Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The chaos came on Tuesday, like it always did. It started with all your plates falling out of the cabinets, hitting the ground with muffled bangs. After the fifth time, you had traded out all your plates to plastic. Then came the bookshelf. Books pushed themselves off the shelves, opening on the floor, the pages ruffling as your AC came on. But the most annoying was when your blanket was ripped from you, exposing you to the cool air of your apartment.

“Uugghh, what ghost did I piss off?” You mumbled to yourself, getting up from your chair, setting your coffee down on the end table. As you bent down to pick up the plates, waiting for the blinds to start opening - the pattern of chaos ingrained in your mind, you heard a shattering noise followed by liquid spilling. You stood up straight.

“Oh hell no-” You stormed over to where you set down your coffee, sighing angrily as you saw your mug in pieces and the coffee all over your floor. You flared your arms upward, frustration in your voice as you yelled at your ceiling.

“Okay, what the shit did I do to you? Did you live here centuries ago or something? Did-” You were cut off by the feeling of steaming coffee steeping into your sock. As you hopped on one foot, hissing in pain, you noticed the coffee forming strange puddles. You crouched down, cocking your head to the side as you tried to make sense of what was happening. Maybe your floorboards were uneven. But as the steaming brown liquid continued to swirl, you recognized what they were forming.

“Hieroglyphs?” You whispered in disbelief, hand reaching out to trace the symbols. Just as your fingers touched the coffee, the hieroglyphs seemingly translated in your mind. You scrambled back at what it said, chest heaving in shock. After you calmed down, you stood up calmly, aware of the presence behind you. You rolled your shoulder before raising an eyebrow.

“So..you’re back?” You shook your head, laughing as excitement weld up inside of you. You turned around, a smile itching to form on your face.

“Hello Set.”

—————————————————————————-

Marc was vibing. He was free of Khonshu’s burden, free to live his life with Layla and Steven, without any possibility of danger ahead. He leaned back in his patio chair, sunglasses sliding down his nose as he basked in the sun. Layla sat in front of him, her hair creating a halo around her head, glowing in the sun. Even though she was no longer the avatar for Taweret, she was still a goddess. The streets bustled around them, families out shopping, vendors calling out their goods, music playing faintly in the distance.

“Why are you smiling so big?” Layla asked as she took a drink of her sugar cane juice, a happy look on her face. Marc spread his arms out wide, gesturing to the energy around them.

“This! We can finally have a moment like this without having to look over our shoulders! We can finally take a breath!” Marc looked down at the mirror he now carried around, seeing Steven smiling as well.

“I can’t believe it’s actually over.” Steven gushed out, as he fronted. Layla’s eyes widened in excitement when she heard Steven’s voice.

“And how are you doing? Do you plan on going back to your museum job?” Before Steven could answer, Marc’s reflection yelled a “No!”. Steven laughed, shaking his head.

“I think I’m going to have to talk to the voice in my head about that.” Layla chuckled, shaking her head. Marc put on a faux offended look.

“I really thought we had gotten closer Steven, I really di-” when he didn’t finish, Steven raised the mirror up, concern written on his face.

“Marc, what is it?” Marc fronted, looking around, a bad feeling growing in his gut. Layla set down her juice, also looking around.

“Marc what-” people started screaming, their eyes glossing over. Marc stood up quickly, knocking his chair over as he, Layla, and Steven watched the chaos around them. People were running around, clawing at each other, their words garbled together like they were speaking under water. Layla squinted, looking at the ground, taking a cautious step towards Marc as she watched sand seep through the streets, rising and falling like an ocean caught in a storm. Soon, Marc and Layla were back to back as they watched the chaos unfold. The sand rose up, swirling around them like a tornado, crashing to the ground, crushing the table they were once sitting at. Steven fronted, rubbing his forehead.

“What the bloody hell.” He mumbled as the crowd started to become more violent with each other, some people’s eyes dripping sand. Everytime Layla or Steven tried to move, they realized their legs had gotten trapped in a pool of quicksand. They heard a woman scream as her friend threw a knife at her, scrapping her side, their heads snapping in that direction.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” A new voice spoke, a woman’s voice with overlapping echoes. The quicksand rotated, causing them to turn around, letting them see the owner of the voice. A woman sat on the edge of the roof of the building across the street, leaning back on her arms, a pleased yet nostalgic look on her face.

“You’re doing this?” Layla asked, her voice filled with disbelief. The woman shrugged, her eyes still focused on the crazed people.

“Maybe. But don’t worry, darling, it won’t last long. It will stop when I get what I want.”

Steven and Layla looked at each other before Steven asked.

“And what do you want?” His voice was hesitant, but without fear. The woman laughed to herself, looking down at her hands as she fiddled with her rings. When she looked up, her eyes were pits of fire, burning into Layla and Steven.

“I want the avatar of Khonshu. Dead.” She turned her gaze to only Steven who swallowed, letting Marc front. Marc chuckled, scratching his head.

“Look lady, I guess you haven’t heard yet. I’m no longer Khonshu’s avatar!” The woman with eyes of fire faked looking disappointed before bursting into a giant smile, laughing loudly. She stood up.

“Oh honey, it’s cute that you actually believe that.” She placed her hands on her hips, smirking. “You know, when my friend was released from his prison of stone, I thought: Finally. You know why? Because I’ve waited years, decades, to kill Khonshu once and for all. Killing his avatar is just the first step. But then,” she laughed, raising her hands in the air - causing the sand to rise up Layla and Marc’s neck to their chins, “I find out the avatar of Khonshu that I knew had gone crazy, started a cult, worshiped the alligator lady, became her avatar, then got shot in the head. By Khonshu’s new avatar.” She watched with glee as Marc seemed to put it all together. His chest fell, shaking his head as he looked towards the sky.

