Nailah pours water from a vial into a small bowl and ceremonially washes her hands in it before picking up an assortment of paraphernalia. Four spots are spaced evenly around the circle. Nailah steps up to the Western one and pulls out a sharp dagger. Pricking the tip of her finger kneels down and draws a symbol into the circle with her own blood. "Formed from a single drop I surrender my Ib to the Urn that would contain it, hold my heart safe so Ammit may not devour it."
Moving to the Northern side she raises the dagger to her head and cuts off a strand of her hair. She pins it to the head of a small, pitch-black figurine that she places down in the circle. "My Sheut, Effigy of me that is cast by the Sun and mirrors me into the world of the Gods, I cut you loose so my shadow may hide where Apophis cannot destroy it."
Moving on to the Eastern side she takes a small brass plaque with an
engraving on it and wraps a short piece of rope around it several times before placing it down in the circle as well. "My Ren, the name that was given to me at birth that will live on through the mouths of others so it will not be forgotten and lost in the depths where Set dwells."
She moves to the Southern side of the circle, and spreads her arms wide.
"All the evil which was on me has been removed.
I was cleansed on the day of my birth in the two great and noble waters.
'Eternity' is the name of one; 'Sea' is the name of the other. They are the Lakes of Natron and Maat.
May I have power in my heart, may I have power in my arms, may I have power in my legs, may I have power in my mouth
May I have power over invocations, may I have power over water ... air ... the streams ... the lands ...
Over men who would harm me ... women who would harm me... in the realm of the dead ... those who would give orders to harm me upon earth."
She reaches up to her shoulder and grabs a handful of her ritual robes. Bringing up the dagger she cuts through the fabric and let's it fall away so she's only clad in her jewelry.
"Great Anubis,
I come before you with my mouth unfettered by my name,
my limbs unfettered by my shadow, my body unfettered by my heart.
I am prepared and strong in opening his portal!"
A glow spreads through the circle, enveloping the items placed in the cardinal directions and converging in the middle where the open Urn is sitting. The light seems to pour into it and when it clears the three items, blood, effigy and name, have disappeared.
"I shall sail rightly in my bark, I am lord of eternity in the crossing of the sky.
I am not afraid in my limbs, for Hu and Hike overthrow for me that evil being.
I shall see light-land, I shall dwell in it...
Make way for me, for I have gathered my Ka and Ba so I may become the immortal Akh who passes by the guards...
Those who know this spell, they will be like Ra in the eastern sky, like Osiris in the netherworld.
They will go down to the circle of fire, without the flame ever touching them!"
There's a bright flash of light that seems to swirl above the Urn in a pulsing cloud, blurry shapes visible inside it before it too disappears into the Urn, seeming to sweep with it all the light in the room. The window and walls seem to stretch away and disappear beyond the edge of darkness, only Nailah, the fire-bowl and Sam giving off a faint glow. Nailah appears to be frozen in time, her hair suspended, even the faint trails of smoke coming from the fire-bowl have stopped like grey smears in the air.
A huge shape seems to loom just outside Sam's perception, only noticeable by the sheer weight of his presence as his shadow envelops them. Faint impressions of brilliantly white and shapr teeth gleam in the darkness in a long snout that rumbles as it speaks.
"I see before me one who seeks to avoid the Scales and the Gate in the presence of another. I recognize you, Battle-Crow. Why are you guarding what would be mine?"