The Death Trials

THE DEATH TRIALS│11

"WE ARE ALL AWARE OF the purpose of our gathering," Anubis said, looking at the people standing before him.

He glanced at Kosey who knelt beside him, hands bound behind his back. "Kosey Hakimi, Ptah's chosen competitor, killed Eshaq Kattan, blatantly flouting a rule in the presence of others. In sight of this, his soul shall be consumed by Ammut."

The goddess stepped forward, tongue daring out to lick her lips. Hair flew in the air as her head snapped to the left and then to the right. Neck tilted upwards, her mouth elongated, teeth increasing in number and sharpness. She fell to the ground, convulsing. Fur sprouted from her sides, skin rapidly disappearing. A vicious snarl filled the air as her hips rose from the ground, legs becoming short and stout. In place of the goddess stood a creature with the head of a crocodile, the torso of a lion and the hindquarters of a hippopotamus.

She hissed, moving to stand on her hindquarters, paws placed on Kosey's cheeks.  He trembled beneath her touch, eyes looking everywhere except the creature before him. The goddess growled lowly and opened her jaw.

Kosey screamed—the sound reverberating, grating eardrums and chilling the competitors to the bone. Shadows danced on the walls, torches flickering. He grew pale, body slumping forwards as his akh slipped past his lips, pale and translucent. Pupils shrank, white overtaking the eyes. Skin shrivelling and cheeks hollow, Kosey gave a final gasp. His body fell to the ground, head lolling to the side. 

Bones cracking and reforming, fur receding and legs elongating, the goddess returned to her original form. She tilted her neck, the crack echoing as she let out a satisfied hum. "I have not had such a good meal in so long."

"Let this serve as a deterrent to all who may fantasise about killing. You may leave now," Anubis said.

Zaina stared at Kosey's body, her mind trying to reconcile what she'd observed, shivers crawling up her spine. Her mind was a haze, barely focusing on the way back. She'd become numb—numb to Lilith's scolding her for making the sheets dirty as well as Khadijah's hard scrubbing. The numbness began to dissipate when she was alone once more, waiting for Mido to escort her to the banquet. 

"Are you ready to go?" Mido's asked, stepping into the tent.

"Ah," head lifted, her lips parted as she noticed him, "yes." Rising from the bed, she followed him out, falling into step with him. Halfway through their walk, Zaina angled her head towards him. "Thank you for your help."

Mido quickened his pace. "I know not what you speak of." 

"At least you have stopped ignoring me," Zaina commented, walking faster to keep up with him.

Mido ignored her and the remainder of the journey occurred in silence. When they arrived at the banquet, his hand lashed out, cold fingers wrapping around her bicep. "Foolish girl, do you not know that walls have ears?"

As quickly as he had grabbed her, he let her go, disappearing out of sight, leaving Zaina to ponder over his words.

The banquet was the same: Omar was announced as the winner. And this time, as the new ankh clinked against the old ones, grumbles sounded amongst the competitors, whispers travelling through the air. When one of them stabbed the cooked fish aggressively, she began to fear for his life.

Once the banquet was done, Mido returned and escorted her back. A plea for help interrupted their otherwise silent walk. Zaina shot him a worried look but he shook his head. "It does not concern you."

Aghast, she shrugged him off, running towards the cries. Mido called for her but she paid no heed. Realising she wasn't returning, he took off after her. He found her shell-shocked in a dark hallway, eyes trained on a battered and bleeding Omar propped against a wall. Footsteps echoed in the distance as his attackers fled the scene.