"What are you talking about, Set?" I demanded.

"Oh, you didn't know?" Set laughed, like I was a puppy who had just stumbled down the stairs, and he found it amusing. It was so annoying. "Ayan was my-"

"Host," Alyssa finished. "He was controlling her this entire time. I noticed something odd about her the moment you had all came."

Set waved his finger, like Alyssa was a naughty puppy. "That's wrong. Most of my soul is transferred to this lovely creation." He gestured to the pyramid. "But just a sliver of my soul was enough to control Ayan. I stayed in Sophia Russel for a few days before starting to move into my pyramid, yes. I hitched a ride on Nepthys, my wife, for most of the time, until we went to the Duat, where I found my soul mate." His eyes widened, before the Red Lord doubled over with laughter. "Ha! Soul-mate! Get it? Hilarious!

"Anyways," Set said, wiping a tear from his eye, "Us gods prefer blood of the pharaohs, so I chose Ayan over here. She even helped me kill the former Chief Lector, that old fool, Iskander. I poisoned his tea the morning you all left for California. After that, I used my magic to track you all down. Arthur and Keith helped me, in fact, as you saw a few hours ago. We even managed to kill Bes and Bast's hosts, so it will be a long time before they can return to the mortal world. I saw them in Paris " - he said Paris with a French accent, so it sounded like pair-ee  - " and made that mansion collapse on top of them. But lighting your R.V on fire? That was Ayan's idea. She was trying to send flares and signs that she was my host. All of that chaos magic, she was trying to warn you. She nearly burned herself up trying to send warning to you and her friends. However," Set stared right at Alyssa. "This little gem, right over here, no you're looking the wrong way, Don. No, it's the red-haired one, not your girlfriend. Anyways, this precious starlet figured me out right away. She confronted me the night before you left. She threatened to kill Ayan, which would send me deep into the Duat, but I could tell she was bluffing. She wouldn't dare to kill the Chief Lector without proof, or else, she would die, too. So I placed a simple charm: she couldn't speak about me invading Ayan until after I talked about it myself. She even pointed it out to you earlier. But, whatever. Better for me you were too dumb."

            Set waved his hand, and Alyssa slammed into the wall. Her body peeled off, and she would have fell into the pool of lava if Carter hadn't yelled, "Wind!", and Alyssa floated on top of Ayan.

Give me control, Horus said. We will avenge Wyatt and Alyssa.

I've got this. So shove off, falcon boy. I insisted.

You are not ready. Let me handle this.

Set laughed, as if he sensed our struggle. "Oh, poor Horus. Looks like your host needs training wheels. There hasn't been a female host of a god in centuries. Even in Ancient times. Hatshepsut wasn't strong. Chaos reigned, a female in power, pathetic. I chose a female for chaos, Horus. Why would you choose a scrawny British girl as your form?"

I remembered when Horus and I got splashed with water by Ayan, and we both said Shut up! We felt the same emotions, and now wasn't any different. This sexist pepper man thought I couldn't defeat him because I was a girl? Okay! The curse of Akhenaten would be nothing compared what I was about to do to Set.

"Eat stone, Set!" I yelled. I channeled my anger into combat, as a golden fire encased both of my hands. Before Set could defend himself, I clenched my hands as I punched the air with both hands. The Red Lord flew back with such force, he cracked a column, which landed on top of him.

For a moment, the only sound was the trickle of debris. Then, out of the rubble, came deep hollow laughter. Set rose from the ruins, throwing aside a huge chunk of rock like it was a ping pong ball.

"Nice!" He roared. "Completely ineffective, but nice! It'll be a pleasure chopping you to bits Horus, as I did to your father. All four of my precious sibling entombed for all of eternity- a perfect birthday present!"

Set turned to Sophia. "Don't think I forgot about you, my sweet!"

Sophia turned to me. Her eyes were bloodshot, like she had been crying, and I could see why. Her face was scared, and she wanted to leave. "Aria, don't worry about me. He's trying to distract you."

"What a lovely goddess," Set purred. He moved towards her. Out of thin air, he grabbed a glowing red staff, and it began to glow.

"Stop!" I shouted. I advanced, but Set was just as good as I was. He waved a hand at me, and I slammed into the wall, as if an entire American football team had pinned me. "Get away from her! I'll tear you limb from limb, Set!"

