Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ The Pharaoh’s Decision ❯ Chapter 7 ( Chapter 7 )

Chapter Seven:

The sun had barely risen the next morning when Yami left his chambers, followed closely by two armed guards. He stopped at the door to the room that Yugi was being allowed to use and knocked on the door.

A sleepy eyed Yugi answered the door, smiling when he saw Yami. "Good morning, Pharaoh."

Yami gave Yugi a sad smile, it was obvious that his order had been obeyed and Yugi didn't know of the death of his friend yet. "I have some bad news to discuss with you."

"Oh… is it about the dual?" Yugi asked.

"No." Yami shook his head. He was about to continue when one of the priests approached.

"The duelist is here, Pharaoh."

"Rather early for a dual." Yami frowned, annoyed by the disturbance. "Who is the duelist?"

The priest looked nervous. "I do not know, for his identity was concealed by a cloak."

Yami's frowned deepened; someone was sure going through a lot of effort to keep his identity a secret. "Tell him the dual will begin shortly."

The priest nodded and left quickly. Yami turned his attention back to Yugi, he knew if Yugi was still going to battle in his place that now was not the time to tell him that his best friend was dead.

"What was it you needed to tell me, Pharaoh?" Yugi asked.

"It can wait until later." Yami said.

"I need to find Joey and tell him that the dual is about to start. I know he would love to see a dual." Yugi said.

Yami stifled a sigh. "I will have the guards search for him. We need to get ready for the dual."

"Oh, okay." Yugi said. He asked no more questions as he turned and followed the pharaoh down the hall.

~~ ~ ~

The dual was to be held in the pharaoh's throne room, as this was a small dual and not a planned event to be watched by those of royal lineage. Yami sat on his throne, his back perfectly straight as he watched the far door awaiting the arrival of the duelist. Yugi stood a few feet in front of him, dressed in a long beige robe with a hood that concealed his identity. Several of the monks filed into the room all wearing white cloaks with hoods that concealed their faces. All of the began to chant soft, making the hairs on the back of Yami's neck stand up as he realized this was no ordinary dual. A tall figure stepped through the door and Yami's eyes widened. Seto stood there dressed in long purple and black robes. The robes were made from the finest imported silks and were only worn during special rituals. His face was expressionless and his eyes were unreadable as he stepped up to his place and faced the pharaoh.

"I see you chose the coward's way, Pharaoh. To have another dual in your place is a sign of true weakness." Seto said.

"I will not allow you to have your revenge on the pharaoh!" Yugi said defiantly.

Seto chuckled. "You can not stop me. No one can."

Yami couldn't find his voice to speak so he just sat there staring at Seto. He wished he could shout out the truth and jump off his throne and rush over and take Seto into his arms. But he knew none of that was possible so he continued to sit there saying nothing.

"I must say I am disappointed, Pharaoh. Not reciting one of your elaborate speeches that you are so fond to spout before you dual. Though at least if you remain silent I do not have to listen to your traitorous voice."

"You are the traitor!" Yugi yelled.

Seto laughed. "Do not speak of things you know nothing of."

"I know you are a murderer." Yugi said.

Seto's eyes darkened. "I have not committed a murder, at least not yet."

Yugi was about to say something else when Yami interrupted. "Let the dual begin."

~ ~ ~

Both duelists summoned monsters to come forth from their resting places in the stone tablets. After an hour both had lost many life points but neither one had managed to obtain the upper hand. Finally the pharaoh's powerful Dark Magician was faced against Seto's ferocious Blue Eyes White Dragon.

"It all ends now, Pharaoh." Seto smirked triumphantly. "And then I shall make you pay for what you have done to me."

Yami shifted uncomfortably on his throne. Seto had put everything he had into this dual and Yami felt he deserved to win, that Seto deserved to have his revenge. But since he couldn't say either of those things he bit his tongue and said nothing.

"Now my dragon att-" Seto's word were cut short as the ceiling cracked open spraying debris down into the throne room.

Yugi and Seto were both knocked off feet and most of the priests were crushed under the weight of the falling debris. A large, gold dragon flew down into the center of the room, and stood in between the duelists. For a moment Seto, Yami and Yugi all stared at the monster in shock. Yugi was the only one to have seen the monster before, it was the dragon that had destroyed his village and seeing it once again made him freeze in fear.

Seto slowly pulled himself to his feet. "Blue Eyes, attack!"

The large white dragon opened it mouth and blasted the gold dragon with a powerful white lightening attack. The blast had no effect on the dragon, in fact it seemed to only anger the gold dragon.

Marik laughed wickedly as he stepped into the room, walking past the debris from the ceiling and stepping over the dead bodies of the priests. "The Winged Dragon of Ra is far to powerful to be defeated by one as weak as you." He turned to Yami and gave a wicked grin. "Now my Dragon attack!"

