Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Heart of the Cards ❯ Chapter 6 ( Chapter 6 )

Heart of the Cards: Chapter Six

“So…” Joey drawled, “Did you try shaking her awake?” He asked Marik.

The young Egyptian glared at him. “No, I ran to seek the aid of the pharaoh without trying any attempts to awaken my sister otherwise,” he retorted annoyed.

“Well that wasn't very smart,” Joey muttered with a frown. Serenity gave Joey's arm a reassuring pat, not wanting to let him realize how stupid his question had been.

“Shadi,” Yami called, gaining the attention of the mystical Egyptian. “Do you recognize the any of the names Isis is calling out?”

Shadi crossed his arms, his golden bracelets clicking together softly with the movement. “While young Marik was seeking your assistance I reviewed some of the historical records. The names she calls, most of them appear to be the names of the pharaoh's priests.”

“Most of them?” Yami probed, unsatisfied with the answer. He reached out his hand and gently cupped Isis' shoulder. Her eyes snapped open, causing him to jump in surprise.

“Set must be here,” she told him forcefully, her eyes wide in terror. Then without warning, her eyes closed again and she softly muttered the names of the pharaoh's priests from three millennia ago once more. Marik rushed to her side, letting out a frustrated sigh that she relapsed into her trance.

Yami met Shadi's spirit piercing gaze. “The high priest Set,” he clarified. “The cousin to the pharaoh, you.”

“Well who the heck is Set?” Joey demanded, earning shrugs from Duke and Tristen. Tèa frowned, but had no answer. Yami was wondering the same question himself.

“Perhaps Seto Kaiba,” Serenity suggested quietly. Joey groaned at the mention of his hated rival.

“Hmm yes, Kaiba,” Yami agreed.

“Kaiba was your cousin?” Tèa asked incredulously. Yami arched his brow at her, letting her know that her guess was as good as his. “Oh, well, I mean, maybe he was.”

“So, um, does this mean we have to call him?” Duke asked since no one seemed in any hurry to contact the multibillionaire.

“Why? He wouldn't come anyway,” Joey argued, grumbling about all the faults Seto Kaiba possessed.

“Of course he will come,” Yami answered, hearing Yugi defend Kaiba in his mind. He gazed down at Isis, wondering why it seemed that his past was finally catching up to him. What would it all mean? What if he did remember his identity? Would he finally be at peace then? Would the dueling games no longer exist?

Duke had pulled out his cellular phone and was dialing Kaiba's private extension. The young man was not happy to be interrupted. Duke explained the situation and frowned looking over at the pharaoh. “He says he'll come if you accept his challenge to another duel.”

“Very well, I accept his challenge,” Yami replied.

Tèa leaned towards the pharaoh's ear, “Do you think that wise? Do we really have time for a duel?”

“There's always time for a duel!” Joey answered for him.

oooooOOOOOooooo

High priest Set and Mana sat beside one another in the palace gardens. Both lost in their personal tragedies. Finally, Mana broke the silence. “Bakura,” she said.

Set turned towards her, “That is the name Kisara told me,” he affirmed.

“I wonder why he would have such thirst for vengeance,” she pondered. “What could have possibly happened to him?”

“I have no idea,” Set answered, shifting his millennium rod in his hands. “You have been able to call forth your Ka,” he observed.

“Yes,” she agreed. “What has become of Priest Akunadin and his creepy eye?” Mana asked, referred to the eldest of the priests.

“I have not seen him for days,” Set answered.

“He always worried me, I do not trust him. He doesn't seem very nice,” Mana observed, running her hands over the sudden goosebumps that covered her arms.

Set narrowed his eyes at her words, he had never particularly thought ill of Akunadin. However, there was something somewhat dark about him. There was something that seemed to lurk just below the surface.

She changed the subject. “I find using my ka to be draining, but my control is improving.” He remained silent, starring back towards the garden's fountain, lost in thought. “Our powers will be strong,” she told him. “Our vengeance will surmount that of this Bakura,” she spat out the name.

“Pharaoh does not wish you to go,” Set informed her. He had not shared with the young mage that scouts had virtually pinpointed the location of the tomb thief, the one responsible for her master's death, the one…he believed responsible for Kisara's sacrifice.

