Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh isn't mine. If it was, I'd be as rich as Seto Kaiba himself. (Well, probably not, but you get the idea…) And this fic is beta-read by Pamster. Thanks a lot to her for checking it and her advice.

Author's Note: This chapter has an unedited version, so if you want it, I'll send it to your email and send it automatically to those who have requested them before. The God Set is portrayed as a square-eared unidentified animal, his ears similar to a donkey. This info is important for a scene this chapter.

Summary: Set finds out the truth that Akunadin is his father, but he's not happy about it. Things flare up, leading to tragic consequences.

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Chapter 39: In The Name Of The Father

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Staring vacantly at Akunadin, who had just confessed his shameful secret, Set found himself paralysed in shock. After what he had just learnt, the young man did not know what to believe at this moment. All he could do was stare at his mentor in disbelief.

"Set…"

Hearing the old man's voice roused the brunette from his thoughts.

"Lord Akunadin, is this true?" Set gazed back at the old priest whilst supporting Sobek, still holding his son against his chest. "Am I… your son?"

"It is the truth, my son."

Set held Sobek closer and thoughtfully kissed the top of his son's small head. Akunadin was telling the truth; he could feel it in his heart. But how could it be possible? He had been alone for seven years ever since he had lost his mother. His father had died in battle when he was just five years old. No, this simply could not be possible!

Set breathed deeply, attempting to calm his frantic heart. Akunadin could not be his father!

"I am, and you know I am. You can feel it inside, can't you, Set?" The man in question paled as a hand was offered to him. "Come with me, son. Please, try to see reason. You must do the right thing; you have royal family blood flowing in your body. Don't turn away; it's your destiny to rule Kemet and for Sobek to follow after you as Per A'a."

Still shocked, Set's eyes widened.

"Lord Akunadin is my father," he whispered aloud. But then another thought entered his mind. "It all makes sense to me now. Why you've pushed me so hard all these years, grooming me to take the throne because you could not. You wanted to live your life through me, your son."

Set looked down at the floor, feeling sad and betrayed. Who was he supposed to follow now that everything he had built his beliefs on was based on a terrible lie?

"Set, don't you feel that it was Destiny that returned you to me?" Akunadin asked.

Set ignored Akunadin and continued to think. Because his father had died in the battlefield, he had become a priest in order to carry on his father's work and protect the country and its ruler. All he had learnt, he had learnt from Akunadin. For all those years, the old priest had let him think he was dead and yet there he had been, teaching him whilst deceiving him at the same time. But Set had never expected it was because he was Akunadin's son.

Why did he keep it from me? And why mother? He lied to the both of us! How could he do such a thing? Set thought angrily.

The young man's eyes narrowed in anger at his betrayer. Not only had his wastrel of a father left him, he had left his mother heartbroken. Then he had dared to consol him upon her death. She had died because of him! His mother had been the only person Set had left, and he found it heartbreaking that the last man he would have suspected had caused her demise.

"It's your fault!" Set growled angrily, shifting Sobek to his other arm. "Mother wouldn't have died if it wasn't for you!"

"I know, and for that I'm sorry. But all those things I did for you; making sure you would succeed, saving you from Atemu's wrath, don't they mean a thing?" Akunadin looked sad, but Set did not care. His mother was dead! Nothing he said or did could make up for this horrific abuse of his trust or the painful loss of his mother.

The Hem Ntjr growled and protectively moved his son away as Akunadin reached imploringly for the boy.

"I only wanted to be a part of your life; both your lives."

"Liar! I owe you nothing, old man!" Set snapped. "You left my mother and me and hence any right to ever be part of my family. I shall not allow you to interfere with my child's innocence. It's bad enough your disregard for her feelings killed my mother!"

Set stepped to the side and held his son close, keeping him shielded from his so-called father. If this were the truth, his mother's death had been for nothing. And that was just more than Set could bear to think about at the moment.

"Do you really think that Atemu will let your son live? Do you honestly think that he no longer sees you as a threat?" Akunadin replied. "He condemned you to death, Set! Have you forgotten that he spoke of killing your family just as you killed those foreigners?"

"Don't take me for a fool!" Set snapped. "He has no stomach to harm innocent women and children."

Set glared at the one who had left him all those years ago and saw that he looked regretful and hurt by his rejection. So what? It was as good as Akunadin deserved. Let him feel hurt and abandoned, just like he and his mother had felt. Even if the old man turned angry, he did not care.

