Here is chapter 14...is anyone still reading this shit? O.o
Ven lifted his head once he heard the click of Anubis' claws along the marbled floor. He got up and padded into the large room close to the entrance to the temple. "Master?" The jackal god forced his eyes open before they focused on the blond. "Yes?"
"While you were out, Akil and Bomani detected something outside the temple. Once they came back, I went to check what was going on. When I got outside, I found this." The servant slowly raised an arm to reveal some carefully folded linen. "It was like this and was sitting on the steps."
Anubis slowly sat up and frowned as he looked at the cloth. "Let me see it." Eagerly the blond brought it over to his master and set it on the couch for inspection. The brunette gently picked it up with a clawed hand to unfold it as he tried to figure out what it was. Once it was fully unfolded, it became clear that it was an infant's cloth for special occasions. What made it particularly confusing was the gold embroidery of Anubis' name.
It lay in his clawed hands as he stared at it for a moment or two before he suddenly stood up. A hand clutched the linen tightly. "Stay here," he quietly ordered then ran out of his temple. At first he had no idea where he was headed. That is, until he saw a figure streak away towards Set's temple.
Anubis slowed his pace as he approached the cold and dark temple and almost stopped. He glanced up the steps to see the faintest flicker of a single candle. The jackal ventured in to catch sight of a hooded figure that paced near the candle. Anubis stepped inside after only a brief pause.
He was uneasy once he crossed the threshold; now in the temple had vowed never to enter. His hatred for Set was so great once he had killed Osiris. The wasted years he had given up to protect his father's body from the silver haired god's wrath. The hatred grew to immense proportions once Isis had relinquished the truth of his origins.
His eyes narrowed as he moved closer, his vision landed on the figure instantly. "You, what are you doing wandering outside my temple in the middle of the night?" The hooded figure gave a faint gasp before they moved into the shadow further to escape.
The god caught up with the other easily and grabbed their elbow. "I asked you a question. I command you to answer me." With their free hand, the figure pulled the hood further across their face. "Please, just leave," came the frightened whisper.
"Answer me then, what is the meaning of leaving something like this at my door?" He brought up the hand with the infant's cloth to shake in their face.
"I was only returning what was once yours." The figure's voice was faint, almost unheard. However, this just angered Anubis further as he growled. "Do you think this is funny?"
"Please, leave me!"
The last cry caused the god to lose all patience and grabbed at the hood. "Who are you?"
"No, please!" The figure pulled away, but the hood was in Anubis' iron grip. The braided brown hair uncurled from being freed from the hood as large green and tear filled eyes looked up to Anubis with fear. The jackal god instantly let go in surprise at the reveal of their face. "…Neyphytys."
The goddess froze at being addressed before she swallowed. Slowly she forced her eyes to look into the confused golden ones, the eyes of her only son. "Anubis…" The god averted his eyes back to the cloth, unable to meet her eyes. The late bloom of anger toward her welled in his chest and made it hard to bite back what came out. "It is a bit late for me to call you 'mother' anymore."
"I'm so sorry, Anubis. I had no choice. Once Set had learned that you were not from his loins, he threatened to kill you. I-I could not let that happen, so I had to let you go."
"Why Osiris? Why could you never at least tell me! All I had was a locket that no one would tell me where it came from!"
The goddess flinched as Anubis raised his voice when he spoke. She bit her lip as her green eyes watered. "I did not want you to be in danger. Set agreed that if I never saw you again, he would not kill you." Hesitantly a slender hand grabbed the skirts of her dress and pulled the hem up. Her bare ankle bore a dark purple ring of a bruise which indicated that she had been a captive for quite a while. "I begged my sister and brother not to tell you the truth. It took them a long while to agree to my terms, but they took you in with all the love as real parents could give."
The jackal god flinched just a moment before his golden eyes shifted away. "I rather he had done so. Do you have any idea what I have had to go through with a secret everyone knew but me? That on top of who I am?"
"There was not a single day that went by that I did not think about you, Anubis. Isis could only sneak information to me while you grew up. I could sneak you a gift or trinket once in a while, but you were led to believe they were from Osiris and Isis." She looked up to him as a few tears fell. "I tried so many times to break free, just so I could hold you in my arms and be a proper mother to you."
