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Seth strode through the halls of Temple Jann, acolytes scrambling out of his way to bow as he passed. A breach in the security system had alerted Seth to the presence of intruders within the Temple. Seth rounded the corner, boots heavy against the stone- and familiarity streaked down his spine and he came to a sudden halt, realising in which direction he was headed.
Eios.
Seth’s right hand rose slightly to rest on his left breastplate- an unfortunate habit he’d fallen into shortly after the death of the Deity of Dreams. After he had killed the Deity of Dreams. Not that Seth regretted his decision- his betrayal- no, it had been a necessary sacrifice. He didn’t miss his old friend’s smile, or laugh, or voice. He didn’t wake every night with the memory of Eios’ look of utter betrayal as Seth twisted the knife in his chest, didn’t clench his fists as he heard the echo of Eios choking his name. Seth was striding through the halls of Temple Jann, faster this time. He realised that his hand was still covering his heart and he jerked it away irritably, revealing the blood-red hand print that had shone starkly against his bone-white armour for centuries. The place Eios had laid their bloody hand on his chest- a final grasp for mercy or a fruitless attempt to defend themself, Seth had never been sure. In any case, Eios’ ichor remained on his chest for everyone to see, shimmering slightly silver in the right light, a warning to all who even nursed the thought of challenging Seth. Nothing would stand in his way. Not his enemies. Not even his-
“-friends?” Seth glanced at Eios, who had somehow managed to perch cross-legged on the tree branch they were occupying.
“What?” he asked, dragging his thoughts back to his friend. Eios rolled his eyes good-naturedly, a smile lurking on his lips.
“ You and I,” he repeated. “Are we... friends, Seth?” Seth frowned, thinking.
“I suppose,” he responded seriously. “Why do you ask?” Eios shrugged, turning their face to gaze up at the sky.
“I was just wondering,” he responded and Seth thought he detected a hint of sadness in the deity’s expression. Whatever it was, it was gone a second later as Eios turned back to face him, smiling softly. Seth’s heart seemed to lighten at the sight and he wondered why that was. “I am glad to be your friend, Seth.” Seth inclined his head to Eios, a rare smile ghosting across his own face. This smile was reserved for the very few he trusted enough to call friends- Eios was among only one or two others who had received it before.
"And I, you, my friend,” he replied. He reached out and held out a hand. After a moment’s hesitation, as if puzzled as to what to do with the proffered hand, Eios clasped it in their own. Seth gripped his friend’s hand soundly. “You and I, Eios. You and I. And whatever comes next- we’ll face it together.”
Seth snapped back to the present as he halted in front of the chamber that contained the body of the Deity of Dreams. Though deities could not be killed outright, they could be… dealt with. As Seth had dealt with Eios when it had been necessary. Seth threw open the doors to the chamber with one hand on the hilt of his sword. His gaze swept the room and landed on the altar in the centre. The slab of marble that he had ordered built to lay Eios’ body out of sight, hidden away from humans and deities alike. And maybe- though Seth would never admit it to himself- it was to hide the reminder of Eios’ death away from himself. All of this was irrelevant, however. Because the altar was empty. Eios was gone. Seth’s lip curled in a snarl.
Fuck.
That night, humans dreamed for the first time in a thousand years.