Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Beyond the Sapphire Blue ❯ Under Assault ( Chapter 2 )

JG: Yay this story is really fun to write! I'm glad someone has already reviewed! You know who you are! ^_______________________~ Anyhoo, here's chapter two, ENJOY OR DIE!!! Questions? Email me or review!

Under Assault
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As the Pharaoh was awakening, readying himself for his morning prayers to Isis, a commoner came running into the Palace Grounds. This was very uncommon, as usually a villager would be slaughtered if they dared step onto royal territory. However, she was creating an uproar, causing all the still-drunk soldiers and Priests to stir from their resting places.

"News from the north! Romans were sighted in Al-Iskandariyah (Alexandria) sailing down the Nile! They are heading toward Memphis as I speak!" Atem recognized the girl as Mana, a young student taught the art of magic by Priest Mahado.

Ajax's eyes shot open at the sound of the word `Romans', and he scrambled up from his resting place against Chiron's soft centaur belly. "Romans?! What do they want here?"

Arkantos, who had heard the commotion from inside, came running out. "What is going on?" Suddenly all the Priests came pouring out from around the palace.

Set joined Atem on the main Palace entrance steps. "What would the Romans want with us? Their main enemies are the Greeks and the Persians!" Set cried.

"Word has it that Dante is after your Sennen Items! You must hide your items, and prepare your militia at once!" Mana ordered.

Ajax narrowed his eyes. "How do we know you aren't lying?"

"I would never do such a thing! Especially in His Grace's presence!" Mana spat.

Arkantos nodded. "Ajax, Chiron, prepare the men for battle!"

Ajax turned to Chiron who was still practically passed out on the ground. He gently kicked the centaur's belly. "Get your rump off the ground, Chiron! We're under siege!"

"Your highness… you must organize your army at once. The Romans are very strong. You will need your best men and strongest cavalry to go into battle." Arkantos said.

Bewildered, Atem looked around in confusion. There hadn't been a war in Egypt since before his father's reign. Ra, he didn't even know if Egypt had an army! Nonetheless, he turned to Akunadin and said, "Prepare the men! If we're going to fight for our country and keep what is rightfully ours, then let's do it for Akunumkanon!"

"Yes your highness." Akunadin ran off to the Migdol Stronghold to warn the military about the coming battle.

"We must conceal the Sennen Items! The Romans must not get a hold of them!" Shada said stressfully.

"Where is the safest place to put them?" Isis asked, involuntarily stroking her Sennen Tauk.

"We can rule out the Great Pyramids for the risk of tomb robbers." Set said.

"What about the underground chambers of the Temple of Isis?" Shada suggested.

"I recommend the Temple of Ra. It is closer to the palace; therefore we can keep a closer eye on them and make sure no Romans get to them." Arkantos said.

"Isis should keep her Sennen Tauk to read the future for us." Mahado stated.

Set stroked his chin. "That is a good idea. We will commence at nightfall. For now we must strengthen our defenses."

"Yes. Mana, I need you to go back into the town centre and warn all the commoners about the coming battle. Lead them to the refuge on the western side of Memphis, under strict orders of the Pharaoh." Mahado said sternly.

"Yes sir!" With that, the brunette girl pranced off out the palace gates, into the town centre on her mission.

Chiron and Ajax soon returned with the Greek militia. "Arkantos, the Egyptian mercenaries are readying themselves. We will meet with them at the north side of Memphis soon." Ajax said.

Arkantos gave a nod. "Good. Go now, I will be with you soon. We must sail the boats further downstream so the Romans do not target them, or we will have no way to return home."

Ajax and Chiron bid Arkantos goodbye and exited the Palace gates with their army. Atem gaped at the murderous weapons they were carrying as they went by - spears, swords, tridents, bows and arrows, shields - the works! The warhorses were armoured up with iron and bronze breastplates, and blue cockades (1) decorated their heads. A few centaurs trotted by behind with longbows around their chests and protective armour on.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

21 miles north of Memphis, River Nile, Egypt…

"Keep your eyes peeled, men. We don't know what sorts of tricks the Egyptians may have up their sleeves." Dante warned as he sailed down the beautiful River Nile. His Roman soldiers kept a close eye on the onlookers of the small Egyptian town, Tanta, as they rowed by.

"Your highness, I have just been updated with the latest news!" Fabian said as he came running up to the King.

"And what might that be?" Dante asked as he held his wife Celeste close to him.

"The most powerful of all Sennen Items is the Sennen Puzzle, your highness! The Sennen Puzzle is owned by the Pharaoh himself!"

