Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Trust Me ❯ The Secrets Revealed ( Chapter 7 )

Priestess: *Blows nose loudly* Waah!! Poor Namu!!
Err...I seem to have forgotten last chapter's 'Freaky Fact.' All right, I'm lying. I'm finished with Freaky Fact. It's too much work researching to find information for a fanfiction the majority of people in the world will never read.
That, and the fanfiction's almost over. Isis acts a bit...crazy...in this chapter. If you haven't noticed yet, she's pregnant.

***

As soon as Namu awoke, he had the sudden overwhelming urge to cry. His arm felt like it had been stabbed with a knife, and so did his heart. For a moment, he wondered why he was feeling so miserable.

Then he remembered. Tears filled his eyes, and he suppressed a sob. He had been stabbed in the arm. And if that weren't bad enough, it had been Nahkti who stabbed him. Why?

With difficulty, he turned his head to he could see his arm. It was a mess. Nahkti's knife had stabbed right through the bone, leaving a gaping hole that refused to cease bleeding. As soon as he rose up, his head spun and he fell back onto the pillow. Why? Why had Nahkti done this to him?

He tried to remember what Nahkti's expression had been when he stabbed him. Wait, how could he remember? He wasn't looking at Nahkti, he was putting the Millennium Rod under the pillow.

But he remembered Nahkti's expression afterward, when Namu stared up at him with tears in his eyes. His expression had been horrified, stunned, as if he couldn't believe what he had done.

But he had done it. And then he had left, without even saying a word. Namu had heard several noises outside, but he had been in too much pain to figure out what they were.

And why? Why had Nahkti stabbed him in the arm? What had he done wrong?

Still wanting to sob his eyes out but making himself suppress the feeling, he forced himself to get out of the bed and immediately fell back onto it.

Cursing his own weakness, he got up again and slumped against the wall on his good arm. So much blood...

He wiped away a tear and sighed miserably. No matter how much it hurt, he still had to do this. He had gotten this injury for no reason at all! What would happen if he actually did something wrong?

He really was a slave now. A slave and nothing more.

***

Nahkti cursed silently as he glanced around and down at his shackles.

They were spelled, along with the walls and the gate and the eighty-six locks. Big deal. His sentence was to be whipped to death. These royals were so stupid. Pain didn't hurt him-it only made him stronger.

He sighed as he wondered if the same were true for Namu. Doubtful. He was just a child.

Nahkti pictured Namu's expression when the knife stabbed him, the hurt and disbelief filling his beautiful light purple eyes. Nahkti had done that to him.

And then he fled. Like a coward. He didn't even try to explain himself. What must Namu think of him?

This wasn't fair to him. Nahkti sighed again, unable to get Namu's anguished face out of his mind. A terrible thought flashed through his mind with sickening clarity.

What if Namu was dead?

He had been stabbed through the arm! Eventually he would bleed to death. From his age and size, he might have already bled to death. The thought made him want to sob.

Grinding his teeth, he made a promise: if he ever met Namu's reincarnation, he would stab his own arm just to show how sorry he was. No matter how painful it felt.

The door swung open, and 'Akunadin' *cough-Necrophadisu-cough-cough* entered.

"Well, seeing as how you're still here, I suppose you're going to go through with getting whipped. Ah, well. You always were the masochist."

Nahkti's eyes darkened at his dismissive tone. "I'm still here because the stupid Priests spelled my bindings. And if it weren't for you, I wouldn't have been captured by them in the first place."

Akunadin/Necrophadisu lifted an eyebrow at Nahkti's sharp tone. "Don't tell me you're still upset about the child. Granted, he isn't dead yet, but that can change-"

"I knew it!!" Nahkti shouted. "You did it, didn't you? You manipulated my body! Why?!"

"Well, it was quite obvious that you weren't going to kill him yourself-"

"Of course I wasn't! He's a child, he's no threat to you!"

"If you care about others, they will just get hurt. And then you will get hurt and you will feel guilty that they are hurt, even if it isn't your fault."

"Really? And what might that feel like?"

"Nahkti, I will tolerate failures, but not weakness or disobedience. The child possesses powers greater than you understand. You're making a mistake."

"What are you talking about?! Why is it weakness that I care about an orphaned boy? He has no family, no home, why can't I just help him?!"

"He hates you."

"He has every right to!"

The door opened, and a servant peeked in. "Akunadin, sir, you were only supposed to be here for a few moments. Don't waste your words on the thief!"

Akunadin/Necrophadisu nodded sharply and turned back to Nahkti. Putting his face very close, he hissed quietly, "In the end, it will come down to you or him. Whose life do you value more?"

Then he turned and left, leaving Nahkti to mull over this disturbing question by himself.

