There was a time, long before living memory, that mortal belief in the Gods granted them strength. The more followers they had the greater their power. They used this ability to fuel the conflicts between them. However, this is not the only way they waged war. Most often they would hoard their power like a Dragon hordes jewels and use their followers to fight their battles for them. Over time the line between follower and slave became as thin as the line between belief and knowledge.

Anknamkanen closed his bright ruby eyes as the words of the story began to blur on the page before him. The of how their people had begun was hard enough to concentrate on at the best of times, now it was nearly impossible. Leaned his head back against the chair he was curled into and stared at the ceiling of the bedroom he sat, waiting for the sun to set. He'd lived his whole life under the light of the stars and the moon. He couldn't stand the harshness of the desert sun.

He hoped he hadn't lost the chance to say goodbye during the time he'd been forced to stay inside.

He turned his eyes back to the pages of the story…

Disgusted with the actions of their comrades three Gods chose to take action to end our enslavement. Ra, the god of the sun and the fires of Life. Osiris, the god of the Living Shadows and death. Obelisk, the God of warriors and the forge. These three became known as the Sangenshin and made a pact with mortals and mixed their blood with them. This covent granted mortals Gifts that allowed them to strike back against the gods who would use them.

Ankhnamkhanen's mind turned to his arrival over five days ago. He'd left the Hunt to visit his adopted father and sister here. His sister Layla had moved here with her wife and mate Rena and they were anxiously wait for Rena to give birth to their child. Even though he had fathered the child Ankhnamkhanen had known from the beginning that he would be nothing more than and uncle to it and that suited him just fine. He wasn't ready for a such as task but Layla and Rena were so he'd agreed. As the child's Uncle he felt he should be here should at least be there for his or her entrance into this world.

He smiled softly as the memory of how bright and excited Layla had been for it. Rena had been switching between wanting it to be over and being a ball of energy. There hadn't been much for him to do besides visit and wait.

The soft smile that had creeped onto Ankhnamkhanen's face quickly vanished as the incident from three days ago flashed into his mind…

They'd been out for a walk. Layla and Rena had been excitedly talking to each other about what to name the baby while Ankhnamkhanen silently walked behind them. None of them had noticed the Changeling until it was too late

The undead spirit had been in the body of a serpent and had locked its mouth around Rena's arm. Anknamkanen had managed to wrestle the creature off her and they had rushed Rena to the Healers den. No one had cared that the snake had dissolved into ash and blackend the ground where it had fallen

They were all aware of the fact the no one had ever survived the bite of a Changeling. Rena had begged them to make sure that the child survived and was cared for so all the effort was placed into that and the newborn, a little boy, had been brought into this world and was barely clinging to life. They hadn't even named him yet because he was so weak that no one was sure if he would make it.

Layla had been inconsolable. She'd cried and held onto Rena even after she had passed. It was only after she had exhausted herself that they had been able to separate them. All of the light had left her eyes and refused to eat, drink or sleep.

Ankhnamkhanen knew better than most that Layla would soon be joining Rena on the Next Journey. They had not just married. They had Mated. It was a bonding of their spirits and the loss of one ripped their soul in half. It was an experience that few survived and even if they did they would become little more than a shell of their former self.

Rena's funeral arrangements were being postponed for as long as possible.

After all there was no point in building one pyer if they would only need two more…

He desperately tried to concentrate on the story to try and ease the agony of waiting until he could return to the Healers den and see if there was anything he could do to help…

With the help of the Sangenshin we managed to banish all Divine beings from this realm. Even though the price was removing the Sangenshin we would never be disconnected from them. They anointed three people with their marks. These three Godmarked would be blessed with power from the Sangeshin and stand as a tribute to the pact that had been made between us.

The moment the sun set Ankhnamkhanen threw the book to the side and left to seek out out Rena's sister, the healer Rowiya. The middle aged woman healer had refused to relinquish the care of her nephew. Ankhnamkhanen was sure that the boy hadn't left her arms for more than a few hours and only because Rowiya had passed out in exshaution yesterday.

He found Rowiya was sitting in a chair cradling the small child to her chest. He could clearly see the dark bags under her eyes. The boy was wrapped in a blanket his eyes were still closed. Ankhnamkhanen could barely make out the minicual rise and fall of his chest. Layla sat on the other side of the room curled into a corner. Another of the healers was at a table against a wall making something that filled the room with a spicy scent.

The small, still form in here arms tugged at Ankhnamkhanen's heart. He knew that this boy would not last much longer if he didn't nurse.

"Can I hold him?" He asked. He knew Layla hadn't held him and he wanted just one chance to do so. Rowiya quietly raised an eyebrow then thought better of it. She vacated her chair and directed him to sit in it. Once he was situated she quietly instructed him on how to properly cradle the child and then passed the baby to him.

Ankhnamkhanen looked down at his little nephew. He'd never felt more useless in his life. He was the Godmarked of Osiris. Layla and Shimon had saved him and given him a family to call his own when his father had died and his mother withered from his loss like Layla was doing. Now, when the two people who he loved most in this world needed a miracle he could do nothing.

