#### Chapter 3: Sobek
- **Setting**: Luxor, Egypt.
3955
Scene egypt
"10 days prior."
"The sun rises over the sandy desert covering the city of Luxor, Egypt. The sun's light casting a golden hue over the sprawling city that straddles the Nile River.
Modern buildings stand side by side with ancient temples, creating a unique skyline where history and contemporary life intertwine.
The city's streets buzz with activity as locals and tourists alike begin their day.
Market vendors set up their stalls, displaying vibrant arrays of fruits, spices, and handcrafted goods. The air is filled with silent hymns of the day to day life of the city's citizens."
"It was all but your average day."
"Until…"
"A beam of light dropped down from the sky, striking the Nile river surrounding the city."
"All of Egypt's citizens gazed at the golden light, as it shone down onto the primal waters. Once the radiating light dispersed, several figures could be seen emerging from the waters."
"Slowly, one by one, beings of unbridled power lifted their heads from the waters, as they emerged on top standing on top the rivers."
"The citizens gaze in awe at the sight before them. At the center of this emerging group was a bird-headed man, resembling a falcon, next to him was another bird-headed man, this one resembling an ibis, following him was a man covered in linen bandages and wearing a blue coat. To the right was a short green man alongside a taller dark skinned woman with colorful wings, as well as a woman resembling a hippopotamus, and a man resembling a crocodile. "
"The Egyptian Gods have returned."
"Days prior to this grand entailment, other gods have returned to the human world as well, preparing for this fateful day, where their grandfather, and other gods of older generations to take form. "
"Several days before Ra appeared, he had sent his daughters to the surface to prepare the temples for their reimerger, allowing the people's officials to prepare for their return, as well as to prepare for the unrealing of their grand pyramid."
"Thot, the god of knowledge handles the logistics of this ordeal with heads of the government and leaders of Egypt. Being one of the few gods to be in constant contact with humanity this far, there were many officials who are aware of the Gods existence. Secretly thus far, Thot has made efforts to prepare for this day."
"Following the gods' upcoming resurgence, Egypt underwent a dramatic transition from a secular republic to a sacerdotal-monarchical state. The shift was driven by the gods themselves, who communicated their divine mandate to a group of influential religious leaders. These leaders, revered as the gods' chosen representatives, swiftly assumed control of the government."
"This political party cut temporal ties with the outside world, preventing tourists and other citizens from entering the city for the time being."
"The public's reaction to these profound changes was mixed. Many embraced the return of divine rule with fervor, believing in the gods' benevolent guidance. However, some resisted, fearing the loss of personal freedoms and the concentration of power in the hands of a few."
"Now… Ten days after the God's resurrection, it was decided that Ra would appoint his next successor."
"Showcasing the next ruler of Egypt to the people, The God Known as Amun,the ancient patron of thebes, has been reincarnated as a human, taking the position of a 'demigod."
"WIth both human and divine blood coursing his veins, the role of Pharaoh has fallen upon him."
"Now standing on top of a newly unveiled pyramid, previously buried within the earth, the Gods stand on top of the structure consuming the cheers of Egypt's arabian citizens."
x"Praise Ra!"
x"Isis and Osiris!"
"People's screams of praise and worship engulf the city of Luxor, with thousands of citizens huddled up through the Karnak temple complex as they try to get a view of the returned deities."
t"What the fuck!!!"
"Taiyo thinks to himself, getting nervous from all the eyes latched onto him. He remembers he's still almost completely naked, safe to some bandages covering him. In an attempt to cover himself, he hears the sound of a teasing snicker being emitted."
b"Nyaha~"
t"Hey! This isn't funny!"
b"Hoo~ are you really so embarrassed to show a little skin~ Amun so childish!"
t"Shut up!"
"The crowd's cheering ensues, and as the crowd gets louder, Taiyo's heartbeat starts to increase."
t"What the fuck…"
t"What the fuck, What the fuck, What the fuck, What the fuck!!!!"
t"This can't be real! This can't be happening! Why is everyone so happy, why is everyone cheering."
"His eyes scatter around the coed, searching for any sense of clarity in this precarious situation."
