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Disclaimer: The following will contain homosexual individuals and relationships and will involve interpretations of deities from various religions. No offense is intended. This is copyrighted to me (mewjen(at)ymail.com), so no using it without my permission and no stealing it (any profits must be shared). This is a work of fiction.

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Two weeks after Cronus' attack on Ra & Anubis (some eternities later)...

From the moment Set and I walked through that portal, nothing has followed my plans or hopes. Upon Ra's unlocking of our memories, I hoped to be able to return to something similar to what we had. I did not want things to be exactly like back then. I am never going to hide who I am ever again. However, I wanted the feelings I had.

It is not Set's fault that we are at two very different points. He fell for Anubis. It is not Anubis' fault he stole my boyfriend. Neither of them knew any better. Yet I am beyond jealous of them both...and angry and pissed because of it. It isn't right that Anubis is happy. I am sick of hearing about him from Set. I am sick of knowing that they are more connected to each other than I am to Set. I am sick of Set pushing me away, because he isn't ready to even talk. How am I supposed to get rid of this hatred, if I'm not allowed to move on with the man I love.

I have spent most of the past two weeks roaming Set's west wing, while he stays in the east. We see each other a few times a day, mostly for meals, but we are apart even then. We know each other too well. We can see the hurt we are causing. Set knows I am blaming him, despite fighting that emotion, and I know he is afraid. The damage Anubis caused him is intolerable. Left emotionally scarred and physically weaken by Cronus' attack and subsequent draining of his powers, Set is struggling. What was simple for him is now impossible. He is defenseless, and his wit and charm are buried in his depression.

He needs me strong. And I need this rage gone. I will not take vengeance on the innocent. I will not hate the people I love. I will push forward and become what I wish to be. I will love Set with all my heart. And I will be Anubis' best friend and Jaller's too. I will not let my inner demons control me, not after all this time spent getting them under control. I will remain in control.

......Even if I have to cheat....

It took me five days to find it buried in my archives. I had to be careful in transferring them from my chateau. If Anubis found out, I knew he would try to stop me. He would stay with me until I stopped blaming Set, protecting us both. But the cost would be my eternal hatred of him. With the book in my hand, I would not have to give him up.

I had forgotten how beautiful it was. Hand-bound in leather, with elegant gold leaf covering its thick woven pages. It was the last gift my stepfather ever gave me, before I found out the truth and buried everything of his. At least now, it would be put to good use and not whatever he had planned. I turned the pages slowly, scanning each spell, searching for my cure.

Osiris once told me my anger could be a tool if mastered. He meant a tool for his ends, but still he gave me a way to free myself should the tool become too great. I just had to find it, and hope I avoided tearing it out. Three quarters of the way in, I found it. Its name was in a language I had forgotten how to read, but I knew it was what I was searching for, the ability to end one's anger.

I mouthed the words, as I struggled to read through it. I had not spoken my ancient tongue in ages, and common had no equivalent structures. It took another day to find the reference materials and another to relearn how to speak it.

Three weeks and I finally held it in my hand. Setting the page ablaze, I began. With a voice deep with intent, I declared my desires:

_ _

jIHvaD tugh tlhab 'e' QeH vItu' 'oQqar vItu' chu' yInISQo'

Free me of this anger I feel. Let new find root.

jIHvaD tugh tlhab 'e' be'joy' 'oH yIteq yIchev vo' lom.

Free me of this anguish. Cast it out.

latlh yIHot 'oH vIleghjaj chenmoH tlhab 'ej ngI' pep yInISQo'

Let me feel it no more. Let form free and lift this weight.

tlha'wI' Hu'DI' loD mu'qaD, 'ej jul

Take the curse, and the sun's rise follow.

Sup fox Doq 'ej wovbe' boqta' Ha'DIbaH buD.

Through five verses I chanted, with every word costing me dearly, until I could stand no more, collapsing with the final stanza. I lay there, as the world became a blurry haze. Shadows twisting in front of me. Sounds swirling around me. Feelings deafening. Until all was black.

I woke up screaming in pain, as I felt my left wing being forced back into its socket. I felt arms holding me down, as I struggled to turn over. The light of the room overpowered my vision, and the sounds of many voices and things were too much to be comprehensible. I stopped fighting, and the force they used lessened, but still they held me down.

I do not know for how long I was forced to stay in that position. But the ER ward was in focus before I was allowed to sit upright. Then a doctor lectured me for what felt like hours, before the curtain was closed, and I was allowed to dress myself, my previous shirt having been ruined by them, even my pants were torn.

