Chapter 27: Origins of a Goddess
?. Orbit of Sirius A
It was dark and cold. The only warmth to be found were the two stars of her home. She didn't know who she was, nor did she know where she was. She was moving constantly, even though it felt like she wasn't moving at all. All she really knew was a name.
Sopdet.
She heard it from time to time. She knew that it was supposed to be her name. It had taken some time to figure that out, just as it had taken time to figure out that she couldn't talk back. It was vexing. She wanted to talk. She wanted to figure out things.
Her serpentine body uncoiled from the roll she had been in. Her wings stretched and she surveyed herself. The green and white scales were all in place. Nothing hurt and everything seemed to be in place. That was good. She had feared that something would go wrong during practice.
Said practice had been about tracing back the calls. She wished to follow her name to find out who used it, but she also didn't want to leave the warmth of her stars. So, she had tried to do both. Years had passed without success, but eventually, she had felt herself moving and yet not moving. When she had stopped concentrating in order to take in her environment, she had jumped in fright at seeing her serpentine form floating motionlessly in space. It had taken some time to actually recognise her as she had never fully seen herself, but upon doing so, she had jumped back into her body and reawakened with no issue.
Ever since then, she had been trying to appear further and further away from her body, ever closer to the voices that said her name. Every time, she would return to her body and inspect it for damage or changes. Nothing had happened so far, and she was sure by now that she wouldn't have to return too often in the future.
Years turned to decades and decades to centuries. They were spent mastering astral projection until finally, her ghostly image appeared above a blue and green and brown and white sphere in the cold void. It felt warm, even though it was not a star. What was more, she could hear the voices calling to her far louder and with more clarity than ever before.
She focussed on the place where she could hear it the loudest. It was one of the green parts of the sphere below her. The green was streaked with stripes of blue she would later know to be rivers. One of them called to her especially. She didn't know how that was possible, but she could feel her name on it, interwoven with it.
As she got closer to this anomaly and descended into the world's atmosphere, she noticed flickers of something approach her. These flickers carried warmth with them, as well as a spark that she, too, carried. It was that spark of being that made her remain in the clouds above the city of Thinis, where the first Pharaohs ruled, content to let them come to her.
Once they were close enough, Sopdet took in their appearances. They all looked so strange to her. Most of them had four limbs and only a few had wings, and those were different from hers to boot! Their heads also seemed to not fit their bodies for some reason. This was a very strange experience for her.
It appeared that they had taken in her appearance as well. None of them seemed pleased, though. "What is this thing? Another spawn of Apep?" asked one of them with derision.
"My name is Sopdet," she said apprehensively. She didn't like the being's tone.
"Silence, snake!" barked the same being.
She didn't like the hostility at all. That was so mean!
"It feels a bit like us," said another one.
It? Were they talking about her? The nerve! "Hey, I'm female, not an it!" she shouted in indignation.
"I told you to be silent!" said the first of the beings heatedly. He – it seemed like a he to her – lashed out in an attempt to strike her. His arm passed right through her astral projection.
Another of the beings examined the situation. It too, was derisive as it scoffed and said, "Bah! Similar or not, it's not one of us. It looks like a big snake or a dragon. What a pathetic dragon it is! If this thing is supposed to be a God, then it's a False God. Let's leave."
And so, they went away, leaving behind a hurt and confused infant Goddess. Their cruel words had stung here, and she remained in place for a long time. As she tried to make sense of her first conversation, she thought back on one of the first things she'd heard from them.
One of the beings had called her a spawn of Apep. Was that the name of whatever had made her? She wanted to know. At least there was a chance that this Apep would accept her. They were alike, had to be. The others had said so. And so, with a child-like curiosity, she started her search.
"Apep!" she shouted. Nothing happened. "Apep!" she repeated. Again, nothing happened. Maybe she had to try more.
Days passed as she kept calling this Apep. Sopdet was getting impatient. She had heard voices call her all they from here to her stars. Apep should have heard her by now.
"Apep!" she shouted again.
"What?!" roared a voice.
Finally! She looked in the direction it had come from and saw a massive snake. It was the largest being she had seen so far, at least twenty times larger than her from head to tail.
"Hello, Apep! My name is Sopdet. Nice to meet you," she said, using a lower volume than before.
"What do you want?" he said with a dark, gravelly voice.
There was a long moment of silence before Sopdet spoke again. "The others said I was your spawn. I don't really know what they meant, but we must be similar if they said that. I wanted to meet you."
"Oho," said Apep, a dangerous glint in his eyes that Sopdet missed at this point. "You wanted to meet me? I see now. Why, yes, I think we might be quite similar indeed, child. Say, has anyone ever taught you how to have fun?"
Sopdet shook her head. "No, but I would like to learn."
Apep chuckled. "Then learn you shall."
Bronze Age. Unrecorded city in Mesopotamia.
Screams filled the night. Soldiers swarmed across the city, putting to the sword whomever they liked and doing worse to those they captured. Terrified people were running away from them, but there was no escape. The city had been taken, and the conquerors would take their fill of plunder. Lust for blood and darker things drove these soldiers on. Come morning, there were not going to be any screams anymore.
High in the sky rested two beings. One of them was a gigantic black snake with a purple belly. It chuckled before breaking out into laughter. Beside the snake was a serpentine green and white dragon. It was fairly small, maybe seven metres long in total. It had a triangular, pointed head. Said head was tilted as it looked at its companion.
"Is this fun?" asked Sopdet, the dragon.
Apep continued to laugh for quite a while before he responded. "Yes, this is a lot of fun. Do you hear those sounds from below? That is what fun sounds like."
Sopdet looked down on the city from which smoke and fire rose. Something at the back of her mind tickled her. "They… don't seem to be having fun."
The long tail of Apep wound itself around Sopdet. It could not touch her, seeing as her astral projection was intangible, but as that body coiled around her, the tickle subsided and her doubts lessened in their severity.
"It is a game," he said. "They're playing a game with each other. Humans like doing that a lot. Why shouldn't we help them have fun?"
"Yes…," said Sopdet in a daze. "Let's help them have fun."
