"The calm before the storm"
Silently as a ghost, the raven known as Rue flew. She flew rapidly over the rolling waves of sun kissed golden sand under the sun as it feel into its second hour after noon. She at last arrived to the capital and began weaving all the way through the vacant streets as she made her way to the target.
Despite the fact that all the villages were as busy as a tomb, the palace was more then ever full of life. The threat this child, Nadira, posed was enough to force them to take extreme measures to insure the protection of every person in Egypt. For safety reasons, all of the innocent inhabitants had all been moved into the palace vast courtyard. But keeping them from panicking was another story entirely.
While they were happy to know their king had return home to them safe and sound, they still knew the Prince was in grave danger and that just how bad things were if all the people had been forced to evacuate quickly this was really bad and it was only getting worse.
The guards in addition to minor palace servants did their best to assist as well as help with all the people requirements. However they were all at a slight disadvantage. For there weren't just hundreds of people crammed together, there were more like over a 1000! Still they did the best they could. Because of so many people, along with the mess outside it was, very easy to see how they could fail to notice an extremely strange black bird with an hourglass around its neck.
Rue ascended high into the skies as she climbed higher and higher. Finally she came to the balcony that overlooked the courtyard and then flew in at the speed that was pushing mach five. She then literally melted and became one with the shadows. She was now invisible to all around her, as she kept going flying through everything, trying in vain to locate the elusive Pharaoh which her mistress sought after so. She went through walls, people and food till she at last found the throne room where the boy was now.
She began to circle above the throne room like a vulture waiting for an animal to die so they could dine. Her demonic crimson eyes, unseen by anyone in the room showed Nadira in her clandestine prison precisely what was going on.
She stared in utter disbelief at the sight before her. That infernal king had return indeed, that didn't surprise her. What did he look like he'd never been in that surprise attack at all! He didn't have any indication of an injury at all! Still she could tell he wasn't holding up so well. She allowed a small smirk to etch across her deathly pale face with her protruding ivory fangs glisten in the dim lit gleefully.
"Well, well, he may have no marks at all on him. I'll have to punish Nen for failing so miserably to get the job done right! Still I've at the least mange to drive Pharaoh Atem mad! He is scarcely able to hold himself together at this time. Furthermore by the time the battle comes he will lose it all! It makes thing so much easier for me. Ha, Ha, Huh? Rue? Rue?! You dull freaking bird gaze to the right! Ugh!" she used her magic to start to chock her herald till Rue was almost dead.
She released her supernatural vice grip on the dumb bird scrawny neck. "Now you listen to me you, dumb lackey! Show me who that is standing on the right closest to Atem. You don't and I will take back this life I so generously granted to you! Now I'm sure you like being real so if you don't want to go back to collecting dust do your damn job!" she howled angrily at the bird.
Rue obeyed her mistress by landing in a nook in a shadowy corner and gazed her eyes at the throne. She focused in on the desired target and allowed her mistress once again to see just who was at Atem's side.
Her blood eyes widen in astonishment. It was that pathetic, worthless, blind girl! She was supposed to be dead as dust! She didn't even look close to being dead! In fact she looked very well without a doubt! As to show just how much she didn't like this turn of events everything her throne room erupted outrageously! As she screamed her demonic cry of fury it echo so loudly that even Yugi and Nabila heard it as did all in Atem's court.
They didn't know what it was but they knew someone wasn't happy at all! Still they didn't realize just how much of the underworld was beginning to seep up from its proper place then proceed to replant itself beneath the golden sea.
"How is it even conceivable that the little waif could even survive the arid region, and now look like she wasn't left to be cooked alive? Nen when I find you I'm going to rip you apart with my bare hands and then I will take a bath in your blood after I've set ablaze your insignificant carcass along with its ashes twice!" she ranted to herself then her keen eyes noticed the little group of friends he had with.
"Who the hell are these natives? They don't look like any of them hail from this land! What could Atem possible want or do with a bunch of flea bitten foreign mongrels? What did he do? Give into a moment of weakness and liberated his own slaves that he rounded up from lands unheard of? Hmm," she wrapped her conniving mind around whom these strangers could be and at last came to a conclusion that satisfied her for the moment.
"I guess every king needs a court fool which is probably what the scrawny nave with sand colored locks is for. Just for him to laugh at and the other one is probably the whipping boy, the one who takes the punishment meant for the king because you can't hit a king. The girl is most likely just a lowly handmaiden and an incredibly hideous one at that!"
