Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Into the Darkness ❯ Unexpected Salvation ( Chapter 1 )

Into the Darkness 1- Unexpected Salvation

 

“He's… dying?”

“Yes, and so soon after his father!”

“The next closest heir is the cousin- the High-Priest, but Egypt can't afford a second Succession.”

 

Those are the whispers of the servants and slaves wandering around outside a single room.

Inside lies a young man, little more than a child sweating and pale under the dark tan of his Egyptian skin.

This boy, this fragile, unwell boy is the King of Egypt, the Pharaoh, son of Ra.

 

“They say it's an assassination attempt by the King of Thieves.”

“You mean poison?!”

 

Yes, it is poison. The culprit however, is not the King of Thieves. You see, the King of Thieves is me. And my errand here is not one of death.

 

It is one of salvation.

 

Though none here would believe that. That is why I am here, in the shadows. Stupid mortals. They never look properly.

 

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I am dying.

I know this. Even as my body fights the advance of the poison, inch by agonising inch, I feel it creep closer to its final destination.

 

I toss and turn, haunted by feverish nightmares. They soothe me and tell me it's all a dream, that the visions aren't real. I know better, for what I see, though indeed tainted by fever is visions of Egypt in ruins as my line is snuffed out. You see, I was only crowned two weeks ago, when Father died. I am unusual in that I am an only child, so I have no brother or sister to take the throne when I die. Because I only recently ascended, there has been no time for me to find a bride, much less get a child.

My closest relatives are my uncle and my cousin, Seth, who is the High Priest. Egypt is indeed doomed.

 

We are not strong enough for another Succession, what with the realm still in chaos after Father's death, and the nobles still protesting the ascension of a teenager to the throne. And you can bet that during the chaos of yet another one those Ra-damned Greeks or Nubians will take the chance to overrun us.

 

The advisers tell me; “Do not fear. We will yet find a cure.”

 

Do they truly think me deaf and stupid? I hear them when they are outside my rooms.

“There's no cure- we can't find what the poison is!” they say, not even bothering to lower their voices.

 

Perhaps they are trying to make me feel guilty for dying.

 

It's working.

 

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One of his advisers leaves the room. Seizing my chance, I slip through the door as it closes. As soon as it shuts, I hear him mutter; “It is done- the boy will not see sunrise, as you requested. Slipping small doses in with the medicines those simpering fools brewed worked wonders- and none shall suspect you when you take the throne as Regent in your son Seth's place.

I wear a look of disgust at this. Loyalty, one might say, is… important to me- and this fool is anything but loyal.

 

Perhaps I can have fun with him later…

 

For the moment, however, I must at least make my offer.

Keeping to the shadows cast by the architecture in the lamp-and-candle-lit room of the young Pharaoh, I sneak around the large chamber, lest there be a guard or priest I've not smelt over the incense they burn to ward against evil spirits.

Well, it usually would've worked- the stench is strong enough to make my sensitive nose ache, but my errand is far more important- for Egypt's sake.

 

“Who's there?” comes a thin, weak voice. I widen my eyes. The Pharaoh has strong senses for a child.

“It is but I, my pharaoh.” I say lightly, with slight inflection on the title.

“Thief…king?”

I slowly walk from the shadows. The boy can't be older than twelve! “Who else?”

 

He manages to sit up, leaning on the many cushions heaped behind him. “Have you come to finish…” He coughs, and his hand comes away red, though he tries to hide it. “the job?”

That is bad. Even if I can't smell it over the incense, coughing blood is a very bad sign. Perhaps I have come too late and even my unique assistance won't help- the poison may be too virulent.

I go closer to the boy and sit on a couch by the bedside, steepling my fingers. “Contrary to popular belief, the poison is not my doing. Boy, if I wanted you dead, trust me- you'd be dead. I don't mess around with slow poison- I'm not afraid to show my hand in assassinations.”

The boy narrows his eyes, and I start as I finally see their colour. They area beautiful red- not the slightly brownish colour of blood like my own, rather a true ruby hue, and though clouded by fever, a sharp intelligence lurks behind those eyes.

“Perhaps… you did not.” he concedes. “Who then, would…poison… a sixteen year old? And more to… the point…” he starts, between the odd cough. “Why are you here… if you didn't kill me?”

“Boy you're not dead yet.” I say sharply. He's sixteen? He's small enough to be twelve.

“Stop calling me… that!” he says irritably. “Either my title or my name will suffice.”

“I'm afraid, boy I don't know your name, and I bend my knee to no-one, so no titles. And as to why I'm here…” I trail off, expecting him to fill in his name.

He does. “Atemu.”

“Atemu…” I echo, rolling the syllables around. A good name. “I'm here to help you. You see, I am in the unique position of being able to save you.”

“And how, pray tell…” Another coughing fit, stronger this time. In a second I'm beside him, hitting his back to help him breathe. `It would not help,' I convince myself. `for him to die without my at least offering my help.' More blood. Damn, I can smell it over the incense now, and Gods take it, it is one of the sweetest scents I've ever inhaled!