Apep laughed again. It was not a nice laugh, but Sopdet couldn't recognise its nature. Her mind was fogged over. At this time, she was simply content to follow Apep's lead. After all, what was wrong with helping these humans enjoy themselves?
Late Bronze Age. Various locations around the world.
And so, they spent decades, if not centuries, travelling from site to site, ever sowing the seeds of discord. Cities fell in their wake and wars began as a matter of course. Throughout these beginning stages of their companionship, Apep took great care to avoid the realm of Egypt, where those dwelled who had first greeted Sopdet. Though he never informed her of this, he was unwilling to rouse the ire of these beings.
In time, mere cities were no longer enough to satisfy Apep's desire for amusement. It was the turn of the influential city states now. They contained so many more fun toys to play with. Wars no longer cost the lives of a few thousand. Humans were dying by the tens of thousands, slaughtering each other while the dark serpent laughed at them. All around the world, people learned to fear him and the dragon that accompanied him.
Eager to please the first being who had accepted her, Sopdet followed his lead. The star from which she had come became associated with doom, destruction and misfortune as a consequence. Wherever she went, misery was left in her wake. Rivers flooded, fires spread, ambitious nobles rebelled and plunged their countries into civil wars, droughts occurred, and heat dried up what was left.
Alas, Apep was so absorbed in his work that he failed to notice that his hold on Sopdet was eroding. More and more, she began to question the veracity of his claims again. Were the humans truly having fun with their games? Were they games at all? Headaches were becoming frequent for the young Goddess as her mind began to rattle at its cage. She almost mentioned these headaches a few times, but the small part of herself that was still free rebelled against the notion. Yet she could not break the chains he had put on her during their first excursion.
It took longer than before, but the dark serpent eventually tired of seeing the doom of mere city states. Ordinary wars were not enough to satisfy him anymore, not even those of the big empires of the time. No, he desired destruction never seen before. He wanted blood, death and suffering on a scale none had as of yet managed. If normal wars would not bring those about, he would have to engineer one so grand that it would slake his thirst for blood for a good while.
The only thing that could accomplish this would be the downfall of the great empires of Mesopotamia and the surrounding regions. Not a single one would be sufficient. All of them had to fall. Engineering this would be difficult, not because of the mortals – they were inconsequential with the exception of the amusement they provided – but because they were being guarded by their Gods. Chaos and destruction empowered Apep, and he would need enough of it to grow strong enough to challenge these Gods.
His little slave would do well to help him in that regard. She had a real talent for "natural" disasters. That would set the stage. Droughts, famines, earthquakes, floods; they all would be the prelude. Unrest would spread throughout the empires. The tribes of the Black Sea and the Mediterranean would be stirred. Soon thereafter, they would seek new pastures, taking all their people from their ravaged lands to find new ones.
When it finally happened, Apep could only watch in glee. Economic decline and political unrest made the empires unstable. Unrest was spreading and riots were becoming more and more common. For half a century, he had Sopdet ruin their harvests and damage their fortifications. After that, he only needed to plant thoughts into the heads of the tribes. The rest was history.
He watched with glee as the Sea Peoples fell over the great empires like a swarm of locusts. Social order collapsed as the invading armies razed, raped and plundered their way across the civilised world. The assault was relentless. Ever more tribes appeared on the shores of these once rich lands. One by one, the civilisations of what would one day be called the Bronze Age collapsed.
While this was happening, Apep began to openly challenge the Gods of these empires. On several occasions, he overwhelmed them, slaying them with dark powers which could circumvent even the immortality of Gods. Only few ever managed to give him pause, such as Marduk and Ra, with whom Apep battled frequently. The only ones who had ever repelled him completely had been the Trimurti.
Once he felt himself on the apex of his strength, he ventured to his old homeland of Egypt with Sopdet in tow. Once there, he challenged Ra once more, and strode into the country undisturbed, for all of Egypt was busy fending off another incursion by the Sea Peoples. By the time Apep was met with resistance, he and Sopdet had already reached the Nile.
"Ra, the Sun God and Lord of Egypt, finally decides to grace us with his presence," said Apep.
"You might as well cease your attempts at mockery. I don't care for them," responded Ra angrily. "What I do care for is Egypt, and you are attempting to destroy it. Alas, you have come with only your spawn for a companion, while I have the mightiest of the Gods with me. Your arrogance will be your undoing."
When he had finished speaking, an entourage of Gods appeared beside him. Set, Aset, Anput and many others were there, all bearing weapons. They appeared ready for combat.
Apep laughed. It was dark, booming and all too self-assured. "My spawn? My arrogance? Ha!" he mocked. "This thing is no more my spawn than you are. She is a slave you delivered to me on a silver platter. She is but a child, her will easy to bend and her mind easy to subdue. It was your arrogance that gave her to me. What a useful tool she has been!"
If he had paid more attention, he would have noticed Sopdet twitch next to him. But he did not, and instead coiled himself, ready to spring into action. "Now then, show me what is left of the strength of Egypt."
With that, Apep launched himself at the Gods. He struck hard and fast, battering away Aset and her husband Usir. He knew they were the most dangerous opponents aside from Ra. His tail hit them like a battering ram, catapulting them into the distance. He was then forced to duck in order to avoid Anput's retaliatory strike and countered it with a bite to the Jackal God's outstretched arm. Using that leverage, Apep threw him across the battlefield like a ragdoll.
It was now the turn of the Gods to counterattack. Ra, standing atop his barge, shot beams of sunlight from his head and struck true. He hit Apep somewhere in the middle of his long body, making the serpent screech in pain. Sutekh, the God of Violence, followed up with a thrust of his spear from his position on the barge's prow. It penetrated the thick scales of Apep's body.
The serpent of chaos recoiled in hurt surprise. He had known that Ra was dangerous, but he hadn't expected such potent attacks from another. He had mistakenly believed that his primacy over many of Sutekh's domains would render him immune to the God's attacks. More drastic actions were necessary.
The air shook as Apep gathered power in his eyes. His maw opened wide and he screeched. In the same moment, a powerful wave of energy surged forth from his eyes. As it hit the Gods, they became paralysed, and Apep struck. His fangs sank into dozens of Gods, poisoning them and taking them out of the fight. He became an unstoppable engine of destruction which the motionless Gods could only dread. And then, as he neared the barge on which Ra and Sutekh stood, he could feel his victory approaching.