“I’m still Moon Knight.”

“Well, not exactly. Your third identity is, you and Steven are just along for the ride.” Steven fronted, much to Marc’s annoyance. The egyptologist frantically traced his mind, desperate to figure out what she meant by her friend trapped in stone.

“You’re an avatar.” The woman raised her eyebrow, looking to the side then back at Steven.

“Well duh. And I thought you were the smart one.” Steven shook his head, confusion etched into his face.

“But who’s your-”

“Set.” Layla spoke, her face hardening as she named the god of chaos, deserts, and disorder. The woman pointed at Layla, making a finger gun motion.

“Bingo. But don’t worry, you haven’t met him yet. This,” she waved her hands towards the street, “is all me.” She said proudly. Just as Steven was about to respond, the woman’s eyes lost all of their humor, shining with hate as she looked behind them. Layla and Steven turned their heads to see Khonshu behind them, holding his scepter in a menacing way.

“Y/N. I thought you were dead.” She shrugged.

“You thought wrong, pigeon head.” The moon god growled, preparing to attack. Y/N cocked her head to the side, as if listening to someone speak. An evil smirk grew across her face. She flicked her wrist, the sand surrounding Layla and Steven collapsing, sending them to the ground. Y/N smiled at Khonshu, no warmth present. She adjusted her cuffed sleeves and collar, waving as she dissolved into sand, disappearing into the wind. In a flash, the sand in the street was gone, and people carried on as they were before, no trace of the madness from a few seconds prior. Marc fronted, turning towards Khonshu, anger written in his eyes.

“I thought we had a deal.” Khonshu nodded solemnly.

“We did. But now we see that Moon Knight is still needed. Set has been released and his avatar, that Y/N, is arguably more dangerous than he is. She won’t stop till I’m dead, killing whoever is in her way.” Layla shook her head, frustration seeping in as she ran her hand through her hair.

“And why is that our problem?” Khonshu sighed, pointing to her wrist.

“Because of that.”

On her wrist, or seemingly under her skin, was a shifting symbol. A Was-scepter. Marc groaned when he saw the same thing on his wrist.

“She can track you with that mark. She’s able to see wherever you are, hear what you hear, hunting you like a predator,” Khonshu looked towards the horizon as Marc and Layla looked at each other with devastated looks,

“No matter where you go, she’ll find you.”

—————————————————————————-

You reformed in your hotel room, shaking excess sand onto the floor. You cracked your neck and knuckles, rolling your head to the side. Set appeared on the bed, lounging with his arms behind his head. You rolled your eyes, taking off your rings as you went to change for bed.

“I’m not sharing the bed nor am I sleeping on the floor.” You called out from the bathroom, pulling pajamas on. When you walked out, you saw the mule headed god playing with a TV remote, jumping when he accidentally turned the television on. You shook your head, muting the sound when you took the remote from Set.

“Can you see them?” He asked, his voice like cries of war. You closed your eyes, smiling as Marc Spector and Layla el Faouly came into view - furiously packing their stuff, looking around cautiously. Marc was scratching as his brand, the was-scepter seemingly burning him. When you opened your eyes, you nodded. A smirk grew on Set’s face, the fire in his eyes burning brighter. He got off the bed, raising his arms like a champion in battle. Your hotel room walls shifted and reformed, creating itself into a palace on the inside. You laughed.

“You’re so dramatic.” Set shrugged, nodding acceptantly. You sat criss cross on the bed, looking at Set intensely, your own eyes burning with flames.

“So, what’s next?” Set laughed.

“Well, my child, we get your revenge.”

Chapter Text

You knew something was wrong when they didn’t find you. The house was too quiet, normally your parents would make their footsteps loud, making you giggle as they pretended to not know where you were. You were confused. Why would they start a game of hide-and-seek, then stop playing?

You slowly stepped out of the cabinet, the one in the far corner of your father’s study, and listened for any sound. There was shuffling across the hall, fast, like someone was running away. The doorknob to the study twisted slightly before it happened. The sound you’ll never be able to wipe from your mind. It was your father’s cry of pain, quiet and raspy, like his lungs had given out. Something hit the door and you watched as blood seeped under the doorway, flowing like a river of red across the wood floor. You pressed yourself against the wall, closing your eyes and counting to ten, like your mother taught you. This wasn’t real. You were dreaming, having a nightmare. There was no blood on the floor, no red surrounding you. No red. No blood. You were fine. You were going to open the door, forfeit the game of hide-and-go-seek and ask to watch cartoons with your parents.

You started to shake. No red. No red. No red. You slid down the wall, hand over your mouth as the blood got closer, the screams got louder, the footsteps got closer. The office door burst open, your father’s body falling to the ground. You screamed. A blur shot through the entrance, coming to stand in front of you menacingly. You felt like you would never stop screaming, your heart racing inside your chest as you faced the figure. A man clad in white linen, wrapped around him like a mummy wearing armor. His eyes glowed like the moon under his hood and in his hand he held a crescent shaped dagger, dripping with blood. Your fathers blood. Red. Red. Red. The hooded man raised the dagger, hesitating before looking towards the side. In a split second, a second that your psychologists would tell you was a hallucination, you saw a tall figure with the head of a bird skull, holding a staff. He nodded towards the hooded man and you felt your body go cold.

