"They shall see me. I shall see the gods…
They shall reach out their hands to me.
I shall stand up.
I shall be master of him that would subject me to restraint.
They shall open the holy paths to me, they shall see my form, they shall listen to my words."
- Book of the Dead

-
12
Awaken. Remember.
-

Apep sighed. "This has ceased to be even mildly amusing," he said standing up. "I fear I shall have to go in search of Seth. Perhaps I will find his death more pleasurable."

"Stop! Wait," Momiji called desperately, appealing silently to Thoth for ways to entertain the dragon.

Entertain the God of Darkness? Personally, I'm surprised you've lasted as long as you have, was Thoth's frank opinion.

Lot of help you are! Momiji growled, throwing himself at Apep's retreating back. The dragon turned, eyes blazing, to block him without any apparent effort. Momiji fell to the floor, and Apep reached forward to grab him by the throat and lift him up eyelevel with the dragon.

"You seem most intent on dying, rodent," Apep hissed at him.

Momiji shook his head, gasping out, "Ha'ri, I can't let you kill Ayame. You… you wouldn't do that." He brought his hands up, desperately grasping at the dragon's arm. "Please, Ha'ri…" he whispered.

Apep suddenly released him, falling to his knees, hands going to his head, and Momiji thought for a moment that he'd reached Hatori. But no; it hadn't been him. Pausing for a moment, he heard it too, the two words rumbling through him with the force of a typhoon.

Awaken. Remember.

Thoth shivered. Osiris, he said, and Momiji shivered too.

"Osiris is awake? That's good, right?" He glanced over at Hatori.

-

Awaken. Remember.

Shigure woke up. He blinked. Other than that he couldn't seem to move…

"Sensei?" Hatsuharu was leaning over him, looking worried.

"Haru," he said; or tried to say- he didn't get much farther than "haa." His mouth didn't seem to want to work properly, and he felt dangerously weak. Kagura knelt beside Haru and offered Shigure water from a canteen. Just beyond her Shigure saw one of the curs from the village watching him; it thumped its tail against the floor when Shigure looked over. He flexed his fingers, feeling returning to them as if they had been numb for a very long time. He raised his arm, slowly, as if for the first time, like a newborn, Haru helping him to sit up. He took the canteen in his hand, the modern object looking ridiculously incongruous in this setting, and drank from it. Or rather, he thought, glancing down at his outfit, perhaps I am the one who is out of place…

"Shii-san?" Kagura said, looking at him earnestly. He tried to answer her, but something was preventing him…

Seth, Anubis hissed, and Shigure felt his body tense as the god seemed to stir suddenly. His hands went to his head as he shook it slowly, denying. Not this again... He remembered Anubis' annoying voice in the back of his head, and the moment when he had been overcome. After that, the oppressive presence of something slowly smothering him…

Anubis? he thought. Was it Anubis who tried to suppress me, shoving me aside? No. He possessed me, Shigure mused thoughtfully, but, I felt someone else... it was someone else… And as he thought this, the god responded, anger and betrayal suddenly rising like bile in Shigure's throat.

Seth! Anubis' voice was dark and furious. Seth, traitor! He promised!

Shigure had no idea what the god was talking about. He felt a surge of power from Anubis, and suddenly the golden, snake-headed bands that twined around his upper arms seemed to explode with heat against his skin, burning with an inner fire, and Shigure realized what Anubis was referring to when he cried out, He bound me! That untrusting serpent.

Feeling Anubis fighting against the bonds, Shigure couldn't help but think that the action was useless. His body sat up, free of instruction by Shigure himself, or Anubis he was certain, and turned toward Haru and Kagura. Kagura was watching him warily and Haru eased back into an easy crouch, ready to move should it be necessary. The cur lifted its lips, growling at him softly, the fur along its back standing straight up. Shigure looked at the dog, an idea forming.

You thinking what I'm thinking? he asked Anubis.

He could almost see the jackal's ears perk up. Yes! Try that. It is I who am bound, not your powers.

