You approach the temple to check on Seth's vessel, but this time the entrance does not seem so quiet and dark. You see flames flickering inside, as if someone started tending to the temple! The sight gives you a tiny feeling of butterflies in your stomach. Is the god awake?

You rush inside, seeing ancient braziers lit with fire. Everything looks alive this time! You walk into the main chamber and see the godly vessel sitting on a gilded throne, relaxed, and very much alive. You are not sure what sort of creature Seth has become, but it looks like an odd, sleek canine with very long hind legs. Around him, dozens of small, confusing servants are scattered, preparing important tasks of cleaning the temple and adorning the god with his polished armour. They seem to be made of stone. How are they moving? You realise it's probably not for you to know. You look back at Seth.

Seth looks at you, then looks away again, raising his noble muzzle. You have a chance to peer at him closely. You still have no idea what kind of dog he is. He looks so fragile, so skinny. How can he defeat this Serpent of Chaos? Something that ripped the whole ground apart into a giant chasm cannot possibly be even touched by this creature. Maybe Seth has another vessel stashed somewhere? Something big... yes! That must be it. Maybe he needs to find it. You think about a thousand possible scenarios, as Seth seems to be quietly and patiently letting the little servants dress him.

"Address me properly, mortal cub." Seth looks at you again. He does not seem to be the kindest of beings you've met so far. "Lord of the Red. Protector of Ra. Ruler of the Desert. Master of War. I require proper respect from my servants." The god stares at you expectantly. You're a little bit disappointed, as you thought you'd fight alongside a being that was grateful for the revival, some sort of fellowship in these hard times. But... Maybe you'd be grumpy if you were woken up in the middle of your sleep too. Maybe you'd ask that annoying teenage submale to refer to you as a king. Yeah, okay, you can kind of get it.

Seth steps down from the throne, visibly content at your change of tone. The creature is tall with a shining red body, but it doesn't walk like a dog as you expected. It kind of... reminds you of a baboon: hunched over, moving inelegantly. You watch it closely to figure out what species it may be as it passes you. The ears are just so bizarre, and the arms are so long and creepy. They remind you of human hands with thick black claws at the ends. The tail is naked and long, forked at the end with tufted, scorpion-like thorns. Seth turns his head towards you, as you raise your view from his tail and spotted buttocks, and your eyes meet in a prolonged, quiet, and a little awkward moment. "If anyone's going to watch anybody's behind, it will be me who watches your back. Go first. Show me the way."

You cough nervously and move to the front, leading Seth out of the temple towards where the obelisk fell, so that you two can have a good view of the landscape. As you pause to let the freshly-revived vessel catch up, you notice him looking around in disbelief. So many temples are devastated. He must realise that those gods, his old friends and foes, lost important vessels and places of worship. He may never see them again. It must be horrible... he probably feels very isolated. You don't really know him, though. He climbs toward you, brushing his side against yours as he sits down in almost the same spot you're sitting. He feels very warm to the touch - perhaps he's buzzing with godly energy. He seems to be contemplating the view for a while, and you two sit in silence, until you remember it's not so safe for you to be inhaling all of the gases seeping from the rift.

Seth looks at you, raising his paw... or hand. You feel his touch on your neck, and it makes you extremely uneasy. He seems to be most comfortable when he's in control. Perhaps a big lion's presence is a little intimidating? Yeah... "NAME, you are a very heroic beast, fearless enough to come to my temple, raise me from the dead, and accept the Serpent's challenge. Your fate is to breathe the demon's last breath. I do worry it may be your last breath as well." You blink slowly. Did he just hint that you might die? Is he suggesting you're weak? Has he looked at himself at all?

Seth smiles. It looks very creepy. His teeth look like sharp rows of sabres, and his gums look grey and rotten. "The Serpent can never die. It cannot be killed - only... temporarily defeated. He is an eternal chaos, a representation of the void of the universe and the death of the sun. But, it is what we do. It is what we have always done, over and over. Every time the darkness came, we have defeated it. I had little faith in saving this world over and over again, especially now that we're forgotten, but you have chosen me. Perhaps, if someone still has faith in me, I can return the favour." He looks a little alien, and he definitely acts odd, but he speaks words that make you feel less worried. It must be how he made his worshipers feel. You sense his hand stroking your mane. Maybe he just enjoys the touch of another creature; after all, he's been asleep for thousands of years. His body is so thin, you can see blackened veins around his eyes.

"This is true, mortal cub. My legs are still a little shaky. Though, this is why we have a wonderful solution," he murmurs with a gravelly voice, grabbing your neck in a surprisingly strong manner. Your heart skips a beat, and you back off as the godly vessel launches itself at you. You roar and back off, feeling the creature mount your back like you're some sort of stallion to ride around on! You rear back and snarl, upset with this humiliating degradation, but his grip is tight. He's hanging on strongly, clawing his fingers into your skin the more that you try to fight him. Finally, you calm down, but you're not any less angry. "Good. Accept your role. We're going to have so much fun fighting the slithering creatures together, because I have to get stronger. You'll see. I will be breathtaking and glorious when I stab his face," he whispers in your ear. You feel his snake-like tail wrapping around your waist for stability. This guy really doesn't understand the concept of personal space, mutual respect, or companionship. But... he might defeat the Serpent. It will save your pride, your future cubs, the prey, the lands. You take a deep breath.

You start walking with this new weight on your shoulders. Thankfully, this very skinny creature does not seem to be very heavy. The fact that he enjoys riding you only pisses you off more, but what can you do? Pound his face? Kill a god? You huff and continue, feeling his scraggy claws pet your head from time to time, like he 'tamed you'. Must he be so petty? "Hey, NAME. How about we take a little challenge every day? We both could use the training. I promise, it will be worth it. I will ask my Ushabti to trade some of my artifacts with you. Does it sound like a good deal, you gorgeous giant kitten?" You roll your eyes, wishing he'd stop with the comments. Sure, they seem like they're slowly turning into compliments, but probably only because he wants something from you. This would explain why such a deceptive, mean being was worshiped at all. He has some impressive reputation, some warrior perks, and he can act nice. Maybe you can make him at least pretend to be civil most of the time, to make this endeavour endurable.