***

Dammit, why does it hurt this much? wondered Namu as he slumped, gasping, against the wall on his good arm. He couldn't even take three steps without nearly passing out. Why, oh why did he have to be so Neith-accursed weak?

He sighed and continued his walk-fall-gasp-curse-walk-fall-gasp-curse-walk-fall-gasp-curse-walk-fall-ga sp-curse-walk routine, still refusing to let his tears fall.

***

"Why did we send Akunadin?" snarled Seth. "I was the one plundered by his pretty little servant boy! And are you sure you couldn't find the Millennium Rod on him? I need it!"

Namu grimaced in pain as he listened, wishing the injury would quit bleeding and thanking Imhotep and Bast for enchanted bandages. Seth was such an idiot. They wouldn't find the Rod on Nahkti. He stared at the hand not attached to the injured arm. His slim, tan fingers gripped the Millennium Rod tightly. They wouldn't find Nahkti with it while he still had it.

Of course, this made him want to cry again. He thought of Nahkti telling him he would need protection. Yeah, protection from him! He thought grimly. The tears were starting again. He still wouldn't let them fall.

"Seth, I don't doubt that Nahkti stole the Millennium Rod," said Aishisu calmly. "But I can assure you, he didn't have it! Though I can't understand why the Millennium Ring refuses to come off. It seems as if it has a life of its own, the way those spear-like things dig into his chest. Unnatural, it is."

"So he enchanted the Ring and hid the Rod," snapped Mariku, turning to the Pharaoh. "But why is it that you sent Akunadin? It doesn't make much sense."

"You are being presumptuous, speaking to the Pharaoh that way!" accused Mahaado angrily. "You are not even a Priest! You are only permitted to hear these sacred matters because you are the chief soldier! You have no right to challenge his decisions."

"I agree with both of you," said Seth. "And why is she here?" He nodded at Isis, who was staring placidly out the window and ignoring them. She had put on one of Aishisu's dresses, made of white satin as light as gossamer, but she still had that strange blue cloak flung over her shoulders. It was something a man would wear, not a woman, and they had all simply assumed she must have a lover who had given it to her.

"Be quiet, all of you!" Atemu cried. The three immediately fell silent, and Atemu continued sharply, "Akunadin is the one sent because we must have a discussion without him-all of us, including Isis. Though I suppose she already knows, seeing as how she is from the future and knows Nahkti's reincarnation."

They all glanced quickly at Isis, but she was still ignoring them. Mariku gritted his teeth, gazing at her. He made a promise to himself, then and there-Someday I will force her to tell me everything she knows. And then, I will kill her.

But because of what would happen next, 'someday' would never come.

***

Nahkti cursed inwardly as he watched Namu through Diabaundo. Why is he walking around like that? He should be resting! He's exhausted, how did he even dress himself this morning?

Namu was wearing the outfit he had been wearing before he put on the ridiculous servant attire the ankh, the white tunic, the white slippers, the scarlet cloth. Actually, it had been a struggle to put the stuff on. But they would be the last three kindnesses he ever expected from Nahkti (the slippers belonged to him), and when he had them on you couldn't even see the enchanted bandages which absorbed the blood instead of leaking through. Of course, it didn't hide the huge bruise on his cheek...and the fact that he couldn't even stand was a bit suspicious...and his spectacular eyes and lovely hair drew attention...was it any wonder he was keeping himself out of sight?

***

"So, I assume you mean this 'Kru Elna,' then?" inquired Karimu.

"Yes. Kuru Eruna. Akunadin would not have seemed so surprised or horrified had he known nothing about it. Nahkti claims he is the last remaining survivor of a village known as Kuru Eruna. We must find the truth and significance of this claim. And before we can do that, we must know what Kuru Eruna is. So, any ideas?" He glanced around expectantly.

Heads immediately swiveled, turning to Isis.

She glanced up, bemused. "What?"

Mariku scowled impatiently at this (in his opinion) stupidity, crossing his arms angrily. "I know you're a dummy, but that's no excuse whatsoever to play dumb! We know you know what Kuru Eruna is! Now tell us!"

Isis sighed and rose up. "Kuru Eruna was the village of craftsmen who built tombs, but they had a change of heart and became Tomb-Robbers instead. Fifteen years ago, when the Millennium Items were created, ninety-nine sacrifices were required. Akunadin slaughtered the village and never told your father. When he found out, he died of guilt and his final request was to be buried under Kuru Eruna. But the entire village wasn't slaughtered. There were a hundred people there-an eight year old boy survived. And I have just betrayed my brother's best friend!"

Taking a deep breath, she said, "The boy was Nahkti. For three years, he laid half-dead among the ruins of the village. He was found by the Dark lord Zork Necrophadisu. He believes it was your fault his village was destroyed! Stop this petty war!" Tears were streaming down her cheeks, and the others could only watch. They were all stunned.