"Still those other three look remarkable like the members of the Court. I can willingly believe that the boy rotting in my cell at the moment is Pharaoh Atem's brother. With that hideous hair, they have to be blood! Well I guess these doppelgangers are just that, some magic trick out of desperation!" with a sinister leer she whipped her slave skin whip and hit the reflection in the magic mirror.
The images then shatter sending shards of sand glass everywhere. There were cries of extreme pain and anguish from all the Sand Tribes she had imprisoned could be heard throughout the citadel. Even before she had started to drain her sister of her power she had butchered the heirs to the remaining six clans and stolen their Seals. She then using her new powers and the ones she had refined forged her own Seal of Power. It was the hourglass pendent around her neck that held the source of her dark magic. Even without the heirs to control the magic of the Clans they still could feel the curse she had infused with all the Sand Magic. Like her sister she had sent her curse all the way through skin bypass the bone into the very soul.
"Well it really doesn't matter who this little boy calls upon for help. Not even the Gods of Egypt can save him from the storm that is brewing! By the time the sphere of sky fire has descended from its ride in the disappointing azure heavens this world of inferior mortals will have been ended! The waves of golden sand will at long last be changed from the hideous yellow to rich and wonderful scarlet!"
She once again called forth the dark powers she had willing exchanged her humanity and immortal soul for to reassemble the magic mirror. Taking a deep breath and checking to see if she had any food stuck in her teeth. When she noticed in her hand mirror that her refection was flawless she turned her attention back on the mirror below her.
"Rue! I want you to deliver the message. When you're done with that report back to me!" she snapped at the little bird through the two way mirror. When Rue said something that apparently wasn't what Nadira wanted to hear she felt like her tiny heart was being squeezed in a raptor talons.
"You pay attention to me you little ingrate! You have no other propose then being my herald in addition to guarding the entrance to my citadel! That is the only reason you can draw air at all! Now deliver the message and get back here or I shall return you back into what you used to be get it!" she hissed like a cobra into the raven ear through use of magic.
Rue shuttered at the very thought of her threat. Nadira never bluffed. When she said she was going to do something you better believe it or you would be looking for someone to make you a sarcophagus. Not wanting to give up this life she had been granted even if it was a life of enslavement she began to dive-bomb straight at Atem, only to be caught in mid-flight in a mouth full of cheetah teeth.
Rue began to squawk madly and it was hurting everyone ears a lot. But Aziza, who was holding the bird as if it were a newborn kitten, refused to let her go. Instead she turned to face Shada as well as Karim and gave them a look. Understanding what she wanted them to do Shada held out his Millennium Key in front of the crazy bird. The Key began to vibrated and glow intensely signifying that the bird was indeed of some powerful magic.
"What are you doing baldly? Because whatever you're doing with that stinking house key ain't shutting up birdbrain! Please somebody tell me you brought some earplugs! I feel like my eardrums are going to explode!" yelled Joey in pain from the bird intense shrieks was in actuality threatening to break the sound barrier.
"For once Wheeler I agree with you! Someone shut that damn bird up or I'm going to strangle it with my bare hands! I just got my wisdom teeth taking out the hard way; nevertheless, I'm not going deaf if I can help it!" Kaiba told everyone as he covered his own ears.
Tea slowly stepped forward till she was in front of Aziza. Knowing Aziza wouldn't release the bird till it was proven not a threat to Atem she had to use a different tact to get the bird. Tea then got to her knees and then began to slowly and gently stroke the frighten bird blood red breast. She kept talking to the tiny creature as if it were but a babe. Finally the bird relaxed and stopped struggling. "Good, little bird. Now hold still for a little longer and then you'll be free to fly for a second time. OK I believe she going to corporate with whatever you two have to do. But be gentle she is still very terrified. Aziza I know your human mind is in there but don't let the cheetah mind take over and eat this creature!" she told them in a very assertive tone.
"So what does it mean when that doohickey does what it just did, Shada?" asked Tristan as slowly lowered his hands form his ears. All of the people from Yugi's time still didn't understand everything about this ancient world despite the fact they had been coming for visits quite a lot.
"It means Tristan that this creature has great power in it and from the look of things this creature has much darkness inside it. My Key is sense a very dark mind within the body of this creature and it also coming from that necklace it got on around its neck," replied Shada matter of factually as he stared intense at the tiny bird.