"A slave, am I? I think not," came a voice from behind him.
Startled, Apep turned. Behind him, he saw Sopdet. Never before had he seen her angry, but her rage was clearly visible now. Before he could formulate any kind of response, the waters of the Nile below him rose and smashed into him. He was dragged down to the riverbed. He thrashed and fought against the pressure that held him down, but Sopdet didn't make it easy.
"You betrayed me the moment we met! You made me a puppet, a prisoner of my own mind!" she yelled at him as she held him down.
Still, even for all her anger, her strength was fleeting and Apep was at his strongest point. It was not a long span of time for which she could hold him captive. He broke free with a roar and sprang into the sky once more. He stared at her with hatred in his eyes and coiled around her once more.
As he prepared to reapply his curse, he spoke, "Insolent welp! How dare you strike me? I own you, and it is time I made sure you understand that. You cannot-"
He was interrupted by an attack he had not seen coming. While he had struggled with Sopdet, Ra and Sutekh had broken free, and so, Apep was once more impaled by Sutekh's spear as the Desert God jumped at him. The two fell and crashed into the shore of the Nile. Apep lay prone, and it was this weakness that Ra exploited.
The Sun God channelled the power of his eye, the one that would later become Sekhmet, and he took on the form of a large cat. He jumped off his barge and pounced on Apep's body. Ra then raised a paw and brought its claws to bear. Each carried with it all the power of the sun and the sky. The claws descended on Apep's body right below the head and decapitated him.
Ra turned back into his normal form and staggered back. "It is done," he said.
Sutekh groaned from where he lay. The fall had hurt him as much as it had Apep. "Good riddance," he said.
"I'm glad for it too," said Sopdet.
That brought the attention of the two Gods onto her. They were both at a loss about what to do with her. She didn't belong with them, even though the Nile followed her command. Nothing else could explain the river's behaviour towards Apep. Sadly, the left an uncomfortable question.
"What is your name?" asked Ra.
She looked at him warily. "I am called Sopdet. My name is not yours."
She had added that last bit because a being's True Name was very precious. She had provided her face name to Apep without caution and without restriction before her True Name had properly formed, and he had used it to place his curse on her. The proclamation she had used now sealed her True Name, which had formed now that she had broken free of Apep, to herself. Her face name could no longer be used to manipulate her.
"I see," said Ra. He stayed silent for some time. Then, he stated, "I thank you for your timely assistance in this battle. For this, you have my gratitude and my pardon for all offenses you have committed while under Apep's control. That said, you are not truly one of us, and we cannot accept you properly."
Sopdet scoffed. "I had expected as much. I will seek a place where people recognise my worth."
"In that case, I might be of help," said Sutekh. "I am the God of foreigners, so I know how we are known elsewhere. You have many names, but the places closest to here where you could look would be the Mycenae civilisation, for however long it may still exist. The people there call you Sothis."
Sopdet thought about it for a moment. A fresh start in a new place was exactly what she had wanted. She nodded. A new name and a new life awaited her. "I think I will do that. Farewell, Gods of Egypt."
"Farewell," said Sutekh. "And, for what little it is worth, I apologise for insulting you when we first met."
The draconic Goddess scoffed again. "You're right, it is worth very little, but I appreciate that you've at least made the effort to apologise."
And with that, she disappeared from the skies of Egypt before Ra could say any parting words. Not that she cared for them. She had a new place to explore.
The Greek Dark Ages. Greece.
In the end, it had taken Sothis, as she now called herself, quite some time to reach her destination. She had stuck around the borders of Egypt for some time, observing the country from afar. She was glad that the Nile was now looked after by a God named Hapi, who ensured it flooded every year. However, she also visited the ruins of the Hittite Empire, one for whose destruction she and Apep were responsible. It tore at her that so much was destroyed because of her.
Her inspection of the ashes of the civilisations destroyed by Apep's schemes took so long that when she finally arrived in Greece, Mycenae was no more. Its cities, including the capital were razed. Famine, death and war were commonplace, culture and art were destroyed, and social order was but a distant memory to the people living in these parts. Only very few places prospered in this harsh environment. It seemed that Apep had accomplished his great ambition even from beyond the grave. Of the great empires, only Egypt still stood, and it was a shadow of its former self.
It was also during this time that the first few of Sothis' domains manifested. Her actions had influenced them, which led to Death being one of them. However, she was bound to the Nile, another domain of hers, and the floods she had brought with herself every year had led to the domain of Life manifesting. Fire was a natural consequence of her having scorched the land on so many occasions. The domain of Time was the strangest of them all, but as the passing of time could be measured by the coming and going of her stars, it was plausible enough to her.
Sothis eventually went on to explore the devastated land of Greece. In time, she discovered that the downfall of Mycenae had also had a component beyond hers and Apep's interference. As she had discovered, there had been a war between the deities, Titans against Gods. Further trouble had come from a being called Typhon, who had followed the Sea Peoples and had decided to assault the Gods. With the protection of their Titans and Gods gone, Mycenae had collapsed.
"So this is what happened," she said.
Across from her sat a tall man with a long red beard. He appeared to be in his early forties, showing only the slightest signs of grey hair, though it seemed more like silver. The rest of his hair was coloured golden blonde. This was the original Hyperion.
"Indeed. We're sitting on one of the battlegrounds of the Titan War. This pile of rubble is what's left of Mount Othrys," he confirmed.
Sothis tilted her head. "How come you're still here then?" she asked.
Hyperion chuckled. "It's my home. I didn't fight for Cronus, but I'm still a Titan. Mount Olympus is closed to me. Plus, somebody has to look after the place and keep control of rest of the Titans. So long as we don't seem lawless, we won't be hunted down."
"I see," said Sothis. "I still don't know where that leaves me."
The man grinned. "That leaves you here, among kith. We are not kin, seeing as you were born with no one to call you progeny, but you are a deity. I can sense the spark of divinity, however diluted and distant it is. You are a not a sister or a daughter to anyone here, but the people know you and your star. It would not be wrong to call you a cousin." His grin broadened. "A little cousin."
