Chapter 1: Nekhet: Be Strong
Under the burning sun, no one noticed the cloaked figure as it made it's way towards the town's castle. The figure stopped to watch the castle guards as they screened those who claimed business with the Pharaoh. More guards stood on a higher stage, looking out for any intruders. Slowly the cloaked figure made it's way to the back of the castle.
"Pharaoh, the crops are beginning to dry up! Please, could you spare us some water so we can continue our farming?"
"Did I not give you a quota of water for you to use for the week?" The Pharaoh frowned.
"I don't mean to offend but you gave us too little!"
"I will consider the matter." The Pharaoh sighed, "Once I check how much water is available. There are many others who require water as well."
"T...Thank you...Pharaoh."
The Pharaoh waved his hand and guards escorted the farmer out of his court.
"Pharaoh, you seem perturbed." His Priest spoke up.
"I am fine. Do not worry. The sun is simply a bit stronger today than usual. Send in the next subject."
The guards complied and guided a robed figure to the court.
"Speak you name." The Priest addressed the subject.
…
"Speak your name." The Priest repeated himself.
…
"Shadowslayer."
Before anyone could react, the figure threw off it's cloth and rushed towards the Pharaoh, sword glinting in his hand. The guards could only look in horror as it lowered it's sword and slice the Pharaoh in half.
The broken pieces of a straw scarecrow clattered to the ground in front of the assassin's feet. Sitting in the throne in front of him...was the Pharaoh.
"It's a Ka!" The Priest shouted, "An assassin has sent a Ka! Eliminate it!"
As the Priest's words took effect, the Ka lunged at the Pharaoh once more, sword leveled at his head.
"Mystical Knight of Jackal!"
A giant armored Jackal appeared at the Pharaoh's side and quickly sliced the Shadowslayer with it's katars.
"My Pharaoh!" The Priest cried as he ran to his side, "Are you unharmed?!"
"Do not let down your guard!" The Pharaoh cried as the corpse of Shadowslayer disappeared and turned into a small wisp. The wisp quickly flew off, circling around to the back of the Pharaoh.
"Battle Fader!"
A clock like demon appeared behind the Pharaoh and swung it's pendulum to it's side, sounding a gong and sending a robed figure that had leaped from the rafting with a knife to the ground.
"The assassin?!" The Priest cried as the cloacked figure quickly got up.
"Gagagigo." The cloaked figure called as a humanoid lizard appeared at his side and tore Battle Fader apart.
The figure quickly ran past the Pharaoh, aiming to escape the court.
"Wall of Illusion!"
A wall of flesh suddenly manifested in the figure's way, forcing him to stop. Gagagigo ran forth and barraged the wall with punched but to no avail. Gagagigo slowly faded away.
"Mystical Knight of Jackal returns any Ka it destroys back to it's owner." The Pharaoh spoke up as he got up from his throne to address the assassin, "I was wondering if my assassin expected to kill me with such a weak Ka. Was he a fool or was it a distraction?"
"How dare you attack the Pharaoh!" The Priest cried as he stepped in front of the Pharaoh, "Do you not know where you are?"
"Seba. Quiet."
"But...Pharaoh Shefdew." The Priest began,
"Enough." The Pharaoh stepped around his Priest, "Our little assassin has proven to be a rather experienced duelist."
The assassin did not answer as the Pharaoh watched him.
"...Seba, my DiaDhank."
"P-Pharaoh, you can't possibly be planning to duel this-"
"He will be punished by my hands." The Pharaoh sneered.
The assassin parted his cloak to reveal a DiaDhank attached to his arm.
"Oh? I did not expect you to have your own DiaDhank." The Pharaoh said as he placed his DiaDhank to his arm, "You should know what a duel should be then."
…
"Heh. Duel!"
"Teva."
A bare handed warrior appeared to the assassin's side.
"I hope you're taking this seriously." The Pharaoh sneered, "That monster does not look like it can handle my Knight of Jackal."
The Jackal roared at the assassin who stared on without flinching.
"Teva."
At his words, his Ka took it's stance against the Jackal...and then spun around to punch the Wall of Illusion. The wall crumbled under it's blow and as Teva disappeared, the assassin ran past the guards and made his way to the door.
"Trying to run?! Jackal!"
Mystical Knight of Jackal roared and ran towards the assassin, katar drawn back to attack. But before the monster could strike, it stopped.
