Egypt Burning V

If you're new to this story here's chapter one: [link]


You know this story would have been easier if I had written it all out *first*. Heehee. Now I have to think on my feet. Enjoy!




Egypt Burning


Chapter V


“Rehema?” Kafele asked in concern. “What happened?”

“Gather the pack.” Rehema ordered. “Take them to the Inner Sanctum...I will met with you there.”

“What is happening? What of Lord Anubis.”

“I gave you an order.” Rehema snarled.

“Yes, Alpha, my apologies.” Kafele said meekly.

Kafele slunk away with his tail tucked low. He briefly thought that something was wrong, but then he remembered that nothing had been right for weeks. The pack did not question him the way that he had questioned Rehema.

The Inner Sanctum was a circular room with only one small entry way. It hadn’t been used in years. There was a time when Anubis would go there to seek the wisdom of Osiris. However when Osiris was murdered by his brother Seth Anubis abandoned the room and left its care to his Jackals.

The pack took up their seats on the far side of the wall in a semi circle and Kafele took his place on the dais that lay in the center of the room. The pack members whispered and yipped to one another anxiously. Kafele was about to silence them, however the arrival of Rehema put an end to their disrespectful noise.

Rehema sat down just inside the entrance. There were two burning dishs of oil hanging from the ceiling on either side of her. Their flickering light cast an unearthly glow on her blood red coat.

Without a word Rehema looked over the pack. Everyone, including Kafele, bowed their heads in respect. She had always been the strongest and wisest among them. If any creature in Egypt could save them they knew it was her. Afterall, she had been created by Osiris to lead them. A sea of softly glowing eyes looked up at Rehema.

“Forgive me.” Rehema whispered.

“You are forgiven.” Kafele answered automatically, believing that she spoke of Anubis. “You had no choice.”

“I have a choice now...”

Before Kafele could ask what his Alpha meant Rehema leapt to her feet. She used her tail to tip one of the dishes of burning oil over. The fire splashed to the floor and blocked the entrance way with its angry flames. Rehema ran at Kafele and jumped over him with the grace of a bird in flight. Diving into the pack she began to tear them apart.

Shocked Kafele just stared at the chaos. At first no one dared to fight back, they just cowered and howled as their leader tore at their throats. Although they could not be killed by Mortals, the Jackals could be killed by one another. Much like the Gods themselves. Once the initial panic wore off the pack began to strike back at the Traitor.

“No!” Kafele cried. “Don’t hurt her! Ammut has driven her mad! Please, Rehema stop!”

Rehema acted as though she did not even hear her lover’s plea. Although she had managed to kill a large number of the pack she was still grievously out numbered. A strong male bit down into her shoulder, but she didn’t not stop her slaughter.

Kafele ran at the male biting his Mate and clamped down on his throat. The Jackal died quickly in the Beta’s powerful jaws. Seeing that both the Alpha and the Beta had turned on them the pack threw themselves at them both out of a mixture of terror and rage.

Determined to save Rehema Kafele fought bitterly against the pack. Nothing seemed to make sense anymore. All he could see was madness, all he could feel was the cracking of bones and the wash of hot blood in his jaws. In a matter of minutes the pack that had stood for thousands of years lay dead.

Rehema was left panting, struggling, and failing, to stand in the slippery pool of blood. Kafele was badly injured, however he was still on his feet. He watched his insane Mate trying to get to her feet, knowing that he should slay her now. However he could not bring himself to kill her, not even to end her suffering.

“Rehema...” Kafele panted “what have you done? This is one order that even the Amulet does not have the power to give you!”

“I have not done this for the Amulet.” Rehema replied sadly. “I do this for Anubis.”

“Anubis?” Kafele repeated in disbelief. “He lives?”

“Only if you die.” Rehema whimpered.

Kafele bowed his head. He walked to Rehema and licked the blood from her face. Tears slipped off his sharp muzzle and onto her blood stained coat. By the grace of Osiris the tears of Kafele hold the power to heal.

Rehema felt her strength quickly and finally stood. Kafele rubbed his muzzle against hers and then laid down on the blood soaked floor. He rolled on to his back and exposed his slender neck.

“Thank you.” Rehema whispered. “Anubis will reward you.”

“I do not die for Anubis...I die for you.”

Before she lost her resolve Rehema buried her teeth into Kafele’s throat. Tears streamed from her eyes as she felt his body relax in death. Rehema’s next breath was the most painful of her life. It was her first breath as a True Mortal.

Originally mortality was set into the Amulet as a punishment for the Alpha if she ever became power hungry enough to turn on her own. Anubis had never threatened Rehema with this, had never even told her. From the moment Osiris created her Anubis knew he could trust her with his life.

However at the moment Rehema didn’t believe that Osiris had ever meant this as a punishment. She felt that it was a gift he had given her to allow her to prove her loyalty. For there was a powerful side effect to this ‘punishment’: no True Mortal could be controlled by the Gods against their will.

Rehema was free.



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Chater VI: [link]