Shatter

By Snare-chan

Pairings: None intended, but you know me…
Ratings: K+
Category(ies): General
Warning(s): Spoilers for Yami's true name
Status: Two-shot, 1/2
Summary: (Shadah Centric) An earthquake strikes Egypt, leaving many battered, broken, and left to tend to the aftermath. Shadah, blaming himself for some of it, goes to heal one of the wounded…and finds himself being the one who is in need of healing.

Notes: Something I had dreamt about not to long ago and just finally got around to writing, this fic was actually intended to be a one-shot. It grew to the point that if it kept going it would look like a mini-novel on crack, and so I chopped it in two and am currently in the works for the second and final chapter.

I'd also written this as a tribute to the solitary High Priest, for I've never actually seen a fic that's delved into his mind, not to mention had him as a main character of sorts. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure someone somewhere had written about him or even had him as a secondary character or whatnot, but I've certainly not seen them so…well, bah. I felt like writing him as a main character for once, so there. XD

Disclaimer: I dun own YuGiOh!; wish I did like everyone else. They should put YGO in stock, then I'd buy it all!

No one knew when it had begun, or why, or even how. It was as if the very earth shook with livid fury, the motherland feeling as if she were about to crack in two beneath their very feet. It was happening so quickly, so unexpectedly, that no one was prepared for such anger, such danger.

The suddenness of it left many to wonder what was going on, while others immediately knew that the Gods were at work; that they were angry and ready to punish.

Whole buildings swayed and crumbled at such power. Pillars and statues collapsed or toppled over to become nothing more than dust as the ground under such things gave out and caved in. All the people knew fear, and no hiding place was safe; those standing soon lost their footing and fell just as the pillars and statues did.

Noise - the commotion of things falling, breaking, and people screaming - rang true through the entire kingdom. Rocks crumbled and broke apart, children cried, and men called out before being cut off as they were crushed or fell.

Just as the eruption of chaos had reached its peak, all began to slowly grow calm. The shaking, the fury, slowly began to subside until at last it was gone altogether. Soon, a hush fell over everything as rock began to settle, no one trusting the break to mean it was over just yet.

As minutes ticked by, it slowly sank in that whatever had happened was over now, men, woman, and children carefully peeking out from their hiding spots to take in the damage. Nothing could be seen but the dazed looks on people's faces as dust and sand began to settle.

Soon, in the palace, a single voice rang out and echoed through everything, traveling a distance that had many catching the tune amongst the air, then more were doing the same.

"My Pharaoh?"

Guards who had survived the disaster sprung up from all over, each one calling out the same thing. Maids and other survivors quickly joined the search as they escaped from under debris and rubble. Rocks were carefully overturned and their voices rang through the empty, ruined palace hallways as they went about searching for their demi-god.

A muffled, barely audible reply reached one of the nearby guards who happened to be near the throne itself, who discovered their leader to be found under some fallen tablets - two of them having miraculously come together to form a safe-haven - and bits of stone and dirt. It was a miracle really - a blessing, not that the Pharaoh had time to be thankful.

As he was pulled out of the rubble he could only worry about everyone else.

"Where are my Priests?"

No one could honestly answer, so Atemu took the initiative and stood up straight, and despite his now tattered robes and dirtied appearance it did not deter his leader-like appeal, and all attention went to him.

"Well, don't just stand there, then, go and find them! Help any survivors, and get the men out to help my people!"

"But Pharaoh-"

"I'm fine; now go!"

The guards didn't need to be told one more time, many of them spreading out while only about five or six remained to help their Pharaoh. Aside from a few scratches and dirt, he was completely fine, not that the guards, or anyone else for that matter, would trust their bullheaded leader to be honest about his health when others were on the line.

"What was that…?" one of the guards finally murmured, respectfully, of course.

"I don't know…but whatever it was, it can't be good," Atemu replied just as softly, his eyes scanning over the once-beautiful throne room, observing how battered it was.

