“Do you remember the fable on how Sēth was defeated?”
I asked, clutching at my stomach slightly.
“Somewhat.. didn’t Sēth and Horus get into conflict because Sēth usurped, and in the process killed his father Osiris?”
She picked me up by my shoulders, lifting me up whilst I slumped onto her.
“Exactly.. in the end Horus managed to overwhelm Sēth through—“
.. Wait I can’t just say that to Yu Haeun.
The way Sēth was defeated by Horus was.. by ingesting his semen. This was done by secretly putting it on Sēth’s meal, this being lettuce-leaves.
“How did Horus defeat Sēth?”
No. I’m missing even an bigger key fact.
Sēth wasn’t killed by Horus, he was only thwarted.
In the end, Horus split their leadership over Egypt in half, where Horus ruled over the fertile lands whilst Sēthh ruled over the barren desert and foreign lands.
But this all depends on the version of the Osiris Myth..
Horus is the best shot I have in defeating Sēth.
“Horus didn’t.. exactly defeat Sēth, but he’s the only one that can rival against him.”
“Right.. so how exactly are we going to summon Horus?”
She was right, how were we going to get Horus to help us?
<Mortal, thee wish to summon Horus from his reign as a pharoah?>
Can you help me?
<There is only one way, use “Ibis’ Final Wisdom”, and the answer thee seek will be answered>
Can this help me succeed..?
Right, I shouldn’t doubt him. Th?th was never one to be dishonest.
<Skill Activated: Ibis’ Final Wisdom>
Similar to before, a pen and palette summoned in my hands stained in the colour of red.
I coughed further splattering a pool of blood underneath me. My heart thumped loudly in my chest, amplifying the amount of pressure I felt.
This was a consequence of using an ability whilst not having enough blood.
“What the—? Where did the pen and palette come from?! Why are they in blood?”
I could barely make out her frantic speech, concentrating fully on writing in the palette.
<“HOW TO SUMMON HORUS” is within you>
What?
Did Th?th lie to me? How is the answer within me?
<Mortal, what has changed within thee since the skill has activated?>
That’s when I realised.
My heartbeat pounded quicker, to the point I could feel my heart pulsing in my throat.
“Yu—“
Fuck, it hurts. I’m in pain, fuck.
“Yu-nim, are—is my eye golden?”
I could barely look up and make eye contact, it hurt to make slight movement.
I needed to quickly do this.
“Y—Yeah? What does that mean?”
She said confused, until a sudden realisation dawned on her.
“No way, you—you’re not asking me to gouge out your eye, right? That can’t be the way to summon Horus..”
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I could only nod, it pained me to talk. My vocal cords felt strained, or pulled from my body.
“If this is the only way.. I don’t really want to do this but..”
She hesitated, looking down at my shrivelled form.
“I’ll try to make it quick.”
She pulled an arrow from the holder on her belt, this arrow’s tip was dyed blue.
A sense of terror struck me, as I watched the arrow descend closer, and closer towards me.
It won’t hurt, it won’t hurt at all.
I repeated continuously, more so to affirm it to myself than anything else.
I could hear the optic nerves being detached.
An extreme, sharp agony overwhelmed me, my eye was ripped out from the socket. My vision immediately went blurry, until it went bright, immensely bright. Excruciating bright. I was sensitive to the light, it hurt.
It was stinging bad, very bad, like an inflammatory headache, it continued to ache non-stop.
I tried to scream, but I couldn’t, I physically couldn’t.
My body felt distorted, when will the pain stop?
When will it stop?
When will it stop?
It hurts, it hurts, it hurts.
Nothing.
Emptiness.
A fog.
It enveloped me, I could only properly look forward at Yu Haeun.
My eyes seemed to water, but only one could. My left eye was gone.
Was this what phantom pain felt like?
<Skill Stop: Ibis’ Final Wisdom>
<Thee know a lot of history of thine truly>
Maybe it was from reaching omniscience, but I could detail most of the fable of Ancient Egypt.. the eye gouged out from me was,
The Eye of Horus.
The room began to lighten up, this must be because the Eye of Horus was seen as a symbol of the moon.
“What do I do now?”
She shook, holding onto the arrow that—that had my eye.
Even I didn’t know what to do, Th?th had completed the first part of the puzzle but.. actually summoning Horus?
His worshippers could only dream, how would this work?
Maybe.. we have to offer the eye to him.
“Yu—god—ah.”
My voice came out dry.
“Offer the Eye of Horus to him, like in a rite.”
I splattered more blood.
“Understood, please don’t die.”
She said, seemingly worried for my health.
That made me happy.
“Horus, please hear my prayers.”
She prayed, putting her hands together.
A noise squawked, and I slowly flickered my glance towards the open window.
It was a falcon, specifically Horus as a falcon.
The falcon squawked, fawning its left wing in front of its face.
“Can you help us against Sēth?”
The falcon’s eye twitched slightly, it was then I noticed that the falcon was missing its.. left eye.
<Sēth? One has not heard this word for a while, what is the price you pay?>
“I offer you the Eye of Horus, a good deal right?”
I could vaguely see her slightly smirk once she finished speaking.
The falcon stilled for a bit.