A nine year old should never have to see what happened next.

Your mother shot through the doorway, a lamp in her hand. She caught the man off guard, hitting him over the head with the ceramic. You scrambled to the corner, as red started to flow again. The man stumbled to the side as your mother turned towards you.

“Y/N, you need to leave! Go to your aunts house, she’ll take you in-” She never finished her sentence. A crescent shaped stain spread on her shirt, a hand ripping backwards, her body falling to the ground. The hooded man looked at you, his gaze freezing you to your spot. He started to move towards you, the dagger dripping with the blood of your parents antagonizing you.

“Little Y/N, I’m sorry you had to see this, but don’t worry, you will join them in the Field of Reeds shortly.” A second passed where you almost let him take your life. You could join your parents. But a thought crossed your mind, why join them when you could avenge them? In a moment, like an instinct, you fiddled with the necklace your mother had given you - a charm she had called a was-scepter growing warmth between your fingers. You thrust your arms outward, as the man moved to give the last blow, sending him flying backwards. You picked up a piece of ceramic, the shard splitting your skin with how hard you gripped it. You stabbed the man’s leg, watching as red stained his white. A smile grew over your face but fell as you watched the wound heal. Screaming, you repeatedly stabbed the man all over, tears blurring your vision, red filling the room, before you were pushed backwards. The man broke the window above your father’s desk, jumping through the shattered glass. The moon glowed brightly, mocking you. You closed your eyes, counted to ten, like your mother taught you. All a nightmare. Not real. No red. But when you opened them, you were burdened with reality. You collapsed in the space between your parents’ bodies, sobs racking your body as you rocked back and forth, shaking your head.

“No red, no red, no red.”

That’s how the police found you. A young girl, shaking in the pool of her parents blood, hands split open, eyes clouded over in denial. For you, everything that happened next was a blur. Except for him. A man in a dark suit, his hair braided long and decorated with jewels glinting under the star light. He wore a necklace, a was-scepter charm sparkling as he smiled at you, holding his hand out. A feeling of safety overcame you and you took his hand, disappearing from the precinct.

—————————————————————————-

Layla sat on the hotel bed, her hands shaking as she cleaned her knives. The news played on the TV, showing videos of sandstorms ravaging across the Eastern Hemisphere. People running through the streets, their eyes glossed over. She was following them, making sure to let Khonshu know she knew where they were. Marc was in the bathroom, leaning over the sink as he watched Steven’s reflection stare back at him. He opened the medicine cabinet, which had a mirror on the inside, hesitantly watching as another expression appeared.

“¡Por fin!” The reflection spoke, an exasperated expression on his face, “I’m Jake, nice to meet you, now why did you idiots have to go and screw things up?” Marc and Steven stayed stunned, looking at each other before both shrugging. Jake sighed.

“We had a good gig, didn’t we? I wore the suit, did all the fun murder, and you guys got to live your perfect lives. Now I have to share the murder.” He said the last part under his breath, annoyed. Steven was about to respond when Layla called out.

“Marc! Steven!” her tone indicated what was happening. Jake rolled his eyes.

“Whatever, we can do this later.” Marc looked at Steven, pointing behind him.

“Do you want to..?” Steven shook his head.

“Naw, mate. I’m good.” Marc sighed, running a hand through his hair as he walked out of the bathroom, pausing at what he saw. Layla looked at him then towards the corner, where Khonshu now stood.

“She’s here.” Layla said solemnly as the group watched sand swirl around the hotel building, becoming so thick that the night sky was blocked. The building shook, dark stains like cracks started to fill the walls. They could hear screaming down below, echoing through the air. A figure stepped through the sand, walking slowly, like a predator approaching prey. Her eyes glowed with fire as she smirked. Giggling hysterically, she bit her lip, staring at Khonshu.

“Found you.”

—————————————————————————–

You thrived off the fear on their faces. Sighing, faking disappointment, you put your hands in the pockets of your suit pants, prowling the room.

“You know, I thought you would be better at hiding. Make it a fun hunt for me.” You picked up one of Layla’s daggers from the bed, inspecting it. You threw the dagger at the wall, causing Marc and Layla to jump. You glared at the moon god, your eyes burning with hate.

“Why won’t you let me have my fun?” You snarled, the shaking intensifying with your anger. Khonshu stepped forward, shaking his head in disbelief.

“You’re treating this like a game? People are dying, innocents, at your hands and you stand there complaining we’re not following your rules?” He yelled, but you stood there indifferent. You rolled your eyes before adjusting your suit jacket and spreading your arms wide, a dark smile forming on your lips.

“Oh but Khonshu, don’t you know? This is a game,” You started laughing hysterically, the sand swirling around the building moving faster, becoming a cyclone. You stopped laughing, looking down. You looked at Khonshu, your dark gaze sending chills down the gods spine.

“We’re playing hide-and-seek, dear Khonshu,” you said in a sweet tone, the cyclone of sand falling down below, flooding the streets, tearing apart cars, taking over the bones of people running away. You laughed darkly as the moon shone into the room.

“Oh, there’s going to be so much red.”