"I'm not little!" protested the Goddess.
Hyperion laughed heartily. "You're going to be a joy to have around!" he exclaimed.
That claim held true. Hyperion and some of the Titans and Gods were amused by Sothis and her antics as she grew up. She was easy to rile up and tease, and sadly, the Greek Gods being who they were, they often took that too far. More than a few pranks aimed her way were not of the pleasant sort. Hermes sometimes did not know how to hold back.
Nonetheless, it was from them that Sothis learned about the world. She saw them interact and learned from it. She began emulating certain behaviours, which sadly extended to her treatment of mortals. While she no longer actively brought them ruin as she had done under the thrall of Apep, she had adopted the callous disregard for mortals almost all Gods seemed to have.
It was the others, the outliers, who eventually changed her view of the world and of herself. Hades, Persephone, Asklepion, Eros the Elder, Psyche and Hedone were the most prominent among them. With two of them having been humans, that much was understandable. Hedone as the child of one of them, was clearly also a friend of mortals. It was the ruling pair of the Underworld who truly shifted her perspective.
Following an invitation, Sothis entered the Underworld one day, curious as to why its Lord had requested her presence. The first surprise on her journey was that she could touch things in that realm and be touched in turn. It was a new experience for her, and she savoured it for all it was worth. The second thing taking the attention were the souls of the dead waiting in the realm of Erebus.
These souls seemed to not hold any reverence for her, which was new. She was a minor Goddess, true, but mortals usually showed much more respect for her. It was off-putting and she felt quite miffed. She wondered what was going on. There was no time to vocalise any questions, however, for Charon had arrived and was now taking her and a great number of souls with him on his ferry.
Sothis did eventually arrive at the House of Hades after the boat ride and a moderately long journey. She was greeted with all the courtesies which guests could expect, but beyond a few pleasantries, there were no warm exchanges. The reason for this became clear soon.
"Sothis," began Hades, "It has come to my attention that you have not been taught everything a proper deity should know. I have called you here to rectify that situation."
The Goddess in question was a bit miffed. "I learned everything from the others. What do you know that they don't? They're proper Gods, aren't they?"
Her flippant tone was not appreciated. Hades' tone was harsh as he responded, "Proper? That conglomeration of drunkards, dullards and fools is far from proper! My siblings, nieces and nephews are almost all beyond hope. They revel in their riches and play with others as though they were toys." His fist descended on the armrest of his throne. "And Zeus is the worst of them all. King of the Gods? Pah! King of rapists is what he is! What he has done and still does to mortals and even Gods that catch his eye is reprehensible. Even-!"
A hand gently grabbed his fist. It belonged to Persephone. "Peace, my beloved. I know you will never forgive Zeus for what he's done to me, and neither will I, but do not take your anger out on our guest."
Hades took a moment to calm down. "Thank you, love. You're right," he said before he addressed Sothis again. "My apologies for that. That was unseemly of me, though I will say that it illustrates my point perfectly. I would not call my fellow Gods proper deities. They are sorely lacking in the one quality I wish to teach you. You are still young and thus retain the capacity to learn it."
"And what exactly is that quality?" questioned Sothis.
The God stared into her eyes and uttered just one word. "Compassion."
"Huh?" she asked.
"You are not deliberately cruel, but you are cruel all the same. You do what you do and blindly let your abilities guide your actions," elaborated Persephone. "In that regard, you are very much like my mother, though to a lesser degree."
"Indeed. Your cruelty comes from a lack of care," added Hades. "Just as Demeter had no care for the mortals who died because of her petty temper tantrum, you have no care for the mortals who die because of your powers running rampant. Heat waves, floods and other such calamities are not kind to them."
Sothis was confused. "Why does that matter? Their lives are short anyway, and the Underworld receives them kindly."
Hades growled. "It is exactly this attitude that is the problem!" he said angrily. "I curse the others for giving you this mindset. It seems we will have to break it the hard way."
All of a sudden, the draconic Goddess was very worried. She could be touched in this place, and Hades was a very powerful God. He would be able to harm her. As such, she surveyed the room for escape routes even as she responded. "The hard way?"
"Melinoe!" shouted Hades.
A yellow spectre in the shape of a woman rose up through the floor. This was Melinoe, the Goddess of Ghosts, Nightmares and Madness. "You called, Father?"
Hades gestured towards Sothis and said, "Take this young one and show her the Underworld. Show her its residents. Show her how they have suffered and how long that suffering lingers. I want her to understand the evil she has wrought so that she may become a better person. Do not lay a finger on her, though, and do not let the Furies or anyone else do so either. Her evil was borne of ignorance, not malice."
The Princess of the Underworld nodded. "As you wish, Father."
Persephone broke the tense atmosphere by adding to her daughter's instructions. "Do be back by dinner, dear. Bring Zagreus as well. Your father is making your favourite dish this evening."
That made Melinoe smile. "I'm looking forward to it," she said. Then, she turned to Sothis. "Come along, little dragon. There's a lot for you to learn and not a lot of time to do so."
So began Sothis' time in the Underworld. She spent more than just a day there. One could often see her in the House of Hades during meal times, even though she could not eat there; doing so would have bound her to the Underworld. At all other times, she was busy exploring the realm of Hades and Persephone. It was an enlightening and highly unpleasant experience.
The years she spent in the realm of the dead made her intimately familiar with the consequences of her actions and those of the other Gods. The souls of those who had lived horrible lives and died horrible deaths because of them littered the Underworld. Conversations with them were a part of her daily routine for a long time. Many blamed her for their sorry lot. Considering that she was responsible in quite a few of these cases, she began to feel suitably ashamed.
Eventually, regret and shame drove her to leave the Underworld. She said her farewells to its rulers and departed without fanfare. The point had been driven home after such a long time of self-reflection. She now understood the troubles mortals faced all the time, especially after Melinoe had shown her some of the nightmares those mortals had not only dreamt but lived. Merely thinking about it made her shudder. The extended stay had given her the determination to change her ways, however.