"What's wrong?" The Pharaoh cried. He turned to his Ka and was shocked to see the ghost of Teva holding his monster back. The Pharaoh turned again as the doors slammed open and the assassin escaped.
"Follow him!" He barked to his guards, "Find him and bring him back!"
The guards gave a quick nod before they ran off, carrying spears with them.
The assassin ran through the town's streets dodging people after people as the guards pushed them aside to get to him
"Stop!" They called to no avail.
Despite that they were gaining on him quite quickly until the assassin reached the end of the town and ran off into the desert sands. The guards called to their fellows around the edge of town and the chase continued.
The assassin kept running as the guard's voices echoed behind him. He jumped behind a sand dune and took a moment to listen. The voices weren't growing closer yet. He may have lost them but they have not given up their search. Despite that, the assassin took the opportunity to catch his breath, bringing out a flask of water and taking a swig of it. He drew back his hood and immediately had to cover his eyes as the sun glared down at him. As the fatigue died down the intense heat began to seep in and as the voices of his pursuers grew closer, the assassin began to run again. It wasn't long before he tripped over something.
The assassin quickly got back up and brushed the sand from his face, blinking rapidly to clear his vision again before he checked on what he tripped on. A young cloaked girl. Collapsed in the sand with rasped breaths. Not dead. Not yet. The assassin scrambled to his feet and was about to resume his escape but stopped to glance at the girl one more time. He slid his flask of water underneath her hand and ran off.
The guards proved to be rather persistent as they continued to search for him even as the day dragged on. What's worse was that they were getting closer and closer. An entire platoon of them were searching the sands right behind the dune that the assassin was now hiding behind. The assassin drew breath after breath as he fought against his fatigue. As they grew closer and closer he considered the need to summon a Ka again.
"Ummm..."
The assassin barely stifled his voice as he turned to find the girl from before squatting next to him.
"Thank you for your consideration. But I'm not thirsty." The girl said as she handed him back his flask of water, "I didn't want to take your water from you so here."
"Quiet!" The assassin hissed as he took back his water bottle and peered around the dune at the guards.
"Umm...Why are you hiding?" The girl asked.
"Don't make a sound." The assassin glared at the girl, "And run. Forget about me."
"Are you sure?"
"The guards will think you're with me. Go!"
"Okay."
As the girl started to crawl away, a deep, loud growling noise came from her stomach.
"I thought you said you didn't need my water!" The assassin hissed as the guards shouted to each other.
"I said I wasn't thirsty!" The girl whispered back, "But I am hungry!"
"Why you-"
"Hyozanryu!"
A large sparking dragon flew above them and landed in front of the two.
"Zero Gardna!" The assassin cried.
A small flying sprite appeared carrying a heavy weight that he threw at the dragon before disappearing. The assassin grabbed the girl's hand and ran past the dazed dragon.
"Stop!"
The assassin dived as the dragon breathed it's fire at him. As the two got up, the guards closed in.
"You are under arrest." The guards parted as someone approached, "Under the order of the Pharaoh Shefdew, I, Priest Seba will punish you!"
"What did you do?" The girl hissed.
"I attempted to kill him." The assassin answered.
"You what?!"
"Run." The assassin said as he got up, DiaDhank raised.
"Are you going to duel or run away again, assassin?"
"If I duel, will you let this girl go?" The assassin called, "She has nothing to do with this."
"You are in no position to negotiate." The Priest sneered, "Hyozanryu!"
The dragon roared as it prepared to fire it's breath at the assassin and girl.
"Gorz!"
As the dragon's fire roared towards them, it was cut by a red haired man. As the guards approached them, a woman with a sword appeared and swung, holding them back.
"Stay there." The assassin addressed the girl, "The Emissary of Darkness will protect you."
The girl gulped and nodded.
"Gorz!"
At his words, Gorz charged forth, sword raised but as it clashed against Hyozanryu, it could not make a cut.
"Impressive Ka you've summoned!" Seba called, "But it won't be enough to even dent my Hyozanryu!"
"You haven't gotten rid of my Gorz." The assassin said.
"That is no challenge. Let me show you, the qualifications of a Priest!" Seba sneered as he held up his DiaDhank, "Come to me, Thunder Dragon!"
At his words, a bolt of lightning shot down and it's thunder slowly became a roar as a green dragon appeared before them.
