Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Seth's Magical Adventure! ❯ The Army of One... Million ( Chapter 21 )

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. Takahashi does, and he can't believe Seth is going to help win a war. Apparently, he did absolutely nothing helpful in the war on the show.

 

“I call this meeting to order!” Malik exclaimed, as servants brought out platters of food for everyone assembled. It had taken only a few minutes for everyone to assemble in the dining hall; guards, magicians, priests, servants, warriors, and even the few civilians who were brave enough to approach the gates of the palace were allowed entry, and the entire crowd filled nearly the entire hall. Sith was almost amazed with their speed as she sat next to Atemu, looking at everyone assembled. Mana, who was seated between Malik and Sceppiro, just snorted as she tugged on Malik's sleeve, dragging him down into his seat.

 

“I don't remember the pharaoh dying and making you the king,” she retorted smugly, as Sceppiro chuckled, glancing at them. Malik crossed his arms defensively, sticking his tongue out at her, but a quick growl from Sith stopped that. He turned to her and she stood, with a nod from Atemu to show his approval. Everyone began to quiet themselves when they saw her, and Seth noted that intently.

 

“As you all know, we're going to war with the other Espers,” Sith began sternly, her voice showing no signs of regret in that statement, “The storm that just passed was only a warning. We need to start getting into position. How many warriors do we have here?” Sith waited as every guard, sergeant, sentry, warrior, and a few of the villagers raised their hands. She smiled; that was more than half of the crowd. Taking a deep breath, she said, “Wonderful. Some of you will serve as our front line; others will take to the defense. Mahaado, do you want to explain our situation with magic?” Mahaado nodded, and this time, he rose as Sith sat back down.

 

“The Espers have far superior firepower and range than we do,” he began, and Sith growled as she saw that everyone was growing nervous with that statement, “But if we can put up enough shields in time, we can severely slow down their assault and aid our own members. It depends on how many magicians we have.” He smiled, thinking he had done good, but a quick glance at Sith told him he missed something. She stood up again, eyeing the priest flatly.

 

“With all respects, Mahaado, you seemed to have missed most of my briefing,” Sith said flatly, a trace of annoyance in her voice, “The magical shields and aids are best left to the priests, not the magicians.”

 

“What's the difference?” one man asked, and judging from his tattered tunic, Sith guessed he wasn't one of their soldiers. She smiled gently.

 

“Priests are dedicated to the order and magic of healing. Magicians are trained specifically for destructive uses and combat,” she replied, hoping he understood that, “The priests that we have, including half of the High Priests, will see to healing and treating the wounded and vulnerable. The magicians, along with Mahaado, Akunadin, Mana, and my brother, will stand atop the palace walls and rain down firing support when the Espers come too close.” Mana nodded, seeming to like the idea, but that still left many people who weren't in any of the classifications Sith gave, including most of the villagers who weren't currently attending the meeting. One brave soul, another peasant that Sith didn't recognize, brought that point up immediately.

 

“What about them?” he asked, “The people who didn't make it here?” Sith's face paled. That would be a problem. They were virtually useless in war, and she wasn't about to let them go out for the sole purpose of soaking up damage from Rath. She turned to Atemu, hoping he'd have a different idea. He smirked, realizing she was at a loss for once.

 

“They will stay inside of the palace and act as footmen for us. They will carry messages and supplies to and fro different lines of defense,” the pharaoh replied. He smiled, feeling that most had been accounted for, but a smug grunt and a rumble outside alerted him that both he and Sith forgot two very important guests. Everyone turned up and gasped when two dragon heads snaked into the room, both looking at Atemu. The black dragon snorted, sending a bout of steam into the chamber.

 

“What about us?” Bahamut asked, his voice causing the walls to shake. Sith hid a snort. King or not, Bahamut didn't like to be forgotten or overlooked in any way.

