Author's Disclaimer:

Bleach is the trademark of Viz Media, and all of the Bleach characters are the creation of Tite Kubo. The ancient story of the Egyptian Gods belong to the Egyptian people; however, this story line belongs to me and me alone as well as any future Bleach pieces that I might write.

While reading about the ancient gods of Egypt, I came across a passage that stated that during the Old Kingdom, it was believed Set and Horus were half-brothers. And while indulging myself in reading Bleach fanfics, I came up with this idea. It's not a story about Set and Horus being half-brothers. It's something that I wanted to try. My first attempt in writing this piece, I used contemporary style, but I couldn't get the story to flow just right; thus, I decided to try out a Homer-style approach. The italicized words are words still used today; however, I am using their more archaic definition. At the end of the piece is the translations for the italicized words.

This piece, I guess, would be classified as shounen-ai… I hope that you enjoy my piece, and I appreciate any and all constructive criticism.

-Azteka

Setesh the Damned and Heru the Black Moon

Once upon a time when the world was young, and the Gods walked among man. In a land lush and full of life lived the Ennead, the Great Family of Nine. The Ennead consisted of Atum, Shu, Tefnut, Geb, Nut, Ausar (Osiris), Auset (Isis), Setesh (Set) and Nebt-het. There were many other Gods in the Land of the Great Nu, the Land of the Great River, but their tales are not of any interest here.

For this account is to set right a lie of the ages…

History has taught many of the legend of Osiris, brother-husband of Isis and father of Heru-ur (Horus the Elder), and Setesh, brother-murderer of Osiris. The legend spoke of how Setesh the Red God murdered his twin brother in a fit of jealousy and had scattered the First King's remains across the Land of the Great Nu. The legend continued to tell of how Isis fled while with child and with great devotion that she and her twin sister, Nebt-het, had gathered the Great King's remains. And through ancient magic of Chaos, Isis and Nebt-het resurrected the King of Man as the Lord of the Underworld.

During the Great Mother's exile, Isis gave birth to her child, Heru-ur. The Good God grew to be a goodly and just warrior, and when time came, Setesh and Heru-ur battled for vengeance and dominion over mortal man. And as many fairy-tales of good versus evil went, the goodly God Heru-ur defeated the Red God Setesh, banishing the Wicked One from the Land of the Great Nu to never be heard from again until the day the Great Nu dried and withered away.

This was the truth as told by many just men.

But it is all a lie…

The goodly God Osiris, that many praised as just and kind, was a cold and indifferent creature, who cared not for his subjects but only of himself.

The Great Mother of Devotion Isis, that many worshipped as benevolent, was manipulative and cunning, craving power above all else.

The Devoted Sister Nebt-het, that many beseeched to hear their pleas, was hateful and spiteful, enraged that her match was a freakish creature and not that of her heart's true desire.

The Dreaded Red God of Destruction Setesh, that many feared and shunned, was cold and indifferent, true, as his brother-king; however, this was merely a mask to protect his heart from being spurn.

And the falcon God Heru-ur, that many claimed and prayed to as the son of Osiris and Isis, was no god nor was he a child of Osiris and Isis.

Heru, in fact, held no divinity within his veins but that did not mean that the child was not special. In fact, the young man, that many claimed as a God, was an ibnkek, a shadow creature born of the darkness of the Nu. Heru's sire and dame were the ibnkek I'sen, a former commander of Anpu's armies, and the mortal girl Mahwin, and the true accounts of Ausar, Setesh and Heru began with them…

I'sen was a loyal commander of Anpu (Anubis), the God of Death. The kind-hearted and often jester-like ibnkek served his Lord faithfully since the beginning of time, since Death is timeless. But even with devoted service to an honorable Master, I'sen felt a deep pain within his ib, his heart. It was an odd experience for the ibnkek, or any ibnkek for that matter, since they felt no pain before. The ibnkek are timeless creatures, but far from immortal, and they serve their God as his blade against the kekammitebankh, the Dark Devourer of Life. The kekammitebankh were too born from the darkness of the Nu; however, they were born incomplete, or lost, for they were without ka and ib, without soul and heart, and thus seek those with ample ka and ib to fill the endless void within themselves. And although Anpu is Death, Death believed in balance and thus charged his ibnkek to protect the fledgling race of man against their own darker brethren, the kekammitebankh.

It was on one such charge that I'sen and his troops came across a village of mortals besieged by a band of kekammitebankh. With a battle cry to shake the Heavens, I'sen and his company stormed the kekammitebankh. The battle was fierce, and both darkness, the ibnkek and the kekammitebankh, fell under one another's sword. And as soon as the rampage erupted, it swept through. The kekammitebankh fled with what remain of their numbers, and I'sen and his company were the victor.