I was bend over picking up the destroyed garments, when I heard a voice from behind me.

"My, what a view."

I turned and saw Set's eyes following my rear.

"Where the hell have you been?" I practically shouted, more in excitement than anything else.

"They wanted to run some tests," he huffed. It was then I noticed the cane he was leaning on.

I rushed over to him, but he held out his hand, and I stopped with his fingers pushing against my chest.

"Don't exert yourself. You'll break that wing this time," he said, before sighing. "Do you know how worried I was, when I found you? What were you doing?"

"Fixing things," I replied.

"Fixing?" He stared at me, dumbfounded. "What?"

"This," I said, before pulling his lips to mine.

It was brief, but powerful. I could feel everything in that moment. No more jealousy to get in the way, just my love and affection for him. I pulled back smiling.

Set remained frozen, before he slowly pulled back. "What was that for?"

"I am in love with you. Do I need a better reason?" I retorted.

He stared at me confused. "After three weeks...? Yes," he stated.

I flushed in embarrassment. "I was a fool. Too caught up in blaming Anubis...and you. I need to follow my heart."

"Horus, you need to give yourself time. An understands. I understand. You suffered the most-"

I interrupted him before he could go any further. "I do not need any more time. I accept what happened, and I am ready to help you. Now what about your tests?"

The look of disbelieve was evident in his features, so I pushed again, "Set? Your tests? Any conclusions that you need to share?"

His eyes narrowed, as he scanned my face, before relenting. "Cronus' swallowing of my powers has damage my receptor network."

"What?" I spoke aloud. "I thought Ra healed you-"

"Ra did what he could," Set said firmly. "I am physically fine. But the sudden and repeated drains caused most of my receptors to close, with a fair chance of that damage being permanent." Set saw that I was about to interrupt and put up his hand. "The problem is the ones that won't shut. My body's pouring out energy...faster than I can produce or consume."

He paused, and I just stared at him, as he found the chair next to the bed.

"That's why I've been so tired," he continued. "There's a chance they could heal themselves over time."

"Do you have that time?" I asked softly, scared of the answer.

"Probably not." He shook his head.

I walked over to the bed and sat down. "What if we got Ra to try and separate your powers again?"

"If Ra could not separate them from Cronus then, he will not be able to now," he stated warily, before taking a deep breath.

"What if he wasn't trying?" I pleaded. "What if-?"

"Stop," he interjected. "Let me finish," and I fell silent. "I've already contacted Anubis. He isn't coming," he stressed, though it was unnecessary, "but he is sending the ring. Binding my powers is the only way to stop the drain."

I sat there for a long while. "That ring? He only got it in case Jaller wanted him to bind his own powers. We don't know what it'll do if...."

"I don't have a choice," he stated.

"You could lose your powers forever," I emphasized. "We can find another way."

"I don't want my powers!" Set stared at his hands, before facing me. "Horus, I don't want to be chaos anymore. This is my choice."

"You are giving up what makes you, you," I countered.

"No. I'm giving up the worst of myself," he returned.

"You will be defenseless," I beseeched.

"I'll have you."

"You always made fun of my sabers."

"Now you can prove me wrong."

"Please, don't make me," I begged him.

"You're the only one I trust," he returned, and when I replied with a doubtful glare, he added, "I want you to be the one."

The original ring used by Isis to bind Ra's power, while she stab the dagger into his back. The ring that caused a civil war. If the ring is willingly worn, the curse can only be lifted by the one who placed it on the finger. Ra placed it on himself and removed it without any known side effects. With Set's receptors damaged, he cannot use it himself to seal his network. Thus, he is begging me to take his powers from him, to amputate them, to harm him.

"Please," I whimpered, before he took the ring from his pocket and placed it in my hand.

"We should do it here," he whispered, "Just in case."

I stared at the ring, before clamping my fist around it, wanting to throw it away and make it disappear, but knowing I could not.

"Think of it as an early engagement ring," Set offered.

"No," I said with venom, before sliding down to the floor, kneeling before him, my legs weak. "That moment will be special, not tainted by this."

"You're not hurting me," he said with care.

"Yes, I am." I took his left hand, slid it across his middle finger, and waited for it to all go wrong.

Nothing happened. I blinked. Still nothing happened. I stood up, and placing my hands on the back of Set's chair, I scanned his face for any sign of something happening.

