standing on the pier and looking at Sheldon expectantly.

'Well, Master Agapios, now I have to escorts you to your uncle,' Sheldon said. 'The rest of you may go where you want to. You'll find us in the Date Palm Inn.'

The Mineans, Rhetia and Kloviz nodded briefly. Agapios sighed and walked to Sheldon.

Sheldon marched away resolutely, holding Amy's hand tenderly. His sister and friends and Agapios followed them. Sheldon came to the luxurious barge, Oikoumenakton. He called to a servant standing on the balcony near Master Nikos' chamber, 'Hey good man, tell Master Nikos that Doctor Sheldon Cooper with companions came to see him!' The servant nodded briefly and disappeared in the stern chamber quickly. Some time later he descended by the gangway to them and told them, 'Master Nikos wants to see you, Dr Cooper, follow me please.'

Sheldon nodded gracefully and followed the servant to the ship, his companions and Agapios following him. The servant ushered them into Master Nikos' chamber. The merchant was sitting on a chest covered with red Velvet, frowning. But when he saw Agapios he instantly beamed and rose.

'Agapios, my dearest nephew, you have returned!' he shouted exuberantly, then turned to Sheldon. 'Dr Cooper, thank you for saving my Agapios! Cleomenes, give Dr Cooper hundred golden coins!'

'Yes, sir,' Cleomenes nodded briefly and left.

'So, Dr Cooper, was it really the Serpent Apophis?' Nikos asked eagerly.

'No, just a Gigantosaur that a bunch of Serpent men kept on the Island,' Sheldon explained. 'Still, it's a large beast, it took the forces of I, Leonard, Penny and Raj to take it down. The Serpent men had some disreputable thugs as their servants. Don't worry, they're all dealt with. And your nephew was one of the brave adventurers trying to defeat the evil cult, so don't berate him much.'

'Oh, all right!' Nikos shouted. 'I'm so glad to see my dear Agapios that I'm not angry at him anyways!'

Agapios breathed a sigh of relief.

'That's good, because I'm getting married to my dear Amy tomorrow and I wish that Master Agapios is present at my wedding,' Sheldon informed Nikos. 'And my sister Penny is marrying my best friend Leonard at the Same time, so it's a great event for me.'

'Oh of course!' Nikos shouted. 'Congratulations, Dr Cooper, Dr Hofstadter!'

'Thanks, Master Nikos,' Sheldon smiled softly.

'Oh thanks, Master Nikos,' Leonard smiled shyly.

By that time Cleomenes returned carrying a red Velvet pouch and handed it to Sheldon. Sheldon pocketed it carefully.

Sheldon, Amy, Leonard, Penny, Howard, Bernie, Raj, Lucy and Agapios left the Oikoumenakton.

'Leonard, now for the wedding ring,' Sheldon commanded. 'And you, my dear Amy, Bernadette and Lucy, go find the wedding dress for my lil' sis!'

Amy, Bernie and Lucy nodded smiling gently. They led Penny away. And Sheldon waved resolutely for Leonard, Howard, Raj and Agapios to follow him.

Sheldon headed, of course, straight to the market where Master Nefér was selling his jewellery. Nefér grinned when he saw Sheldon again. 'Oh, Doctor Sheldon! How can I help you this time!?'

'Well, my best friend Leonard here,' Sheldon gestured at Leonard, 'he's marrying my sister Penny tomorrow, it's going to be a double wedding. So what would you recommend for Penny?'

'Miss Penny is the tall blonde half Ubasti Warrior?' Nefér inquired.

'Yes, that's her,' Sheldon nodded smiling softly.

'Then I have just the perfect wedding ring for her,' Nefér smiled broadly and pointed to a golden ring with a large oval moonstone surrounded by multicolor enamel leaves. Sheldon looked at it and nodded smiling gently. 'It's perfect for Penny, Leonard!'

Leonard nodded smiling gently. 'How much will it be, Master Nefér?'

