InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "So come inside"

Idris Khalid|| Σήθ (Set/Seth/Sutekh) (counterbalance) wrote in paxletalelogs,
@ 2011-09-13 05:37:00

Entry tags:

osiris, set

Time and the dark had come, but not alone.
Who: Osiris and Set
What: The big O isn't too happy. Being brought back to life once? Fine and dandy. Having to go through the tedious process yet again because your brother can't control his temper and tore you into little bitty pieces? Okay, definitely not cool. Set decides to go say hi to Osiris, anyway. :D (History stuff?)
Where: Duat, a.k.a. the Egyptian underworld
When: (Somewhat?) shortly after Osiris has been resurrected a second time.
Warnings: TBA
Notes: Sorta vague references to other Egyptian deities and the such enclosed within, some in game already and some not. Ra, Anubis, Apep, etc....there's nothing super detailed so as to not impose anything upon future applicants for said deities (Set's view is skewed anyway; Ra's probably only cranky because of his bragging, really). o_o

Light filled Duat as Set took his leave from the helm of Ra's evening boat, his sandaled feet planting firmly on the banks of Osiris' kingdom. The soil of Duat was rich, dark, and fertile. In such a land as this, there was only one reason it was so, and it was the same reason there lived any vegetation down here at all: bits of lush, green plants that crept along the riverbank and slid up walls that led to the inner chambers of those that dared to live in this otherwise desolate region.

But it was a redeemable sort of desolate, after all. Even the dead could appreciate it--or try to, at any rate, if they weren't devoured first by the vicious beasts that were currently keeping to the shadows. None of these beasts would dare to approach Set, he who would conquer them in a single blow if he so wished.

"Osiris! Oh, Osiris! Do you know who has come to pay you a visit?"

He was flippantly loud, purposefully disregarding the creatures which shied away from Ra's everlasting light, wanting only for the darkness to resume its hold on the land, so they could return to their petty squabbles and terrorize the dead souls of mortals seeking passage into the afterlife. Anubis certainly had his work cut out for him, Set thought with a wry smirk. Word was that Anubis had been particularly busy as of late, and all the better for Set. He wasn't in the mood to deal with anyone interrupting this particular visit to his most beloved brother Osiris, the very king of the underworld himself.

And it was Osiris that kept the soil in Duat fertile, who always made certain the darkness was penetrated by beautiful greenery, for how cruel would it be if the dead had not one pleasant thing to look upon before they were judged accordingly?

It was nothing but foolery. Set's softhearted brother had strange ideas about how to handle business, how to reign properly. It took a certain finesse in order to run a tight ship, and sadly, Set found Osiris lacking as per usual. Perhaps if Osiris knew what it meant to control the desert sands themselves, to live forever in a perpetually harsh environment, he'd understand which of them was more truly made of sterner stuff. Oh, Set had so hoped his brother would learn a lesson, but this was not the case. If anything, Osiris hadn't changed one iota from the recent assessments Set had conducted--hadn't changed much, that is. The smirk upon Set's face curled into a frightening grin, teeth sharp and alarmingly white.

Ra had grumbled at Set to make this a short trip, for he was tired and ready to turn in for the night; Apep's death always led to the sun god adopting a sour disposition, when instead he should've been absolutely delighted to know that Set never failed to masterfully conquer the annoying creature. Who else had even half the courage Set had to face the intimidating Apep? No one in all the existing kingdoms could do what he did, for they all trembled from head to toe at the very thought of having to overcome such an obstacle, night after night after night. He was a champion to be revered, if nothing else. Set's tail swished merrily back and forth as he strolled further into Osiris' kingdom, congratulating himself many times over before he reached the stone antechamber leading into Osiris' throne room, if it could even be called that--what little taste Osiris had seemed to have been wasted on shrubbery and his choice of a marriage partner.

Without waiting for Osiris' consent, he stepped boldly across the threshold, arms thrown wide in an exaggerated gesture of friendliness, as if the two of them would embrace upon meeting. His right hand clenched his was sceptor, for he'd seen no reason to leave it with Ra, as if Ra would be able to wield it in a manner befitting the delicately made object. Not even Nephthys was allowed to trail her fingers along an inch of it, even during Set's more amicable moods.

"Brother, it's me! No welcoming party today? Has Anubis got his hands full with the dead's needs? Such a shame, I always love the way he greets me. Do you know if he's gotten that awful bark looked at yet?" Set's laughter was brash and uncomely as it filled the room. At no immediate response from Osiris, he shrugged nonchalantly and lowered his arms, the golden bracelets upon his wrists clinking together. He took more than a few purposeful steps towards Osiris' throne, grinning widely, full of self-satisfaction at his own entrance. Perhaps he should have caused the ground to rumble beneath Osiris' feet, to better herald his arrival. Ah, now there was a thought.

