Set

When morning came, it was time for everyone to make their way to the palace. After pointing them in the right direction, Horus suggested that they all split into groups again, since a bunch of foreigners in the palace would definitely attract some attention. The prince, this time, went with Natsu, Lucy and Happy.

Soon they all made it to the palace, which was somehow even larger than the Temple of the Netjer. They were lead to what seemed to be the courtyard, which was surrounded by massive murals of various heroes and gods. Drummers were playing along the side. At the head of the area was what looked like a stone stage with a forest of columns behind them.

"Why is everything here so big?" Lucy asked, as she wrapped her arm around Natsu's.

"According to my father, Ra had a saying: 'for every stone you add to a structure, you give it another day'. The bigger the building, the longer it lasts. The longer the building lasts, the greater the legacy it leaves." He then glanced at the family.

"Did you ever give much thought to the legacy you would leave in this world?" The family seemed to think about it for a time. Lucy always thought of her novel to be her legacy; Happy had never given a thought to his legacy at all, but if asked, he'd say it was to help Natsu. But the commander was the only who decided to give a full answer.

"Iggy's my legacy," Natsu declared, "The world will be better with him in it, you can count on it." That surprised the others somewhat, but not for long.

"Yes," Lucy said firmly, smiling, "Our son is our greatest contribution."

"Aye sir!" Happy said, even though he wasn't necessarily related to Iggy. Horus looked the group up and down, before taking a breath. In Aaru, legacy was made by leaving something physical in the world, plowing your mark into it with your own will and determination. Just having a kid didn't seem like enough to him, but maybe it as just an Ishgar thing.

"I suppose that's as good as ever," he said with a shrug. With that, the group kept walking into the crowd. As they neared the stage, the Dragneel-Heartfilia family noticed several people gathered around the stage, dressed in extravagant clothing.

"Who are they?" Happy asked, pointing.

"Those are the members of the Royal Circle," Horus explained, making a face, "Set's closest allies and servants."

"Then who is she?" Lucy asked, pointing. She was pointing at a girl with long orange hair doing a dance at the head of the stage. She was dressed in skimpy clothing that was more than a little revealing. Horus clenched his teeth.

"Hathor," he said, more to himself than the others. Was this what Set had reduced her to? A dancer for his amusement? Horus' reaction was recognized by both Natsu and Lucy, who looked at each other, but their attention was seized by he sound of a horn sounded out across the area.

"Praise, Set!" a herald then proclaimed, "Pharaoh of all Aaru!" Hathor turned on her heels and bowed deeply, spreading her arms, as the other members of the court all fell to one knee. That was when Set appeared from behind the curtains

The first thing that came to everyone's mind when they saw him was "red". The pharaoh was a tall, lean man, with hair the same color of Erza's, with eyes somehow even redder. He was tanned, as if he spent every waking hour in the sun. He was garbed in bright red clothes, which included a red scale plate vest, red pants, and a flowing red cape dragging behind him. Atop his head was a crown made of what looked like black stone with a red disc at its top, and a snake and a vulture in its front. Strangely, despite being Horus' uncle, he didn't look that much older than him; perhaps it was from the Netjer.

Set smiled a he spread his arms, greeting his subjects who cheered for him, despite him usurping the rightful ruler. Once again, Natsu and Lucy, and even Wendy, were reminded of Edolas.

"From time in memoriam, we, the sons and daughters of Aaru, have been a people forged by the world around us. Our mother was the river, our father the desert," he said, "My grandfather forged this disparate land into a great kingdom, one that was the envy of the whole world. But we were never meant to remain here; nay, our future lies across the sea. We will bring our prosperity and our power to other nations, expanding our borders, across the world, starting with Ishgar. It shall be no challenge, for the people there are weak, with mages who bear no loyalty to their countries, and use their powers not to better their kingdoms around them, but to enrich their purses. What challenge could they possibly pose to us?" That made all the Fiore mages angry, but Natsu in particular trembled with rage. Lucy could see steam starting to leak from the corner of his mouth.

"We will crush them under our heel, and soon ever corner of this world will know the might of our empire! Long live Aaru!"

"Long live Aaru! Long live Set!" Lucy was somewhat surprised by how completely enthralled the people were with Set; she supposed she shouldn't have been all thing considered, especially because he had deposed their rightful ruler. But she didn't have time to dwell on those thoughts.

"SET!" The mages turned to see that Horus had launched himself from the crowd, his spear expanding from its staff form, bringing it down on Set. The pharaoh's reflexes kicked in, and he dodged the attack. As he looked up, his eyes widened at the sight of who was.

"Well, well, if it isn't my dear nephew?" he said.

"Horus!" Hathor cried, "What are you doing?" Meanwhile, the crowd was in awe over their prince suddenly reappearing.

"Horus!"

"Its the prince!"

"Prince Horus!"

"So the little prince has come home," Set said with a sneer.

"I've come to take back what you stole!" Horus declared, pointing his spear at his uncle. A couple of the others around text two moved forward, but Set held up his hand.

"He's challenged me," the pharaoh said, "I'll be the one to put him back in his place." He then held out his hand. Sand then gathered in his hand, before coalescing into a staff made out of black metal, save for a red top, which was of a sha's head.

Horus acted first, thrusting his spear forward, only for Set to easily parried the attack. He then swung his scepter up, sending an arc of sand into Horus' face, knocking him away. Horus quickly recovered, and stabbed at his uncle who again parried the strike. Trying to out maneuver his foe, Horus leapt into the air, spinning his spear through his hands, before swing it down. Set just laughed as he knocked Horus away.