"Time to judge this vile creature. The Millennium Scales will help in this matter. If this dark beast even tries to answer falsehood it will immediately go to the Shadow Realm," Karim explained as he held up the Scales in front of the bird.
"Huh not look like an idiot, but dude how to you plan to interrogated a bird?" asked Joey looking very skeptic.
"Yeah even I must admit I've seen a lot of weird things since my grandson solved the Millennium Puzzle. But I don't understand how you expect to get that bird to tell you anything." Grandpa told the group.
"Yeah in less one of you guys is Dr. Doolittle or Eliza Thornberry I don't see how you expect to understand anything that bird is saying," Mokuba told them in all honesty.
"The Scales understand ever tongue know to this world. Both of Man as well as Beast it makes no difference it will know whether they are speaking thy truth or not. Now we'll start with a simple question. Bird do you understand what we're saying?" asked Karim.
She cawed once and the Scales stayed balanced. So that was a yes.
"Are you here to have a discussion with our Pharaoh?" The inquiry got the same result as before.
"Were you sent here by Nadira?" yet again Rue answered truthful giving the magic Scales the same result.
"Is Prince Yugi still alive?!" demanded Atem wrathfully from out of the blue. That when the raven became mute. It looked like it want to answer but it was petrified to answer for some unknown reason.
Atem eyes flashed from majestic amethyst to burning crimson. He for a moment looked like a demon as all the good in him drain out as an uncontained rage was slowly overtaking him. He looked ready to maim the innocent creature when a voice only he could hear called out, "Atem! Control yourself son!"
"Father? Dad I can't keep it together much longer! I'm not this all powerful Pharaoh who is so fearless and strong. I'm just a 17 year old kid who is about to lose it! Please what can I do?" his mind voice asked desperately into the darkness. By the sound of it he was ready to cry all over again.
"I've felt this way too, Atem. I know it hurt more then words can possible say. But if you do loose it now you won't be able to help Yugi. Remember what is important and keep Yugi in your heart and mind. When you feel this monster trying claw its way out of the dark depths of your heart remember Yugi and it will retreat once more. I will see you soon my son. Just hold on a little longer," his father strong voice advised him.
"Ok I will. I will try to keep it together for Yugi. Thank you, Father. I do love you. Even if I can't remember everything I do love you."
"You ok, man? Should we have Tea KO you again?" asked Joey in a very serious tone. His face looked like it was going to break apart from trying to look so serious.
"I can handle it," taking a deep breath and counting again. "Ok finish what you were doing, Karim. Please ask her if Prince Yugi is alright?"
The Keeper of the Millennium Scales did as his king asked but the bird wouldn't answer the question. It looked frozen with fear at the thought of anything to do with Yugi. That is when Isis's Necklace active on its own. Her mind was flooded with an odd vision.
She could perceive the bird in her mind but it was sitting on a splintered blood-spattered wooden perch along side a hollow flacon figurine. The table which both sat was engulfed in shadow flames for a moment. The flames imprisoned the raven and the golden statue turned black as a moonless night as it then crumbled into a pile of black dust.
"Something wrong, Isis? What did you see with your Millennium Necklaces?" Shimon asked the beautiful woman sharply. She didn't answer right away. She touched the Eye emblem on her Necklaces and allowed the vision to repeat itself once more.
Slowly her dark blue eyes opened with realization. She had managed to interrupt what the strange vision was and where it was coming from. She looked at the raven that now was on the verge of crying.
"What we see before us is not what it appears to be. The raven name is Rue but she isn't what she appears to be. She has ever reason to fear in angering her mistress for failure will result in a fate worse then death for her. Mahad carefully remove the hourglass from her neck. Mana please fashion an appropriate birdcage for our winged friend," Isis advised her friends who did as she asked.
"Here you are my king. I don't know what an hourglass will do. Put it must be important, if Rue is wearing it. I sense it has great magic power within it. Whatever you do with it I will be ready in a heartbeat to defend you my, King." Mahad told his king as he knelt before him.
"Thanks Mahad. Please rise to your feet. Any of you have an idea what to do with this?" he asked to his friends from the future. Everyone for a few moments racked their minds for an answer to his question. Kaiba spoke at last.
