Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Transcending Memories: A Bond Unsealed ❯ Chapter 11 ( Chapter 11 )

Author's Note: Hello again everyone! How are you? I hope that you're all doing well. As always, it seems that it has been quite a while since I've provided the last installment for this fan fiction of mine…..and similarly let me apologize for that fact as it is never my intent to stay away for quite so long….. I see that many of you have expressed concerns regarding my updating…..though truth be told I often find this subject matter to be just as frustrating, if not more so, myself ….. After all, this writing was originally created to indulge my own desires as to what I would have liked to have seen unfold in the story of Yu-Gi-Oh. And though I am extremely happy that many of you have come to share my views (a point that I can only hope that I conveyed adequately in my previous commentary) I still write for that initial purpose first and foremost.

It is because of this that I only wish to release polished and heavily edited work, being that I have always been a firm believer of quality over quantity. And despite my own impatience even to continue onward with this story, I stand to reason that if I was unhappy with my writing, then it would be a safe assumption that all of you would be as well. Of course there are other factors such as the situations occurring in my life, (very limited time to myself due to my full time job, a recent move, some difficult relationship issues, and even preparing and leaving for a trip outside of the country, just to name a few....). In my defense, however, in the last few months I have continued to jot down ideas for this writing and in addition to that, whenever I am able to find a spare moment, I often find myself sketching, drawing and painting various images for this fan fiction; works that I will be sure to inform you of when they are at last completed! In any case, though I may have mentioned some of these activities in my last post, as I said then too, I still have not given up on this story! After more than a year now, I have found that despite the reasoning above, or my doubts and reservations of whether or not I am even capable of accomplishing all that I have longed to do with this complex story-line, in the end I find that this writing has been embedded too deeply within my heart and soul for me to abandon it now…… Yes, I will finish it, no matter how long it may take me! And so, I humbly ask that you please have patience with me, just as so many of you have been patient since the very beginning…... In return, I will promise all of you as well; that I will do my absolute best to deliver a fan fiction that will be worth the wait, a story written with all my creativity, all my imagination and all my love…... That is my objective anyhow…..

As for the story itself, however, I thought that I would take a moment to address a few points that I have written in my last chapter. As many of you witnessed, I finally revealed the "secret" of Djal's descent. I know that some of you speculated that he, like Bakura, was also a survivor of the village of Kuru Eruna, hence the reason why I imagined him having white hair, yet while also having blue eyes like Teana's. There will be more involving his past and character later, but I wanted to explain at least part of the reasoning behind this decision, though only to the point where I can avoid disclosing future plot elements…... Firstly, let me assure you that I still have every intention of writing more about Yami and Teana and their history and story together, and yet…..at the same time, I have always felt that the real character of Tea or Anzu was cheated in the sense that aside from moral support (or even the slightest bit of romantic tension in her relationship with Yami and Yugi) as a whole, the character was given very little to do; she had very little involvement in the grand scheme of things or the "big picture" of the Yu-Gi-Oh manga or anime.

There have been small exceptions of course; she has been the "damsel in distress" on numerous occasions, which, in turn, helped move the plot along in one way or another….. She was also controlled and used to host Marik's "good" personality in various episodes of Battle City, the Battle Ship and the Duel Tower sagas. And of course it was she who gave Yami Yugi his cartouche pendant that resulted in the discovery of his real name Atemu or Atem. And yet…..I have always wanted more, just as I had desperately wanted that romantic tension to be pushed to the next level! I can recall that I thought (momentarily anyhow) that Anzu/Tea's dream in episode 52 (titled "Past is Present" in the dub) meant that perhaps she did indeed have a connection to the Ancient Egyptian past, as I had always hoped, but despite any interpretations that could be made, ultimately that too was never explored or explained! But then…..I remembered something else too…. I recalled very early on, at the start of the Duelist Kingdom arc, how Tea/Anzu would see or seemingly sense Bakura's presence when no one, not Yugi or even Yami could….. Though everyone claimed that she was imagining things, she continued to do so, until he finally did appear before them. Though a very brief and arguably a dismissible occurrence, I always found that to be rather mysterious….. I then found myself asking if there was a reason behind this…. And so, with that very simple idea coupled with her dream of Ancient Egypt (and saying good bye to Yami within that vision), the initial concept of Teana, and later Djal, came to be.