A man's voice suddenly rang out among the commotion in the throne room, the sound catching everyone's attention and having them rush over as quickly as possible. Atemu, ignoring his guards' pleas for him to see a healer right away, moved over to the scene, which was only a few feet from him, where a single stone slab from something (the roof, perhaps?) was the only thing blocking his view.

As he moved around it, his eyes spotted a large mass of his men around a fallen pillar, his stomach lurching at the horrid ideas that popped into his head. He knew what would greet him, he just knew it; he didn't want to see it…but his feet kept moving, propelling him closer to the dramatic scene.

He stumbled slightly, his foot losing its hold on the tiled floor slightly, and he looked down. He tilted his foot so that he could see what he was stepping in, but he didn't need to, for he could have just looked down and spotted the blood. It pooled around his foot, creating a red mirror on the throne-room floor.

It was a deep crimson, bordering black with its thickness, and dribbled down in a horrid river. He didn't want to believe so much blood could come from one person, thinking that several of his men had simply been victim to such a misfortune of being crushed by a fallen pillar.

Slowly, he inclined his head to his left, spotting Shadah just a couple paces away from him. He was kneeling, his eyes closed and head bowed in prayer.

Stiffly, Atemu moved over next to him, just standing behind him while he waited for him to finish what he had to say before weakly kneeling down beside him, placing his hand on the other's shoulder. Shadah jumped at his gentle touch, inclining his head to look at the other in shock before reluctantly relaxing under his hand.

"What happened?" Atemu breathed, knowing, just as he'd known before this, what had happened. Also, just as before, he didn't want to know the answer, but he asked anyway, the words leaving his lips before he could even think about denying them leave.

The older man was silent for a long time, signaling that he couldn't speak about whatever he'd seen. Sadly, he turned his head to the guards as they managed to lift the large pillar, a single, pale hand falling loose at their efforts.

It was dark, Shadah noticed absently as he moved along the empty corridors. Many candles and oils had been taken out to aid in the nightly searches, as well as help the healers see what they were doing. Though some candles still struggled on to remain lit, many had gone out long ago, leaving the hallways dark. The lack of light made walking through the tattered palace slightly difficult, if not slightly unsettling.

He sighed softly, feeling childish for fearing the dark, but he could not help it. Of late, there just seemed to be much reason to fear what could not be seen in the shadows. With the earth having done what it did, Shadah just got the feeling that it was an omen for horrible things to come.

Shadah finally came to a stop, his eyes roaming the door before him. It was the same as many, but what lay beyond it is what he was interested in. For a moment he could only stand before it, unsure if it was wise for him to even be here, much less if he should dare continue onward. After a moment of quelling his fears, he finally stepped through the doorway and into the room, not sure exactly what would greet him on the other side.

But whatever he'd been expecting, it most certainly hadn't been this. The room simply reeked of death, grime and other unfitting aromas Shadah did not dare allow himself to wonder about. He could not help but take a slight step back, nearly stepping far enough to nearly exit the domain, and covered his mouth with his hand as he resisted the urge to gag. It felt like he was walking into a moldy tomb, not some room.

Hesitantly, he finally dared to tread inside, both curiosity and worry leading him farther inward. Still, he could not help but be wary, feeling as if he were treading on grounds he should not be stepping foot on. All the same, his feet did not stop until he was nearly to the center of the room. By now, what little light trailed inside was nothing more than blocked out by his body, causing the already-darkened atmosphere to become darker still and helping to shade the figure that lay helplessly on the bed in front of him.

Being unable to see much in this place, much less the person in front of him, he carefully went about lighting the shortened candle set upon the bedside table. It was slightly tedious work all-considering, but eventually he got it lit and was able to see the inside of the room much easier. The soft, amber glow that filled some of the chamber allowed Shadah to get a much better look at the slumbering man in front of him (or so he hoped he was simply sleeping).

Chest barely rising, the man on the cot looked scarcely alive, or at least the several bloodied bandages implied that he was lucky to be so. Limbs, torso… you name it, and there was bound to be gauze covering the other's entire body, save half of his face. Shadah could barely believe it possible; he had wished that the healers who had tended to the other had only been exaggerating his current position, however, they hadn't, and the other's critical condition was indeed very real.