"Why don't you just turn it upside down? I mean it's an hourglass, that what you do with them. Sometimes things are not very complex as they are made out to be. Sometimes the ways to solve complex problems is by doing something very simple. It becomes very easy to concentrated on one thing and overlook the other. As you dumb dorks have pointed out so many times," he said in a very dry tone of voice.
"Normally I wouldn't agree with you, Kaibutt, on anything. But I can't believe I'm saying this he may have a point. What do you think, Gramps? You know more about games then anyone else here. Well besides the King of Games sitting over there," Joey said as if each word was stuck on his tongue.
"I think Kaiba has the best idea we're going to get. We have to remember just as the sand in that hourglass falls from one end to the other we ourselves are running out of time."
"So is Yugi. He must be so scared right now. I mean I doubt any of us can even image what he going through as we speak. From what you said Aziza he must be in a lot of pain," Tea said quietly as she fell into Tristan arms and cried.
"It's going to be ok, Tea. We'll save him and that's a promise we'll fight to the last breathe to keep!" Tristan told her soothingly.
"Yeah, he right Tea! Yugi help the world a thousand times over now it's our turn to help him. So Atem flip that hourglass over and let's see what happens!" Mokuba exclaimed exactly.
"Ok Mahad be ready in case of trouble,"
"I'm always ready to help you my, liege."
"Just flip the damn thing over!" snapped Kaiba annoyed to death with all this.
"Silence! You keep your tongue still or I will make you voiceless in a very atrocious way!" Seto told his double firmly.
"Whatever, pal! Let's just get this over and done with. I've got a club that is going to open tonight at nine on the dot! No sooner or later!"
"Big brother! Please this isn't the time for you too quarrel! Please let's us keep focus at the task at hand!" Mokuba and Luxor said at the exact same time as they held with all their might on their brother's right arm.
"If we don't have anymore roughhousing from the peanut gallery let do this," Atem said as he flipped the black and gold hourglass. The second the sand began to fall the hourglass became as hot and bright as Ra itself! He dropped it to the ground as it burned his tan hand so tenderly.
"Pharaoh!" everyone exclaimed as he fell to the ground. He held his left hand out to stop them. Though his right hand was as red as the scales adoring the body the God Slyther he ignored it.
They watched in amazement as the hourglass slowly fell and stopped an inch form the ground. It then split open and the black sand within it took the shape of Nadira the Witch of the Black Sand.
"Nadira!" Atem snarled wrathfully at her. His eyes became narrow silvers as he eyed the abomination before him.
"Hello, dear Pharaoh Atem! How are you doing today? Having fun? I just know how you love a good game!" the living sand sculpture of the witch asked as if they where just talking about the weather! She was giggling to herself as if this was just a joke!
"What have you done with Yugi, Nadira? Where is he?" he asked as calmly as he could.
"Oh you mean that little brother who shares your hideous taste in fashionable hair? I would have shaved my head and gone hairless for the rest of my life, then live with that repugnant rug on my exquisite head!" as she said as her sandy form materialized a mirror. She began to fawn over herself and laugh gaily before returning to the matter at hand. Continuing to grind the Pharaoh till his last remaining nerves where shot she said with a sneer on her face,
"Or I kill myself if the Gods had made me forever a child. Children so brainless just like livestock. Dumb as well as a waste of time. The only thing either is good for is giving the other some sustenance for those like me. A creature of true and absolute flawlessness. I alone deserve the honor to dine on only the finest so I maybe forever young.
"You have no honor at all Witch! Nor do you even know the meaning of the word! You are just a little girl who trying to show off!" yelled Joey at her.
"You think I've no honor? You and your party are just some dumb slaves that this little boy with bad hair, brought here for a few last moments of laughter, before all of you are sentence to oblivion! So silence that unruly tongue!"
"Don't any of you even think of talking but you, little Atem. If one person who isn't a Pharaoh speaks I will eradicate the little Prince of Egypt before any of you can even utter a single breath! I don't care what the consequences from butchering a Pure One are. All I care about is seeing the look on your face when his little heart is broken literally in two!" she laughed her high insane laugher.
"Pure One? Yugi is a Pure One? Oh no this is really bad! Why didn't I see this before! I have a drop of his soul in me! This is really bad!" Aziza for a few brief moments stopped breathing. The minute Nadira said Yugi was a rare as well as legendary "Pure One" she knew it wasn't a lie.