To honor their gallant saviors, the village of mortals held a feast and a celebration. Paraded before I'sen and his band were foods of every flavor and drinks of every sweetness, but for I'sen, it was not the food or the drink that caught his eye. But a mere mortal girl, who danced before the company for their enjoyment. The mortal was comely, but her beauty did not just stem from her face but from all of her. Her ba, the personality, her ka, the soul, her ren, the name, her sheut, the shadow, and her ib, the heart; all of which glowed with a radiance that rivaled even Re (Ra). As I'sen watched this mortal creature, he felt his ka and ib reach out and was consumed and accepted by her own ka and ib. It was then I'sen had discovered what had caused him pain.

It was loneliness, and it was healed by her, his renewed ka and ib, his soul and heart.

Now understanding what he had longed for, I'sen choose to remain with his ka and ib, Mahwin the mortal girl. The kind Commander bestowed the company's Charge to his loyal friend and brother-in-arms, Kees, and soon found peace in the arms of his ka and ib.

Kees and his company then returned to their Lord Anpu, who wished a thousand blessings upon his once Commander and his newly found Mate.

And thus…

Many moons and many seasons graced the Land of the Great Nu.

Many moons and many seasons graced the Pesdjet eb Anpu (House of Anubis), blessing the quiet Death God with two younglings to call his own. Twins. One boy. One girl. They were his crowning jewels, and they were favored by Re, but not as much as they were favored by their favorite brother-uncle, Setesh the Red God.

It was not uncommon for Setesh to be seen at Anpu's House. For there, the Red One was accepted. For there, he was not shunned for his hair, red as freshly spilt blood. For there, he was not sneered at for his flesh, white as the glorious fat moon, untouched by Re's brilliance. For there, Setesh was not hated for his eyes, crimson-gold as fire set against the blackest of black abyss. There, the Red God was loved and respected. There, he was acknowledged and accepted. There, he was safe and freed from persecution.

And although he favored Pesdjet eb Anpu as his own house, Setesh belonged to the Pesdjet eb Ennead (House of Ennead) and thus must return time-to-time to his kin and to his sister-wife, Nebt-het.

It was on one of these journeys, the rest of our story continues…

Dejected but honored-bound Setesh ventured from the home of his heart to the home of his pain. Cloaked in his favorite traveling cloak, Setesh traveled for two full suns until he came upon the familiar sounds of battle. As he approached, he watched with dispassion. The affairs of mortals never had interested the pariah God since it was never his position to interfere. He believed that mortals should just be, and if it was their destiny to grow or wither away, it was their's alone. It was this belief that had him cast out of favor with his own kin, who believed that the mortals must abide by their Gods' Design; however, while Setesh's belief cast him out of favor, it made him accepted by Anpu and his brood.

And thus, he merely observed the bandits for they were so close to the home of his heart. If these rogues should decide to approach the home of his heart then he would take pleasure in dispatching them before the ever-hungry Devourer.

As he watched, Setesh felt a strange pull, a call, from his ka and ib. Curious, the Red God followed the call to the bandit's true focus.

A small group of untouched women, huddled together in fear, as one lone man-child desperately fought to protect those behind him.

Setesh watched as the youth fought and fought. One by one the bandits fell or fled from the youth's prowess. But even the great rivers weaken due to time, and for this man-child, time and wariness were his enemies as a vicious rogue struck down the youth. Even injured and weak, the man-child fought but to no avail. The scoundrel just jeered and took pleasure in the cries of two little girls, who cried for the fallen and yet struggling youth. Soon the villain raised his blade to paint the pure land with the taint of innocent blood when confusion colored his expression at the sight of his blade and hand detached from his person. And soon the felon found himself before the judgment of Ma'at, Truth, and Ammit, the Devourer, as the man-child gained renewed strength and swiftly dispatched the cruel thief.

All had fled and were gone during the man-child's battle against the bandit-chief, save for the two girls, the youth and Setesh, who approached heedless of the threat the boy possessed. The boy's mind had locked itself away, but his instinct and desire to protect did not fade, and he attacked. The Red One of Destruction merely batted away the flailing attacks and held the wild man-child in his arms. Soon the wild became tamed, and what was once pristine was now soiled red by the blood of the innocent. Setesh then gathered the youth into his arms and returned to the home of his heart.

With the winds to his back, Setesh swiftly returned home with his three spoils. Confident in his brother-of-his-heart's healers to tend to the injured, the Red God then left the man-child, who called to his ka and ib, in Anpu's House and returned to the House of Ausar.

There, none questioned his blood-stain garments. Only concluded the outcast Kin was depraved and had slaughtered some helpless village. Setesh cared not for his Kins' opinion and ignored his sister-wife, Nebt-het, who demanded riches and trinkets to compensate for his neglect.