 

“Damage control, perhaps?” she suggested, and both Atemu and the two dragons stared at her, “It's too risky keeping you on the field, but you can perform aerial attacks on the back ranks of their army. And, you can scout around for anything else we need to be aware of.” Tiamat hummed, clearly considering Sith's idea. Atemu approved immediately; it made much more sense to have dragons as simply a threat to be used instead of throwing them right out in front as a huge target. He was glad Sith was by his side. She was putting the war together with little effort or objection. The only bump was Bakura, and Atemu nearly yelled when Bakura shot his hand up, grabbing Sith's attention.

 

“Don't forget myself or Diabound. Diabound wants to help in the front line,” Bakura said, and Sith nodded in agreement, “As for myself, I can see if I can muster a band of thieves to assist us. We're very, very good at getting surprise assaults.” Sith stopped nodding and had to consider this. More warriors would be a blessing, but she doubted they'd keep their word or would attack without causing some form of backfiring damage. She trusted Bakura, but she couldn't trust every thief in Egypt. Bakura was a special case to her.

 

“…Atemu, what do you think?” she asked, turning to the pharaoh. He blinked, expecting her to make this decision on her own, but he saw her hesitancy. It was his kingdom, not hers. He toyed with the idea, but ultimately knew he could trust Bakura, even if it was just this once. He nodded. She turned back to the thief in question and nodded firmly, causing him to grin.

 

“Yes to both Diabound and the thieves,” she replied quickly, “But make sure they're trustworthy, damn it. We need no double-crossers on our side or I'll kill every thief still living when we're done.” Bakura nodded, but Sith saw how pale his face had become. Obviously, he was worried he couldn't fulfill her standards, but she couldn't dwell on that. It was his problem as of now. She gave him a quizzical glance, and his reaction told her he took on that responsibility faithfully. She turned back to the crowd at large and asked, “Is there anyone I'm missing?” Not to her surprise at all, Cydandilus raised his hand. She sighed, knowing this could drag on for hours if she didn't speed the session up, by which Rath definitely would've attacked by then.

 

“An' what the hell do I do, Sithy?” he asked, stroking at the stubble he called a beard as he strapped on a pair of cracked goggles, “I can probably blast `em with my cannons, eh?” Sith hesitated, biting her lip as she saw the complete and utter silence that followed her uncle's suggestion. She wanted to laugh, but she knew better than to insult him.

 

“As much as I love your idea, uncle, I don't think it's the wisest choice for us,” she started softly, hoping he didn't get angry with her refusal, “Rath will recognize you and kill you. We can't have that.”

 

“Then what do I do!? I sure as hell ain't sittin' in here with my ass on a chair, unlike someone I know!” Bakura had to snort with Cyd's remark. He knew it was pointed directly at Atemu, and the fact that Sith herself seemed absolutely mortified with it just made the whole scenario that much more comical. Everyone began to laugh, either out of worry that they should, or simply because the statement amused them. The only ones who couldn't laugh were Sith, Atemu, and Mahaado, all three of whom were too shocked by Cyd's rudeness to speak for the moment. Eventually, Mahaado found his voice first.

 

“Order!” he cried out, “The pharaoh demands order!” At that note, the laughter slowly dwindled, but a few brave snickers still remained, which Sith chose to ignore as Mahaado once again let her take charge of the situation. Atemu simply watched, interested in what Sith what suggest for her volatile uncle. She gave a heavy, impatient sigh.

 

“All right, uncle, you will be in charge of ballistics damage,” Sith said flatly, “Close combat wouldn't be overly wise as a center of our attack. We need to err on the side of stealth, even though we're using close quarters as our first defense. If we assume they're going to use magic as a main offense, a long-range assault only makes sense as a counter, right?” She looked at Mahaado, Seth, and Karim, as they had also been appointed as leaders of three other formations. Karim and Mahaado nodded, but Seth didn't seem as eager to share Sith's opinion. Atemu worried silently that it would end in a fight, but to his surprise, Seth was as calm as ever.

 

“It might, but what I'm concerned is that they anticipate that, and that's why they're using magic,” Seth replied. Sith gave him an odd look, her lips thin.

 

“Please explain,” she urged calmly, “I'm not overly sure I follow, priest Seth.”

