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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. This is a work of fiction.

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"Bis?" he grumbled, as I stumbled to my feet. "You know, Rus. My lips are pretty much reserved and not for you."

"Sorry. Okay?" I said hurriedly.

"And what about Bis?" he replied pointedly.

"For the love of," I started, stretching my sore joints. "Bis, get over it."

"My name is Anubis," he stated. "I like being called Anubis. I thought I broke you of Bis."

"God damn, you are infuriating," I answered heatedly. "There are things more important than your nickname."

"Bis is not a nickname, Rus."

Oh how I hate being called Rus. "Bis, I have been through too much to relearn what to call you."

He started to retort, but one glance was enough to turn things serious. "What has happened?" he asked. "Is Set okay?"

I shook my head. "No. Osiris is free, by my hand, and he has Set."

"What do you mean by your hand?" he question cautiously.

Telling him was a horrible experience. It was not his calm reaction when I mentioned my darkness, nor was it his comforting gaze at my short imprisonment. Our relationship has always been sided more towards me dealing with his issues, while I let things stay buried. This is the first time we have met since I told him I hated him. I wanted to be rid of my anger towards him, and I am, but there is so much more than anger between us. I can feel his resentment at not being told about my relationship with Set. I can sense the doubts he has had about me. So much has changed: Set and him speaking again, our memories, trying to figure out how Jaller fits within our quadrumvirate.

I was a fool to lock myself away.

"So my father has been imprisoned," he said, after I finished. "Osiris is doing god-knows-what to Set, you are trying to kill me, and you were compelled to kiss me."

I was caught off guard by his addition. "I was not compelled."

He raised his eyebrow, but did not push yet. "So do you think your clone is gone?"

I shrugged. "I do not know. Without my powers, he should not be able to heal."

"But until it's gone, you cannot use your powers," he stressed.

"I know, and relying on Set's is dangerous. But I think he has a time limit." Anubis gave me a quizzical look. "Based on the battle, the longer he exists the less he can maintain his form. My guess is within the next day, he will disperse."

"Are you willing to risk Set on that guess?" He was impassive, putting the choice on me.

I looked at him, answering the unvoiced question. "I would rather not spent a week searching for a ghost. If he is alive tomorrow, I will know when I unblock my powers."

"So how are we supposed to find Osiris?"

"I am working on it, Bis," I replied. "For now, let's go to the manor. I need to look something up."

The walk was slow and painful. My body was still sore, and I made sure to just sap a small stream from Set to heal my wounds. Bis stayed close to me, ensuring that I did not trip in my state.

"Why did you kiss me?" he asked after the halfway mark.

I turned away, hiding the blush of embarrassment. "Because, I had, or have a crush on you," I said, after a while. When he remained silent, I just let go to my best friend, trusting in his compassion. "Unnaturally unblocking all that anger has just amplified my confusion. I was happy with Set. He completed me, even though I tried to hide him. I was so in love with him. Then Ra intervened.

"I hated your relationship with him. I knew something was off, but I couldn't figure it out. I blamed Set, because he left me, and I knew it somehow. Ra stripped away too much. He took away our friendship. ...At least from me. Set...I don't know. Ra left me with you, my best friend. It's no wonder I fell for you. But of course, you were starting things with Set, and I was an idiot."

It was weird being this open about my feelings, but at the same time, it was quite freeing, especially now that there was nothing to hide.

"Osiris is such a bastard. And I'm not saying Ra isn't either." I glanced at Bis, but he did not react to the comment. "Ever since he and Mom started planning my future. The things they drilled into me. And when Mom left me for you, I was trapped with him, learning what to hate, what to love, what to control. I was the one who was supposed to replace Ra. To take everything from him, and leave an empty shell to keep us alive. You, son of Ra were supposed to gain me control of The Eye and be enslaved to my lineage."

I felt his gaze on me. It was never necessary to explain to him, or anyone. Not even Set knows my shame.

"I hated you for stealing my mother," I continued, "and leaving me with the man that killed my father. At age ten, I decided you were my enemy." He stopped, and I was forced to turn to him. I could not look at his face, as I bared the truth. "When the rumors started about you and Jaller, I thought I could finally escape the masquerade and kill you for being...homosexual." There was another excuse, but that one would just hurt. "Of course, I was told I had to wait until Ra restored magic to the world.