Sothis wished to become a better person. She wanted to become a Goddess worthy of the title. Kindness and compassion were things she wished to acquire and then give to the mortals. The use of her powers for their benefit was also on her to-do list. Indeed, many things were on that list, and she wished to do them all to atone for her sins. There was one big roadblock on her road to redemption, though.
The other Gods had been a bad influence on her, she had realised. Not all of them, certainly, but most of them had coloured her worldview in a bad way. She had to get away from them. Some, like Hyperion and Asklepion, she would miss. Others would not be hard to let go of, however. And so, she left for the only place she knew none of them could reach.
Yes, it was time for her to return to her stars and to her body. There were many plans to be made, and what place could be better for her to do so than her own home? Besides, she had longed to feel the warmth of her stars again for some time now. They would help her soothe her aching heart. Grief and other intense negative emotions were not conducive to the making of good plans, after all. Her mind made up, Sothis disappeared from Earth and would not be seen on it again for a long time.
Renaissance. Orbit of Sirius A.
Centuries had passed since Sothis had returned to her stars. It had been a lonely period of time most often. The "most often" had come as a surprise for her, for she had been found by the agents of another God after only a few decades of silent plotting. At least the surprise had not been unwelcome. She had learned a lot from them over the years.
Right now, she was engaged in a conversation with a being called Metatron once again. "Has your Lord finally decided to continue with my lessons?"
The angel she was speaking to nodded. "Yes. He has told me that you are now ready for his final few lessons. After that, there shall be a task for you and a gift with which to fulfil it."
Sothis huffed. "I'm not his errand-girl!" she said. "But he's done me a lot of favours. I will hear him out."
She was referring to the many things the Abrahamic God and his servants had taught her over the course of the last several centuries. The humanoid form she had acquired was only one of the results of said favours, specifically one that had involved teaching her how to attune oneself to human spirits. It was an essential skill for any God if they wished to attain any form of great significance. Strangely enough, neither this nor the other favours ever came with any demands for reciprocity.
"Become the good person you wish to become, and all our Lord has done for you will be repaid in full with that alone," one of the angels had said back then.
Back in the present, Metatron smiled kindly at her. "Don't worry. The task aligns well with your own goals."
Sothis raised an eyebrow. "And what would that task be?"
Metatron kept smiling and said, "Looking after the world in his absence."
"Aren't there other Gods better suited for that?" asked Sothis.
The angel shook his head. "None are better suited. The possibilities have already been looked at. You have the greatest chance of succeeding in that task."
Something about the way he said that raised her hackles. "Whatever could cause someone to fail there?"
"You can't very well look after the world if it's not there anymore," was the response she received.
A chill went through Sothis. She swallowed a lump. "Something big is coming?"
"Yes," said Metatron. "The Father has decreed that we are to lend you any aid we can in preparation for the trouble ahead. You must be ready when it happens."
Sothis nodded with trepidation. "What do I still need to learn, then?"
Her interlocutor was quick with his answer. "Magic. It is imperative that you not only learn how to use it but also how to teach it. Normally, it would fall to Raziel to teach you this, but he is busy preparing your present."
There was a frown on the Goddess' face. "I don't see how magic is so important."
"Most don't, even amongst the Gods," said Metatron. "They lack the foresight to consider anything more than their sphere of influence. Few consider the whole world. Almost none consider all of creation."
"What do you mean?" asked Sothis.
Metatron sighed before he answered. "The universe grows ever larger. It's not slowing down. In fact, it will speed up more and more. Yet energy and mass stay the same. The law of conservation of energy ensures this. This leads to a big problem, namely that the density of energy is decreasing. Since almost all energy begins and ends in heat, this will lead to unpleasant results. We're talking about the heat death of the universe."
Sothis did not like where this was going. She also didn't understand the point quite yet. "How is magic supposed to fix this?"
"Magic is good at ignoring laws," said Metatron with a large smile. "The law of conservation of energy can be ignored by the two different branches of magic. They bear different names in different places. Negentropic magic and entropic magic, light magic and dark magic, thaumaturgy and demon magic, creation magic and destruction magic."
The Goddess thought about it for a moment. "If magic can ignore that law, then it can be used to modify the energy density of the universe."
"Exactly," confirmed Metatron. "Negentropic magic restores order. Creation is part of that magic. Entropic magic as it should be used is a tool to regulate the energy density of the universe in case of an oversaturation."
"I see," hummed Sothis. "But how is it that they can ignore the law of conservation of energy? As I understand, it's part of the natural order."
Metatron said, "All magic comes from the soul. The soul is also the one thing in creation that may flaunt any laws except those that apply to it specifically, for it is a creative force in itself. Humans have matured enough as a species that their souls will soon be capable of releasing excess energy they produce as magic. No longer will the mystic arts be restricted to a select few whose souls have matured ahead of time. Reasonably soon, in roughly thirty millennia at the latest, humans must begin spreading through the universe to fill it with energy they have created, lest its expansion becomes impossible to keep up with."
Understanding dawned on Sothis' face. "So that's why souls are so important!"
"Indeed. They are essential for the continued survival of the universe. It is one of the many reasons why the soul may never be harmed," said Metatron.
There was a pause as the Goddess thought about everything that had been said. The matter about magic was now clear, but the other problem still existed. Sothis doubted very much that she could face a cataclysm the other Gods would be powerless against and win. She needed support.
"I can't safeguard the world alone, magic or no," she said eventually.
"The Lord knows this as well," said Metatron. "He cannot leave even a small contingent of the Heavenly Host with you, for we will all be needed to fight a catastrophe which makes the one in this world's future pale by comparison. However, he recognises that you will need those who can stand by your side. And so, He has decided that if he cannot leave His host with you, he shall give you the tools to make your own."
Sothis looked at him with white eyes. "What?" she asked.
"The father will teach you how to create living beings with their own souls. They shall be your children and your companions. You shall raise them and learn first-hand what it means to care. By the time you arrive on Earth, you will have learned the meaning of compassion and benevolence," explained the angel.
"And how am I supposed to get there? I could do it if I left my body behind, but you clearly don't want that," questioned Sothis.
Metatron laughed for a moment. Then, he adopted a broad grin and said, "Let me show you the gift that has been prepared for you."
