The Forgotten God

Chapter 32

In Aaru the rushes grow tall and wide, along the banks of the Ka and into the veil of eternity. Where grand Osiris resides, protecting the souls who passed those many perils along the way, thwarting the armed fiends that guarded the doors. The boundless reeds signal rest and cradle the weary, concealing lush hunting and offering nothing but paradise. Where the sun rises, the soul sets, forever and for a day.

When Isaac touched the book, left open by Am-Heh, the words flowed back, a droll intone of a dispassionate holy man. Ishaq had heard them spoken in his days of education, preferring the voice of his parents who breathed life into them. The valley to paradise was hard but if that was what lay beyond then every step was worth it. And they would live together again, until...?

No one knew. That mystery had both thrilled and terrified him.

The immense palace of Am-Heh had not been quite what had been written about. And scouring floors that were already as polished as the finest crystal, was not entirely what Ishaq thought of as heaven. But he passed it off as being stuck between life and death. His body was not empty, his soul had not escaped. He'd simply been plucked to a new existence.

"Don't follow me inside again," Ishaq nudged the excitable hounds aside as he placed down the water, much of spilling as they crowded in a cluster to see, moving away only when they saw no food was available. "You made a dreadful mess with your pawprints and I got the blame for it. It took me ages to clean, at least to get near whatever standard they set."

He stood back and watched them gambol like pups. He'd learned to deal with their needs first and then bring the larger bowls out and go through to the dark hounds. It had taken several scolding's and dropped meat to learn, his nerves making him oblivious to the obvious answer.

He opened the gate while the dogs were occupied, albeit disappointed in the water they were given, hauling the hessian bag with him, dripping scarlet with the barely cooked meat still warm within it.

Despite their lack of interest in anything but the meat he brought, Ishaq was still nervous of the great beasts. Much like their master, their mere presence was intimidating.

Mandisa had advised him to not show fear. That animals fed upon it, making them bolder or sometimes more aggressive, sensing a threat from the stiffness or tremors. These fed upon it, their eyes looking smugly or slyly in his direction, as if contemplating whether to lunge just to see the effects. They never did, too proud to act in such a manner but they still gained amusement from expression alone.

The air filled with the scent of blood and sound of teeth tearing into raw meat as he put the bag down and they immediately tore into it. Their mouths dripping with gore and salvia as they chewed messily, low growls joining the gluttonous noises.

Ishaq looked away, the sight as unpleasant to watch as it was to listen to, but he had to wait and retrieve the sack and wash it for later use.

"You are doing well with them."

Ishaq jolted from his subconscious haven of silence as the rich voice penetrated it, dropping to his knees in the dust at the golden feet of his master.

Am-Heh looked from his dogs to the cowering figure and bent down. His warm fingers pressed under the small chin, lifting his head and urging the rest to follow suit.

He felt the tension in the muscles evaporate and watched as the almond-coloured eyes brightened.

"Thank you, great one," Ishaq whispered with a shaky smile. "But it is credit to you, you have trained them to behave well."

Am-Heh almost smiled back, his lips tweaking upwards slightly before he steeled himself and shook his head. "They are created obedient, at least obedient unto themselves. Mutual respect and clear instruction is all it is."