As was his custom, Setesh sent a missive to his brother-of-his-heart stating of his safe return and inquiring of the man-child's health.

Several moons had pass when a missive baring the Red Charge of Pesdjet eb Anpu arrived. Nebt-het, the scornful woman, took the letter onto herself. Upon reading the letter, her countenance became hideous with rage and revulsion. Immediately, without word to her hated brother-husband, Nebt-het sought her heart's love, Ausar, for retribution of being denied what was owed to her. Nebt-het pleaded her case of being denied three slaves, despite owning a household of slaves.

Furious that the heartless Setesh would deny their sister of three servants, Ausar sought Setesh, who had sought refuge among Ausar's soldiers and with them made sport of their ill-attempts to dispatch the Red God. Once found, Ausar challenged Setesh's claim to his three prizes. The Red One balked at his brother-king's claim and stated he had not denied his hateful consort of any battle spoils, which be the truth since it was not he, who dispatched the bandit-leader but the man-child, who continually plagued Setesh's thoughts and dreams since.

It was then Nebt-het with gleeful malice presented her proof of denial, the letter baring Anpu's Mark. The note stated of the man-child's good health, despite injures rendered and of the youth's desire to thank the God of Chaos for his aid.

The note stunned the Lord of Ruin to silence, and Ausar took the Lord of Anarchy's silence as an admission of duplicity toward Nebt-het's honor. The Master of Pesdjet eb Ennead thus commanded the three battle spoils be presented before him within the moon for inspection of worth and let Setesh be.

Setesh was outraged that his treacherous sister-wife without sanction invaded in his affairs, but he was more stunned that the man-child, who held his thoughts hostage, would wish to thank him, Setesh of Bedlam. He had never before been thanked by any other than those of Anpu's Pesdjet, but he quickly stabbed the vague beating of joy in his heart for he knew that the man-child must not know that it was he, the God of Mayhem, that had aided the youth against the bandits. For if the youth had known then the man-child would not wish to thank Setesh since even mortals believed him to be of fiendish disposition. And it was after Ausar's decree that Setesh felt his ka and ib weep in pain for he could not defy his brother-king's diktat, which demanded the three innocents to be brought before Ausar, the First King. Without so much of a by your leave to a soul within Ausar's Pesdjet, Setesh left.

The Red One's journey was heavy hearted, and once he arrived to the home of his heart, Setesh was beset by melancholy that not even being greeted by his favorite niece and nephew could ease his wounded ka and ib. Upon his formal greeting to his brother-of-his-heart, Setesh softly spoke of the transgression done upon his heart. As the One Who Ruled Turmoil spoke of his heavy heart and of Ausar's law, another listened in shock, horror and outrage. Unable to keep his peace, a voice proclaimed against the unmerited proclamation.

It was then that Setesh came face to face with the cowl-covered man-child, who troubled the Red God's peace of mind. And lo, the sight took his breath away for the youth was of such splendor that Setesh believed he was in the Monad's presence, the presence of the Unknown One. The man-child's flesh was a healthy shade of bronze, much like the other mortals of the Land of the Great Nu, but it was the youth's eyes that caught Setesh's breath. While mortals held brown eyes, or various shades of brown, Setesh had never seen one with beautiful ocher eyes, especially since those beautiful brownish-yellow orbs glowed like fire.

It was then Anpu announced Setesh to the man-child Heru, who was stunned that the cloaked man be his savior against the bandits. Setesh then revealed his features before Heru, who found himself drawn to the pale creature before him. This pleased Setesh greatly that his ocher-eyed gem found him in good allure, and the Red One found it fascinating that the man-child was of sound mind when he designed a scheme to protect the two little girls he call sisters, Karin and Yuzul.

Heru proposed that Setesh pay Anpu, Lord of the Dead, for the man-child's treated injures. Anpu immediately refused such thought while Setesh reveled at Heru's cunning and insisted the two slave girls remain as payment and playmates for his favored niece. It was then Anpu caught the gleam of the ruse, which shook him with laughter as he called upon a feast within the Pesdjet eb Anpu. Although sadden to be separated from the slave girls he call sisters, Heru was more pleased to know that they will be well protected for within Anpu's estate, even a slave was treated with great respect as any life should be within the Lord of Eternal Slumber's home.

On the next morn, Setesh and Heru ventured forth to the Pesdjet eb Ennead. The journey was a mix of silence and playful tease as the Red One took delight in Heru's fiery spirit, and Heru never once shied away from the God of Madness' brash nature.