“He can not stop me,” Mana vowed. Set sent her a disbelieving look and she fidgeted. “Well aside from ordering me, but you know how I tune things out.” Set snorted at that and turned back to the fountain. Mana reached over to touch his arm, surprising him, people…didn't touch him. “If you do not tell me where Bakura is for the battle, I will find him on my own.”

Set's cobalt eyes hardened at her tone. He can not betray the Pharaoh regardless of his understanding of Mana's resolution. “Do not find him on your own,” he warned. He stood, brushing the dust off his robes. He looked down at the solemn young lady. “Priestess Isis is talented at finding things,” he offered.

Then he left.

Mana watched him retreat, processing over his parting words. She had seen very little of her prince, erm—Pharaoh. She felt like she lost both him and her master at the same time. At the distant end of the garden she saw the white robes of Isis and decided to speak with her. Perhaps she knew of the progress in the search for the one that killed her Mahaado.

oooooOOOOOooooo

Seto Kaiba began to laugh menacingly as he realized he was now able to call forth his Blue Eyes White Dragon onto the dueling field. Yugi really had no chance this time, nor the pharaoh, whomever he was playing. He didn't really care for what reason they required his presence but opportunity was not to be wasted.

Yami and Yugi were calmly discussing their strategy inside the relative safety of their mind. Their friends cheered them on at the sidelines. He placed his Dark Magician in defense mode and awaited Kaiba's next move.

Kaiba played his Blue Eyes White Dragon but kept it at bay, deciding he would wait until his next turn to combine the many blue eyes in his hand to completely destroy the King of Games.

Yami next played his Dark Magician Girl. Seto frowned at the sight of the unfamiliar monster card. There was something about it that seemed to make his heart skip a beat. A distant memory tugged at the recesses of his mind.

“This is pointless Yugi,” Kaiba declared. “You will surely lose to me this time!” He grinned victoriously as he pulled out another card and discovered his Obelisk god card. A couple of spell casters were no match for Blue Eyes and a god card!

“Jeez, you'd think someone would have told him by now that it was just a game,” Joey complained on the sidelines to Duke. Then he seemed to remember that Duke was flirting with his sister and crossed his arms, turning away towards Tristen, only to remember that he was flirting with his sister too.

There was a new voice, “I see you have all gathered finally,” from the doorway of the make-shift arena.

Everyone turned to see their friend Ryou Bakura, only he wasn't acting much like their friend at the moment. His white hair was unruly and his voice deeper. He seemed a great deal older than the last time they had seen him. He was standing in the doorway with Isis draped over his shoulder. They could see that Shada and Marik were knocked out in the hallway.

“This is a closed duel,” Kaiba informed him, not really minding that another was present to lay witness to his defeat of Yugi Motou. His little brother, Mokuba, seemed to contradict him by waving enthusiastically at the new arrival but then frowning at the sight of their other companions.

“Oh, but this is hardly the duel,” Bakura answered. “This is merely the reunion,” he then shouted a word that sounded intelligible and soon after Kaiba and the pharaoh were both knocked unconscious simultaneously.

“Yugi!” Tèa cried, rushing to his side. Serenity and Kaiba's brother were at his side in a heartbeat, much to the chagrin of Joey who felt torn between stopping his sister and checking on Yugi.

“Hey, what happened to the field?” Duke asked, noticing that both Yugi's spellcasters and Kaiba's Blue Eyes White Dragon had all disappeared. He ran towards Bakura to demand he release the spell he had obviously cast, only to discover he too was unconscious.

“What is going on?” Marik demanded, having awakened almost at the same time the others fell into their sleeps.

oooooOOOOOooooo

Pharaoh Atem took a deep breath to calm himself. He looked to his left and Shada was there, and to his right, Set was there. Outside his small army waited, ready for orders should they be given. Bakura was inside; waiting for them he just knew it. He would see that Mahaado had not died in vain. Set's cold cobalt eyes bore into him and he felt vaguely uncomfortable at the unspoken accusation.

But he remained resolute. He did not want Mana endangered too. “Bakura!” He called into the darkness. “I am the Pharaoh of Egypt! Come and face me!”

