A/N: 11.11.2018

I have no excuse as to why this took me so long. None, whatsoever. Well, okay, maybe a couple. I have been dealing with book related matters and SOMEONE hacking my account on here. I'll address that at the end of this chapter.

But for now, enjoy!

Chapter 13: Godfall

A few hours later, Abbie, Ichabod, and Frank were sitting at dinner, making small talk before Abbie and Ichabod had to head out to the airport and go to Cairo, Egypt. Edom and Edgar had already gone about spreading the news that they were going to Cairo, to get Set's attention. They, also, already informed Osiris to meet them there.

Time was drawing closer, causing Abbie to look at her watch. "Just about time," she said.

"How many times did it come down to just the three of us?" Frank asked. "Well, four, when you add Jenny?"

"Too numerous to count," Ichabod said. "It seemed we were destined to always finish the battles on our own."

"Well, not anymore. I can't tell how much of a relief it is that you guys have a plenty of people watching your back now. Like I said, I felt like I abandoned you guys."

"And, like we said," Abbie reminded, "you have your family to take care of. We had to handle things on our own."

"A trend that must continue, I'm afraid," Ichabod said. "We had best be making our way to the airport."

"Right."

They all stood up. Abbie and Frank hugged each other, holding on to each other for a while. Ichabod smiled at the sight.

"Can you, at least, come back to Sleepy Hollow for the wedding?" Abbie asked.

"I'm there," Frank said.

They released the hug. Frank and Ichabod shook hands.

"Mr. Crane," Frank said.

"Captain Irving," Ichabod replied. They released the handshake.

"You both be careful, okay?"

"We'll do our best," Abbie said. "No promises."

"Wouldn't expect any," Frank smiled.

A couple of hours and two plane rides later, Abbie, Ichabod, Edgar, and Edom arrived in Cairo and went to the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities. It was just after midnight in the city when they found Osiris waiting by the front gate of the museum, sitting on the concrete wall of the outside fountain.

"Edom, Sir Ichabod, Lady Abbie," Osiris greeted as he stood up. "Good to see you all again."

They all greeted him.

Osiris looked at Edgar, "The legend himself."

"And the god of resurrection." Edgar smiled and extended his hand, "A long awaited pleasure."

"For me, as well," Osiris said, shaking Edgar's hand.

They released the handshake and Osiris began walking toward the museum, the others followed suit.

"Are we breaking into another museum?" Abbie asked, begrudgingly.

"I take it that this has happened recently," Osiris said.

"Yes," Ichabod said. "Proved a slightly risky venture, even if the results were positive."

"Well, that shall not be the case here." Osiris knocked on the door five times, in rhythm. "Like my brother, I have my allies, as well. But, unlike my brother, mine are not all murderous monsters."

"Gonna ignore the fact that you said 'not all'," Abbie said.

Osiris smiled. "Thank you."

The door opened and a man in a dark blue suit opened the door. He looked at Osiris and bowed, "My lord."

"Good evening, Nasim," Osiris said. He motioned toward the others, "These are my friends."

"Welcome, all! Please, come in, come in!"

They all headed inside the museum.

"Any of Set's followers happen by?" Edom asked.

"I believe they are scouring the city," Osiris said. "Set's always had a predatory nature. His disciples are no different." He led them through the museum until they came to a display with a seemingly, ordinary clay vase. "But, I have a way to get us to the Sphinx without them seeing us."

"Won't Set expect that?" Abbie asked.

"Oh, absolutely. I'd go as far to say that he already knows that we're about to go there, if he, himself, isn't there already. However, his preparedness for our arrival is a moot point. I believe we have him outclassed in this venture."

Nasim opened the display case and Osiris picked up the vase and reached inside of it to pull out an amulet that was stylized in the form an Egyptian portrayal of an eye.

"The Eye of the Winds," Osiris said. "It will grant us safe instant travel to the feet of the Sphinx." He looked at his compatriots, "If we are all prepared."

Everyone nodded.

"Very well." Osiris looked at Nasim, "Please, keep an eye out for my Set's disciples and make sure they stay distracted."

"Yes, my lord," Nasim bowed.

Osiris looked at the amulet, causing his eyes to glow gold. He began speaking in an ancient Egyptian dialect, causing the amulet to glow as well.

"Does every supernatural item have a creepy glow to it?" Abbie asked.

Edgar looked at her, surprised. "Yes, absolutely. I thought you knew that."

An erratic whirlwind engulfed the group of them and the museum around them became distorted. Abbie and Ichabod grabbed each other's hands while Edom and Edgar just tried to remain steady on their feet. Seconds later, the wind faded away and they found themselves at the feet of the Sphinx.

