"Surrender, Serpent of Chaos. You can't defeat the two of us", Set said.
"Don't make me laugh, Sutekh. Your awakening is incomplete, and Amon-Ra is just a cat. Look at Aton's pharaoh. Or rather, what's left of him". Ramses left out a loud laugh. "How do you plan on taking the energy out of this scorched excuse for a pharaoh?".
"It's your fault, Apep. Because you disturbed me while I was about to take Aton's powers, I'll have to make do with your host's", Set said.
"Neither of you are doing anything", Amon-Ra said. "I won't allow Egypt to be destroyed just to satisfy your whims".
"And what are you going to do, Amon-Ra? Summon the Post-Mortal? Can he do anything other than run?", Ramses said with a smirk.
Amon-Ra smirked back.
"Wait", Ramses staggered. "Why can't I sense the Post-Mortal? WHERE IS HE?".
"Do you really expect me to tell you, Serpent? You have enough problems to deal with right now, don't you think?", Amon-Ra said.
"I'm able to sense anyone anywhere in this world. If I can't sense him, then he's not in this mortal realm. It means only one of two things: either he's dead and gone…".
Amon-Ra and Set traded startled looks.
"Or he's on Duat grounds. You dare make a fool out of me!", Ramses shouted, as Set and Amon-Ra dashed towards him.
By forming strange signs with his hands, Ramses summoned two giant sand snakes from inside his body, which wrapped around Set and Amon-Ra and attempted to crush them like boa constrictors. By the time the two Gods broke free, Ramses had already disappeared.
"Hmpf. So the worm has escaped. Good luck finding it, Sun God", Set said.
"Wait, Sutekh. You know I can't defeat him on my own. If he finds the Post-Mortal before the trial is finished, Egypt, or rather the world, will fall. Even if you are a violence enthusiast, what Apep is about to do is more than a little rampaging. There will be nothing left", Amon-Ra said.
"Don't you trust the Post-Mortal, Amon-Ra? The glorious Son of Osiris that will once more reunite the Kingdom of Egypt?", Set asked, his speech full of irony.
"I never said he was the Son of Osiris, nor that he would reunite Egypt. These are modern times, Sutekh. Humanity doesn't need us anymore".
"That's why they deserve punishment. Those who neglect the Gods after all we have done deserve nothing but to suffer."
"Do as you will. I want this world to live on, just as I want the Sun to shine upon it", Amon-Ra said. "With or without you, I'll fight for the children I helped creating".
Amon-Ra, still in the form of a big cat, leapt away and ran faster than the eye could see. Set stood there, looking at the desolate ruins around him.
"You say humanity doesn't need us anymore, yet you run to their aid at their first cry of pain", Set mumbled to himself. "No wonder they have become so spoiled".
With a gesture from his hand, Set was enveloped by sand, and disappeared.
**************
"Next, you must face the third trial, human. Are you ready?", Wepwawet asked Kurou.
"Of course not! I just wanna lay down and sleep for a thousand hours. My arm has been ripped off by that stupid crocodile aberration, my legs have been burnt and are stinging like crazy...and I saw a woman die in my stead", Kurou said, visibly tired and crestfallen.
"Your next test has nothing to do with fighting. Not physically, at least", Wepwawet said.
"You never bring me good news, wolf. I'm sure there's a catch". Kurou said.
"There's no catch. It's the nature of the trial. You must understand each step you take before you finish it", Wepwawet lectured.
Kurou stood quiet, looking at the Wolf-God with an impatient face. He looked at Hatshepsut, and she smiled at him. He thought, for a second, that she was pitying him for what he has been through.
"Don't pity me, Hatshepsut. I have made the decision to take this trial and I'm not going back on my word now, understand?", he said, pointing his finger towards her.
"Don't be an idiot, Kurou. I don't pity you, I just feel your pain. Now get up and do what you're here to do, before I kick your thin ass", Hatshepsut said, angry.
"A Pharaoh is not supposed to talk like that", Kurou complained, getting up on his feet.
"Forget that I'm a Pharaoh, okay?", she said. "Just focus on the trial".
The passage for the third test was already open, but everything inside was pitch black. He looked back at them, Wepwawet kept his flat face as usual, while Hatshepsut nodded at him. Riddle nibbled his torn up pants and it felt like the jackal was trying to say something. He bent down to pet him but the avatar of Anubis wasn't really the petting type. The canine looked back and barked at Wepwawet, and the Wolf-God told Kurou to wait.