"What does this Sennen Puzzle do, exactly?" Queen Celeste asked.

"The powers of the Puzzle are not for sure yet, but rumour has it that it protects the Kingdom of its holder and can destroy people's minds!"

Dante smiled in greed at the thought. "Excellent. The Sennen Puzzle is what we shall seek."

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Council Room, Agrabah Palace…

"You want to have homosexuality accepted throughout Egypt, your grace?" Akunadin asked in awe. All the other Priests looked at the amateur Pharaoh as if he had gone completely mad.

"Yes I do." Atem replied, watching them in amusement. "There are a lot of commoners out there who are unhappy because of my father's old laws. Now that I am ruling over Egypt, we will be living in a better place."

"But you must consider the consequences of these new policies, my Pharaoh." Isis said.

"What consequences? What could possibly go wrong with a policy like this? The people of Memphis will be a lot happier in themselves and with others. Everyone should have a right to choose their sexuality, not go by a rule that says you have to, just because one person says so." Atem replied.

"He does have a point there." Mahado commented.

"But there will be a higher risk of disease and infection though, your highness!" Akunadin stressed.

Atem rolled his eyes. "I don't want to get into a debate about this, please. Homosexuality is to be accepted in Egypt, and that is that." The Priests stayed silent for a moment or two.

"Well you heard the man, start scribing." Set said to Shimon, the general palace hand. Shimon created the traps inside the Pyramids to eliminate tomb robbers, and he also did the necessary scribing into stone tablets in hieroglyphics. He also aided to funerals and mummifying those who have died.

~*~

Nightfall approached quickly and the Egyptians and the Greeks were completely alert, preparing for any surprise attacks. Atem and the Priests, except Isis and Akunadin reluctantly placed their Sennen Items into a jeweled box lined with black velvet. Akunadin and Mahado had volunteered to take the box of sacred items to the Temple of Ra at midnight.

"The Romans should have reached Memphis by now." Arkantos mentioned to Ajax as he stood outside with the rest of the army in the chilly night air.

The city was quiet and dark, with hardly any torches flickering to indicate sign of life. In the western desert you could see a dull orange glow of where the refuge was situated. The refuge was located on the western outskirts of Memphis in the red land (2). The refuge was created by the Pharaohess who ruled Egypt before Akunumkanon. Her name was Queen Nefertiti.

Atem and Set stood on the balcony of the master chamber, overlooking the city and the Nile. The Greek and Egyptian armies were out of sight, at the other end of the city. The white marble temples glowed dully against the silver moonlight on their small islands on the river. The Temple of Ra was the largest amongst all of the gods' temples, Ra being the most worshipped God of them all. However, Atem believed that Isis was his watcher; he had spoken with her in many of his dreams. Set worshipped Ra and Khnum (3).

Set looked across at Atem, who was looking absentmindedly out at the river. "What is on your mind, Atem? You look… unnerved."

"I'm not… I just can't believe all this is mine. Now I know how my father felt in his time as Pharaoh." Atem replied.

Set smiled. "I will stand by your side for as long as you are ruling this country, Atem."

"I know, and I'm honoured to have you by my side, Set." Both teens smiled at each other before looking back out to the city again.

"What do you think the city will be like, now that you've announced the new laws?" Set asked.

"Better I hope." Atem chimed as he grinned up at Seto. "It means that we can finally be together without anyone thinking anything of it."

Set sighed. "Atem… I'm not so sure about this." He said, taking a seat on the velvet lounger. "I'm… I guess I'm kind of scared."

Atem removed his gold headdress and garments and advanced on Set across the room. "What are you scared of?" He asked, sitting next to him.

"I guess I'm… scared of what people will think of it. I mean, we're cousins, but we are so close we act like brothers… but we're best friends… now we're lovers?"

"I suppose it will be a bit weird to start off with. But I'm the Pharaoh of this land now, and there is nothing anyone can do to help that."

Set took off his headdress and looked at the dusty ground. "I guess you're right."

"After all," Atem added. "Incest is a common thing. Akunumkanon married his sister Kleo and gave birth to me. The only difference about the whole situation is that we are both males."

Set blushed at that. "I know." He smirked. "And I like the thought of that."

Atem gave him a devilish smile. "Good…"

Suddenly, Priestess Isis came busting into the room. "Your highness! A thousand apologies on my interruption, but you must come quick! Memphis has been set aflame! The Romans are attacking!"

Caught by surprise, Set and Atem looked up in shock. "What?! Memphis is burning down?"

"Yes!" Mahado shrieked. "They are heading this way! We must protect the Sennen Items!"

