Taste of her Sting

Taste of Her Sting was a virtual representation of one of Bayek's genetic memories, relived by Layla Hassan through the Portable Animus HR-8.
==Description==
Bayek finds a disturbing scene of death, and decides to keep his eyes open for more clues.
==Dialogue==
Bayek travelled to the Lost Crypt located on an island in Lake Mareotis.
*Bayek: A scene of death. I should investigate.
He discovered a papyrus on the ground.
*Bayek: Scraps of a message. There's too much missing.
Bayek discovered traces of blood on a mat with candles.
*Bayek: Was this some terrible ceremony? There is so much blood, as if some butchery occurred here. But the elements have eroded many of the signs.
He walked down the stairs, where he discovered a statue of Sekhmet laying on the ground.
*Bayek: Sekhmet, the goddess of hunters. But there are scratches here, above the statue's stomach. What does it represent?
Bayek descended further and discovered an open, empty wooden sarcophagus.
*Bayek: Scraps of blood and flesh. There was a body here, but crocodiles must have devoured it.
He discovered the lid of the sarcophagus laying on the water.
*Bayek: The lid of a sarcophagus? There was a symbol here, but it is too damaged for me to make out. Troubling. If I had more information, I might understand this better. But as he was eaten by a crocodile... I'll keep an eye out for anything else so unusual.
Bayek left the site. While travelling in the northeast of Kanopos Nome, Bayek discovered more signs of killings outside the shrine of Serapis.
*Bayek: Indications of violence and bloodshed. I should investigate.
He investigated a mark of Serqet beneath the statue of Serapis near the edge of a cliff.
*Bayek: Serapis, god of divine majesty and lord of the sun, someone has placed a mark upon you. The scorpion is the sign of Serqet.
He investigated a scroll near the edge of the cliff.
*Bayek: Curious, sinister writings.
At the foot of the cliff, Bayek found a corpse and blood trails on the ground.
*Bayek: This poor man was half-eaten by crocodiles. But only after he died. Someone prepared him for burial, and cut out some of his sacred organs. His stomach at least, was removed.
Near the corpse, Bayek found a small entrance under the cliff and entered the small chamber. He investigated a symbol on a wooden sarcophagus.
*Bayek: This symbol. A dedication to Serqet, the goddess of magic. The scorpion.
He investigated blood stains on a table.
*Bayek: Old blood stains this table. I think the body was prepared here. But crudely. This is no fine, skilled work.
Having investigate the scene, Bayek thought.
*Bayek: These deaths seem like some kind of perverse ritual against the gods. Who, or what, is driving it?
Later, Bayek came across old ruins in southern Kanopos Nome, which had become the lair for a group of crocodiles.
*Bayek: What happened here? Omens of death.
He noticed a felucca, and on it, tools.
*Bayek: Looks like the pilot got away, but left embalming tools.
In the embrace of the stonework, he found a statue of Sobek.
*Bayek: A statue of Sobek, lord of the Nile. But he's contained within a symbol that invokes Serqet, the scorpion goddess of magic.
On top of a raised part of the ruin, a sarcophagus laid, with candles and offerings around it.
*Bayek: They must have brought the sarcophagus by felucca. Pretty remote place for this. Some of those marks on the body look like the sacred organs were removed. At least the lungs are gone.
A papyrus was left on another piece of the ruins nearby.
*Bayek: Dark and foreboding invocations.
Bayek thought.
*Bayek: These deaths are a harrowing journey into madness. What could the perpetrators hope to gain by invoking the goddess of magic?
Bayek visited another ritual site in flooded ruins in Sapi-Res Nome. He found a pool of blood in the waters.
*Bayek: Blood on the water. Omens in the sky.
He investigated a scroll on the ground and pieced it together with the rest of the scrolls he discovered.
*Bayek: This perverse poetry celebrates chaos. It inverts all that is divine and just.
He investigated a sarcophagus on the ground.
*Bayek: I suspect the sarcophagus was transported by cart. It is inscribed with the mark of Serqet, the scorpion goddess. But where is the body?
He investigated tracks on the ground.
*Bayek: Someone came here with a heavily laden cart. And left the same way, though the second track looks lighter.
Bayek dove into the flooded ruins and found a cadaver at the bottom.
*Bayek: Poor man. You did not deserve to be dragged underwater by these hippos. And it appears you were prepared for the afterlife by a clumsy butcher with no thumbs. Where is your liver? This happened recently, and the cart may not have traveled far. There may be more to this mystery nearby. Those responsible should not be allowed to do this again.
Eventually, Bayek's investigation brought him to the ruins of the House of Serqet in Ka-Khem Nome guarded by fanatics. He overheard two people talking outside west of the temple.
*Man: I wonder if olive trees can grow around here.
*Woman: I don't know...
*Man: Could be a great business. Plant an orchard across the river. Press the oil. Sell it up and down the Nile. Just like the olive trees back in Cyrene.
*Woman: This is not Cyrene. Not everything from there is better. I like my sesame oil better. Besides, the area you are talking about? It's... not safe. Cursed maybe. My sister was gathering herbs near there last month and told me she heard weird singing in the middle of the night.
Within the depths of the ruins, he found a scroll.
Nearby, there were sarcophagi.
*Bayek: Sarcophagi inscribed with the mark of Serqet. How much death does she require?
The wall was cracked, and sounds emanated from it. Bayek listened.
*Bayek: What is that sound... voices? Ghosts? Demons?
Bayek thought.
*Bayek: I need to find the source of the chanting.
Outside the ruins, near the river, there was an entrance into a natural cave.
Inside the cave, the scorpion symbol had been scrawled onto the wall.
*Bayek: The mysterious killings have led here. This symbol is old. This place is from a long time lost.
Bayek slipped through a crack, and sneaked further in, the sound of chanting growing louder, until he reached a grotto.
Inside, he spoke to the Prophet of Serqet.
*Prophet of Serqet: What is this insolence? Who dares to intrude upon our most sacred work?
*Bayek: Sacred? A trail of death led me here. This cavern reeks of the profane. Are you the bloody hand responsible?
*Prophet of Serqet: The goddess Serqet is she who tightens the throat, and the one who lets us breathe. I do her will, I am her sting.All of the souls were chosen from lesser faiths. But we study their organs, and read the signs. Soon we will know Serqet's secrets, and become immortal.
*Bayek: This was your last chance to win the goddess's favor. Let's test your immortality, shall we?
They fought, and Bayek slew the Prophet and his two companions. Afterwards, Bayek explored the grotto.
On a table was a body.
*Bayek: I arrived too late to save this one. You will be the last victim of this cursed ritual.
Near the body was a scroll, which Bayek read.
*Bayek: The ravings of a madman.
On another table, a journal awaited. Bayek read it.
There was also a prayer scroll to Serqet.
*Bayek: Profane ravings to the gods.
==Outcome==
Bayek investigated the various gruesome ceremony scenes, eventually hunting down the man who was known as the "Prophet of Serqet", and ended his life.
==Behind the scenes==
The Prayer of Serqet states, "Serqet, Selqet, Selkit we perform this rites in the shadow of your stone circle. In the caves beneath your stars." However, the cave near the House of Serqet is actually under the Hathor Stone Circle.
==References==
*Assassin's Creed: Origins
fr:Le goût de Sa piqûre
Category:Memories of Bayek
Category:Memories relived using the Animus HR-8