At the same time, despite my evolution and the direction in which I am taking the character of Teana, I still do not wish to stray too far from her origins, linking her to the future Anzu or Tea; though I will admit that this is proving to be quite challenging, given the stark contrasts in which these two characters were born and raised. And yet, as many of you may have noticed, in the last several chapters, (as well as some of the earlier ones) I thought it important that I at least keep one element consistent; Tea and Teana's love of dancing. In order to do this, I chose to describe the origin of this desire in chapter 9. Additionally, in chapter 10, I purposely attempted to parallel Teana's assertion of her newfound dream to her father Djal, to the scene in which Tea/Anzu told Yugi and Jounouchi/Joey about her aspirations when she was working at the restaurant. There have been other parallels too of course, (which I sincerely hope that you have all taken note of….) but suffice to say, I truly am trying to connect these events as neatly as possible to blur the lines of manga, anime and fan fiction to the point of near invisibility.

Furthermore, I wanted to say a few words regarding my introduction of both Seto and Akunadin in the last chapter of my fan fiction. As far as Seto is concerned…well…..you really can't have a fan fiction about Yu-Gi-Oh without this character, now can you? :) In all seriousness however, I do have plans to integrate him within my writing as well, ideas that I hope will prove interesting….. In addition, after reading as well as viewing both the animated and manga version of the Egypt Arc, I will admit that I have developed a fondness for this character who I personally believe had much more depth and appeal than his present day counterpart, not unlike how I am trying to develop my own Teana, as I have mentioned once before.

One aspect of the character of Seto that I would like to address is the habitat in which he was brought up. Despite the fact that the anime has given him a humble background, having lived part of his life within the village, in truth, I personally found that hard to believe given his personality and his rather dignified nature. There was also no evidence of this in the manga; as a matter of fact on the contrary, judging by chapter 329 of the 37th volume of the Yu-Gi-Oh graphic novels. Within that book there was a brief flashback in which Akunadin accounts how his young son, Seto, feared him and his Millennium Eye (which apparently occurred after the creation of the seven Millennium items, and most importantly beyond the point in the anime in which he instructed both Seto and his mother to forget him and leave their palace life forever). The way I see it, this is evidence that Seto did indeed spend his childhood in this setting and since I had decided to use this character long before I had even witnessed the animated Egypt Arc, I have chosen to carry through with my initial ideas regardless; that he, like Yami, was born and later educated among royalty and nobility, especially being that they are both of royal blood themselves….

And lastly that brings me to the subject of Akunadin himself. As I have also stated beforehand, though I do not wish to refute what I have established in previous chapters, such as having Bakura being one of Yami's true enemies (which ultimately led to his demise) there is no reason that I can not add to this, using bits and pieces of what was later written by the creator himself, an example being Akunadin's involvement in all that transpired in Ancient Egypt. Though I will take liberties with his role, I still hope to use this character to heighten the dramatic tension of unfolding events, while still staying true to his nature, ambitions and personal vendettas…..
Anyhow, I hope that these explanations have been helpful to all of you. Thank you again for your time and patience! And now without further ado……

Chapter 11


Able to penetrate through even the fear of her present predicament, the harsh enslavement implemented by the surrounding soldiers, Teana had suddenly felt a cold chill coursing through her….more like…a passing wave of power….one so fierce that the experience could only be comparable to that of a physical assault…. Now staggering, she gasped, stroking her arms, trying desperately to contain her already rattled nerves, her small shivering frame…. Looking about, Teana attempted to determine the source of this energy.…the darkness that she sensed….the feeling that knowing, menacing eyes were staring right through her….violating her mind….her very soul even…. Or….perhaps it wasn't her consciousness, or rather hers alone that was being probed in this way….but that of someone dear to her instead…..