 

“You've said it yourself, Knight. Magicians are, by far, the worst when it comes to close physical attack,” Seth reminded her, “If they'd think we were focusing on an all-out physical assault, why put so many soldiers that would be left vulnerable? Surely, we'd be weakened to their magic, but if we're faster and more cunning, wouldn't that still account to them? No, I have a feeling they're anticipating us trying to use long-ranged ballistics. Magicians can easily put a stop to our ammunition, especially if she sets up scores of them just for that.” Sith hummed. Seth was, unfortunately, right. She sighed.

 

“Perhaps, but what would you suggest?” she asked him, frowning even though her tone remained calm. He shrugged.

 

“Unfortunately, Knight, I can't argue with your point,” he told her, “If we have too many soldiers, there's a chance we'll fall into a magical trap. But if we don't have enough, they can easily halt our attacks. It's a dangerous decision.” Sith nodded. That was all too true, especially if they were going to implement the villagers as part of their ranks. She sighed again, wishing Sceppiro were still in control of Nesce.

 

“The only other options to us, Seth, would be to add more magicians to our force,” Sith finally said, and Atemu noted that she sounded very exhausted at that point, “We have neither the time nor the ability to look, nor can we train the villagers in its uses. Unless, of course, you're hiding a score of them under your bed.” Seth actually laughed. Normally, he'd have taken offense, but that just seemed so amusing. He could see why she pointed the comment at him; he was starting to sound like he had an alternative. And, then, it finally hit him. There was another route they could take, but it involved Sith herself. He remembered what the other Espers in Rath's control had said, especially one named Vanargand. He grinned, and Sith immediately suspected his idea.

 

“We have one more option,” he replied, “And if it works, we'll definitely be able to at least slow her down.” Sith eyed him very suspiciously, both urging him to and dissuading him from continuing. She half-glanced at Atemu and found he was just as curious to hear Seth's idea, and even Sceppiro seemed piqued with it. Closing her eyes and praying she wasn't right, she resumed her discussion with him.

 

“And what of this option?” she asked, though everyone could hear that she really had no true interest. Seth's grin became almost mocking as he looked at the reluctant knight.

 

“We send you out directly onto the field,” he said, “If the Espers see that you are indeed still alive, then perhaps they'll turn to your side instead of hers.” Sith's eyes widened. That was probably the most dangerous route to take, but she could see the advantages if it actually managed to work. More Espers on their side meant much less fighting, and possibly more intelligence concerning Rath's plans. But it'd put Sith in incredible risk. If a decent blow from magic or an arrow managed to hit her square in the heart, she was dead. And she wasn't the only one to see this. Many people began to verbally refuse the idea, the first having been Bakura himself.

 

“No!” he cried furiously, and all eyes were on him instantly, “We won't do that! We're not sending the one person who might actually save our asses to the slaughter! I refuse to do that!” Silence reigned, and the verbal refusals immediately stopped. The High Priests shuffled nervously, and even Atemu seemed unnerved with Bakura's forcefulness. The only one who stared at him seriously was Sith. Seth snorted, and Bakura glared at him, wondering if the priest was stupid enough to challenge him on it.

 

“Then what do you suggest, thief?” Seth asked him, and when Bakura couldn't reply, he said, “Don't disrupt us, then. This is the best way, and if your only point is that you're against it, we're doing it. Can you understand that?” Sith's eyes narrowed at Seth's implication; he was trying to make Bakura look like a fool. Bakura himself nearly lost his temper as he slammed his foot onto the floor, people backing away in fear of being hurt.

 

“ABSO-LUTE-LY NOT!” he screamed, “What I understand is that you're putting Sith in danger by placing her on the front lines! Do you have any idea what Rath will do if she sees Sith down there!? She's as good as dead! I won't allow that, even if I have to go against the pharaoh himself!”

