Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Of Gods And Men ❯ Chapter 2 ( Chapter 2 )

Of Gods and Men

A Yu-Gi-Oh!/Stargate: SG-1 Crossover

Written By RogueMoon

Chapter Two

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~Then~

Akunadin, brother to Pharaoh Akunumkanon and High Priest of Ra, looked down at the village of Kurueruna. Its buildings were in ashes and it's peoples huddled in fear at the center of town. Soon, they would all die, sacrificed to Ra to create seven items of great power.

His god had visited him in his sleep and told him that the people of this village were the perfect offering; but only if their blood was shed at the center of town, where a statue of the god Horus stood looking over them. Upon awakening from that dream, the priest had prayed to Ra for further guidance. The god told him to visit him at his temple so that they could speak in person. God to mortal.

Akunadin had left immediately and once before Ra, was told that Ra would help him in his desire to give his brother a present that no one outside of Ra himself could match. By sacrificing the people of this village at that exact point, and saying the appropriate incantation, Akunadin could bring forth from their ashes items of great power. Seven items blessed by Ra that would give mortal men power second only to the Gods.

The priest was thrilled for he lived to serve his Pharaoh and his brother, to please the man as he sought to please Ra. Towards this end, Ra placed three of his personal guard under Akunadin's command. They would light the sacrificial bier and bring a flame powerful enough to create the items.

Ra's Prime looked over the scene with little interest, more concerned that Ra's orders had been followed and a single child left alive to witness the destruction of his people. Once the items Ra sought were unburied and the people who opposed him destroyed, he and his men would take that child to Ra for their God's amusement.

At Akunadin's signal, the three Jaffa fired their staff weapons at the mass of screaming humans, and kept firing until all that was left was a hole in the ground ten feet deep. At the bottom, half buried in what remained of the blackened bones, glinted seven gold items that Akunadin immediately had his own men bring to him. He held one of them up to the Sun and cried out praises to his Lord Ra.

Ra's Prime turned from the scene and found the boy he had chosen to take before his God. The boy was a freak of nature, having white hair when all others had dark brown or black. The Jaffa had picked him because he stood out. He had ordered his men to ignore the child and direct the mortal soldiers away from the child's hiding spot.

The child saw him coming and ran as fast as his feet could carry him. The Jaffa fired his weapon, hitting the boy in the back, killing him. The other Jaffa retrieved the body and entered their Death Gliders, leaving Akunadin to do what he wished with the items.

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Ra's Prime found his Lord within the temple's control room. After bowing and waiting for Ra to acknowledge him, the Jaffa had his second place the body of the child on the floor. Hathor approached the body and inspected it, "He is a pretty one. He shall make a fine host. To whom shall he be given to, My Lord?"

Ra smirked, "To one of the special brood. Pick the runt of litter and bring him to me after I revive the slave."

"The runt, My Lord?" Hathor questioned in confusion.

Ra nodded, "It is part of the game. The experiment. For this, I believe that the runt would be best. The slave is young and easily influenced. I wish to see if Rabata is strong enough to rule the child's mind, or if he truly is weak and will let the slave control him. Either way, he will be an amusing pawn in my game."

"But My Lord, you said you did not wish for any of that brood to have contact with anything outside of the gestation tanks and to not posess our memories. How will Rabata even know that he is to blend with, and control the slave? How will he know that he is separate from him? I know why Atemu is the way he is, but you-"

Ra frowned, "Be silent! How I choose to play this game is not your concern. Just do as I command and bring Rabata to the Sarcophagus."

Hathor bit back a retort and did as she was told.

Ra's Prime picked the boy up and placed him within the healing chamber. Hathor returned a little while later, followed by slaves who carried the gestation tank of her child. Before the Sarcophagus was through healing the slave, Ra opened the chamber and quickly transferred Rabata to the child; allowing the Goa'ulds instincts to take over just long enough for it to join with the body before he once again closed the chamber.

Ra turned to Hathor as they waited, "Atemu is here, greet him and take him to our chambers. Have him wait for me there."

The Goddess bowed her head and left yet another of her children to be manipulated by her Husband.

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Prince Atemu had just turned fifteen. His father had thrown a grand party to celebrate and as much as the Prince appreciated it, he couldn't help feeling left out. It wasn't that he hadn't been the center of attention, it was that he didn't look his age and it was greatly apparent. Those who had been raised with him to be his Royal Companions and shared his number of year looked their age, while Atemu seemed no older than seven. His body had always grown slower than his fellows, but it had never been so blatantly obvious until the night of his party.

