Chapter Text
Reality returned like an unforseen punch in the gut. Green Lantern was almost thrown back from the Absorbacron, falling gracelessly back onto his bottom. The images of Ancient Egypt were still racing across his vision when he felt something slip off of his lap and heard a soft thump accompanied by a muffled whimper. He blinked back his vertigo and sat up only to see Seto Kaiba curled in a ball in the grass around the hand that had been held against the Absorbacron and shaking.
"Se-"
Green Lantern cut himself off, stunned at the name he almost said aloud. Set. Kaiba was Set. Green Lantern's mind finally began to grasp the concept. Seto Kaiba was the reincarnation of Set, the Pharaoh of Egypt and Lord of Storms. Green Lantern... No, no, he had to think of himself as a person, not as his hero persona. He needed to be a person. John Stewart, the person behind Green Lantern, was the reincarnation of Vashari, the High Commander of the Holy Empire under Godking Katar Hol and Godqueen Chay-ara, now known as Shayera Hol, or more commonly known as Hawkgirl, and he and Shayera had been illicit lovers.
John gaped at Shayera who was staring back at him with equally astonished eyes. Her traditional feathered mask had fallen from her head revealing the face Vashari had fallen in love with. The Thanagaran's wings fluttered nervously and her breathing came deep and fast almost to the point of hyperventilating. They had been lovers. What would become of them now?
"Now you see?" Shadow Thief said, voice hissing in the tense silence.
Shayera jolted at the villain's voice and spun around to pin him with a ferocious glare that would have made Kaiba proud. "You," she snarled. "You're Hath-Set. You murdered us!"
"No," John countered, his glowing green eyes narrowed in hate. "Remember before he transformed? That's not Hath-Set. It's Katar Hol. You're Katar Hol."
The seething mass of perverted Shadows grinned. "So glad you remember me."
"An unfortunate mistake I intend to rectify," an unexpected voice growled. Shadow Thief and Akhenadin spun to see someone who was and was not Seto Kaiba standing nearby clutching his injured hand to his chest and surrounded by thrashing, bloodthirsty Shadows.
Shadow Thief had only a moment to react before the not-Kaiba held up a single card, murmured in a strange language, and howling winds raged throughout the enclosed space. Cracks grew in the glowing barrier of Swords of Revealing Light and up the giant dragon-headed jar. The jar burst first, shattering into thousands of brilliant pieces before vanishing in the howling wind. The imprisoned white dragon surged from the glittering pieces of her former cage and shrieked her rage. Great white wings spread out to their full impressive span catching the sunlight on her scales beautifully.
"It's Blue Eyes White Dragon!" Jounouchi cried pumping his fist in the air victoriously ignoring the gusting winds.
"Nii-sama!" Mokuba cried staring up at his big brother's third most powerful Monster, second most powerful dragon, and most precious card.
When the Swords of Revealing Light disintegrated seconds later, Arrow wrapped his Shadows around the shaft and arrow-tip and released his bolt. The specially chosen arrow sped through the air straight for Akhenadin. But it pierced Shadow Thief's left shoulder instead with a wet squelch when the meddling villain stood up to stare at the shattered remains of the Swords of Revealing Light. Shadow Thief's unremarkable face contorted in shock when the specialized arrow tip beeped and exploded causing greater damage but not to the intended target.
"Fuck!" Arrow cursed the botched shot, drawing a new arrow and knocking it as he and his fellow Justice League comrades charged the enemy.
"I can take a hint," Mai said with a grin. She drew her signature card from her Deck and placed it on her extended Duel Disk. "Elegant Kaleidoscope. Come out Cyber Harpie Lady Sisters and join Blue Eyes!" The familiar winged women materialized flapping their feathered arms and screeching in fury.
"Flame Swordsman, you too!" Jounouchi cried, slamming his own card into place on his Duel Disk and a powerful warrior with an unusual red headdress and wielding a flaming sword joined the battle-ready Cyber Harpie Lady Sisters.
"Diabound, come forth!" Bakura and Ryou commanded together. The familiar and intimidating half-man, half-snake monster bellowed into existence behind his summoners.
"Vorse Raider!" Marik called adding his monster to the ever growing crowd.