With a shaky sigh, he slowly kneeled beside the bed, trying to take in the image before him and control his thoughts as well as his emotions. He felt things he had not felt since the previous Pharaoh's, Akunamkanon's, death – hate towards himself, hate towards the Gods, hate towards anything he could possibly blame for this atrocious outcome, though he knew deep down that perhaps no one was truly to blame but fate itself. Still, other feelings such as guilt, shame, and injustice constricted his heart, making it even more difficult to keep himself under control.

He momentarily closed his eyes, taking in a large breath of air and releasing it as slowly as possible, listening to how shaky it was. So he did this exercise again, concentrating on his intake of air before letting it go once more, repeating this process until his heart had calmed and he could think logically once more.

Upon re-opening his eyes, he spotted the other's hand. It was wrapped up in several layers of cloth, but even still, the redness of blood blotted the once-white piece of fabric along the knuckles. Carefully, so as not to cause further damage, he took the other's hand in both of his own and cradled it there, as if hoping his sheer amount of will would manifest itself and heal the hand in his grasp.

But it was to no avail; the hand within his own remained perfectly lifeless as it had just moments before.

Shadah could not help but curse fate once more, his hands unconsciously clenching just the slightest as his thoughts took a wild turn away from their usual course. He was by no far stretch of the imagination a healer: he was a negotiator - the lowest of the Pharaoh's Seven High Priests - and possessed nothing more than a strong ability to summon monsters with his item. Such ability was just barely above that of the guards, which were only such because they could not do what he could with his golden Ankh.

And thus was Shadah's hidden weakness.

He held no special talent but to be able to be the only one to wield the item. All the other Priests held a talent that was separate from their items, or stemmed much stronger because of them.

Isis could see what others could not, while Shimon had an intelligence (whether from age or something else) that far mastered that of any Shadah had ever seen. Mahado had an ability with magic that surpassed anyone and had the privilege to finally start teaching a pupil to be his successor. Akunadin could tell when someone was lying sometimes without the power of his item (a talent that Shadah had yet to figure out); Karim was the most calm and collected of them all, if not the bravest next to Atemu himself, and Seto… was the strongest out of all of them.

And then there was he, Shadah, who was only there most of the time. Yes, he could pull out the inner shadow monster of a person, but there are other ways of accomplishing such a task. His was simply the quickest way of going about it, if you will.

Without warning, he shook his head clear of these thoughts, realizing this was not the time to think about such depressing things when he had a duty to attend to at the moment. He glanced down at his joined hands, realizing he had clenched them a bit tighter during his musings, and went about relaxing them, opening his left hand to spot some redness to the tan of his palm. Shadah winced at this, feeling worse for having caused more pain to the mess he had already started.

Yes, it was all his doing, and none could tell him otherwise. The others had tried their best to sway him from such thoughts, but deep down he knew that the others' pain should be his own…

Earlier the previous day, or so Shadah could last recall, their Pharaoh had called a meeting. It had been about the imposing threat one of the neighboring countries had become and what they should perhaps do about it, and while many insisted on trying to keep peace with them if at all possible, as per usual, Seto went against the grain and insisted just the same for Egypt to attack as soon as possible before the 'enemy' attacked first.

This, of course, didn't go well since the Pharaoh insisted that everyone agree to something so that all may be happy, though this never happened in the end since he himself had to come up with the plan of action. Even when their ruler had attempted to negotiate, Seto was still very unpleased, despite how the Pharaoh's compromise had benefited Seto more than the other side, and appeared to be even more stubborn and out for everybody than usual.

So of course Shadah had decided, for the first time since he'd known everyone there at once, to speak up against him. Though he was sure he'd simply sighed a tad bit more loudly than usual, Seto must had read something else of it and taken it quite personally. It was the first time Seto had addressed Shadah, much less in the manor he had. There were to be many more firsts that day, he'd soon realize, one of them being a slight, audible brawl between the two of them.