Atem notice out of the corner of his eye how the word "Pure One" had such a startling reaction from his best friend. She always had very good judgment in addition to intuition. She also was human lie detection. She until the end of time knew if someone was mendacious. If what this demon was saying true, Aziza reaction told him unmistakably she wasn't bluffing in the least bit! The way she was looking at him even her blank eyes told him that things had just gotten worse then already were.
"Explain yourself, Nadira! Why have you tried to destroy Egypt? What is your motive for all this senseless mayhem and havoc?"
"It's a game, dear Pharaoh," Nadira chortle like it was the most obvious thing in the world. She then got serious again and continued to tell him, "You should know when a game is being played your highness. After all are you not the "King of Games?"
"You must have an incredibly sick mind, Nadira to call this a game! You are no better then Zork if you think playing with the lives of real living people is a game! Life in any shape or form isn't meant to be treated with such a blatted lack of respect nor should you treat it like its disposable!" he said in one breath. Aziza held one hand as Tea held the other to keep him from losing it all together.
The living sand woman all this time was looking at her nails in a very bored to death manner. With a yawn she flipped her braids and turned her pools of crimson back on him. "You done with preaching that gobbledygook you as well as your naive little runt of a Prince go on about? If I want to be put in an early tomb I'd used the dagger Zork made for me when I was made his Queen. Anything that this blade grazes even if it's a nick without my saying the counter curse first dies instantaneously. Like I said Atem this is a game and for several weeks we have been just observing the other side."
"You mean to say all those weeks that your cursed Black Sand been attacking my land were just to test what I'm capable of?!"
"Yes and it was very beneficial for me. I know have the knowledge I need to fight you head on and after you and your court lose this game I will be one step closer in my dream to create a perfect world. You know in any good game their must be something at stake otherwise why play at all?" she mused to him.
"Nadira, you are nothing but an ignominious coward! You don't have the courage to face me at all! You enslave the minds of your own people and force them do to your bidding and even goes as far too leisurely murder your own flesh and blood! You are far from being prefect, you are an abomination!"
"You are just as stupid as your little naïve brother! I gave him a few meager morsels to show a tiny bit of humanity and he instead gives them to that little bratty thief, Nabila! Then he fills her head with utter gobbledygook! That she forgets her place is to lie down at my feet! She stole what should've been mine all along!" Nadira black sand doppelganger began to throw a temper tantrum.
Everyone was thinking the same thought in their heads. This girl was nuts. She was just a spoiled little brat! A total drama queen who never been grounded in her life! Still they let her tangent go on a little longer. She finally got to the point of being there.
"Now listen to me Pharaoh. I will only say this once. The ultimate game has already begun. I made my opening gambit which though didn't go as planned still was very rewarding. I may have failed to get myself a King, but a Prince is a nice constellation prize. He maybe an idealistic dreamer forever condemn to the body of a pathetic child. But it was unexpected that he would be a Pure One and he has the Key to the Millennium Vault with him,"
"The Key to the Vault?" he asked startled.
"I swear all you men for all eternity are just brainless oafs! You think too much with your egos and muscles! Women are superior in many ways but none of the women in this land can possible be any smarter then an ass! No that why I'm needed to end this world of imperfect mortal fools and created a perfect world which I will forever rule!"
'What do you mean by that exactly?"
"My game is simple it's a quarter after the second hour after midday. In one hour we shall play the end game. You and I, Pharaoh will fight in my citadel alone. At the same time as I send my own game pieces to do battle with your little toys. Even if you use these slaves as wild cards or even if you have some trump card it won't matter. Because my King of Games I've study you so well I will be able to beat you! I won't make the mistake of underestimating you like my teacher and lover Zork did. That proved to be his undoing but I can assure you dearest Atem it won't be mine it will be yours this time!" Nadira hissed at him.
"What are the stakes? You said a game isn't fun in less something on the line. What do you wish to wager, Witch?"
"If and when I win I will take all the Millennium Items as well as the spell book. Then you and your brother will forfeit both the throne and your lives. Then I will give you two as your last choice to decided how you will be prepared as my ceremonial victory dinner. Because when the sunsets tonight, I want to know how I ought to devour a Pharaoh and a Prince without getting dyspepsia"
"Fine Black Sand Witch but if and when I win you will undo all the damage you have caused and release all of the souls you ensnared and forever give up your dark magic and will never come back to these lands! Swear on the power the Egyptian Gods and Millennium Items that you'll keep your end of the deal!"