Don took a step with his staff, but Set's hand went up, and Don, flew through the vent, breaking the barrier through the mountain, and landed on top, unconscious.

Carter thrust his wand in the air, and a purple force field zapped Set when he stepped inside of it. The God of Chaos yawned as he stamped his staff on the ground. The force field flickered and died. Carter threw his twine at Set, burning in flames, but Set flicked his wrist, and the twine wrapped around Carter instead. The rope was cutting straight through his clothes. He screamed as the fire burned into his skin.

He squirmed in a useless attempt to break free. "Don't get near her!"

Set took another step. "Why? Because Sophia here is your girlfriend, Carter?"

Carter swallowed. "Uh, yeah."

Sophia's expression softened, but turned back to scared when she looked back at Set. She stood there, frozen, as Set advanced.

"Ah, Nepthys," He crooned. "In the beginning, you were my horrible sister. In a new age, you were my horrible wife. Now, I think you'll make a nice appetizer."

Sophia thrust out her wand. A red sphere of energy encased around her, but I could tell it weak. Set's staff threw a blast of sand at her, and the sphere died. Sophia stumbled, sand pulling at her hair and clothes. She screamed in anger as a wave of water knocked back Set. Carter muttered a weak prayer that protected Alyssa and Ayan from being knocked into the lava. Sophia looked weak and tired once she casted the spell, and I realized Sophia would die if we didn't act quickly.

The God of Evil spit water out of his mouth. "That," he said, "was the worst magic spell I've seen in centuries."

    Set tugged at the air, like pulling an invisible rope, and Sophia flew across the room, straight at Set. His eyes looked gleeful, triumphant, until he heard the rip of thread. I turned to look at Carter, and the ropes that tied him up were shredded at his feet. He was carrying his staff and wand, and his face was furious. His eyes were filled with rage.

"Get back!" He yelled, and a gust of wind blew Set into his throne, cracking his head on the head rest.

        Sophia ran to Carter, and he put an arm around her. They scrambled over to Alyssa and and Ayan, who both looked bad. Ayan's condition seemed to be more magical than physical. Her eyes rolled back into her head, sweat was drenching her forehead, and her body erupted with steam every time they touched her. Alyssa looked awful. Her arm was twisted at a bad angle, and her shoulders looked bent. Carter summoned a gust of wind to blow them gently to the top of the mountain, since mortals couldn't affect the story, also because we didn't want Alyssa to get hurt. Oh, and Ayan, too, I suppose.

    
     Set stood back up, and a bloody black wound was dribbling from the back of his head. How do I know? His blood was dripping down his suit. He roared in anger and waved a hand as Carter and Sophia flew into the entrance slope. Sophia lay unconscious at Carter's waist. He said, "Don't resist." Before he crumpled to the ground.

~*~*~*~*

I know, right? Sounds bloody awful.

Set turned to me and gave a wolfish grin. "Now, time to take care of you."

     Something in my brain clicked once he said that. My thoughts were clearer and less rational, so I could think things through. My anger didn't go away, but I kept that with me. My friends were unconscious, two in the same room as me, two (three, if I thought Ayan was my friend) on top of a mountain, and all I could do was just sit and watch as my friends were getting beaten up.

I let go.

       Now, don't think I died, and this is my ghost. Carter said Don't resist. He didn't mean Set. He meant Horus and I. Carter had already came in touch with Isis. He was giving me advice, which seemed like a total role reversal. The falcon god and I had been wrestling for days as he tried to take over. But neither of us could have control. We had to act as one, trust each other, or we were both dead.

     Yes, Horus agreed, and he stopped pushing, and I stopped resisting. We let our thoughts flow together, and I understood his powers, his memories, his fears. I saw the hosts he'd ever been over a thousand lifetimes. And he saw my mind, everything. Even the stuff I didn't like.

      
            It's hard to describe the feeling. And I knew from Horus's memory this kind of union was very rare- like the one time in the coin it doesn't land on heads or tails, but stands on its edge perfectly balanced. He did not control me. I did not use him for power. We acted as one.

   Our voices spoke in harmony: "Now."
   And the magic bonds that held us shattered.

