An aging figure with the head of a hawk and sharp golden eyes walked through a distorted space, yet he knew his way around. He wore a white robe, and his posture had begun to stoop. Objects appeared within reach, but every step toward them carried them farther away. Walking further he approached the middle and spoke dryly.
"I take it you know why I've come?"
"Evidently, Ra." An ominous female voice uttered, with a soft yet commanding tone.
Ra placed a hand against his head and slowly rubbed his feathers, he straightened his posture, refusing to let his age show.
"You are dying." The voice said authoritatively.
"I'm aware," Ra said, as memories of his glory days flashed through his skull.
"Does that frighten you?" The voice inquired.
"No, it does not." Ra answered truthfully.
"Then tell me sun. What does?"
Ra stood motionless for a moment, thinking, remembering before speaking up.
"Being forgotten," he said staring into the distance seeing his own civilization. A tear fell from his left eye, then his right.
"What is it you will do now that your demise is evident?" The voice asked gently.
Ra wiped his tears away and stood firm, he spoke instantly, already knowing his answer beforehand.
"I want a successor."
"A successor?"
"A golden champion," he said, his eyes glowing brightly.
"Mhm" The voice murmured.
"What will this 'Golden champion be like'?"
"Someone who reminds me of myself—of how a true king should rule." He quickly spoke.
"A king does not stand above his people, he stands before them." Ra spoke proudly as a smile appeared on his lips.
Silence erupted for a few moments before the voice spoke again.
"A human?" The voice questioned.
"Yes. A mortal is best, their own flaws will create strengths that present more meaning."
The voice laughed, before responding. "I'll treasure these moments my sun" The voice's tone then switched to a more serious tone.
"I've taught you well. Haven't I?"
Ra smirked slightly as he spoke "'A world without mistakes… Is a world that never learns.'" He said sarcastically.
"Anubis and Isis never got the gist of it, while I did."
The voice interjected. "You always do. Unlike the others, you strive for more than you yourself can accomplish."
The voice paused, only a breath too long.
"I wish the outcome is one you find pleasure in."
The space around Ra began to shrink around him. He knew what this meant, yet there was no sign of despair. Instead hope appeared on his face.
"I hope the new sun will shine even brighter than this one." The voice said promisingly.
"I have no doubt he will. Ra said optimistically, closing his eyes, the stars being the last thing in his view.
"Goodbye my sun."
Ra smiled. "Until next time."
Ra, now
I left the domain with one thought. A successor, someone who could carry my light when I was gone.
I knew I didn't have much time to find one. my body reminded me every night. My feathers fell more often, my wings became heavier, I used to be able to soar through egypt in a single moment. Now… It took several moments.
Even though my time was ending, I smiled. I had something to look for—someone to look for.
A Golden Champion, not a perfect human being. I didn't want perfection, perfection never learned. I wanted someone who understood people, someone who understood suffering. Someone who could lead without believing he was above those he ruled.
So, I watched humanity. Kings, soldiers, farmers, children, priests, criminals, heroes, and even villains, I watched them all. Most disappointed me, some were cruel, some were selfish, and some were only kind when kindness benefited them.
Others were willing to sacrifice themselves for people they had never met.
Then… I found him. The Golden Champion.
He wasn't standing on a battlefield, he wasn't sitting upon a throne, he wasn't even surrounded by followers.
He was a troubled child, a boy growing up in a world that had given him little reason to trust it.
Yet…
He still cared. And that interested me.
I watched him from afar, I saw him argue with his elders. He questioned their rules, and helped people who didn't deserve his aid.
And just like the rest of humanity, he sometimes made poor decisions.
I smiled whenever he did, not because I enjoyed watching him fail, but because he learned frim it.
And that was exactly what I envisioned.
Finally, I approached him. He looked at me without fear, which was unusual as most humans trembled when they saw me.
He didn't, instead he stared then asked me a question.
"Why are you looking at me?"
I laughed. "Because you are interesting."
He frowned. "That's a strange reason."
"It is."
He crossed his arms. "Are you a god?"
I looked at him. "That is correct."
He thought about it, then shrugged. "Okay."
I laughed again. As that was the moment I knew I had chosen correctly.
