The Sands of Time

Nour's suspicions had been right, the man beside her had been marked by Anubis, an interesting development. She gazed at the markings on his back, smiling before turning her attention to the great statue before her. There were very few people that had been touched by a god, so it was understandable that people would run in terror at the sight of the markings. Nour finished her prayers, and rose to her feet before heading further into the temple, making her way to the shrine. Did she dare go where only priests were allowed? Nobody bothered trying to stop her, so she must have had some standing among the priests. One priest even ran when he saw her, uttering prayers of protection from evil. Nour reached the small golden statue of Anubis, and knelt before it. She pulled a small cloth made from her hair, and dipped it into some oils, uttering prayers as she cleansed the small golden statue. Was she a priestess? Her clothes were that of a warrior, but her knowledge of the gods suggested she was a priestess, her dedication showed that she was their servant.

Not long after she'd begun cleansing his statue, a big black jackal with golden Egyptian markings under the eyes came stalking from the shadows towards Nour. It knew her, that was for sure. And his marking shimmered in the light. Giving a low rumble, Anubis stretched out and gave her arm a lick, inviting her to talk with him, though his eyes kept going towards the prayer area, away from the inner sanctum...towards Ammon.

Nour gently scratched the jackal behind the ear, knowing full well whom it was. She followed his gaze, her eyes landing on Ammon, and smiled before turning her attention back to the god.
"He's one of yours, isn't he, Anubis? It seems you chose well" Nour said softly as she dipped her head in a show of respect. It wasn't her first time speaking with a god, and even though she knew his father very well, she still showed Anubis the respect he deserved. "He's hurting, isn't he?"

Anubis turned to look at Nour before his eyes fell back upon the boy. He stayed still for a moment longer before he spoke, directing his words at Nour while his gaze was still upon Ammon. "That mark is but temporary," he rumbled as he sat down. "You know full well what my true marking is, Nour. After all, you bear the marks of one of the Ancient gods. You know all, including the marks of me and my fellow gods and goddesses." Anubis shifted his gaze only slightly to study Nour. Then he spoke again, rising to his paws to walk around her. "I want you to guide him towards my True Mark. He is indeed one of mine. Or he soon will be. He still falls short, despite all he's done for me. Find out why and see to it that he overcomes it."

Anubis stopped and watched as Ammon ended the ritual prayer. The young man shrugged on his tunic again and, with Sanai draped around his neck, exited the temple. "Make sure he bears my mark soon, or the other gods will likely step in. I don't want that. He's a Dealer. My hand, my wrath. I intend on keeping him."

Nour listened quietly to Anubis as he spoke to her, carefully memorizing everything he said to her. He wanted her to help Ammon earn his mark? She wasn't entirely sure how to help Ammon...
"My lord... Seti granted me my markings as his servant, I spend my life in the desert, and I kill for him. I will gladly train the young Medjay to do the same for you, but I will not force him to live in the desert for that is my own burden." Nour revealed a hidden mark just above her left breast, a mark never before seen on a human. The marking marked her as a lover of one of the ancient gods... Seth's lover. And here she sat, before yet another god, agreeing to do his bidding. "I will do as you ask, my lord, but I will need to take him to the ruins of lord Seth's temple as I have hidden the scrolls and weapons of the gods there. Do I have your permission, my lord? If Ammon is true to you, he will not falter in this trial."

(Edited to follow old kingdom mythology, unless you prefer Anubis to be Seth's son like in the mid to new kingdom myths)

(it doesn't matter to me the way we go ^_^)

Anubis gave a nod. "Yes," he said, turning back to his statue. "You've been good to me, Nour. Thank you." He offered her a smile before he faded from reality.

Nour left a blue lotus flower at the shrine, smiling before she left the temple, immediately finding the young Medjay. She hopped onto her camel, and looked down at the young Medjay with a warm smile. It was the first time she had been tasked with training a champion for a god.
"Follow me, Ammon. Your lord has ordered that I train you, and help you earn your true mark" Nour said before spurring her camel on, and riding straight for the desert. It was at least an hour's ride to her destination: a white tent in the middle of the desert.

