Author's Notes: This is my interpretation of Atemu's sacrifice. I wrote it ages ago but I really liked it and so tada!
Disclaimer: No own the Millennium World peeps or anything else you might recognize. –pout- Just Nailah and the concept.
For Love of a Pharaoh
A cool wind blew in from the south, making the former high priest shiver and draw his cloak closer around him. The night seemed darker, the stars a little less bright.
Oh cousin…why did you have to leave now? He wasn't ready to become Pharaoh. Not at the expense of his family. Even his father…
Seth's gaze darkened at the thought of his father. No. Akenaten was not his father. His father had been a good man, a loyal servant of his King and country. Not that monster.
The sound of labored weeping drew his gaze to the balcony across the courtyard. Nailah, Atemu's queen, lay on her massive bed, her beautiful face buried in the pillows. His heart ached at the sight. So young, and already a widow. An expectant widow, no less. Seth could still remember when Atemu and Nailah had first met, the princess of Nubia and the young crown prince of Egypt. They had fumbled all over themselves, spilling things, tripping over their trains…Seth had teased about it for months.
But no more. No more teasing. No more horse riding. No more anything.
He heard a door open and shut, then Priestess Aishisu sat down next to the fallen queen. She pulled her into a tight hug but he couldn't hear what she said. So much the better, he supposed. He'd heard all those allegedly comforting words before, and though he knew Aishisu meant well, mere words could not assuage the grief both he and Nailah felt. Atemu was gone and Kisara…dear, sweet Kisara…was still dead. Words couldn't change that.
Seth picked up the dragon pendant around his neck and stared at it, watching the moonlight glint off the gold. It was his seal. The Lord of Dragons, he was called. Once a childhood nickname, now it was a certifiable title. But at what cost? He had the Great Dragon because of Kisara's death. He was called "Lord" and "Pharaoh" because Atemu gave him the throne. He could deal with Atemu giving up the throne for the sake of Egypt. But Atemu asking him to rule in his stead because he was trapped in a broken, Ra-forsaken piece of jewelry for the rest of eternity was too much.
Lord of Dragons, indeed.
Three nights ago, he had tried to act the dutiful cousin and console the Lady. But words had failed him. All he could do was join her in her grief. Then, at some point, he wasn't sure exactly when, Nailah asked him what Atemu really did. She wanted all the details, every last spell and chant, that stole her lover away from her. He told her all he knew. About the Millennium Items, the Puzzle, the ritual Atemu went through. He told her how the Puzzle broke into its composite parts and only if the Shadow Realm opens again, only if he needed to save the world again, would someone find the puzzle and solve it. And then, only someone who was of the Pharaoh's blood could even begin to solve it since the Puzzle was still, technically, the property of the Pharaoh.
She'd asked the price, besides his mortal life, and he'd told her that too. His memories of the ritual were bound to his royal name of Atemu. But he would only remember his name when he gained all seven Millennium Items and the Three Egyptian God Monsters. Her response nearly brought him to his knees.
"So," she said through her tears, "So…whenever he's released…he won't remember anything. Beyond that spell."
"No. Not if the sacred writings are to be believed."
"So he won't remember any of us."
Seth's mouth went dry.
"No."
"I loved him Seth. I still love him. And he won't even remember my name!"
She sobbed into her hands.
"I'm carrying his child, Seth, and I won't even be a glint in his eye. The picnics, the night swims, the...I want him back. I want him back!"
A muffled sniffling brought him back to the present. Over in the queen's chambers, Aishisu was laying Nailah back down and covering her up. The poor woman must have cried herself to sleep.
With a heavy sigh, the priestess stood up and walked out onto the balcony. She looked so much older now. Exhausted. Seth knew that feeling well enough. Aishisu looked up at him and sighed.
What now? She seemed to be asking. Indeed, what now? She sighed again and turned back inside. She'd had enough tears for one day.
Seth gazed once again at the dragon seal, thinking, then clenched it in his fist and turned swiftly on his heel.
~~*~~
It was said that there was a temple deep in the desert beyond the workings of mortal Men. Scholars said it didn't exist. Legend said the gods built it as a refuge for the precious few who could find it and unlock its mystical powers. Fireside stories said it was made of solid gold.