I offered him my contract, he accepted, and light surrounded us.
For the first time in centuries, I felt my efforts were paid off.
My power flowed through him, my authority recognized him, the contract was then complete.
The Golden Champion then became my successor, or so I believed.
For a while, everything was peaceful. I watched him sprout, struggle, and fight.
Then, the other gods learned about him. It changed everything.
The first to confront me was Apophis, he stood before me with his usual expression— cold, angry, and disappointed.
"You gave a human your contract, you gave a mortal your authority."
"Yes."
"And you expect us to accept this?"
"No."
His eyes narrowed. "Then why?"
"Because I'm dying."
He stared at me in silence. And for once he didn't immediately respond to me.
"You should allow your authority to return naturally instead."
"I will not."
His expression hardened. "You would rather give it to a human?"
"No, I would rather grant it to someone worthy."
"He's a child."
"So we're we once."
"You're comparing yourself to a mortal?"
"No." I smiled.
"I'm giving a mortal the opportunity to surpass me."
Apophis stepped closer. "That's exactly the problem."
I didn't understand what he meant, not then. I should have. Soon enough the gods began arguing. Some supported my decision, others opposed it, some believed humans shouldn't inherit divine authority, and others believed my death should be accepted.
Seth said little, instead he watched. For whatever reason I trusted him, and that was my mistake.
Serket was among them as well, but I could tell she didn't know what to believe. She hesitated whenever the topic was brought up.
She didn't understand what Seth was was planning and I could see it. She believed she was protecting order, she believed she was preventing something dangerous, instead she had been deceived.
Soon enough Apophis attacked first, his strike tore through my robe. I stopped backwards, trying to counter yet my body felt slow, Seth then attacked. I raised my arm and the impact pushed me across the ground.
My Golden Champion was nearby, I ordered him to flee. At least one half of me will survive.
My knees nearly gave out but I forced myself upright. Serket attacked yet she hesitated, I moved aside as her attack missed she looked surprised. Not that I dodged it, but that she actually attempted to strike a fellow god.
I knew I couldn't end my reign pathetically. I fought back, using the last of my strength to push the three of them back. I rushed towards Seth, delivering a strike covered in gold radiance, knocking him back and causing him to fall on his back.
Apophis backed up and looked surprised. I could tell he had confused me being weakened with me being weak. He was mistaken.
I turned back, and appeared behind him, he barley turned around blocking my incoming attack. I tried to maneuver to dodge his approaching fist, but my back gave out.
His fist pierced through my chest. I stood, defeated, coughing up blood.
Seth smirked, Apophis smiled heavily. And serket looked staggered.
Apophis removed his fist and I collapsed to the ground. Thinking of only two things.
The betrayal, and my Golden champion. A light smile appeared on my face as I tried to stay conscious.
Apophis walked closer and kneeled down to my level. "You've lost sun. Your light ceases to shine no more."
I smirked. "His light doesn't."
Apophis looked startled. "So he accessed?"
"Yes."
Seth looked shocked as well, his smirk becoming distraught, then regret. Serket was nowhere to be found, I knew she had been apart of this, yet I held no resentment.
"You gave him your full authority. You gave a HUMAN your full authority?!" Apophis shouted.
"And so I did."
He looked irritated, and his irritation grew increasingly. "You are a pathetic god, Ra."
A slight smirk appeared on my face. "Maybe so."
"I'll find you… And kill your new sun." Apophis said raising his arm as darkness surrounded it.
"Every reincarnation, every new light you create, will be covered in my darkness."
His arm then struck me, I was no more.
…
Years later, A man walked through the ruins of an ancient temple. His name was Imhotep.
His greatness in medicine granted him recognition from the gods themself. Isis then granted him her authority.
He searched for one thing, and ultimately found it.
Blood, old, and dry. Yet, it was still carrying the same divine energy.
Ra's blood it was. Imhotep knelt and carefully gathered what remained.
His eyes widened. "This… This should work."
He knew where to take it to. There was only one place that it would hold weight.
Setkhem…
He started walking immediately, yet he never managed to reach the city.
The shadows found him first. Apophis had found him.
Imhotep looked toward the figure standing before him.