"As his eyes look around, he sees two figures amongst the crowded people that precedes to send him over the edge. "
t"Wait… no, no way! Is that a fucking Crocidle!"
"His eyes were glued to a large green -scaled man with a crocodile head onto his shoulders, alongside a big hefty sized woman with the head of a hippopotamus."
"From the looks of things, they were seemingly planting a few crops around the river bank, helping its overall fertility."
t"OKAY!"
t"THAT'S IT! THAT WAS THE LAST STRAW!"
t"EVERYONE! LISTEN UP!"
"The crowd goes silent."
t"I HAVE ANXIETY."
"I FIND PUBLIC SPEAKING VERY DIFFICULT. AND GET NERVOUS BEING AROUND SO MANY PEOPLE!"
t"I AM OUTSIDE MY COMFORT ZONE, NONE OF THIS IS MAKES ANY SENSE TO ME! "
t"YOU'RE ALL FREAKING ME THE HELL OUT!"
"FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, STOP SCREAMING, STOP CHEERING, AND STOP LOOKING AT ME, PLEASE!!"
th"Okay that's enough, Khonsu, Osiris, grab him, our work here is done."
"The gods do as the scholar says and grab the boy by force, muffling his screams by covering his mouth, dragging him down the depths of the pyramid."
"After the unexpected ceremony the party can be seen in a lower section of the pyramid, this being another section near the hypostyle halls from before."
o"That kid really made a fool out of himself huh…"
i"Well it is Amun."
i"He's never been too bright…"
o"No kidding…"
k"I think that went alrighty!"
o"Tch. Of course you think so… Idiot Khonsu."
k"Hey! Now that's not very nice at all!"
k"Well, if the meeting and the showcase is done, I'll be taking my leave for now!"
k"Tell Amun I said Goodluck!"
"The bandaged God then disappears into fragments of light."
o"That man is so Odd."
scene bedroom
"In a room alone with his mother, the boy can be seen changing into a white button down with black pants."
m"Well, that could've gone better…"
t"Gah! This whole thing is crazy, Gods… Egypt!? What the hell is even going on!"
m"Oh don't be such a worry rat dear, come on, I brought you a change of clothes."
t"Tch! Okay…"
"A silence fills the room as the boy begins to change."
t"So…"
t" this whole time, you've been a Goddess mom…"
m"Yes."
t"That's pretty crazy, I mean you seem so normal… how could you…"
m"How could I not have an animal head?"
t"Heh…"
"The two share a warm look, a look of familiarity of a pair that have had a mother and son relationship for 17 years."
m"It hasn't been easy for me either…"
m"I've always been your mother, and always will…"
m"You've been in a constant loop of reincarnation for so long, and the person who gives birth to you has always been me."
t"..."
m"Every time it'd happen, you'd remember less and less about your origin, to the point where you'd simply not remember anything at all."
m"That's why I decided to name you something different, after all, you may have been Amun, but I think it's fine for you to just be Taiyo."
t"...!"
t"Really…"
"Of Course! No matter what you choose to do you'll always be my son! I'll support you in any form I can!"
t"I see…"
pause
t"Thanks mom."
"The two share a hug before returning with the others."
Scene halls
"The young boy is seen walking around a vast treasure room, filled with various preserved artifacts and sacred treasure."
" Catching his attention, the boy walks up to a statue of a golden bird that resembles a heron. "
"This gold statue was enclosed in a glassed cube, forcing the boy to lean his head to get a good view."
b"You like it?"
t"!"
"The boy looks over to the red-haired cat girl, who snuck up behind him amidst his wandering."
t"Yeah…"
t"It feels…weird…"
t"like if it's calling me…"
b"Ho~ well that makes sense…"
t"What do you mean?"
b" I mean, this is the Bennu."
t"!?"
t"This is the Phoenix? It's a statue…"
b"Yes… well this is the holy relic we used to summon it."
t"Oh…"
"The boy looks over the golden bird, seemingly getting lost in thought, not noticing the continued stare the girl held onto the boy's face."
"Bastet took her time to marvel at the boy's features, he had big angular eyes, as gold as the flames that resurrected him. His hair was huge, spiked coming from every corner, as well as a maroon shade of brown."
b"Amun…"
"She thinks to herself, this boy was a God she had known before, and was now standing before her.."