The large, mysterious, Egyptian man was waiting at the tent for Nour, and a huge smile spread across his face when he saw her. As soon as Nour hopped off her camel, the large man drew her into his arms, wrapping himself around her in a warm embrace.
"My love, you have returned to me" the man said with a smile.
"As I always will, lord Seti" Nour said with a smile before gently pressing her lips against his. Seth looked at the young man that had followed Nour, and raised an eyebrow.
"Who is this Medjay, my love?" Nour looked to Ammon with a smile before turning her attention back to Seth.
"This is Ammon, the champion of Anubis... I have been tasked with training him, to help him earn his true markings."

At the tent, Ammon stayed on Saba's back, not fully trusting whoever this man was. Nour had spoken the name Seti, which wasn't familiar to him in the least. That and he was pondering what she'd said. True markings? He was confused and a little intimidated. Anubis really was wanting him then. That was confirmed by what Nour had told him so far.

The large Egyptian man approached the young Medjay, circling him for a moment as he studied Ammon. He could feel something had happened to the Medjay, something unspeakable... Nonetheless, he was pleased by the young Medjay.
"Not bad... Anubis chose well, a good champion to bring him honour and glory." The large Egyptian came to a stop right in front of Ammon, still studying him quietly. "He is blinded... he cannot see the truth, nor what stands before him."
"Then I shall have to fix it" Nour said quietly as she looked over to Ammon. How could a champion of Anubis not know another god, even when standing face to face with one?

Ammon seemed daunted by the man's words. Slowly, he slid off of Saba's back and watched as both Juni and Saba both paid respects to this man, this...Seti. He lowered his head as the winds of Anubis carried to him what Seti was. Realizing how disrespectful he was being, Ammon dropped to the sands on his knees and bowed low while uttering an apology. "Forgive me, my Lord," he said softly. "Your name...I'm not familiar with it."

It had been a very long time since someone had bowed before him in such a manner, and Seth kinda liked it. Of course, it would likely change when Ammon found out who he was...
"You know me by many names, Ammon. The trickster god, lord of the desert, the dark one, master of storms, warfare, and chaos..." Chaos... that was all he was known for now. He remembered the days when the people of Egypt loved him, he had been loved and revered by his people, viewed as one of the great gods of the cosmos. Now, everyone despised him, his name and image scratched from many monuments. All his people saw when they looked at him was chaos, darkness, and evil. "Rise, Ammon" Seth said quietly. He looked down at the young Medjay, wondering if he knew now who he was.

Ammon did indeed know now, having seen many names scratched out of monuments to the gods on his journeys. He even remembered seeing an old one months ago in the desert by Giza. He scrambled to his feet and studied Seti for a moment before he spoke. "Why were you outcast?" It was the first thing that came to his mind and he hated himself for it. He always spoke his mind and he knew it would get him into trouble one day. Part of the reason why he stayed away from others most of the time.

Seth hung his head, remembering his fall from grace... It was a painful memory, that much was clear. Nour had made her way into the tent, and was busy preparing a meal for everyone, trying to avoid the mongoose running around her feet.
"When the Greeks arrived, I warned the people of Egypt, I told them to fight off the invaders, but they would not listen to me. They still hated me for the death of Osiris. How was I to know a fish would eat his phallus?" Seth let out a sad sigh, and hung his head for a moment. The people he loved had turned their backs against him. There were a few places that still worshipped him, but he still longed for the old days. "If only they knew of his thoughts of the humans, why I had to kill him..." Seth looked down at Ammon, sensing something special about this human before him. "Now do you know who I am, Medjay? Tell me who I am..."

Ammon swallowed and spoke who Seti was. "Seti," he said in a soft tone. "You've been called the god killer and much worse. But the name people give you most is Chaos." Ammon really was a special human then, if he knew who Seti was. It felt to him like he'd always known but had always ignored it.

"Then you can see the truth" Seth said with a smile. He looked to the tent where Nour was busy cooking, and smiled. "Please, come inside. I am sure Nour wishes to talk with you." Seth made his way inside, and took a seat on a pillow as he watched Nour cook something on a small fire. She slipped a bit of meat to the mongoose, trying to get it to leave her alone for a moment so she could finish cooking.
"So, he figured out who you are" Nour asked as she looked up at Seth.
"He did. Anubis chose well."
"I know. The gods are never wrong" Nour said with a chuckle before looking to Ammon. "We ride for Ombos in the morning. The others will meet us at the temple where we shall begin training."