 

“Stop,” Sith said, and both Bakura and Seth looked over at her. Her eyes had watered, her face becoming slightly red, and Bakura understood immediately that he'd intruded on something. Quietly, she said, “Bakura, please… just stop. Thank you for your concern, but I accept this proposal.” Bakura sighed heavily, and reluctantly backed away from the matter. Everyone shuffled uncomfortably in the silence that fell, mainly because Bakura's shout left them speechless. Atemu glanced over at Sith, but she simply stayed standing. She pushed her plate aside, and walked away from the table. Atemu stood to try and stop her, but she simply waved him away as she said, “I must prepare for my station, sir.” He stopped dead in his tracks, frowning. This wasn't like her, to just leave the dining hall before he announced the meal finished.

 

“L-lady Sith?” Mana called, as Sith passed her, but the older woman paid her no heed as she walked swiftly toward the entrance and left the room. Everyone watched her go, a few murmuring as to what would cause her sudden change in mood. Before, she seemed calm and willing to discuss their options. But now, something had upset her. The murmuring grew louder, and reluctantly, Atemu sat back down. Whatever was wrong with Sith, it'd have to wait until dinner was officially over. However, he saw that Bakura and Seth were now beginning to argue, even as everyone around them tried to eat their food. He sighed; he should've seen it coming. He stood again and walked over just in time to hear what the argument was about.

 

“If she dies because of your stupid suggestion, I'm going to make sure you're the next target,” Bakura spat angrily, “How dare you suggest she go out there when you're going to be in here! Do you have any idea the danger she's going to face now!?”

 

“And you suppose her life is worth more than this country?” Seth countered, “Bakura, her job is to protect Egypt. She will be doing that by presenting herself onto the field!”

 

“No, she'll be sending herself to the slaughter!” Bakura argued, his back tensing as he glared at Seth, “I won't stand for it!” He turned to the pharaoh, who had just approached them, “If you're going to force Sith into this, you can forget my help on the front lines. I'm not going to watch her get herself killed.” He turned away and stormed off, leaving Atemu to simply shake his head. This wasn't going well at all. Bakura was no help now, and he had a feeling Sith wasn't going to speak to anyone for a while. That left only one person to try and stop this with: Seth. He turned to the priest.

 

“What were you thinking when you suggested it?” he asked calmly, “You realize you've caused some real turmoil in our plans now, correct?” Seth looked at the pharaoh quizzically. He hadn't meant to do that, but he felt his plan may have been the best for everyone. Now, though, he was beginning to doubt himself on that note.

 

“Pharaoh, sir, I was just suggesting that if she were to be seen as being alive, the Espers would turn on Rath,” Seth explained, “Never once did I mean to mock or place her in danger. Bakura mistook my intentions.”

 

“Bakura was within his rights to object, and quite frankly, I agree with him,” Atemu stated firmly, no trace of sympathy to his voice despite Seth's earnest, “You have cost us two allies, priest Seth. I do not believe Sith will act accordingly now.” Seth's eyes widened. He really didn't mean for that to happen. Just when he was sure he was amending his mistake in the past, it was blowing up again. He could tell both Mahaado and Karim kept their silence in respect, but he finally couldn't blame them for wanting to scold him. He did cost the kingdom a terrible deal, and he was lucky Bakura had joined up with them early on.

 

“My king, I didn't mean for this to happen,” he said, looking down, “What must I do, sir?” Atemu's eyes narrowed, and it was clear he still hadn't forgiven Seth for his past slanders concerning his knight. He looked critically at Seth.

 

“Fix it. Immediately,” the pharaoh said coldly, and promptly turned, “Dinner is adjourned for those who have other affairs to contend with.” He walked back to his throne and sat, but found he couldn't eat any more of his meal. Neither could Seth, for that matter. And that was a shame; the meal had been delicious. But Seth knew what he had to do. He sighed and left the hall quietly, heading down toward the front entrance. He turned and walked up the stairs to the second floor, continuing until he reached Sith's bedroom. The door was opened just enough for him to see that Bakura was sitting in one of her chairs. But where was Sith? He heard no sound within the room. Quietly, he stepped closer, and caught just a whisper of Bakura's voice.

 

“You can't do this!” he whispered, “Sith, please! Be reasonable!”