'Ten deben,' Nefér replied. Leonard nodded, took ten little copper weights from his cloak pocket and handed them to Never then pocketed the ring gently.

'Thank you, Master Nefér,' he smiled shyly.

'Welcome, Doctor Leonard, I wish you happiness,' Nefér grinned broadly.

Sheldon and his friends left the market and headed to the Date Palm Inn. 

 Meanwhile Penny was escorted by Amy, Bernadette and Lucy to the markets. Penny looked starry eyed at all the different beautiful dresses. Amy and Bernie had to tear her from the stalls by force each time.

'Well, bestie, which one it's going to be?' Amy inquired at another stall.

'Oh, I really don't know, Amy, they're all great, yet...' Penny trailed off, her tail hanging down.

'Not what you need?' Bernie asked compassionately.

'Yes, that's it,' Penny sighed.

'Well, then let's look further, bestie,' Amy said resolutely.

Penny nodded grinning, and they continued their search.

Sudeenly Penny stopped still by one stall. 'Look, girls, here it is! The one!'

She pointed at a creamy silk dress with long wide skirt, thin waist,oval cleavage and short flaring sleeves, stripes of golden flowering Vines running from the bottom to the top.

Amy, Bernadette and Lucy looked at it and nodded emphatically.

Penny grinned and paid for the dress. And they left the markets.

 

That evening in the great hall of the Date Palm Inn, Sheldon, Leonard, Howard, Raj, Agapios, Inukhet, Kloviz, Cleontes, Anaksimander, Lysimachos and the rest of the former prisoners we're sitting at a great table. Sheldon looked with irony at his best friend who looked both Happy and worried. 

'Leonard, you have absolutely No reason to worry,' Sheldon said dryly. 'Penny loves you, and you made love many times.'

Leonard blushed deeply. 'Well, you are certainly right, Sheldon.'

'As always,' Sheldon said smugly.

'What about you, Sheldon?' Howard grinned. 'You never made love as far as I know!'

'But I studied human anatomy and know perfectly well how it's done,' Sheldon retorted. 'So I have Nothing to worry about either.'

'Whatever,' Howard rolled his eyes.

'What, you've never?' Agapios blurted out. 'So you are a virgin?”

'And so is Amy,' Sheldon nodded. 'But she's a healer, so she studied human anatomy too.'

Agapios nodded dumbfounded.

'So, well, to my best friend and his bride, my little sister, may they be always Happy together!' Sheldon declared, raising his cup. 'They love each other dearly, and it's as if they belonged together always!'

 Everyone clicked their cups together. Raj shed a tear. Howard grinned.

'Mind you, his little sister is a tall strong Warrior who can break a stone slab door with one powerful kick and to Spear a Gigantosaur!'

'Well, she's only 23 whereas I'm 27, and she's shorter than me, so Yes,  she's my little sis,' Sheldon said dryly.

'About anyone human is shorter than you, Sheldon,' Howard grinned.

'And about anyone human is taller than you, Howard, except children and Bernadette,' Sheldon retorted.

'Yes, my princess and me suit each other in size, and that's an excellent thing,' Howard grinned.

'You keep telling yourself that, Howard,' Leonard grinned.

Howard just rolled his eyes.

Then Leonard raised his cup. 'To my best friend, my brother, and the most intelligent man I know, Doctor Sheldon Léon Cooper, and to his lovely bride who is perfectly suited to him!'

Sheldon smiled softly. 'Thank you, Leonard, and I'm glad that we shall become brothers in law tomorrow!'

Leonard smiled gently. 'So am I, Sheldon mate! '

'I hope to have such a Happy day too someday, my friends,' Raj said teary eyed.

'Well, you already met your love, so it's only a matter of time, Raj,' Sheldon said smiling softly.

'True,' Raj beamed.

Howard grinned. 'I'm next, Raj mate, and then it's your turn!'

'All right,' Raj nodded beaming.

'How is it, to have a lover who is a shape-shifter?' Kloviz asked curiously.

