Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ With and Without You ❯ Chapter 5

Whee!

Disclaimer: I don't own Yugioh. It belongs to Kazuki Takahashi. This non-profit, non-copyright infringing fanfiction belongs to me!

Chapter 5

 

Oh no, Akunadin and his son were not pleased the next morning when the Court rose, he was certain of that. He could feel the boy's glares throughout the Council and he almost laughed at the futility of it. Stares could not kill, no matter how forceful, and the most that Kaiba's frosty stares caused were a slight feeling of unease. Still, it was easy enough to block that portion of his mind and concentrate on the messenger's words.

It seemed that the Hittites had rebuilt their strength and were invading again…

Obviously, seeing as they still had an acute lack of soldiers, the Pharaoh and his Court would head out to deal with the problem personally, calling the aid of the items…and the monsters…

He could feel darkness wrap around his soul, comforting him. It reminded him oddly of his Prince, but that was being difficult. Perhaps he was just uneasy.

He had no desire to be stabbed in the back during any fighting…

Flesh and blood mixed in dark magic and gilded with brilliant gold shimmered beneath his fingertips. He knew.

Was this why Akunadin had driven him away? Because Mahaado knew, as soon as the Ring joined him, that the truth was there, just waiting beneath the surface? And the Ring delighted in telling him, showing their screams and cries as they were melted down… and re-forged into pure power. Interesting.

Not that Mahaado didn't feel a strange delight at those times when darkness flared up in his mind and demanded attention, oh, he knew he shouldn't, those were innocent lives for the most part, sacrificed for Egypt, but he couldn't help it… it tasted so sweet…

Or perhaps Akunadin thought that his Black Paladin, one of his Dark Magician's evolutions, could harm Seto's dragons, even his prized Blue-eyes, and worried for it? Who knew?

In any case, it didn't matter, much. Who cared about the old man? He could extract his Penalty Game at any time, if he so wished…

Did Akunadin know?

 

“You know, it's quite easy. It's a bit sad, too, that it's so simple.”

Yami looked at Mahaado worriedly.

“What's wrong with my father?”

“Priest Akunadin has placed some virus or another in him… and I do not know how to counter it…”

“That can't be! You know everything…”

“I wish that were the case, my Prince…”

“Can't you do something with time to save him?”

Mahaado laughed lightly. “I can stop time, my Prince, but that is all. I can neither take it forwards or backwards in it's natural flow. That would disturb Ma'at…”

Yami looked slightly disappointed, well, quite a bit more than slightly, but it was improper to speak of otherwise.

 

“I understand….”

Magic cannot solve all problems, most unfortunately, though the foolish assume it can. Fools. If that were the case, disease, plague, famine, war… all those evils would have been purged long ago…

Fortunately for Egypt, Yami was not that much a fool.

“Then is there a way to stop this disease?”

“If we cured only the symptoms, the root would spring forth new weeds.” Mahaado stated quietly, correct posture and all. Luckily, Yami was quite skilled at reading between the lines. His eyes widened slightly in understanding.

What Mahaado was proposing was treason, but… dire times call for dire circumstances. In the end, the end will justify the means.

Yami did not want the Pharaoh Akunumkanon his father to die. It was that simple.

“I see… so we must remove the source of the problems.”

“I await your commands, my Prince.”

 

He didn't hesitate. He didn't quite care that if this were found out; it would be his life on the line. He didn't care at all…

Mahaado would never betray him. Yami trusted his instincts enough to say that much. And if he couldn't trust himself in court, then whom could he trust?

It was frightfully easy. The Eye could read minds, yes, but it was little proof against lesser forms of thought… and if one had built up the proper resistance and forged a shield of bright lies over truth, well, wouldn't that dazzle an old man?

Sunstroke shattered the dark god out of the sky as Ra's beams poured over a desert land… but the fruit was growing swiftly and steadily inside, as the weeds were crushed out and choked away and pruned and incinerated…

They would not suffer the lesser evils to live. The harvest would be good this year, plump golden wheat and barley…

The Nile flooded with rich black soil and the Black land was fertile once more. But deep in the night, two voices mourned, one in innocence and one in despair…

Akunadin, the High Priest, had fallen…

 

Everyone young and ambitious needs a guide after all, without one; they would flounder, unless they were especially cunning…

But all the cunning in the world would not help the High Priest now….

Pharaoh was worried. His council was set to vote on the new High Priest. A replacement for the Eye had not yet been found, and it was not a time to leave things hanging. The people needed to see stability…

How would the votes tally?

 

“You'll vote for me, won't you?”

Shadah fixed Seto with a slight glare.

“I know you will.” Seto leaned in closer. “It's how things play out. It would not be wise to cross me, Shadah…”

The Priest of the Ankh cursed the day he had met the High Priest-to-be and silently vowed vengeance one day…

 

Mahaado seemed unconcerned with the voting scheme. He was quite certain that if it were up to him, he'd make Karim High Priest. The man was completely fair, and his mastery of the Sennen Scales showed that clearly enough…

Aishizu, well, who knew which way she would tip the balance? Although Seto might resent Mahaado, he was fairly sure that no one would vote for him. After all, he wasn't even properly rained! He'd only been a priest about six months, while Seto had plenty of experience…

 

“Did the Tauk show you any special vision?” Mahaado asked quietly.

Aishizu shook her head. “I cannot read the futures of the ones who carry the Sennen Items…”

Now that was interesting... “So you did not read my return?”

“I did not… I have not seen you in my visions - they stopped barely a moon after your untimely departure.”

“Interesting…” So he'd learned to shield himself even then? He couldn't remember… the years had mostly blended together into training and survival…

And magic, the warmth of time first coming to him, to grant him power few others could possess, and yet, who could tell if he used it when he chose? For it did not have to be obvious, and if he truly wanted, well… that was for later.

Power was intoxicating, but he never let it dull his eyes to his true goal. He would protect his Prince and future Pharaoh unto death and beyond. That he vowed…

 

End Chapter

Completed 10/20/05