Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ A Story about the Past ❯ Confrontation ( Chapter 2 )

Ahoy, minna-san! No, I'm not dead, I've just been busy. First there was finals week at college (which was murder), and then I had to come home, which meant two things: I don't have internet access, and I have to work. So my updating time has been severely restricted. Plus, I really didn't like typing this chapter, since the show was pretty straightforward at this point and there was little to change. But I've got it done, and who knows when the next chapter will be up. I'll try to do it soon though, I promise. For now, please review!

 

Chapter 2

 

The party lasted well into the night; daybreak was only an hour away when the last of the revelers began to disperse, leaving the new pharaoh alone in the throne room with his priests and guards.

 

“Surely I am not expected to work this day?” he asked with a tired smile as he stood up.

 

The others laughed gently in response. “My Pharaoh, we would not dream of asking you to hold court the day after your coronation party,” Isis assured him. “The kingdom will continue to celebrate their new king, but we shall rest.”

 

“I'm glad to hear it,” Atemu murmured. After the day and night's festivities and dramatic events, he needed rest more than anything.

 

The second that thought crossed his mind, Mahaado stiffened and gasped, drawing the attention of everyone else. “What's wrong?” Seto asked even as the others voiced their concern. “Mahaado?”

 

“My Ring!” the magician hissed through clenched teeth as he hunched over and grabbed his chest. Indeed, his Millennium Ring was acting strangely; it glowed brightly as its seven pointers waved about wildly, cutting through the cloth of Mahaado's shirt and drawing bright red blood.

 

“Mahaado!” Atemu cried, jumping up from his throne. Before he could take a step, however, the royal magician threw out his hand.

 

“My Lord, stay there, please,” he gasped out. “Something…evil approaches!”

 

Atemu automatically backed up and sat down again, looking towards Isis and remembering her vision from earlier in the evening. The others no doubt were thinking about it as well; their gazes were also directed at her. She in turn was looking towards the main entrance to the throne room, and soon everyone else turned to the doorway as well as shouts and screams of pain from the guards outside floated through. The sounds soon died away as a shadowed figured appeared in the hall beyond, walking forward at a steady pace.

 

“Who goes there?” Shaada called out, the typical challenge that all the palace guards would answer immediately.

 

The figured chuckled under his breath as he stepped into the light, revealing himself to be not a palace guard, but a strange in a long maroon robe, wearing a pale golden shawl over his white hair and covered in precious gold jewelry, also carrying a large sack on his back.

 

“Who are you?” Shaada demanded again, and the man continued to ignore him.

 

“So this is the king's throne room,” he muttered as he looked around. “Impressive, I guess.” He chuckled again, an insane laugh that sent chills down the spine of everyone in the room. His gaze settled at last on Atemu as he neared the throne, and his face split into a wild-humored grin. “So, at last we meet, Pharaoh,” he said.

 

“A thief, is he?” Seto murmured unconcernedly as Atemu shifted slightly, betraying his nervousness.

 

“We will not let you touch our Pharaoh!” Mahaado said hotly, echoing the sentiments of all the priests.

 

“Huh. So you guys will be my first opponents?” the thief said, his tone suggesting that he was rather bored by the idea. “Fine with me. All the Millennium Items are gathered here, aren't they? So, I'll take them from you!”

 

The priests shifted around, forming a barrier in front of the Pharaoh and giving the thief filthy looks.

 

If this bothered him, the man did not show it. Instead he burst into a fresh peal of maniacal laughter. “You cannot stop me with your power!” he boasted.

 

“Listen carefully, thief,” Akunadin spoke up. “The power of the seven Millennium Items maintains the balance of this world. The only ones able to use them must have skilled souls, like me or one of the other priests, or the Pharaoh, who represents the gods. If someone like you with an evil heart were to touch them, his soul would be burnt and then he'd die.”

 

“Heh,” the thief replied, turning his insane grin on the elder priest. “Don't say things that get me excited. It's only making me want them more.”

 

“Well then,” Seto spoke again, raising his Millennium Rod. “We'll use our powers to give you the punishment of death.”

 

“Don't be so ignorant!” the thief snapped, losing his grin as his face contorted in sudden rage. The priests could not help but wince, and Mahaado even stepped back as the thief continued, “There's no point in me taking your lives. Just hand over the Millennium Items and come with me.”