Nodding to his internal passenger, Shigure reached out to the dog. It lifted its ears, still growling in a low and threatening manner. Kagura glanced at the animal, then back at Shigure as he stood up. His body moved, taking a step forward hesitantly, trembling as both Shigure and Anubis fought Seth's control. The cur's growl deepened as it lunged at Shigure suddenly, biting at his arm.

"Shii-san!" Kagura exclaimed, confused as she shooed the dog away from her cousin. The dog dodged her, lunging at Shigure to bite him again.

"Wait a minute Kagura," Haru said, looking back and forth between Shigure and the cur. "I think…"

"Sss…Seth," Shigure managed to hiss out between his teeth, falling to his knees as Seth's divided attentions couldn't quite hold up his control under Anubis' furious assault.

Haru's eyes narrowed, and Kagura seemed to get it too. "Hathor," she said, turning to her cousin, and he nodded. Expecting resistance, they moved in concert; Kagura, eyes lighted with Taueret's red strength, darted in. Shigure's hands came up, meeting her, to fend her off, but the real attack came from Hathor, blue-white light coming from his hands as he snuck behind Shigure to grasp him by the arms, right over those deceptive gold bands, blue fire burning them into molten pools in the sand.

Almost as soon as Seth's constrictive hold had vanished, Shigure screamed, the sound doubled as Anubis echoed him, the pain from his arms roaring through his mind. He couldn't think, his skin was burning, the fire spreading through him like it was doused with oil, and growing as it moved, filling him, as Seth let his displeasure be known… Relief came- his brain seemed to shut down, refusing to process pain. He opened his eyes to see Kagura kneeling before him, her eyes screwed shut in concentration and her hands to either side of Shigure's head. Taueret? Anubis asked, surprised.

His brain still muzzy, Shigure asked, Taueret is a healer?

No, a protector, Anubis clarified. I have never felt her powers, but she can shield one from pain. Taueret? he said again. She seemed to answer him; Shigure didn't hear what she said, but Anubis grew still for a moment, as if listening, and then brightened.

What did she say? Shigure asked, curiosity piqued now that his attention was not consumed by pain.

Anubis did not answer for a moment. She says she hopes for my compliance in the fight against Seth.

Seth…

Shigure sat up shakily. "Ayame," he said. "What happened to Aaya? And Haa-san…"

"We don't know," Kagura said softly, withdrawing her hands from Shigure's temples. The pain spiked for a moment, before the wards she set in place caught it and shunted it aside, and Shigure flinched.

"Sorry Sensei," Haru said softly.

"No." Shigure turned to him. "Thank you. I'm sorry, for…" He frowned. "…Whatever I did earlier. I don't remember everything exactly, but I seem to remember making a fool of myself."

Kagura huffed. "No more than usual, Shii-chan," she murmured. He turned a sardonic glare on her. Smiling, she threw her arms around him. "We were worried about you," she confessed.

Haru nodded. "The others went on ahead." He indicated the mouth of the cave. "We stayed behind to prevent a rear attack. And to keep an eye on you."

Shigure nodded. There was an inordinately large number of animals sitting on the sand outside of the cave. Jackals, boars, and other desert creatures lay about eyeing each other warily. He noticed the other of the pair of dogs from the village loping easily toward them over the sand. It came and greeted him, turning to its partner to greet the other dog warmly as well. "I see the army has decided to stand down?"

Haru narrowed his eyes. "Something is happening. I think it's just moved to another level. Almost like this world doesn't matter anymore. Not to the outcome of the battle anyway."

They all shivered slightly at Haru's words, and Shigure tried to push himself to his feet. He still felt so weak… Haru and Kagura hooked their arms under his shoulders, helping him up. "Thanks," he murmured, and the trio started off down the dark passageway in search of the rest of their family.

-

Awaken.

"Nii-san?"

Ayame barely looked up at the sound of the voice. He straightened the collar of his shirt and glanced over at the child standing in the doorway. His brother… what was his name again? Frowning delicately, Ayame returned his attention to his reflection. "What is it?" he said, his voice short, annoyed, bored. He flicked a speck of dust off his sleeve and then suddenly fixed the younger boy with a pointed look as something occurred to him. "Aren't you supposed to be up at the House?"

