- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Chapter 6 – Strange Little Things...

While on Gaia, Raganar was finally born into the world, in Earth things were happening a little different. In a golden city surrounded by the ever-moving hills of warm sand, in it's center a golden palace embellished with many statues of humanoid figures with animal heads. Inside such castle a lone figure in the vacant throne room could be seen. He was looking at a decapitated head, a human head, that was much similar, in lines, to his body. The man with the eagle headed was armed with three golden swords on his belt, albeit he had no armor on his torso, he had a battle-skirt reinforced and ready for battle. His eagle face bore a complicated expression, he looked at the human head with difficult.

“You seem troubled, brother...”, a deep voice resounded from the center of the hall, in front of the throne. Coming to his direction, a tanned man with a jackal head, he had two halberds on his back.

“Anubis...”, the eagle-man said with a gentle and warm voice, “I trust you that all is well?”

“Yes, King Horus.”, Anubis replied while bowing, respectfully, “Nightmother Nox has fully taken over the void beast that had...”, Anubis voice failed for a moment and showed a bit of anger, “...devoured her.”

“Fuh... That one is a force of Nature, my brother... No one and no thing can stop her...”, Horus said, sighing, “What about, Lucifer? I thought she would return with you...”

“Tch...”, Anubis clicked his tongue for a second, “I beg your pardon, my lord, for Lucy has also crossed the Void Rupture...”

“Hm?”, Horus widened his eyes and turned to face Anubis, when he noticed his brother really meant what he just said, “HAHAHA! By the Golden Sands, what a shift in the wind! Hahahahahaha!”, Horus burst into laughter, puzzling his brother who had awaited for a harsher and more strict reaction.

“Hmph...”, seeing this Anubis sighed dejectedly, his brother was a bit wind-headed in some situations...

“Ah, what a lovely turn our game has taken, brother... With Lucy out of the way taking down Yahweh will be so much easier...”

“Hm? I don't think I quite understand, brother, after all Lucifer was acting as a double-agent for us, whilst fully pledging alliance to you in the next reign.”

“Hoh? You really thought that, huh? I guess women can get to you, after all...”, Horus hissed at Anubis, teasingly, “Brother, Lucifer owns allegiance to no one. She has turned on her own father, merely because she was put up on a job she didn't even get to choose, she was even too prideful to talk it over to her father!”

“Hm...”, Anubis stopped for a moment, thinking over his brother words, “While that may be true, Horus, she had the Astral Crown on her when she crossed the Void. Should we take too long and act and, either create another Astral Crown or procure the same one from her, the Void Beasts may run rampant and destroy our world, even our entire Reality.”

“You think too hard, brother!”, Horus cried out, joking, “Besides! That just adds even more fun to the table, don't you think...?”

“By the Moon, brother... you're too careless!”, Anubis hissed.

“And you're too strict.”, Horus said while coming down from his throne and approaching his brother, “That is precisely why he told us to rule, both of us, together. Your kingdom is mine to rule, and my kingdom as just as yours, too.”, Horus put one of his hands on Anubis's right shoulder, and leaned even closer.

Anubis was a bit startled by the proximity of his brother, if not for his black jackal skin one might even think he was blushing. In the next second both figures transformed their animal heads into more human-like ones.

“He knew we belong together...”, Horus leaned in and softly kissed Anubis.

“Brother, what are you doing!”, Anubis cried out while stepping back from Horus.

“Oh, by the Heavens, Anubis, just fucking drop it!”, Horus snapped, “All of the Gods are already aware of us, and should they any complaints about they would have already rallied up a rebellion and took the both of us down!”

“...”, Anubis was a bit troubled, he loved Horus with all of his heart, but... his mind would always wonder if such a relationship was acceptable, especially among two rulers... At least his mind was free of the concern of being an incestuous love, after they both discovered that Horus was in fact a child of Isis and their “uncle” Ra... Isis is still recovering from the furious outrage that their “aunt” Nox, at the time being called aunt “Lily”, it was a brutal and gruesome battle, well... not exactly a battle since it was tide bit one-sided... Whilst that Osiris disappeared in a continuous cycle of rebirths, since he could not even vent off on Ra, who was nothing but a mortal and with no memory. With the two rulers of the Egyptian Empire missing, Horus and Anubis took over their rightful crowns and thus started their reign.