"Dark Magician!" the Pharaoh cried just as his partner and fellow Shadow monarch called out, "Silent Magician Level 8!"
The welcome sight of Dark Magician in his black and purple armor and hefting his long pale green staff brought a smile to the Shadow users' faces. The white and blue Silent Magician who appeared next to the Dark Magician flashed the young King a soft smile before taking a defensive stance, ready to fight beside her dark counterpart.
Shaadi narrowed his eyes and began chanting, drawing on his Shadows to form a protective barrier around their makeshift battlefield. As long as he continued chanting, nothing would get through his barrier. He had to protect Mokuba at any cost. The Keeper was Kaiba's reason for existing. If anything happened to Mokuba... Shaadi shuddered at the thought.
"Let's see if they can handle a swarm of heroes and Shadow Monsters," Yami said with a smirk. "Now, all Monsters on the field, attack Akhenadin and Shadow Thief with the Blue Eyes White Dragon!"
There was no competition. Shadow Thief, wounded by the vigilante's Shadow-laced arrow, managed to dodge the first few strikes against him by the Cyber Harpie Ladies before he was slammed in the stomach by a blast of Dark Magic from Mahaad. The Flame Swordsman slashed at Akhenadin who leapt back in surprise.
"Do you really think your pathetic beasts can defeat me?" Akhenadin demanded.
"Could you really not think of a better come back line?" Wonder Woman jeered, lashing out with her lasso catching the old man's wrist in the loop and knocking away the cards he held.
"He's just an old fart," Marik called with a mad cackle. "Don't mind him."
"I could not agree more. Gravity Bind!" the not-Kaiba said coldly followed closely by a resounding cry from the Blue Eyes and a deafening clap of thunder startling even Shaadi silent.
Batman and the Justice League stared up at the unexpectedly roiling sky. Wonder Woman's eyes darted through the heavens in search of the person or god responsible for the drastic weather change. Only the Starling City vigilante, the Pharaoh, and the King saw the owner of the not-Kaiba's voice at first. They hardly recognized the young man before them now.
Brown hair cut close to a pale, angular face whipped freely in the still howling wind. Electric blue eyes blazed with power their owner should not have been able to wield alone but did. His trademark white trench coat flapped around his tight black pants and combat boots. An unusually thick Duel Monsters card dangled in the wind from a black cord looped around his neck.
"Kaiba!" Shayera called, noticing the other young man for the first time as she fought to remain aloft, her wings beating against the fierce wind.
"No," Marik said. "That's not Kaiba."
"It's not Seth either," Mai said firmly. "I don't know this smell."
Batman snorted. "Did I ever tell you how strange that sounds?" Even J'onn's lips quirked at the comment.
Akhenadin, crushed to the ground with Shadow Thief by the force of the powerful Gravity Bind Trap, somehow found the strength to tilt his head and stare at the person who wore Kaiba's face. His single eye bulged at the strange chaotic Shadows embracing the individual. This person was stronger than Set had ever been, even in his prime. But who could..? How?
"The Lord of Storms," John Stewart gasped, easily recognizing the powerful being who once laid waste to his men from the memories of his previous incarnation, Vashari.
"Set," Yugi whispered, stepping back into the direly needed embrace of his Ka.
"Set?" Arrow asked. "As in, Kaiba's former incarnation Set?"
"I thought he was the god of chaos," Batman ground out.
"That may be what he's become more well known for," Shaadi said, staring at his Regent in barely contained fear. "But Set is first and foremost the god of storms and wind."
The Blue Eyes White Dragon landed behind Set, rearing up onto her hind legs and flaring out her wings as her tail looped loosely around her summoner's ankle. Set raised his hand palm out and summoned the Millennium Scales.
"A Judgment Game?" Yami gasped. "Now?"
Before anyone could answer, the howling winds picked up and a giant dome of impenetrable blackness enclosed their battlefield. The Pharaoh squeezed his Ba's shoulders, placed a kiss in the spiky hair then the two half souls separated. The Pharaoh stepped to his right and the King stepped to the left. They may have been caught unawares by the start of the Game, but they knew their duty. Golden beams stretched out from each monarch to form an illuminated triangle. The stylized Eye of Ra smoldered in the center of the triangle causing it to resemble the lost Millennium Puzzle.
