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.

Summary: After being set up and falsely accused as a murderer, Set hopes to reason with Atemu and clear his name. But after taking a detour on his journey back to the royal palace, Set stumbles across something more horrific then anything he had ever thought possible.

-o-

Chapter 41: Chasing Death

-o-

A month later, Set gazed down at his comatose wife, and as he pulled the sheet up over the young woman he hurriedly shifted his gaze away from her bandaged shoulder. It had almost been a month since the attack on Naquda, and Set had caught that wretched rat that had ran off with his slave crouched over Neith's body. The Hem Ntjr dabbed at Neith's forehead with the wet cloth he held, throwing it behind him to Kisara once he had finished.

"I want you to stay here and look after her until I return. There's something I must do," Set told the white-haired girl, rising from the side of the bed.

"Lord Set, where are you going?" Kisara asked.

Set remained silent and dusted off his hands. The attacker had met justice at his hands and on the end of their very own weapon. It was a fitting end for such a rat. Set could still not believe that seeing Neith lying there, blood draining from her wound, had worked him up into such frenzy. Now he knew how Atemu must have felt, finding Subira in a similar position. The two of them needed to talk; he was not the murderer his ruler, no, his cousin, thought he was.

"I'm going to talk to Atemu. Perhaps I can make him see some sense. I want to bring all of this to an end; I'm tired of hiding away like some criminal when I've done nothing wrong." Set then sighed. "I guess it's time I faced him man-to-man. We'll finally see who's stronger. It's the least I can do for my family, to end it."

Kisara smiled at the young man.

"You really do love them, no matter what anyone else says, and I believe you. Don't worry, I'll make sure she's all right," the girl said softly.

"I know you will, Kisara. And I have one last request; please take care of Sobek," Set asked.

And then the Hem Ntjr was gone, leaving the two women alone together. He did not want to do it, but this business with Atemu needed to be sorted out. Set then left, unsure if he would ever return.

-o-

Neith hugged her baby close, feeling him cuddle into her. As the young woman felt Sobek briefly clench her finger that she placed into his hand, she waited patiently for her son's father to return. Kisara had told her that Set had gone out on a dangerous journey, heading south to the capital. Neith hated the fact that Set himself had not told her himself where he was going, but she could understand why he had left; he had not wanted to worry her.

The brunette had little idea when Set would be back and she felt strange with just Kisara for company. Neith was only just rowing used to the odd girl's presence and the fact Set seemed protective of her. Her husband had never shown any concern for commoners before, so his actions puzzled her.

Why'd he have to leave me alone with her? Neith wondered.

Neith rocked Sobek in her arms, patted his head and soothed the newborn as she glimpsed a sight of the white-haired girl Set had rescued. Kisara was standing quietly inside the entrance to the room, leaning on the stone enclave for support. Even though several months had passed Kisara had only gotten a bit stronger. A while ago, Neith would have been glad that Kisara was so ill; it would have meant that she would have Set back all to herself. The brunette then frowned; it did her no good to dwell on the past. That and such thoughts were purely selfish.

Walking across the room, Neith gazed out of the window, looking at a group of kilted soldiers huddled around a fire down below. Djehuty's moon hung in the dark sky, making all things dimly beautiful. Kisara had tried so hard to be nice to her; it was as if she had a second shadow.

And Set's words were still ringing in her ears.

"Be nice, Neith. I love you, not some girl I met a few months ago."

Neith looked again at Kisara, the girl's blue eyes meeting with her own. Kisara then broke it off, looking not at Neith but the floor. Now that Neith thought about it, Kisara had been a tremendous help as of late; she had always been on hand to wait on her and Sobek, fetching things she needed for herself or her child. Perhaps she was becoming something of a jealous wife.

Beckoning Kisara with a finger, Neith felt the sudden desire to talk.

It gets so lonely without him here, the young mother thought, thinking of Set.

"Kisara, why have you remained here with Set and I? Why would you want to stay in a desolate place like this and not try to escape?" Neith queried.