"Fine I Nadira the Witch of the Black Sand and Queen of the Shadow Realm do swear in the name of the Egyptian Gods and the Millennium Items to do as Pharaoh Atem commands should I lose this game. Are you satisfied Kingie?" she said in a rather hurried and annoyed tone.
"Yes I am and I do swear the same oath that if I lose I will honor all the terms made today."
"Very well Atem. I will see you in one hour. I would say my final fair wells. Because in one hour all of you and this world will be going on a one way trip to oblivion! Oh and Rue I sense you want to be disloyal to me. Not a good idea. Don't even try to talk your way out of this you stupid little bird. I can tell you where going to go over to his side! I warned you and now I will take back the life I gave to you!"
Everyone watched in horror as the shadow fire ensnared the raven which was screaming bloody murder as it flapped wildly trying to escape the flames. Mana tried in vain to stop the evil flames but was sent flying when she tried to break the cage with her hands Rue then became still as stone as the color from her feathers where nowhere to be found. In mere moments she was back to her original state. This was a simple hollow ceramic falcon statue. Then small little statue exploded and the shadow fire burned away the remaining dust away.
Laughing was heard from Nadira black sand lips. Her lack of feeling even angered Kaiba as he looked at her in disbelief that this child cared for no one or anything at all! He had heard a lot in his life he was a soulless jerk and he had heard it plenty that day but this even enraged him how far her lack of humanity went.
"Good help is so hard to find. Even animated figurines will betray the ones who bring them to life. Oh well no big deal. There are a million more when she came from. Not that I'll need them. Because when I become omnipotent sovereign of this primordial planet and re-establish it into a magnificent as well as thriving utopia everything will be perfect! Well bye see you in an hour!" as she vanished her painful laughing a reminder of her unwanted visit. The hourglass lay broken on the ground as the sand within in it disappeared into thin air.
"What are we going to do?" asked Joey for everyone. They all knew Nadira was evil but they now knew just how evil and it was way beyond what they thought.
"I will tell you want we're going to do, Joey. We are going to fight her and win this sick little game! I will not lose this game! Shimon! Grandpa! Go prepare the medical wing. We are going to have a lot of casualties on our hands. I will need you to tend to them my old friends," Atem told the two old look-alikes. Both nodded and went off to do the task they been given.
He turned to face the remaining members of his sacred court. "Mahad I need you and Mana to stay within the walls and protect the innocent people. Karim you and Shada will be out front. Isis, you and Seto will be on the wall. Aziza you told me you had a vision I think you can figure out what it means. Luxor, you and Mokuba get the Royal Guards ready for the battle from hell! I will join you all shortly I need to do something first. Let us go forth and remember just what is at stake!" he said as he left the room.
"You three hold on a minute. I'll be right back with you; I've got to check Atem ok? Stay here, please." Aziza told the trio who did as she instructed them. Aziza ran after the boy pharaoh and caught him at the end of the corridor and grabbed his right hand.
"Aziza?" he asked bewilder.
"Look, don't think you have to pretend to me that you aren't cracking like an egg. I know your father had to yell at you." She told him right to his face in a hot tempered voice. He started to back into a corner. She was dead serious about getting whatever she had to say to him across the first time.
"I know you are very stressed out, nevertheless I want you to remember that you can't let your emotions cloud you're thinking when you battle Nadira. If you allow her to rattle your cage and lose focus for even a second everything is going to go up in smoke! Despite how you maybe perceived by this court or your friends from another time, I've known you too long. You maybe a king but you are still just 17 years old and right now you in a very bad stitch," she told him as tears fell from her eyes.
"Aziza, I won't be unsuccessful in the coming battle. I give you my word, that I won't let her win this fight," he told her as he touched her shoulder reassuringly.
"Atem, I know how much Yugi means too you. I know better then anyone else right now how you two are feeling. My vision tells me while the destined vessels for the Guardians are back in the throne room; I fear something worse is coming when this storm is through. Whether we prevail or are defeated in battle, it won't matter because we'll no matter what lose the war. I just don't want to lose both you as well as Yugi today."
"Because even if you can't remember the password to unlock my powers. I don't want to lose the two people who make me feel alive. If you can remember anything Atem my visions always come true, no matter what. Just please come what may you will come home today promise?" she fell into his strong arms and he held her tight.