The gold dragon's mouth opened wide and a powerful burst of energy shot forth striking the Blue Eyes White Dragon. The powerful white dragon was no match for the attack and exploded with such force that it knocked Seto from his feet. Seto lay unmoving on the floor, his robes dirtied with soot and dust. Yami's heart constricted painfully in his chest, he couldn't move, he couldn't speak, he felt like he couldn't even breath. The Winged Dragon of Ra slowly approached Seto's motionless body and wrapped one his clawed feet around Seto's limp form.

"DARK MAGIC ATTACK!" Yami screamed desperately, praying to all the Gods and Goddess that it wasn't too late to save Seto.

Moments before the Dark Magician could attack to reach its mark the Winged Dragon reared up on its hind legs, raising Seto's body up. For a moment Yami could see into Seto's cerulean blue eyes, eyes fogged that were fogged with pain and filled with sadness but still very much alive. Dark Magician's dark magic attack tore through Seto's chest and pierced his heart. Seto's eyes went empty and his body slumped in theWinged Dragon's grip. Marik's insane laughter echoed through Yami's head as he stared at Seto's lifeless form, unable to believe what had just happened. Marik waved the rod and the Winged Dragon threw Seto's body across the room, landing him at the Pharaoh's feet. Lifeless blue eyes stared up at Yami accusingly.

Not caring if tears made him look weak Yami allowed his tears to flow freely down his cheeks. He dropped himself off the edge of throne and pulled Seto into his arms and held him close. "You can not be dead! You are supposed to be alright." Yami cried wishing his words would breath life back into Seto's body. "Please… I love you… you can't die… not like this."

Yugi finally managed to turn his gaze away from the Winged Dragon of Ra and look at the Pharaoh. As he watched Yami holding Seto close and listened to the sadness in the Pharaoh's voice he began to realize that he truly hadn't known all the facts before making his accusations.

"What a shame." Marik said sarcastically before chuckling. "He died hating you and that will be carried through to the afterlife.

Yami lifted his head, his crimson eyes glistening with tears. "You will pay for this, Marik."

"You have already lost, Pharaoh." Marik grinned evilly. "Not only do I control the God monster The Winged Dragon of I also control Obelisk the Tormentor and Slifer the Sky Dragon!"

Yami's eyes widened slightly. All three of the monsters were supposed to be nothing more then myth. But if one existed then the other two were no doubt also real. He gently kissed Seto's forehead and carefully his lifeless body down. Yami pulled himself to feet, his crimson eyes blazing with anger as he stared at Marik. "It does not matter what monsters you believe you control, I will stop you."

Marik laughed. "You do not understand, Yami. You have already lost. Your Egypt is being destroyed even as we speak and I will be the one to control the new Egypt. The entire world shall tremble at my feet." Marik pointed the Millennium rod at Yami. "You're reign ends now!" A beam of golden light shot out of the rod and headed straight for Yami.

"NO!" Yugi shouted he scrambled to his feet and threw himself in front of the beam. He was blasted off of his feet and crushed against the far wall. His body slowly slid down the wall and landed lifeless on the floor.

"There is no one left to protect you now. No one to come to your rescue." Marik laughed insanely as he aimed the rod once again.

This time when the beam of light came toward Yami his puzzle began to glow and produced a golden beam of light of its own. The two forces hit with such force it sounded like a loud crash of thunder and was enough to shake the walls around them. Both Yami and Marik stood their ground as they put all of their energy into the battle both determined to walk away victorious.

Yami could feel his energy slowly slipping away, and the strain on his body forced him down to one knee. But the pharaoh was determined to hold on, to avenge the death of his lover and all the other lives that had been lost at the hands of the insane madman before him.

"Give up, Pharaoh. You will never be able to win against me for I control the magic of more then one of the millennium items." Marik taunted.

"I will never give in to the likes of you, Marik." Yami's voiced was filled with a fierce determination as he forced himself to stand straight once again.

Marik was about to say something when he felt a presence beside him. Without even having to turn and look he knew it was Bakura that stood next to him. Bakura just grinned wickedly and held the millennium ring up. The points on the bottom of rings stood out straight, all pointed directly at Yami. The ring glowed brightly and produced and energy beam of it's own that wrapped around the one Marik created with the rod. The force of both energies nearly made Yami lose complete control, his energy flickered and faded allowing the opposing energies to draw closer before he managed to regain control.

Yami's eyes began to glow and stood completely rigid. "It all needs now."

A brilliant flash of golden light, as blinding as the midday sun, flooded the room. The temperature plummeted and a powerful wind spiraled around them like a gigantic vortex. The Winged of Ra gave a short howl of rage and pain before being destroyed and the only sound that that was left was the screaming of the wind. Then all was plunged into darkness.

` ` ` `

Shadi materialized in the throne room and looked around at the death and destruction with a sad expression on his face. He slowly stepped over to Yami and bent down and touched the millennium puzzle. "You have done well, Pharaoh. You triumphed where many others would have failed. You saved the world from the darkness and trapped it all within the shadows. I do not know for how long the world will be safe, but I do know there will come a time when we must call upon you again." Shadi vanished from the room like a ghost, and when he was gone so were all of the millennium items leaving behind the dead that lay amongst the destruction of an era that would all too soon be forgotten.

End.