It was not until the pair arrived at Ausar's domain did Heru see a change in his strong-minded Master. It was a change that the man-child discovered he cared not for. The silence, which Setesh had fallen into, was of an unnatural order, and Heru was at a loss for his Lord's rough nature. As they ventured deeper into Ausar's holdings, Heru felt affronted by the vassals, serfs and the freemen's contempt toward his Red God, but Setesh took no notice as if he did not see the laborers of the land spat out ill omen at his person. Then a brave, or foolish, mortal approached and launched a piece of stone at the unnaturally quiet God of Chaos. The mortal then spoke of falsehoods against Setesh. Unable to keep his tongue, Heru lashed out at the vassal and dared any to raise their hand against his Master. Fearful of the rightly angered man-child, the vassals, serfs and freemen returned to their own affairs while Setesh watched this strange creature speak for him. This pleased him greatly as he resumed his playful jest toward Heru, who too was pleased to have his Master return in good form.

As the moon approached, Setesh and Heru arrived at Pesdjet eb Ennead at such a late hour that the Master of Destruction found himself carrying his servant into the den of mistrust. Safely Setesh tucked Heru into his quarters and awaited for Re's daily blessing upon all beneath Nut. Soon Re's warmth awoken all to a new start, and Heru watched spellbound as his Master slept. Then remembering his station, Heru began his new life.

Many suns were devoured then reborn before Ausar summoned Setesh before him and their sister-kins, and in that time, Heru proved his worth as Setesh's valet that Setesh knew he could not be without the invaluable man-child and thus prepared himself to fight his kin to keep Heru by his side. As the pair presented themselves before the Master of Pesdjet eb Ennead Ausar, Nebt-het became enraged that her hideous brother-husband had only presented one slave when he had gained three. When questioned of his deception, Setesh plainly told of Anpu's recompense for tending the man-child's wounds. Nebt-het continued to challenge, stating the Death God was wrong to take two when one was of sufficient payment. As Ausar and Auset made to agree, another voiced their resolute, which silenced all as all humbly bowed before the Monad-Re.

As the Monad-Re's presence filled the hall of Ausar's home, Nebt-het spoke once more against her unwanted brother-husband, but the kind Monad-Re listened not and gave proclamation that Heru bare the mark of Setesh and thus is done with as Setesh pleases. Setesh announced it pleased him well to keep Heru by his side, and so…

As the Monad-Re had spoken, it was written, it was done.

An uneasy peace engulfed Pesdjet eb Ennead.

Wherever Setesh was seen, by his side akin to the hidden day-moon, Heru was too seen. Soon the suns melted away to moons, and Setesh and Heru were never apart until one day Ausar summoned the Lord of Chaos, leaving Heru to himself. It was then Nebt-het, whose hatred and jealousy at Setesh's apparent happiness knew no bounds, attempted to ruin the beautiful man-child.

As Heru went to bathe, the detestable Nebt-het set about to know Heru, who fought against the she-villain. Enraged that she was denied the flesh of the slave, who had spoiled Setesh's ka and ib, Nebt-het called forth olden and foul magik to subdue the disarrayed youth. With no defense against such foul magik, Heru frightfully called for his Master.

Setesh, upon hearing his ka and ib's faint cries, spirited to Heru's side and without warning, violently cast aside his felon sister-wife and gathered the frighten man-child into his arms and fled the cursed Pesdjet eb Ennead.

As if sensing Setesh's hastened desire for the safety of Pesdjet eb Anpu, the winds were to the fleeing pair's back. Once among the family of his heart, Setesh found his breath, and all rejoiced at the celebration of his and Heru's return. Once free from the clutches of Nebt-het's wickedness, Heru calmed once again and found joy to be reunited with the two girls he call sisters. And at last, Setesh and Heru found true peace for many suns and moons until the day of the kekammitebankh attack on a village under Anpu's Charge.

As it was the custom, Anpu sent out his ibnkek to decimate the dark Devourer of Life. But then horrid news reached Anpu and Setesh's ears as these kekammitebankh were not as the Devourer the ibnkek were accustom to battling. These new dark creatures were strong as two scores of kekammitebankh. Greatly troubled by the news and by this new threat, Anpu and Setesh with their brother-of-their-hearts Wepwawet, the War God, they ventured forth to battle this new approaching threat, leaving Heru in charge of the babes and the household.

Days soon turned to moons, and Pesdjet eb Anpu heard nothing from their Master and Kin as more and more villages sought refuge within the walls of the Mighty God of Death's home. While misery befell those outside of the walls, a calm and serenity ruled within the walls as Heru commanded the household expertly. Then on the night of a blue moon, Pesdjet eb Anpu were awaken from their peaceful slumber by the trumpets of their Master and Kin's return. However, the return was bittersweet. The threat was defeated and sent back beyond the borders of the Great Nu, but one of these new kekammitebankh attempted one final victory against Anpu but was foiled by Setesh, who accepted the injury onto himself.