 

“What?!” Shaada hissed.

 

“Of course, I won't ask for something for nothing,” the thief continued without missing a beat. “I'll return these!” With that, he slung the bag off his back and threw it on the floor, scattering its contents everywhere. Pieces of jewelry, small statues, even a mirror, all made of gold and jewels rested on the floor, along with the thief's shawl.

 

“These are…” Siamon trailed off in disbelief even as Kalim breathed, “It can't be!”

 

The thief laughed at them. “It's too early to be surprised; I've got another souvenir!” he told him, and then he put two fingers in his mouth and whistled. The sound of horses' hooves came through the entrance, and soon the horse itself appeared, hauling something behind it. It came to a stop abruptly several feet away, and the thing it was hauling slid forward until the thief put a foot on it to stop it.

 

It was a sarcophagus. An almost new sarcophagus.

 

“That's…King Akunumkanon's coffin!” Akunadin gasped.

 

“Damn you!” Seto burst out, showing his anger for the first time that night. “How dare you place your hands on the previous pharaoh!”

 

Behind them, Atemu sat forgotten, his heart clenched in his chest. My father…this thief went through my father's tomb just to bring him here…why? Father… For he knew, even as his priests treated the man like he was nothing, that this was no ordinary thief.

 

“We will not forgive you for this!” Seto continued. “Bring a Sealing Tablet now!”

 

Atemu relaxed a little at the proclamation of the Shadow ceremony's beginning, but his nervousness refused to go away entirely. That thief, whoever he was, was far too confident, grinning even now and not bothering to move as two guards pushed a Sealing Tablet over beside him.

 

“What are going to do with that?” he leered at Seto with another laugh.

 

“Your little act is over, thief,” Shaada replied coldly, stepping forward.

 

“Wait, Shaada!” Kalim hissed, and the bald priest turned back to look at him. “Look at the Millennium Scales' movement,” he continued, and Shaada complied. The Scales were fluctuating, rapidly bouncing back and forth in Kalim's grasp. “We don't know how high this guy's evil aura is,” he said.

 

“Hm,” Akunadin said, his Eye shining briefly as he accessed his power. “He's right, Shaada. The darkness of his heart is deep. This thief has an immeasurable darkness within his heart.”

 

The thief only looked at them as they conversed, grinning as if he knew all the secrets of the world and nothing they could plan to do would hurt him.

 

“There's no helping it!” Shaada exclaimed with a shake of his head. He raised his Ankh, activating its power. “Millennium Ankh, show us the path to this man's heart!”

 

“Are you sure that's a good idea?” the thief taunted as the Ankh began to glow and the world around Shaada faded away into darkness. He laughed again, and his laughter echoed all around the priest as a giant gray snake appeared. Shaada tightened his grip on the Ankh, trusting in its power to ward the monster away, but the snake rushed at him anyways, and Shaada fell back in terror as its head darted down to swallow him whole.

 

“Shaada!” cried several of the others as the darkness and monster retreated, returning his perceptions to normal.

 

“That man's kaa is—” he said, his voice shaking through heavy breaths. “That man's kaa is too much. That Sealing Tablet is too small for it!”

 

“That's impossible,” Seto snorted.

 

“Pay attention!” Akunadin snapped at them as his Eye began glowing again. “The thief is summoning his kaa.”

 

The others wheeled around to face him, and indeed the man was summoning something. A red glow surrounded him briefly, erupting into a bright flash of light. Through it a gray snake appeared, and then as the light cleared away the priests could see that the snake was actually a tail on a larger monster, one that was gray all over and had a heavy muscular body, a blank expression on its face, and two pairs of grey-feathered wings on its back.

 

“What kind of Kaa is that?” Kalim cried, stepping back instinctively.

 

“I don't believe this, that there is a Kaa of this caliber,” Akunadin breathed.

 

The thief laughed at them. “What's wrong with you people?” he sneered. “Oh, have I forgotten to introduce myself? My name is Bakura, and this is my Kaa, Diabound. Surely you are not afraid of him?”

 

“Hm,” Seto snorted. “The Millennium Items' power will be able to capture it, thief. With the power of the Millennium Rod, seal this apparition!” He pointed his Rod at the monster.