The summoned Shadow Monsters fell back behind the golden lines to wait the final judgment. The Justice League, save for Arrow, found they could not move. Arrow felt compelled to follow Shaadi and Mai who were walking calmly to where Set stood motionless. Mai took her place directly to Set's left and Shaadi to Set's right. Arrow found himself falling still slightly offset from Shaadi. He glanced over his shoulder and saw another person materialize from the Shadows. Isis, or Ishizu Ishtar as she was now called, took her place behind Set, offset ever so slightly to Set's left so her shorter form was not hidden by Set's taller form.
Arrow cast his eyes around the domed not-space and realized the other Shadow users had taken up similar positions behind their respective monarchs. The Pharaoh stood to Set's left at the corner furthest from the vigilante. Marik stood behind and slightly to the right of the Pharaoh from Arrow's perspective. Bakura stood to the Pharaoh's left and Ryou to the Pharaoh's right.
The King stood at the last corner of the illuminated triangle to Arrow's right. Jounouchi towered to the King's right. Two more people emerged from the Shadows to appear behind and to the left of the King. The person to the King's left was another young man with stern brown eyes and perfectly coifed brown hair who Arrow recognized as Honda Hiroto. He wore a rusty red biker jacket, loose jeans, and tennis shoes. Honda glanced at Jounouchi and the two boys flashed each other eager grins and a friendly thumbs up.
The person who appeared behind the King was a young woman with short, light brown hair and dark blue eyes, Masaki Anzu. Anzu smiled at Jounouchi and waved at the other boy receiving a wave in return. Then she turned her eyes to the center of the golden triangle and placed both hands on the King's shoulders in an open show of support.
The Dark Magician and Silent Magician took up guard positions behind their respective summoners. The other summoned Monsters formed a rough perimeter around the Justice League and the triangle of light. Raw power thrummed through the air vibrating Arrow's nerves and making him hyperaware. His forest green eyes returned to rest on Set currently residing in Kaiba's body. Or was it Kaiba residing in Set's body?
Akhenadin had said Kaiba's soul had been split in two just like Yami's and Yugi's. Was Seth the other half of Kaiba's soul? And even if that wasn't true, was this what happened when two half souls united as one? Or was this what Set really was: a deified mortal with two half souls merged into one? Was this Set's true power?
Worse still, Set answered to a god more powerful still.
Arrow shuddered convulsively at the thought just when Set finally stirred.
"The Court has been gathered," he said in a voice that was every bit Kaiba's but carried a power and weight that was not Kaiba's. "Let the Judgment Game begin."
"Game Start!" the three Shadow monarchs commanded in one voice.
Helios rode Eous hard through the sky. The fiery spirited horse blazed with life and energy. Helios regretted not giving his favorite steed the chance to rest but when he saw Ares standing where the Titan's chariot was suppose to land, the solar deity had panicked. Selene had quickly wheeled her pegasi around and rushed back to the fields where her immortal lover waited for her, hoping to escape to Earth with him.
Helios was too close to the ground and had no choice but to aim his chariot for a clear space of grass. The landing was hard, but he had anticipated that and rode out the impact as best he could. He yanked hard on the reins glad when they vanished in a burst of flame and his horses fled in all directions. All but Eous, the pride and joy of Helios' steeds, who reared against the god of war and bounded back to where Helios was running away on foot. Eous galloped alongside the solar Titan slowing just enough for his master to grab a hold and pull himself onto his back.
Once he was safely on Eous's back, Helios dared to look back over his shoulder. Ares was chasing him, on foot thankfully for the time being. While that did not necessarily intimidate Helios, the glimpse of Zeus's face as the Olympian Lord of the Gods descended the steps from the Council above did. Helios jammed his knees into Eous's sides begging his loyal stallion to go faster.
The memory of his precious little sister Eos, forced to watch as her beloved died in her arms then falling into despair and following her lost lover, joining him in death, still burned in Helios's memory. He had stood by and done nothing when his fellow Titans were defeated, murdered, or imprisoned; then again with Eos's death. He would not stand passively by now.
The chances of Zeus listening to his story and not punishing him or worse, Selene, for his failure to report something that was never the Olympians' business to begin with and was apparently only now important were slim. Helios had to find Set and warn him. If Zeus did nothing to attack Set and the Egyptian pantheon, which Helios sincerely hoped would happen, then Ares definitely would on his own. The god of war would try anything to regain his lost face. Typical Olympian. Like father like son.