The Brother-of-Hearts hastened to the safety of their home of their hearts. They rode on the winds in desperation for Anpu, the God of Death, could feel his brother-of-his-heart's end approaching. Anpu gently placed the weakened Setesh upon his bed and was soon to take his ka to be judged before Ma'at when he was suddenly spurn out of Setesh's chambers by a heated Heru, who avowed that not even the God of Death would steal away his Master, and Heru placed a barrier around the simple chamber, using magic olden than olden and soon called back Setesh's wandering ka with his own ka.

It was then Anpu learned of Heru's secret, and that was Heru was a childe of an ibnkek sire and a mortal dame.

Heru used his immense hidden ka to call back his beloved Master from the eternal awaiting slumber then succumb to a deep healing rest in his Master's arms.

Several suns had pass afore Heru returned to wakefulness. Upon returning to wakefulness Setesh ordered for Heru to remove his ever-present cowl and reveal his ruff, the mark of a childe of an ibnkek. Heru shyly obeyed and revealed his beautiful tresses of tawny hair, which Setesh ordered never to be hidden again for the God of Mayhem had fallen in favor of the exotic color.

As the moons came and went, and new seasons began, Setesh found himself gallanting for Heru's affections, and Heru in turn granted favor to his brazen master. However, their serenity was disrupted by a summons back to Pesdjet eb Ennead for census. On the last night in the home of their hearts, Heru came to Setesh, and as the night drew, they knew one other as the sun knew the moon.

On the morrow, Setesh and Heru returned to Pesdjet eb Ennead, where they kept their affections hidden and conveyed through simple touches their bond and love for one another. While a heaviness laid about them, Setesh and Heru continued on with their affairs and awaited for census to pass in order to return to their home of their hearts. As census continued, Ausar called upon Setesh to learn about his battle against the new, stronger kekammitebankh. Setesh may begrudge his brother-king, but the Lord of Disorder knew this new threat must be acknowledged, even by Pesdjet eb Ennead, who believed themselves well protected from this corruption within their high walls.

As Setesh reported to the First King of the new threat, Nebt-het called upon her sister, Auset, to aid her against Heru. The two sister-wives were not without sight and learned that their vile brother-kin had found happiness in the man-child's presence. It was their claim that such a foul creature deserved no knowledge of peace and happiness. And thus, the two wives conspired as Heru set about his Master's affairs. By their mistresses' command, a score of blindly devoted soldiers descendent upon Setesh's Mate.

Valiantly Heru fended himself against the raid on his person, but soon the ibnkek childe was overwhelmed and fell to the blades of his enemies. And Heru knew only darkness.

Setesh had felt his ka and ib cry in pain and rushed to his Mate's side. The Red God came upon the bloodied shell of his Mate and fell to his knees. As he touched, caressed and held his Mate, black tears painted the God of Chaos' once pale face. As he touched, caressed and held his ka and ib, Setesh threw back his head and howled his anguish for all to hear. His wail of pain and grief was felt throughout the land, even in Pesdjet eb Anpu where all cried in shared pain for their brethren.

But not all shared in the Lord of Mayhem's sorrow.

Angered that the pariah Lord would dismiss him for some mean mortal, Ausar the First King and the goodly God approached the lost ka. The heartless Lord mocked the Red One's wails as that of a woman's and belittled Heru's loyalty and love to the God of Destruction and placed fault upon the aggrieving Master of Anarchy. But none of Ausar's scornful words reached Setesh's ears as he felt his ib and his ka run cold without Heru's warmth to comfort him. The cold of the kekammitebankh's poison that still lingered within the Lord of Chaos' veins embraced the tortured God as the Red One embraced the cold kekammitebankh's poison into him.

Still angered that the detestable Lord of Turmoil continued to dismiss him, Ausar the just God of Man raised his crook to strike down the Designer of Pandemonium. The crook descended upon nothing. Surprised, Ausar raised his eyes and knew true terror as his sight was filled with not that of the lowly Red God but a glorious White Kekammitebankh.

Then Ausar, the First King, knew no more.

The domain of Ausar was filled with agonized wails from the two scheming wives and the suffering vassals, serfs and freemen. The echoing cries summoned all of the scattered Pesdjet within the Land of the Great Nu. All heard the weeping wails of the two wives for their murdered Love by their hated brother, and all heard the two wives vindictive plea for Setesh of Bedlam's death. While the gathered masters of the scattered Pesdjet heard the mistresses' wail, the kind Anpu, the God of Death, found the forgotten form of Heru. As Anpu performed his sacred magik, the Monad-Re gave charge to the mighty Master of Balance of judgment, and with a heavy heart, Anpu took his charge and sought out his brother-of-his-heart.

Many suns had melted away to nothing afore the Lord of Death found the White Kekammitebankh. It was then Anpu learned that his brother-of-his-heart was lost to him and that they would battle until one was no more.

As they battled for many suns, each bore heavy injury but neither gave up.

