This time, the monstrous dogs were seven. One of them, larger and more imposing than the others, stood at the center of their formation. Unlike the other dogs, whose beige fur mottled with black resembled that of a hyena, the central beast bore a darker coat—a deep brown streaked with shadowy patches. It was utterly terrifying, its massive size rivaling that of the largest lion.

  "Seth...?" Nephthys breathed, taking a step back, frozen in fear.

  Ana?s once again let her stunned gaze fall upon the massive creature, which halted a few meters from their position while its canine companions spread out, encircling them to cut off any chance of escape. That explained why the beast was larger than the others—but it also meant they were in serious trouble. They had no chance against seven opponents, especially when one was strong enough to take down all three of them in their current weakened state.

  So, the final boss makes his grand entrance... she thought nervously. Under normal circumstances, she might have laughed at the absurdity of the comparison, but she had to admit—it was disturbingly accurate.

  "My dear wife," Seth greeted, shifting back into his human form, in which he was no less intimidating. "You should never have left the Duat. Thanks to you, I figured out your little scheme a few hours ago."

  "How did you find us?" she asked, panic creeping into her voice.

  "One of my servants lost a fang while biting the son you’ve been hiding from me all these years," he mocked, nodding toward Anubis. "If you had just removed it in the Duat instead of running to your mother..."

  The jackal god wasted no time responding. He growled at their adversary, clearly angered by the insult. Even if the lost tooth had led them here, there was no reason for him to feel guilty. Ana?s had to tell him that before regret started eating away at him.

  "It’s not your fault," she murmured, stepping closer to his side and pressing her shoulder against his. "We couldn’t have known."

  "Put down that dagger, Nephthys," Seth continued with a condescending smirk. "Do you really intend to stand against your dear husband?"

  The goddess tightened her grip on her blade, but under the weight of her husband’s gaze, she eventually faltered. Her trembling hand loosened, and the weapon fell to the ground, leaving her defenseless. Slowly, she backed away into the darkness of the cave, retreating toward Isis, paralyzed by terror.

  Ana?s watched in shock as she surrendered to her husband’s threat, abandoning the two lovers to face the bloodthirsty pack alone.

  What the hell are we supposed to do, just the two of us?! Ana?s despaired, resisting the urge to scream at the moon—if only she were a wolf.

  "Very well, then..." the enemy god continued. "Restrain Anubis. Let’s end this once and for all."

  Seth had deliberately ignored Ana?s, deeming her insignificant and non-threatening in her animal form. At least, not as much as Anubis—and he was right. The jackal god was the real target, the one who had to be taken down. She wouldn’t put up much resistance against their pack.

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  Four dogs lunged at Anubis, the remaining two unable to attack due to the lack of space. He fought back immediately, but the beasts overwhelmed him. Ana?s didn’t hesitate for even a second before leaping into the fray. Her heart pounded against her ribs, her pulse thundered in her temples, and her burning breath betrayed the superhuman effort she was exerting. Had she been in her human form, her hands would have been shaking and slick with sweat, reflecting her anxiety. Yet, in the face of danger, her primal instincts took over without a moment’s hesitation—there was simply no way she could stand by and watch Anubis be torn apart before her eyes.

  She poured every last ounce of her strength into clawing and biting at the monstrous beasts trying to take down her lover. He fought fiercely, a frenzy animating his every move as one of the dogs defended itself against Ana?s and violently knocked her aside.

  We won’t last much longer like this... she realized, her heart tightening as their blood already stained the desert sand. Even if they’re focused on Anubis, once they take him down, they’ll finish me off too...

  Her panicked eyes could barely track the chaos of the battle. Her body was reacting purely on instinct, driven by the desperate need to survive. The only thought in her mind was to take down the enemy and save their skins. They had no chance of winning this fight unless the ritual was completed—and fast.

  As Anubis collapsed to the ground and Ana?s’s jackal form was once again hurled against the rocky cliff surrounding the cave, a deep, resonating growl erupted. The very earth trembled, kicking up a cloud of sand around the two lovers. Seth immediately took a step back, calling his canines to form a protective barrier in a semicircle before him. Ana?s didn’t even try to comprehend what had just happened. She forced herself to ignore the searing pain that burned her skin, crushed her muscles, and twisted her bones. Fighting against the exhaustion threatening to consume her at any moment, she rushed to Anubis’s side. He lay motionless on the ground, still conscious but extremely weak. It was obvious he couldn’t get back up. His fur was riddled with wounds where teeth had torn away both hair and flesh. He had lost a significant amount of blood, his breathing was shallow, and he was on the verge of losing consciousness. Even if he couldn’t die, there was no doubt that he was in agonizing pain...

  "Go away, brother," a deep, stern voice echoed from the entrance of the cave. "If you do not wish to suffer the same fate you inflicted upon me, return to your palace."

  Osiris stood three meters behind the couple, a scepter in his right hand, which he struck against the ground once more. It was a warning. A white cloth covered his loins, the only garment hiding his skin. His body had regained its color, and in truth, there was no sign that he had been nothing more than a pile of dismembered limbs just minutes earlier. He appeared perfectly human, without a single visible scar.

  "You would let me leave after what I did to you?" Seth mocked, every word dripping with scorn.

  "You are my brother," Osiris replied sternly. "Leave us be, and never set foot in the Duat again. Keep the throne of Egypt if it is so precious to you—it does not matter to me. Brothers should never fight over such trivial matters of power. Go."

  The two goddesses rushed forward as soon as Seth recalled his pack and turned on his heels. They immediately approached the two lovers, whose battered forms reflected the severity of their injuries. Isis hastened to heal her son first, as he was in the worst condition, while Nephthys, less skilled in healing, tended to Ana?s, whose life was not in danger despite her pain.

  "I'm sorry for abandoning you," she murmured as her hands poured magic into Ana?s’s wounds, at least stopping the bleeding.

  Ana?s said nothing, far too exhausted by the events. She no longer had the strength to speak, let alone explain that she understood and did not hold it against her. It was clear that Nephthys was terrified of her husband. Whether she had always lived in fear of Seth or if it had arisen from recent events did not matter. Her mind had reacted out of sheer terror, almost as an instinct for survival. No one could truly blame her. And besides, she already blamed herself enough.

  When at last Seth and his hellish hounds vanished from Ana?s’s sight, her body relaxed immediately. After one final worried, almost desperate glance at Anubis’s shadow, she slipped into unconsciousness, relieved.

  At last... I will finally be able to live by his side in peace.

  That was the last thought that crossed her mind before she succumbed to sleep.