But Seth knew better. It was not the gods who built that temple, nor some all-powerful force that moved the dunes to trap treasure seekers for the jackals. No, the temple was very real, and very old...and it wasn't gold at all, although it was bound to be valuable. Back when Egypt was still young and innocent, back when the blood of thousands was not on her hands, powerful beings came to share in the power Egypt discovered and teach her people how to use it. They built that temple as a conduit between their world and these sands.
Then a war against some dark power drew them back to their world. Only one was left, the Guardian of Memory, until he too withdrew after the Kuru Eruna Massacre, though Seth did not know that was the cause originally. All that remained of their presence were parchment records and stone tablets. And the temple.
Seth found it years ago thanks to a belt knife covered in runes and sleepless nights of searching. It was one of the single greatest achievements of his life, and it was there that he rode with all haste. Thebes could last without him for a couple days; Aishisu was a capable woman. But this…oh, this couldn't wait.
The high priest pushed his mount over one last dune and felt the horse's hoof hit the rock ledge that stuck out over the valley. The beautiful oasis stretched out below him as far as the eye could see. It was a paradise on earth with vegetation never seen anywhere else in the known world, not unlike the legendary Oasis of Ahm-Shere.
He carefully navigated down the canyon wall and followed the stream to the valley floor. Foreign trees the breadth of entire houses towered over him like giants. The bark was mottled silver, their leaves like pressed gold the size of his hand. He wasn't sure what they were called in their original tongue but whatever their name, it had to be as beautiful as they.
Seth dismounted a few feet from the stream and patted his horse on the neck.
"Don't wander off."
The beast seemed to almost wink at him as he walked away. There was a feel here, something in the air that made him feel like he was coming home. It was peaceful here. Hopeful. If only he could stay…
He began picking his way further down stream. Houses, on the ground and in the trees, could just barely be spotted through the foliage. It had taken him several visits to even identify them as houses, so natural it was as if they just grew from whatever was supporting them. A couple years ago, he would've stopped to explore.
Now though, he kept going, straight to the temple. Intricate pillars of white stone rose up out of the ground before ornate doors made of some kind of silver. Carvings of a landscape he would never see covered the panels, the artistry of a level that rivaled that of any workman he knew of.
He stood on the steps with sweaty palms. This…this was power. This was something built by a people he'd never even imagined.
Here goes.
Seth put his hands on the doors and pushed. The late desert sun poured into the ominous chamber as he slowly made his way to the altar in the middle of the room. Behind it was a stone gate carved with runes similar to those on the doors, the pillars, and the knife he had in his belt. Through that gate was their world…and the urge to go through and leave all this pain behind was almost unbearable.
No! He clenched his teeth. No, that world is not for me.
With shaking hands, he took out the knife and slashed his right palm. He watched the droplets land on the altar, barely noticing the stinging pain.
"O amar Im cani, Beleg Eldar, lasto beth nin. Forgive me, but I desperately need your help." (1)
The altar began to glow with an ethereal light and, somewhere in the distance, he could hear music. The very sound brought tears to his eyes that mingled with his blood as they fell. The music grew stronger.
"Great Ones," he called, "Your song…is sad."
"As is your own." He didn't hear the words. Rather, he felt the words like a warm embrace around his mind.
"Long has it been since a human spoke in the ancient tongue of our people," she, he was sure it was a 'she,' went on.
"What tragedy has brought the mighty Pharaoh to his knees? Has the Jewel of the Nile come for aid again?" she asked.
Seth swallowed, his mouth disturbingly dry.
"I am Pharaoh in name only," he replied. "And it grieves me that your only view of my home is for leeching away your mercy."
"Do not lie to me, Pharaoh. I can see your thoughts as well as my own. You come to ask for a favor."
"That's true—"
"And what has Egypt done for the Elves, Murderer?!"
Seth knelt hastily before the altar.
"I was not responsible for the Massacre, nor was I responsible for recent events in the crown city."
"Then why is your heart ridden with guilt?"
"The Lady of the Light is wise and powerful. Will she not hear me before she condemns my people for past mistakes?"
The eldar laughed ruefully.