Abbie looked up at it and gasped. "Holy… that's the Sphinx." She blinked and let out the breath she was holding. Her eyes started water. "I'm standing in front of the Sphinx."

Osiris looked at Abbie and smiled. "I always love the wonder in people's faces when they see this in person for the first time." He looked up at the giant statue. "I wish it was under better circumstances."

"Nonsense!" Edgar said. "Even in horrid circumstances, one can appreciate the wonders of the world!"

Edom exhaled and rolled his eyes.

Ichabod stared at the Sphinx, as well. "A wonder, indeed."

"This is the kind of stuff we need to see after we're done," Abbie pointed out.

"Absolutely."

"Here's hoping that such ventures are in your future." Osiris looked toward the base of the Sphinx's body where it met the sand. "Ah. He's already here."

Everyone focused on the direction that Osiris indicated as he started walking toward the Sphinx. Osiris placed his hand against the stone of the Sphinx's chest and a large door opened up. They walked inside to find a descending set of stairs. The door closed behind them, leaving them in complete darkness.

"Rather unsettling," Ichabod whispered.

"Oh!" Osiris said. "I beg your pardon." He pressed hand to the wall and a series of torches immediately lit themselves simultaneously. "It, sometimes, slips my mind not everyone can see down here without the torches."

"I was fine," Edom shrugged.

"As was I," Edgar added.

Abbie shot them both a droll look, "I'd hit you both if I thought it would hurt."

"More's the pity," Edom smiled.

"Shut up, Ed."

They came to the base of the stairs then walked along for a while, passing a couple of chambers, before they came to large chamber with hieroglyphics carved into every conceivable surface.

"What archeologists would not give to have but five minutes here," Ichabod said in wonder.

"No kidding," Abbie said, matching his tone.

"What things wonder the small minds of humans," Set's voice echoed through the chamber.

The group looked around on high alert, preparing for Set to reveal himself.

"Finally, the man behind the curtain will reveal himself," Edgar said with a smile. "It's about time. It's seems you've dragged this game on longer than I've been alive. And I've been alive for a while."

"So, interesting you mention games, Edgar," Set said, "for all of you will lose this one."

"Not likely," Osiris said. "The game is over, Set."

"It is indeed, brother." Set stepped from behind a pillar, still having the appearance of a child. He brought his hands up in a victorious manner. "And I will win."

"We know all about your damnation, Set," Edgar said. "You're really going to need to surrender. No matter what happens next, there will be no pleasant ending for you."

"Damnation," Set declared. "My damnation. That's what your concerned with." He stared at Ichabod and Abbie. "They should be your concern."

Osiris looked at the Witnesses then back at Set, "Them?"

"Why do you think I am so swift to leave home, brother?" Set asked. "The hour is upon us where the gods may fall. This time, perhaps, for good."

Ichabod and Abbie looked at each other, both surprised and concerned at Set's declaration.

"Our own pantheons and planes of existence will, soon, no longer be safe. I'd rather be one of the few who is out of the path of destruction."

"Your reasoning is pointless," Osiris pointed out. "Even if a time for gods to die has come or is coming, nothing gives you the right to take power or murder for your own gain."

"I call that survival," Set replied.

"Interesting since it's actually murder," Edgar mused.

"Survival, sometimes, necessitates violent actions."

"Interesting choice words, considering," Edom said, summoning his sword.

"Of course," Set said. His eyes turned pitch black. "Then again, in lieu of all of the Sites, all of you being here does present a powerful opportunity."

"That would be?" Osiris asked.

"Another god, in you, my brother. An Ennead is even better. My own kind."

Osiris narrowed his eyes.

Set looked at the rest of the group, "A holy angel. And, of course, the Witnesses."

All of them tensed up at that.

Set smiled. "I may not need the power of the other Sites, with such worthy sacrifices."

"You're not at full strength," Osiris reminded.

"True. But neither are you. And, I never said I'd be dealing with you all alone." He raised his hand and four swirling pools of pure black appeared between the heroes and Set. "After all… we've already declared that we're choosing violence." Just then, four of the giant snakes, similar to the one that attacked Ray the night this mission started, appeared out of the swirling black. The snakes moved fast at the group, causing them all to scatter.

Edgar rolled behind a pillar and smiled. "Oh, fantastic! Such grand times to be had!" He pulled out his book, "By all means, Set," his eyes began to glow, "let us do battle!"

Ichabod and Abbie ducked behind another pillar.