"You…"
Apophis said nothing, Imhotep understood his fate. Apophis had found him, he held the vile containing the Sun in his hand, and Apophis wouldn't allow it to shine again.
The battle was short, Imhotep fell, he reached for the vile that remained intact, his hands shook, and he knew he wouldn't survive.
He looked toward the direction of Egypt, then murmured his final words—the only words he could speak.
"Create… A new Ra."
And as his hands fell, the blood continued its path, and Egypt began searching for a new light.
…
Several years after, the trials first began.
Several doctors, all high praised were among the first to start operation.
Soldiers, fellow doctors, and even farmers were among the tested.
Yet all it led to was death and more death.
A few doctors quit. Yet were never seen again.
The remaining ones knew they had to do something different than the previous trials. Yet they knew they might not be able to.
They were all fighting against their own ideas, beliefs, yet they all collectively valued their own life's more than anything.
A doctor walked throughout a temple before resting in his office, writing on a document sheet.
"You're still going about that?" His assistant spoke, her voice was calming.
"Our new pharaoh commands new results compared to our previous trials," he said still writing down information.
"Yeah, you're right. It's almost impossible without a new variable"
The doctor suddenly stopped writing, his pen dropped to the floor.
"Sir?" His assistant said, her voice deep with worry.
"Then we'll force a new variable." A smirk appeared on his face.
"Are you sure that'll be effective?" She asked, thinking to herself.
"It has to be." The doctor said optimisticly.
…
6 months later.
"HER WATER BROKE!" Isamu shouted with urgency as he bursted through the temple gates, cradling his wife in his strong, calloused hands.
A doctor quickly approached with a stretcher, assessing the situation with swift precision. "Don't worry, we've got her. Please, head to the waiting room until any further instructions."
Isamu hesitated, confusion clouding his face. "Why can't I stay with her? She's my wife!"
The doctor maintained a calm yet firm tone. "We need to concentrate on the operation. It's best if you wait outside."
Reluctantly, Isamu backed away, discomfort settling in his chest. "Fine," he muttered, turning toward the waiting room.
A few minutes later..
"He was persistent, but we can pull this off. This test can't be like the last ones!" A male doctor declared, his voice tinged with desperation.
A female doctor approached him, her expression laced with doubt. "Are you sure doing this while she's in labor is the best way to produce another Ra?" She asked hesitantly. "We've never done it on a fetus before…"
"YES! It's the only way to get different results from the previous failed experiments," the male doctor insisted, confidence radiating from him.
The female doctor frowned, her voice filled with unease, "We're almost out of the blood of Ra from Imhotep. We only have enough for three more experiments if we use an equal amount."
"We have enough for one—If we put all of it into this experiment," the male doctor said confidently, a smirk forming on his face.
Her voice rising, the female doctor responded, "Are you insane? The pharaoh will kill us if we fail again!"
The male doctor turned to her, his expression softening as he rubbed her cheek. "We won't fail this time. Prepare her for the incision."
"Y-Yes," she stammered, fear creeping into her voice.
"Be careful; we can't afford to waste any of it. Remember our lives depend on this…"
Minutes later…
"WHA-WHAT? NO, NO! THIS SHOULDN'T BE HAPPENING!" "The male doctor's panic was palpable, his earlier confidence shattered. The experiment was spiraling out of control.
The woman, who had been in labor, suddenly began to levitate, her belly glowing with a fierce yellow-and-orange light, as if she were a living sun. She screamed, her body wracked with agony, and then—she exploded. Blood splattered across the walls; the explosion obliterated everything in the room, including the doctors and the woman herself. The newly born sun had been given life like a dying star.
Isamu rushed into the room, drawn by the screams and the sense of impending doom. He looked around frantically through the mess of a scene. He looked for his wife; he saw body parts everywhere—some broken, some shattered, some missing altogether. Lying alone in the middle of a hospital bed with a yellow-orange-like glow to it was a baby. His baby.
"HONEY? HONEY? NADIA! NO, NO, NO… oh God! Isamu's voice broke, grief flooding him as tears streamed down his face. He picked up the baby that looked so much like him, wondering how it survived the nightmare that had claimed his wife.