Upon the tenth sun, the White Kekammitebankh with his mask broken fell to his knees, gladly accepting the one-eyed Anpu's blade into him and finally accepting his death by his brother-of-his-heart's hand.

The news of the Red God's demise reached to all within the Land of the Great Nu, and all rejoiced, save for the Pesdjet eb Anpu, who held the sacred funeral rites for their fallen and lost brother. Then the vicious wives demanded for the Wicked One's corpse to be put to the flame.

Here, Anpu refused and hidden away his brother-of-his-heart's body. Here, Anpu promised the Red One's return to the side of his beloved ka and ib, Heru. Here, Anpu warned those who bare falsely against the Red One of Setesh's return for vengeance. And here, Setesh of Chaos awaits his ka and ib, Heru, to be born again.

"WAH!" Cried a beautiful young woman as she stood before a large rose-colored marble tablet.

"Maa, maa," A deep, soothing voice murmured as a handsome man attempted to calm the distraught girl, "there is no need for tears."

"ORIHIME!" Another voice bellowed, revealing a charging woman, who skidded to a halt before the pair. The young woman quickly noted her crying friend before leveling a dangerous glare upon the handsome man.

"YOU!" She pointed, "What did you do to make Orihime cry?"

The man then held a bemused grin upon his face as he observed the short raven-haired girl with his single golden eye.

"And the dragon bares her fangs." The man quietly replied.

"What?" The girl growled, much to the stranger's amusement.

"Tatsuki! It's so sad! It's not fair!" Wailed the buxom chestnut-brunette girl as she wrapped her arms around her friend's neck and cried.

The girl, Tatsuki, then blinked owlishly at her eccentric friend's behavior before leveling another glare on the bemused male, standing in front of them.

If Tatsuki was honest with herself, she would say that the man was handsome beyond description. He was tall with a commanding and yet gentle presence. He was lean built and was dressed casually in a pair of charcoal gray slacks with a loose, cream-colored polo shirt. He had black as the moonless night hair and looked to enjoy the sun's sweet caresses for he wore a healthy bronze tan. All in all, the stranger was very handsome and had only one flaw. He was missing his right eye. Instead of having a matching golden orb, the stranger's right eye looked to have been clawed out by some sort of beast for the flesh was marred by scars.

Suddenly Tatsuki's attention was drawn back to her weeping friend as Orihime told her of the story that had her in tears. Tatsuki had to smile at her friend, who always seem to wear her heart on her sleeve. It never ceased to amaze the tomboyish girl to see her friend so willing to cry for another, regardless if the story was true or not.

Besides everyone knew the real story of Seth, Osiris and Horus, and she told her weeping friend so.

"Everyone has their own truth." The stranger quietly stated, reminding the two girls that he was still there. He cantered his head to the side as he continued, "This is the truth that has been in my family since the beginning."

"Oh!" Orihime exclaimed, accepting his answer as the truth while Tatsuki was hard pressed to believe the stranger, but one thing she did know was that the stranger's answer seemed to have calm her ditzy friend.

"Do you think Setesh ever found his mate again?" Orihime suddenly asked as she stepped away from Tatsuki's strong and protective embrace.

The stranger then ruefully smiled but did not answer. Instead, he asked, "Would you like to see him?"

"Who?" Tatsuki asked, not bothering to hide her suspicions of the man's intentions. After all, he would not be the first man to attempt to lure the pretty girl away to do who knew what to her.

The man smiled again at her as if he knew of her suspicions.

"Setesh." He simply said.

Tatsuki's eyes grew wide while Orihime squealed in delight.

"Oh yes!" She clapped her hands together, and with that the stranger bowed and lead the girls into a closed-off exhibit.

Flipping a hidden light switch on the wall, the exhibit was revealed as the lights came on. The dim glow of the artificial lights gave the exhibit an otherworldly feel. As if Tatsuki and Orihime had entered into another world and time.

All about were statues of ancient gods and goddesses in various forms. The walls were decorated in faux stone with beautifully crafted glyphs adorning the walls. There were even dummies in glass-casings wearing ancient kilts and dresses with beautifully crafted and gilded jewelry that were befitting for royalty or perhaps the gods themselves. Everything was breathtakingly beautiful that Tatsuki felt if she closed her eyes, she would find herself there in that ancient time and place.

Suddenly she heard a sharp gasp coming from Orihimie that she quickly rushed over to her friend's side and too gasped at what she saw.

