Fly Away Home

"A bird, grandfather? Has your fire and fury really been so diminished?"

The god of the sun made no answer and remained in darkness. Remained where he sat in silence, sharpening his spear.

"Silence, then? Well, I can take that."

And despite the words of Horus, Ra's silence still continued. Broken only by the sound of the wheel. Marking the passage of time by its rotations, oblivious to all around it. Whether it be Ra, the Creator, Horus, the King of Egypt, or the crane that was perched on the deck. A small bird that had somehow found its way up here.

"Come on grandfather, night is far away." Horus began walking along the solar barge. "Surely you can spare some light for your favourite grandson."

That, at least, got Ra to glance in his direction. To make the wheel stop spinning, however briefly. And make Horus's stride falter. He had not seen such a look from his grandfather before. Not from many people. He had seen despair, and sorrow, and death, but never in such a combination. Never in such balance.

Yet Ra, the Creator, stood, however dim his glory was. And Horus watched as a small smile crept across his sunburnt lips.

"Two birds," he murmured. "I shall expect both to have flown away before the coming of night."

"Perhaps you could use some company, Grandfather," Horus said. He tried to smile, but failed, as he watched his grandfather's own fade. "You alone can keep Apophis at bay. The two of us-"

"Only one will stand against the dark," Ra said. "The burden is enough for one, let alone two."

"One might share such a burden."

"You have your own responsibilities to the world below," Ra said. He turned away from the sky god, and returned to dwell amongst the stars. "Responsibilities that you seem to be shirking from by coming up here."

"I would like to think my responsibilities extend beyond just Egypt. To those I would call family." Horus walked up to his grandfather. "How heals your wound?"

"It is gone," Ra answered, not taking his eyes off the wheel. "The sun god is not so easily slain."

"You know which wound I refer to."

Ra glanced at him. And that was all the answer Horus needed.

His grandfather remained wounded, and the wound festered. Even without his eyes, Horus could see that. Set's betrayal had hurt them all, and Ra perhaps more than any. Ra, who was struck down by his son. Ra, whose inaction had almost cost all of Creation its very existence. Ra, who knew that Set would never take his place amongst the stars, keeping the beast of night at bay. And even Horus, whose remaining life measured in mere centuries, was left to wonder what would happen when his own night had passed. What would happen when Ra could no longer hold back the night? Who would take the sun god's place?

"Grandfather-"

"My light has not yet faded." Ra glanced at him, a fire in his eyes, and deep down, fury as well. "I will be here long after Egypt has forgotten your name."

"And what then?" Horus asked. "What of when there are no gods left, and mortals are all that remain? Would you consider them capable of taking your place?"

"I would like to think that your bride is fertile."

"Yes," Horus said, a smirk briefly forming on his lips. "She is."

"Then the Nile flows, as does your seed."

"While the desert remains barren."

It was a jibe, and Horus meant it. Not in vindication, but in…what, he wondered?

Set.

Set, the tyrant. Set, the slayer of gods. Set, the monster. Set, the son of Ra, left barren, left in the desert while Ra and Horus were left to the stars and skies, and Osiris to the gardens of the Nile. Might Set have become a different man if Ra had acted differently? Horus did not wish to think so. He would rather direct his ire at his uncle rather than his grandfather. Yet had he not been changed by his journey? Might Set have been different if circumstance had allowed it?

Ra got to his feet, no answer on his lips. Night was nearing. The beast hungered. And Horus could only watch. Even the skies were below the heavens.

"Fly away," Ra said, and Horus could tell it was directed not just to him, but the crane as well. A bird conspicuously not dead yet. "Fly away to your skies, and let the sun warm you after night's coming."

Horus watched his grandfather's radiance increase. Watched as the beast neared. Looked at the crane, knowing he would have to carry it with him if it were to survive. Once, a task below any god. Now, a task he would carry out. If not gladly. Because he suspected that the only reason that the crane was not yet dead was that his grandfather desired the company, however fleeting.

"Farewell, grandfather."

And so, Horus obeyed the sun's will. Stretching his wings, he took his kin with him to return to the skies.

Night was coming. And the days were far from young.

A/N

So, saw Gods of Egypt and...yeah. It isn't good. Not without some positives, but among other things, I'm left to ask what will happen since Set can't replace Ra, and Apophis is still hungering for the world. Does that mean the setting is screwed?

Well, doubt we'll ever get a sequel, but drabbled this up regardless.