I thought I would kick off 2024 with giving inside scoops on unreleased material - most of it will be posted in the MJB Exclusive Content section. However, for those of you who are new and/or curious about The Blood of Sekhmet, check out the snippet below.
“Did you hear about the latest invasion into the northern stronghold?” Isis asked Nephthys as they took a seat on their respective thrones in the hidden temple of Ra, secreted deep into the dimensions and heavily guarded by Anubis himself.
“She is extraordinary,” the god recognized most for his wealth of knowledge and the gift of writing, Thoth declared from across the chambers. “She is indeed an enigma, an unprecedented force that no god in any realm could ever fathom.”
“The power that coats her veins is indeed immense,” Osiris added as he materialized onto his throne. “But her loyalty to Ra is unmatched, which means, her power is of no consequence to us.”
“And how exactly do we know that for certain?” Thoth asked, capturing the attention of his siblings. “If Ra’s will is her will, does she not possess a mind of her own?”
“Who are you to question my purpose when it is you who should question the allegiance of your followers?” Sekhmet’s voice filtered into the secret chambers as her form became corporeal in the doorway. “Your arrogance is what blinds you to the future; for Ra’s fate will become your own. New gods arise from the primordial abyss of creation every day and grow in strength by the hour. Have you forgotten who you are?” She scowled at the curious gazes that examined her. “Your fear is palpable. To believe that I am incapable of not acting on my own desires is highly offensive. It is one thing to be considered as an enemy of Ra, but another if you are deemed an enemy of mine.”
The silence that followed settled in the room like the smoke from a fire. Nephthys continued to regard Sekhmet curiously as the “Mistress of Dread” as she was called, coolly took her seat next to Isis, who simply smiled politely.
“I meant no disrespect,” Thoth said, his words cutting through the silence.
“You all fear that I will turn my wrath upon you and your temples,” Sekhmet continued.
“That I will raze Egypt to the ground when in truth I protect its lands and its pyramids with my very own sacred blood. Therefore, unless it is your desire for Egyptian blood to spill and for your temples to beg for mercy, then I see no reason for me to war with either of you.”
“I personally view you as an ally than a foe,” Set announced, taking form next to Nephthys. Nephthys fought silently to not release a hard sigh as her husband offered Sekhmet an appreciative glance.
“I have no immediate use for you Set,” Sekhmet quipped. “Your failure to secure Egypt’s throne should be enough to quiet your ambitions. But I suppose I should offer you a thank you for your support.”
Nephthys and Isis looked away, hiding their amusement at Set’s expense. Osiris cleared his throat while Thoth nervously scratched his head.
“Let us begin,” Osiris declared, waving his hand over the obsidian table, using his magic to create a three-dimensional mapping of the entirety of Egypt. “We have to talk about establishing new zones for territory now that there has been successful conquering of the north. And as we continue to move further up towards the east, it would be most beneficial to relocate some of our temples into those regions to solidify our strongholds…”
The meeting went on for what felt like an indefinite amount of time, most of it spent with Nephthys, Sekhmet, Isis and Thoth, watching with disdain as Osiris and Set debated over the best strategies towards Egyptian advancement. Nephthys snuck a few curious glances at Sekhmet who remained expressionless as the two male gods continued with their heated exchange. It was not until Isis finally intervened, suggesting that the two should split the direction of the strongholds between themselves: Osiris could continue in the northeast direction, while Set could focus his attentions in the northwestern territories. Once the two settled to an agreement, the group disbanded, with Nephthys opting to return to her Nile temple. However, as Nephthys rose to her feet and pulled her sister Isis in for their typical farewell embrace, she noticed the circle disk symbol of Sekhmet, glowing brilliantly on the deity’s right hand. Even the aura surrounding the lioness goddess radiated a power that transcended all that Nephthys believed possible. It was as if all of them were sitting in the presence of the full power of the sun. How could Ra create such a force, offer so much of himself into one single form and spare none for his own children? A small dose of envy seeped into Nephthys’s pores, which she forced herself to ignore, lest Isis detect its presence and ask questions that she did not even have the answer to.
A drop of her power, Nephthys thought, could easily raise the dead. As a goddess of funerals and magic, her power and influence as the patron necromancer would expand her influence. However, it was sacrilege and against the laws of Ra to even consider such a thing. For a god to attempt to siphon the divine power of one’s peers for any purpose including personal gain was a punishable offense by way of Oblivion. She quickly dismissed the thought and released her sister, having bid her farewell. She watched her sister glide towards her husband, and as she turned her head in preparation to leave, she caught the hard fixated stare of none other than Sekhmet herself. The goddess said nothing, but it was if her gaze alone was filtering through Nephthys’ thoughts.
Slightly unnerved by the goddess’ stare, Nephthys vanished into the ethers, travelling through the dimensions as quickly as her power would allow her, until she returned to the safety of her temple, located near the west upper bank of the Nile River, in the city of Edfu.
It was immediately clear to her that Sekhmet would never see her as an ally, let alone a friend. But Nephthys, as she took refuge in the center of her massive bedding lined with silk and perfumed with the prayers of her followers and incense, she could not help but wonder if the righthand of Ra, now viewed her as an enemy?