"He isn't evil! He isn't! He's a kind, powerful person who's been used and manipulated! He has a pure heart and he's one of my best friends! You-you imbeciles! Why am I supposed to tell you anything? I am not one of you! I will never be one of you! I am a Ruler of the Heaven! And so is Bakura, and Malik, and Kaiba and Mariku and Yu-Gi-Oh! Some of us were one of you, but we know better now!" She was in utter hysterics, weeping and shouting at them, finally pouring out the infuriation and guilt she had been hiding for she knew not how long.

"Why are you doing this? This fight is meaningless! Millions of lives will be lost because of your stupid, prejudiced thoughts of justice and evil! He's going to die, do you hear me? That bastard Necrophadisu is going to murder him the moment he gets what he wants!! So forget this battle! There will be no winners!"

***

If anything else was said, Namu didn't hear. As soon as he heard this, Namu dropped the Millennium Rod and sprinted out. He didn't know the way he was going, or how he would get there in time. He didn't even realize that he was going at the speed of light. He only had one train of thought-

Must save Nahkti, must find Nahkti, must reach Nahkti, must warn Nahkti...Nahkti...

All he thought about was Nahkti.

***

"What was that?" said Mariku in a strange tone, like when somebody is asking 'what is that' and is too stunned to even have a tone.

Isis, to everyone's disbelief, started to laugh. It was a kind, beautiful noise, filled with relief and release. She wiped away her tears, still laughing. "He knows! Thank all the gods ever to exist, he knows! My mission is complete! I can rest in peace! Even if my child is never born, I can be fulfilled!"

She whirled around and ran out.

***

Everybody blinked and stared. Then Mariku turned his head towards the direction of the noise which had instilled Isis in his mind as a raving lunatic. "I'm just...going to go check it out."

He slipped behind the columns and gasped, seeing the Millennium Rod on the ground.

"What is it, Mariku?" Aishisu called.

Mariku shook his head and stuffed the Millennium Rod into his robes. "Nothing," he called. Then he turned and went towards the door. He had to find out what this Isis woman's secret was.

***

Mariku (from the future) had a troubled expression as Isis appeared. "Isis?"

She stared at him with her tearful eyes and smiled, beginning to sing.

"Hold on to me, my love
You know I can't stay long
All I wanted to say was
I love you and I'm not afraid

Can you hear me?
Can you feel me in your arms?

Holding my last breath
Safe inside myself
Are all my thoughts of you
Sweet raptured light
It ends here tonight

I'll miss the winters
A world of fragile things
Look for me in a white forest
Hiding in a hollow tree
Come find me

I know you hear me
I can taste it in your tears

Holding my last breath
Safe inside myself
Are all my thoughts of you
Sweet raptured light
It ends here tonight

Closing your eyes to disappear
You pray your dreams will leave you here
But still you wake and know the truth
No one's there

Say goodnight
Don't be afraid
Calling me, calling me
As you fade to black

Say goodnight
Don't be afraid
Calling me, calling me
As you fade to black

Holding my last breath
Safe inside myself
Are all my thoughts of you
Sweet raptured light
It ends here tonight

Holding my last breath
Safe inside myself
Are all my thoughts of you
Sweet raptured light
It ends here tonight"

When she finished, there were tears in Mariku's eyes. "You shouldn't have come," he whispered. "You could have lived a bit longer."

Isis smiled, but there were tears in her eyes as well. "What's the use of living without our family? Our friends? Our love? I don't want to be the only one left, Mariku. Malik's past life knows about Necrophadisu. Soon Bakura's will as well. I can die in peace now."

Still with tears in his eyes, Mariku covered the distance between them in three strides and wrapped his arms around her. She laid her head on his shoulder and he stroked her hair as if she were a child.

"Oh, Mariku," she murmured. "My love, what will become of us?" She turned up her head and he wiped away her tears as she continued. "We don't know what will happen to us. We may not even exist!"

Mariku shook his head. "The us in this world will exist. Sooner or later, the Rulers of the Heavens from here will have to face challenges just like we will. Whether or not they are the same challenges."

"But we may never see each other again!" Isis cried, and Mariku's lips twitched into something of a smile.

"Then I better give you something to remember me by." And he pressed his lips against hers, and for a moment time stood still.

Then an unearthly breeze drifted around them, lifting Isis's hair and cloak and dress and not affecting Mariku because he had given his cape to Isis and his hair was too spiky and he didn't wear dresses. Still they remained embraced kissing, lips pressed together, as light shimmered around them and eventually engulfed them.

When the light vanished, they were gone. There was nothing there at all.