Life is not fair.
That was one of the phrases Seto Kaiba had heard many times in his life.
One that he understood well.
He had not asked for all this hocus pocus and magic with the duel mosters that came to lfe and the Egyptians who couldn't get it through their heads that, sure, he beilived that magic existed, that the Sennen items were created by the ancient Egyptians 3000 years ago to protect themselves against an ancient evil, and that a young boy named Yugi Moto had been sharing his body with a 3000 year old spirit of an Egyptian Pharaoh. Sure, he beleived it.
He just didn't want to be caught up into it again.
So then why was he sitting on the dusty floor of an ancient temple gazing at a bunch of symbols that meant absolutely nothing to him? Oh yeah, because the bloody Egyptians wanted his 'help' and he was too much of a bloody coward when it came to turning his brother, Mokuba, down for anything, especially when said brother was looking at him with those big brown puppy dog eyes.
Bloody hell.
Kaiba sat forward and rubbed his temples as he looked down at the text he had to use to translate the hieroglyphics on the wall. The day had been going well.He had been making great leeway on Kaiba Corps., had prefected a new game, had fired (then rehired but hey, it's the thought that counts) half the staff, and had even managed to get in a game with Mokuba. Then suddenly the Trouble Turban Trio had showed up and asked for his 'help' in deciphering the hieroglyphics in a temple pyramid to find the location of the Sennen items so that they could 'properly' destroy them (which was stupid in Kaiba's opinion because the items had fell into a pit in the earth where they should be more then safe). Then when he had asked them why he should go to Egypt to help them they responded that since his past self possessed one of the Sennen items he would possibly have a sort of connection to them. And just when things couldn't get worse, right when he was going to turn them down (in the most sincere way, really) Mokuba suddenly appears out of no where (apparently he had been listening to the whole conversation from around the corner) and begs him to go. And he, being the willing slave to his 'adorable' little brother's every whim that he was, stupidly gave in.
So here he was, sitting on a cold stone floor and giving himself a headache by staring at a bunch symbols. Well, at least he wasn't alone. Mokuba, after much begging, was allowed to come and, to make matters worse, Pegasus was here. Yes, Pegasus, but unlike the rest of them, he was here to learn more about the Pharaoh's past.
Ah, the Pharaoh a.k.a Atem. As much as Kaiba hated to admit it (though never aloud) he missed the young Pharaoh deeply. At first he had thought that the 'Pharaoh' was a strange nickname people gave to Yugi. Then, when he had finally found out who the 'Pharaoh' truly was (and finally believed it) it was too late; he was gone. Kaiba looked down at his script again. To him Atem was the only one who truly shared his passion for the Game. The only other one who truly understood it. Who understood the adrenalin, the power, the feel of the 'monsters' energy coursing through you until you feel as if you're the one on the field fighting. The feel of really being one with your creatures.
The feel of giving them life.
And now he couldn't share that anymore. Atem was gone and all that is left of him is a memory. Kaiba still couldn't really except that. Atem was the Game Master, the Duel Legend. Yeah, yeah, he knew that Yugi had beaten Atem at their last duel, but that was just once in Atem's whole life. But because of that victory Atem was gone. And Kaiba knew that he would probably never feel the exhilaration, the challenge of ever facing a worthy opponent ever again.
"Hey Seto, how far have you gotten?"
Startled, Kaiba looks up and meets the choclate brown eyes of his brother. "Um, far I guess. How far have you gotten?"
Mokuba sat next to him on the stone floor. "None of this makes any sense to me. It's just... Pictures."
"Do not let your mind be confused by simple images." a female voice cut in and Kaiba glances up to see Ishizu Ishtar approach them with her brother and adopted brother Malik and Odion walking calmly behind her. Taking the torch in her hand she brings in up next to the wall, illuminating the figures there. "Think of it as a complex and demanding puzzle just waiting to be solved."
"A puzzle that gives you a migraine and makes no sense what so ever, no matter where you put the pieces." Kaiba comments quietly while looking down at his script.
"Young Kaiba, you take too much for granted." Isis says looking at him solemnly. "The answer may be in front of you."
"Well-"
"Quite fascinating, this place, don't you think Kaiba-boy?"
Kaiba resisted the urge to turn around and strangle the owner of the voice. "Why sure Pegasus; if you like staring at unmoving 'ancient' pictures."
Pegasus looked amused as he came into the light of the five torches, white blond hair falling over one eye. Kaiba turns away from him and stands up, brushing himself off while looking at the wall. Glancing away, he sighs and turns toward the Ishtar siblings.
"We're wasting our time. I'm telling you, there's nothing here." Kaiba says slapping his hand onto the wall behind him. "Maybe we should all go home. The Sennen items should be fine where they are-"
"Ah, Seto?"
"What?" Kaiba asks his younger brother, whose eyes have gone wide. Looking around he realizes that everyone was staring wide-eyed at the wall behind him. Taking a deep breath in preparation for what ever it is, Kaiba turns around.
From the place where his hand is in contact with the wall is a sort of a ripple effect, waves heading away in all directions from his hand. The wall now seemed to be made of water and if that wasn't weird then the fact that every symbol the waves touched began to glow a gold color was.
With a mighty tug Kaiba pulled his hand away from the wall, but the deed was already done; every symbol on the wall was glowing.
"I take it this is new?" Kaiba asks Isis, who numbly nods her head. Then, right before their eyes, the symbols begin to change and rapidly rearrange themselves, forming lines and, to Kaiba's surprise, coherent sentences.
"Yes, definitely new." Odion comments quietly. Kaiba glances at him before turning back to the now 'translated' tablet.
.
Through past, present, and future
Balance has reined
To have what you seek
It must be regained
.
Bring forth the carriers
Of darkness and light
And only through them
Will you win this fight
.
Two seeded from evil
Two seeded from good
To bring back the world,
To be as it should
.
The keepers of elements,
Through Shadows they're born
But from this world
They've been schemingly torn
.
Through past, present, and future
Balance has reined
To have what you seek
It must be regained
.
Kaiba blinked. The balance must be regained? But was it ever lost?
"Hum, apparently we have to bring back the 'carriers of darkness and light' in order to get the Sennen items."Malik says, arms slightly crossed as he gazes at the wall.
"'Through shadows they're born'." Mokuba says slowly. "Why does that sound familiar?"
"I don't know." Kaiba answers absently.
"What ever it is, it doesn't matter right now." Odion says raising his torch next to the wall. "All that matters is that we find these 'keepers of the elements'."
"But how?" Mokuba asks. "The script itself says 'from this world they've been schemingly torn'."
By this time Kaiba had phased them out. Mokuba was right, the words did seem familiar. But how? Kaiba pushed the thought aside and focused and the last phrase. Past, present, future, balance has reined... Past and present... in the past and present... it must be regained... balance... regained...
"We wish to regain the balance." Kaiba found himself saying clearly. At his spoken words the group had went quiet and was now looking at him in confusion. That is, until the words started to glow and rapidly rearrange themselves once more. Raising an eyebrow at the others, Kaiba silently read the new phrase.
.
To find the keepers
you must solve seven trials
To face off against fears
memories and denials
.
Your strength will be tested
You body, soul, and mind
There is no turning back
So leave all doubts behind
.
Just as Kaiba finshed reading those words the temple began to shake, as if suddenly hit by an earthquake. Looking down he saw the floor underneath them crack and his last thoughts before the floor gave away and he and his companions were dropped down into the abyss below were 'What have I got myself into now?"
00
Far away in another dimention, a pair of bright crimson eyes open.