LOCATION: DUAT

DATE: UNKNOWN

The idea of an afterlife can be found within many of humanity’s civilisations. Many people constantly go on about how they try to be good in order to reach the good place in the next world. Others yell at strangers on the street, saying they’ll go somewhere bad in the next world if they don’t get their act together. It doesn’t matter who you speak to, everyone has some theory on what happens next. Some say eternal paradise. Some say eternal damnation. Some say a world much like this. Some say nothing. Many people believe their idea of what comes next is correct and try to live their lives according to the rules that will get them into whatever ‘good place’ they believe they are headed for. Unfortunately, some peoples’ ideas on what comes next and how it can be reached can be rather twisted. But that doesn’t matter in the end. Everyone has their own belief on what comes next.

And that’s how it works.

If a person believes their soul will be judged on its actions, their soul will be judged on its actions. If a person believes in reincarnation, they will, more often than not, be reincarnated. If a person believes they deserve to experience eternal damnation but never actually did anything to receive this, they will go someplace good. If a person believes they deserve to experience eternal paradise but did horrific acts while alive, they will go someplace bad. If a person believes nothing comes next, they will simply cease to exist. And so on.

All things considered, the many afterlives and dimensions they exist in are pretty peaceful places for souls of the deceased to finally have the peace and rest they deserve before, if they so choose, returning to life. Well, so long as one avoids the areas where souls are punished for eternity. Those are far from pleasant.

This is not the entire truth.

The truth is that even the afterlife dimensions are not 100% peaceful. They have their own problems just like every other world where life—or, in this case, souls—exists. They are, after all, the homes of the deceased souls of mortals. Some afterlives are better than others, of course and there are always those who believe they can escape their fate.

It is this very belief which lead Amneris to her current situation: tied back-to-back with the God Yinepu in the Hall of Judgment, other deities in the Hall looking down at them. She was absolutely fuming. Some deities shook their heads, others looked away, and the rest were trying to not laugh from disappointment or embarrassment. Two of them, minor deities, were attempting to untie the enchanted rope—a last ditch attempt by the spirit they’d caught to escape—holding the pair together.

Amneris raised her head to meet the gaze of one God in particular. “I’d just like to kindly point out that he asked me for help, so anything bad that has taken place is technically his fault.”

Said ‘he’ being referred to was Yinepu whose mood slowly deteriorated with each word.

Auser sighed deeply from where he was seated on his golden throne. “At least you were able to catch the spirit.”

Amneris snorted. “Would have been easier if they’d conveniently found themselves in the Eleventh Hour and just happened to fall into the pits of fire.”

Yinepu tugged her hair. “Would you bite your tongue?”

She tilted her head back and smiled with mock-sweetness. “Um . . . no.”

Auser held up a hand. “If you are done acting like children—”

“Excuse you!” Amneris cried.

“—Perhaps you could tell me how you ended up in this state.” He gestured to the pair, their torn clothing and respective injuries.

Amneris and Yinepu glared at each other as the rope was finally untied. “Fine,” they said.

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AN HOUR EARILER

“Let me get this straight,” Amneris said, grinning like an absolute fool. “You were about to do the heart thing when the spirit somehow managed to escape the Hall.”

“Yes.”

“They got past all the Minors, the Devourer of Souls, Lord of the Underworld, and you, God of the Dead.”

Yinepu ground out through clenched teeth, “Yes.”

Amneris laughed. “Wow. How do you still have a job? Wait, don’t answer that. Of course you still have a job. No one else could do your job. You were literally created for it.”

Yinepu spun around. “Are you going to talk all night?”

“Why?” Amneris asked. A sly smile crossed her features. “Is it annoying?”

“I hate you,” he said flatly.

“Likewise.”

Amneris looked around. They were walking through the Fourth Hour in the Duat. Dark cloud covered the sky, reflecting the white-gold light of the glowing sand they walked on. Snakes slithered here and there as they came close to Apep’s territory, an area the pair were making a point to avoid at all costs.

She braced her hands on her hips. “Remind me why I agreed to help you track this guy down.”

This time Yinepu was the one who smiled. “Because you care about your friends.”

Amneris sniffed. “I hate that about me.” She shrugged. “Oh well. Let’s get this over with.”

She made to continue forward when Yinepu grabbed her wrist, spinning her to face him.

“Do not use your Supernova,” he said.