Instinctively, Teana turned her head towards the eastern wing of the palace where she had seen one of the smaller once vacant balconies….one that she had noticed earlier when she had waited for the pharaoh and the young prince to appear upon the central terrace above her…. And yet, in doing so she was only reminded of the situation at hand….for in reality, all that she capable of seeing now were the fuming, sweltering faces of those that stood over her….

Dismissing those inklings of impending peril, Teana then found herself immediately overwhelmed, not only by her captors but by the commotion, the deafening noise exploding into her eardrums…..! The scenario was not unlike the moment when King Akunamukanon had first appeared before the populace…..only this time, newfound venom could be heard within these voices……the cries and protests of the people, their curses, their demands for punishment…..! These words alone could be heard coming at her…..attacking her from every direction….from all sides…..


"That miserable girl!! How dare she!?"
"Damn her….. Damn them both for this!"
"She's a sinner…..utterly wretched…..just like her father……!"


*No….* Teana thought internally, trying to ignore these accusations.


"Today….on such an occasion….. This is sure to be their final offense!"
"They're about to get what they deserve!"
"Yes…. We'll be rid of their loathsome kind once and for all!"


*Please……stop….!*


"Truly, their existence alone is an affront to the gods!"
"And like those before them they too will suffer the consequences!"
"By his command, the pharaoh will put a stop to their evil ways! He'll make them both disappear from our lives forever!!"
"After what their people have done, after what they have done…..their wicked acts, the crimes that they've committed…...at long last they will pay for it all!"


*NO!*


Her heart thumped loudly with distress, with panic….. Teana now felt as if she was being suffocated… confined… compressed…. Stumbling to her knees, she placed her hands upon her ears once more; frantic to withstand the damaging effects of these piercing sounds…..but to no avail….. She could feel…..herself drowning…..being consumed by it all……. This atmosphere…. It had managed to surpass even that which she had felt earlier that afternoon; the cruel whispers which had followed the encounter with the men, those that had tormented her father, her entire family….. Yes… In only a few short hours, those murmurs had become savage bellows…. It was as if that previous moment had been multiplied a thousand fold in comparison….. And despite any attempts to distance herself from it…..this emotional onslaught…..she soon found herself losing the battle…... She was completely powerless to shut it out…! The intensity of such rage….like a rush of pure hatred….. It threatened to devastate the depths, the very fabric of her young mind even…..until finally all that remained was one protective layer…..all that sheltered her sanity….


"Teana….!"


Opening her once squinted eyes, Teana listened intently….. Miraculously, before she could fall victim to the madness, before she had allowed herself to give in to all that wished to engulf her, she then found herself being summoned back again….. Like a faint glimmer dispelling the shadows, Teana could hear a voice……one which called to her…..a voice…..crying her name…..

"Daddy……" Teana mouthed slowly, her senses clearing. "Daddy!" She exclaimed again.

Raising herself off the ground, she now attempted to move her body in the direction in which she heard his call, yet she was held firmly in place by the newly thrusted, pointed spears that were closing in on her; sharp tips that were mere inches away from drawing blood. And no matter where she turned, which way she chose to face, she knew that there was no escape….. She was unable to reach her father or to even know if he was all right…… In the end Teana had to instead face the reality that there was truly nothing that she could do….. And with that conclusion she was struck with even greater heart ache…. She was left with nothing but her feelings of helplessness….uselessness even…..! And though she could not deny that she was indeed frightened for herself, she feared even more so…for her father….. What would happen to him….to her? Would either of them be freed from all of this…..? And if not what would become of them?! *I can't move…… I can't do anything….. Daddy…… I'm sorry….. I'm so sorry!* Teana thought despairingly. *Please….. Please be ok….. Someone please help us! Help him! Somebody help!!*


At that same moment……a young prince Yami was swept by a strange….seemingly instantaneous sense….of foreboding….. It was…..unlike anything that he had ever experienced before, an intense disconcerting feeling, halting him in mid-step, between breaths, as he then found himself raising a hand upward, using the neighboring wall to steady himself. Having regained his balance, his next course of action was an attempt to reason, rather to even begin to ponder what had just coursed through him…...!