Yuki- yes, that was his name- shrank back slightly. "I…"

"Never mind," Ayame said loftily, cutting him off. "You'll have to tell it to someone else, I'm running late." He swept his coat up from the chair where it waited for him and proceeded to parade out of the room.

Remember.

Ayame stopped. Something… wasn't right. He turned and looked at Yuki. Yuki… Yes, Yuki, but something wasn't right… He raised his hands and looked at them. He wasn't the one in high school, Yuki was… His eyes narrowed as he regarded the child in front of him before returning his eyes to his hands. Ayame traced a finger along the scar on the back of one hand that he'd gotten only two months ago, when he'd stuck himself rather viciously with a needle in an absentminded moment. If he was as old as he remembered, Yuki was older than the child before him; not only was he in high school now, he had moved out of the main house and was staying with Shigure. Looking up at the child, Ayame stepped away from him. "What is going on?" he whispered. "Who are you? You are not Yuki."

The child's face screwed up as he fought back tears. "Nii-san," he whispered brokenly, holding out a hand to Ayame. "You never want to play. You never want to be with me." The tears spilled out, and Ayame reached out to him reflexively.

"Yuki." The snake brushed the tears from his brother's face. "I'm sorry, Yuki, I never meant…"

He flinched away as the apparition's expression suddenly grew dark. "I hate you!" Yuki screamed. "I always hated you, and I always will!" He beat wildly at his brother as Ayame tried to reach out to him.

"Yuki," the snake pleaded. "Yuki don't." But he eventually gave up the battle, running outside and calling for Hatori.

He found the dragon standing just outside, smoking languidly. "Tori-san!" he called, running to him and pulling at his arm. "Come quickly! There's something wrong with Yuki."

Hatori turned toward him, but instead of coming inside he locked eyes with Ayame and said in a voice filled with disgust, "You killed him."

Ayame dropped his hands, going white as he stared at Hatori. "I…" he started to deny those words, but found that he couldn't. He fell to his knees, his hands going to his chest as his heart felt like it would stop beating. "I… remember," he whispered, the sickening truth of the memory filling his mind. "Tori-san," he said desperately, "please, go! Help Yuki. I…" He glanced down at his hands, stained a sudden red. "I can't…"

"Ayame."

A voice was calling him. A voice he didn't know… He looked up, toward it, the horror of what he'd done still on his face. "I… What do you want?"

"Ayame," it called him again, and now he could almost see a man standing there with glowing eyes. "Ayame, awaken. Take hold. You have much power, and if you do not fight Seth, there is no chance."

Confused, Ayame started to ask the man who he was, when darkness enveloped him suddenly, cutting him off from the man, and it seemed that he awoke from a dream.

-

"Ha'ri."

Someone was calling his name.

"Ha'ri! Please…" A hand grabbed his shoulder, shaking him.

That was his name, wasn't it? He was a little fuzzy on that point…

Yes, that was his name. He remembered… "Momiji," he said softly. Momiji called him that.

"Ha'ri!" The voice was excited now. The hand on his shoulder darted up to touch fingers against his face, brushing hair out of his eyes. He opened those eyes and looked up into the worried brown ones leaning over him. "Ha'ri?" his charge asked again, urgently, when he didn't answer.

He nodded. "Momiji." There wasn't anything else to say… Except… He turned his face against the cool ground. "Momiji," he said quietly, helplessly.

Momiji threw himself down across the dragon, wrapping his arms around him. "I was so worried about you Ha'ri! You were scary," he confided. "Even Thoth thought you were scary, but I knew you were still you!" He smiled, brightly, trustingly, and Hatori turned, taking the rabbit in his arms and holding him close.

"Momiji," he said again, whispered softly, all the words he couldn't say merged into that one.

Apep stirred groggily in the back of his mind and Hatori wildly thrust Momiji away from him. The rabbit looked up at him, hurt, as Hatori stumbled to his feet. "Momiji, run," he said. "Get out of here."

Momiji shook his head firmly as comprehension dawned on him. "No. I'm not leaving you."

"Momiji…"

You.

Apep's voice suddenly filled Hatori's mind, deafening him. Hatori fell to his knees hands going automatically, uselessly, to his ears.