To be honest, none of them, including Shadah himself, knew he had it in him. He usually preferred to stay out of conflict, especially when it concerned someone stronger or higher-up than himself, but the other's negative attitude and thirst for selfish gain seemed to have just fallen on the normally quiet and calm man's last nerve.

Now Shadah couldn't even recall what they had been fighting about, nor what they'd said to one another, for that matter. Because of this fact he felt immensely foolish, and greatly regretted having ever thought of bickering with the other High Priest. It was so unlike him to do such things, so what had compelled him to do it? He could not say, even now, for all he did recall was what happened next.

Whatever Seto had said last had been his final words for the day, for with them he was all but storming towards the doors to leave the throne room, despite their Pharaoh's orders to cease and return that instant. No one noticed the tremor at first, and to the slightly-amused part of him, he almost blamed it on Seto's stomping towards the double doors, but once the shaking had increased in volume, everyone knew that something was terribly wrong.

From then on, everything went hazy and only bits and pieces could be recalled. The next he could remember was the sound of Isis gasping and fainting back in pain, her glowing item their only warning. Shadah was not sure why, but as Mahado was catching her mid-fall, he glanced up and over at Seto, noticing that he had stopped in his tracks and was turning back towards them, just as unsure about the sudden events as the rest of them.

His view was then clouded with the collapsing of the ceiling, parts of the stone crumbling and falling down like rain. Several people screamed then, and voices crying, "Is it an attack?" rang loudly through the palace and the throne room, most drowned out by the falling of pillars and statues.

Shadah's next recollection was of a shadow suddenly appearing overhead. Was it a shadow beast coming? Was it a cloud blotting out the sun? As he glanced up slowly, too slowly, to his horror he realized it was neither of those things but instead a pillar coming down right on top of him. He could only stare in fascination and sheer fright as the several-ton piece of rock came heading towards him, his feet not listening to his thoughts as they commanded him to flee.

When he thought he was surely to be crushed and killed, at the last moment he was shoved aside. Startled out of his petrifaction, he turned onto his side to see his savior. He couldn't say why the other did it, or how he did it so fast, but Seto stood there where he once had. Shoulders straight and eyes glued to the falling pillar, he looked like a warrior daring his enemy to try its worst.

In that moment, Shadah wasn't sure he had admired anyone more than he did Seto then.

The moment was dashed, however, as time suddenly sped up. Shadah hadn't even realized time had slowed down, but apparently it had, because faster than he could blink, the stone pillar had completely collapsed, as did much else of the ceiling, right onto the other. It wasn't soon enough till the shaking ceased, leaving a terrible silence in its wake as things began to finally settle.

But none of it mattered to Shadah, for all he could do was lay there and stare at the mound of fallen stone where Seto had once been.

He started slightly out of his thoughts once more, though these were much harder to shake off than any of the others that had resurfaced of late. The images still kept coming, flashing before his eyes and replaying everything over and over, to the point where he felt like it was happening all over again.

And the more he thought of the recent events, the more he felt it was somehow truly his fault. He had stepped out of line, he was sure, and probably insulted a higher being with his ill manor. Oh, and if only Seto had not pushed him out of the way!

The more he thought of that, the more confused he became as well, proceeding to only muddle his thoughts further. What would compel the other to commit such an act? Only moments before, they were practically at each other's throats, and then the next the least likely person, Seto, was pushing him out of harm's way? He wasn't implying that Seto was so cruel, but all matters aside, it just seemed like a very un-Seto-like thing for him to do.

Something twitched against Shadah's hand.

The miniscule movement was so small that Shadah scarcely thought he felt it, and as he looked down at the hand within his own, he was sure his mind had simply played a sick joke on him. He was about to return to his thoughts when he felt it again, and nearly jumped out of his skin. So the other was awakening!

"Praise be to Horus…" he breathed, kneeling more upright as his eyes trailed to the other's face, hoping beyond hope that he would open his eyes.