'Well, when she's in human form she's my love, and in other times she's like my pet,' Raj explained.

Kloviz nodded smiling broadly.

'Friends, what about singing Auld Lang Syne?' Sheldon drawled.

'All right,' Leonard nodded.

'Of course,' Raj beamed.

'You bet!' Howard grinned.

'Well then,' Sheldon nodded resolutely and started singing in his high voice with a drawl.

'Should Auld acquaintance be forgot,

And never brought to mind,

Should Auld acquaintance be forgot,

And days of Auld lang syne!?'

His friends joined him in the chorus

'For Auld lang syne, my dear,

For Auld lang syne,

We'll take a cup of kindness yet

For Auld lang syne!!!'

'And here's my hand, my trusty friend,

And give me a hand of thine,

We'll take a cup of kindness yet

For auld Lang syne!

'For auld Lang syne, my dear,

For auld Lang syne,

We'll take a cup of kindness yet

For auld Lang syne!!!'

Sheldon, Leonard, Howard and Raj all sang this old lovely song teary eyed, their foreign friends smiling softly at them.

 

Next morning Sheldon, Leonard, Amy, Penny and all their friends came to the Temple of Ra. The High Priest, to whom Sheldon told yesterday about the defeat of the cult of Apophis and asked to wed him to Amy and Leonard to Penny, welcomed them in the inner sanctum, a large hall with finely carved walls and rows of dark wooden seats forming two aisles. The Mineans, Agapios, Kloviz, Rhetia, Inukhet and Atumkhotep seated themselves. Sheldon and Leonard with Howard and Raj went to a dressing room right away, as did Amy and Penny with Bernadette and Lucy.

Leonard straightened Sheldon's clothes lovingly, looking fondly at him. 'You look swell, Sheldon!' he declared. 

'So do you, Leonard,' Sheldon smiled softly.

'From this day on, you are Amy's problem and not mine,' Leonard grinned. 

'Don't be silly, Leonard, I'll always be your problem,' Sheldon drawled. Leonard looked fondly at Sheldon and embraced him tenderly. 'Agitated, Sheldon mate?' he asked grinning.

'A bit,' Sheldon confessed. 'And you?'

'Same,' Leonard grinned.

'Well, let's go and do this, shall we, Leonard?' Sheldon smiled softly.

Leonard nodded firmly. And they stepped out of the dressing room, a grinning Howard and a teary eyed Raj at their heels.

 

Sheldon and Leonard proceeded down the aisle, Sheldon tall and slender in his tight fitting black doublet and trousers with vertical golden stripes, and Leonard stout in his dark Green long wide cloak, crimson waistcoat, yellow shirt and wide blue trousers. They we're accompanied by Howard in his greens and Raj in his usual ensemble. They came to the altar and stopped, waiting for their brides. 

And there they were, floating down the aisle, Amy with wavy dark hair and Pearl necklace around her neck, in her long tight fitting white silk dress embroidered with golden leaves, with deep oval neckline and flaring short sleeves and long wide hem embroidered with golden circles, and Penny with her golden wavy hair, in a creamy dress with tight fitting bodice and long wide skirt, with rows of golden flowers embroidered on it, with oval neck and flared sleeves. Inukhet, his black fur now smooth, was leading Penny. They were accompanied by Bernie and Lucy.

Sheldon's breath caught in his chest as his lovely bride floated to him. And Leonard gasped seeing his radiant Penny.

'You look like a beautiful flower, my dear,' Sheldon drawled tenderly.

Amy smiled gentky to him.

'Penny, Oh, you look great, my dear,' Leonard blurted out. Penny grinned to him.

The high priest of Ra looked at the two young couples and their friends smiling gently.

Inukhet led Penny to Leonard and released her hand, waving his tail merrily. 

Amy stood opposite Sheldon and Penny opposite Leonard.

Sheldon gazed at Amelia tenderly and Leonard looked at Penny smiling shyly.