 

A beam of light erupted from it, hitting Diabound squarely in the chest. The monster disappeared as the light wrapped around it, and then the beam altered its course, jumping from the spot where Diabound had been to the Sealing Tablet. As it cleared away, the monster's likeness could be seen carved into the stone's face.

 

“So you see? That's the power of the Millennium Rod,” Seto said with a cold smile.

 

“Lord Priest,” Bakura answered with a chuckle. “Will the sealed apparition…not be reborn?”

 

“What?” Seto snapped in disbelief even as the tablet's surface began to crack. All the priests gasped, and the tablet exploded, raining dust and bits of stone on them. Through it all, the thief continued his manic laughter as the shadow of Diabound towered over them, freed from its brief stone prison.

 

“The Sealing Tablet is useless against my Diabound!” Bakura cried as the dust settled and the air cleared.”

 

“We've just begun to show you the priests' true power!” Akunadin retorted, and on that cue all six of them raised their left arms, activating the dia dianks they wore.

 

“Oh, planning to do something interesting?” Bakura asked.

 

“Seto, the enemy is powerful,” Akunadin hissed under his breath. “We must combine our powers.”

 

“No!” the young priest snapped. “To deal with him, I am more than enough! Kaa that sleeps within my Weiji Temple, come to me and be my power! Galest Glass!” He raised his dia diank as he shouted, and a bright light blasted into the throne room, complete with the roar of the monster. It faded quickly, leaving a large red-orange dragon-like Kaa in its wake.

 

“Go, Galest Glass,” Seto commanded. “Strike Diabound!”

 

The monster obligingly charged forward, its maw open to snap Diabound in half, but a new beam of light blocked him as Bakura called, “Falcos!”

 

Galest Glass fell back as a new monster appeared, a human-like monster with a falcon's head and blue and gray wings, wearing long white robes.

 

“What?” Seto breathed. “Did you say `Falcos?'”

 

“Take this!” the thief yelled, and Falcos opened his beak, blasting out an attack that was only visible by the ripples in the air that it passed through. The attack hit Galest Glass full in the midsection, and the monster disintegrated under its force.

 

“He has another Kaa?” Seto gasped. “But how?”

 

“He doesn't have a Weiji Temple; this should be impossible,” Mahaado assured him.

 

“Oh, did the silly priests forget about something?” Bakura laughed. “In Akunumkanon's tomb, I found this thing.” He held up his left arm, and his robe's sleeve fell away to reveal another dia diank.

 

“That…that was the former Pharaoh's dia diank for his Kaa!” Isis cried.

 

“That's right,” Bakura said, favoring her with a cruel smile. “And there are many stone tablets in King Akunumkanon's tomb.”

 

“You bastard,” Seto growled. “Are you saying you summoned Falcos from King Akunumkanon's tomb?”

 

“Unforgivable!” Akunadin joined in. “To dishonor the holy Pharaoh's tomb!”

 

“Quit joking!” Bakura snapped, once again losing all his sick humor and switching instantly to rage. “What `holy Pharaoh?' Akunumkanon was the one who created the Millennium Items you all are holding and released the dark powers into this world!”

 

“You're wrong!” Akunadin cried in return even as a disturbed feeling began to flutter in his gut. “The great King Akunumkanon saved the country from chaos and returned peace to this kingdom. And hoping for the country to prosper for a thousand years, he left behind the Millennium Items.”

 

“That's right!” Seto proclaimed. “King Akunumkanon, he who silences wandering evil and sinners, he who carries the power of justice, he gave us these seven sacred treasures.”

 

“Peace and justice?” Bakura echoed. “Don't make me laugh! It's true that the wielders of the Millennium Items are given great power, but they reflect the darkness within the wielders' hearts and will welcome the world of darkness. You silly priests may not know, but the one who collects all the Millennium Items and places them in the tablet in Kuru Eruna will obtain the powers of the underworld.”

 

“Impossible,” Mahaado snorted dismissively, and all the priests except one seemed to share his sentiment.

 

“Kuru Eruna, you said?” murmured Akunadin as his disturbed feeling began to congeal into horror. How does this man know about that village? Everyone who knew of its existence should be dead.

 

Bakura cackled again, shaking the elder priest out of his thoughts. “Anyone who's got enough guts should see for himself,” he sneered. “The Pharaoh has no command over me. The real power of the gods will be in my hands.”