As the last word left his lips, he moved to the side. Behind him, a long way away, there was an object that came closer and closer. As it neared, Sothis could make out the object's features. It looked a lot like Ra's barge, only more advanced. It also had a temple-like aesthetic. Its proportions were something to marvel at as well. The thing was as large as a whole city!
"May I present to you the home we have prepared for you and your future children?" asked Metatron teasingly.
2193 AD. Borderlands of western Arabia and the Levante, formerly known as the Kingdom of Nabataea.
The journey had been long. It had taken centuries for the ship to reach Earth. During that time, Sothis had not only learned the mechanics of magic but also what it meant to care for a fragile life that could not survive without her. One had led to the other, as had been expected. Among the many things she had learned about magic had been human transmutation. She had been shown how to alter humans in case it ever became necessary. These lessons had eventually culminated in her learning how to create her children out of her own blood. She had succeeded on her first try, and the child who had been created had instantly become the centre of her world. Through painstaking effort, including many lessons from an angel called Sandalphon, she had learned how to properly take care of a child. It was fulfilling beyond anything she had ever known.
So far, Sothis had created seventeen children from her blood. Four more would follow. The alchemical process through which she had first altered her blood and then created her children with it required as much. Otherwise, neither she nor they would fully stabilise. A byproduct of that alteration was that both she and her children could switch between draconic and humanoid forms at will. Still, they chose to spend most of their time in draconic form. Their unique form of body language had developed as a result of that; their heads were better suited for gentleness than their claws, after all.
She wondered how they would all deal with humans now that they were on Earth. She had never interacted with humans a lot, barring those in the Underworld, and that had been more than two thousand years ago. It would be a learning experience for them all. There were bound to be many challenges, but she would face them. With her children at her side, she felt confident that she could weather the coming storm. Now, if only she knew what it was! With a sigh, she thought she would figure it out eventually.
"This is where we part ways," said Metatron from beside her. "The Heavenly Host will leave within the next decade and there is much to prepare."
He had been a constant companion on the journey to Earth, and her children had taken to calling him Uncle, much to her consternation and Metatron's cackling amusement. However, she would still be sad to see him go.
"Will we see each other again?" asked Sothis. "The children will miss you."
Metatron shook his head. "It is unlikely. According to the Father, there is a 1.0724% chance that we will meet again."
Sothis was a bit unsure about how to respond to that. "That was… oddly precise," she said.
The angel nodded. "Odd is the correct word. The Father wanted you to know the odds. On that note, there are a few things you need to know: First, He secured an ally in Manannan Mac Lir. He doesn't like us much for what the Father's followers did to his pantheon's followers, but he's got a good head on his shoulders. He will be kind to you and instruct you on how to be a Goddess of Death. Others were told of your task, but they have declined to help, sadly. Second, a few helpful measures have been put in place. They have a low probability of success, but in 2.83391% of all predicted futures, you will have help from an otherworldler. And third, there is a 1.0724% chance that this otherworldler will both care enough about you and be crafty enough to help you overcome death completely."
The Goddess sat there for a minute and tried to process what had been said. "I will die?" she asked in fear.
Metatron nodded sadly. "Yes, though not fully. You cannot die fully; that much will be ensured. On the upside, in any possible future in which you overcome death, we are guaranteed to meet again, dear friend."
"The picture you paint is bleak," said Sothis with resignation. "But if none but Manannan and I will take the threat seriously, I suppose I must. Your God had better be grateful for this."
"He is," said Metatron in answer. "Without you, this universe has a chance of survival of exactly 8.6%. With your involvement and the Father's last gift, that chance rests at a comfortable 99.58446203%."
"That is, once again, oddly specific," she said with a flat stare.
Metatron laughed. "The Lord can be very hard to understand. I know I didn't do so when I was still a human. I suppose that is why we angels exist."
Sothis raised an eyebrow. That was interesting, but it wasn't really that important right now. She let the matter lie. Instead, she asked for clarification on something. "What did you mean with the 'last gift' you mentioned?"
At that, Metatron smiled sadly. "I wish you hadn't asked so soon, for I must take my leave once I answer."
"Huh?" asked Sothis. She was confused.
Suddenly, Metatron's eyes glowed with an intense golden light. His mouth opened, and the same golden light shone out of it. His jaw did not move, yet words came forth, and Sothis finally realised why he was called the Voice of God.
"My gift is the crown of this world. You shall bear the Ein Sof Aur. Yours shall be the Boundless Light, and with it you shall chase away the darkness. Farewell, young one, and know that no matter what you will have to do to succeed, you have earned your redemption."
Metatron – or rather the one who was possessing his body – stepped closer to Sothis and placed a kiss on her brow. With it came a rush of immeasurable power that overtook all her senses. She stood there motionlessly as light enveloped her, saturating every part of her being. When the light died down and Sothis could finally see again, Metatron was gone. All that remained was the faint echo of that immense power that had touched her.
2231 AD. The Alpes.
The fifth World War had broken out ten years ago. China, India and most of central Asia didn't exist anymore. South-East Asia and Oceania were in the same boat. A massive sacrificial ritual had taken place, which had killed over four billion people within just a few seconds and had used their souls as fuel for the ritual's effect. That had been the beginning.
Sothis and Manannan had been there, trying to prevent it from happening. They had fought their way through entire army divisions just to get to the massive ritual site in the place that would later be called the Sealed Forest. The two had come only a minute too late, but too late, it had been. The Darkness of Zahras had been cast, and the people the Agarthans had marked as sacrifices over the years – all of them inferior races in their eyes – had been killed in the process.
The purpose of the ritual had become clear quickly. The two deities had both been grabbed by tendrils of shadowy flames. Sothis had broken free almost without issue, the Ein Sof Aur ensuring this, but Manannan could not resist. As his last act, he had gifted her his sword Fragarach before being swallowed by the darkness. At the same time, Sothis had been able to feel an incredible rush of power. Gods and other deities left, right and centre, those who had known of her mission, had relinquished their powers and domains to her in the instant they had recognised that the moment of their deaths had come.
