It wasn’t question for me.
"I have to be honest with you, it is very seducing the first option, but as I said earlier, meeting with you means for me much more, than being wealthy and I want to explore the most hidden secrets and mysteries of the ancient Egyptian civilisation and mythology and something whispers me, this is my chance. So with your permission, I would like to stay here and serve you, although I don’t know, what exactly means serving you."
I bowed again, but this time I kept my eyes on him. He became truly delighted.
"I am pleased with your decision. You are indeed different, than these filthy looters and you seems to be a loyal follower. Thanks to your wise decision I will give you much more, than gold or jewelries. Being my servant means, you will receive the immortality and power beyond your wildest dreams, but you will have some duties as well. You won’t be indestructable of course, as neither am I, but the time will have no affect on you anymore."
I almost dropped my jaw. This is indeed more, that I have thought about.
"Permission to ask freely?"
"Granted."
"What kind of duties will I have?"
"Since the mummyfication is no more, your duties will be taking care of the souls in the underworld and protect my temple from the uninvited visitors, especially from the looting treasure hunters."
"Understand, my Lord."
"There’s one more thing, maybe the most important: Once you’ve got some my powers and immortality, your soul in turn will belong to me forever and from then there’s no turning back! So I give you now a last chance your last chance to leave."
"I won’t dissapoint you!" I stated determined, looking directly into his eyes.
"Very well. Then if you don’t have more questions..." He said, while stood up and stepped down from the podium and towered over me.
"Remove your clothes!"
I rose to my feet and started to undress, as he ordered. I left nothing on me except the amulet.
It was quite unusual standing there naked, but I had to conceal my bashfulness.
Firstly he removed my amulet, which I left on me and dropped onto the pile of my clothes.
"You don’t need this anymore to prove your loyalty... it is not even made from gold..." He said and with his scepter poked the pile, while it was covered with with flames and seconds later it disappeared.
He looked at me.
"It won‘t be pleasant. Prepare yorself!"
"I’m ready, Lord Anubis!" I said to him, giving my final agreement. My heart was pounding heavily.
He rose his right hand and it began to glow turqouise. I could feel as a kind of energy entered into me but it was soon replaced by nearly unbearable pain, spreading slowly from my chest towards other parts of my body. I fell on all fours and pressed my teeth, but it was few to tolerate the pain and some seconds later the chamber was echoed from my outbursting yell.
"Hold on, my servant!" He said.
Although I barely heard his voice, it gave me enough strength to regain some of my conciousness and inspect myself.
My torso was no more average flat, but nice, symmetricly muscular with two huge pectorals and a well-outlined six pack on my abs. I could feel, as the same happened with my back muscles.
Starting from my chest, my skin began to turn darker and became the black-brown combination coloured, like his, while my arms and thighs slowly inflated and became perfect addition to my well-built torso.
The pain now intensified in my fingers and toes, as the nail on them turned into black claws.
At least the throbbing pain hit my head, as my face was stretching out into a muzzle, my ears becoming larger, pointy and replacing themselves onto the top of my skull, turning into a jackal head. I turned into an Anubite.
His hand stopped glowing and as it was over and I was breathing heavily, still on all fours.
"You have been reborn, my servant. Tell me, how do you feel..." He said and swinged lazily with his hand and the ancient Egyptian attire appeared on me, almost completely similar to his. The biggest difference was the ankh symbol, which I was wearing as a necklace.
I jumped onto my feet, then jumped again, much higher, then before and I was able to make even a backflip. I became incredibly agile and I felt myself stronger, than ever.
"I feel wonderful, my master!" I said with a similar deeper voice, like his while I admired my new body and attire.
I descended again to half-knee to underscore my potential loyalty.
"Excellent. Now rise, my servant, we will make a little trip to the underworld, where you will meet with Osiris."
I shook from the excitement. It was hard to believe, what he said.
He stepped behind his throne and swinged with his hand towards the wall. A portal opened on it and we entered into the Realm of the Dead.