King Akunamukanon, who now took notice that his son was no longer walking confidently at his side, turned to regard him. And, in seeing the perplexing, the somewhat worrisome expression upon Yami's face, the pharaoh then felt his own features shifting, as he allowed himself a brief moment in which he could show genuine concern for the boy. Without realizing, the king found that he too had lifted a hand, as he felt the need, the desire to reach out to his son, to calm him, to determine just what had caused this sudden look of dread, one only comparable to those who had seen a ghost…...

And yet…..like in many previous instances, the pharaoh was forced to repress these emotions, his deep affections for his only child…..all in order to maintain his majestic demeanor…...for despite his inner struggles, he opted to follow through with this seemingly unspoken regime; one that strictly forbade him to express himself in such a manner! It was a practice that King Akunamukanon himself had undergone throughout his lifetime, having been taught that the show of any sentiment was a sign of weakness, and….if he wanted to ensure that his heir would follow in his footsteps, that he too would grow to be a strong and powerful leader, the pharaoh had no choice but to place his utmost faith in this conviction, as difficult as it proved to be…..

Inwardly however…..regardless of these rationalizations, there was a part of him that still resisted, a part of him that despised having to submit…..particularly at a time, such as this, when his heart chose to loudly protest against any such justification that his mind could conceive…. Balling his hand into a fist, King Akunamukanon then lowered it slowly to his side. Now fully composed, he at last proceeded to speak…..

"Son….what is it?" The pharaoh asked firmly.
"Father….. I…." Yami began. "Did you hear that…..?" He continued, his eyes darting cautiously from left to right. .
"Hmm? I hear nothing," The king remarked inquisitively "only the fervent cries of the people. Yes….. From the uproar, it appears that the crowd is quite anxious for us to emerge….." King Akunamukanon replied, his head motioning towards the end of the corridor in which they were advancing, leading to the palace gates…..
"No, I hear- I feel….something else…." Yami remarked placing his hand upon the Millennium puzzle; the treasured artifact that his father had allowed him to wear for the day's festivities….. "Something's…..happening up ahead….." He then said with an unexplainable certainty within his voice. "Someone…….someone's in danger!"

Without another word, or even knowing the precise reason why…..Yami had taken off running….traveling swiftly down that long and narrow corridor…..with hopes to discover the origin of these stirring new emotions…..as well as the answers……to his many questions.......

"Yami! What are you-…. Wait!!" King Akunamukanon called behind him. And yet before the pharaoh had even finished uttering these words, the young prince was already far from sight……


Almost simultaneously, Djal, who had stubbornly persisted onward in his struggles against the palace guards, (clenching and clawing men who were just as forceful in their attempts to keep him at bay!) soon found himself beginning to tire…. Without a doubt, he was indeed a powerful man, one strong enough to fight against two, three, four men…..especially with such raging emotions beckoning him forward! Yet despite his quick reflexes, (ones which had allowed him to slip from their grasp several times now) or the deft maneuvers which had aided him in avoiding their blows (some intended to render him unconscious) Djal knew that he would not be able to carry on in this manner for long; no, not against the entire assemblage of soldiers that had been set upon him! And likewise, the patience of the men that encircled him was growing thin; replaced with feelings of fury, building aggravation….moods that made it enormously tempting to actually use their weapons against him, their last resort that would guarantee that Djal would cease his feral resistance…..! Yet with so many eyes upon them all, they dimly reasoned that it would be an unwise tactic…. Yes…. It was out of the question….. They could not bring themselves to slaughter a man before the entire kingdom, especially on such an event as the sed! However, they would also not allow him passage; for fear that despite his pleas, he did indeed possess the desire to do them, or worse yet the royal family, harm…..!

