Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ The Young God ❯ Chapter 11b ( Chapter 22 )

Chapter 11b

Seto was very edgy and so was Mokuba, but Yami wasn't too comfortable being in that cavern either. No one, however, offered to explain to Yugi what Yami did in the past that was so shameful. The innocent boy could not imagine what his faithful yami had done that would require such secrecy.

Suddenly, Yami turned despairinngly towards Pegasus for help, his eyes silently pleading. Pegasus hushed him and turned to Cecilia.

" He's having the temptations again." He said to her.

The fair maiden nodded and rested her cool fingers against Yami's forehead, murmuring a spell. When she was done, Yami stepped back, relaxed, and quite calmed.

Seto doubled over and threw up blood as Shadi and Malik lighted the torches. Soon the cavern was lighted and the old statue, covered in dust, could be seen.

" Here is the place where we last parted, Yami." Ashika said for Seto. " Do you have words to say?"

Seto, gaunt and exhausted, turned to Yami expectantly.

" I'm sorry." Yami murmured sadly, his eyes filled with pain and shame. Yugi sighed.
" What did my yami have to be sorry for?" He asked.

" The time has come for you to know." Shadi answered. " Five thousand years ago, Seto came to this land, innocent, untouched and untainted by mortal wounds. He tried out for the High Priest because the former one was executed for treachery. With his young and intelligent mind he won the competition and was named High Priest, not knowing who the Pharaoh really was."

" In time the Pharaoh developed a love for him as a father does to his son, or as an older brother does to a younger brother. Seto carried out executions and punishments, but he let one person go free. Banat was a cousin of the Pharaoh's and Seto would not shed the blood of his own kin. That time Banat was a tomb robber who tried to steal the goods from one of the pyramids and was caught. As time wore on, Seto became increasingly weak, yet the Pharaoh was not willing to let him go. One day, three years later, Rishna and Ashika, two immortal children, came to this land in search of young Seto. Just then, Banat and Malik, two tomb robbers, appeared yet again, trying to steal goods from the Pharaoh's very palace."

" By that time Seto was so sick he could no longer wield his powers. And in the presence of the millennium items the two carried, he could not harm them. Banat and Malik kidnapped Seto and took him off to their own dwelling, where overnight they too, developed a bond with him. By this time, all the Millennium Items were together. The Pharaoh was the first to become corrupted. He sent soldiers everywhere to look for Seto and that was when Rishna and Ashika found him. Through sheer recklessness, Banat and Malik were outside with them while the immortals were reacquainted and they were captured. The immortals were rewarded but were not allowed to see Seto."

" Banat challenged the Pharaoh to a duel for both his life and his claim on Seto. He was the second one to be corrupted out of three, the last being Malik. Seto tried to save Banat because he knew the outcome but couldn't. Banat lost. The Pharaoh locked him within the Sennen Ring, which is why now he is Ryou's yami."

" Seto, completely shocked, went to find the last unclaimed Sennen Items. Anksuna, which was Yami's wife, found him and offered to help. She led him to the room of magical artifacts where there lied two Sennen Items, the Millennium Rod, and the Millennium Eye. Seto took the Rod, but the Pharaoh found him in the room and also found out that Anksuna was helping him. The Pharaoh, in a dark rage, condemned Anksuna to the same fate as Banat. She is now Isis's yami."

" This was the last draw. Seto decided that the Shadow Games were the cause of this, which they were, and decided that he has to end it. The Pharaoh was the only one who had power to do so and he challenged th Pharaoh to a game, betting that whoever loses must carry out the demand of the victor. Rishna and Ashika came to me and we collected the available items, while the Pharaoh dueled against Seto."

" Seto lost. The Pharoah, in a fit of blind madness, took him to his chambers and nearly raped him. Ashika attacked the Pharaoh, which was the only reason why Seto still remained untainted. We came here to this very chamber where the portal was, and Seto, realizing that there was no more hope for the Pharaoh, cursed him with a curse that makes sure his fate will come to pass. It is this way that the god left the Pharaoh, and it was this way that Yami ended up in the Millennium Puzzle. Through the god's curse."

" The reason the Dark Magician belongs to you, Yugi, was because Seto had pity enough in his heart to understand the pain in Yami's. Therefore he left something of himself, the Dark Magician, who the Pharaoh treasured through the rest of his days, in this realm. This is why you have the Dark Magician, and a Pharaoh for your yami. Because of that final and great mistake he nearly commited that would have released the wrath of all gods."

There was a silence. A long, terrible silence.

" Do not blame Yami, Yugi." Seto said softly. " Tis not his fault."

Yami didn't have the nerve to even look at Yugi, but Yugi turned him around and hugged him.
" I know it's not your fault, Yami." Yugi sighed. " I understand, and even if Seto does not forgive you, I do."