"Very well. Powerful indeed must be the one to rediscover our link with your world. Speak, and do not waste my time."
He took a deep breath.
"My lady, the power of the Shadow Realm has shifted. My friend, the true Pharaoh, has sacrificed his life to defeat the darker beings."
"We sensed the change. Go on."
"He has been trapped in the Millennium Puzzle. Should the Shadow Realm ever become a threat again, the Puzzle will be solved and the Pharaoh released. But he will have no memory of his past here with us. Only through gaining the rest of the Millennium Items, the three Egyptian Gods, and learning his Pharonic name will he be able to remember the ritual needed to seal away the Darkness again."
"Why does this concern us? Egypt was weighed in the balance and was found wanting. The despair she now faces was brought about by her own carelessness."
"I am aware of that and I place no blame on your people. But the sins of the fathers are now being paid for with the lives of the sons. My Queen, she is still my Queen even if I rule in her husband's stead, is now left to raise a child who will never know his father. A father that if fate should choose to release him from the Puzzle won't remember anything of the Queen or…or Aishisu or Kisara or Mahaado or Karimu or Shadah…"
"Or you."
He nodded.
"Young one, my heart aches for you but the powers laid down at the beginning cannot be refuted once they have been set in motion. The music cannot be changed."
"But the Eldar are more powerful than anything we have on this earth. Isn't there some way to restore all of his memory should he discover his name? A man with no past has no way of making a future."
"It is already set beneath his feet, Pharaoh. Yes, he will be called again to fight the Darkness. One day, far from now, he will fight that evil once more and hopefully rise above it. But that is Earth's affair. The elves washed their hands of your blood long ago."
He felt her presence fading and he bowed, his palms down against the cold, stone floor
.
"No! Please, I beg you, don't go! I have fought for everything you taught us! My people have died defending a country you once deemed worthy to save! We have done everything we could to make right the mistakes of those before us, and those we couldn't we have strived to never repeat. Is that not enough?!"
She paused.
"You list your merits and the efforts of one generation. One generation is little more than a dot on the line of eternity to us. We are immortal. We have seen kingdoms of Men rise and fall like the tides—"
"Then you know the pain of watching everything you knew, everyone you loved, fade away."
Another pause.
"I will never ask for the help of your people again," he said. "I will bring every last trace of your existence here to this oasis and leave it to your gods to do with as they please. I will never speak of this place or any of you to a living soul. No one will bother you again, I swear. You will never hear from the Pharaoh or anyone else who can be so easily corrupted."
He wiped his eyes and swallowed.
"Please…restore his memory fully when he finally discovers his name. Don't let Nailah die knowing the man she loved will never think of her again."
"There is no promise you make that I can trust."
"Then what must I do?"
The Lady almost seemed to sigh.
"As a token of your sincerity and proof of your loyalty, waive all rights to the Millennium Rod. It is corrupt and a tool of Darkness. Give up your access to the Shadow Realm and give up your soul monster. Turn from the Dark Powers that have so polluted your world so you will once again be pure and I will grant your request."
Seth gaped at a point beyond the altar.
"My soul monster?"
"Yes, young pharaoh. Nothing is ever free. Give up your link to the Shadow Realm and your friend will remember everything."
He took the Millennium Rod out from under his robes. His key to power. And Duos…it was a part of him. He'd grown addicted to using its strengths in battles and knowing such a powerful force backed him up sometimes gave him the confidence boost he needed for that last hurtle before the victory.
But it was these self-same powers that Atemu had died to seal away.
"What about the Dragon I received from Kisara?"
"That was a gift. It is not yours to give and not mine to take. That Dragon is her gift to you and so I will not ask for it. But with your pharaoh's sacrifice, it is little more than part of your mind. It is no longer the monster you are familiar with. Lock it within your seal, and I will be satisfied."
He drew a deep breath. It was a heavy price, a very heavy price. What was a priest without his magic? But…if it meant Nailah and Aishisu's eyes were no longer filled with fear-laden tears…if it meant Atemu would remember him as his cousin, not some abstract character…then it was worth it.
"All right. I'll do it."
"Very well."