 

“What do you mean by that?” Atemu snapped, speaking up for the first time since the thief's arrival, but everyone ignored him.

 

“Shut up, shut up with this confusing talk!” Akunadin cried, trying hard to keep his panic out of his voice. If anyone else should find out how the Items were really made… “Everyone, don't listen to what he's saying. It's all nonsense!”

 

Seto nodded, believing his words. “Insulting the Millennium Items is like insulting us. It's unforgivable!” he said to the thief.

 

“Hm,” Bakura answered as his smile returned. “That's okay. If you want to die that much, I'll gladly beat you up.”

 

The priests glared at him in disbelief and anger until Seto broke the spell. “Come out,” he called. “Minotaurus!”

 

At his cry, the others began summoning their monsters as well, Kalim calling upon Bastet, Isis on Spiria, Shaada on Zeruda, Akunadin on Guardius, and Mahaado on his Magician of Illusions. The light filled the throne room at the summoning of so many was nearly blinding, but Mahaado did not bother waiting for it to fade away, crying out for forgiveness from the former Pharaoh as he commanded his Magician of Illusions to attack.

 

The magic attack was directed at Falcos, and Bakura's summon dissolved instantly from the force. “Tch,” the thief spat. “That's a Kaa that cannot attain victory. But my Diabound is very different! Diabound, Spiral Wave!”

 

The great gray monster responded to its master's call, sending a huge blast of spiraling energy at its opponents. All of them fell back under the assault, and all the priests winced, suddenly losing confidence in their chances for victory.

 

“Everyone, don't falter,” Akunadin called, trying to boost their resolution.

 

“If this is the case,” Mahaado growled, stepping forward, “then I'll—”

 

“Wait,” Seto interrupted. “You can't attack him alone; your Kaa is too weak.” Mahaado gave him a dirty look, but the other priest did not back away. “I'll summon a new servant,” he told the magician. “Kentaurus!” As the new monster appeared, he turned back to the holder of the Millennium Scales. “Kalim!”

 

The older priest nodded, knowing what he wanted. “Kaa fusion,” he said as he accessed the power of his Item. “Kentaurus and Minotaurus.”

 

The two came together, forming a new monster within a ball of light, and as the new one emerged Seto smiled at Bakura. “Meet my new friend, thief,” he said. “Minokentaurus, attack Diabound!”

 

“Heh, you're only annoying!” Bakura snapped back as Minokentaurus charged forward with its axe raised. Diabound raised up and lashed out with its tail in response, wrapping the snake-like appendage around Minokentaurus's arm and halting it in its tracks. The trapped monster growled in frustration, and Bakura laughed as Seto stepped back.

 

“Now you can't attack,” the thief taunted.

 

“Well, how's this?” Seto answered with a small smirk. Turning around, he called to the royal magician, “Mahaado, now!”

 

Mahaado nodded grimly. “Magician of Illusions, use your special ability. Spellbinding Circle!” His monster jumped forward at his words and pointed its staff at Diabound. Instantly a circle of energy formed around the gray monster's chest, squeezing its arms to its torso so it could not move either. “Now you can't run,” Mahaado said.

 

“So naïve,” Bakura answered. “Haven't you learned yet? Don't underestimate my Diabound! Spiral Surge!”

 

Diabound responded to the command, calling forth its attack though this time it formed a circle around it instead of blasting outward. After just a few seconds of struggle, the attack burst loose, destroying the Spellbinding Circle, and Diabound raised its arms, roaring in victory. The resulting shockwave also destroyed both Minokentaurus and the Magician of Illusions, and Seto and Mahaado grimaced and fell back.

 

“Amazing!” Siamon hissed at Atemu. “With just one man, the priests are…” He trailed off and gulped, and Atemu gritted his teeth. There's a way to end this, he thought as the thief continued his laughter and taunts. Do I have the strength to do it, though?

 

“Bakura!” he yelled. “You have no right to enter my court and do this! I suggest you leave while you can.”

 

“Hah!” the thief retorted. “I'm on a level above your priests, Pharaoh. They can't do anything to stop me from taking their Millennium Items, and they can't stop me from killing you. Diabound, attack the pharaoh!”