"In a new body, but nonetheless, it was him."
b"Geeeeeeee…"
t"Hmm?"
t"What?"
"The boy asked, electing a small blush on his expression."
b"You still haven't apologized."
t"Huh?! For what!?"
b"For earlier! You insulted me!"
t"Oh…"
b"And you called me an airhead!"
t"Ah… yea I guess I did…"
t"Listen, I'm sorry about all that, I was really confused and I…"
b"And you said my cat ears looked freaky!"
b"And you made fun of my tail!"
b"How could you be so rude!"
t"Okay come on, cut me some slack!"
t"I've never seen a girl who looked so…"
b"So what!?"
"Taiyo took a moment to think for a second, the petite little cat girl was now standing in front of him, her tail swaying slowly as she held a stern look on her face, anticipating his next words."
t"So… Unique."
b"Unique…"
t"Yea… like in a good way…"
"A girl with real cat ears and tail, something you'd expect to see fresh out of your average isekai anime, though it definitely beats having an actual cat head."
b"Fine…"
"She says, seemingly being satisfied with his remark."
b"Anyways, I suppose we have not been properly introduced yet…"
"My name is Bastet, the Goddess of Cats and Protection."
b"It's nice to finally meet you again, Amun!"
"The girl says, wagging her tail back and forth."
t"Heh… Likewise…"
t"Wait, no… it's Taiyo actually… Call me Taiyo."
b"Ehhh!?"
b"No way! Your name is Amun! Your true name is way more important than any human given one!"
b Therefore, I will refer to you as Amun out of respect for my pantheon!"
t"Gah, you really are stubborn aren't you…"
b"Nyehee!"
t"Fine, do whatever you want."
t"But don't get mad if I forget to respond to you when you call me that."
b"Ehhh!? You'd dare to ignore me!?"
b"I'll have you know it's been said that no other goddess has ever been able to rival my elegance and beauty!"
b"God or not, I doubt even you could fight off my feminine charms~"
t"??"
"The girl can be seen holding her hands to her hips, seemingly proud of her recent remark to the boy."
"Taiyo thinks to himself."
t"Feminine charms, this girl… from head to toe, from what I can see, she's not that stunning."
t"Growing up with a girl like Wendy left me pretty desensitized to pretty women."
t"Sure, she's a bit cute I'll give her that, but she doesn't hold a candle to her…"
t"Looking down at her chest momentarily, he sees her gown is slightly open, showcasing the top of her b-cup breasts."
t"Sure… whatever you say."
b"Nyahaha! Yes it is, after all, there is no goddess more smart and beautiful than me."
i"Don't say 'more smart', that's bad grammar."
b" Ah! Lady Isis!"
"Bastet says, running up to the winged woman."
i"Hello there kitty, are you having fun teasing Amun."
b"No way! This Amun's no fun!"
i"I see, well in any case try not to give him a hard time, afterall, we don't have Horus here to keep him in check."
t"Horus…"
"That name sounded familiar, though the young boy couldn't exactly put his finger on it."
i"Come now, it's time to bring the boy outside."
b"Outside! Already!?"
i"Of course, now that we brought him up to speed, it's time for the next phase of his reincarnation."
t"Next phase?"
"The boy says as he follows the two goddesses towards the exit."
"Reaching the grand doors leading outside the pyramid, Isis can be seen staying behind."
i"This is as far as I'll go, Bastet, you'll show him the rest of the way won't you?"
b"Lady Isis… are you?"
i"Yes, we'll be going back now."
i'You know Osi can't stay in this world too long…"
b"Okay, I understand, you can count on me!"
i"That's my girl."
"Bastet waves at Isis very cheerily, as the young looking woman waves back to her."