"Why are we always in this kinds of predicaments?" Abbie asked.

"Occupational hazard?" Ichabod asked.

"Yeah, I guess so." They moved just as a snake found them behind the pillar.

As the battle raged on with Edom and Edgar taking on three of the snakes, Osiris rolled around the ground and his eyes began to glow gold. "This will not end well for you, Set!"

Osiris summoned his khopesh and sliced at a snake bearing down on him, cutting its throat. The snake sprawled in pain until it died.

"The end will come sooner or later, Osiris!" Set replied. "I am merely preparing myself for it." He channeled power into his body.

Having just killed a snake, Edgar saw Set's power increase. "Oh, I think not!" Edgar's eyes and book began to glow. A light of glow shone underneath Set.

Set growled as he felt a binding on his body from Edgar. "You're testing my patience, Poe."

"I tend to do that to everyone," Edgar said.

"Sadly for you, I was prepared for such a test."

Drawing power from the chamber, Set pushed more power into his body and broke the binding. He threw a wave of darkness that tossed everyone about the room, even killing the remaining snakes. Set looked at where Ichabod and Abbie were recovering from the attack.

"Perfect sacrifices," Set smiled, sadistically. He summoned a dagger out of thin air and hurled it at Ichabod.

"CRANE!" Abbie pushed Ichabod out of the way before the dagger hit him.

But just in time for it to hit her.

Abbie sailed back, hitting the ground hard.

"ABBIE!" Ichabod shouted.

Edom recovered from Set's attack and, when he saw Abbie lying on the ground, bleeding, he jaw set and he subtly began to shake. He glared at Set. "You die. And you die now!"

"Best of luck, archangel," Set roared and threw his hand in the air.

Certain marking on the pillars and walls began to light up, even more power began to flow into Set's body. Edom charged at Set, who managed to morph his body into his more traditional form of a humanoid jackal, just before Edom managed to land a strike. Set blocked Edom's sword and laughed.

"You can't hold that form for long," Edom declared.

"Long enough," Set countered.

Set threw Edom away and used his power to bind Edom against a wall. Set turned and grabbed Osiris just as the god of resurrection was coming in for an attack. Set gripped Osiris by the throat and began to drain energy from him.

Osiris struggled against Set's grip, falling weaker with each second. "You… will not… escape… justice… brother."

"I've done well so far," Set declared. "You're not capable of defeating me, Osiris. None of you are."

"Is he right?" Ichabod asked Edgar as the two of them were huddled near Abbie.

"As it stands, he's prepared this room to acquire Osiris's powers," Edgar noted. "A little disappointed I didn't see that coming. If he has his way, you two could be next along with Edom."

"Do you have anything that negate his powers?"

Edgar's eyebrows shot up. "On my own, I don't." He looked at Abbie and Ichabod. "But you both do." He looked at the dagger in Abbie's shoulder.

Abbie groaned, "Let me guess."

"Blood of the Witnesses."

"Yeah. That was my guess."

"In very capable hands, it can do amazing things."

"And your hands would be capable?" Ichabod asked.

Edgar jerked his head back. "I'm very nearly offended that you asked me that."

Abbie exhaled. "Well, at least, we already have something with my blood on it." She looked at the knife. "Let's get this show on the road."

"Mind if I borrow that?" Edgar asked.

"Take it."

"It'll hurt."

"Big shock."

Edgar grabbed the blade handle. "Think a happy thought."

"Set decapitated," Abbie replied.

"That'll do." In one jerking motion, Edgar ripped the knife out of Abbie's shoulder, causing her to cry out. Ichabod, immediately, pressed his hands to Abbie's wound. Edgar tore a large section of his coat for a makeshift bandage.

"This better work, Edgar, or else," Abbie hissed as Edgar and Ichabod patched her wound.

"It will work," Edgar said. He tied a final knot and looked at Ichabod. "Your turn." He presented the blade to him.

Ichabod took the blade and pressed it to the palm of his hand, "'From hell's heart…'"

"'I stab at thee'," Edgar said. "I've always been jealous that I didn't write that. Dammit, Herman Melville."

Ichabod cut his hand, putting his blood on the knife, as well. "We shall give it our all."

"I'll get Set's attention." Edgar held up his book. "Aim true, Lord Crane."

Set was still draining power from Osiris before a flock of ravens attacked him, causing Set to drop Osiris and begin to attack the birds. Set was so distracted that he didn't even maintain his hold on Edom, who dropped to the floor.

Set swatted at the birds until he let out a roar that dispersed them. Edgar threw up a shield to protect himself from the debris.