The high priest nodded.

'All right,' he declared. 'Sheldon, will you take Amelia as your lawful wedded wife till death do you part?'

'I will,' Sheldon replied firmly, smiling gently to Amy.

'Amelia, will you take Sheldon as your lawful wedded husband?'

'I will,' Amelia smiled gently, gazing at her Sheldon.

'Leonard, will you take Penelope as your lawful wedded wife?' the priest asked turning to Leonard.

'I will,' Leonard smiled shyly.

'Penelope, will you take Leonard as your lawful wedded husband?'

'I will,' Penny grinned to Leo.

'Rings,' the priest requested.

Howard took the rings out of his pocket and handed them to Sheldon and Leonard.

Sheldon took the golden ring with pointed oval bezel with a light Green stone surrounded by Green and white triangles and two pairs of small diamonds in pile. 'With this ring I marry you, in the name of Gods Almighty,' he declared and put the ring gently on Amy's slender ring finger. Amy smiled tenderly to him, he responded in kind.

Leonard took the golden ring with large oval moonstone surrounded by polychrome leaves, and uttered, 'With this ring I marry you, in the name of Gods Almighty.' He put the ring on Penny's long slender ring finger and smiled shyly to her. She grinned to him.

'Now I pronounce you and you husband and wife,' the priest declared smiling gently. 'What Gods joined let No man part!'

Sheldon beamed to Amy and Leonard smiled shyly to Penny.

'You may kiss your brides,' the priest declared.

Sheldon, blushing deeply, leaned to Amy and kissed her tenderly. She answered him passionately.

Leonard kissed Penny gently, she answered him tenderly.

'Well, now we are truly brothers, Leonard,' Sheldon smiled softly. 'You mean very much to me, and Penny too.'

Leonard smiled gently to his brother in law, 'And you mean a lot to me, Sheldon.'

Amy and Penny looked tenderly at their newlywed husbands. 

'And you are a sister to me now, Penny,' Amy observed.

'Yeah,' Penny grinned.

'Well, now to the Date Palm Inn for the wedding feast, Yes?' Howard grinned.

'Indeed, Howard,' Sheldon smiled softly.

And they left the Temple, Sheldon and Leonard arm in arm with their newlywed wives, and their friends following them.

 

Later in Sheldon's room at the Date Palm Inn, Sheldon sat down on the edge of the bed shyly, unbuttoned his doublet gently, and looked at Amy who was sitting in the bed in her white pelisse.

'Shall I, my dear?' he asked blushing gently.

'Oh Yes,' Amy breathed.

'Good, I needed your consent to this,' Sheldon nodded gravely.

Amy reached to him and kissed him soundly, leaving him breathless and flushed. 

Sheldon untied his trousers, left in a white shirt and wide white braies. He leaned to his wife and kissed her tenderly. She answered him passionately and started unlacing his shirt. Sheldon embraced her hotly. 'Whoo!' Amy breathed out, flushed.

 

Meanwhile in the next room Leonard removed Penny's dress nimbly, and she unbuttoned his waistcoat and removed it, and kissed him hotly. He untied his trousers and threw them away, left in his yellow flowery shirt and wide white braies. Penny straddled his hips and started untying his shirt. He flushed, smiling shyly. Penny grinned and kissed him soundly. He answered her tenderly.

 

Next morning Sheldon yawned luxuriously and opened his eyes. He smiled tenderly seeing his lovely Amy, all frazzled and flushed, lying next to him.

'Well, I enjoyed this more than I thought,' he observed.

'And I enjoyed this greatly,' Amy smiled gently.

'Well, not that I didn't,' Sheldon blushed gently. 'For a man who once swore never to wed...'

'I understand, my beloved,' Amy smiled fondly. 

'Well, now we have a whole future together,' Sheldon smiled softly, touching the beautiful ring on his wife's finger gently.

'Indeed,' Amy smiled tenderly to her husband.

Sheldon reached to her and kissed her gently.