Inko walked across the desert sand, the wind whipping at her skirt. She was barefoot. As a goddess, the cold of the desert night had no effect on her. But Izuku was only a godling, so she'd swaddled him in fur blankets before strapping him to her back.
The sand stretched before her endlessly. Set, also called the "Lord of the Desert" and "All for One" was said to have an appetite as broad as his territory. His desert had been encroaching into Egyptian towns and consuming valuable farmland. Inko's worshippers had called to her, the Queen of Gods, for help. Probably because they knew better than to even try King Osiris. He was a weak and useless king. Even worse as a father, Inko thought darkly.
Alas, All for One answered to no summons or commands. Not even from his supposed divine rulers. So Inko had been forced to come out here personally and look for him.
She couldn't detect even the smallest trace of divine presence. Perhaps he wasn't home. Sighing, she turned around.
A man stood behind her. He had curly white hair and ruby eyes.
"Oh!" Inko jumped backward. Then she felt embarrassed for being startled by a mere mortal, because this man had no trace of divine presence. Unless…she took a closer look. He was shirtless in the bitterly cold night. A mortal would have frozen to death by now. "Well met by moonlight. I'm Inko, or Isis to mortals. What's your divine title?"
He raised his eyebrows. "You seem confident that I'm a god, my lady."
She snorted. "You popped up out of nowhere. Don't even try to deny it. Although you're very good at hiding your divinity. I'm impressed."
His eyebrows rose even further. "It's a natural ability of mine. Most gods find it unnerving to behold me, since they can't feel my presence."
"Most gods like to throw around entirely too much power. I appreciate a rare god with subtly." Inko believed him to likely be a minor god, or he would have too much power to cloak it from her. But his skill at control spoke well of him.
He smiled. "Indeed, I generally avoid the other gods because I tire of their endless self-aggrandizing. What brings you out to this lonely desert?"
Inko said, "I'm looking for All for One, the God of Chaos. His desert has been encroaching on mortal cities. I would bargain with him to cease his invasion."
"And you brought your child?" The man raised his eyebrow coolly.
Inko put a protective hand on the head of her sleeping son, made defensive by the note of judgment in his voice. "I couldn't leave him alone with his father! Osiris gets violent when he's been drinking!" Her voice trailed off as she realized that she'd revealed more than she'd meant to.
As the most powerful goddess, she'd been forced to marry Osiris after he ascended the throne. He didn't seem to like her the tiniest bit more than she liked him, but she'd yet to find a way to persuade him to let her go. Lately, Osiris had started deriding Izuku for being too weak and crying too frequently. Ever since Osiris had tossed a wine glass at Izuku, Inko hadn't left them alone together.
"Ah, yes, I've heard that about Osiris." The man shook his head. "My apologies, my lady. What did you plan to offer All for One? He never helps anyone for free."
"So the stories say. I'll offer to spread my powers across his desert, nourishing the plants and animals." Inko sighed. "If only I could add a permanent position at the court or perhaps some desert in the direction of Egypt's enemies to the bargain. But I lack the authority. Osiris despises All for One and wouldn't have even allowed me to come if he knew. Frankly, I think he's scared of the Lord of the Desert." Normally, Inko wouldn't have spoken so frankly. It was freeing to talk to a stranger outside the court. He couldn't spread her words, nor would anyone believe him if he tried.
The god laughed. "Osiris ought to be afraid. He tried to conquer the desert several millennium ago, and fled with his tail between his legs. All for One only let him live because he couldn't be bothered to take the throne. It seemed like too much work."
"So that's the real reason Osiris won't enter the desert?" Inko burst out laughing.
Izuku stirred, awoken by their merriment. He rubbed his eyes. "Mommy, I'm cold." His gaze fastened on the stranger. "Oh! You have such pretty eyes! Like fire!"
"Why, thank you." The man bent over to look at Izuku more closely. "You're quite adorable yourself."
Izuku gasped. "Your power is nothingness. How amazing! Can you cancel out other gods' magic? Can I watch you do it?"
The man laughed. "How did you tell that just from looking at me?"
Izuku grinned. "I'm good at detecting magic. Even though I'm not…" His voice faltered. "I'm not good at it myself."