"Now walking outside the temple and through the Karnak temple complex, Bastet and Taiyo are left in silence for a few moments before he speaks up."
t"What was that about?"
b"Hmm?"
b"That woman… Isis… why did she…"
b"Oh! That's simple, she's going back to the underworld with Osiris!"
t"Underworld!?"
b"Yes, don't you remember, Osiris is the King of the Underworld, where he passes judgment on dead souls."
t"Oh.. I see…"
t"Wait but then why is she going there."
b"Ah… well you see, Osiris can't stay in the human world at all since he's kind of… dead. He's only able to reside inside the Great Pyramid due to Ra's magic."
b"So he needs to go back to the underworld as soon as possible, and Isis will accompany him since she's his Queen."
t"Queen!?"
t"You mean… they're together!?"
b"Hmm… of course they're together, don't you know anything about your own culture?"
t"I'm not Egyptian."
b"Tch."
b"Anyways, yes Osiris and Isis are together. After the unison of Geb and Nut, they were the first gods to ever get hitches, a love that not even death could separate!"
b"It's beautiful!"
b"After all, every King needs his Queen!"
t"Yea I guess…"
"While Bastet was lost in her own world, Taiyo couldn't get out of his idea of how odd that couple looked."
t"I mean, he looks like a kid for god's sake…"
b"Hmm?"
t"Nothing…"
"After the two continued walking for a few minutes, they started to be able to see the blue shores of the Nile River approaching."
t"Hey wait… where are we going anyways?"
b"Hmm? Now you ask?"
b"Geez Amun, you can be such a ditz."
t"Hey!"
b"We're going to see Sobek, he wanted to see you."
t"Sobek?"
b"Sobek, the God of the nile. He protects the rivers in which all life emerged from."
t"Wow…"
"Taiyo thinks for a moment, within the pyramid, he had already met a slew of Gods. He wonders how many more Egyptian Gods are out there, or how many there are in general."
"Back in his normal life, he wasn't very religious. Any sense of belief he had was strictly monotheism. The idea of there being a pantheon of gods had never truly crossed his mind. And now, he was meeting a whole assortment of Gods."
b"Sobek! We're here!"
b"Where are you!!"
"Bastet cries out, after a few seconds a man with a crocodile head could be seen emerging from the waters."
s"Bast, I see you've brought the boy."
"Taiyo's eyes widened."
t"Gah! It's a crocodile headed guy! What the Hell!"
"Taiyo screams out, visibly being taken back."
b"Amun… could it be…"
"A visible sweat mark drops down the boy's face."
b"You're scared of crocodiles…?"
t"I… am not!"
"A strike of fear and panic is shown across the young boy's face, as he stares down at the green scaly animal headed man before him."
"Shockingly, the much taller figure bows his head before the boy in a calm and respectful manner."
s"Good morning, young Pharaoh. It's an honor to meet you. You may call me Sobek!"
t"Eh…?"
"Outside the gods' tough and menacing demeanor, he now came off as a kind and gentle individual."
"Not just that, but with further inspection, he gave off a different aura from all the other gods he met previously."
t"I uh…"
"Bastet jams her elbow to the boy's stomach."
b"Amun! Don't be rude, say something."
t"Right right…"
t"I uhm… it's an honor to meet you too. You can just call me Taiyo!"
"They boy says, attempting to hide his initial shocks and fears."
s"The honor is all mine, young Pharaoh!"
t"Sticking to pharaoh huh…"
t"Well, why exactly did you call for me here?"
"The crocodile man clamps his staff onto the ground."
s"Yes, Pharaoh! It's time to begin your training!"
"???"
t"Training!?"
t"What for!?"
s"??"
s"Lady Bast, was he not informed?"
t"Informed about what!?"
s"It was instructed to me by Ra himself that I'd be the one handling your training."
s"I've prepared a hard and rigorous course to fit your body to tip-top shape. In order to forge a proper vessel for the Bennu to invoke its power through you."
s"We must begin your training prompto~!"
t"Haa!! I didn't agree to any of that!"
t"What the hell do I need to train for!?"
b"To fight against the calamity that's approaching!"
t"What calamity!?"
b"The one from the scrolls!"
t"I said I can't read any of that stuff!"
s"Young Pharaoh, please calm down…"
t"Tch."
b"Amun, aren't you the least bit curious…"
t"About?"
b"Why we returned..."
t"...!"
b"Not too long ago you befell yourself in a situation that resulted in you losing your life, but you were able to emerge from the ashes through the power of the Bennu!"
b"If it were not for that intervention, you'd be dead right now!"
b"Ma'at orchestrated these events to align for a reason!"
b"Now it's up to us to deal with this threat together!"
