Chapter 21: Princess of Darkness
An excerpt from "Mythology and Misconceptions: A Modern Day History of The Watchers Council For Modern Day Watchers" by Katrina Wyndhm-Pryce
City of Iunu, spiritual center of Ancient Egypt, or as it was called by its Greek name, Heliopolis 'land of the sun.' Mainly used as a center for astronomy, it was better known for its affiliation with the Cult of Amun-Re. This cult, who worshiped Ra, god of the sun, was a powerful force in Egyptian society for thousands of years. Feared by Pharaohs and respected by the masses, the Cult of Amun-Re along with the Cult of Osiris at Abydos, controlled the very foundations of Egyptian spirituality. However although it was the Cult of Osiris that remains today the most remembered of the two, the Cult of Amun-Re, was by far the more powerful.
This was none more evident than during the 18th dynasty of the New Kingdom during the reign of Pharaoh Thuthmosis III. Thuthmosis, a Napoleonic military king, would unknowingly bring about one of the most powerful and darkest age of the Egyptian spiritual dynasty. Often known as a devout worshipper of the gods, none were celebrated more under his reign than Amun-Re, whose banner his army would march under and the goddess Hathor, wife of Ra, whom he built a spectacular temple. It was under this influence that the sovereignty of these deities were upheld by his people, especially his children. One child in particular, his daughter by a mistress, Amun'nehkt, would take his ideological worship of Ra to different and terrifying new advances.
Princess Senefe-Ra (pronounced Sin-nef-fay-Rah), daughter of Thuthmosis and Amun'nehkt, was born in Thebes in the year 1459 B.C.. One of the Pharaoh's several children, Senefe-Ra must have held an important place in her father heart for he named her after his beloved god. Although the throne would revert over to her brother Amenhotep II, Thuthmosis would ensure his daughter's future by marrying her to one of his general's Hamur in 1450 B.C., shortly before his death. She was only nine. It wasn't long before she was pregnant with her first child, a son, Thuth-Ra. Hamur would become a powerful general who soon rose within the ranks of Amenhotep's armies and in his favor. It was this favor that gained him the ability to lead Amenhotep's army towards what would be a massively successful campaign to ward off Syrian invaders leaving behind a pregnant wife. On her thirteenth birthday Senefe-Ra welcomed another child, a daughter Amuneketen. A child that would never know her father, who would die during a particularly bloodthirsty battle.
Senefe-Ra raised her children in Thebes, where she was increasingly becoming involved in the worship of Amun-Re, and took particular interest in the Cult of Amun-Re at Heliopolis. At fifteen, Senefe-Ra traveled to Heliopolis on a 'spiritual quest' leaving behind her two children in the care of her husband's sister. At Heliopolis, her life would forever change. It was there that she would meet up with a man named Anuran, a sentry working for a secret society whose job it was to ferret out demons and other evil spirits. Anuran explained to Senefe-Ra that it was her destiny to thwart these evil beings and that only she had the power to do so. It was this destiny that had lead her to Heliopolis. That she was an Akhekhu Alal. Or as it is known today a Vampire Slayer. Anuran was her Watcher. A successful Slayer, Senefe-Ra was widely respected among the people of Heliopolis who regarded her as the hand-maiden of Hathor who saved them from the demons of the underworld.
Senefe-Ra soon began to believe that she was gifted by the gods and used it to gain influence within the Cult of Amun-Re. She found the teachings and practices of the cult to be inviting, much to the chagrin of Anuran. Despite his efforts, his charge continued her studies into the cult's dark magicks. She became powerful, too powerful, than any Slayer should. Using the spells of Amun-Re, she was able to elevate herself to High Priestess. With her new position she had gained access to The Book of The Dead, which contained the darkest of all dark magicks. It was then that Senefe-Ra tapped into a place where no other Slayer had ever been. Her inner nature. The demon that was used to give the Slayer its strength to fight the forces of evil. Fearing of what she would be capable of Anuran sought out help of his fellow Watchers. He plotted against his former Slayer.
Unknown to Anuran, Senefe-Ra's powers had grown to allow her the foresight to see her coming death. She wrote a spell that enabled her spirit, upon death, to be bound to an object of her own creation, a copy of The Book of The Dead written in her own hand. Wrapping the book up she sent the book with her most trusted aid to Thebes and would be entrusted into the care of her children. Under Senefe-Ra, the Cult of Amun-Re enjoyed a decade of power and privilege over the lands of Egypt and she as its leader, was hailed as its goddess. The people unfazed by the darkness and evil she had brought with it. During sunset in the year 1439 B.C. Senefera stood inside her temple when Anuran and his men approached her. She did not fight as she was grabbed and stabbed in the gut. Before dying she vowed that one day, her true heir would return and she would live forever. Anuran and his men went about ridding every and all knowledge of Senefe-Ra, even from her royal lineage. It was from this incident that Anuran took it upon himself to ensure that no other Slayer would know that kind of power. That no other Watcher would have to rid the world of their own Slayer.
He founded The Watchers Council in 1438 B.C. He and his fellow sentries and those who would be born from them would take it upon themselves to seek out the Slayer, teach her how to defend the world against the coming darkness and to ensure that she would never reach the heights of power and darkness that Senefe-Ra had. Ten years later, in 1428 B.C. members of the Watchers Council had tracked down Senefe-Ra's daughter Amuneketen, who had returned to Heliopolis with the intention of resurrecting her mother using her copy of the Book of the Dead. Anuran commandeered the volume and tried to rid himself of the tome but found it impossible. He buried it underneath the sands of the ancient city, with the hopes it would never again see the light of day.