He had decided to retire from the festivities for just a little while to clear his head in the garden, when he overheard some concubines talking. Not wanting to be seen by even servants, the prince had hid behind a column as they passed. Their words reaching his horrified ears.

"I think one of us shall be summoned to the Prince's bed this evening. I have heard that he is drinking enough to challenge even the Great Hathor," the first spoke as they approached.

"I hope not. I do not think I could bring myself to bed a child," the second replied.

"Hush! You can get beaten for such words. And the Prince is not a child. He has fifteen seasons."

"Fifteen seasons or no, he looks to have only six, seven at most. My mind may know that he is older, but my body will not. And it is my body that must please him, not my mind."

"Still… you should not speak so. If you were heard, we could both get beaten."

"You do not disagree with me?"

"Of course I agree with you. Both my body and my mind are repulsed at the idea of lying with a man that looks to be a child. And even if I could bring myself to do so, I do not have any doubts that he built as a child. If he was built like a man such as the Great Osiris was said to be, than I could close my eyes and pretend. But looking as he does, I do not believe he is."

The second giggled and changed the subject as they entered the palace, unknowingly leaving the garden to the Prince. Atemu looked down at himself and knew the truth of their words. His body was that of a child's and had not yet felt the need that made a man summon a woman to his bed. His Royal Companions talked of this urge and how well they had appeased a similar urge in the women they had lain with. Some even spoke of the men they had been with. But Atemu could not join in the conversations because he had never felt what they spoke of.

The Prince felt himself to be cursed and the morning after the celebration, he approached his father for permission to visit the Great Temple of Ra, where their Lord Ra was currently staying. Pharaoh Akunumkanon immediately agreed to his son's request and the boy now found himself waiting just outside the Sun God's audience chamber, the great doors shut as Ra attended to other matters that were far more important. This gave the prince the time he needed to rethink his visit.

Atemu had never before been so close to his God. Always before, Ra had issued commands from the Great Balcony. The Pharaoh and his family were closest to the God when this happened, but that was still very far away as the Great Balcony was very high up.

The Prince stood to start pacing as an hour became two and still Ra did not admit him. Atemu would have left, had he been able, but the guards looked as though they would kill him should he try.

The guards were strange. Atemu kept getting this strange feeling from them. It was like he could feel them inside his mind. No thoughts, no feelings, just a little prick that told him where they were, no matter where he moved to.

The second hour was turning into a third when Atemu felt another presence approach him. It did not come from the audience room, it came from one of the side halls that linked the chamber he waited in to others within the temple. The presence got stronger and a beautiful woman appeared from behind a curtain. The woman wore robes befitting a queen and her hair was a striking red color. Atemu knew he was staring, but he had never seen hair that color before.

The woman smiled and tilted her head, "Is this how you greet your mother, my son?"

Atemu finally noticed the collar she wore and fell to his knees, "Forgive me, My Lady Hathor. I did not mean to offend."

He could feel her as she approached and stood before him, "You are forgiven, my son. Now rise and follow us. Our Lord Husband wishes to see you in the privacy of our chambers."

Atemu stood, awe flooding him as he realized what an honor he was being granted. The Prince followed the Goddess down several halls all adorned with gold until they came to what were obviously the God's chambers. Hathor smiled and waved a hand at one of the chairs, "Sit, my son. We shall await Our Lord Husbands arrival with you. Would you care for a drink?"

The prince took the seat offered and declined the drink, fearing that his stomach would not be able to hold it down, so nervous was he. Hathor smiled and poured one anyway, stepping around him like a lioness on the hunt, only stopping when she was behind him. The Goddess placed a hand on Atemu's head, running her fingers through one of his hair locks as she gave him the drink with the other. Unlike most, Atemu had not been required to shave off all but one lock of hair. His father had indulged him in his desire to keep all of his hair, so the prince sported six of the traditional wrappings, keeping all but his bangs pulled away from his face.

Hathor played with his hair, murmuring about how beautiful it was and how wonderful it must look when let down. Her hands left his head and traveled down and around his neck to his chest, "You have fifteen seasons, do you not, my son?"

"Yes, My Lady Hathor," Atemu replied, suddenly very scared and wishing that she would stop rubbing his chest and leave his hair alone.