"Using Thunder Dragon's special ability, I can release him to bring forth two more Thunder Dragons!"
Lightning flashed twice more as one Thunder Dragon became two.
"None of your monsters are strong enough to defeat Gorz however." The assassin noted.
"I told you." Seba grinned, "I'll show you the qualifications of a Priest."
Seba raised his arms in the air, "I invoke the magic Polymerization!"
"A fusion?!" The assassin cried, taking a step back.
"Is that a bad thing?" The girl asked.
"Splendid Emerald Dragon! Sparking Green Dragon! Take hold of your bright forms and come together as your light and thunder become one to strike down my enemies!"
The assassin and girl covered their eyes as the two dragons came together in a vortex of light behind the Priest.
"Fusion Summon! Bring down your thunder, Twin-Headed Thunder Dragon!"
From the light appeared a single red dragon clad in electricity. It's roar kicked up sand and sent the assassin stumbling back a few steps.
"A Fusion monster..." The assassin scowled as the dragon glared back at him.
"Now then. Twin-Headed Thunder Dragon! Strike down his Ka with your holy lightning!"
The dragon raised his head and from his horn a single bolt of lightning shot up to the clouds. The assassin turned and grabbed the girl, jumping quickly to the side as the lightning came back down and struck Gorz, destroying him.
The Priest began to laugh manically, "Do you see? This is the difference between a Priest like me and a lowly assassin like you!"
As the priest laughed, the assassin slowly got back up and spoke to the girl, "I'll try to make a path. When I do, run for it. Don't look back."
"But...what about you?"
"...I'm probably not going to win this."
"But what will happen to you?!"
"Now!" The Priest interrupted them, "I'll have your head! Hyozanryu!"
"Emissary!" The assassin called.
The woman from before stepped up and slashed with her sword, never damaging the monster but keeping it back nonetheless.
"I'll be dead." The assassin answered, "Don't worry about that. Just focus on running when I make the chance."
…
"Can you use magic?"
"Huh?" The assassin turned as the girl stood up.
"Can you use magic?" She repeated.
"No."
"I can."
"You...you can preform a Fusion?!" The assassin cried.
"N-No! But...maybe...something like it?"
"What?"
"Hyozanryu! Twin-Headed Thunder Dragon! Destroy his last Ka already! Guards, capture them!" The Priest ordered and the guards began to make their way towards them.
"Trust me." The girl pleaded, looking the assassin in the eyes.
"...Emissary!" The assassin called.
The Emissary of Darkness pushed back the dragons one more time before returning to the assassin's side.
"Thank you." The girl said as she took a deep breath and stepped forward, "I cast the magic, Demotion, on Emissary of Darkness, reducing it's level by 2!"
"Level?" The Priest frowned.
"Level?" The assassin said, confused.
The girl simply smiled as she continued, "Now, appear at my side! The fuel of destruction, Nitro Synchron!"
At her words a small can like monster appeared.
"What are you doing?" The Priest frowned, "What is this 'Level' you're talking about? And then bringing out such a weak looking Ka. I grow weary of this. Finish them off my dragons!"
"What are you doing?" The assassin cried. He turned to face the dragons, but the girl grabbed his head and turned it to look straight in his eyes,
"This is the most important part. I need your cooperation."
"What?"
"Please. Become one with me."
"...What?!"
The girl closed her eyes. The assassin did the same. In the darkness the sounds of the battle going on outside seemed to go quiet. For a moment there was only his heartbeat. No. Two heartbeats? Was it the girl's? Was he hearing the girl's heartbeat from her hands? The more he focused on her heartbeat the more his heart began to beat with hers. Until the two eventually became one.
"Tuning." The girl whispered, "I tune my Level 2 Nitro Synchron with the Level 5 Emissary of Darkness!"
The little can monster suddenly exploded into a pairs of rings that surrounded the Emissary of Darkness. The Emissary disappeared, leaving 5 stars that aligned themselves inside the rings.
"Gathering feelings will now become a new force. Become the path its light shines upon!" The girl cried "Synchro Summon! Blaze on, Nitro Warrior!"
Light erupted from between the rings and from it's light emerge an enormous green warrior. The guards and even the dragons took a step back as the monster emerged. The girl released the assassin and opened her eyes, "I'll leave it to you now."