Amneris gasped dramatically, placing her free hand over her non-beating heart. “I would never—”

“I am serious. You know the damage it does. Even here there could be—”

“Casualties?” she finished flatly.

“Yes. Those.” He grasped both her hands with surprising strength. “Now, repeat after me: I will not use my Supernova.”

“I will not use my Supernova.”

“Because . . .”

Amneris sighed. “Because if I do it is possible I will lose control and destroy the entire Duat and that would be overkill even for me so I must use it under no circumstance.”

“Thank you.”

“Unless it’s absolutely necessary.”

Yinepu dropped her hands. “And that’s the best I’m getting.”

“Yep.”

He shook his head with a knowing smile. “Come on. The spirit would have reached the Fifth Hour by now. We need to move.”

“I’m coming. I’m coming.”

Amneris bent down to pull a three-headed cobra from her ankle. It’s three heads hissed, snapping their jaws at her face. She gave it an unimpressed look and a hiss of her own. The snake was dropped to the ground. It slithered away, having lost interest.

Looking up, Amneris saw Yinepu had gone ahead. She groaned dramatically and jogged to catch up.

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Shortly after, Amneris and Yinepu found themselves laying on their stomachs atop a faintly glowing dune in the Fifth Hour of Night watching the spirit they were after float back and forth not too far ahead. They appeared to be looking for something.

Amneris turned to Yinepu, unimpressed. “Seriously? That’s who escaped? Please. They’d be easy to take down. How’d you not to it?”

Yinepu’s dark eyes narrowed. “You must stop determining strength from appearance alone. They are stronger than they appear. How do you think they escaped in the first place?”

Amneris tossed her braid over a shoulder. “They weren’t dealing with me, obviously.”

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“They are to be given the Second Death,” he hissed. “They are dangerous.”

“Well, good! Wouldn’t be any fun if they weren’t!” Amneris turned back to the spirit. She frowned as she considered her friend’s words properly. “Why the Second Death? What did they do?”

“They have a title.” Their eyes met as Yinepu said two words that changed the game. “God Killer.”

Amneris gaped. “Okay, that’s bad.” Her attention returned to the spirit as she said under her breath, “My level bad.”

“Why do you think they were to be given the Second Death?” He eyed her closely. “Please do not do anything cocky.”

She nodded. “’Course. ’Course. Would never.”

Amneris leapt forward with her hands and feet, unsheathing her staff from her spine with one swift movement as she ran toward the spirit.

“Amneris!” Yinepu lowered his head to the sand and groaned. “Every time.”

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Amneris raced forward. With a battle cry, she leapt into the sky. The spirit spun, looking around in confusion before finally turning their gaze upward. They rolled out of the way seconds before Amneris slammed her staff into the ground, sending sand flying. Her eyes glowed as she faced them, pushing to her feet. The spirit growled, assessed their chances, and ran. Amneris gave chance.

Yinepu appeared at her side. He slapped the back of her head as they ran. “You need to start listening to me!”

“I’m sorry, what did you say?” Amneris grinned at his exasperated groan. “Just try to keep up, Dog Boy.”

“Do not call me ‘Dog Boy’!”

“Didn’t catch that. Moving too fast. Byyyyeeeeee!”

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Amneris reached the spirit with little difficulty. She tackled them to the ground, the two rolling down a sand dune. Reaching the base, the spirit pushed her away. Amneris flipped to her feet, staff positioned behind her in her usual battle stance. The spirit looked her over again before, strangely, smiling.

“Another God?” they asked.

“Something like that,” she said. “Don’t think your title will scare me. I’ve faced far worse.”

The spirit shook their head. “Always creating dramatic stories to prove your strength.”

“Oh, I didn’t create my stories. They really happened. Hardly my fault they became legend.” Amneris tilted her head, lowering her battle stance. It was no use if they were to just talk. And it wasn’t like she really needed it. “You got a name?”

“None you need to know.” Their expression darkened. “I know the power which comes with a name. What is yours?”

The power of a name. An old trick. Powerful. But one that wouldn’t work on her. “Call me Amneris.”

The spirit grinned gleefully, clearly believing they had won the day. They raised a hand, pointing a finger at her heart. “I name thee ‘Amneris’!”

Amneris looked around. She poked her chest before looking up at the Spirit who stood in stunned silence. “Was that supposed to accomplish something?”