Hours later, Helios arrived in the skies above Starling City on a thoroughly exhausted Eous. Helios was tired and worried that though he had finally arrived in the city where he knew Set was hiding, he would be unable to find the Egyptian god. But he need not have worried. Just seconds after he arrived in the skies above the city, the bright sunlight became clouded.
Helios clutched at his chest at the sudden decrease in his power and stared up at the unexplained weather change. Dark, ominous thunderclouds that were definitely not there when he got here seconds ago were now covering the sky, blocking out the sun and forcing Helios to dive lower to avoid getting lost in the descending ceiling. Lightning streaked across the sky accompanied by a clap of thunder that shook the solar Titan to his core.
For a brief terrifying moment, Helios thought Zeus had found him and come personally to apprehend him. Then Helios actually felt the storm and it was nowhere near as controlled or as organized as Zeus's storms were. This storm was wild and unpredictable, chaotic.
"Set," he murmured.
Something must have happened to the Egyptian god of storms for him to lash out like this. Helios had not seen a storm like this since Set fought and sealed the Great Serpent Apophis millennia ago. What could have caused this madness? Had Ares found Set first and attacked? Helios shook his head. No, that could not be right. Ares would not attack Set again until he had Helios in custody.
So then what had driven Set to create such a ravenous storm as this one?
Helios turned his gaze back to the earth and his attention was immediately drawn to a large dome of seething darkness in the middle of the city park. There, it had to be. Helios guided Eous down to where the base of the dome stood dark and impenetrable. Helios reined back, easing Eous to the ground near a pile of boulders beside a large pond. Eous shook his head in displeasure as fresh sheets of rain began to pour down on them.
Helios again felt his power being eclipsed by the chaotic storm above but could not find it within him to be angry. He was too confused to be angry. He dismounted Eous allowing the horse to take a much needed drink from the lake and stepped carefully up to the barrier. Cautiously, he stretched out his hand to brush his fingertips against the strange, living darkness.
"No!" a childish voice hollered just as two small hands grabbed Helios's arms and yanked it away from the barrier. "Don't touch it."
Surprised, Helios gazed down at the young boy who stopped him with his liquid gold eyes. The boy was short, coming up to just above Helios's waist. Messy black hair hung lank and damp over a pale face set with two dark gray eyes that gazed up at Helios with fear.
"You can't touch it," the boy said again.
"Why not?" Helios asked.
The boy shook his head and Helios was not sure whether the droplets trailing down the child's cheeks were rain drops or tear drops. When the boy spoke, Helios guessed tears.
"He won't let anyone in," the young boy said, voice wavering uncertainly. "Not even me."
"Who?" Helios asked, kneeling to stare directly into the boy's eyes. "Who won't let you in?"
The boy sniffed. "Nii-sama."
Helios's brows drew together, confused by the strange word. "Who?"
"Seto!" the boy cried. He leapt away from Helios and began pounding on the barrier screaming in English and what sounded like Japanese. Helios would have let him continue had he not seen the way the barrier sparked when each fist struck it. Helios quickly pulled the young boy back and stared at the boy's fisted hands.
Sure enough, the pale skin was red from burns. Set was doing this. "Why?" the Titan whispered.
The boy shook his head. "It's not my brother's fault," the boy cried. "It's not Nii-sama. Something's blocking him. I have to separate them. He'll die."
Die? Helios stared at the barrier in confused horror. What could be going on in there that had this boy so terrified? Helios caught both of the boy's injured hands in his and forced dark gray eyes to stare into his liquid gold.
"Child," he began.
"I'm not a child," the boy snapped indignantly. "I'm not a kid either."
That brought a small smile to Helios's face. "Young man, then," he corrected graciously. His smile faded and his eyes grew somber again. "Is your brother in there?"
The boy nodded. "He's always protecting me," he said pulling one of his hands free to wipe away the water dripping down his face. "But whoever that is, it's not Seto. It's not my brother. It's not Seth either."
"Seth? Your brother is Set?" Helios gasped.