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of_laconism
2011-09-21 05:43 am UTC (link)

In one thing Osiris would agree that Set was right; his talent did not lie in decorating his surroundings. That he had always left to his wife, and and Isis had obliged him by making their throne room a thing of beauty and comfort, where mortals and gods of all social status could come and speak with the pharaoh at ease. They had done just that, and it once had not been uncommon to see Osiris breaking bread with his people, listening to their woes and laughing at their merriment. The throne room often rang with the sounds of joy.

In this room there were no such sounds, save that of Set's own. In truth, there were no other sounds at all, not even the breath of the king who had awaited the usurper's arrival. The elder god sat nearly without movement, as though he'd been transformed upon his death into one of the statues his people had chiseled of him. Also foreign to the normally lively god was a decided coldness, his upper lip hinting at something more hostile, perhaps a sneer.

How dare he? What impudence, to come swaggering into his presence as though he had naught to do with the stillness of Osiris' heart, or the pain that wracked his body even now. His wife had woven her magic well, but just as she could not breathe true life into him once more, nor could she banish the aches that radiated from whence she had joined his body together again. It would fade in time, he had no doubt; had already eased to an extent.

Pain as greatly as anger sharpened the gaze he gave to acknowledge his brother's arrival. The pain was not merely physical, for once upon a time not so long ago, Osiris would have laughed and stepped down from his throne to embrace his boisterous, braggart brother.

Those days were gone.

To his credit, Osiris' voice displayed none of the venomous anger that could, might birth hatred. Nor, however, did he feign joy to see Set; his ever-soft voice was cold and distant as his stance.

"It would do you good to speak less caustically of Anubis. He has never done you an unkindness, and he is your blood." Though not his son, or perhaps he was. It was true, Osiris had lain with Nephthys on the night she became impregnated with Anubis, but so also had Set. The boy had grown well and wise, some could say enough like Osiris to be his alone, but that was no certainty of parentage.

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counterbalance
2011-09-21 07:27 am UTC (link)

The look on Osiris' face when he finally deigned to cast his gaze upon Set's features was positively delicious. There was a tremor of ferocity in it, despite Osiris' masterful talent at controlling his emotions; Osiris judged fairly, delighted in all things good, and frowned heavily upon the darker aspects of life. But what did he know of true balance, that there cannot be light without darkness, and wasn't Ra's everlasting journey proof of such a thing?

Let us not forget: The Good King Osiris had not one suspicious bone in his body, until recently--well, it certainly would be a tale for the history books, wouldn't it? Let Thoth impeccably describe everything. It was his way in the same manner this random visit was simply Set's way.

The storm god leaned forward when Osiris spoke, ears alert and a look of false disbelief upon his face.

"Osiris, surely I'm not hearing displeasure in your tone. Can it be? Has this new existence soured your pleasant disposition?" Standing upright again, a delighted glimmer remained in his eyes, though the corners of his mouth curved downwards in a frown that was as false as his alleged concern. But it didn't last for long; in a split second his expression changed to vague annoyance, truthful boredom, erasing any sympathetic mask he'd previously worn. His tone hardened.

"Enough about Anubis. Let him be content to weigh the curiously fragile hearts of mortals. It doesn't concern me."

Oh, Anubis was decent company enough, but Set didn't go out of his way to say hello to the jackal-headed man with the quiet smile. Seeing Anubis was always a bit alarming, and Set didn't care to feel alarmed (especially not when Anubis' birth had been much an infuriating mystery). Others, yes, let them be alarmed, frightened, cowered, shown how mighty he was, but let him stand apart as was only fitting. Chaos would come forth from Set haphazardly, like the windstorms he caused when the mood was right. He would instigate chaos, partake in it and reap the rewards, but that was all. Always, always, even when in the thick of supposed danger, the struggle, the pitting of one man against another, a part of Set would be removed from the happenings.

It was a god's right to look down upon their creations. They had been granted divine wisdom and power, hadn't they? But things could not remain peacefully stagnant forever. Surely it didn't reflect badly upon Set if he chose to stir things up a little, while nearly everyone else chose to live a quiet, mundane life. There were always casualities in any war. Osiris never had understood this, even when they were but children and playing together under the watchful eye of Nut.

"Tell me how your kingdom fares, dear brother. What is it like, being Lord of the Underworld?" He glanced around the throne room before his eyes settled upon Osiris once more. "It is good to see you in one piece again. Isis has quite the gift, so skilled with her hands."

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