The death of the Gods

The goddesses watched the scene with amusement.

Being so few in the pantheon, family problems were the most common entertainment among them and, the drama that Anubis was living, reminded them of old times.

“I like the woman” Pakhet commented upon seeing the face of the one called Leia still holding a not very friendly look towards her grandfather despite being her a simple mortal.

“The same I say about the husband” Sekhmet affirmed smiling at the goddess of war “Shall we share?”

“I want the blond boy” Taweret intervened “He's my type of person”

“Hey, that doesn't leave much for the rest of us” told Wadjet to the other goddesses.

“Oh, please” Bastet snorted “As if Isis was going to leave anyone out of the fight for not having an avatar right now”

The lady of the goddesses shook her head, but then closed her eyes, summoning her ceremonial armor.

She had been the wife of the king of the gods. The one who had faced the perfidious Seth. The one who had regained the throne for Osiris. The mother. The protector. She wasn't going to be stopped by that crazy crocodile taxidermy headdress.

“Ladies” Isis told them while her eyes finished shining and the last golden plates adhered to her body “What do you say if we introduce ourselves?”

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The Mandalorian felt the General pat on his back and raised an eyebrow.

The guy was too cheeky for his own good.

However, a brief nod from the so called Han, pointing to his wife and her brother, helped the warrior connect the dots on the "authorization" idea.

Hey! He still couldn't bring himself to ask… that… with Luke… what the hell?

Din took a deep breath thinking about saying a few things to the General when his visor registered the Jedi's gaze. Unlike his sister, who watched the scene somewhat upset, the blue-eyed warrior's face reflected surprise and… hope?

The blond shone under the lights of the place and it wasn’t an image he was used to. Obviously, Luke Skywalker was always awesome. When he faced powerful enemies, when he levitated things, when he meditated, when he spoke so confidently about the Jedi or when he told the Mandalorian what to do and he didn't realize it, but his instructions came out like half an order.

Perhaps he hasn’t, as the Princess said, had a title, but he was a de facto Prince after all.

The last Master of the old Jedi world.

The first of his order.

A boy who had known how to rise from the sands of the distant Tatooine, to star in a revolutionary period that had changed the Galaxy forever.

Luke was already part of the history books.

And yet, the silver armored warrior had never seen a more human expression on the Jedi features than the one he had at that moment, waiting for Din to open his mouth and, following Han Solo's crazy suggestion, ask some kind of permission from a divinity with a dog’s head, whom they both barely knew.

The Mandalorian swallowed hard and turned to see the god.

The Princess was right. There was no deep relationship between Anubis and them. At least direct. Therefore, it wasn’t up to that being to issue an opinion on relations between them.

Still, he was a god.

And while the woman could be angry at her relative, every living being knew that a god wasn’t someone anyone can fool. No, at least, without suffering consequences. The promise they made in the face of this deity would bind them to the god, but it would also bind the god to their mortal destinies, since in the commitment was the security of retaliation that no divinity would let pass, if the terms of an agreement made under their protection were violated.

Cleverly, Solo had found a way to create a union between Luke, Leia and Anubis, with the two of them as necessary link.

Din smiled and shook his head slightly.

He already had a pseudo relationship with the god, as a result of Grogu being his avatar and, as he had confessed before, he also had a couple of debts as a result of the other giving him the knowledge that the god had deemed necessary for the Mandalorian to have. Joining the fact that he recognized the story that began with his son's Master, only added to something that was already sort of established.

“Who goes first?”

The silver armored warrior asked the General.

“I guess you, with that that you're King and all that stuff.”

“Solo, I still haven't claimed the throne and... honestly, I don't know if I'll ever do it”

“Don’t take it the wrong way, can of sardines, but I don't care very much about your claiming on the throne” the General pointed out crossing his arms “I just wanted to be polite, but if the tin majesty doesn't plan to start, I will”

“Go ahead”

Din told the smuggler holding back his laughter because the guy was really funny.

