Golden flower of Seth

Golden flower of Seth: Epilogue

*Epilogue*

The infernal black ember of the Anuberei race incinerates all but those of purest soul. Their punitive magic has not a name. Have it a name, it be Justice. But Justice needs no name, only Truth.

The Anuberei is a dark werewolf race born to their father-god Anubis to aid in the protection of the dead along the path to the afterlife. Anubis taught each of his children to spit matter so dark that it consumes darkness. Such matter was not easy to control. If an Anuberei wolf was impure and already corrupted by darkness, he would be eaten by his own magic so that he could not stay and harm the journeying souls.

Anubis seemed bent on making Nefret an Anuberei, already preparing for the baptism despite her reluctance. It was easy enough for him to decide, it wasn't his life on the line.

"What if I don't make it?" Nefret voiced repeatedly, each time more desperate. It was her only worry, but a rightful one.

"You will, trust me." Anubis would then say with a countenance that you could hardly doubt, before adding playfully, "Nefret, you do know that your senses will be heightened right? Let me tell you that sex feels heavenly in wolf form."

Nefret was not particularly amused by the attempt at comic relief, but her lips parted when Anubis said heavenly sex, which sounded synonymous to heavenly heaven. And that, did sound pretty heavenly.

"Look at that lusty look on your face." Anubis stroked her hair lovingly.

"What will my yaba think?" Nefret shook herself, knowing that Anubis badly wanted to get back in Seth's books.

"I've talked to him already. For the first time in a long while we agreed that it's for the best." Anubis sat opposite to Nefret with the posture of a consultant asking "any further enquiries?".

Inside, Nefret felt a stab at the fact that her father wished she was someone with more power, rather than herself. And he wished so hard that he would put her life on the stake. Better no daughter than a weak one!

"I know what you're thinking, Nefret. That's not what Seth thinks." Anubis hurriedly interjected before her thoughts could run wild, "We discussed the incident where you first met me as a jackal. If it wasn't me then, but a rogue jackal, we all know very well that you'd have died. Seth hopes to protect you by giving you power."

"And what makes you think I can make it? I could just die here and now." Nefret was in no way convinced.

"You're Seth's daughter, and my wife. We can both see that you're pure in soul and being. The dark flame of the Anuberei has chosen you. It'll accept you as it's mother goddess. You were tied to me by destiny. You're strong enough. There is no if. So trust me Nefret."

Neither convinced nor confident but swayed by Anubis insistence, Nefret decided to trust him, and in that trust herself.

Nefret pursed her eyes shut.

"P-please begin before I change my mind."

At her cue, Anubis morphed into his jackal-headed form. He held out his left hand and focused  on it. Slowly, small specks of dark matter gathered up, so greedy and sinister that it ate itself. The dark matter would grow by Anubis' will then shrink as it consumes itself. The mass on his palm accumulated, growing in size and sophistication till it formed a perfect sphere of surging matter. Anubis released it at the hem of her skirt.

The black matter lined the hem of her skirt from front to back, almost like a wild fire spreading. Expeditiously, the black matter ate at the white cotton fabric, leaving no residue of its existence. The punitive magic blazed its trail up to Nefret's mouth, leaving not a blight on Nefret's skin. Here was the real test. Would the magic of the Annuberei grant her power or see her as an evil form and destroy her?

"Relax and inhale through your mouth." Anubis instructed without doubt. Though she was quivering, Nefret did as he told her, sucking in the dark mass.

At first she seemed like she was fine, but upon realising that she had swallowed the magic, Nefret fell to panic. Fear gripped her chest and released it, Gripped and released. So much so that it looked like she would faint from hyperventilation. It was fine if she seemed afraid, as long as she didn't seem in pain.

"Relax Nefret. Fear not. You'll be fine." Anubis calmly instructed, knowing his unrest -should she sense it- would be contagious. He was confident, but there was still chance of failure, and that was the only thing that daunted Anubis. He was confident, but there were always "what if"s. Right now, Nefret's fearful reaction ignited new paranoia in him. Well, the answer would show in a few seconds.

Anubis waited for ten seconds, counting each one with some mental effort. Still, nothing showed. He blocked out his worry by starting on the next set of ten. 

One. Two. Three. Four- Nefret's eyes closed softly as her body went limp.

... ...

Nefret would live. How did Anubis tell? Well, she didn't catch fire and start burning up from inside. But it would be a week until she woke up.

Anubis knew she was merely in the comatose-like stage of her ascension, but without her voice and touch to soothe him, he was constantly unnerved and paced the room for hours on end.

At the end of one week, Nefret opened her eyes to a new world.

Almost crying from the frustration of the wait, no one was happier than Anubis to watch Nefret wake up to the world again. He baptised her Anput, the female form of his name. Nefret finally understood his promise of sharing his power wih her.

Now, the golden flower of Seth could be his forever.