Chapter Text

Khonshu was the first to strike. He swung his scepter, intent on knocking you out. But all you did was raise an eyebrow as you caught the scepter before it hit your face. You tugged the staff backwards, sending the moon god flying out the window. You looked proud as you tossed the scepter back and forth in between your hands, watching with amusement as Marc summoned the suit. He reached for the daggers strapped to his chest, making you involuntarily flinch, images of your parents flashing through your mind. You growled and flicked your wrist, sending a wave of heat toward Marc’s hand. He groaned as his skin erupted into third degree burns under the suit, glaring at you under the hood. Layla closed her eyes, murmuring to herself. You knew what she was doing, summoning Taweret, but your quarrel wasn’t with her. Not at the moment at least. You placed a hand on your hip, looking Marc up and down. You smile, eyes starting to glow hellishly.

“That’s pretty fancy, Marc-o,” You take a step back, for dramatic effect of course, flipping your hair over your shoulder, “But I can do that too.”

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Marc watched as Y/N’s eyes glowed, materializing her suit on her body. He tried to attack, using this moment to gain the upperhand, but his legs were wrapped in sand, hardening into glass, freezing him in his spot. Y/N turned her body, facing the mirror that had tilted to the side, leaning against the TV. She smiled as she admired her suit, turning to see every angle. Strips of linen wrapped around her body, twisting and folding into armor. Her pants formed into a palazzo style, slits running up from her ankle to hip, revealing a holster holding a khopesh made out of obsidian. The linen made a criss-cross style across her chest, stopping at her shoulders and continuing up her neck to form a mask covering her nose and mouth. Y/N rolled her head, cracking her neck, stretching out her arms as her rings melted into skeletal-like gloves. Moving tattoos of serpents appeared on her skin, some appearing to be devouring the sun. As a circlet made of gold twisted itself around her forehead and her hair became entwined with fire and blood, Y/N turned towards Marc and Layla - who had summoned her own suit.

“Well, isn’t this fun? We look like we belong on a lunchbox!” Her eyes continued to glow as she clapped, releasing Marc and Layla from the glassy hold, sending shards across the floor. Not one to wait, Marc swung forward, flipping his body to kick her. Y/N caught his leg, just like she did the scepter, and twisted, sending the caped crusader flying into the wall. Layla growled, flying towards Y/N with superhuman speed, grabbing her shoulders, sending both of them out the window. Y/N merely sighed, snapping her fingers and dissolving into sand. Layla stopped herself before she hit the ground, confusion lasting a second before she heard Y/N’s laughter.

“You know, you’re way more fun than your husband. When this is all over and his heart is in my hands, I’ll let you live.” Y/N hovered above her, sitting on a cloud of sand. Layla sent a flurry of daggers in her direction from the golden wings she wore. Y/N dogged them, an offended look on her face as she redirected them towards Layla. Y/N stood up, brushing off her legs as she shook her head.

“And here I was thinking we were bonding-” before she continued, Moon Knight flew down, knocking her off her cloud, sending Y/N rolling on the concrete. The avatar of Set simply chuckled as she sat up, bones cracking as they went back into place. Layla and Marc came towards her, weapons in hand. Y/N quickly grabbed her khopesh, taking a defensive position. Soon, the ground shook with the fight. The Scarlet Scarab and Moon Knight were no match for Y/N, as they punched and kicked, she merely dogged and swung, cutting them with her sword. The heroes became discouraged, but continued. Y/N jumped on a car, bouncing off of the vehicle to propel herself to wrap her legs around Marc’s head, flipping him forward. She swung off, landing on her feet as Marc rolled and hit Layla, sending her tumbling to the ground. Y/N smiled, her mask coming off as she sighed victoriously. But her victory was short-lived. As she prowled closer, twirling her khopesh between her fingers, humming, she didn’t see the blur behind her. Y/N had discarded Khonshu’s scepter when Layla had pushed the two of them out the window, she thought he wouldn’t show again. She was wrong. Just as Y/N raised her khopesh to flick the hood off of Marc’s head, a sharp pain spread through her stomach. Layla and Marc gasped at the sight as they were sprayed with Y/N’s blood.

Y/N looked down to see Khonshu’s scepter protruding from her stomach. She made eye contact with Layla, agony crashing over her body. She fell forward as Khonshu pulled backward, removing his scepter. Marc and Layla scrambled to the side, her body crashing against the ground. Steven fronted, Mr. Knight’s suit materializing. He knelt by Y/N’s head as Khonshu rolled her on her back. He examined her tattoos, eyes widening in realization.

“Holy smokes. It’s Apophis, the chaos demon. Why would she-” Khonshu’s booming voice interrupted him.

“It does not matter. Her markings will be gone once I kill her.” He raised his scepter, examining Y/N’s broken nose from falling face first, the blood spilling out her nose and mouth from being stabbed, and her bruises from fighting the other avatars. He laughed.

“Oh how the mighty fall.”

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

You could do nothing but watch as Khonshu thrust the scepter back into your stomach, this time closer to your heart. You screamed in pain, your suit disappearing as you could focus no longer.

“Khonshu!” Layla cried out in surprise, aghast at his actions. The moon god merely twisted the scepter, making your voice hoarse with how loud you cried. You watched as red spreaded through your clothes. Too much red. Why were you plagued with red?

“Please,” you begged out, your confidence lost as you felt your life slipping away, “please stop. Stop, please. I’ll stop, I’ll be good, I promise.” You sobbed, each cry bringing new pain as the god continued to twist the scepter.

“You’ve made your point,” Steven pleaded, “You stop now! This isn’t vengeance!”