"Right. Anubis wants you to know that the next test is about the Mourning Ritual", Wepwawet said.
"Mourning ritual...", Kurou paused and got lost in thought.
"Go, human! Time is against us!", the Wolf-God reprimanded, and Kurou passed through the dark passage.
Upon entering, the passage crumbled and Kurou realized he lost the infravision he had earned once becoming a Post-Mortal. He was absolutely in the dark.
Kurou tried to feel the walls, and soon realized they were all made of cold limestone, and there was no passage, no aperture, nothing. He was completely sealed off.
Kurou felt desperate. "What the hell is this test? Why am I trapped in this chamber? Is this some kind of solitary confinement? Am I about to pay for my sins locked up in this place?".
The chamber was absolutely silent.
Kurou gave up on trying to find an exit, and sat down against the wall.
"Whatever it is, I must do something quickly, or everything will be lost. I can't risk any more deaths. I've already lost so much in so little time...".
Kurou let out a long sigh.
"If only I hadn't been in the plane crash...maybe my life could have been different."
"What I am saying? My life has been a storm of shit ever since I was little".
"Maybe it would have been a calmer life, and I could have kept my arm, and I wouldn't have lost any friends, or been involved in a fucking tug-of-war between Egyptian Gods".
"But to tell the truth, I kinda like this crazy life I've been having since I gained those strange powers...it's like having a second chance at life, being able to do whatever I want without the fear of death and stuff".
"'On the other hand...I kinda died, really. 'Family', 'friends', all those people who didn't give a shit about me but were there anyway must think I'm dead. And even if they saw me on TV, I'm not the same guy who once worked for a stupid company that dealt with bureaucratic paperwork and dirty business with the government".
"Yeah, I died. I might be reborn because I gained Post-Mortality, but a part of me was definitely killed in the process. What I am now is not what I was before the plane crash".
"Maybe I should consider the idea of never seeing those stupid parents, cousins and brothers again. They wouldn't even recognize me anyway. I might end up killing some of them shitbags anyway". Kurou left a little laugh.
"Funny. I'm utterly alone, and the idea of seeing my family again doesn't thrill me at all. That idiot Kurou is certainly dead and gone. I am reborn, and I want a new life for myself".
"It's time for me to bury my past self and accept the new one. The murderer one? The sadistic one? The unreliable one? Maybe all of them. But not the old Kurou. That one is dead, and dead he shall remain".
"Bury my past self...", Kurou's eyes widened up.
"The mourning ritual!", he said out loud.
"I get it. Osiris was mourned when he died. That was part of his ascension ritual. That's what I've just done. I mourned".
"I mourned my own death", Kurou repeated to himself.
Just a few seconds after saying those words, a passage opened causing light to enter the dark chamber. Now that he could see its interior, he spotted several images of Osiris being mourned by Isis. There were images of wheat growing out from his lying body, representing prosperity and fertility. Beautiful scenes of mummified Osiris receiving the Opening of the Mouth ceremony rites with the use of the peseshkaf, a spooned blade, and many other paintings and carvings about his death and resurrection could be seen perfectly now.
Kurou's heart felt lighter after understanding what he had been through, and how his life somehow related to the godly King of Egypt, even if he was just a human being.
Hatshepsut was waiting for him at the doorstep, with a beaming smile.
"I knew you could do it, Kurou". She hugged him for the first time ever, and he paralyzed in surprise.
"What? Never hugged a pretty woman before?", she asked, mischievously.
"I'm just a little baffled. Too many things happening at once", he said.
"I believe you understand what this test was about, human", Wepwawet said.
"Yes, the Mourning Ritual. It was more about me than about Osiris. I finally understand what it means", Kurou said, confident.
"That's reassuring. The next test is a bit...tricky. I would like to say you have the right to skip it, but you don't. It's absolutely mandatory that you experience what's about to happen next", the Wolf-God said.
"Bring it on, Wolfy! I'm ready", Kurou said, full of energy.
"Don't call me Wolfy, you chump!", Wepwawet protested. Riddle's face almost seemed like he was giggling.
"All right, I'm going in. Wish me luck!", Kurou said.
"Good luck, Kurou", Hatshepsut said. "Be careful, okay?".