<Good enough exchange, I will accept thy deal>
I glanced over towards Yu Haeun, and she glowed brightly.
She must have got a temporary ability..
I wish I could watch for a bit but.. I’m going to pass out—
**
<Ability: “?ρτεμι?” x “Horus”>
<?ρτεμι? acknowledges the involvement of Horus>
A golden sceptre materialised in my hands, I quickly flickered my gaze over to Myo-nim.
He’s asleep.. looks like I’ll have to fight on my own.
<Sub Quest: 1> —
Objective: Defeat the God of the Desert, Sēth
Reward: 10,000 coins
Way to remind me again.
<I’ll pass thee the skills I’ve learnt>
<Character File>
Yu Haeun:
Age: 20
Height: 172cm
Class: Hunter
Sponsor: “?ρτεμι?” x [TEMP] “Horus”
Art: “?οχ?αιρα” x [TEMP] “pr-??”
I tapped on “pr-??”.
<Skill: r?w, j??, ??>
What? Is that a hieroglyphic?
I have no clue what this will do..
The falcon fully covered its face with its wings.
<Killing a god is strenuous for a mortal, thy skill relinquishes that>
My breath hitched, with this skill I’m able to kill a god?
There has to be a consequence right?
A rough squawk bellowed from the falcon.
<Indeed so, the skill will reduce your life force. It is a heavy price to pay>
.. When will I ever get a chance to kill a god?
An exciting tingle travelled throughout my body.
<The sceptre is specifically brandished by Phthá>
<?ρτεμι? scoffed>
<Remember the dagger in your pocket was brandished by Hephaestus>
<Horus pays no attention to ?ρτεμι?>
Ignoring the argument between ?ρτεμι? and Horus, I glanced over to the sceptre, that glowed a golden hue.
Could this be enough to kill a god?
<How amusing, did Th?th give thee a puny tool?>
<A god never falters in the face of a mere mortal, show me the best thee got>
A rush of air quickly brushed past me.
“What the—?”
A sudden urge to move washed over me, and I reacted with my instinct.
Swwshh!
My eyes flashed quickly, a was-sceptre sliced where I had originally stood. The house was split cleanly.
If I don’t dodge in time, I’m dead.
I’ll definitely be dead.
<What is your choice, mortal?>
I had already made my choice, even before the consequence was stated.
“I agree!”
I yelled, ducking quickly to avoid the upcoming slice.
Shiiing!
That would have beheaded me if I wasn’t fast enough.
<Ability: pr-??>
<Skill Activated: r?w, j??, ??>
My senses felt heightened, a prickly sensation full of elation covered my body.
<Stage: r?w>
The sceptre fused suddenly, attached to the top of the sceptre was.. a cobra.
However, this cobra had a strange disk inside of it. It resembled the sun.
<That can’t be— r?w is working with you?>
I could finally see him, he was rooted in place. Fear swallowed him whole, why was he so afraid of r?w? Who is r?w?
Taking advantage of his sudden fear, I rushed to use the sceptre.
<Skill Activated: ?οχ?αιρα>
A rain of arrows stormed towards Sēth.
Suddenly the arrows snapped, the.. the arrows from ?ρτεμι? snapped..?
I looked towards Sēth and an unnerving sense of death radiated from him.
<Thee. Thee of all people got r?w to support thee?>
A roaring, tumultuous laugh crackled out of him.
<O, why quicken thy delivery unto death?>
A quick slash aimed at my stomach, I barely managed to dodge in time.
A small cut formed in my abdomen.
I focused on where the attacks could be coming from.
<Aim for his testicles>
What?
I almost laughed, I was so bewildered I couldn’t process the next slash.
Swwshh!
<I’ve covered thee for this slash, but I cannot interfere again>
I was shrouded in a shield, and I watched the god’s head twitch slightly.
<Thee got Horus to cover for thee?>
Maybe that was a bad idea, I let my guard down too quickly.
I should focus on dodging and striking at the perfect times.
I observed Sēth’s movements, finding the perfect time to interfere and strike.
There.
He jumped quickly, aiming towards me with his Was-sceptre.
I blocked it with the golden sceptre I wielded, it made a loud thrash when colliding together.
As fast as I could, I pulled out the dagger from the back pocket of my trousers.
This must do a lot of damage, Hephaestus was known for his weaponry, there’s a reason why he was an excellent blacksmith.
He was determined.
Which is what I will be!
Rapidly, I stabbed Sēth in the neck. Making sure to dig the blade deeper inside, until the tip reached the other side of his neck.
A sharp pain pelted against my abdomen, forcing me to spit out saliva. I flung across the room, bashing my head against the closet—no.. wardrobe. I couldn’t tell, the room kept shifting and bending at Sēth’s will.
Once again, a sonorous, thundering noise erupted from Sēth’s mouth.
<Not even a weapon welded by a god? Do thee think I’m weak?>
He cackled louder, pulling out the blade from his neck.
That’s when he flinched, he couldn’t believe it.
He was actually bleeding.
How could a god bleed in the face of a mortal?
Was most likely what he was thinking, I saw the fear in his face.
A sinister smirk displayed on my face.
I got him right where I wanted him.
<?ρτεμι? nods her head in respect>