“She deserves it. She’s the reason Harrow turned to Ammit. She’s the reason for all your pain!” he raised his scepter once more, positioning it over your heart. Just as you were about to feel the last bit of life, a loud clap of thunder sent Khonshu flying backwards. The ground shook, cracking, splitting apart. Sand formed into a giant serpent circling the group, its growls sending shivers down Steven’s spine. Khonshu groaned, shaking his head as he stood back up. He looked around, realization sparking in his mind. His scepter was taken from his hand, floating above the ground until it flung towards him, stabbing the god in his stomach. Steven gasped loudly as Set materialized next to you, cupping your face with his hand.

“You’re going to be alright, my child.”

He looked at Steven and Layla, analyzing the two. His eyes made of burning fire showed them their worst fears, sending chills down their spines. They watched as his face went from human, to the head of a jackal, to the skull of a donkey with enlarged fangs. He seemingly deemed them unworthy of his attention, standing up to his full height. Set’s voice carried across the air, shaking the ground.

“You shouldn’t have made an enemy of chaos, Khonshu. You had been protected for years, only facing the wrath of an angry, scorned, orphan. Now you face the wrath of evil itself!” Khonshu made to attack, having removed his scepter from his body, but was flung to the side by the tail of the giant sand serpent. You coughed, blood dripping from your lips.

“Why isn’t she healing?” Steven murmured frantically, shaking his head. Set turned to him, his human face snarling at the man.

“It’s a little gift from the gods. She can only heal if her injuries are sustained from an avatar or mortal. If a god hurts her,” his voice choked up, causing both Layla and Steven to be confused. They had never seen a god show true emotion towards another before. (Taweret is the exception, she’s the best). Set composed himself, glaring at Khonshu.

“If a god hurts her, only a god can heal her.” Steven looked at Set inquisitively.

“Then why don’t you heal her?”

Set growled, turning so his back faced the avatars, kneeling next to you.

“I am not the god of medicine or healing. I am the god of chaos, disorder, and storms. All I can do is watch as my daugh- my avatar bleeds to death by the hands of who used to be a brother.” He cradled you in his arms, standing up. Sand swirled around them, pushing Steven, Layla, and Khonshu closer together. The serpent rose into the air. Set turned towards Steven, something shining in his eyes.

“Do not mistake my grief for friendship, Mr. Knight. Next time we meet, you will have the full force of chaos against you.” The god disappeared, along with you. The serpent crashed down onto the trio, its jaws surrounding them before dissolving. Jake fronted as Layla turned towards Khonshu, anger radiating from her.

“Eso fue divertido.” He said sarcastically as he glared at the moon god. Layla pressed a dagger under Khonshu’s chin. She cocked her head to the side.

“I think it’s time you told us why Y/N is so focused on killing you.”

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Set materialized on a deserted road, panic seeping into his form as he noticed how limp you had gone. He frantically set you on the ground, holding your head in his lap. When he looked in the distance, he saw a figure kneeling under a tree, a ghostly river flowing next to her. She had food and drink by her side, a feast for the dead. She beckoned Set closer, but the god of chaos shook his head, returning his gaze back to you.

“No, no, Y/N, I will not allow you to die! You can’t, you can’t leave me alone.” Your eyes fluttered open, smiling as you saw Set.

“Hiya,” you coughed out, “That didn’t go so well did it?” Set laughed, relief filling his body. As he was about to respond, a new voice broke through the air.

“Oh good she’s alive. I’m a goddess of healing, not necromancy.” Set flung around to see a human woman, dark skin glowing in the sunlight, her hair twisted into bantu knots. Her lips, painted red, smirked at Set’s expression of disbelief. The woman gasped softly as her eyes glowed, releasing her from the goddesses consciousness. A figure appeared behind the mortal, a tall woman wearing a red cloak with the face of a lioness. The mortal woman crouched next to you, smiling as she took your hand. Your brow scrunched in confusion and you looked to Set for clarification. The lioness smiled, raising an eyebrow.

“What? You thought you were the only one freed from a stone prison?” Set chuckled, shaking his head.

“Long time no see, Sekhmet.”

Chapter Text

The next few hours were a blur. All you could remember was pain, fire, and someone gently brushing your hair. When you woke up, your mouth was dry and your eyes felt heavier than if you were holding up the sky. You sat up, groaning as intense pain shot through your midsection. You grasped your stomach, leaning your head back, startling yourself when it hit a person.

“Well, it’s good to see you’re still alive.” A voice sounding like flames spoke, making you turn your head. Sekhmet’s avatar smiled down at you, her dark brown eyes almost glowing red in the light. She quickly wrapped her arms around your shoulders, steadying you as another burst of pain spread through your body. You hiss, closing your eyes and shaking your head.

“I thought you healed me,” you complained through gritted teeth. The girl merely laughed, almost in disbelief.

“And you’re welcome for that by the way, your thanks was practically overwhelming,” she maneuvered you so that you were face to face, bringing a wet cloth to your forehead, “Y/N, you had a god stab you in the stomach and near your heart. You had serious internal damage. A little magic and healing isn’t going to take away from the fact your organs were ripped apart.” Her blunt statements, paired with the cool cloth wiping away sweat and dirt, made you gape - no words falling out of your lips.

“Well it’s nice to see she can stop talking,” the joking voice of Set made your face burst into a wide smile. The girl moved to the side as the chaos god kneeled in front of you, grunting in surprise as you propelled yourself into a hug. A laugh sounded behind you as you practically broke Set’s ribs. Sekhmet placed her hand on her avatar’s shoulder, sharing a look. You lean back from your hug, anger shining in your eyes.

