Side Story: Pharaoh, Karmine Narmer (2)

Climbing to the heavens once more, after having ascended them already, was no great feat.

And there, I encountered the beast that had lost its master.

A massive beast.

A beast lying prostrate, gazing down at the woman who had climbed to the heavens.

"Ammut."

When I called the beast's name, it looked upon me with weary eyes and opened its maw.

Growling lowly in exhaustion, the beast spoke thus, and I replied.

"I have come seeking respite for this world."

To Ammut, who spoke of even herself—born a god, defeated by a greater one, and subjugated—as unable to evade this end, I said,

"It seems thou mistakest my purpose. I come not to halt this world's demise. I know full well I lack such power—better than any. No, even as this world crumbles... I come for the final respite of my remaining subjects."

Ammut stared fixedly at me, emitting a low, rumbling growl.

Then, hesitating as if chewing its words, it spoke.

"Centuries, thou sayest? Longer than I reckoned. That shall suffice to grant my final subject's final peace."

The most recent child born, once my comrade in striving to slay the gods, the child left by the heroes...

"Karura—that child shall live to old age, and I can endure until then. How fortunate."

As I spoke thus, Ammut, who had been gazing steadfastly at me, lowered its head low.

"I slew thy master—yet thou wouldst worship such as I?"

With a smooth motion.

Ammut—one of the ninety-nine beasts once commanded by the god who ruled this world, and itself a god before falling to 'The Beast of Death that Sings Lamentations'—bowed its head lower still and spoke.

"...What reason hast thou for such?"

"If that be thy will, needst thou claim me as master?"

Should Ammut wish to aid me, it need not serve me as lord. As I said thus, Ammut growled lowly.

Do even former gods harbor regrets?

Seeing Ammut gaze upon me with eyes laden with regret, lament, and despair, I nearly offered a bitter smile—then burst into hearty laughter instead.

"Then so be it. I shall take thee as my servant. Live as my cherished beast until thy life ends."

Having commanded a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠once-god beast, ascending the seat once held by gods, I now sat where gods had sat.

"Ugh..."

Coiling about my body was a viscous mass of resentment.

Perhaps ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠because a death-god had long claimed it.

Or because it had devoured countless souls.

The thick demonic energy creeping through me rusted my very soul.

"Proclaim, eh? Ahahaha, splendid! It calls to mind the proclamation I made when I succeeded my father as pharaoh!"

Closing my eyes, I recalled that moment.

The myriad kings who once lived in this world.

The countless heroes who once commanded it.

To protect this world, their children, their descendants.

Rejecting even their own deaths, their eternal rest, binding their souls in eternal service, swearing unending warfare against the gods.

A wriggling power stirred within me.

Tainted by thick demonic energy, yet growing familiar—I cried out.

To all kings and heroes of the Saha world, who forsook even their own rest to defend it, I beseeched once more.

Armies rose amid radiant light.

Glorious, resplendent souls.

Once kings, once heroes, they rose once more.

The kings and heroes bowed to my words, then melted away, scattering into the world.

When the crumbling world halted its collapse, I and Ammut had lost most of our power.

The myriad kings and heroes who swore eternal service to me had mostly dissolved into the world, and I too had lost all my strength.

Only a fraction of divinity, far less than what I once held.

Yet in exchange, I had bought the crumbling world—a world nearing its end—a brief reprieve.

Thus, I laughed.

Laughing, I said,

"Aha, ahahaha! What a sight, my cherished beast! Look upon thyself! Thy colossal form hath shrunk so tiny!"

Gazing down at my body upon Ammut's words, so it was.

My toes, once hidden beneath my ample bosom, were now plainly visible—and my entire form shrunken to that of a child not yet come of age.

"Hm, indeed. My voluptuous figure is gone—truly lamentable. Yet 'tis no great loss in a world bereft of men to tempt or fawn upon with such a body!"

If there was regret, 'twas warring against the gods from before maturity, then living in a manless world, preserving my virginity unwanted.

Yet that was no true injustice, for all born after the curse spread were forced to the same fate.

Compared to those children, I—who had at least glimpsed what men were—fared far better.

"...My cherished beast, how much longer can this world endure?"

"Ample time. When my subjects all find rest, I can hold their funerals and end it—naught could be better!"

