The divine assembly was not merely convened to address the mundane affairs of heaven and earth; it bore the grave responsibility of discussing the delicate matter of faith.
The pantheon had recently vanquished the malevolent deities, an act that had inadvertently cast a shadow over their own existence. They were all too aware of the corruptive influence of unchecked worship has, having witnessed the downfall of those evil gods wholly enslaved by their devotees' zeal. The gathering of gods was determined not to follow such a dark path.
As the discussion deepened, Ra, resplendent in his divine regalia, solemnly lifted the Ankh of radiant red gold. With a gesture, shimmering golden feathers materialized, softly floating down before the assembly. The feathers glowed with the fierce heat and brilliance of the sun.
Set, with a measured grace, retrieved a feather that had landed near him, feeling its scorching warmth and the pulsating solar essence it carried. Ra's commanding voice broke the silence, "Place these feathers upon the idols imbued with the power of faith. They will siphon the latent energies, safeguarding us from their potential corruption."
This decree offered a measure of solace to the gods, for while they cherished their role as protectors of humanity, they feared the volatile power of sacrificial faith.
As the conference drew to a close, Thoth, ever the meticulous scribe, set aside his reed pen, having chronicled the celestial deliberations. He looked up at Ra, who presided from his exalted throne, his gaze sweeping over the gathered deities. When no further discussions emerged, Thoth announced with finality, "The divine council concludes."
Ra, embodying the majestic aura of a setting sun, transcended through the temple's dome, his departure leaving a solemn stillness.
In Ra's absence, the gods engaged in hushed conversations about their stewardship over humanity. Set, however, was preoccupied with a different concern, his own diminishing dominion. The thought of losing even a fragment of his immense power was intolerable. If he had never known such might, perhaps resignation would be simpler. But to relinquish power once held was unacceptable. Yet, he stood powerless against Ra's command.
Brooding over his predicament, Set had an epiphane. While he might not challenge Ra, the supreme deity, he was still a formidable god of war. Any deity daring to alter his dominions would face his wrath. Reinvigorated by this realization, Set's spirits lifted.
His contemplation was interrupted by a knowing gaze. Turning, he found Shu, his kin and elder, watching him with an amused smile. "Little Set, your vigor seems restored," Shu remarked, not posing it as a question but as an observation.
Though the nickname chafed, respect for his elder, who was both grandfather and, in a complicated twist of divine lineage, also his grandfather-in-law, restrained Set's response. "Inform me when my duties resume," Set conceded, masking his irritation.
"Most certainly," Shu replied, his smile broadening, satisfied with the acquiescence.
At that moment, Nut, her gaze filled with a hopeful gleam, addressed the gathered deities, "My children, the hour has come for us to converse earnestly."
Tefnut regarded her with a cool, questioning stare, "And what, pray tell, do you wish to discuss with them?"
Nut, maintaining her composure, simply fixed her gaze upon Set, Isis, Osiris, and Nephthys, silently prompting them for a response.
Tefnut's patience frayed, and she snapped, "Nut, why can you not relinquish your hold on the celestial bodies?"
Her outburst drew the eyes of the assembly, all turning towards the central figures of the pantheon.
Geb rose to his feet, positioning himself protectively before Nut, "Great Mother, the stars are as much our offspring as any."
"We cannot forsake our progeny," he declared firmly.
Shu chimed in, his voice tinged with challenge, "And what of these four? Are they not also your children?"
Bastet, transforming into a sleek black cat, hissed, "Favoritism," her tone dripping with sarcasm.
Maat, gazing sternly at Geb, accused, "You do not treat all your children with equal fairness or justice."
Set couldn't help but revel in the criticism directed at Nut and Geb.
Indeed, the rebukes from Maat, Bastet, and others seemed to carry more weight than the mere frustrations of the four siblings.
Suddenly, Isis rose, her expression mocking, "We shall fulfill our promise at this moment."
The words shocked Geb into disbelief, while Nut quickly stood from her throne, moving beside Geb and fixed her eyes on Isis.
"Repeat what you just said!"
Isis, undeterred and still mocking, reiterated, "We will fulfill our promise, right now."
Nut, tears welling up in her eyes, exclaimed, "Thank you, my dear child!" Her voice trembled with emotion, mirrored by Geb, whose face was streaked with tears.
Thoth, curious, turned to Isis, "What promise is this, do tell us all?"
The gods were unaware of any such vow, thus they couldn't fathom its nature.
"If it's self-destructive, you're free to break it," Shu commented, his brow furrowed in concern.
"It will not harm us; it's a minor affair," assured Osiris, as he stood and took Isis's hand, smiling.
"We have reached a consensus," Set declared, rising to his feet, "and what my sister has articulated represents our collective decision."
Nephthys nodded emphatically in agreement.
Faced with such unity from the siblings, Shu, Thoth, and the other deities found themselves at a loss for words.
"Let us now rescue your elder brother!" Nut proclaimed, her voice brimming with urgency and excitement.
"Wait," interjected Hathor abruptly, her voice cutting through the escalating excitement.
The assembly looked at her in astonishment. Hathor, who seldom involved herself in divine disputes and had long resided in the City of the Sun, had unexpectedly intervened.
The intricate dynamics among the gods, specifically the goddess of the sky, the god of the earth, the god of the desert, the god of plants, the god of life, and the god of dwellings, were well-known within the divine realm. This unusual combination of deities involved in a single matter certainly raised eyebrows.
At the gathering, Hathor, undisturbed by the curious stares of her peers, presented Osiris with a long, transparent crystal cylinder. Inside, nestled within were lustrous black seeds.
"These are new seeds I've developed. Please assist humanity by introducing these seeds to them," Hathor requested earnestly.
The gods, having anticipated a more scandalous revelation, felt a twinge of disappointment upon discovering the mundane nature of the seeds. They had assumed Hathor's involvement hinted at a deeper controversy.
Set, always keen and observant, noted Hathor's affection towards humanity. He recalled a recent council where Hathor, misinterpreting Ra's unfinished decree, feared for the humans' fate and prematurely intervened. This was not her first act of such compassion; previously, Nephthys had been tasked with distributing newly cultivated barley seeds to humans. It seemed Hathor's initiatives were always in favor of human welfare, despite her rarely leaving the City of the Sun.
"I will," Osiris responded, accepting the seeds with a warm smile.
"Thank you," Hathor replied, her smile radiant and enchanting enough to captivate both the upper and lower echelons of gods, except for the unfazed quartet of Set and the detached deities of the sky and earth.
The other gods bore complex expressions, predominantly marked by a sense of pity towards Hathor, sparking curiosity within Set. He decided to inquire Bastet about it later.
"Let's go," urged Nut, drawing a suppressed chuckle from Set at the absurdity of their task to 'destroy the stars', a notion neither Geb nor Nut seemed to grasp as outlandish.
With a barely concealed smirk, Set followed Isis, Osiris, and Nephthys, alongside Keb and Nut, out of the Pantheon. The other deities, both great and minor, also dispersed, energized by Ra's oracle and ready to act.
As the assembly dispersed, Bastet cast a longing glance at the vacant throne of the moon god, her feline features alight with anticipation.
"Are you going to tease humans again?" Sekhmet asked upon seeing Best's mischievous grin.
"It's not teasing, it's merely playing with them," Best retorted with a huff, dashing away into the shadows.