“I was so close to killing him, I promise I was.” Set nodded, cupping your face in his hands.

“I know, child. I know.” Set turned towards Sekhmet, seemingly remembering the goddess had an avatar.

“Y/N, this is Berenike Ezz. She saved you.” Berenike waved, reaching up to scratch behind her ear. Sekhmet cocked her head to the side.

“I mean, I helped a little.” Berenike raised an eyebrow as she looked at the lioness.

“Did you give her stitches while dodging her flailing arms?” Sekhmet nodded, sighing.

“Alright fine, but I did heal the wound after you closed it so who’s the real hero here?” Berenike just laughed, rolling her eyes. She nodded her head towards your stomach, a serious expression overtaking her features.

“I know how desperate you want Khonshu dead, I understand your pain. But until you’ve healed enough, you cannot chase him. You need more rest.” You huffed, crossing your arms. Set raised an eyebrow.

“No argument? Berenike, I think you broke her.” You swatted at his shoulder, an involuntary smile on your face.

The next few days were filled with something you hadn’t felt in years. Family. You and Berenike laughed as Set and Sekhmet argued over what time period was the best, what to grab for dinner, and who had the most followers (whether it be in real life or Instagram, it was always a gamble). Berenike helped you walk around, you leaning on her shoulder, sweat on your temples as you listened to her as she told you stories of her home. Nights were filled with campfires, Berenike brushing her fingers through your hair as you told her of how constellations came to be.

One day you were sleeping peacefully under a tree, a makeshift shelter built next to you. You sighed, content as the sun’s rays warmed your skin. Sand swirled around the tree, forming a barrier from the outside world, keeping you safe. You almost forgot about your mission, your anger, when a dream melted away into a pain fueled vision. Images of Khonshu, Jake, and Layla flashed across your mind. A large house came into view, on a rocky coast, waves crashing against the shore, fueling the headache forming in your head. You gasped, sitting forward, coughing wildly as pain shot through your stomach. The sand around you burst out, breaking the barrier. Warm hands cupped your face, concerned eyes boring into yours.

“Y/N, what’s wrong?” Berenike’s comforting voice soothed your headache. You caught your breath, shaking your head, standing up. Berenike grabbed your arm, steadying you. You made eye contact with Set, who materialized after you had cried out.

“The mark is calling me to hunt. I know where they are, we can end it now, we can be free of suffering.” Your voice shook with the effort of standing, making Berenike and Set share a concerned look. You noticed and scoffed.

“I don’t need any more rest. I need,” You choked on tears welling in your eyes and throat, “I need to finish this.” A gust of warm air surrounded you and you turned to see Sekhmet looking at you with both pity and pride. She nodded.

“You can go,” her permission made Set and Berenike start to argue but Sekhmet raised a hand, pausing their words, “But not alone. Khonshu, even with the two avatars that accompany him, can’t fight two gods.” Berenike took on an expression you hadn’t seen in her before, one that showed how perfect she was for an avatar of Sekhmet. An expression of hunger, bloodlust, sparked in her eyes. She turned towards you, watching as the fire reignited in your eyes. You smiled, sand starting to swirl around once more. Both you and Berenike’s eyes glowed as your gods reformed with you. As the wind began to pick up around you, Berenike spoke, her voice and Sekhmet’s speaking in harmony.

“Let’s go kill a god.”

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

“What did you do, Khonshu?” Layla’s voice was hard as she glared at the god. Khonshu huffed angrily, shaking his head as he looked out the window. After Set had helped Y/N escape, Khonshu had transported them to an abandoned home, large and spacious with an inside balcony. Days had passed, every one filled with Layla’s questions. Today was no different. Jake leaned against the wall, cleaning his gun, occasionally looking up to make sure Layla hadn’t murdered the god. Steven paced in the mirror across from him, in contrast to Marc's defeated demeanor as his reflection sat on the floor. Layla tapped her foot against the floor, arms crossed against her chest, eyes filled with such fire, Jake thought Khonshu would go up in flames. The moon god stayed silent, avoiding Layla’s intense stare. The room was filled with such tension that no one noticed the temperature rise, the slight shaking, and the faint screams in the distance. Layla seemingly got tired of the god’s silence and she stormed over to Khonshu, thrusting her finger in his face.

“What. Did. You. Do?” Her voice was like stone, unmoving and cold. Khonshu seemed like he was about to respond when quiet laughter started seeping from the corners of the room. Jake pushed himself off the wall, clicking the safety off his gun. Layla glared at Khonshu one last time before turning to watch as symbols filled the walls of the house. Footsteps echoed throughout the home, centering on the second story balcony. The trio turned to face the balcony, watching in mixed emotions as Y/N strided out of the shadows. Her face was ashen, like every step was agony, her normally fiery gaze reduced to a slight spark. Golden rings sparkled on her fingers as she fiddled with them, keeping her eyes on the floor, avoiding Khonshu’s hateful stare. Y/N laughed softly, a stark contrast to the hysterical laughter they had heard before. She finally looked up, mouth curling into a somber nostalgic smirk.

“It’s alright, Layla el Faouly. I’ll tell you the story,” Y/N leaned on the balcony railing, slight relief pooling in her eyes as she took weight off her body, “The story of a little girl who loved the moon. She loved it so much that on her eighth birthday, her parents bought her a telescope. Nothing fancy, it was old - they had bought it at an antique store. They knew how much she also loved old things. Anyways,” Y/N sighed, her voice slightly shaking. Layla recognized the look on her face, the pain of losing a parent. Terror gripped her bones as she realized where the tale was going. Y/N continued.

