Cursed Times - Only Yesterday! Sequel to Wattys 2015 winner!

Chapter 60: Seisi - The End of All Times Part 1

End of last chapter:

'I do not know why you had to join our friends from the dark side,' Ptahmes said, spewing spittle from his mouth as he spoke. 'As far as I am concerned, I prefer to summon rather than be summoned, but so be it. It allows me to call you now, and this is what I do herewith. Come hither and help us end this farce, it has been going on for far too long.'

A groan of horror blew through the temple as a tall, dark shape with glowing red eyes stalked into the holy territory.

Nebmutef.

***

His mouth as dry as tinder, Seisi watched Nebmutef wind his way through the throng of dark priests. The demon stopped so close to Ptahmes they could have rubbed shoulders, had Ptahmes not jerked aside, his long nose twitching in disgust.

Nebmutef ignored him. He sought out Metjen among the prophets, grinned a toothy smile and shook his head. 'See, oh mighty Guardian, 'twas all for nothing. I will have my reward, my revenge and serving what you call evil will give me recognition for doing my duties all life long. The recognition I never got from your lot.'

Rage consumed Seisi's shuddering body, but no matter how hard he tried, he could not utter a single word, could not prevent the abomination from speaking out in the temple. Ptahmes and his posse had found a way to use a Feet of Ptah grounding spell on a larger number of people. That was worrying. Very worrying. On his left, Pharaoh stood ramrod straight. A small mewling sound escaped his lips, yet he never moved. Only his eyes darting from left to right betrayed the horror he must be feeling. The red faces of Seisi's holy brothers and sisters, their convulsions, they all spoke volumes. How could the high priests allow this?  

Nebmutef's eyes flickered red before he continued, pointing a bony finger at Metjen. 'Your light, my young friend, will now serve me and burn the worlds at my command!'

He turned towards Trueth, the laser light of his eyes drilling into her soul. 'My respects, for escaping off that mountain. You would have been mine there and then, had you stayed. Still, you will be mine now, so it makes no difference.'

'Yes, yes, ' Ptahmes said impatiently. 'All in good time. As far as Lord Metjen is concerned, I still have a mummy to unwrap with him. Afterwards, that whelp's flame will be mine to command. As are you and the rest of the lot you so unwisely joined.'

Nebmutef narrowed the blazing slits of of his eyes, yet not a single wrinkle showed on his face. His mouth opened—

—From the wall with the portal came a crunching and a screech as more dark cracks raced across the surface of the mirror until it was covered in a diabolic spiderweb. Rays of reddish light pierced the breaches, penetrating the hallowed hall.

Ptahmes rubbed his hands. 'Almost there. Well, then, esteemed brothers and sisters, very soon their rule will be over,' he pointed at the circle. 'You will only have to obey Her Wisdom, the high priestess of what will be the new Maat and myself. So much easier, I dare say.'

Seisi harboured only one hope. If he and his fellow priests were trapped helplessly in this mesh of evil, surely his love must be suffering the same constraints? She had to be. Otherwise, all would be lost.

'Are you guys quite finished with your melodramatic monologues?' Trueth's voice rang into the supercharged silence of the hall like a gong. 'You sound like the villains in a shitty novel.'

All WAS lost.

Seisi's anxiety seemed to detach itself from his body, floating over his head like an executioner's sword, ready to strike. A strange calm replaced his fears, keeping him just on the edge of hysteria. Trueth did not seem to suffer from whatever spell was afflicting him; she had pushed her fists into her hips and her stance radiated determination as well as fury. When Trueth was furious, things tended to happen... .