Chapter 44: Merlin vs Ammit
Merlin claps his hands together, as visible ripple through the air, like concentric waves spreading on a still pond, radiating outward in a shimmering blue hue portals materialize midair around the giant Ammit, shimmering with a translucent, spectral quality. These portals pulse with an ethereal blue light, surrounded by faint mist and swirling pattern.
From within the portals, glowing blue spectral chains shoot out with incredible speed, appearing as solid yet ghostly constructs. The chains are semi-transparent, emitting a faint blue glow, with runic symbols embedded along each link that pulse rhythmically.
The chains whip through the air with a whistling sound, leaving faint trails of light in their path, like afterimages. As they move, a metallic clinking sound mixes with a deep, magical hum.
The chains wrap tightly around Ammit's massive arms and legs, constraining her movements with loud metallic creaks as the links tighten. Each limb is restrained by several chains, glowing brighter as they struggle to hold the beast's immense strength.
Another chain spirals upward, wrapping around Ammit's snout and snapping it shut with a resounding clang. Blue magical seals flash briefly at the contact points where the chains bind her, indicating the enchantment's locking power.
The chains themselves emit an icy, spectral mist, causing frost-like effects to form on Ammit's scales, emphasizing the spell's suppressive force.
As the chains pull tight, the portals emit a deep, resonating sound, and an unseen force yanks Ammit downward. The ground beneath her trembles, cracks forming from the immense force, with dust and debris scattering upward.
The chains glow brighter with each pull, while the spectral portals rotate slightly, creating a swirling vortex effect around them.
Ammit is slammed into the ground with a thunderous impact, sending shockwaves through the terrain. A burst of blue energy erupts from the impact site, briefly illuminating the surroundings in an otherworldly glow.
Merlin raises his hand, fingers outstretched, as the sky above darkens unnaturally, even in daylight. Ominous storm clouds swirl rapidly, their centers glowing with electric blue energy, crackling loudly with arcs of lightning.
Bright tendrils of lightning spiral upward from Merlin's hand into the sky, merging with the storm clouds. This triggers the formation of a glowing lightning cluster—a dense, pulsating orb of concentrated electricity.
The orb grows larger and more chaotic, emitting intense flashes of light that briefly illuminate the surrounding area. Smaller bolts of lightning erupt outward from the cluster, striking random points nearby with sharp, loud cracks.
As Merlin channels his energy, the cluster intensifies, pulsating rhythmically and casting stark shadows across the battlefield. The electric hum grows louder, mingling with a low, rumbling sound from the swirling storm clouds.
Sparks and arcs of electricity crawl along Merlin's body and the ground beneath him, leaving singed marks as the air itself becomes charged with static energy.
Ammit is illuminated by the flashes of lightning, her massive form casting ominous, flickering shadows as she struggles against her restraints.
With a decisive motion, Merlin swipes his arm downward, the gesture unleashing the full fury of the spell. The lightning cluster explodes, releasing a deafening thunderclap as a massive column of lightning crashes down toward Ammit.
The column is impossibly wide, glowing a blinding electric blue with white-hot intensity at its core. Smaller, jagged bolts arc outward from the main column, striking the ground in violent bursts and leaving molten craters.
The descent of the lightning is accompanied by an ear-splitting roar, with the column moving at near-instantaneous speed, creating a shockwave that ripples outward from the impact point.
When the lightning column strikes Ammit, the impact generates a colossal explosion of light and energy. The ground beneath her cracks and craters, molten rock and debris flying into the air.
A wave of electricity courses through her body, highlighting her massive form with blinding, glowing veins of energy as the lightning surges into her. Her roar is muffled as the column's power overwhelms her.
The impact site glows with a lingering, fiery blue light, while arcs of lightning continue to lash out erratically, grounding themselves into the earth and nearby structures.
As the lightning fades, the area is left smoldering and scorched, with faint tendrils of residual electricity sparking in the air. The atmosphere crackles with static, and the ground is marred by glowing molten fissures.
Ammit is kneeling on the ground, smoke rising from her slightly singed body, faint arcs of electricity still crawling along her form as a testament to Merlin's devastating spell.
