Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ First Child of Shadow ❯ Chapter 3

Wai! Chapter 3! Rejoice, fans!

Disclaimer: I wish I owned Yu-gi-Oh! Go bug Kazuki Takahashi for the rights. I make no profit off this fanfic. Don't steal and don't sue.

Chapter 3

 

“Pharaoh!”

The servants came rushing in; apparently a slave had seen the Pharaoh and his former Priest walking down the halls. She was so shortsighted that at first the other servants just laughed at her, but they grew inquisitive after a few hours and it was time to bring the Pharaoh his evening meal, since there was no feast day.

Mahaado immediately snapped into attack mode, robes melting back into dark armor as he brandished his staff, ready to attack. Yami scowled from his position on the reclining couch and snapped the papyrus scroll he was holding shut in exasperation. “Have you all lost your minds?” He commanded.

Immediately, the servants sank to their knees and began begging for forgiveness. They hadn't even bothered to make proper bows and voice their words of praise in their rush. The Pharaoh snapped for them all to leave, save the few carrying food and wine, and there was a mass exodus.

The general consensus was that the slave girl was out of her mind. It was just a Ka monster that looked vaguely like Priest Mahaado. That was all…

And the Pharaoh summoned Ka monsters all the time, even for mundane tasks, but mostly for protection against evil. Nothing special about this one!

The dead could not come to life again.

 

Mahaado frowned as he eyed the wine goblet, before he snapped his fingers and it emptied. The servant carrying it nearly dropped the golden tray in shook. What…

“Poison?” Yami asked, narrowing his eyes. Mahaado gave a nod.

“I should have known. Do you know who placed it?”

“You would do better to ask he who carries poisoned wine to Horus-on-Earth, my Pharaoh…” Mahaado spoke calmly.

This time, the slave trembled so badly that both golden cup and tray clattered to the ground. He tried to run, but there was a glitter, and then a tight sigil of dark magic laced around his torso, pinning his arms to the side. He attempted to move his legs, but then realized to his horror that he was waist-deep in sinking sand and that should he move; he would sink.

Mahaado crossed his arms and waited for his Pharaoh's judgment.

Yami looked into the man's eyes as he felt the Puzzle glowing. His first instinct was to have the servant flayed alive, but perhaps all was not as it seemed. Perhaps Seth had arranged this, used the Rod to manipulate the man. Perhaps…

No.

 

He could feel, just by looking, that this man was lying. And there were shadows darkening the room they were in, slinking out of white marble and curling about their forms like dark wings.

This man was lying, and the shadows knew it.

But he had not called them…

He looked over at Mahaado, and saw to some disquiet that the shadows were indeed coiling about his Dark Magician in an almost possessive manner. Mahaado opened his eyes and pointed his emerald staff at the man.

 

Yami didn't look away as light gathered at the tip, and blasted the world into negative hue with a cry of pain from said servant. “His Ka wasn't worth saving then?”

“Strangely enough, he had no Ka. Though we expect all humans to have one, it seems that there are those born without, or their Ka monster is too weak to manifest...” Mahaado said calmly. “And a human can live without Ka after all… but not without Ba.”

Footsteps came running. That explosion had not gone unnoticed, after all.

Mahaado positioned himself slightly behind the Pharaoh, floating with his arms crossed and his staff in hand, waiting.

They might as well break the news to the other Elected Priests.

 

Aishizu took it surprisingly well. Shadah didn't comment much, Karim looked cheerful, Akunadin… was dead and could not comment, and as for Seth…

In all honesty, he looked like he wanted to kill the Dark Magician.

But you can't kill what's already `dead'. Immortal, yes, but the monster could not be killed anymore. So in a way, Mahaado had cheated death.

Lucky.

 

Their concern over the loss of the Ring ceased, as Mahaado demonstrated that he was perfectly capable of carrying out his duties without it. And if he seemed darker than before, well, they chalked it up to increased competence, his merge, and the influence of the Shadow Realm.

Things were progressing rather nicely.

True, there had been an invading army on the border, about ten thousand men, but in one night, they had all vanished.

The people wondered if the Pharaoh had called upon the powerful Exodia or perhaps a God, to protect them, and decided that he had.

But of course, they didn't know.

After all, a magician mustn't let his secrets become known…

 

It didn't make sense. One look at Mahaado and he could tell. Somehow, his Dark Magician's power rivaled that of Exodia. How on earth…?

Was it just all the spells Mahaado could cast?

No. He did not believe so. There was something hiding behind those loyal eyes. Mahaado was perfectly loyal; it was just that, Mahaado had not been anywhere close to this level of power while alive.

Death, it seemed, suited him better.

 

Mahaado knew that he was more use dead than alive. He'd always known. Much of his power seemed bound up in death-related rituals, and there was a reason why he'd been stationed as a Priest of Anubis. Now though, things were different.

It was exhilarating, to have enough power to crush Seth, should he choose to use it. He hadn't yet, but he would. Soon…

If ever Seth posed a problem to the throne, well…

He would be there to guard his precious Pharaoh.

 

Seth seethed. That mind-controlled slave had taken a lot of work to build. Why was it that his plan had failed?

Perhaps he ought to contact Bakura, warn him of this new development. The Ring was useless anyhow.

 

“You already know who really tried to kill me, don't you, Mahaado.” Yami sighed. “The shadows love you.”

“Is keeping me here straining your power, Pharaoh? If you would like a rest…”

Yami cut him off. “Nothing like that. It's almost as if having you near me has the opposite effect, boosting my Ba instead of decreasing it. Perplexing….”

It was a strange puzzle to try and solve, but Yami did so love puzzles.

Mahaado was so interesting.

He pulled his friend down onto the bed, and turned his mind to more comforting thoughts for now. Perhaps that was why he didn't see Mahaado's secretive smile.

 

End Chapter

Completed 3/8/06