What Djal had failed to realize at this point, as he continued to thrash about, was that a higher ranking soldier had been called to address the situation, one of the pharaoh's most loyal and trusted sentries, a man who had served faithfully, for well over a decade…… As he approached the scuffle he soon found that he had little tolerance for the pitiful display executed by his subordinates or for the antics of a lowly commoner! Now mere feet away, he readied his weapon……

"Enough of this, you impudent cur!!" He roared.

Seeing what their superior had in mind, the soldiers released their hold upon Djal and without any hesitation, the guard leader then proceeded to attack, plunging his spear forcefully into Djal's stomach……!

Standing at the forefront of the crowd, a stunned, seemingly frozen Ruia, found herself unable to do anything but to take in every detail of what had just transpired…..right before her very eyes….. Though it had taken place in an instant, each individual movement had appeared….delayed to her…..the action slowed; allowing for it to be permanently imprinted, forever ingrained into the deepest corners, the furthest chasms of her subconscious……even ones in which she had believed to be sealed away, lost to her forever….. As she continued to watch, she saw the man drawing nearer……step by singular step as he loomed towards Djal…… A part of her somehow sensing what this man's intentions were, she felt her heartbeat beginning to quicken…..feelings of fear surfacing……. She wanted to cry out to him, to warn Djal, but found herself powerless to do so….. It was as if…..something was stopping her…..like an invisible barricade……one which prevented her from reaching his side..… It was then that she witnessed the man drawing his weapon….followed by his potent, deadly thrust….

Ruia could feel her eyes growing large…….her shaking, quivering hands rushing upward, cupping her mouth, her lips; which too were trembling…..and faintly, she could hear that small voice from within, one that had always been present, deep inside of her, now screaming an awful mournful shriek! Outwardly however, despite all of this, still she could only look on…….as Djal's body had begun to fall forward……


His own eyes widening, mere seconds following the severity of the strike, Djal found that the blow had indeed hurled him down, to his knees, knocking the wind out from him, forcing him to wheeze, to groan in anguish! He then felt himself leaning forward, which would result in his collapse face first into the desert sand, but before this could occur, Djal found himself possessing the energy to halt his descent, as he extended both hands forward, his palms pushing his torso upward again. His body remaining at an angle, Djal allowed his left hand to carefully pat the area in which he had been stabbed……shocked to discover that aside from a soreness in his abdomen, their was no wound! Looking above him, his eyes caught a glimpse of the weapon that had attacked him, the spear that the man held in his hand, which…..was……positioned in the opposite direction! The guard leader had struck Djal not with the tip but the back end, the wooden hilt instead!


Ruia, who had also taken note of this fact, then found herself turning away, breathing a tremendous sigh….of relief….? Bringing a hand to her chest, even now she could sense that rapid pulsating, as she struggled to calm herself, to take control of her fluctuating emotions…..


Before Djal could process the reasoning behind this method of offense, he was then indisputably ensnared, as those same soldiers, the men that he had fought so intensely minutes ago, now had the advantage over him! Still on his knees Djal was now faced with an array of spears, ones that clearly were held in the appropriate manner…! In addition to this, he now felt someone coming up behind him, in the process of securely binding, tying his hands with a thick uncomfortable rope.

Winded, weak, and forced to remain upon the ground, Djal had simply allowed the men to restrain him, for at this point any additional defiance appeared futile…..at least in terms of the physical form…... At the same time however, though he felt a slight sense of gratitude that he had not been mortally wounded, as he had initially suspected, the assault had still managed to infuriate Djal, as he once again fought to maintain his control…..to keep himself from giving into his inner desires….his craving to unleash a power that would certainly stand against any and all that stood in his way! As Djal gradually raised his head upward, to face the head of the palace guard, he could feel himself burning……losing himself in his frustrations yet again……! He was now having difficulty convincing himself not to succumb…..! How effortless it would be, after all….. It would not even require him to move from his stance…..! He needed only…..to let go… And yet…..as his eyes met with those of the man above him…..he felt those feelings…..dissipating…..beginning to fade……now exchanged with those of astonishment, recognition…….and an unbearable guilt…..