Cold, cruel laughter met his ears. However, the laughter was familiar, not that of the unknown Thief King. A man wearing a long beige robe stepped out of the shadows, the golden millennium eye upon his face.

“Priest Akunadin?” Set asked in surprise. “What are you doing here?”

“I am here to help you take your place as rightful ruler of Egypt!” The old man declared. Silently, still hidden in the shadows Bakura watched, letting this opportunity unfold for him to take advantage.

“What are you talking about?” Pharaoh Atem demanded, growing angry at seeing one of his high priests speak this way. As a matter of fact, this man was his father's high priest.

“Gadius!” Akunadin called, “Attack the pharaoh!”

“No!” Set shouted, calling forth a monster of his own to stop the attack. He used his rod and rushed towards Akunadin, knocking the older man to the ground. He laughed wildly. “Do not dare betray your pharaoh!”

“But he is not my pharaoh,” Akunadin growled, taking a knife and aiming it towards Set's heart. The high priest dodged the blow, while his monster did the same with Akunadin's Gadius.

“Why do you not use the Ka of the girl?” Akunadin asked in frustration.

Set froze, “What do you know about that?”

“You think I would have let her live when she was so willing to give you such power?” Akunadin explained to a bewildered Set as Shada and Pharaoh Atem stood on the side-lines observing.

“Perhaps I should step in,” Shada offered.

“No!” Set yelled at him, focusing. “This is my battle.” He glared hatefully at the man in front of him. “You are the reason Kisara is dead,” he spat out.

“She was a mere peasant,” Akunadin countered.

Set's eyes grew wide with rage and he stabbed Akunadin in the heart. The old man did not even try to avoid the thrust. He slipped to the stone ground dead in an instant his Gadius Ka dying with him.

“That seemed a little too easy,” Atem commented to Shada who nodded in agreement. Set turned back to them, his cobalt eyes flashing black for a moment before returning to their normal blue color. “Did his eyes just flicker?”

“Perhaps not,” Shada answered, not trusting his eyes. Set approached them both, breathing heavily. “Let us find Bakura the Thief King,” Shada suggested.

Another figure slipped out of the shadows. “Welcome great pharaoh,” he bowed mockingly. The millennium ring that had been worn around Mahaado's neck for so long glittered in the darkness, a reminder of his sin. “I hope that you put up a better fight than your servant.”

Atem's hand fisted upon the hilt of his blade. He would not resort to swords though. This was a battle to be fought with shadow monsters. His most faithful servant was still at his side. Bakura laughed again, stepping fully into the light, unintimidated.

“Unfortunately for your magician my Diabound was not destroyed.” Bakura's hands held the ring around his neck, “I will call upon Diabound!” Pharaoh's eyes grew wide at the sight of the monstrosity before him.

Set's eyes flashed dark again as he called upon his Ka, Dios. However, instead of facing against Diabound it seemed to have sided with him.

“Set? What are you doing!” Atem shouted in disbelief as it seemed his high priest had just betrayed him.

oooooOOOOOooooo

“What!” Mana shouted, having heard Isis recite the conversation that was taking place miles away. “We have to leave right now!”

Isis snapped out of her trance, having seen the scene of the pharaoh's soldiers being left outside of a large pyramid. Within would be the battle with Bakura. “We are not to leave the palace,” she argued.

“You are willing to let pharaoh die!” Mana cried. Isis merely blinked at her, pain evident in her expression. “He needs our help,” she assured her.

Isis looked down at her hands, torn between what her duties were and what she wanted to do. She looked up, meeting Mana's determined gaze. She nodded her assent. “Then let's be gone!” Mana took her hand and ran out of the chambers, grabbing Karim's arm as she passed him in the hall.

“What?” Karim asked confused.

“Must help the pharaoh now!”

“But, what about…” Karim trailed off, about to mention the instructions that they were not to interfere. The look from Isis, currently being pulled along on Mana's other side stopped him. “Very well,” he consented, tucking his millennium scale inside his robes. There was no arguing with Mana when she got in such a state. He pondered still the patience of the pharaoh and Mahaado.