"That does not change things," came the bitter reply as he folded the linen. His voice had wavered just the slightest as his eyes refused to look at the woman. Nephthys sighed and glanced to the floor as well, "I understand." Her tears ran freely at this point. "I knew you would grow to hate me once you found out that I had given you up and that Isis was not your true mother. I-I've prepared myself for that."
Anubis shook his head suddenly. "No, I only hate Set. I rather see myself as not truly having a mother so I do not feel worse at being such a monster." A clawed hand reached up and gently wiped a tear from the woman's eye before it could fall. This caused Nephytys to glance up at her grown son's face. Slowly she reached up and touched his jaw. "No, my son, you are not a monster. Your heart is more pure than most in this entire realm."
"I only came into this world to protect my father's dead body from Set until he was reborn. I now take the souls of mortals to be judged. They either were granted paradise or were eaten and never seen again. A pure heart that no longer beats means nothing." Even as he spoke, he could not help but lean into the gentle touch of his blood mother as he spoke. The hand brushed over the bangs that were similar to hers. It then slid down to touch his heart.
"Your duty does not dictate what is in here. You have the potential to love. No monster can truly love and I know that is not the case with you."
Anubis took in a breath before he slowly let it out and looked to her with the smallest glint of hope. "You believe that?" Even though in his heart and mind the woman before him would never compare to Isis, he could not ignore the bond that came naturally with a mother and child. His focus shifted back to Nephytys, who smiled.
"I have seen the way you look at the little mortal. The overwhelming urge to protect him alone makes it impossible for you to be anything like a monster." The god blinked and quickly looked to the side, the feeling of embarrassment welled inside him.
"I do not look at him in any special way."
The feminine chuckle made him feel even shyer suddenly. "You may not see it now, but the others around you do. Open your heart, my son, and maybe one day you will too. Then you will see how different you are from any monster." She looked him over a moment before she could catch his golden gaze. "You have grown up to be a fine god and gentleman. I only wish you could see what everyone else sees."
The jackal god bit his lip a moment before he gave a tilt of his head. This caused her to giggle a bit before she pat his shoulder. "I could not be any more proud to how you turned out. Now, you just need to open your heart to let in the light."
"The light?" He gave a slightly confused look before a sigh escaped his lips. "It has yet to do anything useful for me."
"All in good time, my son," she murmured. Her green orbs glanced up to his face as she seemed in slight awe. "Those eyes…"
He shifted under her gaze but refused to back down this time. "What of them?"
"They are brighter and more beautiful than any gold that has touched this or the human realm." They both smiled lightly, which revealed how much of a resemblance they shared. It only lasted a moment before Anubis blushed lightly and glanced to a wall in slight embarrassment. "Bestat never thought the same."
Nephytys just snorted and crossed her arms at the mention of the cat goddess. "The one who is truly for you will think the same." The reply earned a sigh from the jackal god. Suddenly his nose scrunched as he turned to he, confused. "For someone who relies so heavily on romance, why Set?"
"Set was not always a bad man. I do still love him, even after all that has happened. Believe it or not, he used to be kind and showered me with gifts and affection." She fidgeted as she remembered her relationship. "It was only after my selfish act with Osiris that he changed. I had put my wishes to have a child before the love I cherished."
Anubis gave a sigh at the answer, his face solemn. "Set, Osiris, Ptah…perhaps we really are no better than mortals." Nephytys hummed softly before she spoke. "Perhaps we are not. We cannot erase our mistakes, just as mortals cannot. But we can learn from them. Osiris has been completely faithful to my sister since. I believe Ptah has made his own realization that will possibly benefit only him once the dust settles."
"Still, we may have been born into this world, but we may never let go of our mortal habits." The sudden realization made the god both disheartened and hopeful. Finally he turned towards the temple entrance and sighed. "I have to go back now." The goddess gave a soft nod and leaned up to brush her lips against his cheek. "I understand. Please, take care, my son."
*Quick note: In case anyone forgot, Isis, Osiris, Set, and Nephytys are all sibilings. So, yes, incest.