Nezzar

Part One: Do Not Blink

Apophis slithered over, bulky trunk smoothly coiling around Sobek's horrified frozen form. Bones crunched. Marduk's unhinged heckling laughter played a dirge in the background. Blood leaked from Sobek's eyes like black tears, from his snout and past the jagged rows of his teeth black kept pouring.

Sekhmet's eyes remained open, forcing her to watch as Apophis unhinged his jaw over Sobek's head, exposing twin silver daggers for fangs. He clamped his jaw. A loud crunch. Gurgling sounds. Apophis began to swallow, his form stretching and distorting as he chomped Sobek down bit by bit. Soon nothing remained of him but a large misshapen form in Apophis's large trunk.

Marduk did not stop laughing. Even when Apophis's transformation started, the senile god did not stop laughing.

Scaly white skin shifted to pitch black. Apophis' form shrunk, once more taking the form of a man—a much taller smartly robed man. No hood covered his hairless head. His eyes were the same complete black. A thin band of silver forming a 'V' at the crest encircled his head.

Shutting his eyes, he cast his face to the roof of the cave. He seemed to be taking it all in, whatever transcendence devouring Sobek had given him.

After a long still moment, Apophis's obsidian eyes snapped open and zeroed on Sekhmet.

"Moooore." The word travelled over her like a deadly caress. It released her from the hold of the vines and gripped her by the neck. Hands finally free, Sekhmet hugged her neck. His phantom touch burned. She blinked repeatedly, eyes heating up and misting.

Apophis was taller now. Standing at nine feet, the long lines of his frame stiff as Sekhmet struggled and failed to dislodge his grip. There was a heavy suffocating air around him. Blood trickled down her nose. She could taste it flood her mouth.

"Oh sister, it grieves me to do this." She was before his face, nose mere inches from his. Staring into the black depthless whirlpools of his eyes. "I still recall the words you said to me when Abaddon destroyed the sons of Egypt." Tilting his head as if in search of the memory, he smiled a small smile, a silver fang flashing amidst all that black. "You are weak and you can never rule us."

Apophis tutted. "That was just... cruel. Don't you think?"

Blood poured down Sekhmet's nostrils, raced down her chin, and splattered upon her chest. Even if Apophis restored her ability to speak, she would have nothing to say. Nothing prepared her for this day. Ceasing her struggle, she dropped her hands from her burning neck and relaxed her frame.

"And she accepts her fate." Apophis patted her head like one would a loyal dog. "Your abilities will be of great use to me; know that I appreciate your uncommon sacrifice. You can shut your eyes."

This time he did not morph into his serpentine form to devour Sekhmet. He unhinged his jaw, mouth stretching over her head like the darkest abyss. But she did not blink, she stared into the darkness, watching until his maws closed over her head and the unending pain began.

***

Daniel was beginning to have strange dreams, a series of mystifying images that left a nagging curiosity in their wake. Whenever he awoke, he would scribble the details in a scroll and tell Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah about it to see if they would be able to make sense of it. Nothing they put together so far felt like an accurate interpretation.

It was late evening. He was seated at his low table by the window, lamp lit and piles of scrolls sitting at his left and right. After reading through all the dreams he had recorded and coming up empty, he returned his focus to the texts on astrology and philosophy recommended by Ashpenaz. But even as he read, his mind kept drifting to the dream he had the night before. The details were still fresh in his mind.