---
So he decided. One drop for summon. Two drops for consumption — one for him, one for Bat Bat. He did not want to share.
But he knew Bat Bat's growth mattered. Bat Bat was not just a minion. Bat Bat was his first companion. His scout. His battle partner.
And, annoyingly, his tiny moral anchor in a world that kept pushing him toward monstrosity.
Sekhmet opened the vial carefully.
Pop!
The dried blood flakes were delicate. He used a thin thread of blood control to lift one drop and place it into a summoning bowl.
Then he lifted the second drop. He placed it on the tip of his finger. He stared at it.
It looked like nothing. A dried speck. And yet it carried the weight of a god's life.
Sekhmet swallowed. He brought his finger to his mouth. He tasted it.
The moment it touched his tongue, Sekhmet froze. The taste was not metallic like normal blood. It was… bright.
Warm.
