"I don't know...I assume you saw everything?" Asima hugged herself. "He's in there, with Malum...if he is addicted to magic, I do need to make a potion. I gave him a dagger...but..." She shook her head. "Just, whatever happens, please try not to hurt him..."

"Don't hurt him?" Solum stared at her, "he's trying to kill my brother. If that bitch has her way then you're next! If Set gets out of this with a few bruises or broken bones, he'll be lucky because if it comes down it, I'll kill him to save my own brother."
He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair, "ack... sorry Asima. Malum and I have been through tough spots before, and I realize this isn't easy on you but one's thing's always clear with us. When it comes to that moment, we know we can bet on each other no matter what. So I don't know what you think, but you can leave Malum's protection up to me."

After shifted uncomfortably, and avoiding Solum's gaze, Asima simply left the cave. Most of what she needed could be found in the area, and she supposed that was one of the reasons Lakar had made little rooms here. She tried to hurry, however, it seemed to take forever.

Solum returned to shadows to plan and plot.

Malum slowly worked away at the vines with the knife Asima had given him, it was taking a long time though. The vines were thick and rather tough. He glanced towards Set, the mage consistently as still as a statue. The only thing that changed was the fact there was a drop of blood coming from the priest's nose. Malum frowned, it looked like both Set and his brother were steadily running out of time.

After following a bird back to it's nest, Asima cradled the egg she'd taken and made her way back. In all honestly, she had no idea why Set had sent her. He should've just tied her up, and made the potion himself. She only knew how to make it in theory, and he apparently had done it quiet a bit. Thinking back, Asima wondered why she hadn't noticed the priest's addiction.

Souban glanced up when she passed, and grabbed her dress. Asima hesitated, and knelt next to the female. She didn't seem like she wanted to harm her....for the moment. Souban handed her a tiny compressed powder, and Asima glanced at her quizzically. Souban didn't look back up, but sighed softly. "It will make Set sleep...put it in the potion...."

The princess hesitated, before making sure, "It won't hurt him?"

Souban laughed, and shook her head. "There is still a possibility I may need him..."

Asima turned away, heading into the tiny room. She glanced to Malum, then at Set. His back was to her, and as such, she didn't note the blood leaking from his nose. She dropped the items on a shelf, since Set was at the table. She didn't wish to wake him and draw attention back towards Malum. The princess fixed the potion as quickly as possible, then turned towards Set. She hesitated for a moment, then dropped the pill into the thick fluid, setting the bowl she'd mixed the ingredients in, in front of the male.

The moment the bowl touched the table Set's eyes opened. He paused a moment as he realized the blood at his nose and quickly wiped it away. Reaching out to the bowl his hand stopped as it touched the side, his mind was racing and the debate was obvious on his face as he tried to think rationally about this.
Just one more drink of the fowl concoction and everything would be fine. Just one more sip to get back to normal and get his brother back. Just one more chance to fix things, things he couldn't do without his magic. That last spell had left his mind reeling and his vision a little blurry. He was relying more on his other senses at the moment and to be honest was beginning not to trust them. His eyes strayed to an empty corner in the room, Set was fairly certain that there was no smoke in that direction and yet his senses were telling him otherwise. Hallucinations, delusions; both signs of withdraw.
Taking a deep breath, accompanied by a sigh, set whispered to the princess, "It will be over soon Asima. Everything's going to be alright. I can fix this." he brought the bowl to his lips and drank deeply, scowling at the nasty taste.

The princess had avoided looking at the High Priest, standing quietly by as he drank. If Souban had lied, she'd kill the foul woman herself. What Set said, however, made her jerk up, and glare. "No, it won't. You've been lying, Set. To everyone. What would Lakar think if he knew about this?" She gestured to the bowl. "You can't fix anything...You've messed enough up already." Asima spat, all the anger she'd felt for all this now coming out in her speech.

Set placed the half-empty bowl on the table, he might have to save the rest for late, especially if Asima was going to be mad at him. "Maybe you haven't noticed Asima, but my magic has never failed to be enough." he stood to face her, his eyes alight once more with blue electricity. Fully charged and ready to go-normally that's what he always looked like, perhaps that was why Asima hadn't noticed the addiction. "I'm capable of anything." he blinked a few times, looking confused, "... anything..." he grasped the back of the chair for stability, why was he suddenly so tired? He lifted his gaze to stare at Asima, "What did you do?!"