Before Djal, was a man in his mid to late 30s; older than most of the guards of lower rank, yet he was dressed similarly, wearing a handkerchief above his head, a short linen skirt, while his upper body had remained exposed. Unlike many of them however, he also wore golden clasps upon his arms and legs, as well as a colorful belt, possibly signifying the importance of his position. Though the man was clean-shaven, thus showing very little of his physical seniority, perhaps what most exhibited his age were his eyes, eyes that contained a slight weariness about them, while also appearing focused……intense; eyes that seemingly reflected all that he had experienced, all that he had endured….. And yet despite this, the man appeared twice as powerful as the others, twice as strong, judging by his much larger, toned physique….. Upon his body, there were also various scars, ones most likely acquired during the years that he had dedicated to his profession, or perhaps due to his involvement in the ferocity of the wars that had taken place…..less than ten years ago…... Yet…..most notably, he possessed a rather prominent scar, a mark that spanned across his chest…..one which indicated that he had once been wounded rather severely; a near fatal wound……

"You……" The solider breathed upon seeing Djal, with comparable yet guarded disbelief……


Ruia also couldn't help but recognize the man that stood opposite her husband, and with that realization, she was faced with that same paralyzing alarm; a feeling surpassed only…...by a painful reminiscence……


"YOU!" The man cried again as he was struck, overcome rather, with a sudden burst…..of long repressed anger……an anger that now forced his entire body to shake…..his teeth to clench…… Completely dismissing standard protocol, the man found himself shoving past his own subordinates (men who were most certainly confounded by this action!) until his hand was able to stretch forward, allowing him to firmly grasp, roughly pull Djal upward by the hair!! "Hmph…..! So we meet again little thief! What are the odds……?! And here I thought that you'd have been smart enough to leave this land for good! Don't tell me that you've been living here all this time…..right under my nose…..?!" The guard paused, allowing himself a brief chuckle…. "It's ironic really…… If I had known that it was you who was the cause of this ruckus perhaps I would have thought twice about being so merciful! What?! Have you come to finish what you started all those years ago?! Do you really think that I've forgotten what you did to me! And if I'm not mistaken, you had that look in your eyes mere moments ago…..the same look that you had then!"

"Mkhai, sir, what are you-" A second guard began, taken aback not only by his superior's behavior, but his incomprehensible ravings as well……
"Silence you fool! Let me handle this!" Mkhai exclaimed, tightening his grip…... As he continued to tug on his captive's white strands, to the point where he could literally tear them from his scalp if he chose, Mkhai instead forced Djal's head backward, allowing him to have a clear view of his face, his expression, an expression that was now filled……with genuine remorse…... "What's this? And where have those insolent eyes disappeared to?!"
"Please…..I-" Djal attempted to say.
"And now you beg?!"

Oddly enough, Djal's rather passive response had actually managed to irritate this man, Mkhai, even more so…..and in response he brought his face close, just inches away from Djal's own….. "Tell me….. Did you listen to my pleas when I begged to you……. Try to remember now……!"

Forcing his eyes shut, Djal could then see flashes…..more like….remnants of a living nightmare…..one that had occurred years ago….. Yes…. He could see visions of this same man….wearing a look of sheer, irrefutable terror upon his face….…which was followed by a large shadow being cast over him…... And…..though he wished it were otherwise, Djal could also recall what he had sensed then, how witnessing this…..very specific reaction had made him feel…… He had enjoyed it, relished in it even…..though…..only among his other flaring emotions……his feelings of sorrow…..and insufferable grief……

As he opened his eyes again, Djal only hoped that his deep regret could be interpreted through his expression…..and though he was successful in this sense, what he did not know was that for this man, Mkhai, such a face had only added fuel……to the already blazing fire……!

"If I could-" Djal began again.
"You would what?! Take it back? Or would you finish it…..?!"

Violently releasing his hold upon Djal, the solider Mkhai then took a few steps backward, until he was facing him at arm's length….. "You were close….." He then said, placing a hand upon his scar…… "Perhaps it's up to me to end things, at long last….. Perhaps I should do to you…..what you once planned to do to me…..!"