"Aziza you're the best friend anyone could ever have. I will return alive and well from this battle. Now go and do what you need to do. But before I go to battle can you arrange it so I may speak with my father? I could use his advice right now."
"You need not ask this favor of me. I do it because of the special bond we share. Your father was the reason I was allowed to live, however, Atem, it was you who made life worth living. I will rendezvous with you by the statute of Orises where Yugi cut his palm on his first visit. Then you'll be able to speak with your father. I must go now. I've got a few duties to do and little time to get them done," she said as she ran down the hall and morphed gracefully into her feline form.
"Aziza, while I may not remember everything of our past together it is very reassuring to know I've got someone who cares so deeply for me. Please be safe my special friend. I need you more then you'll ever know," he whispered quietly as he went to his chambers to think about what was transpiring around him.
She ran into the throne room and quickly changed back. Tea walked up to her and quietly whispered to her what she just done with Atem. Aziza whispered it was a private matter and it was just between them.
"Listen to me my friends. We don't have much time if we are going to circumvent a world wide cataclysm in addition to the total as well as utter genocide of the human race. So do as I say and we may at least have a small chance at beating this monster! Now Joey would you please walk eight paces to your left?"
Joey did as he was told, his footsteps now placed in him in front of a wall covered with brightly colored hieroglyphics and images. He cracked his neck back at her and yelled. "Yo Cat girl! I'm in front of a wall tagged in ancient Egyptian graffiti! So what do you want me to do now?"
"What exactly do you see before you? Do you see young women in bizarre poses?" she asked him.
"Yeah there like six grotesques nevertheless hot women. What about them?"
"As Kaiba said so elegantly, it's easy to concentrate on one and overlook the other. You all assumed for a long time that it was all because of Atem; Yugi was so good at Duel Monsters. When in fact Yugi is nothing less then who Atem would be if he was in your time. What do you see that can be overlooked?" she asked cryptically to Joey. He stared at the wall for a long time and then realized what was being overlooked was in fact staring at him all the time.
"Hey all these girls have brown eyes except this one in the center. She got blue eyes! It's so easy to fail to notice for the reason that you're looking at the whole picture and not the small little niceties. So what should I do?"
"Poke her in the eye."
"Ok if you say so!" pressing the girl brilliant blue eye it went in like a push button. Then they all turned around in surprise as a weird sound was coming from the throne its self! It was slowly sliding apart and revealed a hidden staircase going down.
"Come follow me there isn't much time! Hurry before it closes again. Move it people! Don't drag your feet!" she yelled as they went into the stairwell. Tea was first after Aziza, then Joey and finally Tristan but the top of his light brown hair got caught.
"Hey a little helps, please! Yeow!" he said when Aziza yanked him free and out come a good size chunk of hair. "Oh great I'm not supposed to go bald till I'm thirty!" he grumbled.
"Quite your whining, Tristan! We got more important things to worry about! Like helping the Pharaoh out so he doesn't become Friday night dinner! So quite the whining at let's get going!" Joey told his buddy as he turned around only to realize now the throne had reassembled they were in complete darkness.
"Oh man this freaking me out! I can't see anything! What if something like a ghost or a something comes out and tries to knock us out! I want out!" he whimpered like a baby.
"Joey, don't be such a baby. There is nothing to be afraid of at! There no such thing as the boogie man! Now come on and get off my leg. Come on Joey, be reasonable! After all the things we've done you can't be scared of the dark!" Tea said as she tried to pry him off her left ankle. But he was holding on her like she was his mommy.
"Joseph, get up!" Aziza yelled as she yanked him free with one hand. "I am forever bound to the dark. You just have to wait a few seconds before the light returns. So it's not a nightmare to be in the dark. So please don't act like a fool. Especially not when we finally arrive at the spot we're going to, alright, Joey? Ah, Millennium Magic, Ignite!" as a large golden flame erupted at the same time as the torch she held her hand burst alive with flames.
"Now follow me and remember show your respect. This is sacred ground we are treading on. The Gods themselves erected this chamber we're about to enter. So single file and follow me. Keep your left foot in front of you at all times. Please be aware of your surroundings as well. We have a long way to go and we have a very short amount of time to get there," she told them as they began to descend the dust filled stone steps into the unknown.
