An Explosion For Christmas

Osiris

The ground shakes violently. Little cracks dance across my prison's walls. Blue light slips in, fighting off the darkness, and with it comes a voice. Around me echoes a chant I have not heard in centuries.

"Wo-seer, i-ei."

I smile as I feel the power rushing through me once more. With a final outburst of energy, the Rosetta Stone breaks in two.

The blue light explodes around me, the pieces of the Stone flying everywhere. I spot the energy of my siblings, but that's something to think about later. Even though… I see my wife, sister, son… where is Set?

The thought quickly escapes me as the mortal, who summoned me, catches my attention. I melt together our consciousnesses, nesting myself next to him.

It takes us a second to adjust, but just as we manage to focus on our surroundings, my worst worst fear came true. With a burst of dry, hot wind my brother finally appears, carrying with him the smell of a stormy day. We can't let him see the kids, so we yell.

"Hey!"

Set

Finally free! Do you have any idea how sickening it is to spend Ra-knows-how-long in that boring piece of Granodiorite? I didn't even have a T.V.!

But it all ends now! Power is rushing through my veins – one I have not felt in decades. I grin, taking in the chaos radiating in the very air. What can I do with my new found freedom? Screw with the House of Life, that's for sure. Those old moldy trolls need to be reminded who has the power.

"Hey!"

Another idea comes to mind, as I turn to face my brother. My grin turns to a laugh upon recognizing the man standing in front of me. Julius Kane! Of course! When has it not been the Kanes? It's hard without a physical vessel, but I manage to shift into a vague fiery form. One of the things Ra thought me. It's not much, but it's enough for him. His eyes get wide. I laugh again, enjoying Kane's struggle to keep it together.

"Well done," The urge to slow clap is huge, but I resist it. Mainly, because I'm not sure if a bunch of flames can even produce sound. "Very well done, Julius."

"You were not summoned!" Julius yells shakily. He lifts his wand, probably to cast a spell. Idiot. Like he has any chance of fighting me like that. I'm a god! Just a flick of my finger sends his wand flying towards the wall. I cock my head to the side, grinning at the pathetic mess of a godling in front of me.

"I am never summoned, Julius, but when you open a door, you must be prepared for guests to walk through."

I hadn't spoken for so long, that I'm both surprised and relieved at how smooth my voice sounds. After all, being sly is my fotre.

"Back to the Duat!" roars the mortal, his face twitching with anger. "I have the power of the Great King!"

I chuckle coldly. My brother's always thought he's so great. And everyone believe his bs. The oldest! The Hero! Since we were born they praised no one but him. What was I – a potato?! They called him the rightful heir to the throne, even though he got there by our sister's ways! Ra would've chosen me if he had had a choice! Gods, he even dares to call himself The Great King in front of me. The only Great King I'll ever bow to is Ra.

I mask the anger in my voice with the one thing I do best – taunting.

"Oh, scary. And even if you knew how to use that power, which you do not, he was never my match. I am the strongest. Now you will share his fate." This will be fun. What can I do…. What can I…

The alarms blare. Wasn't me! But, oh, is it perfect timing. I just hope the mortal security doesn't stroll in. It'd be a shame to have to kill them, too. Sensing the aura of magicians coming closer, I send flames to consume the doorways. No, not this time, House of Life. This time Osiris is all mine.

Julius lowers himself to the floor, not daring to look away from me. He takes out his staff and throws it in my direction. As the staff lends, it turns into a huge. Fucking. Red. Serpent. A red serpent, of all things! Now, that's just mean. I do my best to push away the memories of sleepless nights by Ra's side, as it lunges towards me.

Like that would stop me! My first job was to kill snakes, for Ra's sake! I grab the snake by it's neck and burn it to ash.

"An old trick, Julius." I school him. The boy should've just stayed out of the magic world. Didn't he learn his lesson the last time?

"How many?" he says quickly. "How many did I reliese?"

Is he really this stupid? I smirk, noting the heavy energy of my siblings in the room.

"Why, all five. You should know we're a package deal, Julius. Soon I'll release even more, and they'll be very grateful. I shall be named king again."

"The Demon Days. They'll stop you before it's too late."

I want to spit in his face. In the face of my brother, of the House of Life, of everyone who's ever dared disrespect me! Instead, I laugh. A laugh I hope he remembers well.

"You think the House can stop me? Those old fools can't even stop arguing among themselves. Now let the story be told anew. And this time you shall never rise!"

With a wave of my hand I remove his protection circle. Stupid mortals, always think they are safe. He reaches out for his bag, but I'm not gonna let the perfect evil monologue go to hell. The realization in his eyes is priceless. What was before a protection circle is now a trap.

"Good-bye, Osiris."

The glowing outline of his coffin, my favorite creation to day, starts solidifying around those two morons. It's a beautiful sarcophagus, really. I'm proud of it. It's golden with precious jewels inlaid within it. Almost as beautiful as the site of my, oh so dear, brother struggling and pounding on the sides. Finally, the coffin is swallowed by the earth, deep in duat for me to deal with later. Finally they will pay. Finally I'll have what was supposed to be mine!

"Dad!" I freeze for a second, shocked by the scream. It's a boy, a magician perhaps? Something goes through my head and a piece of the disgusting stone bounces off the floor in front of me. Really? If this is who is going to stop me, we good.

I turn around to face my company. Oh, who do we have here. Two Kanes. Poor kids, such short lives.

Heavy footsteps echo in the distance. Help for the helpless kids? What a pity they's never get there in time.

I lunge at the kids. Like a wise thief once said: You're only in trouble if you get caught. And I never let witnesses get me in trouble. Right as I am about to strike, something pushes me away. It's as if two same polars of a magnet have met. My electricity contrattack fails upon a forcefield stronger than I am without a host. Who could…

A hiss escapes my lips. My eyes concentrate on the boy.

"So… it's you."

I can finish Horus right now and here, but when has luck ever been on my side? The building shakes once more. With my peripheral vision, I glimpse the wall exploding in a flash of light. The House. Without breaking eye contact with Horus, I snarl one last time before making my grand escapè.

"Soon, boy."

Flames fill the room. I sneak back in Duat. Not deep, though, as I resurface two blocks away from the museum. I'm in a very old bar. And I mean old as in old. The door is desperately holding onto its hinges. The walls are covered in spiderwebs. The windows – broken. The place looks sad, pathetic. Just like the man, kneeling next to a scrying bowl with tears quietly running down his cheeks. Pathetic. Weak.

He lifts his head as I make my way towards him. Horror and realization fill his eyes. He tries to reach in Duat, but a burst of wind and sand send him hard on the floor. Weak.

Red tendrils spread around the floor, having found its prey. He tries to get back up on his feet, but one of the tendrils pulls him down again. He starts backing away, his hands pulling at the tendril, trying to get it away. I let him. His back touches the wall. There is nowhere left to run. No way left to fight. The message I'm sending his way grows stronger as I kneel in front of him, smiling. Pathetic. Weak. I let him see himself through my eyes. A mess.

It's like an open door. I can feel every fiber of his being trying to push me away, but I'm a god. The most powerful of them all. And I just got my hands on the perfect weapon.

Amos Kane.