“But—” They took a step back, shaking their head. “I named you!”

“How stupid do you think I am?” she laughed. “I didn’t give you my real name, just the one everyone uses.”

The spirit growled. “It is no matter. I have no need of the naming power to destroy you.”

“You say that now,” Amneris muttered. “But I think you’ll find I’m no pushover.”

Amneris charged forward, angling her staff for a neck strike. The spirit ducked beneath, using a hand to flip themselves backward. Amneris growled, moving forward. The spirit lashed out with a fist. Amneris, in one swift movement, moved her staff to one hand used her now free hand to slap away the strike. They caught her wrist, spinning them both around until the spirit had Amneris trapped from behind.

She let out a frustrated cry, slamming her head back into their nose. They stumbled but their grip remained firm. Amneris slammed her foot down on their leg, twisting with the move to whack them in the neck with her staff. She spun on one foot, kicking the side of their knees. She wasn’t finished. As the spirit stumbled to one side, Amneris dropped her staff to the sand and gave a powerful uppercut to the underside of their jaw. The spirit fell to the ground.

Amneris smiled, brushing off her hands. She bent down to retrieve her staff—

The spirit flipped to their feet. They flicked a dagger from up their sleeve and ran at Amneris.

She turned but it wasn’t fast enough—

A flash of black tackled the spirit to the ground, claws and teeth tearing at their skin. The spirit cried out, struggling beneath where the jackal had them pinned. The spirit struggled for their dagger, managing to reach it with their fingertips and pull it closer.

Amneris leapt forward to stop them—

The blade sunk into the jackal’s side. It howled in pain. The spirit kicked the dagger in further, the jackal sprawling to the side, unmoving.

Amneris stood to the side, staring at her unmoving friend. Her eyes snapped toward the spirit, flaring with her white godly fire. A blue-white light erupted from her body as she shook. Her roar echoed through the night. Amneris raised a fist to the sky and cried, “Supernova!” Her fist slammed into the sand.

The very ground erupted with all the fury of the angered god. Sand turned to glass as it reached the sky, threatening to break through the barrier separating the Duat from the Realm of the Living. The spirit was caught in the explosion, flailing as they were tossed into the sky. They reached the apex of their flight, falling back to the ground and landing in their own mini explosion of sand.

Amneris stalked forward to where they lay beaten, her form hovering inches above the ground. She twisted the neck of her staff, pulling a thin sword from inside. Amneris raised her arm, poised to attack. She slammed down with a roar—

Her arm was caught on the body of a very familiar looking decorated Was-Sceptre.

Amneris turned her gaze to where Yinepu stood, paler, yes, but very much alive.

He gave her a shaky smile. “What have I told you about overkill?”

The glow in her eyes faded, returning them to their normal state. Amneris lowered her sword with a huff. “Because you can talk.”

“Nice to see you so worried about me.”

“Please. I wouldn’t worry about you if you were the last God in existence.”

Yinepu laughed. It quickly turned to a grimace as he grasped his side.

Amneris dropped her sword to catch him. A cried out as she grabbed his wound. She pulled away with a hiss at the sight of gilded blood staining her hand. Carefully, she helped her friend to the ground. Amneris snapped her fingers. Her hand glowed. She ran it over the wound which closed. Yinepu let out a breath, collapsing into the sand.

Amneris snapped her fingers again. The blood on both of them vanished. “Fucking reckless, you are.”

“Ha!” He tilted his head to look at her. “You’re one to talk.” She smiled at that.

Out the corner of her eye, Amneris caught movement. She grasped her sword and threw it like a javelin at the spirit, who was attempting to escape. It impaled their shoulder, pinning them to a nearby rock. The blade sunk almost entirely into the stone. Amneris nodded her approval.

Yinepu whistled. “Good shot.”

“Thanks,” she grinned. “Though I don’t think that was enough.”

Amneris pushed herself to her feet, moving in front of the spirit who was trying and failing to pull the sword from their shoulder.

“God Killer, eh?”

The spirit shot her a defiant glare.

“You use the naming power to completely obliterate your targets. Powerful and effective. I mean, depending on how much power you allow yourself you use, you could banish them from existence entirely. Well, that would be done either way presuming you know the target’s full title.” She grasped the spirit’s head, pulling their face down to her own so she could speak directly into their ear. “And I know yours.”

The spirit’s light flickered as she stepped away.

