"Stand up," Set said coldly, looming over Tristan like a tree.  He didn't move; he merely lay there and stared up at the ceiling.  "Now," he demanded, kicking him viciously in the side.  Tristan still made no move.  Set's patience was growing thinner and thinner by the second.  He knelt and picked up the boy by the throat with one hand easily.  He set him down on the flats of his feet and released him.  Tristan stood on his own for a moment, then he stumbled and fell forward onto Set's chest.  Set pushed him away, causing him to fall flat on his back.  The breath flew from Tristan's lungs and he gasped for air.  The shove hadn't been harsh, but in his weakened state, it felt like falling off of a cliff and landing on sharp rocks.  "A hopeless cause," he said, turning his back to Tristan.  "I'm finished with you.  I must prepare Yugi for the ritual tonight."  And with those last words that would haunt Tristan for the rest of his life, Set walked leisurely off toward Yugi's room.

            Tristan groaned.  "Yugi…" he said weakly, sitting up slowly.  "Why would you want to hurt Yugi, Yami?"  In his mind, he had no clue how he knew that Yami and Yugi had been separated, but he soon recognized Khentimentiu's mind connected to his own.  It provided him with knowledge that he did not wish for, and he soon found himself regretting that he had ever gotten involved in this nightmare.  "You are supposed to protect him."

            Set stopped walking, but didn't turn around.  "I care nothing for the life of that boy.  All that matters is the revival of my Master Osiris."

            Tristan stood despite the aches and pains exploding throughout his entire body.  "That's not like you.  You aren't a selfish person.  You care more about Yugi than you do your own life."

            Yami heard that exclamation and cried out in Set's mind Yugi!

            Be silent, Set spat.  "As I have said before, I care not for him.  I long to see him dead."

            Tristan took a few steps forward.  "Liar."

            Set's eyes narrowed; he glared at the approaching figure out of the corner of his eye.  "What?" he said harshly.

            "Liar."

            "You—"

            "LIAR!" Tristan yelled, sending a shock of pain through his chest.  He ignored it and continued walking toward Set.

            "Adrius, enough!"

            "My name…is Tristan."

            Set's fists clenched.  "Don't defy me, boy!"

            Tristan stopped.  He was now a foot away from Set.  "Why do you hurt him like this?  You're killing him.  You know that."

            Yami began crying, but was absolutely helpless to make it show on Set's stern face.

            "Death is freedom."

            "You don't believe that."

            "I do.  And you should too.  You are no longer alive either."                 

            Tristan clenched a fist now.  "I'm dead, true, but I still have a heart.  And I know that you want to help Yugi.  I feel it.  You're a liar.  You're hiding from yourself.  You say you're free but you're only a prisoner.  That's all you are, and that's all you'll ever be.  A prisoner and a liar."

            "Silence!
            "I WILL NOT BE SILENCED!"

            "IT WASN'T AN OPTION!"

            "I WILL NOT BE SILENCED!" Tristan repeated loudly.

            Within a second, Set whirled around and, eyes glowing with fiery rage, sunk his claws into Tristan's shoulder and tore a large portion out of his flesh, taking muscle, blood, and bits of bone along with it.  Tristan stumbled a bit, but didn't scream and stared defiantly at Set.

            Stop it! Yami yelled, but no one heard him.

            Slash marks on Tristan's throat.  No screaming.

            In the name of Ra, stop!  No reply.

            Three missing fingers.  No screaming.

            Set, please!  Still nothing.

            A large gaping hole in the chest, one inch away from the heart.  Stumbling and panting, but still no screaming.

            Tristan…  Still nothing.

            Kicked down the small flight of stairs.  The sound of weak bones snapping like twigs.  No sound.  A foot on the boy's throat.  No sound.  Nails in his stomach.  No sound.  Pain, blood, and torment, but never any screaming. 

            Unsatisfied, Set kicked the limp but alive body of Tristan aside and stormed off, ignoring Yami's pleas for mercy for both Tristan and Yugi.  Defiance would not be tolerated.  Not ever.

            Anyone who stood in his way and tried to stop the revival of his Lord Osiris would die.  He'd make sure of that. 

            Even if he had to kill Yugi and Tristan to accomplish it.