"And I found I quite enjoyed being the Ambassador of Tem. Osiris couldn't control me, and I was free to think and learn for myself. I started questioning everything I was taught, and I found answers on my own that Osiris would have beaten out of me if he knew. I learned of my mother's plan and why you couldn't possibly be to blame for her leaving. When I learned Jaller was to be my apprentice, I was excited to meet you, not out of some curiosity, but as a...brother."

I looked up and saw him smiling to himself at being called my brother. It has been said before, but never with weight, not even in my own mind.

"Then The Fall happened, and I rescued Set. The months of friendship afterwards were always tinged with something else. I had never been in love before, and I was too naïve. Then Osiris found me, found us. He disowned me on the spot, said I was consorting with the enemy, and that my duty to _his_family was to have killed Set...or at least, to have alerted them...so they could kill my boyfriend.

"He never talked about his family. I never talked about my family. We didn't even know, yet we cared for each other. We loved each other. Osiris is not my family, therefore Set is not my uncle."

I expected a comment from him, but he remained silent.

"Isis convinced Osiris to give me another chance, but I never stopped seeing Set. You and Jaller were the reason she could...forgive me. I know she protected us, Bis. But she always saw Set as an obstacle to her dreams for me. She could never see how important he was, and Osiris just wanted him dead.

"He saved me. He saved me from the life I was supposed to have. Even after Ra, I was able to gain back something of what we had. We just connected, and that has never gone away. I know we're messed up, but I need him. I can't clean up this mess I've made alone, Bis. I just don't know how."

He walked up to me and hugged me. "How about you call me An?"

"I like Bis," I chuckled, before I noticed my eyes had started to water.

He sighed. "That's what Jaller said."

"I'm scared, Bis." I stared upwards into the sky, feeling the sun on my face. "I really am."

He kept his arm on my shoulder, as we started walking again. "Everything will turn out just fine. You'll see. We'll put Pandora back in his box, free your damsel, and make sure Set never knows I called him that."

I glanced at him. "That's not how that story goes."

He threw up his hands. "Like it matters. She's only like my..." he paused, doing the math on his fingers, "...my grandniece? ...Great-grandniece?"

"I didn't think she was related to Ra," I said, confused.

"Isn't she related to Zeus or something?" he asked equally confused. "If I'm Cronus' uncle, I have to somehow be related to her."

"I think she is just a girl," I said. "Who happened to control all hope in a sector of the galaxy for a while? Maybe?"

"That's the problem with the Greeks," he answered, giving up on the question. "No style."

"Are you planning on starting a war with them?" the diplomat in me was forced to ask. "Because we have enough problems right now."

We both laughed, the distraction serving its purpose.

I heard Set's phone ring from the sub-space pocket it landed in, but at the same time, Bis pulled me to a stop. I looked at him, but he stared at the patio.

"What?" I asked, not seeing anything, but maybe a flash of blue from one of Bis' shields.

He made no effort to answer, but continued walking with an increased pace.

I hurried to follow, and soon found the cause of his distress.

Osiris was leaning against one of the columns that supported the overhead veranda. As we approached, he walked out to us.

"Hello, boys," he said with charm, as he stopped in front of us. "You've made quite the spectacle of yourself in recent weeks, haven't you, Anubis?" He reached out to shake Bis' hand, but the jackal just raised his hackles. "That incident when the gods arrived, the battle with Cronus, and your rather public separation with your former wife. You have become quite popular." Osiris kept his words complimentary and his tone cheerful, but his look told the real story.

"That marriage was found null and void," Bis countered.

"Oh, yes," my stepfather continued without pause, "because you demanded the world see you as diseased and infertile." Osiris sighed, but kept his fake smile. "Not only did you make your condition known to everyone, you also had to garner such sympathy." He chuckled lightly. "However, the problem with catching the public eye is that you made yourself an obstacle. You see, I need the public in a certain mindset. I need them to hate you in fact. But you are the underdog, and they can't help but love you, so you need to disappear. If not by choice, then by...well, you know."