Another effect, one that the ritual's casters had not intended, had been an immediate and automated response from the powers that governed the Unbreakable Laws. Before her eyes, Sothis had seen the Gates of Hell appear. Its denizens had rushed out and taken the casters of the ritual to their rightly deserved eternal torment. After the Gates of Hell had closed, they had disappeared, and in their place had come the doors to the Chamber of Guf. Sothis had borne witness to the partial reversal of causality as the opened Chamber had sucked in the souls whose destruction she had witnessed before.
Both of these sights had been nearly too much for her mind to bear. Compounded by the grief caused by the loss of her friend Manannan, the stress of witnessing these unspeakable things had come close to driving her insane. Her mind had been under so much strain that the recollection of the event had been obscured even from her soul.
Right now, Sothis was busy dealing with the extended aftermath of the ritual. The remaining nations of the Earth had all received a declaration of war from the nation of Agartha. Horrified at the destruction Agartha had caused, nobody was willing to go at the matter with kiddie gloves. Weapons of Mass Destruction had been in use daily ever since. The continent of Europe, which the Agarthans had conquered during the third and fourth World Wars, was under constant bombardment from ICBMs with nuclear warheads and worse. Their other territories, such as Egypt, the Levante and Anatolia were not subject to the same, for Sothis had already been there.
She had searched these territories for the so-called Pillars of Light, fortress cities erected by the Agarthans. They had housed massive quantities of WMDs and other military equipment. Thinis, where she had first appeared on Earth, Malum, a renamed Jerusalem, Septen, once called Rome, and Llium, a newly-built city in Syria had already tasted her wrath. She had laid waste to them in their totality. She had flooded them, burned them to the ground or destroyed them with weaponised starlight from her birthplace.
She had not been fast enough, however. Septen had been able to launch tectonic detonators, bombs capable of cracking the Earth's crust. Even as the missiles had been in transit, the other nations had noticed and launched their own tectonic detonators. The cataclysmic consequences of this course of action had led to the dark, ashen atmosphere as well as the fracturing of the world's continents. Even Europe, which the Agarthans had decked out with missile interception systems, had been hit. The most obvious damage had been done to southern France, which was now just an archipelago, and the British Isles, which were reduced to a single island, as well as Iberia, which was now located further west than before, and the Balkans, which had been annihilated by tectonic detonators.
And here she was, in the ruins of Europe, where she had finally settled her ship after it had taken one too many hits, intent on finishing the job. She was so tired of killing, and of seeing others being killed. The things she had seen and the things she was doing in this war sickened her. The blood of dozens of millions was on Fragarach and on her hands. Though, it wasn't just her who was responsible for all this death.
The entire human species was under the threat of extinction. The nations other than Agartha had no people living in them anymore. The bombardments were now only maintained by automated systems and rudimentary AIs. The people calling those places home had all starved to death thanks to the ash clouds that covered the whole planet. The only places where people still lived were the territories held by the Agarthans and the lands which Sothis and her children had liberated from them.
Such territories included Denmark, where the Agarthans had gathered anyone and everyone of sub-Saharan descent for imprisonment and disposal, as well as Anatolia and eastern Europe, where they had done the same for those of near- and middle-eastern descent. Over the last few years, she and her children had made great gains as the strength of the Agarthan war machine was running out. Iberia, France and Britain were free now, as were the Scandinavian countries and most of Poland and Germany.
It wouldn't be long now until victory, if such a thing could be called that. Over nine billion people had died and the world was in ruins. To speak of victory under those circumstances was delusional. However, there was still some sense of satisfaction in knowing that the war would soon be over. And then, when peace reigned, she could finally raise her little lights like they deserved.
Alas, it was not meant to be. The moment she would win, Sothis would realise that humanity would go extinct. The planet could no longer support them. And so, she would have to alter humanity so they could live in this hostile new world, and would heave to heal the world itself. She herself would be too exhausted by this work to see the world she was to build, and would pass into a healing sleep with only a few parting words to her children.
"Throw Fragarach into the sea. Manannan would like that. Raise your younger siblings and care for them. And… watch over the humans. They will need your guidance."
And so, the Era of the Gods would begin. They would name many places in honour of Uncle Manannan's people. They would rule as Gods, and some would become too arrogant. And, eventually they would be deposed by Nemesis, and their mother would suffer at the hands of her old enemies.
7th day of the Red Wolf Moon. Byleth's mindscape.
With a gasp, I returned to my sense of self. It took me a moment to realise where and when I was, but once I did, I directed my gaze at Sothis, whose head I still held in my hands. She, too, seemed to be in a daze.
"That was… disorienting," I said.
"It was," she said in agreement.
I blinked. "That's surprising. I haven't even lived for thirty years so my memories shouldn't have messed with your head that much. I know there's some really disturbing shit in there, but-"
She put a finger on my lips. "Hyperion. Stop talking, please," she said in a serious tone. I did as she asked and waited for her to continue. She did so after a second. "It's not the time that disoriented me but the perspective"
In hindsight, that made sense. Feeling things as Sothis had, when I myself wasn't capably of feeling so intensely, had probably been the biggest factor in my disorientation.
"I have now seen who you are at the deepest level. I have felt it and I have lived your life through your eyes," she went on.
I swallowed drily. There was bound to be a lot she hadn't liked. Then again, with what I had seen in her soul about what she liked, there maybe was a small speck of hope. If she wanted to do the things she liked with me of all people.
"And?" I asked nervously.
A small smile spread on her face. "I think I have an answer for your question," she said softly. "You are worth loving. All your virtues, all your flaws; they are part of you. Without any of them, you wouldn't be you, and it's you whom I have fallen in love with. Not some ideal of the perfect man."
There were tears at the corners of my eyes. I had never thought I'd hear someone say that, least of all someone as beautiful in both body and spirit as Sothis. My breath started to hitch. "You have no idea how much that means to me," I said.
She laughed. "I think I do," she said teasingly.
That made me want to slap my face, but I didn't want to let go of her head. I grinned slightly "Yeah, I guess you do," was all I said.
Her smile faded a bit as she spoke again. "Now it's my turn to ask. Am I worth loving?"
I looked at her as if she'd grown a second head. That had to be the dumbest question I'd ever heard from her. "How can you ask that?" I told her. "Of course you're worth loving. After all you have sacrificed and suffered through, how can you think you're not worth it?"