In a moment of pure desperation he did something he usually never did. He closed his eyes, pressed his forehead to the little one's and prayed.

'My lord Osiris...I beg you to let this little one live. Reach to your brothers Ra and Oblelisk to give him the strength and ability to live...I will do anything, give anything asked of me for his life. Please I beg you not claim him for your own... '

Rowiya watched and her heart broke again as she watch the normally tall and imposing man curled and trembling over his little nephew. Rowiya knew that they would loved the little one just as much their sisters. Should he live Rowiya swore she would do whatever she could to make sure he lived a happy life. SHe closed her eyes and sent a silent prayer of her own to the Sangenshin. He asked for the strength to keep the boy alive. For the chance to love him as he should be loved.

A gasp from Ankhnamkhanen drew Rowiya's eyes open. Her hand flew to her mouth and her eyes widened in fear. She stood across from Ankhnamkhanen in an endless abyss of black darkness. It was so cold the Rowiya could see her breath. A purple colored fog that floated around them.

Purple and black...the colors of death…

Out of the corner of her eyes Rowiya saw forms moving in the dark. She narrowed her eyes and turned to Aknhnamkhanen in anger.

"You bastard! How dare you summon your Shadows!" she snapped "He is still alive! If your going to give up hope-"

"Be quiet and don't move." Ankhnamkhanen snapped, cutting her off. Rowiya blinked in shock as she realized the look on his face wasn't the contented smile she had seen him wear the few time she'd witnessed him summon the Living Shadows.

No...he curled protective over their nephew and he glared around suspiciously at the place they were in. When he spoke next it only confirmed her what she had started to realize.

"These Shadows are not mine…" he told her in a quiet whisper.

The stayed as still as possible as the Shadows swirled around them. Neither knew why they were here nor what was going to happen.

Then a some of the purple fog reached up and touched the infant. It was almost a gentle caress and the word *Warm…* echoed around them. The air around them began to rise in temperature until it was comfortable. As they watched the fog shaped itself into a woman wearing a loose, light green colored gown. She wore a silver headdress. The thing that stood out to the two adults was her golden hair and blue skin. The marks of a servant of Ra and Obelisk. The Gods of Life and Strenght.

The woman smiled gently and knelt before Ankhnamkhanen. She held out her hands and waited. Aknhnamkhanen looked over to Rowiya. They didn't know what to do. Aknhnamkhanen turned away from his sister in law and made a decision. If he was right they were being granted hope. If he was wrong…

He placed the infant in the woman's arms. She closed her eyes and began chanting in a language that neither adult was familiar with. A white aura enveloped the two of them as she chanted.

The baby coughed..the woman's chant became stronger… the Shadows began to close around them.

Rowiya was pushed forward and she stumbled and Ankhnamkhanen stood to catch her. In that moment they touched the world blacked out before them and as the words *Child who holds the blood of both Life and Death we entrust ourselves to you*

Rowiya and Ankhnamkhanen blinked as they once again found themselves in the room of the Healers Den. Layla was standing and staring at them in horror and the healer who had been at the table was gone. Rowiya was still leaning on Aknhnamkhanen's shoulder.

All of their confusion was replaced with shock when a strong, loud wail echoed around them. All three sets of eyes were drawn to the boy still in Aknhnamkhanen's arms. He was struggling against the blanket that held him and screaming his discomfort at them.

Layla dropped to her knees and Rowiya rushed out of the room. Ankhnamkhanen stared at Layla. The dullness of her eyes had brightened just a bit. Tears were flowing from her eyes, yet she wore a soft smile.

"Rena…" she whispered in wonder "Rena...did you…"

The next few hours were a blur to Ankhnamkhanen. The healers rushed back in. At some point Layla's father was brought in and took charge of the infant. Rowiya had fallen asleep in a bed from a mixture of relief and exhaustion. Aknhnamkhanen felt filled with extran energy that he hadn't had in days and rushed around doing whatever the Healers directed of him. Layla had been even been coaxed into eating a light meal.

Rowiya woke just before sunrise and gave her place to Layla. She, Ankhnamkhanen, and Shimon and all gathered around the cradle that they had placed the child in. Out of everything else that had happened in the night one small detail held the most represussions.

He had red eyes. The same Mark of Osiris that Ankhnamkhanen had. Except Ankhnamkhanen had gained his mark when his powers had awoken. The peacefully sleeping boy was the first to ever be born with a Mark of the Sangeshin. Before tonight he hadn't opened his eyes so it had gone unnoticed...or it had changed when he had been healed by the strange woman. The news had already started to spread.

"He'll need a name…" Shimon whispered quietly. His eyes were filled with a quiet joy as they stared down at his grandson.

They all agreed but a name for him escaped them….

"Atem…" Layla whispered gaining their attention. "Rena...Rena really wanted to name a boy Atem...I teased her about it…"

Rowiya smiled at her and walked over to sit next to her and wrap her arms around Layla's shoulders to pull her into a hug.

"Atem it is then…"