Gripping his spear he now pointed it directly at Djal's chest…..

"No Mkhai, sir!" Another guard remarked.
"You can't do this!" Cried a second.
"I won't miss this time…..!" Mkhai exclaimed, preparing to strike…...!
"What is the meaning of this!?" A youthful yet powerful voice demanded.

Halting his assault, Mkhai, the other members of the imperial guard, as well as the entire kingdom, turned to regard the small, panting boy…..who had suddenly emerged from the palace gates…….

"That voice….. Is this…..?" Teana thought to herself feeling both hope and comfort from this declaration……
"Prince Yami! I- We-" A solider stuttered nervously in the presence of the pharaoh's son…… Yes…..for regardless of his continuing attempts to stabilize his respiration, the boy's demeanor was…..apparent; he had remained firm, raising his head proudly, while his eyes appeared to convey…that was somewhat…..displeased….. This was followed by equally astonished and even slightly apprehensive murmurs rippling throughout the crowd; ones which eventually withered into a deep and respectful silence…….

And yet, before the young prince had even finished catching his breath, he then heard the faint sound of footsteps, approaching from behind.

"I believe that my son has yet to receive an answer to his question!"
"Father….." Yami said in acknowledgement, as the pharaoh took his place along side of him.
"King Akunamukanon!" An additional voice from the imperial guard proclaimed. Feeling his anxiousness growing, the solider frantically turned to face the crowd, and with an uneasy gulp, he then prepared to address them. "Everyone! Bow before the pharaoh and the crown prince of Egypt!"

With those words, as far as the eye could see, every citizen fell to the ground groveling, one by one, all taking a submissive stance, each feeling the need to avert their eyes even…..as they felt utterly unworthy of viewing this shinning image of the king and his young son. Even the royal guards, humbled themselves, and in a trained, disciplinary action, they worked to take their positions in a regimented order, consistent rows, before they each had lowered their spears, kneeling before them at last, in both a timely and synchronized fashion.

Even the solider Mkhai, found himself reluctantly carrying through with standard procedure, as he and the subordinates that had aided him in capturing Djal, also lowered themselves before the two royals. Though apart from the others, these soldiers arranged themselves around Djal, for fear that he would attempt to flee the scene, as doubtful as it appeared given such circumstances…... And in addition to this, with an exasperated growl, Mkhai had forced an already kneeling Djal, to descend even further, his large, thick hand heaving him down from behind; as he seized him rather harshly by the neck. His back now arched, Djal took notice that Mkhai had not only knelt beside him, but that he had yet to release him from this strangling hold. He then watched as Mkhai turned his head, just slightly to burn a hateful cautioning glance in his direction……

"One word…..and you die…." Mkhai whispered, tightening his backward clasp…..

Similarly, Teana watched as the men that surrounded her had also chosen to show their respect, seemingly forgetting all about their young captive….. And as a result, Teana found herself suddenly freed from her prison, though also a bit confounded with what was happening around her.…… Dismissing the relief that she felt that she was no longer detained, she then allowed her eyes to search the area, attempting to seek out either of her parents…..though her father in particular…….

*Daddy……where are you….? I can't see you….. Are you ok? Did…. Did they let you go too? Or…..did they-* She thought fretfully, unable to see anything but the soldiers, and the mass of prostrating villagers….. It was also then that she became aware of the fact that she was the only one left standing……and….as her gaze slowly shifted towards the palace gates…..she at last understood the reason why……

"This was not the welcome that I had expected…..." Yami said plainly as he stared down at the men before him. Crossing his arms, he then attempted to piece together what he had witnessed, the ensuing scene that had taken place; up until the very moment that he had made his proclamation….. He also hoped to discover how or rather if these events were related to what he had experienced…..mere minutes ago…..

"Indeed." King Akunamukanon replied, also looking about. "Someone! Speak! What has happened here?!" He then demanded.

As the young prince felt his own eyes traveling throughout the crowd, it was then that he too took notice…..of the young girl…..who had quite literally stood out before all of the others…..