"Taiyo gulps."
t"What do you mean…?"
s"Creatures made of pure malice and evil, beings forged by the will of the chaos god… They have emerged within the desert, attacking the souls of the innocent."
b"Demons."
t"Demons!?"
t"Seriously!?"
s"Yes. Monsters of unbridled power, each ten times stronger than your average human. These demons come in many shapes and forms."
s"Emerging from the underworld, these demons have been spotted emerging throughout the vast Sahara, taking the lives of countless innocent people."
t"You can't be serious…"
t"Wait…"
t"If this is true… then why…"
t"Why haven't the goods done anything about this!?"
"..."
"Thou shall not interfere with the acts of humanity."
s"The vow that the older gods have taken prohibits their direct interference with the blights of humans."
s"They can only oversee, and continue their divine duty, nothing more…"
"..."
t"What… "
t"What does that even mean!?"
t"They'll just let innocent people get murdered because of some oath!?
b"It's not that simple!"
t"!!!"
b"When a god makes an oath, they are forever bound by it. They can never break it, even if they wanted to!"
b"Daddy…"
b"My father said he and the other gods had no choice but to make the oath in order to coincide with Ma'at!"
s"The cosmic order…"
t"...!"
t"Then why…"
t"Then why am I even here!"
t"You guys said I was a god too aren't I?"
t"Doesn't that mean I'm prohibited from doing anything too!?"
s"No. You are not…"
t"!?"
t"Why?"
s"Because, you are one of the few gods in our pantheon that are not bound by the breath of the oath."
s"You Amun, are a god born in the 5th generation, free from the shackles that prohibit the others from direct interference."
s"For the last 3000 years, we gods have only been able to work with humanity in subtle ways. Acting out our will through the possession of Pharaohs."
s"With many of the gods being able to act out through the past kings, such as Set or Horus."
s"However, the old methods have proved obsolete. So instead of acting out through avatars, Ma'at would have it that we may simply reside our hopes on the reincarnation of one of our own."
t"Me…"
s"Indeed."
s"Now, shall we begin, Young Pharaoh?"
t"No!"
t"I can't… fight demons!?"
t"That's impossible for me…"
t"How could I ever…"
t"I'm just some guy... I don't know the first thing about…"
"Swiftly like the wind, Sobek lunges straight towards the boy. Extending his staff to strike him in the gut.
But surprisingly, to both the boy and the crocodile man, Taiyo was able to see this attack coming, and catch the end of the staff with his bare hands."
t"!!!"
b"Wow..!"
t"What the…"
s"Such power… your potential is quite high…"
s"However…"
"Suddenly, Sobek flips around, sticking the boy on the head, knocking him down to the ground."
s"Such power must be refined…"
"Looking up at the deity from the ground, Taiyo lets out an exasperated sigh."
t"Gah… What the hell…"
s"Your body has changed ever since the Bennu resurrected you. Just like the phoenix, you grow stronger every time you resurrect from your ashes."
s"Your body was puny and frail before…"
s"But now, your strength has reached heights you've never thought imaginable."
s"It will be my duty to show you how to properly use this strength, as well as training you in the ancient Egyptian fighting style."
s"Only then, by the decree of Ra, will you earn your right to freedom."
t"Huh!? Seriously, you guys are gonna keep me here by force!?"
s"Young pharaoh, please do understand, with how you are known, you would be unfit to return to society. You have an overabundance of strength, as well as your magical gate being opened."
s"What if you accidentally used your strengths on an innocent bystander, or conjured up the phoenix's flames by mistake."
s"If anything, you owe it to yourself to learn about the magic of this world, and to fully understand your physical limitations."
"Taiyo takes in the crocodile's words instride. Begrudgingly, he starts to accept the meaning of his words."
t"Fine!"
t"I'll do your stupid training… but only so I can go home!"
s"Excellent! Shall we begin!"
"Taiyo gets up from the floor patting off the sand from his pants."
t"Sure… wait, how long is this training regime of yours?"
s" six lunar cycles."
t"Great… how long is that?"
b"Six months."
"..."
t"SIX MONTHS!?"