"You're still very young," Inko said. "Your father demands for you to have the power of a full god already. His expectations are unreasonable. Don't listen to him."
Izuku nodded, but the joy of discovering a new type magic had gone out of his eyes. He shivered.
Inko said, "It's too cold for my son. I'll have to come back another day. It was a pleasure to meet you—"
But the stranger had already vanished.
Inko and Izuku lived together in a cottage outside the palace. Supposedly Osiris had banished her there for bullying his favorite concubine. The accusations were a lie—Inko was grateful to anyone who kept Osiris away from her bed. But she'd left without protest, because she preferred to live away from her husband. Especially for her son's sake. Izuku had gotten cheerfuller since the move.
When Inko awoke, she heard an adult male voice outside, then her son's laughter. Her mother's protectiveness aroused, she threw on a heavy white robe, then stormed outside.
The strange god sat on the ground, a ball of darkness forming between his palms. Izuku giggled. He fed a stick into the ball. It vanished, eaten away without even leaving wood scraps in return. Izuku gasped and clapped his hands.
Her son's obvious joy took the edge off Inko's anger, even if she still wished he'd woken her up before running off to play with a stranger. She cleared her throat.
Izuku waved. "Mommy! This is the best magic ever!"
His smile was so blindly bright that she forgot to scold him. She turned her glare on the strange god instead. "What brings you here?"
"He brought a present." Izuku gestured at the basket of cactus pears sitting on the ground.
Inko's mood softened. She had a dearth of respect among the gods because of how her husband treated her. It had been a while since she'd last experienced proper courtesy. "Thank you."
"Do you think I can do that, too?" Without waiting for an answer, Izuku held out his hand. A very tiny black dot formed over his palm.
"Remarkable," the man whispered.
"Oh, no," Inko groaned.
Izuku looked up. The dot vanished. "Mommy? Did I do something wrong?"
"Of course not." Inko swept him up in a hug and peppered his face with kisses. "You used a new type of magic! I'm so proud of you."
"Is it strong magic?" Izuku asked hopefully.
"Very strong." Inko ruffled his hair.
In a quiet voice, the stranger said, "You and I are the only two beings in existence capable of using that power."
Inko set her son down. "Would you mind going inside and getting a kettle of tea started? Mommy needs to talk with this man."
Inko placed a tray down on the table. It contained two tea cups and a plate of sliced pears. She sat across from the god. "Thank you for helping my son discover his magic. That's a rare and great gift."
The man raised an eyebrow. "You seemed upset at first."
"Not because of Izuku's power. Because of how his father will react." Inko pinched the bridge of her nose. "Osiris has been pushing Izuku to develop his own brand of creation magic. He implied he'd be very upset if Izuku obtained my fertility powers instead. He'll take this even more badly. Izuku's position in court is already weak. If Osiris had any bastards, he'd replace Izuku as his heir in a heartbeat. I need you to keep this a secret."
"I'll add that to what you already owe me." Taking a sip of tea, the stranger smiled.
His tone made it sound like he might be joking, but she wasn't sure. Cautiously, Inko asked, "What else do I owe you for?"
"You owe me for pears." He gestured at the pear she'd already taken a bite of.
"I provided the tea and the hospitality," she countered.
"Fair." He nodded. "I heard that All for One has moved his desert toward the north."
"Yes, it's remarkably lucky. My believers have been showering me with thanks and offerings, even though I didn't do anything. I don't know why he changed his mind. If you see him in the desert, please pass along my thanks."
"I will," the stranger said. "May I offer to tutor your son in magic? I'm the only person who could, since we share the same type."
"I would be most grateful." Inko fixed him with a hard stare. "But does this come with a price too? I don't have very much." She gestured at the cottage. "As you can see, I don't currently have access to the royal treasury."
"In truth, it would be a joy to teach Izuku. I'll lower my price for that reason." The stranger tapped his chin as if considering. "I'll let you owe me a favor. If I ever need you to fulfil a role for me, one easily within your capabilities, then will you agree?"
"As long as you're only asking for my personal aid, not for me to commit Egypt to any task." Inko always found it a pleasure to spread her power and assist with the growth of life. She'd be happy to help with anything easily within her capabilities.
"Done." The stranger smiled.
"Wait, what's your name—?"
The god vanished before Inko could complete her question.