        I started to morph into the falcon person I had turned into in Paris, and that woke up Sophia and Carter. Carter yelped in fear, but after the glare I gave him, he decided to stay quiet so Set wouldn't know he was up. I grabbed my sword from my satchel, and saw that it was perfect: golden, gleaming, and polished. I threw the bag at Set, and he stumbled. I stepped forwards and raised my sword. I gave another falcon screech, and Set backed up quickly. He then regained his agenda to kill me and smiled.

"So, Horus," he said. "You managed to find the pedals to your little bike, eh? That does not mean you can ride."

"I am Aria Mackenzie Faust." I was shocked that I could speak in English through my beak, but I went on. "Descendant of Ramesses the Great and Narmer, blood of the Pharaohs, Eye of Horus, and my new title, Set- brother, uncle, traitor? Is your worst nightmare."

~*~*~*~*

Is it weird to say that I enjoyed my fight to the death?

             Every move was amazing. Every strike was so much fun I wanted to laugh out loud. Set grew in size to match my warrior. He was a bit taller than me, and his iron staff was the size of a boat mast. His avatar was the same as mine: the same body as before, but with our sacred animal as a head. For me, a falcon, and for him, the Set animal, or Herbert, or whatever Carter calls him. He clashed his staff against my sword and sparks flew. I narrowed my eyes to keep the fire from getting in them, and Set saw his opportunity. He shoved me back, and I landed on to one of his statues. My arms were tangled in the beast, and I struggled to get out. He threw his arms back over his head and aimed a whack at the top of my head, but I blocked it with my khopesh before he could slice me. He used more strength on his staff, and I was afraid he would overpower me. I kicked him in the chest and he flew across the room. I charged and sliced at his shoulder guard. He screamed in pain as black blood seeped from the wound.

           He swung his staff, and I duck and rolled before he could strike me. He cracked the floor. We fought like this for a while, smashing pillars and walls and so forth, until I realized Carter was trying to get my attention. I didn't want to let Set get the upper hand with me looking away, but out of the corner of my eye, I could see Carter hugging Sophia. I was ready to smack him. He called me just to see him hug my friend? No, I realized. He was shielding her. All of the dust and debris Set and I were creating made the room unstable. I doubted the Red Lord would care. He was counting on entombing us here.

                   I had to get Set out of here. If I gave them enough time, they could probably free Wyatt from his coffin. I threw a fist at the air vent Don had created, and a burst of energy made it even larger. I threw my sword in my belt and charged at Set. I tried to put him in a wrestler's hold, but I could tell it weak from my fatigue. I realized that the only way I could beat Set was channeling my anger into him. I thought about all that had gone wrong since that stupid field trip, and what we'd been put through since then, and I even thought about my parents pretty much abandoning me as a a baby. I punched Set hard in the check, and that same black blood spluttered from his mouth. This time, my punch was combat magic, instead of just regular combat. I planted my left hand on his chest so he couldn't squirm away, and I punched him with a glowing fist. He tried to hit me with his staff, but it was useless when I was this close up. I punched him again, and his black eye became visible.

"Calm down," he said hoarsely. "Do you need a tampon?"

I gasped. "You son of a bi-"

"Ah, ah, ah!" He singsonged before I could insult him. "We have the same mother, now don't we, Horus?"

             I screamed in frustration as I punched him again. I soon realized that this was the perfect time to get out of here and leave Carter to rescuing Wyatt. I didn't know what to do to him, so I thought of the worst thing that happened to me all morning, and forced it upon Set: when I had turned into a storm cloud. I was afraid he would have more control over his storm cloud, since it was a form of chaos, so I panicked and thought of anything else.

You're a fruit bat, I told him.

No! He thought back.