Amneris let her power shine through her eyes once more. “I name you Bahadur.”

The spirit’s eyes widened. They slumped forward, a white light leaving their body.

Amneris returned to where Yinepu watched, resting on his arms.

“You only used the first part of their name,” he noted with no small amount of surprise.

Amneris clicked her tongue. “Despite common belief, I’m not evil.” She held out a hand, hauling her friend to his feet when he took it. “And, anyway,” she continued, “what would Auser say if they didn’t get their judgement? Not to mention Ammit would be pissed about not getting a snack.”

Yinepu shrugged his agreement. “She does enjoy a good wicked heart.”

Amneris clapped a hand over her mouth and snickered.

“What?”

“Nothing! Nothing. Just . . . Good wicked.”

He rolled his eyes affectionately. “Yes, very funny. Now, come on. We should—”

Yinepu stopped, staring ahead. Amneris followed his gaze. The spirit was no longer pinned to the rock!

Amneris braced her hands on her hips. “Oh, great. Now where’d they get to . . .”

A red-glowing rope appeared out of nowhere. In a second, Amneris spun the direction it had come from and threw a beam of her power. She felt it hit something, grasping the end of the beam tight with a triumphant smile. Before either she or Yinepu could react further, the red rope wrapped itself around the pair. They fell ungracefully to the ground.

“Do not let them escape,” Yinepu growled.

Amneris rolled her eyes, gripping her power even tighter. She felt it jolt but hold. “Hang on a sec. I’ve caught something.”

She flicked her wrist. The beam of her power flicked back toward them, carrying the spirit along with it. They fell face-first into the sand in front of the pair.

“See?” Amneris said, leaning back with a smirk. “I got ’em.”

“Great,” Yinepu deadpanned. “Now how do we get out of here.”

Amneris glanced to her friend, the rope, and herself. “Ah.”

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PRESENT DAY

Auser rubbed his temples, almost looking to be in actual pain at the pair’s story. “Suppose I should be grateful I still have a kingdom.”

“Hey, I did not lose control of my power,” Amneris snapped.

Yinepu tugged her hair again. “Do shut up.”

Her eyes flared white. “Make me.”

He leaned down until their foreheads almost touched. “Do not test me, Topanga.”

“If you are done,” Auser sighed in what Amneris called his ‘Why do I have to deal with these children?’ tone.

The two pulled apart.

“Thank you.” He sat back. “The important thing is you brought them back in one piece and they are now able to face judgement. Overall, a job well done.”

The pair bowed.

Auser stood, stepping off the dais his throne rested on to place a hand on Amneris’ shoulder. “A word in private, if you will.”

She nodded, being led to a columned-off aisle to the side.

“Your power is growing stronger,” Auser said.

Amneris grimaced. “Yeah. It’s becoming a lot more obvious now. I get all glowy sometimes.”

“Heightened emotional state?”

“Something along those lines.” She leaned against one of the columns. “But I’ve got a handle on it.”

Auser gave her a knowing look. “Do you really?”

“No . . .”

“Aset’s offer does remain.”

Her head shot up nervously. “Ah. She told you about that, huh?”

“She did.” Auser smiled softly. “Despite her . . . ambitious nature, Aset is a good teacher. At the very least, give the offer some consideration. It could help.”

“Suppose it might . . .”

“You do not have to figure this out on your own, Amneris. There are many willing to help you.”

She flushed. “Yeah. Yeah, I know.”

“Good.”

He led her back to the main area of the Hall where Yinepu was waiting, pretending to not look concerned. Amneris gave her friend a reassuring smile, only for it to vanish when Ammit jumped into her arms. She yelped then laughed, cuddling the demon-god.

“No idea why she likes you,” Yinepu said. “I suppose like calls to like.”

“Oi!” Amneris laughed.

Auser shook his head with a smile. “Make sure she gets home safely.”

Yinepu bowed. “Yes, Sir.”

Amneris waved to the God-King over her shoulder as they walked, Ammit still firmly held with one arm. She turned her attention back to the demon-god. “Y’know, I think I might keep her.”

“Amneris, you cannot keep the Devourer of Souls.”

“Aw, why not?”

“She has a job.”

“But she’s so cuddly!”

Yinepu sighed. “Why I bother with you.”

Amneris kissed his cheek. “Yes, I wonder that too, my friend.”