“Perhaps you prefer Lucifer over me...”, Horus muttered in a depressed tone...

“Tch.”, Anubis shivered, “That is not fair, Horus...”, the words escaped through his gritting teeth, while he clenched his fists... he hated when Horus would act like this, as an innocent mortal who has nothing to worry about except his lover truly loves him or not. They were gods and kings, for fuck sake! They couldn’t act like some petty little human teenagers who can't decide on the fact if they're being loved or not!

“Hmph...”, Horus side glanced Anubis, “Well... Anyhow...”, he said while waving his hand on the air nonchalantly, as if nothing had happened, “How fares mother? I believe she's better? Those shadow strikes from aunty hit her really deep, all those years ago...”

“Argh...”, Anubis sighed, while putting his palm on his face for a second, Horus was just like the wind, without even so much as a notice he would change from West to East in a matter of seconds, “Yes, mother Isis will be fully recovered by the time we strike on Yahweh. Her control over the communication and news networks in the human world will facilitate our move.”

“I'm so glad to hear this.”, Horus said while sitting down, the battle between his mother and Nox was a huge blow in his heart back then, while Nox wasn't wrong in striking out of jealousy and anger, Isis was his adored and caring mother. He loved the both of them with all of his heart, and seeing his two motherly figures fighting off in a near-death duel was... devastating. But thanks to Anubis he managed to pull it through and act as a true King would. “Now, about the other gods? Any backstabbers?”

“None whatsoever, they're all just so angry at Yahweh for misleading them. They argue that at least in Ra's reign they could spread their religion with no problem as long as their people was the winning one on the battlefields, be it in war or political ones.”, Anubis replied coldly, “Yahweh set up his own trap, all those years ago.”

“And we'll make him fall using the same move he did... Haha!”, Horus said satisfied, “Although... I don't take much joy doing this...”

“You seemed just fine when we all agreed”, Anubis simply stated, albeit one his eyebrows was profusely twitching...

“Hey, you were the one who insisted!”, Horus replied in a teasing way.

“I didn't tell you to choose her, of all the goddesses!”, Anubis snapped out while gritting his teeth, his clenched fists were twitching even more.

“Just because she's a converted desert goddess? What's the problem with it? That's prejudice, Anubis!”, Horus continued with his careless teasing.

“IT'S BECAUSE SHE WAS MY BRIDE, HORUS!”, Anubis barked out, not able to restrain himself anymore... His mind was in a sandstorm, his heart throbbed at the mention of that fact, which he had buried in the back of his mind for so many years, ever since he became closer to Horus...

“...”, Horus stood silent, he wasn't quite expecting for Anubis to come out like this... “So... you really do have feelings for her, after all...”

“...”, Anubis said nothing, his face was contorted in something resembling anger and resentment...

“Heey! Don't worry about it, brother!”, Horus said in his usual careless tone, “Our prophetess can always be the daughter of the King of the Underworld.”, he simply said it.

“What!?”, Anubis was a bit surprised, but mostly concerned, “Are you insane? The daughter of the Lord of the Dead preaching our Pantheon in the world of the Living!?”

“What's so wrong about it? She'll be much more able to stand over the prejudice... Her skin will be of a darker tone which will further improve our 'votes' with the people we want at out side. Heck, she'll even be prettier! Just imagine yours and Sekhmet's daughter... the child of the God of the Dead and the Goddess of Love and Vengeance! Damned be, she will be unstoppable brother!”, Horus continued excitedly, subversively trying to improve the mood of his loved one.

“Y-you...”, Anubis was stunned, “You would do that...”, his words were barely coming out of his mouth, “...for me?”

Horus came down from his throne again and walked to Anubis. “Brother...”, his voice was soft and gentle, “There is not a thing I would not do for you...”. Tears formed in the edges of Anubis's eyes.

“Eh... besides... Sekhmet's my fully fledged sister.”, Horus said while shrugging.

“Ah...”, Anubis was slack-jawed, “WHAT!?”, he spoke up, recklessly.

“...”, Horus just idly stared sideways, avoiding Anubis's gaze, and started “innocently” whistling as well.

“...”, Anubis took a breath, then whispered, “You serious...?”

“Yes...”, Horus responded in a hushed tone.

“How did...?”, Anubis questioned further.