The assassin stared at the girl with utter bafflement. He turned to Nitro Warrior with similar bafflement.
"W-What is this?" Seba scowled, "This...this isn't a fusion summon...What kind of Ka is that?! Dragons! Take it down!"
Hyozanryu and Twin-Headed Thunder Dragon roared in response.
The girl placed a hand on the assassin's shoulder, "Attack the Thunder Dragon first."
The assassin nodded, "Nitro Warrior."
At his words, Nitro Warrior turned towards the Twin-Headed dragon and flew up.
"W-What's going on?" Seba said, taking a step back.
"Nitro Warrior is strongest if I've cast a spell this turn." The girl said.
Fire emerged from Nitro Warrior's tail as he charged straight at Twin-Headed Thunder Dragon and rammed his fist right down it's throat. The dragon fell to the floor and disappeared.
"M...My fusion monster..." The Priest whimpered.
The guards took a few steps back before they turned and ran away.
"H-Hey! Where do you think you're going!" The Priest cried.
"Let's end this duel." The girl said.
Seba spun around to see the green warrior staring him down, "H-Hyozanryu! Protect me!"
"Your defenses mean nothing to Nitro Warrior." The girl smiled.
"Nitro Warrior! Dynamite Impact!" The assassin called.
The monster took to the sky again and charged at Hyozanryu. For a moment his entire body seem to become a fist before it slammed into the dragon and destroyed it, the impact kicking up so much dust that the Priest was blown away.
"What was that?" The assassin asked as he stared up at Nitro Warrior, "Is that...my Ka?"
"It's our Ka." The girl explained, "It's a monster born when my Ka becomes attune to yours."
"Your Ka can do that?"
"It's a technique that certain Ka can do. They're known as Tuners."
"I've never heard of them." The assassin frowned.
"I've yet to meet anyone else who can call upon Ka with the abilities of a Tuner." The girl said.
"Then this Ka is yours?"
"I told you." The girl said taking the assassin's face in her hands and directing his gaze to her eyes, "It's ours. It was born of us becoming one."
"...Why did you help me?" The assassin asked.
"I could ask you the same question." The girl laughed, "A man on the run doesn't stop to give water to a starving girl."
"Is that it? Simply because I offered you water?"
"Of course not." The girl said releasing the assassin, "You desperately tried to let me escape and even protected me from their attacks."
"I'm an assassin."
"You were going to die." The girl said, "I couldn't stand to let such a kind person die."
"..."
"...What's your name?" The girl asked, "Mine is Akh Seshem."
"...Sefet. Sefet Nekhet."
"Nice to meet you, Sefet." Akh smiled.
"...So that's the name of my assassin."
The two turned as the Pharaoh approached them, "I'm intrigued. This new type of Ka. A Synchro Summon. A Synchro Monster. It was idle interest that had me find you myself, but now I'm beyond just you, my little assassin."
Sefet stepped in front of Akh, "What do you mean?"
"The tuner girl. Give her to me."
"I have no reason to." Sefet frowned.
"And the girl?"
Akh hid behind Sefet. The Pharaoh sighed, "It seems like I can't settle this peacefully."
"Nitro Warrior!" Sefet called.
"I guess I should be thankful." The Pharaoh continued as Nitro Warrior turned to him, "I get to let loose with a little battle."
Pharaoh Shefdew pointed at the assassin, "Hinotama."
A fireball shot forth from the Pharaoh's finger, flying right at Sefet.
"Damage Mage!"
A cloaked woman with wings appeared and swatted away the fireball.
"Perfect." Shefdew grinned, "Come from the ground and submerge my enemies in your lava! Lava Golem!"
The ground began to shake as it opened up to spew towers of lava that consumed Damage Mage. An even larger spike of lava shot up towards Nitro Warrior who flew upwards to dodge it. But the lava formed a hand and enclosed the monster in it's grip. More and more lava began to erupt around them.
"Ahhhhh!"
Sefet turned around to see a cage form around Akh and lift up as the lava came together to form a monster that towered over dragons and warriors alike. Around it's neck hung a cage with Akh inside. Sefet turned back to the Pharaoh.
"Owner's Seal."
The Lave Golem turned it's gaze towards Sefet.
"Knock him out if possible." Pharaoh Shefdew said as he walked off.
At his words, Lava Golem aimed a punch at Sefet.