"I knew as much when I chose this! I harbor no regrets!"

Enough jesting.

I mounted Ammut, who lay low before me.

"Let us go—my subjects await me!"

"Ammut, my cherished beast. Dost thou know?"

"No one in this world remains older than I! As Narmer Kingdom's eldest, I would hold a festival in celebration—what sayest thou?"

"Oh? Then a festival to honor thy venerable age!"

"Tell them to outlive me if they envy it! No one remains to nag me! Ho there—prepare the festival!"

We held festivals for even trifles.

That my subjects, facing the end, might not fear.

That they might not grieve the honored dead.

"Ammut, my cherished beast. Dost thou know?"

"Karura that child hath become a great warrior! Like her father and mother, a peerless hero. How endearing, her vow to protect me now."

"Ahaha, art thou jealous? Yet even so, thou lackest the charm to rival Karura. And how can I help it? She is the child left by my comrades. 'Tis natural to adore her. Lately, though, she heeds me not—what to do?"

I watched joyfully as the children I sought to protect grew to adulthood.

Laughing heartily, that they might forget the end approaching them.

Forgetting that one day I would bury them.

"...How much time remains?"

Many years passed. Most subjects had found rest; only those who would once have been called heroes remained.

As the world began crumbling anew, the end drawing near once more, I rose.

"My power fell short. I was too greedy. I should not have spared any strength."

"My subjects yet live. I... I would not show them the world's fall again."

Even if but a dozen years.

For those dozen years, I could sacrifice myself.

"Oh ho, look at thee, my cherished beast. Holding back, eh?"

"Pass over that. Together we might manage a century—enough for Karura to rest easy."

As we sought to open the path to the heavens once more.

It descended.

Nay, it had always been there, as if from the beginning.

The instant we faced that presence, Ammut cried out.

But with a mere raising of its hand, that existence froze Ammut—mightiest in this world—in place.

"...Who art thou?"

Its answer came from such heights it was incomprehensible.

Yet I understood.

Not an answer to my question, but a question in return.

"...Dost thou ask if I wish to live? What a foolish query. All that live desire life!"

Even if I could no longer be saved.

At least for my subjects, I wished them peaceful lives and rest.

In response, that existence spoke.

Then, if not this world, would another suffice?

"...I know not what thou meanest. Anywhere my subjects can live would please me."

Then, it said.

And it descended.

"A hand...?"

A colossal hand blotting the skies.

"...Thou might manage somehow. Hm, unfamiliar. 'Tis ages since a descent."

A voice hitherto unheard resounded.

"...Who art thou—no, who are you."

I understood.

That vast hand enshrouding the skies, the world entire, was that existence's true form—right before me.

I understood.

That existence dwarfed even 'The Beast of Death that Sings Lamentations,' once-master of this world and a god—vast, sublime.

"No need to know. Hearing my name profits thee naught. Merely a glutton who roams greedily devouring all. An endless hoarder swelling its belly. Worry for thyselves instead of such a one's name. Live well in the new world—cause no trouble."

Ah, and.

As if adding,

"Should ye encounter a young blue dragon there, bid her visit my visage now and then. Revelry is fine, but shunning her rare great-grandniece for over a century is too much. If pride hinders, at least send word. With all the attendants I keep, she can't manage that one task... I bear the nagging from Asha and Anya."

Who could she take after? So it mused.

I could but nod.

Blue dragon, great-grandniece.

Remembering only that this existence tied to dragons.

"Now, I send thee. To a chaotic yet striving world. A world without gods."

Thy wished-for boon.

I grant ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠it.

Go, live.

That was the end.

When I, Ammut, and all of Narmer Kingdom regained our senses, we were in an entirely different world.

Even the curse that shrouded our old world waned here.

A new world.

New lands.

And in this world... my subjects could live anew.

"No matter! In exchange, no more crumbling worlds, no more mass death. Splendid, utterly splendid."

I knew not what this world was, but surely men existed here.

"Now, while I and thou yet live, we must prepare my subjects to blend here. Such good, lovable children—they shall surely be cherished, whatever this world's men's tastes."

Thus, though Ammut and I would die and fade when our divinity ebbed.

My subjects and their children, blended into this world, would live on.

"First, a festival! Ammut! To celebrate our arrival in the new world!"