“Mother commented on the fact that we were born on the same age, I inquired her, then she admitted we were born on the same day, I pushed her a little more, then she came around and said we were born at the same time... From the same belly.”, Horus explained in an uncompromising way.

“...”, Anubis stared wide-eyed for a second, “Ahrf...”, then he sighed, “Even so...”, he spoke up in a serious tone, “I thank you, Horus. I deeply thank you for this...”, Anubis was hanging his head down while nervously looking at and avoiding Horus's eyes.

Horus had a gentle smile, without saying a word he approached his brother and hugged him. Anubis returned the action. “Thank you...”, he whispered softly to Horus...

“No need...”, Horus muttered, while his face diminished into a complicated expression... he was frowning and a bitter smile adorned his proud face. The stinging pain he was feeling, right now, in his heart just grew stronger and heavier by the second... but he was putting it aside... for the sake of his loved one, he was putting it aside and focusing on the happiness Anubis would feel soon enough... After all, his and Anubis's relationship was abrupt and caused pain to Sekhmet and Anubis, both. It was not fair, nor just, of him to be feeling jealousy after having snatched away Anubis from her. Still, his heart was not complying with his morals... So just for now, he would hold on tightly on Anubis, as if it was the last time.

Anubis was a bit puzzled when Horus tightened his embrace, but he didn't mind. He was happy, deep down he was glad that his lover accepted so easily the fact that he still loved his bride, and even helped him accept his own feelings. Once, Anubis resented a bit for having chosen Horus instead of Sekhmet, but what he just did... washed away any doubt he had and further fortified the love he felt for him. It was unfair for him to love both Horus and Sekhmet, but his heart was a passionate one that would pay no mind to the advices from his mind. He will have to deal with this later, for now, he'll just make one step at a time...

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Rain poured heavily outside. It was as if the skies cracked open and all of the water of the world was flushing down upon the earth. The mantle that covered Ra was poor and tattered and smell of piss and mold. The thundering sound of the drops of rain hitting his diminutive body startled him, but the embrace of his mother's arm calmed him down and prevented him from crying out. His mother was holding him very close to herself, as if she depended on it... She kept humming, softly, to her baby, though in her crackling voice her sweet tune meant more to her than to the child in her arms.

“Shhhh”, the rippling of the water echoed around the small ferry boat. The man in front of them was rugged, looked exhausted and concerned, yet his eyes held a gentle spark, a hopeful glittering through the darkness of this day. He warned his woman to be quiet, they were approaching dangerous places, the more silent they were the safer it would be for them.

The woman bit her lower lip and frowned. Uneasiness covered her whole self, she shivered and trembled slightly, cold waves crawling up her spine. Ra tried his best to not make a nose, himself. His mind was strangely aware of their situation, and kept his childish behaviors in check. His mother, out of a sudden, pointed out to something amidst the fog, it was the faint outline of a port, his father had a faint and relieved smile when he confirmed what his wife saw, he motioned the boat towards the shadow.

The man helped the woman out of the boat, who hugged tightly the baby in her arms, the colored cloths that surrounded her head and body were completely soaked by the rain, even though they put up a thicker, albeit smelly, one on top of it to prevent her finest clothing from ruining. He had a difficult expression when he realized the effort was in vain, especially when he tried so hard and went through even harder to get those fine clothes for her. The woman knew what he was thinking, and gently placed her hand on his cheek, she had a grateful smile, then she softly kissed him. That was enough to lift his spirit and put him aware of the situation. The two of them quickly scanned around them, there was nothing to worry about, for now, so they swiftly moved towards their destination.

The streets were slippery and the large dented stones made it hard to trail, even so the two figures made their way, silently and rapidly, as they could. The fog and the rain barely allowed them to determine what surrounded, all they could see was faint outlines and shadows of stone and wooden buildings that mazed their path, infront of and beside them. Not even moonlight could cross through the thick and heavy rain clouds.

The man covered the woman under his arms, an effort to further hid her from prying eyes, though it was rather vain. The both of them stopped when they faced a great shadow towering up towards the sky appear in front of them. They smiled in relief and happiness. But then the trampling sound of hooves echoed out of the surrounding streets behind them, terror and dread soon filled their minds and hearts, they hastily stepped up the stairs of the building. The trampling sound approached even closer, like a shadow crawling and looming in.