 

Diabound roared and obeyed, but before the deadly blast could reach the young woman, Isis dashed forward. “Spiria!” she cried, and her monster flew into the path of the attack, blocking Atemu but getting destroyed in the process. Isis fell to the floor, gasping and clutching at her chest like the attack had hurt her as well.

 

“Hey!” Mahaado yelled as he knelt beside her. “Why you…”

 

“Like I said before, your level is just too low,” Bakura sneered.

 

Enough! Atemu stood up and walked forward as the thief went into another round of laughter. This has to end. Isis is hurt…defending me…I don't care if I'm not strong enough. I have to try. “Bakura!” he called. “Move your dirty foot from that coffin.”

 

The priests looked around at him in surprise. “Pharaoh, you musn't,” Seto said. “It's too dangerous.”

 

Atemu ignored him, keeping his attention on the volatile thief who stood grinning like someone was telling him a joke. “What is this you're doing, thief?” he demanded. “Using power, massacring? You even dare to step on the deceased! You really think that you can gain the power of the underworld? May Osiris condemn you forever!”

 

“Oh, got some spirit, huh?” Bakura answered. “Here then. Have your precious father back.” He kicked the casket away, and it slid to a stop at Atemu's feet. Siamon promptly ran over and fell on top of the coffin protectively, but Atemu kept his gaze steady on Bakura.

 

“Make no mistake,” he said. “You will not take our Millennium Items from us.”

 

“Oh?” Bakura cackled. “You sound so confident, Pharaoh. Spiral Wave!”

 

“You forget, Bakura,” Atemu growled, activating his dia diank even as Diabound fired his supposed surprise attack. “I am a representative of the gods, and they will help when I call.” He closed his eyes for the briefest of moments. Gods grant me justice. “Come to me, Obelisk!”

 

“What?” For the first time that morning, a look of total shock crossed the tomb robber's face as a whole new light erupted. This light was far more brilliant than any of the previous ones, and even Atemu had to shield his eyes until it began to fade, revealing the blue god monster that seemed to barely fit in the throne room, despite the chamber's grandiose size. “Kneel before your god, thief,” Atemu yelled.

 

“I would not call that a god for all the power in the world!” Bakura retorted. “Diabound, attack him!”

 

The monster roared and unleashed its Spiral Wave, but Obelisk countered without even a command from Atemu. Its great fist broke through the attack and kept going to land a solid, ground-jarring blow right in Diabound's midsection. Diabound and Bakura screamed at the same time, the former disintegrating as the latter fell to one knee.

 

“Leave, thief, and never show your face in Egypt again if you wish to live,” Atemu commanded.

 

Bakura spat blood on the floor in front of him. “This isn't over, Pharaoh,” he hissed. “Even if you have one of the gods at your beck and call. You!” He pointed suddenly at Mahaado, who had been standing back and watching in awe with the other priests. He narrowed his eyes and raised his dia diank at the sudden attention.

 

“Your Millennium Item is more evil than the others,” Bakura said with a cruel smile. “It has been in the stone tablet before, hasn't it? It will be mine before the week is finished!” With one last manic laugh, he whirled around, jumped on his horse, and thundered out into the approaching sunrise.

 

Silence followed his exit as Atemu dismissed Obelisk, and then Mahaado let out a growl. “You'll never get my Millennium Ring!” he yelled after the thief, though Bakura was too far away to hear. “Guards!”

 

“Wait!” Atemu ordered, throwing out his hand. “Guards, stay at your posts. We're all exhausted,” he explained as Mahaado turned around and gave him an incredulous look. “And we should all know by now that that man is too powerful for just the guards to deal with. We shall have to find him ourselves.”

 

“But…what did he mean?” Mahaado asked. “About my Ring being in a stone tablet.”

 

“That was mere nonsense,” Akunadin interjected quickly. “Like everything else he had said. You should pay it no mind, and we should all go to bed. It has been a long and eventful night.”

 

“Of course,” Atemu said with a nod. “We all need rest. We can ponder over what has happened later.”

 

“Yes, Lord Pharaoh,” the priests murmured, and they all departed. Akunadin breathed a sigh of relief as he walked out, though his mind was incredibly troubled. That man knew of Kuru Eruna, he thought. He even knew of the stone tablet. The Ring was the one to fall into it at that time. But how? How could he know all that? Is what he said about it true?

 

Does he plan to unleash the monster within it on all of Egypt?