Kurou nodded and went through the passage.
This time, he appeared in a well-lit chamber, and immediately spotted a strange sight right in front of him. A sarcophagus was lying on top of a limestone table, while two women stood at each of its side. Inside the sarcophagus, there was a man, but Kurou wasn't close enough to see who it was. A chill ran up his spine.
To the right of the sarcophagus, he could see an absurdly beautiful woman of tanned skin, a beautiful dark long hair and a ribbon tied to her head, holding her hair together. She was wearing a long red dress, wearing a colored necklace and holding an ankh on one hand and a scepter on the other.
To the left, he could see an equally unparalled beauty, with slightly darker skin, shorter but very beautiful dark hair, with a headdress in the shape of a house and basket. She was wearing a long green dress, but what called Kurou's attention the most was the pair of wings hanging from her arms.
The godly aura those women emanated was at the same time heavy and comforting, like the feeling a son has when his loving mother shows authority.
"Welcome, Kurou", the woman to the right of the sarcophagus said with a soft voice and a light smile. "I am Isis".
"Isis...the Goddess Isis", Kurou mumbled.
"I am Nephthys", the other woman said, with a stronger voice and a serious face.
"Isis and Nephthys", Kurou said to himself. "So, the one lying in the sarcophagus is...".
"Osiris", both Goddesses replied. "You are here to help us, Kurou", Isis said.
"When Osiris was cut into pieces by Set, the Usurper, my sister Isis reassembled his body so he could come back to life", Nephthys said.
"Now, you must help us once more, Kurou. Let us reassemble the body of Osiris and perform the Opening of the Mouth ritual on him, so that he can reach his final destination and bring forth the power of the Avenger", Isis said, solemnly.
"Avenger, huh...", Kurou mumbled. "That would be Horus, the Falcon God".
"Exactly, Kurou", Nephthys said. "As in the old myth, Osiris' body has been cut into 14 pieces".
Looking into the sarcophagus, Kurou observed that Osiris' body was almost completely mummified, except for the head. Just like in the myths and old pictures he had seen, Osiris' skin was green, he had a long goatee, and was wearing the Atef Crown, with one curling ostrich feather at each side. His hands were crossed on top of his chest, holding the traditional crook and fail. He was supposed to be the perfect image of the deceased King of Ancient Egypt, but that wouldn't become true until all his body parts were adequately put together.
Isis and Nephthys started connecting Osiris' arms to his torso, followed by his abdomen and pelvis. Then they attached his legs to the pelvis, and his feet. They connected his hands to the arms, and proceeded to connect the neck to the torso. Finally, they inserted Osiris' head into his neck. Those were 13 parts.
"There's no part missing. Didn't you say there were 14 parts?", Kurou asked.
"It's his phallus", Isis said. "It was eaten by the fishes in Ancient times".
"So, what now?", Kurou asked, a bit uncomfortable.
"You don't have to worry, Kurou. Neither your dignity or integrity will be in danger here", Nephthys said, with a grave and serious tone. Kurou breathed a sigh of relief.
"The missing phallus is not important now. However, you must do the Opening of the Mouth ritual", Isis said. "That's mandatory".
Isis handed Kurou the peseshkaf, and guided Kurou through the ritual procedure.
"You must open Osiris' mouth and eyes so that he can receive food and drink, breathe, and be able to see in his afterlife", she said.
"As soon as the ritual is complete, Osiris' Ka will be complete", Nephthys said.
Kurou proceeded as demanded by the Goddesses, and used the tool they have known as peseshkaf to open Osiris' mouth and eyes. The opening of the mouth was easy, but Osiris' eyes were too heavy for Kurou to open with it.
"It's not working", he complained.
"Look at him, Kurou", Nephthys demanded. "Someone who died, but is being reassembled so he can return to life even after death. A Post-Mortem state. Do you recognize it?".
"Of course I do. This Post-Mortal thing chases me since the airplane crash", Kurou said.
"Try again now", Isis said. "But now keeping in mind that Osiris, in a certain way, is you".
Kurou tried again and it worked. Osiris eyes opened wide and he took a long breath. The entire chamber shook for a second.
"It's done", Nephthys said. "It's up to you now", she told Kurou.
"Up to me? What do you mean?", Kurou asked, confused.
"This is the final test, Kurou", Isis said. "You must defeat Osiris".