“Well… I don't know if it's day or night here, but in any case, it's nice to meet you, my name is Han” Solo began while extending his hand to Anubis, who raised an eyebrow and accepted the human greeting, corresponding in the same way “You'll see… sir… god…”

“Anubis” Solo was interrupted by the friendliest of the warriors in white “God of Mummification and guide of the souls of the dead”

“Anubis, god of mummification and guide of the souls of the dead” repeated the General carefully pronouncing the words “As the older person in my wife's family, I come to ask for your blessing to continue by her side. Your granddaughter sir... is... like the most amazing woman I know and, without knowing that she had a biological origin... different of mine, I already considered her amazing... I’m a person too ordinary for her and, as I am now, that it’s certainly not younger, but for some strange reason, she still prefers me and the truth is that I would like to continue by her side with your acceptance, since her brother has never objected to my presence and he had had grounds to do it in the past. Although not anymore, huh. I’m a responsible husband and father, with my faults, but responsible”

The god stifled a laugh at the end of the General's speech and slightly bowed his head towards the man.

“Han Solo” Anubis expressed “Although I cannot decide for my granddaughter her partner, I can say that all these years that I have watched her from a distance, since she married you, her burdens have been less and her smiles more abundant. Therefore, if I were you, I wouldn’t consider that you have nothing to offer her just because you belong to a different origin than her. I met my wife Shmi being a god, but an outcast among mine, an unrecognized son of a divinity who had denied much of my existence and whom his legitimate son had never stopped despising me as a bastard. I lived in solitude and almost isolated and my powers didn’t matter too much in your Galaxy for those who weren’t Jedi. But she, the most beautiful woman in creation, had no problem accepting my differences, overcoming my fears and teaching me to be happy and enjoy happiness. Shmi was my balance, as you are Leia's. So, for my part, you have my blessing to continue by her side, although perhaps I should emphasize that having asked me...”

“Does it make the day I screw up I have to consider that I'm going to have a god after my bones?”

“Exactly”

“I like him Anubis” recognized Khonshu crossing his arms “He's suicidal and half an idiot, but he has more brains and heart than several gods I know”

“The only thing you want to do is to complain about Horus” the jackal-headed god told, turning his eyes at the expression of his pantheon companion “but I recognize that there is a lot of truth in what you say”

“Perfect then” affirmed the Corellian elbowing the Mandalorian “Your turn dented can”

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Princess and Senator Leia Organa were in those moments divided between laughing, wanting to choke or congratulate her husband.

Han knew exactly how to overcome her being upset and make her think.

She was still angry. Okay?

But… not exactly with Anubis.

No one could lie so well. No one.

Therefore, the speech of that god, saying that Anakin Skywalker's mother, who had been a slave for most of her life, had been for a god "the most beautiful woman in creation" and that she had "taught him to be happy and enjoy happiness,” while acknowledging to Han that, in his case, he brought balance to Leia and made her smile constantly, it was too heartfelt and honest to be an elaborate ploy.

Which was what she had feared when traveling with her brother and her husband to this new world.

That, taking advantage of Luke's hero complex, Han's curiosity and Leia's need to cut loose ends, a dangerous guy will use them for his personal interests.

And here she came and found that this was someone with obvious power, but not very loved among his own because he was risky and committed, were by contrast adored by those who hadn’t had great advantages, but who, like the god, had also been outcasts and mistreated .

Starting with the Manda'lor, who was now clearing his throat to star in his own cheesy moment with her brother and from which the Princess had found out that had never been privileged among the Mandalorians and that he had always had personal valuation problems. From the discussion she had had with Bo-Katan Kryze, as well as the recordings that were delivered when the Marshall Dune introduced the prisoner Moff Gideon, the Princess had noted that the silver armored warrior not only didn’t react to insults and slights, but his few movements gave to understand that he was resignedly waiting for them. It was an attitude she had seen in the past. Din Djarin was one of those people who had been convinced that he should settle for little or nothing, because that was the most he could hope for: survival.

The man was followed on his support of the god by his son, Grogu, who hadn’t hesitated to come out in defense of Anubis against Leia herself and who, to his credit, also had a long history of suffering, abandonment and discrimination. The little Jedi had not only survived the Jedi purge, but had been passed from hand to hand, as if he was a thing, forced to use his Jedi powers first and then to hide them, while being tortured and experimented with all possible gadgets. A child with such a background would definitely not place his trust and affection on someone who was not worth his time. And already, with the Mandalorian, Grogu had proven that he had a keen sense to judge people.

Concluding with, at least in that mismatched group, another of the gods present, this Khonshu who, if she hadn’t misunderstood the situation, had been until very recently a prisoner of the other gods and, considering who his avatar was , she had no doubt that the "outcast" label applied perfectly to him.