 

“I will not allow Atemu's people to suffer whilst I'm on that battlefield,” Sith replied, and Seth realized instantly what she must have been thinking, “I will go alone. I will face her alone, and steer the battle away from Egypt. Perhaps away from this world entirely.” Bakura stood up so briskly that he knocked the chair over. His eyes widened, tears dotting them as he walked over to Sith, who was polishing her sword as she stood, her back to him. Seth's eyes fell to the floor. If his actions caused her to leave once more, he would be fired immediately upon discovery.

 

“I'm going with you,” Bakura stated, and when Sith turned to him, he said, “Don't tell me not to. This is my choice, Sith. You can't go alone.”

 

“And you think you can help?” she asked him, “Bakura, you've already been broken by her once before. I won't allow that again.” Seth could tell Bakura wasn't liking Sith's reasoning at all, and the priest couldn't blame him. She was surely committing suicide with her idea. Bakura finally lost control of his station, if he had any to begin with. He grabbed Sith's shoulders, but instead of shaking her as Seth thought he would, he simply looked at her, his body shaking.

 

“I've already been through her torture once, and though I don't care to repeat it, this is my choice, Sith!” Bakura cried, “I'm only in this damned war because you've allowed me to be. To hell if you think I'm going to let you kill yourself without me! I owe you my life more times than I care to count. Please, let me go with you.” Sith closed her eyes, unable to give a full answer to the thief. His true concern touched her. As did his resolve. But this was her job. She couldn't purposely place innocents in danger, and if she allowed this, that's exactly what she'd be doing. She was no knight, then.

 

“Why do you wish to go?” she asked quietly, looking up at him, “Does life mean so little to you, Bakura?”

 

“…” Bakura couldn't answer her. The truth was, his life meant absolutely nothing, either to him or to Egypt. He simply looked at her, and then turned away. She turned back toward the wall where her shield was mounted. His silence was answer enough for her as she reached up and took it down. It was a beautiful, blue shield, cut out in the shape of a crystal with a pentagram in its center. The symbol was purple, but the rest changed different hues depending on the light. Sith smiled; she obviously loved the shield.

 

“It's been a long time since I've worn this shield,” she commented, slipping the leather straps behind it onto her arm, “I normally don't need it. It's only effective with deflecting magic. Let's hope my mother's charm hasn't faded off of it.” Seth saw Bakura looked back up at her, clearly interested by the mention of her mother. It was the first time Sith had ever spoken of her. Seth had assumed she either died or had left the family.

 

“Your… mother,” Bakura repeated in a whisper, “…she made that for you?”

 

“For my brother, actually,” Sith replied, patting it, “But he gave it to me. He told me that if I was going to be a knight, I needed a shield. He said he doubted he'd need one if he was to take the throne of Aeroglyph.” Bakura nodded, but Seth saw that something within Sith's statement had bothered the thief. Bakura folded his hands on his knees as he sat back down in his chair.

 

“…will you be leaving once Sceppiro has Aeroglyph again?” he asked after a few moments, and Sith stopped packing her sack. She blinked, and looked at him critically. His question seemed casual enough, but she heard something more in his voice. She heard sadness; he was getting less and less willing to end this if it meant Sith would be leaving. She sighed, both touched and worried for his wonder.

 

“To tell you truth, I haven't yet decided,” she replied quietly, “I... I owe it to my parents to go and protect my kingdom. But… Atemu is my closest friend. Honestly, I have no idea what I will do.” Bakura nodded with understanding, and as Sith went back to packing various potions and equipment for her raid, he let the ensuing quiet pass peacefully as he looked out of her window. Night was beginning to fall once again, but the time flowed so jerkily in Bakura's mind, he wouldn't be surprised if it was a simple illusion. In his mind, he was battling a new decision as well, and Seth frowned as he watched. He knew what Bakura was getting to, and he knew that the thief's rivalry with the pharaoh was real in more ways than just a struggle for power. In the next instant, he knew he was right.