"I meant what I said, son. You are destined for greatness; you weren't called Set for no reason – " Akunadin said, only to be interrupted.

"Get out. You had this planned all along; I will not become your tool." Set held Sobek even closer; his eyes were burning with fury as he dangerously lowered his voice. "Get out of my house."

Akunadin defied his son, remaining perfectly still.

"You cannot escape your destiny, Set."

"Yes I can; now get out!" Set screamed.

Akunadin's face fell as Set continued to glare hatefully at his father, eventually being granted his wish when Akunadin sighed and turned around. Even though the old man was his father, did he really want to know a man who had sacrificed his and his mother's happiness so long ago? Set was not so sure he did. Yet now he had to give him up, his father, who he thought had died fifteen years ago. But now he was here, alive and well.

It was all too much for Set to take.

"I'll be back. Soon you'll realise how foolish you have been and that you still need me, Set."

Set was left holding his son as Akunadin then disappeared. If this was for the best, then why did his heart ache so badly?

The young man looked down at the floor, trying to imagine what could have possibly been so important to Akunadin that he had left his mother and himself when they had needed him the most. He vowed to never allow anything to tear his family apart; there was nothing more important to him then his lotus and their child. As the Hem Ntjr returned to his room, he promised himself that he would not follow in his father's footsteps, no matter the cost.

-o-

Neith rose dozily from the bed she had been sleeping in, Sobek's cries waking her up yet again as she proceeded to move across to check on him in his cot. Set was for some reason absent from the bed; his side of it was still cold. Neith picked her son up from the cot and held him close, patting his back and wondering what was wrong. Sobek had only been fed an hour ago, whilst she had only been asleep for half an hour and was beginning to feel exhausted.

The young woman had taken to having Sobek sleep in their bedroom, even though Set had preferred to have their son sleep in a different room. She had just wanted him to have her child close to her but was beginning to think that her husband was right.

Speaking of which, what's that noise? Neith questioned.

Cocking her head, the brunette could hear a quiet sobbing. It worried Neith, so she stopped patting Sobek, laid him back down and tried to ignore her son's wailing. She then stepped outside onto the balcony and froze as she looked down to her left and saw that Set was crying to himself, his brown hair being ruffled by the slight breeze. Sitting down next to Set, Neith saw the telltale silvery path of tears on her husband's face.

"Please, just go back inside. See to Sobek and leave me alone. I need some time to think," Set muttered quietly, still sobbing.

Neith lovingly wrapped an arm around Set's shoulders, feeling concerned. Never before had she seen him such a state. Something must truly have rattled him to make him like this.

"Set, I've never seen you upset like this before. What's happened?" she enquired.

"I'd rather not say."

Thinking about what could have happened, Neith felt Set cling to her and press his head into the crook of her shoulder, his entire body still shaking. The young woman gingerly used her other hand to stroke Set's hair, unsure of how to act as he cried into her chest. Would he realise how he was acting and suddenly turn cold, or would he be here for the rest of the night? Neith did not like to see Set like this; it frightened her.

Suddenly, a thought occurred to Neith and she kissed the top of her husband's head.

"It's not Akunadin, is it? Is he the reason you're feeling like this?" she asked.

Neith took Set's silence to be an unspoken agreement, especially when he burst into a new flood of tears. Neith had, by her estimation, hit it right on the mark. Just what had happened between the two? They had always been so close. Set had always looked up to the old priest, who had seen Set as his favourite student. Perhaps it was something to do with Akunadin's recent behaviour; the old priest had seemed uncanny lately.

"Well, you don't have to worry because he's leaving in the morning. He'll be gone soon, and he probably won't come back." Neith spoke with a soft tone, stroking Set's hair, crossly thinking about the old priest who had worked her husband up to such a state.

Set clutched closer to his wife, a sad tone in his voice.

"You have no idea, Neith. He told me he was my father," he murmured. "All those years alone, and he was lying to me the whole time."

"Oh Set."

Neith held Set closer with both arms as he cried, her hand resting gently on the top of his head. Now she understood why the old priest had taken such a keen interest in seeing their child.

-o-

Meanwhile that night, Akunadin made his way out of the city, and as he set up camp on its outskirts he felt no desire to return to the capital. Rolling out a plain blanket, the old man sighed, feeling miserable, disappointed that his son had not reacted as well as he had wished.

Akunadin then lay himself down on the blanket and looked up at the stars, his arms folded behind his head.