Which, seriously, put Leia in the dilemma of rethinking her initial image of Anubis and her reaction to him, as her husband Han not so subtly had suggested. The same one that, precisely, had stepped back giving space to the new protagonist of the scene without stop looking at her smiling.

Damn with her Corellian.

He had too much of a nose for his own good.

However, the Princess smiled back to him and then went on to look at her brother's partner.

“In my culture” the Manda'lor began “The only permission required for a courtship ritual is that of the other person involved. We are not… so strict in that sense. Especially after the Great Purge. We were too scattered and in too few numbers to think of events that would bring families or clans together in a way that would be able to hold large demonstrations for a riduurok, so it wouldn’t be very realistic for me to give a speech like the General's”

The jackal-headed god nodded at the words spoken by the silver-armored warrior.

“Ni suvarir (I understand)”

“Having said that, I don’t have, nor do I think I will ever have the status required to aspire to be part of the life of your grandson, ba'buir (grandfather). But he thinks otherwise and, just as my son has decided that you be part of his aliit (family), even facing his Master's sister to defend you, I'm not going to oppose Luke's decision” continued the Mandalorian removing the dark saber from his waist to place it at the feet of the god “Aliit ori'shya tal'din (Family is more than blood), according to mine. A clan is built on trust and certain values and ideas that make a difference with respect to the chaos in which we live daily. For the Mandalorians, a reflection of this, are our instruments of combat. Which become our extensions, our possibility of surviving that same chaos. I offer you then, as a measure of my appreciation of the opportunity afforded to me by your grandson, ba'buir, the only weapon that I believe can attempt to equal the person that Luke Skywalker is”

Both her brother and Leia held their breath.

The dark saber was a legendary weapon.

Literally the key to the door to Mandalore's throne.

And the warrior was offering it as a gift, just to show how much he valued the opportunity Luke was giving him by letting him be a part of his life.

“Din…” his brother finally whispered, approaching his partner visibly moved “no, it wasn't necessary”

“Ni kar'tayl gar darasuum, Jetii (I love you Jedi)” the Mandalorian replied holding Luke's hand “He's your aliit. It was necessary”

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Steven sighed smiling at the spectacle that was taking place in front of them all.

"I keep insisting that we don't have time for this"

Marc highlighted, rolling his eyes from the reflection given by one of the light pedestals of the Ennead's chamber.

“And I keep saying that if it's not at times like this, when will it be the right time?”

“You are a romantic, Steven”

“An incorrigible one, mate” recognized the former gift seller from his Mr. Night suit “Without much hope of experiencing something similar, but incorrigible”

"Layla doesn't seem to think you're hopeless"

“Layla is your wife, Marc. Not mine” the Londoner clarified to his alter “Besides, a kiss in the middle of a stressful situation like the one we were going through is... normal. You shouldn't read too much into that gesture. It's super clear that he still loves you and that… well, I… I'm not you”

“She deserves much better than me, Steven. It's one of the reasons I decided to cut myself out of his life. Layla is not safe by my side, she will never be able to live a peaceful life with me. Not as long as I have a debt with Khonshu"

“And with me she’s safer?” the Londoner asked the American “As far as I know we inhabit the same body that took that debt”

“Khonshu made the deal with Marc, not with Steven. He's not interested in you from a military point of view. You have too many values and sensitivity”

“I thought that we had already reached an agreement, when we escaped from the Duat, that we are part of a package that comes together”

“In this fight, Steven. Then… then we would have to think about what is best”

“I don't think you want Layla to live my life, Marc. It's a disaster”

“Mine is worse. I sleep in a storage container”

“And I tied to a bed surrounded by sand, inside a horrendous apartment, which doesn't even belong to my mother, as I thought. Not forgetting that I work in a place with people I hate”

“Layla would love the museum”

“She would find it boring, Marc. She is an adventurer”

"Probably. But I think it would be good for her to stop for a while and enjoy a time of stability... after so much madness"

“I think you're proposing the impossible. Layla and I…it's…a dream, nothing more. You are her partner and, she can be very angry with you and, believe me, she is, but… between the two of us, I can bet she would stay with you”

“What you both have to do” murmured a voice next to Steven “Is stop assuming things for me and ask me what I want”

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Layla shook her head as Steven and Marc turned in astonishment to see her.

Those two.

They really were two idiots.

Although, of course, they were her idiots.