 

“…I have a proposition for you, Sith,” Bakura finally said firmly, and his tone caused Sith to put down a bottle of purple liquid to listen closely to him, “…if you leave… if you stay in Aeroglyph… will you let me come with you, too?” Sith blinked, her eyes slowly widening at Bakura's hasty decision. Most humans feared the Esper world, and from what she remembered, everyone tended to avoid it whenever it slipped between the worlds, or so her father had said. Bakura was the first to actually ask to live there. And, she had no idea how to answer. The thought of a friend comforted her, but he could be placing himself in danger. Espers didn't always care for humans.

 

“Bakura…”

 

“Please,” Bakura said, standing up, “Please, Knight Sith, I beg of you to let me go with you. My life means nothing; you're the only reason I'm not being skewered on some roasting spit. If I join you… I can at least try and redeem myself as a legionnaire of yours.” Redemption! That was one thing Bakura never thought he'd ask to do, but he asked it of her. The more he found himself entwined in the matters of the pharaoh's court, the more he wished to become a soldier, to have some sense of purpose other than to take from others. It had seemed impossible in Egypt, but Nesce would be a different case. But only if Sith agreed, and by the look on her face, she wouldn't.

 

“…never in my long life has a human begged to be my legionnaire,” Sith commented, “You would have to work under my brother…”

 

“No,” Bakura stated, “I work with you. I will be your legionnaire.” Sith turned away. This was unreal to her. She wasn't a queen, and yet here, this man was telling her he would be her soldier and follow her without question, even if it did cost him whatever life he had left. All she could do was sigh.

 

“…if that is what you wish, I won't stop you,” she finally said, “But it doesn't start once we take Aeroglyph. It starts now. You are already following my lead, and so you have chosen your path. Do you understand and accept this?” Bakura nodded, and Seth could tell without a doubt that he was serious on his offer. All the priest could do was smile. Even if it was from the king of thieves, Bakura was beginning to turn out to be one of the most righteous people Seth knew, even if his methods had been horribly skewed at first.

 

“I accept everything that I will be dealing with from now on,” Bakura replied, and gave her the salute he had seen her use to address the pharaoh and his court, “I will do my best to provide the service you ask of me, Lady Sith.” Sith nodded, and clapped a hand on his back.

 

“You would make even my uncle proud with your resolve,” she commented, “As soon as we regain Aeroglyph, you will be properly outfitted to represent my kingdom. If, of course, you wish to do that.” Bakura laughed. He looked down at his cloak and his attire. At one time, Cyd had mistaken him as the pharaoh, but now, his clothes were tattered and burned. He looked just as a scraggly thief should. And he found he hated it. He wanted to at least look like the king he claimed to be, and though he was now a soldier and would never again dress as he used to, the thought of armor was appealing. Especially if he got to choose what armor he would wear.

 

“I'll do it,” he replied, “But I don't do chunky armor. Give me something light and you'll have the best soldier you could imagine!” Sith snorted as she turned toward the door.

 

“We'll see,” she said, and walked briskly to the door. Before Seth could even run away, it was thrown open, and the priest let out a squeak of surprise. He now stood… or more, knelt face-to-face with Sith, and as Bakura looked from behind her, he gave Seth a venomous glare, angered that they had been spied on. Sith merely said, “What a surprise.”

 

“Why the hell are you eavesdropping!?” Bakura demanded, but a raised hand from Sith silenced him.

 

“Are you truly going to go along with this?” Seth asked, referring to Sith leaving Egypt by herself, and when she nodded, he exclaimed, “You're crazy! You can't go alone!” He expected Sith to retort sharply, and to even blame him for it, but instead, she just smiled. She pointed to Bakura.

 

“I'm not going alone,” she replied calmly, “Bakura is accompanying me.” Bakura just gave a grin of pride, and Seth's head dropped. That was not what he meant at all, and he knew Sith was just being difficult. He also knew that if she pulled this, Atemu would have a heart attack. And as much as the pharaoh making himself look like an idiot amused Seth, the ensuing insanity he'd display negated any pleasure his folly could bring. Seth's eye twitched. This was just like before, except it wasn't entirely his fault now.

