history

[suetekh]

cw: incest because ancient Egypt, attempted child murder, child abuse, slavery, murder

Set was born by bursting out of his mother’s stomach, killing her, and it’s been a downhill ride from there. Born with no magic, Set wasn’t raised with love. Set’s father hated Set for the death of his wife and this trickled down into the rest of his family. At one point, Set is almost killed by his father until Thoth stops it. While his father never tries to kill Set again, Set is never treated as part of the family. Due to this, Set was angry and unstable, always violent towards anybody that crossed his path which pushed everybody away except for Osiris, his older brother.

During their adolescence, Osiris is announced as the next king. Set argues he would be better than Osiris who is “weak” but is told he would never be fit. This starts the rumors that Set wants the throne but really what he wants is to be acknowledged by his father. One day, Osiris is kidnapped by the god of chaos, Apophis. Set goes after them and kills Apophis, something nobody had been able to do before him, and rescues Osiris. Everybody speculates that the throne might go to Set since he did something incredibly heroic and strong. When Thoth claims that Set should be given the title of “great and mighty” their father is like "yeah sure why not?" and only thanks Set for saving the future king, not acknowledging Set’s actions. Set, after this, quickly gives up ever trying to impress anybody.

When Osiris is crowned king, Osiris claims there will be no war which means that Set, as a war god, feels useless. Osiris is married to their sister Isis and Set to their sister Nephthys, but she runs away the night before so she will not have to marry him. She is murdered and Isis blames Set for the death of their sister and never speaks to him again. For five years during Osiris’ reign, he has the next prince Horus and Set expresses his days as “pointless”, only training and reading over documents as a “war hero”. Set often kills slaves when they don’t do things according to his way and is constantly volatile, only fueling the ideas of Set as a violent bastard who thirsts for the throne. One day, Osiris asks Set to go out with him to the desert. Osiris is killed and when Set tries to save his life, he cannot stop the bleeding since the wound is cursed. The assassin claims Set ordered him to kill Osiris. Nobody believes Set’s innocence as they all think he wants the throne. When he is executed, he wakes up in his bed five years in the past only a month into his brother’s reign.

Working with Thoth, they deduce that Set must have been brought back to change the events that killed Osiris. But like before, events happen as they should. Isis is given to Osiris as his wife and Nephthys to Set who tries to run away. Thoth tells Set that he must save Nephthys’ life because maybe this was a factor into Osiris' death. Set feels no need to save Nephthys and only does so when he thinks it might help Osiris. Isis feels gratitude to Set for saving her life which changes her hating him and never speaking to him again. Already, he has improved his own future.

Thoth theorizes it was Apophis who attempted to kill Nephthys, meaning Set may not have killed him. After this, the four siblings marry although Set goes to Thoth to discuss Thoth’s theory instead of consummating his marriage.

Osiris surveys the area where Nephthys was attacked the next day and Set goes along with him at Thoth’s suggestion. Here, Set learns more about his brother and realizes how Osiris always cared for the future unlike himself. That night, Thoth and Set discuss Apophis as Osiris is attacked by Apophis. Thoth tries to take care of this alone but Set walks into the scene. Set tries to kill Apophis but is stopped by Thoth, allowing Apophis to get away. Set punches Thoth for stopping him and not telling him Apophis was here. Thoth tells Set he can’t be trusted because he never thinks and is always unstable. Set begins to feel depressed as killing Apophis was the only good thing he had to his name and Osiris comforts him. Set promises he will protect Osiris, and when Osiris says Set has no plan, Thoth’s words come back to Set. Set realizes that due to his own attitude and impulsiveness, he is putting Osiris in danger. He promises Osiris he will protect him by planning better.

Soon after, it is announced that Isis is pregnant. Set realizes he not only has Osiris to protect but also Horus now. Set asks Thoth to teach him magic but this is impossible. But as royalty, his body is more impervious to magic so they can seal Apophis’ magic inside of Set. Set agrees and they prepare to seal Apophis’ magic inside of him.

Osiris, suspicious of Set’s behavior, demands that they go out to the desert to talk because he wants to know what Set is hiding. Osiris gets angry when Set won’t tell him and so Set tells him everything. Osiris believes him, upsetting Apophis by showing how much he loves Set. Apophis shows himself and confesses he loves Osiris and wants him for himself. Thoth appears and tells Set to touch Apophis to seal his magic but when he does, Apophis himself goes inside of Set who is promptly stabbed through. It turns out that Thoth was the mastermind, wanting to bring the surface world to chaos so the original eight that created all would come back. To do this, Thoth needs the “key”, Osiris’ heart, so it can tip the scales. Thoth’s first attempt didn’t work because he waited too long and was unable to get the heart. He forces Osiris to drink a potion that makes his body except for his heart dissolve. Set lets Apophis out of his body and Apophis attacks Thoth. Set goes to Osiris, who says Set must take his heart and destroy it so Thoth cannot have it and then become king as he knows how Osiris ruled Egypt. Before Osiris dies, he tells Set that he loves him which is the first time that Set ever heard these words. Set thanks Osiris for loving him before he destroys his heart and ruins Thoth’s plans. Apophis gives Osiris his heart and takes him to the underworld so Osiris won’t die and will regenerate. He will still survive but be unable to go to the surface again. Thus he becomes King of the Underworld.

Isis and Nephthys come out of concern when they knew that Osiris and Set went. Thoth tells Set that nobody will believe him about what happened but Set knows one thing people will believe: that he killed Osiris for the throne. Announcing this, he grabs Isis and takes her with him to the palace. Isis tells Set she doesn’t believe that he killed Osiris. Set neither confirms nor denies, but tells her that she must leave since people will question Horus’ true father if she stays here as Set’s wife. One day they must return and kill Set so Horus may take the throne as the rightful heir. Isis agrees and smiles at Set, the first and last time.

Set tells Egypt he murdered Osiris and desecrated his corpse, throwing it into the Nile. Anybody who disagrees with his rule is killed and thus sets in stone the myth of the murder of Osiris. Thoth tells Set that he will never help him with his rule and will keep trying to find a way to make his plans come true. Set tells Thoth he pities him and before Thoth can argue, Ra comes, saying he knows what happened and they will both assist Set until Horus can take the throne from him. The story ends with Set being crowned king, hoping he will see Osiris again when he is killed.