And she was so happy to see them alive that the desire to slap both of them for having scared her so much had escaped her head. At least for now.

“Layla, baby” Marc whispered, while his suit reappeared, hugging her “Thank God, you're fine”

The Egyptian smiled in return to the strong hug, to then feel the transformation of the other and Steven's higher voice say in amazement as he stepped away to observe her.

“Wow, you look amazing. What are you wearing?”

The woman smiled seeing the stunned face of her husband's other personality and couldn't help it. One of her hands went to his tie, as the bandages that covered her automatically removed leaving her face as bare as Steven's and, with a gentle tug, she pushed the innocent seller of museum souvenirs forward, allowing her to give him a kiss much more meaningful and less hesitant than the previous one.

Which, it seemed, went in two directions, because the Londoner didn't hesitate too much when he realized that he was being kissed and, it could be said that, without too much technique, but with an enviable enthusiasm, he responded perfectly seconds later.

Idiots.

All of them.

Gods and mortals.

They were all idiots when it came to love.

But perhaps, the Egyptian thought, it was one of the few things worth being alive for.

“We'll share” she whispered to Steven and Marc “You guys come together and I don't have a problem with that”

“Are you sure?” Steven asked in amazement.

“I'm sure” the Egyptian confirmed, while her partner's personality changed again.

“What I'm sure of is that… I haven't done anything in this life good enough to deserve you”

“Marc, let me be the judge of it and, simply, for one blessed time, just do what I tell you”

“Okay”

“Really? No more arguing?”

“No more discussions. Really”

“Where it’s a camera when you need one”

Layla joked before doing the exact same thing she had done with Steven.

Take advantage of the moment and kiss her husband properly.

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The leader of the goddesses smiled with amusement as she advanced into the chamber followed by the rest of the goddesses.

Truly, what happened in that place of worship and power was almost surreal.

On the one hand, you had the descendants of Anubis holding their partners by the hand, that same Anubis picking up a weapon from the ground while his own avatar asked the god to pick him up, Thoth laughing undisguisedly at Khonshu who was palming his face seeing as the avatars of both kissed without problems and Hathor also laughing at the face of the moon god, only with a little more discretion.

All of this, while outside the temple, Ammit's power increased.

Soon the crocodile goddess would be able to advance on Egypt and then on the rest of the Earth.

Which meant that, as entertaining as this meeting was turning out, times would have to be sped up.

“Din Djarin” pronounced the goddess with a deep voice, provoking the astonishment of those present “Come forward”

The silver-armored warrior turned his face and studied her through his visor. But, moments later, releasing the hand of the blond descendant of Anubis, he stood in front of her.

“My name is Isis. I am the main guardian of this temple and protective goddess of family and traditions. Outside these walls a situation is brewing that will endanger not only this world, but also your Galaxy. In order to stop it, we need our power to be channeled through the avatars. I formally ask your permission to be mine”

The goddess expressed to the Mandalorian.

“There is no other alternative?”

The warrior asked Anubis, who shook his head as he approached Isis to hand over the dark saber, saying.

“No, there isn’t”

“I…” the Mandalorian sighed “accept then”

“Your will will always be yours, Jatij” said the goddess, extending one of her hands over the king's helmet, while with the other she held the saber that the jackal-headed god had given her “Ours is a collaboration, which has created the worlds, since the beginning of time. Together we will defend what must be defended”

The power of the goddess slipped between the Mandalorian's body and weapon.

Both the saber and the armor of this man were transformed by making contact with the creative energy of Isis.

As the ruling goddess of the pantheon, the wife of Osiris kept to herself the power of creation itself. Combined with the Mandalorian's strict morals and his willingness to give and serve, so similar to her own during the Seth debacle, she was convinced that her new avatar would be the most powerful of all they had created.

“Good job, sister”

Nephthys muttered when Isis finished imbibing the warrior with her energy and couldn't help but agree.

Before the goddesses and gods present, the Mandalorian stood wrapped in an armor now coated not only with the hyper-resistant silver metal from which it had been forged, but also with a soft field of energy in which the words of the armor goddess constantly moved, in the form of protective hieroglyphs in gold. To this was added a red cape and a new saber, which continued to maintain in part the color that gave it its name, but with the same hieroglyphic details of the armor, which guaranteed that, as a weapon, it would only obey her avatar and that with her power could tear divine flesh.