MID WEEK TEASE OCT 21, 2015 Back To The Future Day!!

#MWT

Today is the day Martie McFly went Back To The Future! Wow. I remember sitting in the theater watching that movie and thinking 2015 was one hundred years away. And here we are. In honor of Back To The Future, I’m going to post an excerpt from a novella I started to write, then stopped because I realized it needed to be a full-length novel and it wasn’t the right time for it. But some time-in the Future-I will be Back to it.  

I hope you enjoy this small taste of ECHO: Descendants of Ra BooK…Hmmm? I’m not quite sure which book this will be. 

RULE #1 of the Egyptian Pantheon set down by Ra in the first Epoch

Never interfere with the will of the humans.

CHAPTER ONE

The Great Goddess Nu, ruler of the heaven’s and sky, symbolic matriarch of the Egyptian Pantheon sat motionless on her throne. Serenity graced her features and her hands rested loosely in her lap. Both belied the racing of her heart.

Her gaze had fixed to a point on the distant wall and her mind had turned inward to her favorite place on earth, the virgin forest of Thrace. Where she transformed into a doe and traversed the land. Often she retreated there when the dictate of her station became too much to bear.

Lightning struck outside the council chambers. She flinched. Thunder boomed a second later and mixed with a horrendous wail from one who was her friend. No longer could she pretend she was somewhere else.  All three combined snatched her back to the present task.

Her gaze drifted from the wall and landed on her friend. Baal, the once exalted God of Storms.  Baal angled his head and spittle ran freely from a broken jaw. His pained gaze met hers. Lightning flashed within his sky blue eyes before his head slumped.

Goddess, are you disturbed by the display?

She turned to the being seated in the gold chair. Though he sat beside her on a raised throne much grander than hers, Ra spoke the words directly into her mind. Able to be every thing and every where simultaneously, his elderly appearance fooled none. Master of the universe, creator of all, why he lingered here, on this small world puzzled the pantheon, but no one dared to question.

Ra waited for her answer. His placid face mimicked hers. How could she not be affected by the blood splatter marring her once pristine robes and the wails for mercy drowning out the raging tempest outside.

Incapable of lying Nu, finally turned her gaze to the drama unfolding a few feet away from her. Stripped and chained to the floor, back bowed Baal’s essence bleed from the many gashes dissecting his lean frame. A dakkardar whistled as it many tails sliced the air and dug into the gods hide. Chunks ripped free.

“I am greatly disturbed,” she said loud enough for all to hear. “The God of Storms knew the laws passed down from the time of Sakhmet. His actions have determined his fate. Show him mercy and he will not stray again.”  As the Goddess of Heaven, violence went against her nature. As consort to Ra, she did her duty and supported his position even though her soul rebelled at the horror.

“No, I will not give him the chance to stray once more.”

Pleased with her response, Ra stood, rested his staff against his throne and crossed the room. He took the dakkardar from Aten’s hand. Disappointment flared in the sycophant’s eyes before reverence masked the minor sun god’s emotions.

Ra whipped the tails into the air. Infusing them with his power, the weapon turned into blinding streams of light. The tails connected with skin. Acrid smoked filled the chamber. When it cleared nothing of the handsome Baal remained. Most of his body charred, Baal slumped unconscious on the marble floor.

“Nu.” Ra’s gazed landed on her and shifted to the Serpent necklace snug around her neck. One of the seven sacred relics, this Anu-Ra belonged solely to her. Only she could wield it. He didn’t have to speak for her to know his intention.

No, she nearly screeched, but one couldn’t refuse Ra. On shaky legs, she stood and proceeded forward. With each step, the necklace uncoiled from her neck. Its warm body stretched ad snaked across her bare shoulders, down her arm to wrap once around her wrist. The ruby eyes set in its golden head twinkled as it bobbed, waiting. At the opposite end the twin emerald eyed head rested against her pulsing jugular.

If she had support she could protest. Nu glanced at the other deity’s gathered as witness for Baal’s punishment. A few stared blankly ahead, but avid delight at another’s suffering transformed many more.

Ra spoke her full name, commanding her attention and ending any hope of finding unity or a budding coalition of opposition. Once more, she was reminded of Ra power and how little the Pantheon cared for each other. She almost wished she wasn’t a god.

She stopped short of the prone of Baal’s body and his cooling essence. Forgive me balanced on the tip of her tongue as she extended her arm. Golden scales expanded. The Serpent lengthened and stretched toward Baal. Blood raced through her aching heart. Ruby eyes flared and glowed. Emerald eyes matched the display. For this act only fangs sunk into her neck and drew power from her. Goddess of the Heavens, Nu kept the balance between heaven and earth, and the gods and humans.

The ruby head bit into Baal. Power flowed into the Serpent where it would remain until called forth. When it ended, Baal was gone. Not even dust remained.

Tears threatened to spill. Nu lifted her head. The storm clouds hovering over the open chamber dissipated and cleansing sunlight washed clean everywhere it touched.

Ra turned to the Pantheon. “As a reward for his loyalty, Aten will receive Baal’s power.”

Her stomach rolled. Nu ignored the gasps that circled the room and whipped around and faced Ra and Aten. Eagerness showed on the lesser god’s face while Ra’s bedrock features never wavered. His steady gaze commanded her compliance.

“I refuse.”

Tension hummed through the room and several gods gathered their power. Ra’s face turned molten and flamed like the surface of the sun. He strode to her and only stopped a breath away. His heat billowed, baking her.

“Repeat your words.” His voice cracked the silence of the room.

His power eclipsed hers ten times over. Nu stiffened her spine. “He is unworthy of such a gift.”

All waited for Ra to speak. A second or a millennium, neither mattered to a deity.

Finally, you show some backbone. The words filled her head.

“As you wish Great Goddess,” Ra said loudly. You have made an enemy today. Very unwise.

Ra vanished, but his words lingered in Nu’s head and began to fester. A rustle of fabric caught her attention. She scanned the room and met each hostile stare until they bowed with proper respect. Only then did she leave the chamber.

I hope you enjoyed it. Be sure to check out the first novels in the Descendants of Ra series.

 

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