The light grew in intensity, so bright it blinded him, burning into his heart. Now more than ever could he feel the stark contrast between Darkness and Light as the holy flame of Arnor seared all of his Shadow Powers away. He couldn't breathe. He couldn't see. He couldn't scream. The Millennium Rod turned white hot and it fell to the ground with a clatter. He heard a horrible screech that sent chills up his spine. His soul monster. The flames licked at his body, draining him of his link with the Shadow Realm, of his magic.
Please Ra, let this work!
Finally, it was over. Seth fell, panting and trembling to the temple floor, his skin covered in a cold sweat. He felt so weak…so small…so alone…Was this how normal humans felt? How could they stand this?
When the she-elf spoke again, her voice sounded almost…tender.
"When the Pharaoh once again takes his place in your history as Atemu, it will be as the man you knew."
A shock wave of indefinable power erupted out of the altar and raced across the desert sands to the Millennium Items and the three gods.
"One day, Egypt and the Eldar will reunite. Until then, namarie, young Pharaoh. Rule well and do not forget the price of your throne." (2)
Her voice faded into echoing nothingness. Seth shakily got to his feet, and looked around. That shock wave was so incredibly intense…how could that much force be in one person?
He backed up, staring at the figure he now knew as an elf carved on the gate. A strange prickle danced across his chest and he glance down at the sudden coolness. There, over his heart, were three interlocking silver rings with a leaf in the center, and leaves fanning out from the bands. It shimmered in the sunlight like silver.
He put his hand over the elvish mark and bowed.
"Hannon le, hiril nin." (3)
~~*~~
"Seth! Where have you been, young man?"
Aishisu stood on the palace steps with her hands placed firmly on her hips and a scowl on her face that would turn away Obelisk himself.
"Young?" Seth wearily climbed the thirty or so steps to meet her, his robes dragging across the stone. "I'm older than you are, Shi."
"That doesn't matter! You're the Pharaoh! What are you doing, riding out in the middle of the night? No warning, no explanation, just up and gone for a week?!"
"I left a note."
"Aha yes. The note." She held up a crumpled scrap of paper. "'Went out. Seth.' Oh indeed, that explains everything. What was it you had to do?"
"Some…unfinished business. Here." He fished the Rod out of his sleeve and held it out. "I want you to have this."
The priestess' eyes grew wide.
"The Millennium Rod? Why?"
"It was part of a deal."
"What sort of deal?"
"One that I am not permitted to speak of."
Aishisu looked at him as if he had grown another nose.
"Seth…you know I can't take it. It's yours by blood."
Without a word, Seth unwrapped his hand and flexed it, reopening the cut used to summon the Lady. Three thick drops of blood fell on the Eye of the Rod and it glowed softly in response.
"You're serious, aren't you?" Aishisu whispered.
"Very. I'm not asking you to use it. I'm just asking you to keep it. I don't want any Millennium Item active unless absolutely necessary and you're the only one I can trust with this."
"Seth…"
"Please, Aishisu. For Nailah."
"For Nailah? What does she have to do with this?"
The pharaoh's eyes went suddenly dark with grief.
"Maybe I'll tell you someday. But not now." He placed the Rod in her hands and kissed her cheek. "Trust me on this. Please."
She sighed.
"You know I trust you, you arrogant camel turd. Very well. The Tomb Keepers will guard this Item as well. If that is Pharaoh's Will."
"It is."
"Then consider it done."
"Thank you." He gently kissed her forehead. "Is Nailah still awake?"
"No. She went to bed a few hours ago."
Seth nodded, his jaw setting in that determined look they'd all come to know.
"Good night, Aishisu. I promise I won't up and leave for a while. Thank you for handling things here."
"I could do no less, my friend. Good night."
The Pharaoh sent her one last tired smile before heading into the palace and making his weary way to Nailah's chambers. The two guards snapped to attention on his arrival and he nodded in acknowledgement. But when he reached for the door, one of them coughed.
"Her highness requested not to be disturbed," he said quietly. "She gave us strict orders to keep out everyone."
"Even me?"
"Yes, Great One."
Seth nodded again.
"Duly noted. Step aside."