But to his slight disappointment Seto did nothing else but breathe a deep sigh. Still, this fact did not leave Shadah to return to more upsetting thoughts, but instead encouraged him into action. If the other was still well enough to be alive, then surely he would need tending to, and so Shadah quickly fled to recover some ointment and more bandages.

The task which he'd set himself to do had not been as easy as he'd hoped, if not strangely difficult considering all he had wanted to retrieve was some gauze and healing oil. In the end, very little was to be spared (even for a High Priest) since much had already gone out to the people or used on the already-tended, and so Shadah only returned with a few bandages and some herbs, but for now, it would do.

He'd also managed to grab a candle or two, knowing that the one in Seto's room had probably already run out, and would be needing one to re-wrap the other by.

At his return, Shadah was actually met with a shocking surprise, and nearly dropped his bowl of items as he entered through the door. Though still lying in bed in the same position as before and dimness aside, it could still easily be noted that Seto was quite awake.

It can be said that Shadah nearly tripped over himself several times as he hurried over to the other's side, seemingly startling the other out of his thoughts at his clumsy appearance.

As he set aside the items in his hands, Shadah couldn't help but ask the obvious, "Are you really awake?"

"No, I'm simply sleeping with my eyes open." Seto's expression pretty much said it all, the deadpan-look matching his voice perfectly as he answered Shadah's question.

Despite the Seto-like response he received, he couldn't help but smile just slightly. Not even a pillar could crush Seto's sarcastic manor it would seem, and Shadah couldn't help but be relieved at this fact.

He turned back towards his things that he'd placed on the bedside table, grabbing one of the candles and lighting it to illuminate the room once more.

"I've brought some more bandages for you, so if you'd just-"

"That won't be necessary," was Seto's rather curt reply.

The quick cutoff left Shadah slightly confused, and it must have been apparent upon his face as he turned to look at the other because Seto deeply sighed, as if trying not to get angry with a small child.

"But you've already almost bled through all of your bandages, by now you must need them changed."

"I can do it myself, thank you very much."

"But you can hardly move…"

Finally, Seto just snapped, "That is beside the point!"

Now it was Shadah's turn to sigh heavily, for the other's responses were leaving him with the arrival of a headache. He honestly just wished to bop the other upon the head with his item in hopes it would knock some sense into the other High Priest, but knowing Seto's ego, it would probably cushion the strike and solve nothing.

"Must you be so stubborn?" he spoke softly, going against the other's will and moving closer with a binding of bandages.

The other saw his attempts and glowered quite openly at his defile. Had Seto been adorned with cat ears at his birth, they would surely be tilted back in agitation by this point.

"And must you be so persistent? I neither need nor want your aid."

"I never asked for your permission," Shadah reminded the other, sitting down at the edge of the bed and, as gently as possible, took the other's arm and started to unravel the bindings around it. He attempted to be as tender as he could, but he could feel the other's limb twitch from time to time at his touch.

To his credit, Seto did put up a good fight in his condition, but aside from a few spitted comments, there wasn't much else he could do in his position but lay there, twitch a little, and eventually just take it like a man.

When Shadah was done with his left arm, he moved to start on the other's torso. It hadn't, as Shadah would soon learn, been a very bright idea. Seto, seemingly to find some newfound energy, was sitting up with all the power he had in him and snatched the sheets from Shadah's grasp, keeping them firmly in place. The action of course had caused him a great deal of pain, as was apparent on the other's face, but he would not seem to give up his hold on the blanket.

"Do you mind?! I said don't help me!"

Shadah blinked slowly at him, wondering what was the cause of such alarm. Shadah was about to question the other's actions when a fierce look of 'Don't push it' crossed his features, and in defeat, he nearly threw up his arms.

"Very well," Shadah slowly began to relent, though in his mind this was far from over, "I'll leave you to rest. I'll return with some food for you in due time."

And with that he passed through the door, not giving Seto the chance to make any more protests.

To Be Continued…