Nezzar

Part One: Entertain Me

"I found this," Sekhmet said immediately after she appeared before Amon-Ra. The thick soot that accompanied her arrival seeped into the soles of her bare clawed feet as she marched forward. After a swift bow, she extended a hand.

A black blade bearing Bastet's crescent marking rested upon Sekhmet palm. The air around the weapon pulsed with some residue of Bastet's power, the same that kept the black blood on its edges from turning to ash.

Amon-Ra scowled. He hated being interrupted when drawing in the worship of the people. Invisible to the worshippers' eyes, he sat in their midst with legs folded and eyes closed... before Sekhmet appeared and ruined his concentration.

"Her essence is gone." The skin above Sekhmet's nose wrinkled as she closed her fingers over the weapon. "She is either in the pits or worse... outer darkness."

"And who do you think is responsible for this?" Amon-Ra asked as he looked away from her, choosing to focus on the swaying high priest waving a hand over an incense burner. Annoyance buzzed within his head. This business with Bastet. It had to be a god, one powerful enough to fell an enemy swiftly; even preventing her from informing others.

"The list of those I suspect is vast," Sekhmet said as she caused Bastet's weapon to float forward and stop before Amon-Ra. "I tried to trace whose blood the weapon carried but I cannot."

Amon-Ra's brow rose at the news. "Is that so?" He retrieved the weapon from its floating position, a clawed finger tracing its edge—feeling the blood. Shutting his eyes, he sharpened his senses, probing, searching, and growing annoyed as the information he chased slipped from his grasp like eels. Then a voice came unbidden.

Ra, you should be honoured to be searching for me.

Amon-Ra's eyes flew open, body rigid and alert as his gaze swung around the sun-lit temple. One look at Sekhmet and he knew he was the only one who heard the voice. Shutting his eyes once more, he resumed pursuing the bearer of the blood.

Do you know what keeps you from finding me?

A snarl escaped Amon-Ra's lips even as he ignored the oily voice and pressed on. The one who banished Bastet to the outer realm was so close now. If he could just...

I knew the cat was going to send her blade to her sister. I let her cut me.

Amon-Ra's claws grew longer, the sharp points piercing the flesh of his palm as he struggled to find this foe. Certain he had pinned his location at Shur, just outside the borders of the wilderness of Zin, Amon-Ra's senses zoomed forward only to crash into an invisible barrier.

Your effort is amusing, Ra. When you are ready to find me, cast off your cowardly shield. Until then, I shall continue reaping the gods within your command, feasting and feasting TILL THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING LEFT. NO WORSHIP FOR YOU. NO POWER. NOTHING.

Amon-Ra surged to his feet, massive twin swords springing from each grip. Swinging around in search of the foe yelling in his head, he only sighted a confused on-edge Sekhmet. She too had drawn her weapon, golden eyes sweeping over the place in search of an enemy that wasn't even present.

"I—" Amon-Ra cut his words short and stood straighter, fury turning his vision red. "We head to Shur now."

"What?" Sekhmet's eyebrows shot up. "Shur shares a border with Zin, Abaddon's territory. Going there will be—"

"I don't care!" Amon-Ra roared. Yes, he had faced Abaddon before and paid massively for daring to do so but that was when he was Ra. Now, he was more. Stronger. The destructive angel will find him harder to defeat this time, besides, he had no intention of going to Zin. "Whoever ended Bastet intends to devour every god of Egypt."