New Gods

Awakening

The newly awoken goa'uld blinked its eyes as it stared out of the tank. The room that he gazed at through the glass was resplendent in gold and awash in rich fabrics, ringing the room were priests of the goa'uld Lord Jupiter chanting. As his brothers and sisters swam by he looked out at the priests as they brought a desperately struggling man in. The man was taken to an altar in the center of the room and tied face down as the chanting from the priest started to increase in intensity. Images danced through the goa'uld minds, legions marched under the eagle's standard, worlds burned, a dark implacable foe fought with the shining legions, as fast as they appeared the images started to fracture then shattered likes window struck by a hammer.

As the high priest of Jupiter walked into the room the chanting abruptly ceased. "We are here today to witness the birth of a new god, may he reign with power" intoned the priest as he submerged his hand into the tank of goa'uld and snached the closest one with lightning reflexes. The prisoner tied to the altar started to struggle with The high priest quickly set the goa'uld onto the back of the neck of the frantically struggling prisoner. The goa'uld alarmed at being taken out of its native environment quickly dug through the man's neck and attached itself to his spinal cord.

The priests quickly untied the newly born god and carried him over to a waiting sarcophagus and laid him inside it, as the lid closed the priests knew that they would soon witness a new god take up his mantle.


As the goa'uld open his new eyes he was greeted by an expanse of bright pure white light. Then a line appeared in the expanse of the light, as the sides of what the goa'uld now recognized as a sarcophagus opened he sat up. As the newly born god climbed out of the sarcophagus with eyes that burned a brilliant gold he was greeted by the high priest of Jupiter. "My lord, please follow me. Lord Jupiter awaits you in his throne room."

"I will follow when I am ready" sneered the newly born goa'uld, "remember your place."

"My Lord, I know my place. Lord Jupiter awaits you."

As the newly embodied goa'uld stood rose from the sarcophagus two of the priest walked forward and draped a crimson robe on the shoulders the new god. As soon as the robe was upon his shoulders he strode towards the exit tightening the sash. Two kneeling legionaries stood from their posts outside the ritual chamber at the sound of the new gods footsteps, the priest nodded to the legionaries and turned back. The legionnaires trailed in the new gods wake as he followed the memories of his ancestors towards the throne room of Jupiter.

As the as yet unnamed god strode imperialistically down the temple hall he thought of what he would be needed for, the last instance of Jupiter raising a new goa'uld was after the attrition of the war of vengeance. The unnamed goa'uld shook his head, pinching the bridge of his nose, he did not know how he knew this, only that he did.

Looking beyond the columns supporting the ceiling, the goa'uld saw the temple grounds. They where a riot of color the reds and golds of fall clothing the trees, the grass beginning to brown, the men and women in their wraps, dress, and togas wearing colored sashes as they went about their business. Some of the people listened as priests and priestess taught, a group was gathered around a Oracle as she foretold events. Abruptly the group found themselves before a massive set of doors, easily twice the height of a tall man, the doors were worked with gold and silver with stylized images of a man smiting foes with lightning or dismembering a giant. The group had reached the main doors of Jupiter's temple.

Under the new god's view a squad of centerions in gold filigree armor through open the massive doors. Waiting just inside was a honor guard of Praetorian's, the elite of the elder god's soldiers. The Praetorian's wore the best armor available to the imperial council, the spears they held glinted in the light and the daggers sheathed at their waist were all worn with long use. Immediately the newly born god understood the implicit message, Jupiter was honoring him and warning him in one message. The Praetorian's could and would kill him without a moment's hesitation but also they would protect him to the death until told otherwise.

The honor guard quickly and precisely, fell in step with the proceeding newly born god. As the goa'uld walked through the temple he saw priests and priestesses going about their duties, some taught classes of adults destined for the clergy, others walked along with crystalline slates in their grasp reading or carrying the slates somewhere, finally the unobtrusive slaves were scattered everywhere, some cleaning, some working with masons to add a fresco to the side of a fountain inside a courtyard. As the goa'uld observed these things the group arrived at the heart of the temple.

The group entered the central courtyard of the temple, the inside was ringed with a red marble awning supported with fluted pillars two feet across, the newborn god started to walk out into the 50 foot long courtyard as the centurions that had been escorting him kneeled, the Praetorian's kept in perfect step.. Directly in front of the door starting at the edge of the awning and ending 15 feet in front of the massive throne made of white marble seated on a short dais, on this dais stood a large man, he wore a pure white toga with a blood red sash. As he turned to face the approaching footsteps His eyes burned bright then faded to a startling blue. when the group reached the foot of the dais they kneeled and bowed their heads to their remaining knee.

"Rise my son"came the muted thunder of Jupiter's voice.

The simple sentence awoke memories in the newly born symbiote, he knew the ritual that was about to be performed. The time for questions would come later.

"I stand before you, ready to swear the ancient oaths.."

"Are you able to bear the rights, responsibilities, and accept the consequences of the oaths?"

"Yes, My Lord"

"Repeat after me, On this day I make an unbreakable Oath."

"On this day I make an unbreakable Oath."

"I swear to Lead Well, Rule according to the Laws governing the gods as laid down by the Imperial Council."

"I swear to Lead Well, Rule according to the Laws governing the gods as laid down by the Imperial Council."

"I swear to Protect the Empire, to rediscover the ancient knowledge, to Hunt and Destroy the ancient enemies of the Empire."

"I swear to Protect the Empire, to rediscover the ancient knowledge, to Hunt and Destroy the ancient enemies of the Empire."

"This Oath I swear before the Creator, and on the Mantle that will be bestowed on me!"

"This Oath I swear before the Creator, and on the Mantle that will be bestowed on me!"

"Then I bestow upon you the Mantle of Dius Fidus, Keeper of Oaths, bear it well and defend its honor for many centuries."

Then suddenly the newly born god's mind unfolded and he was The Keeper of Oaths, a ruler and leader, a soldier and a god. He remembered centuries of war, of peace, of lives long passed.

He was Dius Fidus.