The man was to heavily knock the door using the metal handle that stood in the middle of the massive wooden door, but his movements were stopped with a heavy and thick rope. It didn't stop there, whomever threw it also pulled it with strong arms and forced the man to the ground. Laughter and mockery sounded. The woman tried to scream, but the rain baffled her pleas. Not able to contain himself any longer, Ra also cried out. Two shadows came out of the fog, and recklessly and mercilessly tore the baby out from his mother's embrace and also forced her down on the ground. Her husband tried to lift himself but the hands behind his ropes prevented him and mocked him for trying. A giant figure, one that stood on the horse, made his way through the fog and just watched as the men under his watch took care of the woman. His eyes were sharp, and under the gray clouds of fog seemed rather cruel and devilish. The henchman that had the baby in his arms shrugged and motioned the baby as if asking what to do. The man simply waved his hand, and moved his horse back into the fog, uninterested. The baffled cries of the woman and the man died out under the heavy drops of rain. Ra cried for hours as his tiny eyes carved those dreadful images, with fire intent, into his unnaturally aware mind. When they were done with their fun, the henchmen sighed as they had to take care of the corpses in order not let any else discover what happened. When they disappeared in the fog, the rain relieved.

And as if a mockery and an irony of fate, Ra's cries sounded out into the streets and buildings around him. The massive door opened, and a slightly bright figure came into sight. The white figure took the baby in his arms. He gasped when he noticed what was in his arms, and he simply knelt down, dropped gently the baby in the ground, and left.

The baby cried for hours until he finally died out of cold, when the first sunlight broke in to that day...

Ra woke up panting and without breath. Despair, sadness, grief, regret, almost any negative emotion one could feel was piling up and strangling his heart. He jolted himself up and stood on his trembling legs, the night gale was cold and as piercing as a sharp blade on his furred mantle. His eyes frantically moved around, narrowing his sight in every shadow outline he could. The terror he felt within was irrational, and he was growling and drooling unconsciously as fear turned him into a cornered beast...

Hours went by as Ra kept staring and growling at the void, he even tried to bite away his mother when she stood up and brought him closer to her, curling up around him and caressing him out he phased out of the mindless and afraid state he locked himself. In the morning his mother left him in the den, as she went out for hunting, even though he was the size of a small “earthen” dog, he could barely be compared to his mother in size, and if she was this big... just try to picture the size of her prey... besides Ra's teeth are too small and he is still a little uncomfortable with his new body.

His mind was in turmoil, no thought was straight nor clear, everything seemed misty and out of place, his members ached, restless, and his eyes were dry no matter how many times he would blink. He barely could put himself up and his throat had a non-stop feeling of hoarseness. And as if conforming what was only obvious…

New Status Effect:

Dreadful Nightmare: -30% in Physical Capabilities and -25% in Mental Awareness

The day passed in front of his eyes as if he was watching a slow-motion movie in a tied-up chair. He felt a stranger in his own body, he wanted to stand up and run on his two feet... but he was but a wolf pup... But then, finally in some time his mother came around, he had a slain elk hanging from her bloodied mouth. Ra finally understood how hungry he was, but when he tried to get up he fainted... Back to black...

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Why...? Why was she covered in blood...? Why was mother so... still? And why father stepped away from her? Why was all of this happening...

“WHY!?”, she thought to herself loudly and the earth beneath her paws gave in to cracks and fissures... Her white fur was bristled and her tails swinging wildly behind her, but most of all she felt a void inside her... her heart ached so much...

The white fox wandered aimlessly, lost in her own thoughts and fears. The forest during the night was rather quiet, and the full moon gave out enough light to illuminate her way. She didn't notice when she made her way into a giant snake's burrow... She was already being stared by a giant snake, with a head the size of her body, ready to swallow her whole in but one bite. That is... until the little fox stared back at the snake. It's whole body and muscles went limp, even her tongue stayed put inside her mouth, that lasted for a few seconds before it slowly eased down and slid back into her own pit, with glassy and lifeless eyes.

The white fox tried to step in the burrow, trying to understand the snake's reaction, but it reacted by hissing loudly, but it wasn't a threatening sound... rather, it was a terrified reaction... Disgusted with herself, the white fox ran off... not caring where she was heading to...

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A.N.: So, yeah, I had a blocking over this chapter for WEEKS... And I still don't like it... I hope I can do better next one. And, also, I'm glad I'm back!