Chapter Four
The world of his birth was no more. The palaces and temples were ruins half buried in the sands, the works of his people mere curiosities displayed in foreign countries.
But the stars remained. He stood quietly at the windows of the airship, gazing into the night sky. He saw the Ikhemu-Seku, the "Stars That Never Fail", where dwelled the Pharaohs of old. And Sopdet, which men now called Sirius the Dogstar, its rising heralding the beginning of akhet, the season of the inundation.
The Key Bearer moved closer to the window, but took care to remain just out of arms reach. "What do you see?" he asked.
"The stars." He gazed outward a moment more, then turned away. "This world is strange indeed, Key Bearer, but the stars at least are almost as I remember."
"Yo-you are not like the other creatures of the shadows-"
"I think, Shadi, you know very little about those of us who dwell in the shadows." He studied the Key Bearer for several moments, then gave voice to his suspicions. "It was Bakura who sealed your soul into the Key, was it not?"
" Bakura? I know of no one called Bakura."
"The spirit within the Ring, he has taken the name of his vessel. We never knew his true name. Even he may no longer remember it. Tell me now, Shadi, what have your people to do with the Items? You claim to be Pharaoh's servant, but your very presence has brought naught but grief and danger. And why were you sealed within the Key? Did you, perhaps, attempt to claim the Ring for yourself?"
The frightened look in Shadi's eyes told the Magician that he had indeed guessed correctly. And it was plain that the Key Bearer was far more accustomed to judging others than he was to being judged. "If you truly wish to serve Pharaoh, Shadi, speak plainly and truthfully! Ammit's judgment will be far harsher than mine if your words cause further harm."
"For uncounted generations, my people have watched over the Items. We were commanded to remain hidden from the world guarding the Key, the Rod, the Eye, the Scales, the Necklace and the Ring, waiting for the return of the Pharaoh."
" What about the Puzzle, Key Bearer? Your people never had it, did they? They were to wait for the one chosen to reassemble the Puzzle and release Pharaoh's soul, were they not? The Items themselves would have given signs when the Puzzle was whole once more. Your task was to bring all the Items to the Chosen One, then take him to the Tablet of Memories. But when the time came, you could not do this because you no longer had all the Items! How did this come to pass?"
"How-how can you know these things?! You are not of the clan of Tomb-Keepers! You are not even of this world-"
The Shadow Mage's smile was devoid of all humor. "I walked this world in mortal flesh when the Items were first created. As my pharaoh and the thief were sealed into their Items, so too were I and certain others sealed into the shadows. Your people believe they know the history of the Items, Shadi, but I say this now, much of what you think you know is wrong." His gaze hardened. "I will ask you once more, how did the Ishtars come to possess the Rod and the Necklace? And why did the thief seal you into the Key?" His staff swung around to point directly at the Key, making it plain that no further prevarication would be tolerated.
Shadi realized he had exhausted the shadow creature's patience. "There was disagreement among the elders of the Tomb Keeper Tribe. Those of the Ishtar clan argued that to have all the Items in one place was dangerous, and that the guardianship of the Items should be divided up among all the clans. The elders of the other clans did not agree, for as you surmised, it was indeed our task to present all the Items to the chosen of Pharaoh. This disagreement caused a great schism in our tribe, and finally the Ishtar Clan left the tribe in the dark of night, stealing away the Rod and the Necklace and also the Tablet of Memory.
"Those Items that remained were kept in the ancient stone within the old temple ruins near my village, and I was chosen to be keeper of the shrine. It was in the shrine that the 'voice' first spoke to me…"
" Even then, the dark one sought for one he could twist to his own ends," the mage realized. "It seems the Ishtars were correct that the Items could not safely remain together. Being split between the Ring and the Puzzle will not keep him from using the power of the other Items to do harm. What did the 'voice' tell you, Shadi?"
"In- in the deepest night, I would hear the voice in my mind, warning me of those that would seek out the Items, to gain power over others. After many nights, I decided to keep the Items on my person, to hide them from treasure seekers. The Key and the Scales yielded to my will, so the tribe accepted my reasoning, or so I thought. But, it seems that even then I was being used, and I was not the only one.
"Though our tribe was commanded to remain apart from the outside world, it was necessary for some to live among the outsiders, to trade for goods the tribe needed and to watch for the coming of the chosen one. Yet there was always the risk that those among the outsiders would come to desire the things of the outer world and forsake their duty to Pharaoh.
"It was one such that was apprehended attempting to steal the ring. The thief was brought to me for judgment, and I used the key to find the truth of his soul…"
Shadi fell silent, unwilling or perhaps unable to continue. For the former Ring Bearer, it no longer mattered, he knew enough of the thief king that he could finish the tale himself. He gazed down at the Key bearer, pity mixed with contempt.
" Did you plan all along to condemn that unfortunate soul and take the Ring for yourself, Shadi? What a surprise it must have been to find yet another presence within the Ring! One who does not tolerate interference with his hosts. So you told the Spirit of the Ring that you only wished to guard the items, and maybe you truly believed this. But he sensed an untruth within you, perhaps even the taint of the dark one, and challenged you to a shadow game. Did you truly think you would win that game? Your arrogance was your undoing, Shadi. The thief chose a fitting penalty indeed, binding you to your Item just as we are bound. You wished to be master of the Items, now your Item has mastered you, an undead needing the power of the Key to move about in the world. And still you dare to sit in judgment of others." The magician sighed tiredly. " I will not move against you,Shadi. The darkness used you as it has used so many others- even I came too close to doing its bidding. What happens hereafter is in the hands of the Gods. Leave now and wait for word from my pharaoh. If he survives this trial, he will seek you out and claim the Items you hold."
"I will go, but…will there be an end to this curse? Will I - will any of us be free?"
"That also is for the Gods to decide. Go, Shadi, our business here is finished."
The Key bearer departed. But, it seemed he himself would not rest just yet- he sensed another within the Puzzle…
"Dammit, where is that priest?!"
"I am here, Bakura."
The end