In the center of the magnificent exhibit, a simple glass encased dais sat, and within the glass dais laid a perfectly preserved and completely intact mummy. The traditional linen wrappings were missing, exposing the mummy's features for all to see. The mummy wore the remains of what once was a beautiful long kilt secured by a gold plaited belt around its slim waist and wore stunning gold and jeweled trinkets upon his wrists and ankles. The mummy even wore one of those gorgeous necklaces decorated in gold, lapis lazuli, red coral and obsidian beads. Tatsuki could see that the mummy had its arms crossed over its chest like most royal mummies, but it was something beneath the mummy's crossed arms that made the tough girl's heart speed up in panic. Slowly she approached closer to the dais and saw hidden beneath the crossed arms the unmistakable hole of a missing heart; the same missing hole that many of those white masked monsters carry. Slowly her eyes ventured up, expecting to see a human face or even a beautifully gilded golden mask, but Tatsuki chocked a strangled cry in her throat as she saw the all too familiar bleach-bone white mask of a monster… of a Hollow.

"Kurosaki-kun!" Orihime cried, immediately causing Tatsuki to turn around, hoping that she would see her missing childhood friend.

However, instead of seeing her tawny-haired friend, Tatsuki came face to face with another large rose-colored marble tableau.

The tableau had a simple domestic scene carved into it. In the center of the marble tableau was a carving of a man sitting in a backless chair, and another man leaning over him. The sitting man wore the same jewelry as the Hollow-mummy on the dais, but while the mummy was without distinct coloring, the man on the tableau was with color. Tatsuki could see the man's flaming red hair and milky white complexion, and she saw the man's black-golden eyes. Despite his odd coloring and frightful expression, Tatsuki thought the sitting man was very handsome. Then her eyes roamed to the carved figure that hovered over the sitting man as if waiting to do the sitting man's bidding.

"Ichigo?" Tatsuki whispered as her eyes grew wide in recognition.

There was no mistaking it. The hovering man looked exactly like her missing friend. In shape, in hair color and eye color... Even down to the thoughtful scowl that Ichigo always wore. As she continued to examine the tableau, she suddenly realized that the two carved men could be related since they looked similar, but Tatsuki knew that was not the case as she got the distinct feeling that the two men were more than Master and Servant. It was faint, but whoever carved this scene was able to capture the faint softness and devoted love that both men shared for one another in their eyes.

In a way, Tatsuki felt as if she was invading, spying on a private moment; regardless of the fact that it was a carving on stone rather than actual people.

"Setesh and Heru."

Tatsuki and Orihime both leapt in surprise as they had forgotten their mysterious guide… again.

"Anou.." Orihime whispered as she glanced back at the tableau, "Heru looks so much like Kurosaki-kun."

The stranger cantered his head to the side before giving a soft smile to the kind-heart girl.

"Then perhaps Setesh has found his mate, Heru."

Orihime suddenly beamed in unadulterated happiness as she wished for the stranger's words to be true.

"Ichigo…" The white mirror called as he twirled the white zanpakuto with one finger, "What's the difference between a king and the horse he rides?"

"What?" The tawny-haired Shinigami panted as he took the reprieve from his mirror's onslaught to catch his breath.

"Don't worry." The white shadow assured the teen, "It's not a riddle or some stupid guessing game. It's an important truth.

"Is it shape, ability, strength?" He questioned, "When two beings are exactly the same, how do they decided which of them will be the king and lead them into battle and which will lend its strength to the other, like a horse? What allows one to dominate the other?" The white creature demanded.

Ichigo gasped as he felt he had been asked such a question once before. He could not shake the sense of déjà-vu as he waited for his white doppelganger to finish.

"The answer is simple." The creature whispered before his handsome face contorted into a manic sneer, "A KILLER INSTINCT!

"How else does one powerful being dominate another?" The white shadow asked as he expertly handled shiro-Zangetsu, "That's what it takes to become king! An insatiable hunger for battle! For power! The will to mercilessly crush any enemy! To tear them apart! To hack them to pieces! A ravenous bloodlust!" His tone was a mix of deep anguish and glorious reminiscence. "The will to rip off skin! To gouge flesh! To crush bone and mangle sinew! Somewhere, carved deep into your primordial unconscious you have to want to KILL!"

Ichigo stilled. As he listened to the white creature, the injured Shinigami could not help but sense that his white reflection was confessing. To what, he did not know.

"And you don't have it!" The white echo declared with unnamed emotion in his voice, "You lack that indomitable drive! You fight with your head! You try to defeat your enemies with reason!" The shadow accused then demanded, "But how can you slay with a sheathed sword?"

Stunned to hear the tormented hysterics in the white mirror's voice, Ichigo did not even move nor protected himself as he was run through by White Zangetsu. Ichigo just remained still as he felt the millennia of pain, guilt and loneliness that White Zangetsu held vibrate into his own soul, unlocking ancient emotions and memories from deep within.

"I can't…" Whispered the teen's other half as he approached and grasped onto the white hilt of the quiet zanpakuto.

Suddenly Ichigo seized the virgin white blade, and soon the once White Moon became black, black as the moonless night.