 

“You're not going period,” Seth stated, and as Sith perked an interested brow, he said, “As High Priest of the Pharaoh and the royal Messenger, I forbid it!” This time, Sith burst out laughing at him, and Bakura managed just a faint chuckle. Seth twitched again, wondering just what Sith found to be so funny. He got his answer when Sith regained her posture and gave him a look of such superiority, that he knew he had absolutely no power over her. Hell, he doubted even Atemu had any power over her with that expression.

 

“I am the queen of Nesce, and you are going to forbid me of going to my home?” she asked, emphasizing her station, “Surely, you jest! I will go, and you will do nothing to stop me, or I will ask that you be removed from me. Not only am I the queen of Nesce, I am also the Knight of the Pharaoh and Master-of-Arms. You would never survive in a battle against me, and as a priest, you should worry on that.” Seth's mouth dropped open. She may have been right, but her insolence! He wanted to grab her sword and shove it right up her ass until it came through her skull. It was only through the knowledge that she was right that he didn't act on it. That, and he knew this was possibly his last chance for redemption. He sighed.

 

“And I do, but you can't do this,” Seth reasoned calmly, “Please, Sith, think about this. If you were to die, both sides would be crushed by Rath.” Sith paused, her lips pursed as she looked at the priest. She knew that point, and had chosen to go regardless. She glanced to Bakura, and he nodded, understanding her reasoning behind it. She looked back to Seth.

 

“I am a knight,” she replied, “I am a soldier first, and a queen later. My job… no, my moral, is to save the many before servicing the few. I will risk my life to stop this war before she strikes you and if I lose my life, then so be it. But I will not let her get to anyone in this kingdom.” With that, she stepped past Seth, her hand resting on the hilt of her sword. Bakura blinked at Seth, and then followed her silently, the two of them heading toward the staircase. Before she descended, Sith looked back at the priest and said, “Mark my words. If you try to stop me, you will only be aiding Rath. As a member of the pharaoh's court, I would hate to have to kill you for treason.” Seth knew her threat instantly: she'd kill him if he even attempted to alert anyone. He nodded, and watched both knight and thief slip out of the giant doors to the courtyard. Once again, Sith Winchester was no longer in the presence of the pharaoh. Seth merely prayed that he could cover her disappearance again.

 

The next morning, all felt dead as Seth awoke in his chambers. He sat up and looked out of his window, but gray clouds had rolled in, causing whatever faint sunlight there was to be dulled. It cast a terribly thick blanket of gloom around the palace and its surrounding territory, and as Seth slowly pulled himself out of bed, he noticed that there were no sounds anywhere. Considering that the plans for an all-out war were in effect, that was wrong. Dressing himself quickly, Seth rushed into the hallway, glancing around as he dashed down the corridor. Something felt very wrong, and not just because Sith had left. It felt as though she'd taken all manner of enthusiasm for war with her. No servants were about; no priests were making any form of preparation. In fact, it looked as though no one was even living there anymore. Seth burst into the audience chamber, and wasn't surprised to find it completely empty. He shivered. This was all wrong. Even the pharaoh was gone.

 

“Where… did everyone go!?” he exclaimed, his voice echoing off of the walls. Normally, the room would be full and no sound could reverberate. This morning was starkly different. Seth lowered his head. Had this all happened because he let Sith leave? No… Sith wasn't the reason. But she was one of the catalysts for it. That much, Seth knew.

 

“It's about time you got yer ass outta bed!” came Cydandilus's gruff voice, and Seth turned, “We've been waitin' for hours! What the hell kept you!?”

 

“Where is everyone!?” Seth demanded, “What happened!?” Normally, he hated to see the old Esper, but now he was just glad to see someone. Cyd grinned, obviously feeling generous that morning.

 

“They're on the Albatross,” Cyd replied, “Fastest ship in the Esper fleet, that one. It took some time to convince Ruon to help us fish the damn thing out, but he pulled through!” Seth blinked. Once again, Ruon helped them tremendously. He secretly wondered if that was also Sith's doing. She'd be the only one who could've told Ruon that they were planning to strike back.