Set stared back. "You know, as much as I love having my former boyfriend this close to me. It is a little off putting."

I waited. Then suddenly I felt a rush of something coursing through my body, and I collapsed.

I stayed conscious this time, but it was one of the strangest feelings I had ever felt. It was like an adrenaline rush, but massively more potent and aimed straight at the heart of my powers. I could feel it overwhelming my control. I pushed myself off Set and overbalanced, causing me to fall backwards, to be thankfully caught by someone else.

"Easy does it," I heard my own voice speak from behind me.

I quickly stood up and turned around to find three copies of myself staring back at me.

"What the hell?" I asked aloud, knowing I did not have the ability to create clones.

"Not now!" the clone that had caught me said. "You need to stop draining his powers now, before you kill him."

I turned around and found Set unconscious and pale.

"Push your power into him," one of the clones said.

"But how?" I asked, panicked.

"Complicated. But-you-know-what's-goin'-on-you-just-don't-have-time-to-think-about-it," a cloned answered hastily.

I tried to focus, but I could not. I was so afraid of losing Set that it was consuming me. I felt a hand on my shoulder, and it was like having a second mind helping me to control the flow of my powers. I was able to force everything I took and more back into his body, until he gasped and jumped to his feet.

And there we stood, trying to calm our beating hearts, staring at each other, revealing our confusion, ignoring everything around us, even the nurse that came in to check on us.

"So you have my abilities?" Set asked, glancing behind me.

I joined his gaze and found one clone remaining. "Hi," it said nervously.

"How do I make you go away?" I asked.

It shrugged.

Set moved around me and approached my copy. He flicked its beak, and it popped out of existence. "At least you do not have my skill," he said.

"How are you feeling?" I asked, trying to find my mental balance.

"Fine, I guess," he answered, circling around the point where my clone had vanished. "I can see why Isis created this ring. The ability to steal Ra's power. I'm glad your mother is locked up."

"One salad and you have never trusted her since," I complained lightheartedly.

"No one should do that to lettuce."

"At least it was not what history records it as."

"I've never minded the taste of your semen."

I chuckled, and so did he. It was nice to again understand why certain myths about us had sexual overtures.

"So how do you actually feel?" I asked, more focused this time.

"I really don't like the idea of you having my powers." He answered more to himself than to me. "I was hoping they would be gone, not a danger to you. I guess I'm cursed to remain cursed."

My gaze darkened at his statement. "You were going to prevent me from returning your powers?" I asked, hurt.

"I would have," he replied honestly.

I turned from him, feeling betrayed.

"Maybe now you will understand what it is like to live for chaos. Loki, Coyote, Tricksters of Chaos, we aren't evil, but we feel like it. You weren't conscious. You have no idea of the way Cronus made me feel."

I was conscious by that point. I saw his lust for the chaos Cronus wanted. I may not have seen his face, as he fought that lust, but I heard his words and saw Anubis reactions. I am a god of war, who hates war. I know what he feels, but I can't tell him, not without hurting him. Maybe a lie will be enough, after he has had the time to heal.

"So in terms of health?" I asked.

He jumped at the change of subject. "I feel better than I have in weeks. I think you may have overdone it."

"Well, maybe now we can go out as a couple, and grab dinner or something?" I offered, as I cleared the room, probably leaving it cleaner than when I arrived.

"Or maybe you can explain this shift in your personality," he countered.

"I am ready. Can that not be enough?" I took his hand. "Can we leave here at least?"

He nodded, though I could tell this would not be the end of it.

It took an hour to go through the process of checking out, and so it was just after sundown when we exited the hospital. The sky was full of shades of orange becoming the black of night. We crossed the street, and I turned us down an empty alley, so our disappearance would be less intrusive. But someone step out of the shadows in front of us, before I could open a portal.

As the figure drew closer, I saw detail after detail rise from its shadowed body, until I realized I was looking at another copy of myself, except this one was made in shades of gray and charcoal black.

"It's good to see you awake," it said. "Now which one do you want dead? You weren't very specific."

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Author's Note: I didn't originally plan on moving things this fast. This plot was supposed to start in the next chapter, but I just could not write anything that was introductory and not completely an internal monologue, which Horus' intro did enough of that. Cheers to anyone who recognize the language. Google/Bing Translate did not have ancient Egyptian and I cannot guarantee that a hieroglyphic typeset would display, so I chose the one that use ASCII and did not did not have recognizable characteristic. So for the record I do not speak Klingon, and yes, the translation is horrible.

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