"But they are hidden in the Temple of Ra! Aren't they?" Atem asked as he got up from his resting place.

"Dante and his men have taken Ajax hostage! If he didn't tell them where the Sennen Items were hidden, they would have killed him!" Shada said.

"We must take back the Sennen Items and build up our defenses, your highness! There is no other way we can keep the Romans from coming!" Akunadin cried.

"Alright, alright." Atem said calmly. "Go and prepare the backup mercenaries from the Migdol Stronghold and station them around the palace. Set and I will retrieve the Sennen Items from the Temple of Ra as quickly as we can. Shimon, set as many traps as you can around the palace grounds. Get Arkantos and his men to put out the fire in the city." Atem quickly pulled on a cloak, as did Set. Together they exited the palace grounds and ran to the Nile to get the boat.

"Atem I beg of you, stay here! I cannot risk you to come!" Set pleaded.

"Set, please, this is my empire and I'm going to do all I can to protect it. Now are you with me or not?"

"Well yes but-"

"No buts. Now get in the boat, time waits for no one."

As the two subconsciously-frightened teens approached the grand white Temple, they noticed a large wooden ship manned close to it. The ship had black sails with a red cross on it. This only meant one thing - Romans. Atem and Set stayed low in their boat and crept around the side of the temple and came ashore.

"Atem… its Dante himself!" Set whispered to Atem.

"And there's Ajax!" Atem replied as he pointed to Ajax who was in shackles, with a gag in his mouth and had his wrists bound with rope.

"Hurry up! Show me where they are, Greek!" Dante bellowed as he pushed Ajax to the ground.

Ajax growled and picked himself up slowly. Atem and Set watched in horror as Ajax lead the vile Roman King up the sacred steps into the Temple of Ra.

"What are we going to do Atem?!" Set whispered.

Atem gritted his teeth and revealed himself from his hiding place. "Stop right there! In the name of the Pharaoh!"

"Atem! What are you doing?!" Set cried.

Dante sneered. "Ah, so the two Kings finally meet. Good evening, young Pharaoh." He eyed Atem from head to toe and back up again. "You're a little… small to be a mighty Pharaoh, are you not?"

"Stay away from my Sennen Items! They do not belong to you!" Atem hissed.

Fabian and a few Roman soldiers came up behind Dante. "Tell us where the items are or your friend here gets it!" Fabian said as one of the militia held a deadly sharp sword above Ajax's neck.

"Never!" Atem shrieked. Set was too stunned to speak. Why hadn't any carnage taken place yet? These were the Romans they were dealing with here!

Dante approached the young Pharaoh. "Tell us where they are, Pharaoh, or risk the fact of never seeing the light of day ever again." Dante said through gritted teeth as he grabbed Atem by his shirt and held him up a foot from the ground.

"Tell me where the Sennen Puzzle is and no harm will be done to your precious empire." Dante said in a gentle yet lethal manner.

"Let him go!" Set shrieked. "Take me! I am the one you want!"

Dante snarled at Set and then looked at the young tri-haired teen he was holding up off of the ground. "Fine," He said, and threw Atem back to the ground. "Release the Greek; we've got what we want."

"Set! What are you doing you madman?!" Atem shrieked as he wiped the sand from the side of his face.

"Go Atem! You have an empire to run! I'll be back, Atem… I promise…" Set replied as he was dragged off to the ship by two Roman swordsmen.

After Ajax and Atem were released, Set was tied up and thrown into the ship with the rest of the Roman militia and Queen Celeste. Dante took the sacred Sennen Items from the temple and was on his way. However, that didn't mean that they would get through the Greeks and the Egyptian mercenaries easily.

+.+.+.+.+.+.+.+

(1) -Cockades: Cockades are those bushy things that you saw the ancient Greeks wear on their helmets. The colour they wore represented the country they fought for. The horses also wore them on the top of their heads.

(2) - Red land: Red land, as described by the Egyptians is unfertile, a.k.a, the desert where nothing grows because there are no rivers nearby and it never rains. Fertile land, a.k.a Black land, is fertile. Black land is found in the Nile Delta, or anywhere near the Nile or where the crops are plentiful.

(3) - Khnum: Khnum is the Egyptian god of water. Since he is a water god, he is closely related to the annual flooding of the Nile. He is the creator of all living things, and it is said that he even created himself (o.O). He is said to have the body of a man and the head of a ram (male sheep with curly horns).

JG: Any ideas? I'd be more than welcome to hear them! Thanks for reading! And remember… all those viewers who didn't review shall forever remain nameless… Ja ne!