Ammon frowned, curiosity and nerves welling up inside of his stomach as he sat down on a second cushion. Training? For what? He wanted to ask, but held his tongue. At that same moment, Sanai slithered out of his tunic and onto the floor where she curled, her head lifting out of curiosity and her tongue tasting the air. Her hood was down at the moment, so she looked like a regular desert side winder. Upon noticing she was no longer around his neck, Ammon looked down and froze almost out of fear that she was on the ground. "Sanai!" He went to grab her tail, but she slithered out of reach to explore, tongue still flicking the air.

"She'll be fine, Ammon. The mongoose won't eat her" Nour said with a sigh before turning her attention to the snake. She knew full well what Sanai was as she had often milked cobras for their venom. "She is beautiful." Nour gently rolled an egg towards the cobra, a small peace offering. Neither Nour nor Seth had any intention to hurt the cobra, so they left her alone. The mongoose was curious about the snake, and sniffed Sanai. Even though the mongoose was the natural predator of snakes, it had no intention of harming Sanai.

Sanai took the egg in her mouth and swallowed it, flicking her tongue at the mongoose as she sat there digesting. Ammon relaxed a little, letting out a small sigh of relief. Usually people have a bad reaction to Sanai. He was actually quite glad she could slide around for a bit without him constantly trying to hide her.

Seth had been thinking for a while as he watched the scene before him, looking back to Nour with a warm smile.
"Nour, would you be so kind as to show our guest your true markings" Seth asked sweetly.
"Yes, lord Seth" Nour said sweetly before she knelt down before Seth and Ammon proceeding to carefully revealing her various markings to Ammon while Seth explained the meaning of each marking.
"The first marking shows her status as my champion. The second marks her as my guardian. That tattoo marks her as the last of my priests, the lone priestess..." Seth looked at the final marking with a warm smile, the marking was more elaborate than the others, and spread over the top of her left breast. "That marking identifies Nour as my lover. She is the only human that bears the lover marking."

Ammon seemed intrigued by the markings, studying each one as Seti explained it to him. He gently tapped her champion marking and looked to the old god in curiosity. "If this is the champion's mark," he asked, revealing his own marking. "Then what's this? People keep saying I'm cursed when they see it."

Seth studied the marking carefully for a moment, thinking of its meaning. He was about to answer before Nour cut him off, remembering her conversation with Anubis.
"You've been chosen as a champion, but you're not one yet. Anubis knows something is holding you back, something you need to overcome. This is why I agreed to mentor you." She rose to her feet, and headed off to continue cooking. Seth looked to Ammon ready to answer any questions the young Medjay might have for him. "It wouldn't hurt for you to meet the other champions either."

Others? "There are others?" Ammon sounded genuinely curious now. No longer frightened or daunted. Simply curious. His head soon turned to Seth, eyes full of wonder and questions though he couldn't find a way to put any of them into words.

"There are only two other champions that I know of: Masika of Siwa, a Medjay like yourself, the champion of Sekhmet, Nour's twin brother, Madu of Ombos, the champion of Wepwawet." Nour dished up for everyone, handing Seth his plate first, then handing Ammon his plate. She also set down a bowl of meat for Juni, as well as a small bowl of meat and egg for the mongoose. Nour finally sat down with her own food, sitting beside Seth.

Juni yipped his thanks and dug into the bowl, eating greedily but slow enough to savor it. Ammon did the same, taking one bite and almost immediately melting. It tasted great! It was quite obvious he hadn't eaten a decent meal in a good long while. All the while he ate, Ammon stayed absolutely silent until his plate was empty. Then he looked to Nour, licking his lips. "Is there more?"

"Of course there is" Nour said with a smile before taking Ammon's empty plate, and dishing up some more for him. "We usually leave what we don't finish for the hyenas. They're really just lovable idiots." Nour handed Ammon his plate, glad that he enjoyed her cooking. Seth sat in silence, savouring the meal that she had prepared. He would only stop eating to take a sip of his drink. Nour had poured some wine for everyone, likely stolen from the Romans given the quality.