Osiris speaks and you think you can defy me? Hatori's eyes glowed suddenly with dark fire as Apep's power flared in him, and Momiji, taking a deep breath, threw his arms around the dragon's neck.

"Ha'ri," he whispered. "Fight him Ha'ri." He held on tightly. "I know you can."

You are insignificant. You think you can stand if it is not by my will? Hatori's knees went out from under him and he collapsed to the ground, Momiji curled against his chest. I have had enough of this. I will destroy Seth for his impertinence.

Hatori opened his eyes wide suddenly, his hands moving to take Momiji by the shoulders. "No," he said flatly, his voice firm, tolerating no opposition. Ayame… Ayame trusted him. Momiji believed in him. He would not betray them…

Apep scoffed. Your denial means less to me than the lives of insects. I will destroy Seth.

Hatori's eyes narrowed. If I am so insignificant, then why are you still talking about it? Just do it already. He braced himself for the god's onslaught, but felt a peace. There was only one person he listened to, who could command him, and it was not this upstart of a god. His god was more powerful… and his family was worth more than whatever Apep wanted from him; more than his own life.

Silence.

There was an almost blessed silence in his head, and Hatori opened his eyes. Momiji's arms were wrapped around him tightly, the rabbit's head tucked under his chin, his eyes clenched shut fiercely as mumbled words tumbled from his lips like a prayer.

"Haa-san!"

Hatori jumped as he heard Shigure's voice calling him frantically. He sat up to see the dog, along with Haru and Kagura, coming toward him. Momiji, realizing something was happening, shook himself out of his trance and blinked at Hatori worriedly.

"Ha'ri?" he whispered.

At almost the same time, Shigure rushed over and dropped down beside him. "Haa-san," he said again, his eyes searching Hatori's face.

The dragon listened, but his passenger was silent. "I… I think he's gone." He raised a hand to rub his face in disbelief, but Apep remained silent. He looked up at Shigure. "You?"

Shigure rolled his eyes. "Anubis is easily persuaded. Seth was the problem." Hatori nodded to that, rubbing his arm, noticing the burns on Shigure's.

"Yes," he said, resting a hand on Momiji's head as he looked up at Haru and Kagura. "Seth."

-

His head snapped back with such force it was a wonder his neck didn't break, and Ayame blinked and shuddered. His gaze leveled and a thrill of joy ran thorough him as he saw Yuki standing in front of him, holding him by the wrist and shoulder. He breathed deep, gasping breaths, as if he had run a great distance to get here, and as his gaze was drawn by his surroundings he looked around wonderingly.

"Yuki," he said to his brother. "What…" But suddenly his body wasn't his own anymore, and he threw off Yuki's grip, sending his brother staggering back against a stone altar behind him.

"Fool." Ayame's mouth formed the words, but it was not his voice that came from his mouth. "Have you learned nothing in all this time, Osiris? You cannot stop me!"

Ayame watched, confused, as his hand gestured without his consent, and suddenly a pair of cobras rose from the ground near his feet and glided hissing toward Yuki. The forefront of the pair struck, snapping forward faster than eyes could follow, Yuki its intended prey.

"STOP!" Ayame screamed, every fiber of his being reaching out to the animal, demanding that it turn aside in its attack, and, amazingly, it did, listening to the voice of the one who spoke to its brethren.

Pain filled Ayame suddenly, and a voice in the back of his head, and all of a sudden he thought he remembered what was going on. That voice… it had come to him before, though never as loud and angry as it was now.

Just as much a fool as the others I see. I had hoped that you had more sense, but as it seems I was mistaken BE STILL and do not bother me.

Ayame felt the command, felt it try to force his mind back into sleep. But his dream was fresh in his mind, Yuki's blood on his hands. If that had not happened yet, and he saw his brother from the corner of his eye, then there was no way he was going to let it happen. You have much power, the dream voice had said to him. What it meant by that, Ayame had no idea, but if it said so, he was game for believing it. No, he told the voice in his head. Stop it.

There was a moment of silence, then Ayame screamed as all the power of Seth crashed down upon him.

-