Seto smiled. " I do forgive you, Pharaoh." He said. " But even so, I must go. My time here has ended."
" But...what about me?"

Everyone turned to Mokuba.

" Don't worry, ototo-chan." Seto said affectionately. " I'll be back, sooner than you think. I'll be back right away, and then I'll leave, never to return. But await my arrival."

Not at all confident, the spirits took the millennium items and handed them to Shadi. Shadi placed them one by one into their slots, and each time he placed them the item would glow a soft golden light. Seto himself freed Pegasus from his eye and placed it in the slot, and when all of the items came to rest and Shadi's was up there as well, the items shot webs of golden rays that covered the entire cavern.

A golden gate shimmered into view and on it were carvings of the paradise that lay behind it. Slowly it opened, and there was a light that blinded all mortals. The spirits looked on though, awed beyond belief, as the land was laid out before them. The soil was of clouds, the grass greener than jade, and the sky, blue as sapphire stones that were in Seto's eyes. There were no clouds in the sky, and far into the distance, within the white and colorful leafed trees, they saw deer, creatures of heaven, neighing and whistling and clicking. High in the air a phoenix soared, and on the grass a mother Blue Eyes White Dragon lay with her young ones.

Rishna walked in first, followed by Ashika, who led the great horse Pegasus through proudly into the world of their home. Seto turned back, and smiled a reassuring smile.
" I'll be back." He said softly, and smiled at Mokuba. " Do not lose hope. I'll be back for you, like I promised. You will not be in this world to fend for yourself alone."

He entered the gate without a farewell and as he did, the door closed slowly behind him. As it shut, the light began to dim, and the gate shimmered and disappeared. The items stopped glowing, and soon there was only the torchlights that lighted the dim cavern.

" He's gone." Mokuba sobbed.
" Do not worry." Pegasus smiled. " Not for long."
" But...he didn't take me with him..."
" Not now." Pegasus answered, " But soon, sooner than you think."

They each retrieved their items. Pegasus did not know what to do with his.
" Insert it to your left eye." Shadi instructed. " It will not hurt this time."

" Feels different now." Jou commented.
" Hai, feels really different." Anzu agreed. " Before we're constantly worrying about whether Seto will wake up crazy and scared."
" He departed quite well." Pegasus nodded. " He wasn't scared."
" We weren't corrupted either." Banat pointed out.
" All thanks to Cecilia." Honda smiled. Cecilia smiled back.

" So what are we going to do?" Yugi asked.
" Go home, do what you want." Pegasus answered. " He'll be back though. Don't worry, Mokuba."
" But when?" Mokuba asked.
" Sooner than when you will start missing him." Pegasus answered.
" I'm already missing him." Mokuba answered bitterly.
" Sleep, kid." Jou answered. " It's a thirteen hour flight. And not only do we not have Seto, we don't have Malik either."

Malik had decided to stay with his sister and Shadi in Egypt. So the group was flying to Japan alone.

" I wonder if things will ever be the same again. What will happen to Kaiba Corp?"
" He'll tell me when he gets back." Pegasus answered queerly.
" But will he come back before Kaiba Corp starts going down?" Yugi asked.
" Oh, of course he will. He'll never forget the cause of all his misfortunes." Pegasus laughed.

The group looked at each other.
" Why did he seem so..."
" He's cured now." Pegasus answered. " When we used the Millenium Items to help instead of destroy, he was cured. The items became items of light. Once the hikaris die, interesting things will happen. I'm not sure what, but they will."

Mokuba looked at Pegasus and then at Yugi.

" Oh boy," Pegasus laughed to himself, " Interesting things will happen."

" Watch it!" Mai cried, as Joe stumbled and fell.
" Gomen." Jou muttered. " I'm a little jetlagged, like the rest."
" Hai." Yugi rested his head on the table. " I am so tired."
" Didn't you guys sleep on the plane?" Mai asked. " And what happened to Kaiba?"
" He went home."
" To the Immortal Realm?" Mai cried in surprise. " Then...then what is Mokuba doing here?"
" Dunno." Jou answered. " And for now, I need sleep!"

Pegasus and Cecilia had returned to their island after Yugi and the others were dropped off at Domino. Yugi was greeted the next morning with many questions from reporters.

" Mr. Motou, where were you after the Duel Monsters Championships?"
" Mr. Motou, how does it feel like to win the championships?"
" Mr. Motou, what do you have to say about Seto Kaiba?"

Yugi answered every question politely except for the ones about Seto Kaiba, whom he didn't want to talk about. He only answered the questions politely because first of all, it was not his nature to scream at people, and second, he was awaiting Seto's return.

And so Seto did, seven days after they arrived home in Japan. He appeared with great splendor so the world would forever talk about it.