The guards shared a nervous glance but obeyed and opened the heavy doors. Immediately, the heady scent of sacred incense washed over him, making him frown. Nailah must be worse off than he thought to beseech the gods this much…either that or she was hoping to get high and forget.
Seth shook his head and put out the incense sticks scattered about the room. Priest or no priest, there were only so many anguished prayers he could deal with, even if they were from his queen.
A sudden movement farther into her chambers drew his attention to the huge bed surrounded by layers and layers of sheer curtains that snagged at him like vines. The smell wasn't as thick over here, thankfully, and he could just barely see Nailah's sleeping form curled up in the corner.
"Mew…"
He looked down at the spindly-legged cat rubbing against his calf and scooped her up. What was her name again? Sai? Serai? Something like that. Whatever her name, she seemed elated now that someone was actually paying her any attention, snuggling and purring as if he was the last man on earth. Seth just quirked an eyebrow in amusement.
"You are a pathetic creature, you know that?" he whispered. Serai just purred some more as he rounded the side of the bed. From this angle he could tell Nailah really was sleeping, not just pretending. Poor woman must've cried herself to sleep.
Then Seth got an idea. A wicked, mean, obnoxious idea. His lips curled into a smile.
"All right, Serai. Your turn."
Kneeling down, Seth held the cat up to Nailah's face, their noses just barely touching.
"Nailah…" he sang quietly.
Nothing.
"Naaaaaaiiiilllah…"
Still nothing.
"Nailah!"
He scratched the base of the cat's ears and the purr got even louder, reaching a climax when Serai licked the tip of her nose. Nailah screamed. Serai yowled and climbed over him, and Seth yelped at the claws digging into his arms.
"Seth! What—how did you get in here?!" The woman sat up holding the thin sheet up to her chest, her dark eyes wide.
"See, these nice men at the door…"
Huffing in exasperation, Nailah grabbed one of her pillows and smacked him.
"I thought I told them to keep you out of here!"
"Hmm. Obeying guards ordered around by a woman who is about a head shorter than me," He held up his left hand. "Or coming in here and scaring the living daylights out of you with your own pet cat." He held up his right hand and fell over on that side, drawing a laugh from his friend.
"Ah, that's what I like to see." He propped his arms on the side of the bed and gently tapped her nose where Serai had licked her.
"Is there a reason you're here, or did you just feel like disappearing for a week and scaring me in the middle of the night?"
"I left a note."
"I know. Aishisu told me." She leaned forward to give him a hug then smacked him in the back of the head. "That's for scaring me. Both times."
Seth rubbed the back of his head and grinned sheepishly.
"I guess I deserved that. I do have an excuse though."
"You had better. Come up here."
"But…"
"Now!" A quick yank and the normally regal priest fell in a heap on the bed.
"I could've done that on my own, you know. I can walk."
"But it's so much more fun to yank you around. Now. Where have you been, why'd you go, and do you have any last words before I strangle your lying breath out through your teeth?"
He made a face halfway between a grimace and a smile.
"I can't tell you, it's a long story, and you should hear me out before you do anything."
She narrowed his eyes.
"…I'm listening."
The air of the room seemed to shift as Seth took a deep breath.
"Nailah…Do you remember…that talk we had about Atemu's memory?"
Pain leapt into her eyes and her throat clenched.
"I…I remember. What of it?"
The priest swallowed and took her hand in his.
"When Atemu remembers his name, he'll remember everything else too. He'll remember all of us. He'll remember you."
There was a weighty silence, during which Nailah just stared.
"Don't…don't play with me, Seth," she breathed. "Don't lie to me."
"I'm not lying, sweetheart. I would never lie to you." As proof, he held up the hand he'd cut then pulled his robe back just enough to reveal the leaf and ring mark.
"I couldn't bring him back, Nailah. I'd have given anything to get him back but I couldn't. His memories are the only things I could restore."
She brought a shaking hand up to her mouth as tears started to stream down her cheeks.
"H-How?"
Seth smiled sadly and wiped a tear away with his thumb.
"Sleep well, my queen. Tomorrow is a brand new day."
Translation notes:
1) "From Earth I call, Great Eldar, hear my voice."
2) "Farewell."
3) "Thank you, my lady."