Anubis brought his hand up, clenching his fist in show, as thick armor plates grew from his hand and down his body, bathing him in a pale blue light, as his armor formed. "Don't lie to me, Osiris. You've tried many times to kill me behind Isis' back."

"Well," Osiris shrugged. "You are responsible for the genocide that led to my parents' death. Besides, it wasn't that often."

"You tried to kill, Set," Bis stated.

"So?" Osiris answered. "Does that excuse your actions?"

"I had no intent." Bis shifted into his stance, ready to react to Osiris' move.

However, Osiris made no attempt to visibly ready an attack, but instead continued to taunt. "I am your judge, and I found you guilty a long time ago. Now, I have two perfect reasons to finally end you."

"And they are?" I interrupted, drawing my swords.

"Because, my son," Osiris said to anger me. "Set can only die by his own doing." He turned back to Bis. "So, Anubis. Will you exile yourself to the desert, or must I take away Set's prize?"

"I'm not going anywhere," the jackal retorted.

Osiris moved his legs together, taking an almost meditative stance. "One last offer: your...love for your neutrality?"

Anubis' face flashed confusion, until we both realize what Osiris meant.

"You leave Jaller out of this," he roared.

"No."

We both lunged at him, but he jumped away.

"Sword and shield," he stated. "You lack the skills to even challenge me. Horus, you are a disgrace. You studied peace and can only defend with words. You did not listen and have become the weakest of our family. Anubis, protector and nothing more. You are both incomplete. Come at me. Show me your bite."

Anubis moved in quickly, but Osiris kept moving, never letting the jackal get close enough to strike with a physical blow. When I tried to corner my stepfather between us, he darted away.

"Close-quarters only?" he taunted, before pulling out his crook. "Very well." He moved with the speed of a god without limit and was on me in an instant.

His staff caught both my blades, as I struck. He parried blow after blow, never giving me an opening. Even as Anubis moved in from behind, he just dodged and aimed Anubis' attack straight at me.

"You were never trained as a team either," he teased us, as Anubis' fist collided with my swords, requiring me to tap into Set's energies just to protect myself.

Anubis turned quickly, but his punch was dodged, as Osiris caught the jackal's arm in his crook. The green man twisted his weapon, causing Anubis to yell, as his arm was trapped. Osiris shorten his staff, reeling the jackal in.

I rushed Osiris from behind, using the opening he gave, but he turned and pulled Anubis in front of me.

"Tsk. Tsk. Not much of a strategy, my son," he said, before twisting Anubis' arm free and pushing him at me.

"Bis," I whispered, as the jackal laid on me, "stop attacking. You are better at defense."

"He's toying with us," Anubis retorted, as he stood up. "Without your powers, you have no defense. I cannot wait for him to strike and protect you."

"Then don't," I countered, showing my frustration at his concern, as I got up.

"No," he responded firmly, and before I could react, he used his shields to trap me.

I pounded on the energy field. "Bis! What are you doing?"

"You're still my best friend," he said, before turning his attention back to my stepfather.

I pulled energy from Set, drawing it into my hand. Bis did not give me enough room to draw my saber, but I still had a blade. I pulled the dagger from subspace and charged it with Set's energy. It glowed a deep maroon just before I stabbed it into the barrier. But it failed, as the maroon was absorbed by the shield, turning the blue a slight pink.

Osiris smiled, as Anubis took his stance before him, his armor now half of what it was. "Yes, let's just table him for a while."

Bis waited, letting Osiris make his move, playing to his strengths.

Of course, Osiris has much more to work with. As such, his first strike was a ranged attack, using his crook to launch an energy ball at Bis, which Bis caught and threw back at him. Osiris parried and launched three more. Bis caught one and deflected another, but the remaining one hit his shoulder, cracking the energy pauldron.

"Here we are. Two Gods of Death, facing each other in a noble duel," Osiris cooed.

"There's nothing noble about you," Bis retorted.

"Come now, dear Anubis," Osiris replied, acting hurt. "I am practically a second father to you. You should be more respectful."

Bis shook his head with annoyance. "Claiming some weird paternity and trying to kill me are contradictory."

"I'm not going to kill you here. Set is destined to deliver the final blow. I merely came for your Breath." Osiris extended and retracted his staff in a series of blows aimed at Bis' chest.