 

If I had less than iron tight control on my instincts…

 

“Thank you…” he says, taking a leaf out of my book and waiting for me to fill in my name.

I smile slightly. “Akefia.” I say, obeying my odd instinct and giving him my True name. That'll likely come back to haunt me.

“Akefia. How, pray tell do you… intend… to help me? They have no… cure for this… poison.”

This is where he'll either scream for the guards or be stunned into silence. I rather hope it's the latter- I really don't feel like killing anything at the moment.

“There is no need for a cure… when it can be extracted directly from your blood.” I say carefully.

“How would you…”

I curl my lips back and he sees my teeth.

“Ah. Give me one... good reason… not to send you… to the Shadows?” Ah! He's a smart one this. He knows the guards wouldn't be able to do anything to me.

“If I suck the poison in your blood, it will not affect me, and you will recover. It is not a painful process. At least, I can make it so. You'll live…” I decide to play my trump card. “And Egypt will not suffer through another Succession.”

I see the conflict on his face. “Why would… the Thief King… offer to save… me?”

“I may not like the royals, but that doesn't mean I'd rather bow and scrape to foreigners.” I say bluntly. It is true, though a few foreigners would be no more than a nuisance to me- no real danger. “Better the devil you know…”

“Than the devil… you don't.” he finishes wearily. “What do you… get out… of… this deal?”

Without hesitation I answer: “Blood-debt.” It is the standard thing to ask of a mortal you offer help to- even if you don't really want it. Gold after all, is meaningless to one such as I.

“At the moment, I just don't… want Egypt… to… fall. I'll pay this… Blood Debt.” he says, slumping back to his previous reclining position, strenghth apparently spent. “Do as you…must.”

 

I smile slightly. Perhaps the collection of the Debt will not be too terrible after all…

 

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`Now, how to go about this…' I wonder. The neck is best, but perhaps the arm so as not to tempt me with arteries?

I study the weary sixteen year-old in front of me. “The neck.” he says softly. “If you… take it from my neck… it will… flow faster.”

I raise my brows. Really, he must be desperate to offer his neck. I can control myself- I know it. So I decide to oblige him. “As you wish, Atemu.” I say, inclining my head.

He lifts his head back, allowing me to see his neck. “I will definitely die if I don't allow this… At least… this way…” he says softly, as though trying to reassure himself. “there's a small chance.”

 

I scoff. “Small chance? Please, give me some credit. I've been doing this for a thousand years this night, I know how much I can safely take- and I've got the control to do it too.”

There's a faint smile on his face now. “Get it… over with… Akefia.”

I move closer to him on the bed and tilt his head at the proper angle. Judging the place to bite, I lean in and lick the skin where I will bite. You see, there's a chemical we secrete in our saliva that can numb our victims so feeding doesn't hurt them- if we so choose.

“What the… hell was that for?” he asks, slight alarm tingeing his voice.

“It's to numb the pain sensors. Hush.” I say soothingly. Really, what did he think…?

Oh, I understand. Well, he doesn't need to worry about that. I have a job to do, and I never mix pleasure with business. Though judging from the scent of his blood, this will be just as much pleasure as anything else.

 

I open my mouth and allow my fangs to extend fully. Carefully I sink them into his neck. I feel the venom in my fangs pump into his neck.

If I'm not careful to suck it out along with the other poison he will become like me. I fix that thought in my mind so as to remember to get not only the poison but my venom out.

Pulling my fangs from his neck, I lay my mouth over the fresh punctures.

He shivers. “You're… cold.” But no cough, just an odd pause. It matters not. “It comes with being undead, dear child.” I tell him softly before replacing my mouth over the two wounds.

 

I taste his blood in my mouth, sweet and hot and spicy- but tainted with the taste of the poison. I growl unconsciously at the thought of someone daring to taint such deliciously sweet liquid. I mentally kick myself. I must remember I must only remove the poison- this is not a feeding. Or a siring for that matter either. Though this one would make an excellent addition to our small number.

I close my eyes and focus on the taste. Such blissful abandon- if only for a short time. The taint is weaker now, and I can taste my own venom under it now. Soon it is just my venom and the taint is gone.

I lift my mouth and lick again to re-numb the area. He shivers and I wonder when this became an erotic act, while continuing to remove my venom.

 

After about another minute I note that he is unconscious from blood-loss now, and he is deathly pale under his tan.

`The venom is all but gone- and he can't lose any more blood.' I rationalize with myself before pulling away.

I lick my lips and tuck his blanket around him, brushing his cheek with the back of my hand.

Fading back into the shadows I smirk. I can't wait to collect the Blood Debt.

“Fare thee well, my Pharaoh. Don't forget…”

 

Perhaps later I can deal with that disloyal mortal.

After all- I'm too… full at the moment…

 

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I thought I felt him brush my cheek and tuck my blankets around me. But he wouldn't have performed such a gesture.

Would he?