Neith waited for an answer, Sobek once more clasping on the finger his mother had placed in his hand and letting it go. Once Kisara had slowly walked over, it was easier to see the thoughtfulness in the girl's eyes. Neith thought she saw deep sadness in Kisara's eyes, which made her feel pity towards the young girl. Neith smiled as Sobek focused on looking up at her face, his arms moving jerkily beneath his swaddling clothes as she whispered soothingly to him.

"He saved my life. I owe him, and therefore you, a debt. He loves you, and so you and he are one." Neith found herself smiling at this. "I cannot leave until I have repaid my debt."

Nodding, Neith understood now that this girl was not a threat to her or her family. Perhaps it was time she buried the hatchet. She could do with a new friend. As sickly as Kisara was, she doubted Kisara would ever feel her debt to Set was repaid.

"Would you like to hold Sobek? I need to get dressed and change my bandage," Neith offered.

Kisara nodded, smiling, as though an enormous weight had been lifted off her shoulders.

"Thank you my lady. That would be nice," Kisara whispered.

Kisara took the baby from Neith's arms, listening attentively as the older woman showed her how to hold him correctly. Neith then left the room, hearing Kisara talking softly to Sobek. Maybe having this girl around would not be so bad after all.

-o-

Later that day, Akunadin was watching Karim, Isis and Shadah from the shadows that hung in the palace corridor. The Ring that hung around his neck concealed the old priest's presence from his old colleagues, the Eye allowing him access to their minds. All he needed now was the Scales, Tauk and Puzzle and then he could bring darkness to Atemu's pathetic reign.

The great God of Darkness would be called upon; Akunadin would gladly enter the evil one's service if it meant he gained the power to make his son become the new Per A'a.

The Sennen Rod gleamed brightly in Akunadin's right hand, paralysing the three who stood before him and pinning them in midair to the wall. The old priest slowly walked forwards, tucked the Rod to the side and clapped his hands at the shocked figures. He could feel the Rod burning warmly in his hand; it resonated to the relationship he had with his son, its rightful owner.

They all looked shocked to see him, especially Shadah.

"How thoughtful you all are, bringing me such gifts. It's too bad you won't live long enough to see my son reign over Kemet," Akunadin smirked.

Akunadin's left hand tore the Tauk from Isis's neck as the priestess gasped.

"Akunadin! What is the meaning of this?" Shadah yelled, still held fast, pinned by the power of the Sennen Rod.

"What do you mean, 'your son'?" Karim added.

The poor things seemed too confused by their anger to not realise that it was their treatment of his son that had brought this upon them. Karim had always sided with Mahaado; Shadah had always kept his silence; Isis had…

Akunadin's one good eye narrowed hatefully at the priestess as he moved to take Karim's Scales.

"You and your damned visions are what began all of this. You should have kept your nose out of my son's business, woman. It was you who turned the others against him with your damned visions." Akunadin bristled angrily, slapping Isis hard across the face with the Sennen Rod. "And now you will pay!"

It felt good for the old priest to vent his frustration at the one who had set things in motion, undoing what he had worked many years for; preparing Set to take over the throne.

A shocked look of realisation dawned on Isis's face.

"Oh my gods! Your son, it's Set!" she gasped. "It's all so clear to me now."

Akunadin's lips curled up in a cruel smile as he turned to walk away.

"Congratulations, girl; you've figured it out. But it would be rude of me to kill you before you see his coronation as the new king," the old priest called out. "And now there's only one thing left that I need."

-o-

Soon after, Akunadin was watching Atemu as he slept, the young boy unaware of what was going on. Even though Atemu was a ruler, he was still a child. The old priest unsheathed the Sennen Rod; it always paid to come prepared, just in case something happened. Once he had the Puzzle there was no need for Atemu. Set would inherit a new world, one he could rebuild as he wished.

But Akunadin knew he could just not storm in and take the Puzzle. No, he had to take it through stealth. The Sennen Rod may not be able to control the young ruler totally because of the Puzzle, not that Akunadin would want it to. But the old priest needed the Puzzle to make his dream come true. That was why he had slipped a sleep-inducing solution into the boy's bedtime drink. In fact, Akunadin was surprised Isis had not foreseen this event and tried to prevent him from reaching his goal.