"You aren't honestly half bad, far better than your father," he said, putting his scepter on his shoulder, "You know, Isis and I had something of a fling when we were younger." Immediately taking the bait, Horus roared as his body lit up, and he assumed his Netjer form. That earned some awed gasps, but Set didn't so much as flinch.

"Oh, so that's the game you want to play, nephew?" Set asked, "Very well, I can play it too." He then threw his staff into the air, and spread his arms

"I invoke the name of the Netjer," Set said, as his body glowed red, "Aspect of the Desert!" His body lit up the same way Horus' did, reforming into its Netjer form; like Horus' form, it was towering, and had skin that seemed to be made of metal. But unlike Horus, the metal that made Set's body was bright red, and his head was that of a sha, with glowing red eyes. He then reached up and caught his scepter. He then laughed, which looked positively ghoulish on his morphed face.

"You think you can beat me, boy," Set said, "Very well, then let's see you try." Horus screeched and lunged at his uncle, tackling him, picking him up into the air. As the two wrestled in mid air, Set managed to sock Horus in the beak, causing the falcon man to drop him into the crowd, which scattered.

"What do we do?" Kagura asked.

"We hold for the time," Erza said, "I don't think foreigners interfering in their fight would do Horus' any favors." Though she really hoped Natsu had matured enough to realize that as well.

Horus dove through the air at his uncle, who simply swung his staff up, sending an arc of sand into his face, and back into the air. Gathering more sand, Set created a massive fist of stand, which grabbed the prince. Swing his scepter again, Set sent Horus into the ground. The falcon man emerged from the sand diving at his Uncle again, only for the sha man to catch his fist.

"You're not bad, nephew," Set said, as he then grabbed Horus' throat, his metallic lips curling up to show a prominent set of fangs, "But you're still nowhere near my level." He then socked Horus' in the stomach with the head of his scepter. He then bludgeoned his nephew several times, until giving him one solid strike, sending Horus careening away. Upon landing, Horus reverted to his normal form. He tried to stand up as Set approached him, reverting to his human form.

"I don't know where've you been these past years," Set said as he put his foot on Horus' chest, "But you clearly haven't been spending it getting better." Horus tried to push his uncle up, but Set only pressed harder. That was when Horus' new comrades decided to act.

"You bastard" Natsu roared as he sprung at Set. Set only had enough time to raise his staff to block, as the force of Natsu's pushed him back.

"Star Dress: Taurus!" Lucy said as she went to back up her husband. Coming down with her whip, she aimed for Set, only for another woman with a pixie haircut to intercept her, and kick her away.

"Lucy!" Natsu called, immediately turn his attention back to his wife, as he caught her, "You okay?"

"Fine," Lucy said as she got to her feet.

"Who are you?" Set demanded as he pointed his staff at the newcomers.

"Natsu Dragneel!" Natsu said, before Lucy could think of a story, "Commander in the Fiore Royal Army!" Opting to take the initiative, Happy assumed his battle form, and joined his family, ready to fight. Set looked at them closely, showing teeth that were somehow just as sharp as they were in his Netjer form.

"Foreign mages," he said as he stepped forward, spinning his scepter through his fingers, "Ones from Ishgar at that. So this is what the son of Osiris resorts to? Having foreigners fight his battles for him?" Boos sounded out across the crowd.

"That's pretty strange coming from a traitor who usurped his own brother!" Lucy said. Set listened to that, only to let out a laugh.

"Is that the story Horus told you?" he asked.

"What of it?"

"Let's just say it's something of a conundrum, usurping a usurper."

"Usurper?" Happy asked.

"Your charge's father only became pharaoh because his parents drove Ra away," Set said, pointing at Horus, "And now he enlists foreigners to usurp the government? He is a traitor to the kingdom." The Fiore mages all stared at Horus, was doing his best not to look at them.

"While you may have been played for fools, I will commend you on your fighting ability," Set said, "After we conquer your nation, you will make fine soldiers."

"Screw you" Natsu snapped, as his fists ignited, "I don't care about Horus right now! All I care about is protecting the kingdom!" Before he could attack, though, the people Horus identified as the Royal Circle appeared behind Set.

"Natsu!" Lucy said, grabbing his arm, "We can't do anything now! We've got to go!" Fortunately, the soldier in Natsu kicked on, and his rational side emerged. He gestured to Happy, who picked up both of them, and flew up. Horus also assumed his falcon form and flew away.

During this, the other mages had been biding their time, trying to figure out what to do. But when the soldiers were retreating, most of them decided to do the same. Horus then let out a screech. Looking back, the Fiore mages noticed tendrils of sand coiled around him, coming from Set's staff.

"I'm afraid you and I still much to discuss, nephew," Set said cruelly as the tendrils pulled Horus back. Once they were close enough, Set waved his hand, and the tendrils wreathed and coalesced into a bird cage, trapping Horus inside. The transformed prince let out a screech.

"After them!" one of the soldiers said as the others ran into the streets to find the trespassers.

"What about Horus?" Wendy asked.

"We can't do anything for him now," Erza said, "We need to regroup and figure out our next step." As they fled with the soldiers in pursuit, Set just watched.

"What should we do, my Lord?" one of Set's servants asked.

"Spread the word," Set said, turning to him with a grin, "The invasion has been moved up."

"My Lord?"

"Foreign agents infiltrated our ceremony with the support of a rebel to the throne," Set said, "Let be said that the Kingdom of Aaru is declaring war on the Kingdom of Fiore. They will taste the justice of Aaru!"

Note: Aren't Natsu and Lucy proud parents?

Anyone who knows Ancient Egyptian mythology should know what Set looks like. As for the staff he has, its called a "Was" scepter, which was a symbol of pharaonic power. The crown is based on the dreshet crown mostly, albeit black instead of red.

I hope the duel between Set and Horus was fun to read.

Be sure to review.