Hathor grinned, though the boy could not see it, and leaned in to whisper in his ear "You have such beautiful hair… Have you let any woman cling to it as you make her scream in pleasure?"

The Prince's eyes went wide with fright as he gulped in sudden breaths at what she implied. He had been taught that the Goddess often indulged in the pleasures of mortals, but hadn't thought that she would want to try with a child that looked so young. He hadn't thought that she would try with him.

"Perhaps you will let us cling to it?" the Goddess asked as her hand left his chest and went lower. Atemu downed his drink and stood, breaking the contact and giving himself an excuse to do so by placing the glass on a nearby table. He was saved from further embarrassment or possible retribution from Hathor by the arrival of Ra.

The Prince recognized his God immediately and fell to his knees, mentally noting that he could feel the others' presence just as he could feel Hathor and the Guards.

Ra looked between the two and addressed his wife, "What were you doing?"

Hathor smiled and ran her hand down the back of the chair, "We were talking about how beautiful my son's hair is."

"He is my son. What you intend is forbidden for a reason."

"All I intended for our son, was to run my fingers through his beautiful, unbound hair," Hathor replied with a sly smile as she came around the chair and went to pour herself a drink.

Ra raised an eyebrow and went to the table that Atemu still bowed before. After rummaging through several pieces of jewelry, the god took Atemu's bangs in his hands and used one of Hathor's favorite toys to make said hair blond. Hathor always used it to make her hair red. He then pulled the boy's head back and cut off each one of his locks so that his hair was short and uneven. Picking up the six bands, Ra threw them at his wife, "Now you can run your hands through his hair all you want. As soon as his hair regrows to the length of the blond, you may cut it off again for a new wig or whatnot. That is all you can do with him. Now leave us."

Seething with anger, Hathor stormed out, leaving the hair where it had landed. She hated her husband and this was just another reason to find a way to destroy him.

As she left, Ra took the seat that Atemu had vacated moments before. The Prince stayed where he was, partially out of reverence, but mostly at the shock of what had just happened. His Lord Ra had cut his hair, and in doing so, saved him from the ravages of Hathor. Ra had protected him against the god's own wife.

"Why did you come to see us?" The God asked.

Atemu shivered in fear at the tone Ra used. He had never heard anyone speak with a voice that echoed itself. Gulping and keeping his head down, the Prince replied, "I wished for you to tell me if I am cursed, My Lord Ra."

"And why would you think yourself cursed?"

"Because I do not age as others do, My Lord Ra. I have fifteen seasons but I look as though I have only seven. The Priests at the Palace refuse to tell me anything."

Ra smirked, "This is not a curse, my son. You were blessed with long life at your birth. You age slower because you will live longer. This was a gift from your Lord Father."

Atemu looked up in confusion, "My father, My Lord Ra? But my father is not a magician. How could he bless me such?"

The God became visibly annoyed, "We do not mean that mortal that has raised you. We are referring to ourself. Your body was dead when it was brought before us and Akunumkanon begged us to revive it. The soul that had been born to it had already left for the Tuat. Since the Pharaoh had served us loyally, we gave him a child to raise. My child born from the body of my wife. We breathed new life into the body that houses you and put your soul into it. Do you understand?" Ra's eyes flashed, "You are son of Ra and thus you have the blood of a god. Can you not feel it? The connection you have to us? Surely you could feel our presence within the bodies of our guards? And within our wife, Hathor?"

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~Now~

Jack pulled out a pack of cigarettes and waved them for everyone to see, "Is there a designated smoking area?"

The three boys who were supposed to show them around frowned and Marik tilted his head towards the entrance, "Outside. The only smoke allowed inside is from our grill."

O'Neill shrugged, "Fair enough. Daniel, Carter, Teal'c? Why don't we have a smoke break before we get started on anything?"

Sam nodded, catching her Colonel's meaning and stood up to stretch as she followed him outside. The other two followed along. O'Neill was the only one that actually smoked, and rarely at that. He just wanted some time to discuss their reactions in private.

As soon as the four were gone, Yugi let out sigh of relief, "Finally! They were giving me the creeps."

"Yugi!" Sugoroku frowned, "Don't be so rude!"

"Gomen, Jii-chan. It's just that three of them feel weird."

Ryou tilted his head, "Three? I only felt something weird from that Tielk guy…"

"You weren't close enough to the other two. Carter-san and O'Neill-san also felt weird."

Marik pulled out a candy bar and started to munch it, "Weird how?"