It had not gone as he had hoped, but the old priest understood that his son had to be feeling hurt. He would have felt the same way, had his own father put him through what he had done to Set. Perhaps Set could not accept him now, but Akunadin felt he would do so in the future. Family bonds were stronger than anything else, even the bond one felt to the Per A'a, who Set despised anyway.

"Speaking of which, there's one more obstacle to be removed from my son's path." Akunadin smiled and stroked his beard. "But then, dealing with her cannot be too difficult."

The old man sighed, pulling the blanket around himself and up over his chin as a fire crackled nearby.

With the arrival of his son it was no surprise he and Neith didn't wake when I snuck in to acquire the Sennen Rod and Anhk from where Set hid them in his bedroom. Akunadin then snorted to himself. It's no surprise to me he was able to take Shadah's Sennen Ankh. That fool has always been weak, cowering behind the Per A'a's cape like a frightened child.

Akunadin then sighed.

Surely Set will realise what I did and perhaps finally see reason. Soon he will have no choice but to return to Kemet to reclaim his Sennen Rod, and that will force Atemu's hand as well as his own.

It may not be appreciated now, but in the long run Akunadin knew Set would come to accept him. His son found it difficult no doubt, but he knew Set had the kind of mind that would eventually come to terms with solid, hard fact. He longed for the day his son would accept him, but it was also his duty to do the best by him, and that meant making sure that he would become king.

The old man's eyes narrowed. It would have to be done; he would have to kill all those who got in his son's way.

-o-

The following night…

Akunadin was quietly standing in the room where his target dwelled, the young girl Atemu had had taken for his wife having no idea of his presence. He had engaged in scrying with the Eye and, having seen that she was alone, he was making his move. Atemu was too busy dealing with an attack by Set's soldiers to come to bed this early, even though it was already dark outside. Atemu had no idea how close he was to losing everything he had ever cared about, just like he had done.

Now is the time to put part one of my plan into action; Set will have no choice but to fight for his life after this. And once I put the second part of my plan into action there will be no way he can stop himself from killing Atemu.

The old priest hatefully peered out from beneath his shroud at the unsuspecting wife of the accused offspring of his brother.

This mask will be perfect to implicate my reluctant boy so that a life or death battle between my brother's brat and my son is sure to occur. With the spell I've cast, there will be no doubt in her mind who is killing her. Hopefully, Isis will see this when she uses her Tauk. Everything is falling into place and now it's time for the show to begin.

His face hidden by a mask of his son's patron Netjer, Set, Akunadin stepped forward in his blue and white kilt and knew that this was what he had to do, what he wanted to do. He looked exactly like his son in this getup and everyone else would think the same thing. The brown square-eared mask itself had been worn by his son for various ceremonies, fit perfectly over his face and would act as the final nail in the coffin.

Having waited for such a long time for Set to get what was rightfully his, Akunadin was eagerly looking forward to seeing his son take the throne. Of course, this woman and her unborn spawn had to be taken out of the way first; they threatened everything. Subira would have to die, along with her accursed husband.

"You're about to face your maker, girl. Any last words before you die?" Akunadin sneered, sounding exactly like his son as he announced his presence to his defenceless victim.

"W - who are you? What are you doing here?" the girl said jumpily.

Akunadin smirked at the young woman, her shock at his unexpected appearance making his lips curve up wickedly beneath the mask that hid his true face.

"You know who I am," he drawled. "I am the instrument of judgement, the last face you will ever see, Subira. As Atemu's lily, you stand in my way and cannot be allowed to live on. Say hello to Akunumkanon when you meet him on the other side!"

He darted towards the girl and wrapped his arm around her neck, clasping his hand over her mouth so she could not call for help.

The last thing Subira saw was her tiny child dying with her as the life rushed from both their bodies. Tears streaked her face, making her makeup run down her cheeks as her vision clouded and she tried unsuccessfully to scream. And Akunadin chuckled evilly at this, not caring what he had done. It was necessary for his son, and his son had to come first.

And now to take my leave; I can let Atemu's young mind do the rest of my work for me. The foolish boy!the priest thought gleefully, pulling away from the scene.

His hands caked in the girl's blood; Akunadin then cast the spell that would allow him to make a swift exit before he was discovered. His work here was done and he was pleased with himself, certain his plans would result in having Set sit on the throne very soon. Atemu's time as Per A'a was coming to a violent end. Nothing could prevent it now that he had begun to put his plans into action.

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