Chapter 463: The Last Dawn 3
But it was the statues that made the Egyptian gods step back in recognition and fear.
Atop the walls stood four colossal figures, each one larger than Ra’s pyramid, larger than mountains, larger than the dreams of mortal men. Though they were headless, weathered by time’s cruel passage, and several missed limbs to the ages, they were unmistakable representations of the man who had summoned them—Ozymandias himself, carved from stone that had witnessed the birth of his empire.
The pharaoh crossed his arms atop the central wall, his stance casual despite standing amidst gods and demons alike. His eyes locked with Ra’s burning gaze, and for a moment that stretched like eternity, the sun itself seemed to dim before the presence of the King of Kings.
Then Ozymandias stretched his arms wide, his voice carrying across the desert with the authority of one who had made even death kneel before his throne:
"Today, a new sun god takes your place!"
The battlefield trembled as Monument Four crashed to earth before the ancient walls, its colossal form sending shock waves through the desert. Dust cascaded from its weathered stone as ancient mechanisms, fueled by the blood spilt on the sand, groaned to life.
"Protect these weaklings, Monument Four," Ozymandias commanded, his voice carrying the casual authority of one who had never been disobeyed.
The headless titan’s remaining arm flexed, stone joints cracking as they moved for the first time in millennia. In its massive right hand, a curved Khopesh materialised—not carved from stone, but forged from crystallised sunlight, its golden edge gleaming with lethal beauty under the blazing desert sun. Its left arm clutched an ankh shield that bore the weight of eternity itself, each curve representing the empire’s immortality as long as its guardians drew breath.
Ra’s falcon eyes widened in recognition and growing alarm. "Those symbols... You dare rebel against me once more?"
But Ozymandias paid the sun god no heed. His attention was already turning to the sky, where Horus circled like a predator seeking weakness. "Protect the city from their projectiles, Monument Three!"