Mountain

The scorching sun showed no mercy. Its rays pierced every living thing, turning the vast expanse into a scorching furnace. The sand burned, the air shimmered with heat. At night, the sky was covered in a velvet blanket of stars, and the desert came alive with the whisper of the wind and the howling of jackals.

In this world, the only light and hope were the gods. Their presence was felt in every breath of wind, in the floods of the Nile. They were served in temples, and prayers were offered to them. People believed that the gods controlled their destinies.

At the head of the pantheon stood Ra, the king of the gods. Every day, he journeyed across the sky on a shining raft. His enemy was the serpent Apophis, the embodiment of chaos, who tried to swallow the sun every night. But Ra was invincible: his spear struck without fail, and at dawn the serpent retreated.

The other gods ruled their own domains. Osiris ruled over the fertile lands of the Nile, his brother Set over the desert and storms. Osiris passed the throne to his son Horus, who ruled with dignity and justice.

But your life began with betrayal and loneliness. You were found by chance, a tiny bundle on the steps of a temple. You had no name, no family—only a scorched street and eternal hunger.

From childhood, you learned to survive. Every day was a struggle for bread and water. You slept in wall niches, awakened by guards' kicks or rat bites. Theft became your only craft. Your fingers became nimble and quick.

Faith in the gods' mercy died long ago in your soul. You saw priests wallow in luxury while children died of hunger.

But one day, luck ran out. That day, the sun was particularly fierce. In the market square, your gaze fell upon a nobleman in snow-white robes. A gold bracelet glittered on his wrist.

You drew closer. A moment later, your fingers touched the metal, but were immediately seized by an iron grip. Guard! Spear blows rained down. The world went dark with pain.

You woke up in the cold dungeon of a palace. Darkness and dampness surrounded you, your ribs ached with every breath. Ahead lay judgment—a meeting with the very gods you so hated for their indifference.