The Lord of the Desert All for One proved whimsical. One day, he was directing his desert at Egypt's rivals, and the next day, he'd swallowed up Osiris' favorite summer home. The King of the Gods loudly stormed about his palace breaking glasses. Then he ordered Inko into the desert, telling her that since she'd stopped All for One once, she could do it again. A pity that he'd heard those rumors. Her protests that she hadn't done anything last time went unheard.
Once again, Inko trudged through the desert, this time on a hot day. A bit of magic kept the sun off her and Izuku. Today, her son walked alongside her. She named the plants for him as they traveled. She might as well turn the day into a botany lesson, since she doubted she would find All for One.
Izuku pointed at the cactus. "It's Teacher!"
Inko stared. "Do you think your teacher turned himself in a cactus?" Some gods could do that, but she thought it more likely her son had developed sunstroke.
"I'll show you." Izuku marched over the cactus and grabbed thin air. Then he dragged out the white-haired god by his sleeve.
The strange god looked stunned. "How did you do that? No one can see me when I don't want them to."
Izuku giggled. "But I wanted to see you more than you didn't want to be seen."
"I suppose that explains it." The man ruffled the child's curls. "Are you looking for All for One again?"
"My husband sent me to find him," Inko said with no real enthusiasm. She lowered her voice. "You were right. Osiris is terrified of the Lord of the Desert."
The strange god smiled. "As all gods should be."
"Including you?"
"It would be a very close fight. I think we'd tie." He sounded amused.
Once again, Inko couldn't quite tell if he was joking. He hadn't struck her as a braggart, but he'd have to be ridiculously delusional to believe himself capable of fighting All for One. She said, "You keep running off before I can ask you: what's your name?"
The stranger winked. "I'll tell you if you allow me to adorn your beauty with a new ruby headdress."
Inko blinked, taken aback by his forwardness. A headdress was a traditional courting present, not something appropriate to offer to a married woman. Even so, she found herself a little flattered. Osiris hadn't looked her way in years while spending all his time on minor goddesses. It was nice to feel beautiful. Still, it would not do to leave him with the impression that she did not have honor. She said, "I'm afraid I must be getting back home to my husband."
He took no insult, only smiling and raising his hands. "Then I'll see you at Izuku's next lesson, if not sooner." He patted the boy's head again. As swiftly as he'd appeared, he was gone.
Izuku yawned.
"You look tired," Inko said. "Climb onto my back. I'll take us home." This entire mission had been futile from the beginning. Osiris would be furious when she returned empty-handed. She was also angry at him for sending her in his own place out of fear. She'd become thoroughly done with him and his cruelty and blustering.
As she walked, Inko decided to take her encounter with the stranger as a sign from the universe that she should find a way to force Osiris to divorce her. There were better men out there, who would compliment her and treat her son kindly.
Before they reached the palace, Izuku tugged on her sleeve. "Mom, I don't want to go in there."
Inko understood why without him saying anything. "Of course. Go home and wait for me." She set him down. Izuku ran off toward their cottage.
Inko strode into the throne room, prepared to start a fight with her husband.
Instead, she found the room deserted. Normally Osiris' sycophants and concubines would be lying all over, but it was eerily, uncannily silent. Sand covered the floor, nipping at her feet. The red-eyed stranger stood next to the empty throne, smirking. A miniature tornado whipped at his feet.
"You're All for One," Inko said. Only the Lord of the Desert could have done this. "Where is my husband?" From the moment the words left her mouth, she already knew the answer.
All for One shrugged carelessly. "He completely fell apart at the sight of me. Into fourteen different pieces, to be exact. That leaves me with an empty job opening. You still owe me a favor." He strolled over and placed a golden headdress with a ruby in the center over her head. "I'm looking for a new queen."
Author's Note: I wrote All for One being a creepy stalker instead of a creepy dad, as a Valentine's Day treat.
This fic was inspired by the beautiful art DD (a_n_aid on Instagram) drew for my Egyptian Mythology AU for a Secret Santa exchange. I'm in love with the gorgeous costumes and vivid colors. Delete the spaces to get the link:
aimportantdragoncollector.
tumblr.
com/
post/676196076266700800/happy-valentines-day-my-inkoafo-fic-this-year
