Absolute Chaos

Both Raijen and Kyzin watched in silent horror as Am-heh transformed into an oversized jackal, filling them with terror and awe. Then the two Gods bodies smashed into eachother’s with sickening crunches, the sleek curved bone slipped from Shesmu’s grasp and both Gods toppled over the sand dunes.

Keeping low in the shadows of the mountain, they watched with both fasciation and fear.

Moving slowly to the edge of the dunes, Raijen could see they were tearing eachother apart, both foul Gods blood sprayed over the dunes, coating the sand in crimson.

The two friends moved to were Shesmu dropped the bizarre rib, the sleek silver shining in the sand, beckoning to them.

Staring at the strange object with both dread and fascination, Raijen slowly knelt beside it, lifting it like a newborn baby.

Immediately he felt a surge of something unexplainable, wonder and terror filled both his spirit and mind, he almost dropped it as the unwelcome power splintered throughout him.

Managing to stand, Raijen looked at his friend and uttered.

“We must go, we can deal with those two later.”

The fear outweighed the anger, knowing he had what the Gods had came for, the silver bone was obviously of great importance to them.

Tugging his arm, Lykus grabbed his dear friend, steering him towards Otamia, snapping him from his reverie.

Raijen was furious, he wanted to kill these foul beasts, holding the silver rib empowered him, embodying his strength, flooding him with an exquisite pain.

He was already a fierce and powerful warrior, yet the strength he was feeling was more complex, it crept into his veins, filling him with its chaos, it took all his might to pull himself away from following the two beasts down the sand dunes and slicing them to pieces.

Finally, they fled back towards Otamia, Raijen had the strange rib tucked safely under his wrap, feeling the sleek silver curve against his flesh pushed him forward, forcing his legs faster through the red sands.

***

Resting under a date palm, soaked in sweat and streaked with the foul Gods blood, Raijen stared aghast at what he now possessed. Carefully he pulled it from his wrap and placed it on the sand, looking down at the exquisite object.

Intricate pictures were carved into the surprisingly light rib, Raijen swore they were moving, although he really couldn’t be sure.

He dared to pick up the bone from the sand, feeling the strange powerful surge pulse throughout him again, filling him slowly with strength, pulling at his soul, calling to him.

***

Lykus was silent, feeling a strange darkness swarm within, whispering foul words inside his mind, testing him. His breathing faltered, something veiled every moral emotion he had ever possessed, it swum into selfish hate and shattered his spirit.

With trembling hands, Lykus took his water skin from his hip, downing some of the precious fluid, whilst he carefully watched his friend turn the beautiful object over in his hands.

The rib Raijen held was beckoning to him, overwhelming him with the need to possess the extraordinary curved bone, barely been able to contain his excitement.

An unbelievable choice loomed above him, Lykus turned a little away from his dearest friend, taking a small pottery vial from his wrap. It was the concoction of blue water lily and opium he had brewed for Maia, it was usually taken in small doses to help with sleep and pain, a few drops on your tongue before bed would easily put any adult to sleep.

His pulse quickened, tiny beads of sweat laced his dark flesh. Lykus uncorked the little stopper from the vial and poured its entirety into his water skin.

“Raijen.....you are parched my friend.” He handed the poisoned water to Raijen, whom looked up from the rib and smiled, taking the skin from him without hesitation.

“Thank you Lykus.” Raijen took a few long swigs of the cool liquid before handing it back to him.

“And thank you for your help Lykus,..... I couldn’t believe what I was seeing!, we shall search for the vile Gods later, I dare say they are dead, or close to it after what we saw.”

Raijen yawned before continuing, suddenly feeling exhausted.

“This must be akin to Amaunet’s Chaos. She told me only the eight primordial Deities were gifted with a sleek silver rib like this,

Amaunet will be so relieved, she told me of the power these ribs hold, it is so terrible that I will not speak of it.” Yawning again Raijen closed his eyelids.

He was still for a few moments, Lykus went to stand, however jumped in surprise as Raijen flung his eyes open for a few more seconds, accusing him with fierce fury before confusion blurred his sight, closing them again, slumping his huge frame against the date palms trunk, snoring softly.

Guilt surged before Lykus, the ‘Rib of Chaos’ had given him a choice, a test and he failed, nevertheless he quickly brushed it aside, wanting the rib more than anything in this moment and would do whatever it took to obtain it.

Lykus stared at the sleek rib, It looked exactly like the average humans rib, it was the right shape and length, but it definitely wasn’t human.

The curved bone was a deep grey silver, encrusted with tiny dark blue stones that almost appeared black in the dull light. A thin line of intricate symbols was carved into the strange object, running down its length on both sides.

Inside each tiny unique symbol even tinier strange codes and writings were etched within them, they were near impossible to see with the naked eye, needing a strong magnification to make them out.

What Lykus could gather from what Raijen had told him earlier was it held great powers, powers beyond his imagination, powers that would easily rule all of Otamia or maybe even the world, Lykus believed.

Finally, he pulled his eyes away from the sleek bones magnificence and stashed it under his wrap close to his heart.

Taking one last look at Raijen, knowing his sleep would soon turn to death, Lykus sighed and headed back towards Otamia to see the ‘great’ King.