The white reflection was surprised to see his pristine white blade become blacker than black that he had not realized the sleeve of his haori had too become black until…

Until he felt the cool balm sooth his fiery rage. Oh! How he longed to drown in the soothing balm that the other offered! But he dared not! The white shadow refused to succumb as he released his hold on his zanpakuto and leapt away. Subconsciously the white echo held his hand to where his once mortal heart resided. Where now in its place was an empty black hole, and with his hand so near, the white mirror could feel the calming caress of the Black Moon soothing the chaotic fever within him.

Then without warning, Ichigo pulled kuro-Zangetsu free from his torso as his body pulsated with renewed strength.

The white madness watched with abated breath.

Ichigo then stared at his other half as he regain hold of his blade then…

SHWAK!

Looking down, crimson-gold against black abyss eyes found themselves ensnared by a pair of determined and yet loving ocher gems.

"You're wrong, Setesh…" Ichigo whispered as he stared at his lost other half, unaware that the words which flowed freely and naturally from his lips were not of his native language, Japanese, but of his soul… the ancient language of the Archaic Pharaoh-Gods. "It's not the killer instinct that makes one stronger than the other… it's the will to live… the will to love."

Setesh's hard expression then softened as he raised a hand to cup his ka and ib's bloodstained cheek.

"I know…" He answered as he leaned forward, ignoring the black blade impaled in him, "…and it hurt so much to be without you…"

Ichigo's eyes grew wide as he felt his white echo's soft lips gently caress against his own. A sense of strangeness had overcome his rational mind and yet he had never felt so right as he did then.

"Setesh…"

"Forever bound… my ka to yours… your ib to mine…"

"Forever bound, my ka to yours, your ib to mine." Ichigo found himself repeating as he gently closed the gap between himself and Setesh.

Outside the enclosed arena, the air was alive with explosive energy as the troupe of Vizards gathered around to watch the draconic Vizard cease its assault on their companion, Love. When suddenly the rabid creature began to glow and radiate power beyond description. Brighter and brighter the creature glowed, forcing the Vizards to shield their eyes from the blinding light.

Then the entire shielded warehouse exploded, destroying the battle arena's barrier and throwing the surrounding Vizards away from the epicenter of the explosion. Even before the dust had the chance to settle, Shinji, Leader of the Vizards, quickly scrambled to his feet and rushed forward to check on the young Shinigami. He had half expected to find the tawny-haired youth to be either half mutilated by the explosion or even outright dead, but he was not prepared for what he saw.

Hovering above the deep crater were two embracing figures. One purely white adorned in a thick linen kilt that reached to his sandal-covered feet. The figure also wore a thick hooded cloak that looked to be tattered at the hem and well-worn. The cloak's hood covered the white specter's face, and although the white phantom's presence exuded absolute power and destruction, Shinji was surprised at the mysterious figure's gentleness as he tenderly held Ichigo's bloodied, black-clad frame against his own white pristine chest.

"Shinji!" Hiyori shouted as she clamored to her feet and reached to her Leader's side. "Where's that stupid strawberry?"

The Vizard Leader slowly raised a hand and pointed at the descending white apparition. Hiyori followed her Leader's gaze and gave a strangled shriek when she saw the pristine, regal, mask-less white Hollow touch ground. Slowly the creature gently lowered the sleeping Ichigo onto the ground. Before he released the tawny-haired teen, the white shade nuzzled his face against Ichigo's. The sleeping teen sighed contently as he fell deeper to sleep, and the White Being of Chaos and Mayhem began to fade into white wisps of smoke and fog.

However, before completely disappearing from the material plan back into his Mate's consciousness, the white shadow leveled his fiery-golden orbs upon the Halfling pair and gave a feral grin.

"I am Setesh the Damned." Setesh decreed, his voice echoed off of the walls even though he spoke softly, "And be warned for any who harms Heru-Ichigo the Black Moon will met their oblivion by my sword!"

So it was said. So it was written. So it be done.

Translations:

Babe (s) - baby

Chamber - bedroom

Charge - heraldic design

Consort - partner

Dame - woman in charge of household; mother

Disarrayed - to undress somebody

Felon - evil

Gallant - majestic; {vrb} to woo

Goodly - attractive; pleasant

Hastened - to speed something up; to go somewhere quickly

Jest - something joked about; teasing

Know - to have sex with somebody

Mean - humble

Mistress (es) - loved woman

Moon (s) - period of time; month

Morn - morning

Morrow - the next day

Olden - from the past

Ruin - loss of virginity; to seduce than abandon; to rape

Sire - address to king/lord; father

Spoil (s) - to take property from somebody

Spurn - scornful rejection; to kick

Vile - worthless

Villain - contemptible person

Wail - to lament something or someone

Wife - woman

with child - pregnant