Set was confused, and I used that against him. I imposed his mind with absolutely confidence, and I imagined my enemy shrinking, and leathery wings growing from his arms, and an even uglier face. Soon enough, I was a falcon with a small fruit bat in my talons. I shot towards the air vent, and made my way on top of the pyramid, where we went back to our warrior forms. Set had trouble balancing after I imposed his will, so I took that to my advantage. I swung at his chest, and he blocked. He copied my move from earlier, and kicked me in the chest. Now, let me stress how this was a pyramid, and by kicking me, I was sent toppling down the side. I glanced at the mob of demons, and realized that the House of Life had come to help. They were killing the demons one by one, and there were dozens of Nomes here: Egypt, Paris, America, even my home, London, came for the battle. But they weren't good enough for the Demons. One with a Knife head just nodded and cut two magicians in the shoulder. I was getting desperate for something to grab, so, accidentally, I grabbed Set's hand. He did more than just pull me over; he pulled me over so hard, I was flipped upside down, and my back landed on the tip of the pyramid. I gave a weak cry, and Set stepped over me. He glanced at the air vent Don had made, and grinned at the sky.

"Just five more minutes until sunrise!" He shouted in glee. "You're going to need a miracle to win this fight!"

              I slashed my sword at his foot, and he limped away as he cried in pain. He snarled as he planted his injured foot down to balance himself. Set charged as his iron staff pushed me back down. I shoved him down the side as he did to me, and he was barely holding on. What he chose to balance himself was a stone brick that stuck out. It was jutted out quite a bit, and I was afraid he would get back. I looked at his nervous face, and I noticed that he didn't want to damage the Red Pyramid. I laughed at this, and I wished I hadn't. The God of Chaos growled as he planted his staff on a smoothed brick and pulled himself up like a gymnast. He struck me down again, and I realized I want weakening him. He was just as strong as before. Surely, after all this fighting, I would have made a dent? His wounds were closing, and his scars were getting smaller, and he grew in size.

A mob of demons, including Ms.K's true identity, Face of Horror, came up the side of the pyramid, lugging up the golden capstone, just a few steps before reaching the top. I was getting weaker by the second, and Set was just a few moments away from winning this battle.

"Stop!" I called to the demons, which was useless, since they wouldn't listen. I swung at the top of their heads, only missing by a few inches. Set saw and lunged at me, as we both slid down the pyramid. He sat on me like I was a sled and my head hit the sharp areas of the pyramid. At the last second, he jumped off of me and landed on the ground on his feet, as I flattened a mob of demons under my back as I hit the ground. The magicians looked at me in shock, which was hard to tell since they looked like mice compared to me. I gave a quick wink and warned them to move back so I could stand up. I got up and glared at Set's smiling face, happy to see his minions placing the capstone. I roared in anger and lunged at Set from below, knocking him and his demons off balance. The capstone slid down the side of the pyramid, and the demons were able to retrieve it. I put both of my hands around Set's neck and tried to choke him, but he threw his staff at my chest, as I flew down the pyramid.

        "Have a safe flight!" He called. No, I thought. I have to stop him. I scrambled up the mountain. I could make it. I jumped at his demons, but I was too late. I watched in horror as his demons placed the capstone, completing the structure, and the pyramid glowed bright red. It made a vibration like a bass guitar, and it made me feel numb. Set smiled at me.

         I howled in rage and lunged on the capstone. "No!" I screamed desperately. "I have to get this thing off!" I pulled using two hands, but only succeeded in making myself tumble into Set's arms.

"Get your hands off me!" I snapped, and the Red Lord dropped me on the capstone. I know you were expecting me to act tough, but I cried. We worked so hard to get here, and the world had ended because of me. I saw the sky turning grey and realized with sadness that sunrise was close. My tears spilled onto the capstone, and I hugged at my arms in defeat. Set jabbed his staff into my stomach, and I screamed in pain. My apparent "blood of the pharaohs" dripped from my body onto the pyramid, and I saw Set laugh.

"Only 30 seconds until sunrise!" Set looked back at me and grinned. "This is the desert, Horus. This is my source of power! You could have never expected to defeat me here! The Red Pyramid gives me strength! After all, you're just a sad excuse of a warrior, who's fighting me all alone!"

"Except Horus is not alone!" A voice shouted.

      I looked at the source, and saw Carter and Sophia floating out of the air vent, both radiating with power. Carter carried a long wooden staff, and a purple aura surrounded him. The same was true for Sophia, except for an aura that shined bright blue. They both looked healed and refreshed, like they spent a day at the spa instead of fighting inside of a pyramid and getting drenched in sweat.

"And we aren't going to fight you in the desert!" Sophia said.

They stamped their staffs down in harmony and shouted: "London, England!"