Dark gray eyes whipped back to liquid gold startled. They narrowed suspiciously. "Who are you?" the boy demanded.
"A friend. I am Helios, a Titan," Helios replied, hoping to soothe the boy's fears. "I've come to offer aid and beg asylum if I can." He turned aside to stare at the huge dome. "But it seems I may have come too late."
"Can you save him?" the boy pleaded, grabbing Helios's shoulders suddenly. "Can you save my Nii-sama?"
Helios blinked and shook his head. "I don't know," he said. "But you have my word I will do my best." The boy nodded and Helios tried smiling again. "What's your name, young man?"
"Kaiba Mokuba."
"Kaiba?"
The boy shook his head. "Mokuba."
Helios nodded, his smile softening. "Mokuba, I promise to do my best to help your brother. I will not fail him like I did in the past."
Mokuba's eyes darkened. "What do you mean?"
Helios lowered his eyes in shame before raising them back to the barrier of Shadows. "A young woman named Kisara once asked me for help but I was a coward and did nothing." Golden eyes burned with determination. "I will not stand by and do nothing again."
Lightning flashed in the clouds above reminding the Titan that the source of his power was still hidden by Set's chaotic fury. Helios needed to clear the clouds just enough to free the sun's light and restore his exhausted reserves. He stood and released Mokuba's hands to stare up at the sky. Golden eyes fell closed and Helios reached for the glowing disk that was as much a part of him as he was a part of it.
He felt the sun's light increase in intensity, solidifying into a beam of solid light that pierced through the storm clouds and haloed the solar Titan in unrestricted sunlight. Helios felt the brilliant heat fill his reserves of strength and fuel his blood, pumping it through his veins. Something snuffled and nudged the back of Helios's shoulder and the invigorated Titan smiled. The familiar presence of Eous calmed the Titan's spirit and he opened his eyes, empowered and solemn.
"Mokuba," he said gently. "Pray to the god you worship and ask him to lend me their power and support to do this."
Mokuba nodded and closed his eyes in prayer. "Ra-Horakhty," he prayed in wavering Japanese, "please, my brother needs your help. I need him back. Please," he shivered from the rain and restrained sobs, "please, help me bring him back."
"Ra-Horakhty," Helios whispered. The Egyptian god of the rising and setting sun. How fitting, he thought. Helios was not one for praying to deities from other pantheons considering who and what he was, but he knew when he needed help and was old enough to admit it and ask for help.
"I am not of your pantheon," he prayed in ancient Greek, "nor am I an Olympian. I am a Titan, one of the last in existence." He closed his eyes. "I once had a worshiper who remained loyal to me even as my cult began to dwindle. She asked me to interfere on behalf of her lover but I ignored her plea for fear of retribution from the Olympian Zeus whom I had recently witnessed murder almost all of my kin in cold blood." He swallowed back the remembered sorrow. "Her faith in me was misplaced. I failed her. I wish to attone for my lapse in judgment. I ask for your support now, solar deity to solar deity. Let me do now what I should have then."
He opened his eyes and gazed down at Mokuba's wide, innocent eyes. They pleaded with him, placing their owner's hope in the solar Titan. Helios sighed and lifted his eyes to stare at the dome. "Lend me your power, mesh with my own, help me stop this. Help me save Mokuba's brother and Kisara's lover. This I ask in my name, Helios."
Power, raw and unbridled, suddenly flooded into him. Had he been mortal, he would have died instantly. As a Titan, the power filled him near to bursting and continued to overflow until he had no other choice but to release it or face potentially exploding like a solar storm. He allowed his own burning power to guide the explosion, directing it at the dome of darkness.
Just before he released the pent up power, a small hand slipped into his. He turned to warn Mokuba of the flaming heat he knew he was radiating, but stopped. This child was chosen and protected by Ra-Horakhty who was the source of this foreign power mixing with his own. Anyone under the protection of such a god need not fear fire or heat from another solar deity no matter what pantheon they hailed from.
Returning his focus back to the dome, Helios closed his hand over the smaller one and unleashed both his power and that of Ra-Horakhty. The dome flared into an inferno of blazing glory. Cracks slowly spread from the point of impact around the dome whittling away at the surface until pieces began to break away. Helios's golden eyes glinted with the flames of the sun. He would not fail now. Never again.