Set glared at Edgar. "You're a mere conjurer against a god, Poe. Do you think that you can defeat me?"

Edgar smiled. "Alone? Of course not. Despite what many will tell you, I'm not that vain. With help, on the other hand…"

Set roared in pain as the knife landed firmly in his back. He turned to see Ichabod standing behind him.

"Damn you!" Set shouted.

"You don't know how long I've been waiting to say this!" Edgar's eyes shone brightly as did his book. He raised his hand into the air. "Fall! And be lifted no more!" A large shadow of a raven appeared behind Edgar. "Fall! And be lifted no more!"

The raven shadow flew at Set, surrounding him in darkness.

Edgar threw his hand toward Set. "FALL!" he screamed, his voice suddenly very distorted as though several people were speaking at once. "AND BE LIFTED NO MORE!"

Set tried to fight his way out of it for a moment. But to no avail.

"Quoth the Raven," Edgar whispered in a single voice. He smiled then shouted, in the distorted voice, "NEVERMORE!"

The raven shadow pressed hard against Set, causing a loud roar of agony to erupt from god of chaos as his power left him, violently. Moments later, the darkness dissipated, and Set was revealed to have reverted to his child form, struggling to get back to his feet.

"Vincula," Edgar said.

Suddenly, Set's hands were bound, at the wrists, behind his back, as were his ankles. Set fell over to his side, struggling to get free to no avail.

Edgar let out an exhausted exhale but smiled. "Splendid."

Set roared and looked at Edgar, "DAMN YOUR SOUL, POE! I WILL NOT ALLOW THIS MOCKERY TO STAND! A CURSE UPON YOU! A CURSE UPON YOUR KIN!"

"Blah-blah-blah-blah-blah!" Poe mocked. "Ayn Rand wasn't as long winded as you." He paused. "Wow. I never thought I would say that about anyone else. I really was irritated to no end by that woman."

Edom walked towards Set, clutching at his stomach. "Is it over?"

Edgar smiled. "We are resolved, Sir Edom."

Ichabod breathed a sigh of relief at hearing that. He looked over at Abbie, his eyes going to her wound. "My love?" he asked her.

Abbie moved a little bit. "I mean this when I say it: ow."

Despite the amount of pain he she was in, he was relieved that she was talking. "You saved my life."

"It's not the first time." She hissed in pain then looked up at him. "You are making this up to me. You know that, right?"

"Anything you want," he smiled.

"We'll start with foot rubs," she said. She managed a smile. "And work our way up."

"Oh, the naughtiness!" Edgar said as he approached. "My innocent, delicate ears."

"Shut up, Edgar," Abbie said, painfully.

"I've made it up 'shut up' status." Edgar opened his book. "I feel honored." A shadowed aura appeared over his right hand. He pressed his hand to Abbie's wound.

Abbie took a sharp gasp and slammed her eyes shut. After a few moments, Edgar removed his hand. There was a scar still there but the wound was healed.

"That'll do for now," Edgar said. "I've somewhat exhausted my magics for the time being. Binding a god and all. You'll be in pain for a couple of days. Similar to spraining the joint. Some exercise and rest and it'll be just fine after a couple of weeks."

"I've been through worse," Abbie said.

Osiris got to his feet, a bit unsteady at first. He looked at the others and gave them a nod, which everyone returned. Osiris walked over to Set and stood over his bound brother.

"All that effort for failure," Osiris said.

Set struggled to get up, groaning all the while. "You don't know… what's coming. The horrors."

Osiris narrowed his eyes.

Set looked over at where Abbie and Ichabod were. "Take me to Odin. To Ra. To whoever you wish. Judgement may be coming for me but worse is coming for this world and these mortals. Their war isn't over, brother," he warned. He looked back up at Osiris. "They will face a horror worse than any death, any chaos I could bring. You cannot save them."

"Before worrying about others," Osiris said, "do what you do best, Set: be concerned with only yourself. For the horrors you will face… are the only horrors you should fear."

A/N: vincula, Latin for "imprison, bind, chain"

And there you have it! Set has been defeated! But what was up with that warning? Time will tell!

So, about my account here. Don't worry. I won't be deleting my account unless something goes wrong. But keep an eye on my social media if that changes. However, pretty soon, I will be posting on Archive of Our Own, also known as AO3. So, be on the lookout for that. I already have an account there under the name RavenT2, I just don't have anything posted yet.

Now, then, next chapter, our heroes will be enjoying the spoils of their victory with decisions being made by Abbie and Ichabod about their immediate future. You don't wanna miss that!