Mana Wells

Kurt didn't know much about the gods and their temples but they did seem to be important to them for some reason. As Layla made immediate objections and the importance they and their angels seemed to make about making them.

He had heard some legends but they all seemed differnt. He never found the time to even find out about the Pillar and Neptune.

Things seemed to always get in the way of figuring stuff out. Kurt missed the days when he could just be in his workshop. But now that process was being done by a lot of the glassblowers they had recuited.

He knew that all the Gods had different layouts for their temples. Ishtar's being more of a garden than anything, with the Sacred Plant, which for them was a strawberry bush.

He wasn't sure what to expect from Marty or Horus for this one. He was a bit worried about it being so deep outside of his territory. It would be noticed. Having Marty claim protection, if that's what he did eased Murt's mind.

They flown. Kurt had gotten more used to flying on Rico's back. The wyvern didn't seem to mind thebprocess at all. Especially with the makeshift fire armor it could make with the help of Tiffany's well.

Over the next few hours, Marty had erected the temple. The shape of the building that Marty had erected from the grounds using his own powers was close to the shape of a five-pointed star, except the points were rounded. It was much larger than Ishtar's garden.

His power was more of a will upon the ground than anything Kurt could perceive even with his eyes.

On the inner angles of the star, staircases were leading up to the middle which had a strange form. There was a place to make an open offering but above it, there was a tower that didn't seem to have an entrance.

In some of the places, Marty had carved some circles with a design inside them. He assumed there was a bit of spelleork behind the process.

At the ends of the rounded points you could enter the inside of the temple and there was a staircase on the top of the structure for each as well.

It all seemed strange to Kurt. It was very different from Ishtar's garden, it was a small fortress, but with the staircases and entrance it wouldn't be one that was easily defended, there were ten entrances after all 5 doors, and five staircases.

The structure was plain in color though, like it was just a dirt structure, Kurt had assumed that eventually there was supposed to be paint and Marty was just making the building for what would come eventually.

"This is a very strange structure," said Kurt.

"Have you never heard of a temple of Horus," said Marty.

"I am from this world, remember," said Kurt.

"I guess that is true you wouldn't have had someone to explain it."

"Is there something the temple requires?"

"Requires?" The temple was impressive but to say it was decorative would be a stretch. There seemed to be room for that type of stuff as well.

"Like the sacred plant with Ishtar?" They had gone to find a normal plant for Ishtar to bless.

"No, nothing like that," said Marty, "this temple is anointed or is worthy of anointing."

"It could use a paint job," said Kurt.

"Yes there would normally be more furnishing, but all that is required is here."

"Even the inside?"

"I guess that's the part you are ignorant of," said Marty. "The six trials of Horus."

"Trials?"

"Yes, each entrance," Marty pointed to one of the entrances at the rounded point of the five stars. " is a separate trial, as well as the final tower, the stairs are to allow worshipers to give offerings."

"I see," said Kurt.

"So for this temple to be complete in the same way as the sacred plant, someone would have to complete a trial. Though there is no rush and all are free to."

"I'm not volunteering for this trial."

Marty laughed. "I believe you would pass most of them actually. Some are less about strength though."

"So when you said conquering a Temple of Horus, you actually meant the trials."

"Yes, conquering the temple would involve passing all six trials."

"I meant more of controlling the actual area."

"That is irrelevant. The temple stands."

Kurt was a little disappointed in that answer, he was thinking of trying to delay the departure to see Marty in action. He never actually saw an angel fight.

In any event, Kurt knew something about the temple was dangerous. He was not going to test these trials. But that certainly was not going to stop the next visitor, they would walk right in.

"Are there rewards for passing the trials?"

"Each would bestow a marking that would represent the specific trial, this should empower some aspect, upon the completion of the third trial Horus would awaken a dormant ability, and upon the sixth, they have earned a request to Horus directly."

"A request?"

"A wish perhaps is a better word, your language is clumsy."

"A dormant ability?"

"I'm not sure the effect it would have on a human, if no such abilities exist a blessed item may be bestowed instead that is not unheard of. Sometimes the ability is already awakened. We would have to see when or if the first human succeeds."

"I assume these trials have dangers."

"It would be unwise to take a trial without being prepared. And that should be clear early enough to leave the chamber if you were to accidentally walk in. The sixth trial is especially dangerous."

"Early enough?"

"The further down a trial's path the harder it would be to turn back if you swim three-fourths across a lake, there's no point in turning around."

Kurt was not sure what Marty actually meant by trials, but the effect of the Ishtar garden could be seen as nothing but miraculous.