The Japanese boy shrugged and leaned back, "Weird like how Ryou-kun feels whenever Ba-khu-ra is in control or even partially in control. Only not as strong. More like an echo of that feeling if that makes any sense."

Sugoroku shook his head, "I know I've missed a lot, Yugi… And your letter was very confusing, too. But an echo of a feeling? Could you try explaining that a little better?"

Ryou stood and stretched, "I say we stop for the day and give the newbies time to settle in before putting them to work. You explain, I'll play lookout."

The others waved as he left and Yugi made himself more comfortable, "Well, like I told you in the letter, Yami and Ba-khu-ra are members of a race of people called Goa'uld. They're symbiots that… merge with other beings to survive. Well, Goa'uld can feel the presence of others of their kind. Because Yami and Ba-khu-ra are still trapped within the Sennen Items, the only time they can feel each other's presence is when they are in control of their hosts' bodies. Otherwise, they can't. Don't ask me how that works because I don't know and neither do they. Carter-san, O'Neill-san and Teilk-san feel the same as Yami and Ba-khu-ra do when they are in control. Only it's not as strong. It's just an… echo of that same feeling. The only reason Bakura and I can feel it is because our other selves are listening in and they feel it. Yami says that he was taught that only those who were touched by Gods or Demons felt that way. Which means that they've been in contact with a Goa'uld at some point."

Marik finished his snack and pulled out his laptop, "I'll send a message to Ishizu letting her know. She can do some research into their backgrounds and try to help us figure out why they feel that way, see if any of them have handled a Millennium Item… Do you think they can feel the same echo in you that you feel in them?"

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"So, Daniel," O'Neill drawled, wiping his forehead to rid himself of the sweat that immediately beaded there from the heat, "What do we know about this Atemu guy? And by 'we', I mean you."

Daniel rolled his eyes, "I knew what you meant. And as for this Atemu… Not much. As far as mythology goes, there is an Atmu, or Atem or Tem, whatever, mentioned briefly in the book of the dead. Atem and Aten are often interchangeable deities in later periods. Although, under all names or forms, he represented the same ideas."

A moment of silence, and then:

"Which were…?" Jack prompted.

"Oh! Sorry… He was a solar deity. Associated with Ra. Often, his name was even paired with Ra's. At least in some cult centers." Jackson scratched the back of his neck, "The legends surrounding Atem are few. Some believed he was the creator of the Gods, some believed he was the son of Ra. During the fourth or fifth dynasty, the priests of Heilopolis are recorded as making Ra take Tem's place as the creator god so they could have more influence. Oddly enough, he's usually represented as man or king wearing the double crown of a united Egypt, not a solar disk or with the head of a hawk as would be expected. He's also one of the few gods who were never corrupted. Like Osiris, his flesh never rotted."

Carter adjusted her hat and sat down on the steps, "So we really don't have a lot to go on."

"Not unless Teal'c knows anything…" Daniel shrugged and looked at the Jaffa expectantly.

The former Prime of Apophis shook his head, "I have never heard of this Atemu. I know nothing in regards to him. If he was ever seen as a threat, then it was a very long time ago, before my sevice to Apophis."

"About five thousand years ago. Long before any of our lifetimes," A voice cut in from behind them. The four turned to see Ryou walking towards them from the Temple entrance. "Just before the people of Egypt, as a whole, started to document their history with the written word. The Ishtars have kept a very good record of their own history from before that time. He is said to have been the physical son of Pharaoh Akunumkanon and the spiritual son of Ra, who named him after his own father. As for him being a threat… I guess that depends on who you ask. You done with your fag?"

O'Neill blinked, "Fag?"

"You said you were coming out here to have a fag," Ryou replied.

Daniel grinned, "In Britain, Jack, a cigarette is called a fag. Ryou is British."

O'Neill mouthed an 'o' as he nodded his head and looked around: no one had lit a cigarette, "Well, the heat does that to you. You go to have a smoke and find it's too hot out to add even a small flame to the problem… Did you need something? Or were you coming out for a smoke?"

Ryou blushed in embarrassment, "Well, no… I was actually wanting to ask Teilk-san about his name. I've never been to South Africa or met anyone from there. I was just wondering if it was tribal, and if so, what tribe?"

Teal'c raised an eyebrow at his commander, who shrugged and looked out at the canyon. Taking it as a go-ahead, the Jaffa spoke, "It is tribal. My legal name is Teal'c Murray. As for my tribe, they… They have had to go into hiding from the law. I would prefer not to speak of it."