 

“But what happened?” Seth redirected, “Were we attacked?” Cyd nodded.

 

“It all happened so fast. Rath smashed a huge laser our way and blew off the top of the palace! We're damn lucky we were down here,” Cyd explained, “At that time, Ruon and a few other fleets came, but when we clashed with him… he asked for the pharaoh. Sithy was with `em, so we had to trust `em.” Seth blinked. He saw Sith leave with Bakura last night. That meant Ruon had met her… but how could she have gotten there so fast? And, did that mean…

 

“Sith returned?” he blurted out, and Cyd gave him a suspicious look. Then he seemed to cast the notion aside.

 

“She brought every fleet she could. You wouldn't believe what seeing their queen could do for those numbskulls,” Cyd replied, grinning again, “When Rath heard, she went ballistic and fired again, but Bahamut and Tiamat reflected every shot. I can't believe you slept through it all, boy!” To be honest, Seth couldn't believe he slept through something like that, either. He must've been exhausted. But even so, he asked to be taken to the Albatross, and Cyd obeyed. They left out one of the back ways, something that Seth decided had to be for stealth, and soon came upon where the large army now stood, consisting of nearly half being human, and everyone else being Espers. And, to carry them sat four very large airships. Seth couldn't believe his eyes. Sith had amassed not just an army; she seemed to be commanding an entire world now.

 

“Sith… you did this!?” he asked, as he walked to the knight in question. She turned and nodded grimly.

 

“I didn't tell you my entire plan,” she replied, “And Ruon just happened to be patrolling. It was what we'd call divine timing.” Seth laughed. Even for an Esper, that was incredibly lucky. The battle had to be in their favor now. Just then, Ruon walked up to Sith, his bulky form hidden underneath even heavier armor. It looked almost comical to see him taking orders from the smaller woman.

 

“Everyone's split up into the four fleets, ma'am,” he told her, “Bahamut and Tiamat are leading the brigades until we reach half-way there. Then they'll be splitting apart from us to attack the rear.”

 

“And the ground forces?” Sith inquired.

 

“Fenrir, Terrato, Jormungandre, and Erelith are taking care of that,” Ruon replied calmly, “Rath won't escape the full fury of our race. With you at our head once again, we can finally take Aeroglyph back.” Sith nodded, and for once, smiled genuinely. Seth couldn't help but return the smile. This was Sith's battlefield. This was where she always belonged, and where her greatest strength was. It was no wonder she had handled it all so well.

 

“Then we move out,” she stated, “Let's get our attack moving before she decimates the palace.” Ruon nodded, and left to begin shouting Sith's orders. All at once, everyone climbed into the various ships. Sith headed to the biggest one, the Albatross, and jumped up onto its deck as others simply went in through the side. Seth wanted to join her, to ask what her attack would include, but he seemed to have a decent idea. With the Espers, it wouldn't matter what Rath's defense included; their magic would crush any resistance she managed, even if she still had underlings left. Now he understood why Claude chose what he did for Sith. This was the force of both Egypt and Nesce working hand-in-hand, and it was a considerable, slightly terrifying number indeed. He knew that only Rath was mad enough to continue to fight even against such terrible odds. And, as he boarded the airship, he had to salute Sith. She was easily becoming the head of the war, despite her serving the pharaoh.

 

“…if he had a problem with that, he'd have stopped her before now,” Seth reasoned with himself, as he looked just once more at the deck before disappearing into the interior of the ship, “Good job, Sith. Good job.” And then, the ships began to take off. Their next destination was lying north, and the next few hours would decide if Egypt won, or if Rath would destroy them. Seth could barely wait for it to begin.

 

-----------------------------(End Chapter)

 

And so, with their meetings adjourned, their supplies packed, and all allies mustered, Atemu and his court finally head to war with Rath instead of doing reconnaissance. This time, the stakes are tipped into their favor, but is the outcome really that clear? Even with all Espers on their side, can Egypt win the ensuing assaults from the citadel Rath claimed as her own? Or will they fail once again in stopping Rath before she focuses her attacks elsewhere? Find out next chapter, so click that Review button!