Her eyes now glistened with unshed tears as well. Her hands found the sides of my head, and she asked, "Do you mean it? After all the suffering and death I've caused…"
"I mean it. I'd swear it on the Styx. If anything, it's me who should be in disbelief. That someone as strong and beautiful as you could fall in love with a lazy, perverted idiot like me is almost unthinkable," I said with emotion.
"Well, you're right with in one regard," she responded. "You're an idiot. But you're my idiot… if you're willing."
My eyes widened. "Of course," I said quietly.
Her smile broadened again and her face came closer to mine. Moving without conscious effort, I began moving my head towards hers as well. My heart was pounding in my chest, and I was convinced even Sothis could hear it. The distance between us disappeared rapidly, and before I knew it, our lips were touching.
It was different from our first kiss. Neither of us were in a hurry. Time didn't matter. There was only us and each other. I could focus on the feeling of her soft lips and the sounds that came from our contact. I would also feel the blood rushing through her ears as they heated up. Good, that meant that she found this as exciting as I did.
That little theory proved true when I felt her tongue brush against my lips. I responded in kind. Soon, our lip lock turned into a dance between our tongues. The taste was, objectively speaking, pretty bland, but it might as well have been the greatest thing my tastebuds had ever touched. I could practically taste the emotion she put into our kiss and I did my best to reciprocate.
Since neither of us really needed air, it took a long time for us to separate. By the time we did, we were both dazed and our faces flushed. We still held each other's heads in tender grips. On Sothis' face was a smile that could outshine the sun with its radiance, and from how I felt the muscles on my own face contort, I was pretty sure that I at least had a goofy grin on my face.
"That was… beyond wonderful," I said.
"I'm glad you think so," she responded happily. "It felt like that for me too."
A pleasant feeling settled in chest. A part of it was probably pride at having done well, but it was overshadowed by happiness of an intensity I had never felt before. That was why I was pretty hopeful when I asked, "So… Does that mean we're together now?"
She nodded at me with that adorable smile of hers. "That we are, and I intend for it to stay that way for a long, long time."
I smiled in return. "In that case, I guess that this idiot of yours had better stop being lazy and put some effort into this."
The laugh she gave me in response brightened my day even further. "I said you're an idiot, but you can be pretty smart sometimes," she said. "And I know that when you care, you're not lazy at all."
She then leaned forward and gave me a peck on the lips. She scooted closer and finally took away her hands from my head, only to wrap her arms around me. I Did the same to her.
"As for being perverted," she began as she pressed her chest against mine and moved her lips right next to my ear, "You've seen what my tastes are. You're not the only one of us who would love to see me wear a collar and leash."
My incoherent sputtering at that made her laugh even harder than before. I joined in as well after I had gathered my thoughts again, and soon, we were happily locking lips once more.
It as this scene that Byleth walked in on eventually. We froze in place. "I take it that the apology went well," he said with a blank stare and a very slight smirk.
AN: Greetings and salutations, dear readers.
This chapter came together a lot faster than I had initially thought, mainly because Sothis' backstory is something I've had in mind for a long time now. In fact, it was one of the first things I'd thought of when I began writing this story. Concerning said backstory, here are a few notes that should help with understanding:
Apep: The Egyptian name of Apophis. He represents chaos and destruction
Aset and Usir: The Egyptian names of Isis and Osiris.
Sutekh: The Egyptian name of Set, God of the Desert and of Foreigners, as well as God of Chaos.
Anput: The Egyptian name of Anubis.
Melinoe: Daughter of Hades and Persephone (or daughter Zeus and Persephone if you believe the Orphics)
Zagreus: Son of Hades and Persephone (or son of Zeus and Persephone; or Hades himself)
Manannan Mac Lir: Son of the Sea, Irish and Manx God of the Sea, Over-king of the Otherworld, sometimes also God of Death.
Fragarach: "Answerer" or "Retaliator." Sword of Manannan. Any wound it deals cannot be healed. If held to a person's throat, they cannot lie.
Guf: The Chamber of Guf is the place where God stores the souls of unborn humans.
Metatron: Very high-ranking angel. He was once a human called Enoch. He is the Voice of God.
Raziel: Angel of Mystery. He knows all of God's secrets.
Sandalphon: Also a former human. He is the guardian angel of unborn children. He shares this role with Lailah, the Angel of Conception and the Night.
Negentropic magic: Roof term for Thaumaturgy, White Magic and Black Magic.
Entropic magic: Another name for Dark Magic.
Seeing as there was some confusion about this in earlier chapters, the world Hyperion came from is not the same world as the one he ended up in. It's a parallel world.
Since I have received some criticism – I expected controversy when I started witing it – about where I have taken the romantic subplot, I would like to address two points there:
First, the "preteen girl bullshit," to quote a reviewer. My friend, I hate soul bonds as a narrative element as well, which is why there is no soul bond here. Soul-gazing would probably be the best description.
As for "manning up" and simply taking the apology, I think you're misunderstanding something here. Souls, as they are established in this story, are not simply something people have. Souls are people. If somebody cut open your chest cavity just because they were curious about what your lungs looked like and then put it back again in its previous condition, you'd be upset too, even though there was no harm done. Bypassing someone's AT field without consent is very invasive.
Second, relationship development. The romance here is a subplot. And I honestly don't know how to develop it any better without compromising the main plot of the story. Besides, what I have is already far better developed than most of the great classics. There, romance constitutes to someone seeing someone they find attractive and saying, "Wow, you're hot. I'm in love with you."
Plus, I absolutely hate unnecessary drama, which the authors of most romantic fiction seem to love more than the paired characters love each other.
There is a reason why I have no experience with romance.
In any case, dear readers, I hope that you've enjoyed this chapter. A big thank you to everyone who has favourited, followed and reviewed, even if my response to some of them may seem a bit harsh.
Until next time. Stay happy and healthy, everyone!
Today's recommended story is XCOM: The Hades Contingency by Xabiar as well as the following works of the series. As is fitting for XCOM, it is dark and gritty, but there is also vast political complexity to everything, especially once things hit the galactic stage.