A smile then graced Akunadin's thin lips as his left hand reached out to clasp the golden pyramid, the Rod's dagger severing the cord.

"Finally, I can see my dream fulfilled. Goodbye, Atemu," he murmured, brandishing the dagger.

Suddenly, Akunadin was thrown back by a blast of dark magic. The old priest yelled as he was blasted to the floor against the wall. A purple-robed Ka hovered before Akunadin, a cold but angry look on its face.

The old priest scoffed, holding the Puzzle close to his chest.

"Hmph! Mahaado, you're too late. I have what I came for," he spoke, placing his hand flat against the floor.

Akunadin then disappeared through the glutinous portal he had created, Mahaado too slow to follow him through the portal, more concerned for his master. It was only a matter of time now. He had all seven Items, and so now he could return to the place of their creation and gain ultimate power.

-o-

Carefully walking down steps in the abandoned village he had been guided towards, Set covered his nose and mouth with his sleeve. It smelled like death itself made its home here; it was old, musky and very unnerving. What could possibly be down here, and why did he get this feeling of dread?

The tall man had to stoop down as he came to the bottom of the stairs, and as Set straightened he found himself in an underground chamber. The Hem Ntjr found it odd that there were lit torches lining the wall. There was a raised platform at the far end of the room; upon which was a figure crouched next to a stone tablet. Set gasped as he recognised who was crouched before the tablet.

Clutching at the point he wore, Set wondered why it had guided him here. After all his so-called father had put him through, the pendant dared to lead him to the wastrel! He had no idea why he had been led here and he desired to know the truth about something.

Set glanced around at the chamber, Akunadin placing the Items one by one into the indents on the stone figure, starting with the Tauk.

"What is this place?" Set questioned, walking forwards. The young man knew Akunadin knew he was here.

"This is the place where the Sennen Items were created; Kuru Eruna." Set froze in recognition, remembering Bakura's attack on the palace. "Yes, the very same place, Set. But you should pay no heed to the words of a thief."

Set glanced down at the crouched priest; Akunadin held the Sennen Ankh in his hand, the other Items by his side. Akunadin continued to carry on with his work, placing the scales in the indent in the figure's chest. From what Set could see, his mentor was amassing all the Items for a purpose, but why? What would happen when they were all brought together?

"Lord Akunadin, why are you doing this?" Set asked. "I don't understand."

"It is for your own good, son. What's the matter? Are you afraid of calling me father? But you know it's the truth. Everything I have done I have done with your best interests at heart, son. Like any father who would risk death to protect and guide his offspring," Set was told, Akunadin sounding sad and bitter. "But it's of no concern; the time has finally come. Now you will see just how destiny will not be denied or escaped; you will kill Atemu."

"Lord Akunadin!"

Stepping forwards, Set walked up to the old priest and asked for the Sennen Rod he had taken to be returned, seeing it at the side of the one who had revealed himself to be his father. The Rod gleamed, making his hand itch to reclaim it as its rightful owner. Now he would take back what had been stolen and this foolish nonsense would come to an end.

Set quickly pushed past Akunadin to try and grab the Rod, only to be pushed back strongly. With one quick spell, the old priest had Set frozen in time. The young man could see and hear everything that was going on, perhaps even speak as Akunadin went back to work placing the Items into the tablet.

"Foolish child, do you really think I could be so easily pushed around? Did you think that you in your youth are more powerful then me, your father? You will see true power, Set," Akunadin whispered darkly, placing in the second to last Puzzle. "This time, my dream will come true."

Set then closed his eyes as Akunadin raised a hand to the Sennen Eye embedded in its socket. He blocked out the loud scream of pain that followed, only opening them once he was sure the deed had been done, which it had. Trickles of blood were splattered onto the floor and Akunadin now held the Sennen Eye in his hand.

The Hem Ntjr's eyes widened in shock as Akunadin placed the Eye in the casket, and he remained frozen in place as the room shook, heralding the rebirth of the God of Evil. Something told him this would not be the end of the matter; rather that this was only the beginning of something more sinister then anything he had ever witnessed before.

-o-