Asima stepped forward instinctively, trying to hold Set up and help him sit in the chair. "Don't fight it, Set...just, go to sleep for a little while, alright? I...I'm sorry...please...don't hate me for this..." She pleaded, though it was barely a whisper.

Set attempted to resist but his legs were having trouble holding him up. His fingers gripped Asima's arm tightly, "no... I can't... can't stop now... Melhet... I have to saavv......." his eyes closed and he slumped over in a deep sleep.

Malum unwound the vines from about himself, watching with a frown, "Well... that was anti-climatic. I thought for sure someone was going to at least get a beating."

Asima shook her head, "I don't want anyone else to get hurt. Except for that red-head. Her we can hurt...." She attempted to make sure Set would be comfortable. The princess turned to Malum then, stepping next to him. "Are you alright?" She questioned quietly.

She paused, waiting for his answer, and spoke again. "What should we do about her and Melhet? I...Set will never forgive me if we kill him..."

"I'm fine" Malum assured, squeezing Asima's hand for reassurance. He turned his gaze to Souban and Melhet, "As for those two... Hard to say." he frowned, "I don't think we have much choice in Melhet's case. It's him or me. As for her" he eyed Souban, "I don't think I'd feel any safer if she was running around free."

"No!" Asima stated. "We can...we can tie him up, and leave him for Set...he won't be back to normal, but...maybe he will no longer try to kill you. We just have to stop Souban, then..." She glanced to him, pleading with her eyes.

"You think he's going to stop there?" Malum turned to the princess, "Asima, you've seen what this has done to him. Set isn't going to rest until he has his brother back in full. Not once he's had the chance to see him again. Melhet is no more than a puppet on strings right now, he deserves to be put out of his misery."

The princess didn't answer, just watching the huddled sorceress and her....creation. Finally, she glanced over. "I can't do it...I'll help with Souban, but not Melhet, alright? I don't think re-killing his brother will help Set forgive us...me, anytime soon. It's going to hurt him so badly...."

She bit her thumb, then changed the subject. "How should we do this, then?" She nodded to the pair.

Malum frowned, "... fine. If that's what you want." he sighed, shaking his head, "She's got magic. We're both going to need to go at her to get her subdued. Then we can take her to the palace and lock her in the dungeons. I can personally make sure there's no way out."

Asima nodded. "I suppose we should cast from here, then? She wouldn't see that coming..." The princess stated simply. "Solum is close by, too." She added, though of course Malum already knew that.

Malum nodded, "Alright. I'd go for magical chains, much more difficult to escape than vines." he prepaired to cast on cue.

Asima hesitated, trying to remember the spell. It was harder than her normal spells, but she could try. She nodded to him, taking the incentive and giving him the cue herself, before casting.

Simultaneously Malum cast the spell along with her, conjuring powerful chains to lash out and seize Souban.

Souban had attempted to jerk away as soon as she noticed the heavy chains crawling out of the ground. They curled around her, and held her still, her hands tied just as firmly. "Melhet, take care of this!" She ordered, glaring. That thief and his whore were obviously the culprits, she realized as she glanced to the doorway. "Kill them."

Malum had been expecting as much and thus before Melhet could move, the chains also subdued Set's brother. "Nice try, but it's time we locked you away. you're really more of a pharaoh issue than mine anyway. I'll let him decide to kill you."

Asima glanced at Malum, giving the male a quick smile. She could convince Nemiah to spare Melhet. She was sure of that. "Can...can we tie up Set and take him too? I know another potion that would strip him almost completely of magic temporarily..." Asima wanted to be there when he woke. He would be angry, but maybe she would get a chance to explain..

Malum nodded, "Take care though, he's going to be in pretty rough shape once he realizes the situation he's in." He wove his hands in the chain spell and drew Souban and Melhet closer together, "We should leave immediately."

"Alright!" Asima nodded, and set to work, darting back into the room. The items needed were fairly common, and she found it all in Lakar's piles. Then it was a simple matter of mashing, measuring adding, and mixing. The water was added last. Asima lifted the new bowl, and tilted back Set's head. She poured slowly, rubbing his neck to make sure he swallowed instead of inhaled.

Once it was completed, chains wrapped around her friend tightly, and Asima grunted, attempting to tug him off the chair and carry. Much too heavy, with his dead weight. The princess paused, and lifted him with magic, doing what she originally should have done. She located Malum, and stepped next to him, wincing as Set's head hit the ceiling. "Oops....Uhm, so...Souban? Are we bringing her?" The female asked, glancing towards the red head, who was still fighting the bonds.