“Every night, when the sky was clear, as her dad made them snacks, her mom would sit with her in the grass, pointing up to the stars. She told the girl of how constellations came to be. But the girl’s favorite story was one about the moon. Of how the moon had a hero, a hero who protects them from the evil in the world.” Y/N looked at Khonshu before quickly looking away.

“This little girl loved the moon. Practically worshiped it. But that all changed one night, when she was nine. She and her parents were playing hide-and-seek, a game they frequented. The girl was having fun until,” Y/N’s face twisted in pain, emotion seeping into every next word, “Until the moon came down from the sky and murdered her parents.” Y/N leaned back from the railing, embracing the pain that shot through her body. Layla and Jake turned to look at Khonshu. Layla’s expression of disgust was enough to rattle Khonshu. Jake wore an expression of a man who expected no less yet was severely disappointed. Y/N gasped, like she had just remembered something.

“Oh I left out the best part. Khonshu, defender of the night, ordered his avatar to kill the little girl. What vengeance would come from taking the life of a nine year old?” Y/N shook her head rapidly, laughing, raising her hands in the air.

“That’s what I want to know, dear Khonshu, before we kill you. Why did you decide my parents had to die? Why did you rip my mother’s heart out as her husband lay dead on the ground? Why?” Y/N had started to yell, the house shaking. The balcony railing dissolved into sand, swirling to the floor, solidifying into stairs. Y/N made her way down the steps, eyes glowing with hell fire. The walls around them started to crumble, dissolving into sand, circling the group. Layla took a step away from Khonshu, summoning her suit. Jake followed, the Moon Knight armor wrapping around him. Khonshu laughed, shrugging.

“Really child? This is what you want to know? Fine. Your parents were followers of Apophis, the demon which is destined to destroy the world. They came close to raising it, so they had to be stopped.” Y/N shook her head, defiance shining in her eyes as she came to stand a few feet in front of Khonshu.

“You’re wrong. My parents didn’t want to destroy the world, they wanted to save it.” Khonshu shook his head.

“It’s nice you can still tell yourself that, child. It’s always a good idea to die with a happy thought still in mind.” Y/N was the one to laugh. Her eyes glinted dangerously.

“I’m not the one dying today.” Khonshu chuckled to himself, his thoughts incredulous. Y/N was still in pain, her injuries still grave. She thought she could defeat him? Even with the help of Set, he had two avatars on his side, Y/N was no match. Khonshu lunged forward, intent to finish this once and for all. But something large roared, jumping through the sand to tackle the moon god. Y/N smiled widely, true happiness shining through. Khonshu groaned, looking at the snarling beast on top of him. A golden lioness, with blood matted around her jaws, glared down at Khonshu. The lioness swatted at the god, claws scraping Khonshu’s face before moving off the god. Steven fronted, much to Jake’s disappointment, practically bouncing on his feet.

“Bloody hell, it’s Sekhmet.” Layla nodded, watching in equal awe with Steven as the lioness shifted, her bones cracking and changing as she formed into a human. A young woman glared at the moon god, wrapping an arm around Y/N’s shoulder, letting her lean against her. Sekhmet formed behind her avatar, a smile forming on her face. Khonshu sat up, confusion swirling in his mind.

“Wha- Why do you side with them? You are supposed to be Ra’s warrior, defeating his enemies. Last I checked, Set was at the top of that list.” Sekhmet merely shrugged, kneeling in front of the moon god.

“This is war Khonshu, a war you started. Everyone is taking sides. I side with my avatar, who stands with Y/N.” Sekhmet nodded towards her avatar who’s glare intensified. Khonshu stood up, Sekhmet following suit. He cocked his head towards where Layla and Steven stood, somewhat haughty. Sekhmet raised her eyebrows before laughing. Khonshu looked taken back. Y/N and Sekhmet’s avatar shared a confused expression, not understanding what was going on.

“Oh that’s adorable, you actually think you have two soldiers to fight along with you.” Steven and Layla looked at each other, wary of what Sekhmet meant. The war goddess continued.

“There is one who doubts you, one who still has to make a decision.” Sekhmet looked behind Khonshu, to where Layla and Steven stood. Marc fronted, he took a defensive position, making Sekhmet shake her head before turning her gaze away from the Moon Knight.

“So tell me, Layla el Faouly, who will you fight for?”

Chapter Text

Layla froze under the stare of Sekhmet, her mind running a thousand miles per hour. You too focused your gaze on Taweret’s avatar, cocking your head to the side as you attempted to listen to her thoughts. But what you heard surprised you. Instead of panicked thoughts that would mirror Layla’s expression, you heard screams of war. Fires raging uncontrollably, people crying out for mercy. You even heard the darkness as the sounds came to an end. The sudden stop to the overwhelming noises made you stumble backwards, expecting to feel Berenike’s comforting arms catch you. But all you felt was the rough ground. Looking up in pain, your injury sparking from the fall, you noticed something was wrong.

It was like someone had pressed a pause button.

Layla stood frozen, no movement on her face as she looked at Sekhmet. Steven remained in his defensive pose, matching Khonshu who looked like he was going to pounce. Struggling, you stood up, coming to stand in front of your friend, cupping her face in your hands.

“Berenike? Can you hear me?”

Your voice was soft from a mixture of fear and pain. In an attempt to understand what was going on, you called on Set, ready to feel the surge of energy as he formed next to you.

Nothing happened.