The Breath of Life allows Bis to guide an individual soul through the Cycles of Life. Its purpose was to give him the ability to direct lost and trapped souls to this plane. It also provides a limited form of resurrection capabilities. When Osiris claimed authority over life and death, it was one of the few things he did not take. I guess he wants it now.

Bis jumped back before Osiris landed a hit, but the retreat gave Osiris momentum, which he used to push the jackal back. Bis started pulling off plates of his armor and throwing the pieces as shurikens.

Osiris whirled his staff around, catching every star that Bis launched.

"Bis!" I shouted. "Reabsorb this construct."

He ignored me, even as his armor disappeared. He then switched to a lightweight field that surrounded him. If he could keep his distance, he would have time to regenerate his energies.

Unfortunately, he chose offense. He rushed Osiris.

They traded blow after blow. Bis punched and kicked, while Osiris used his crook to block and strike. As Bis started infusing his hits, so did my stepfather. They were going at it, head-to-head and toe-to-toe and gaining speed as they did. The flashes of red and blue soon became a constant white light. Neither could find an opening.

I was forced to watch, as Bis' field slowly disappeared. All of his energy was being tasked with protecting his arms and hands. I felt utterly helpless, unable to even struggle without risking making things worse.

Then it happened. His shield broke. He jumped back. Osiris followed, swung, and when Bis dodged, Osiris twisted his crook and caught Bis by his neck. Osiris pulled Bis to the ground and held him there, shrinking the shaft, as he knelt down.

"This is the disgusting part," Osiris muttered, before lowering his mouth over Bis'.

Bis choked and started coughing, as the crook held him in place.

The shield around me dropped. But I had only three steps, before I collapsed, as I felt my powers being drained. I clawed at the ground, but I was unable to move, as I stared at my stepfather, as he leaned over my best friend, and the son of his enemy.

Osiris glanced at me. "I see Set is following his orders."

I grunted in pain, as he turned back to Bis.

"Now tell me," he said. "How did you know? I am the ultimate disguise. No one sees the truth."

Anubis turned his head to the side, refusing to acknowledge Osiris.

Osiris tightened the hook around his neck. "I have never tried to fool your father. It just wouldn't be right. But you can see pass the body, can't you?"

Anubis glared one eye at him.

"That's it, isn't it?" Osiris whispered to himself. He brought his hand to the side of Anubis' head, turning Bis' gaze to him. "The eyes of a guardian mixed with the blood of Ra. You are immune to my ability. But what else can you see?"

I could sense the bloodlust rising, but I could do nothing more than dig into the ground.

"Why should such a gift be left to something like you? Such a waste."

I saw Osiris place his hand over Anubis' face, but I had to look away from the blinding red light, as Anubis spluttered in pain.

When my vision return, I found my stepfather staring down at me with gold eyes. I drew in a pained breath.

"The ability to see the soul," he said to me. "Did you know that faggots share similar colors? I wonder if Set will be the same, or if blood traitors have a different color?"

The drain on my powers was subsiding, and I could feel my strength starting to return.

"How...could..." My breathing was still hard.

Osiris finally turned away, so I was no longer forced to look at my friend's eyes. "He's still alive? Horus, you are relentless. Come!" He shouted the command and disappeared.

I struggled to my feet, as I crawled to Bis. Collapsing beside him, he was still. I cradled his head in my arms, and he stirred. His eyes blinked open, showing milky pupils and platinum gray irises.

"Jaller?" he asked weakly.

"No," I said, not sure what to say or do.

He swallowed. "Please, tell me I'm at home, and it's just pitch black, because the lights are out."

I tried to respond, but everything just died in my throat.

"I'm blind?"

"Yes."

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Author's Note: This chapter evolved quite a bit from my thoughts. My original idea was for it to be lighthearted, and a break from Set's struggles. Instead, plot and more depth into Horus, which was necessary, and keeps things moving, though hopefully, there is still some humor between Anubis and Horus left.

The only annoying thing is, by mentioning Horus' father I have to finish that thread, which means I have to figure out Isis, so that thread will take some time before it is resolved.

Thank you for reading this chapter. I hope you have enjoyed it. While you are here, please rate, favorite, and comment. Your feedback is appreciated.