Ryou's eyes went wide, "Forgive me Murry-san. I knew South Africa had some racial problems, but… I had no idea. I hope your family will be all right. Do you get to see them often? Don't answer that. It's a stupid question. Of course you wouldn't be able to see them if they're in hiding. Forgive me again, Murry-san."

Teal'c nodded his head in accent, "Of course. You are simply curious. May I inquire about your family?"

"Not much to say about mine. My mother and sister are… visiting King Genma… And my father works as a museum representative. He travels the world to find and bid for items of great value for several museums. He's not around much…" The boy went quiet and started to study his shoes. Biting his lip, he turned to go back inside, "We decided not to continue the survey today so you could have some time to get adjusted and take a quick look over what we've already done. We have one more corridor to go through before we try and tackle the Riddle Wall… Take as long as you need out here. We're in no hurry. But I'd come back inside pretty soon if I were you. The heat here is killer."

"Wait!" Daniel called out before the boy had gone two feet. "Can you tell us what you know about Atemu, Ryou? I really like to know as much as possible since we'll be going through his temple."

Ryou nodded his head and kept walking for the entrance, "No problem. Just let it wait until we're back at camp. I'd like it if my brains didn't get fried in the heat. One last thing, Jackson-san, I would appreciate it if you didn't call me Ryou. I was raised in both Britain and Japan and in both countries it is considered rude to use someone's given name if you do not know them very well. It is considered polite to use their surname if you are going to address them. I know that most Americans do not understand the problem with this, as you are a country of informality. But if you could try to be polite, we all would appreciate it. See you soon." With that, the boy entered the temple, leaving the four to themselves once more and Daniel feeling rather… upset.

O'Neill wiped his brow again and re-adjusted his hat, "When do you think we'll be able to talk with that friend of yours, Daniel? I'd like to know who he thinks is an alien."

Jackson started to lead the group back inside, "I'll ask Marik- I mean, Mr. Ishtar, if there's anyway I can go see him when the supply guy gets back."

Carter stood and stretched, "At least no one here is one. I don't think we'd have gotten two steps inside without alerting them if one of the kids were. And Mr. Motou certainly isn't one."

"I disagree, MajorCarter," Teal'c spoke before they could turn around. "You may not have noticed, but I certainly did. The white haired one, RyouBakura, has been in contact with a Goa'uld."

O'Neill raised an eyebrow, "Come again?"

The Jaffa tilted his head, "I do not think he is still possessed, but there is a trace of Naqadah within him. I believe he recognized it within me as well: that was his real reason for inquiring about my name and family."

"Are you sure?" Carter asked, feeling a perverse sense of being left out. "Because I'd think I'd notice it and so would the Colonel."

"I am positive. I have been around Goa'uld for longer than you have and am moire certain to detect their precence. I am aware that you have trouble sensing the little Naqadah that remains in O'Neill, yet I can always sense it. Although, I will admit that I could only do so with RyouBakura after hecame within close proximity to us. I doubt the boy was possessed for very long; most probably while he was unaware of it. However, I can detect even the trace amounts that remain. DanielJackson, if your friend believes one of the Ishtars is 'possessed by aliens' as you put it, then it might have used Bakura as a means to reach it's current host."

Daniel nodded, "I'll definitely have to talk to Harem. Come on, let's get inside before they get too suspicious."

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End Chapter Two

First: No I did not misspell Teal'c name. I wrote it as Ryou and Yugi thought it was spelled.

Second: After spending several hours going over the episode summaries on the Stargate website, I have decided that this will take place just after the Season Seven Episode "Birthright".

I have also decided that I need to find a better site to get info from. Anyone know of one? Maybe one that lists all the Goa'uld mentioned in the series, however briefly?

Third: No, I did not spell Marik's name wrong. And no, he is not the evil version. The Japanese have no 'L' in their language and so 'L' and 'R' are interchangeable. The actual splitting of his name, where one is spelled with an 'L' and the other with an 'R' was done by the American translators and most people go with it because it's an easy way to tell the difference between the two personalities. If I ever refer to the bad personality of Marik's it will be as 'Ore-sama' as I've seen several very good authors do in their own fics.

Fourth: Thanks for reading. I didn't actually expect to get such a great response. It makes me feel all good inside that people like this.

Fifth: Special thanks to my two Beta's. You probably don't know each other, but you know who you are.