Your god wasn’t answering.

For the first time in years, you truly felt defenseless. The hole in your spirit that was normally filled with Set had once again been emptied. Your chest started to heave as panic filled your mind and you collapsed onto the ground, in the middle of your frozen comrades.

You were confused at the sudden change in events, wrapping your arms around yourself as you rocked back and forth, your mind returning to the night stained with red. You brought your hands up to your hair, tugging at the strands, trying to get the memories out.

They wouldn’t budge.

A dark, eerie, sound filled your senses, a slithering noise echoing from every direction. Sand flooded into the room like a tidal wave, swirling around you.

“No, no, no - stop!”

You cries did nothing to the sand, which was deaf to your will. On a rapidly growing pillar of sand you were raised into the sky, you had closed your eyes and clenched your fists as you willed yourself to wake up from this nightmare.

The pillar stopped.

Hesitantly, you opened your eyes, standing up on wobbly legs to look around. Your fear was momentarily quenched as you took in the view. It was like you could see the whole world from up here. But something was off. There was no warmth, a dark cloud rolling over the horizon sending ominous chills down your spine.

When you turned around, you let out a scream of fear, falling backwards as you felt the panic return. In front of you were two giant eyes, ones of snakes, burning with endless fire and agony. As the eyes moved, you realized the dark cloud wasn’t just a cloud. It was a body. The head of the serpent moved until it was a few feet away from you. Your mind spiraled with the size of the snake, it’s head double in size of earth. A low hiss vibrated through you and a voice spoke.

“Hello my child.”

The voice sounded like a chorus of voices, surprisingly heavenly in contrast to it’s hellish form.

“Do you know who I am?”

Your eyes were wide as the name echoing throughout your mind spilled from your lips.

“Apophis.”

The chaos demon let out a chuckle, approving. Making their way around you, they seemed to be inspecting you. Frozen, you stayed in your spot.

“That’s right, my dear. Now, we have business to attend to, business your parents weren’t able to finish.”

You scrunched your eyebrows in confusion, Khonshu’s words from earlier blaring in your mind. But you shook your head and turned to face Apophis.

“Business? What do you mean?”

The demon seemed to cock their head, amused. They waited a bit, enjoying how your nerves seemed to fray with every passing second.

“Why, to raise me of course. To put an end to this dreadful world and begin anew. Where pain is a myth and suffering is no more.”

The last part of their sentence felt mocking, and you felt your defenses rise within you. Feeling only a tiny bit confident, you jutted your chin out.

“Why,” you cleared your throat, your confidence melting away with each syllable, “Why would I help raise you?”

Apophis let out a sound so dark, you choked on a sob as fear returned to your sense. You felt a wave of warm wind behind you and you were aware of another presence.

“Because, my dear, don’t you want to make your parents proud?”

Spinning around, your heart leapt in your throat at the sight of your parents, their bodies composed of sand. Your mom smiled at you as your father spoke.

“Y/N, you have to finish what we started.”

The joy of seeing your deceased parents almost made you oblivious to what your father said. You shook your head, not understanding.

“Wait, wait, why would you want me to raise- They want to destroy the world!”

Your mother smiled at you like you were still nine years old. You realized you hated it.

“Only to create a new one, darling. Avenge our deaths and start the new beginning.”

Your parents crumbled into dust, swirling around you before being lost to the wind. With a choked sob, you felt understanding rack your mind. You knew what your mother meant and it sent cracks throughout your heart, your pride, your soul.

You could never have your revenge.

The rise of Apophis was tied to the death of Khonshu.

You heard the snake speaking to you, but all words were muddled. You grabbed your khopesh, swinging it through the air and punctured the serpents tail. Suddenly you were falling, the ground getting closer and closer with every second. You braced yourself for what would be your last moments when a figure on the ground caught your eye.

Your body, curled in the fetal position, surrounded by friends and enemies.

One second, you were falling through the sky. The next, you were sitting up with a gasp, watching as time returned around you.

Berenike looked around, noticing you weren’t next to her. When her eyes landed on your crumpled form, she shot forward to comfort you but stopped when you held out a hand. Your eyes were filling up with tears, sobs clawing at your throat.

The one thing you had wanted for years, the one thing you had wrapped your whole life around - your vengeance had just been stripped away from you.

Khonshu took a note of your weakened form and lunged, intent on striking you down while vulnerable. But streaks of gold caught him off guard, propelling him to the ground as daggers pinned him to the floor. Layla took a position in between you and Khonshu, acting as a barrier.

With a shaky voice, Sekhmet spoke.

“So she chooses.”

The importance of the moment was lost on you as you started to shake, an overwhelming feeling overtaking you.

“Oh god,” you whispered into cupped hands, rocking back and forth, “Oh god, oh god, oh god.”

You closed your eyes as pain wracked your body once more, the agony causing you to cry out softly. As the pain swept your body, you felt something inside you break. Everything inside you was broken.

A familiar presence materialized next to you. Set kneeled down, his mind searching yours.

“Oh my child.”

His whisper was like the last blow of a hammer before glass breaks. You fell into his arms, sobs wracking your body. Everyone in the room stood still, even Khonshu - who had broken free of the dagger prison. You felt all your pain, all your agony, all your anger and heartache bubble within you. With a loud scream, you felt your power burst out, completely obliterating the house, throwing everyone backwards as waves of sand weaved in and out of the ground. You continued to sob, your eyes glossing over.

Without your revenge, you were nothing, you had no purpose.

What were you to do now?