Slowly, her crocodilian eyes flickered open, gleaming with primal fury. Her massive jaws parted as a guttural roar ripped through the battlefield, shaking the ground and scattering ash into the wind. The once-proud guardian rose to her full height, steam hissing from her body like an infernal engine.
Across from her, Merlin stood firm, his hands trembling. Beads of sweat traced paths down his soot-streaked face, and his breath came in ragged gasps. His mana was waning, each pulse of power draining. Yet, his gaze never wavered. The storm within him had not yet subsided.
While ancient hieroglyphs glow faintly on the ground, pulsing in rhythm with the energy of the ritual.
Bast, Isis, Hathor, and Nephthys stand in a perfect circle, their expressions resolute, their divine forms radiating ethereal light. Each goddess extends her hands outward, each holding hands and their palms glowing with swirling purple energy.
The energy forms a seamless chain between them, uniting their power.
From above, the circular formation is seen in full symmetry, glowing brighter as the chanting begins"Nekhtet, akhu en netjeru, kheperu mesu! Ammit, a'a-k n asfet, seshesh m sekhem! Ankh wedja seneb, sesep en maat, sheni en djeret! Netjeru nenehi, setep her khet, udja kher djet!"
The incantation reverberates through the chamber, causing the ground to tremble. Faint echoes of divine voices, like a choir, overlay the chanting, amplifying its potency.
Purple energy flows seamlessly from one goddess to another, forming an unbroken chain of light.
At the centre of the formation a stone pillar slowly emerges from the ground with clay block on the top, weathered by centuries yet alive with glowing ancient runes.
The colossal chamber within an ancient Egyptian temple. The space is dimly illuminated by torches, their flickering flames casting dancing shadows on the intricately carved hieroglyphs adorning the walls. At the center lies a weathered stone altar, atop which rests a clay Ushabti block, cracked and aged, radiating faint mystical energy. Ammit, in her full terrifying glory, looms large, her monstrous form exuding power and fear.
Bast, Isis, Hathor, and Nephthys—stand in a perfect circular formation, their arms extended outward, hands glowing with a radiant purple light. Merlin leads the ritual, standing in front of the altar, his hands moving in fluid, deliberate gestures as he channels the spell."Nekhtet, akhu en netjeru, kheperu mesu! Ammit, a'a-k n asfet, seshesh m sekhem! Ankh wedja seneb, sesep en maat, sheni en djeret!
Netjeru nenehi, setep her khet, udja kher djet!"
Streams of purple energy flow outward from each participant's hands, converging into a spinning vortex of light around Ammit. The energy pulses with life, growing brighter with each repetition of the incantation.
A swirling cloud of black energy begins to coalesce around Ammit, its tendrils laced with streaks of purple light. The energy wraps around her like a living entity, binding her in place as it spins faster and faster.
Ammit's massive, crocodilian face. Her fiery, glowing eyes widen in fear as she realizes what is happening. She lets out a guttural roar that shakes the chamber, but her voice is tinged with panic rather than defiance.
Ammit's body starts to dissolve, breaking apart into swirling wisps of purple-black smoke. The cracks of molten energy that once pulsed across her form dim and extinguish as the energy consumes her.
The clay block on the pillar ot altar starts shifting and reshaping itself, carving intricate details that mirror Ammit's monstrous visage.
The swirling cloud of disintegrating Ammit is drawn inward, spiraling toward the Ushabti in a controlled stream. The energy spirals faster, emitting sparks of light and faint whispers in ancient Egyptian, as though her essence is being rewritten into the artifact.
The real Ammit, now reduced to her head and upper body, lets out a piercing scream. Her glowing mouth opens wide in one final defiant roar before she is entirely consumed by the vortex of energy.
The last of the purple-black smoke is sucked into the Ushabti. With a brilliant flash of light, the clay block solidifies into its final form, a perfect miniature representation of Ammit, glowing faintly before dimming into silence.
The spinning vortex of energy dissipates, leaving only faint trails of purple light in the air. The chamber falls eerily silent, the torches flickering weakly as though drained by the ritual.
Bast, Nephthys, Hathor and Isis lowers their hands, their expressions a mix of exhaustion and triumph.
The runes on the altar fade but remain etched into the stone as a permanent mark of the ritual.