"Achoo! When the last time someone was down here? There enough dust to fill the Sahara twice and it the biggest desert in the world. This place is so ominous and it feels alive as well. Where exactly are we going, Aziza? Achoo!" Tea said in between sneezing fits. She hated it when her allergies acting up at the worst moment.
"Yeah it smells as if something was left to die down here! PU! I mean even a truckload of air fresheners would get rid of this ghastly odor! So Aziza, give us the 411 on why we are going into a smelly dark pit which is right under where the king sits?" asked Tristan as he tried to plug up his nose best he could.
"We are going to the Millennium Vault. It was a chamber that the three Egyptian Gods themselves fashioned as a safe and sound place to house the most valuable as well as sacrosanct relics and treasures of our land. It is the place where the Millennium Spell Book is kept. That book has played a rather double-edged role in history," she told them mysteriously as they went further down the winding stone stairs that seemed to have no end in sight.
"What do you mean? Why this one book is so darn important. Why is it considered double-edged sword?" questioned Tea curiously to the girl in front of her.
"This book is rumored to be older then time itself. Our historians believe it to have been written at the very beginning of creation. It was also said the Gods themselves wrote that Book in their own hand and gave it too our people. It was written in their language which is unknown to us on Earth. Legend told our people would be able to translate this language when the right time came. When we need the Book's awesome and all most forbidden power the most,"
The others just looked at each other with silent gazes. They were all memorized by what this young girl was telling them. They no longer notice the dark or odor. Or the fact a few rats were scampering around their feet. They just kept following her as she continued to educate them.
"For an immeasurable amount of time many men have tried to decipher the work of the Gods. Master magicians, scholars, and wise men all have tried and all failed countless times to uncover the secrets within the tome of the Gods. But sometimes secrets are never meant to be revealed."
"My father, Samir, worked along side King Aknamkanon's brother Aknadin to try to translate those ancient pages. My father was one of the wisest men of his time. He was said to be far wiser than mortal men. I was once told he studied the scrolls contained within the Library of Alexandria. He was also able to tolerate Aknadin very ill behavior to him and our family."
"Why did Aknadin hate your family? Why did you call Kaiba by that name?" asked Tea as she brushed off some cobwebs she had walked into.
"I think that Aknadin was very envious of my family. My parents were the best friends to Atem's parents. You guys reminded me very much of how close they all where. I think because my father was closer to his brother then even he was it made him a little green with envy. That and my father beat him in the Nile Challenge 7 years in a row," she told them as she jumped two steps.
"What the hell is the Nile Challenge?" asked Joey at a complete loss.
Laughing she smiled at them. "It's a horse race held every year along the Nile River. Anyone can enter and it's a lot of fun. Guess Aknadin couldn't stand the fact that my father was just better at it then him. From what I gathered from the memories of Atem and Yugi I'm able to get the general idea of what kinda person Kaiba is. I guess the saying true. Good things come to those who wait. Aknadin finally got the son he wanted, only its 5000 years after he been in the grave. Ok we are just about there."
"So care to enlighten why your dad was working with an insane jerk? What is so terrible about a book that is revered as much as the Bible? And if it so bad why not destroy it?" asked Tristan from far back.
"Have some respect, Tristan. You think we haven't attempted to get rid of the book before? It was made by the Egyptians Gods themselves! You seen their powers you think anything that they made with their own hands can be destroyed by a mortal?" Aziza snapped angrily at him sending hot embers everywhere.
"Wow! Watch it will you!" Joey said as frantically put the tiny flames on his bangs out.
"Sorry. Anyway to put it simply anything down in this vault cannot ever be destroyed ever. Look at the Items that came from the one page of that book we where able to interpret. All seven Millennium Items have lasted 5000 years!"
"My father worked half his life trying to read those cursed pages. He, with help from Aknadin, was able to translate the page for the Items. He trusted his instincts and told Aknadin that they should only use it as an absolute last resort. His reasons were because this power was known only to the Gods so they should be very cautious since they didn't know the full extent of what they were getting into. Father never learned till long after the Millennium Items had been cast into existence that Aknadin had stolen the page with the correct translate. Father worked along with Mahad to uncover the truth of these so called Treasures of the Gods. Mother stood by him and helped in anyway she could."
"Your mom? What was she like? We've been here for numerous visits however you hardly speak of yourself. What was your mom like? What was her responsibility in the palace?" inquired Tea inquisitively to Aziza.
A small bead of moisture fell from Aziza right eye. No one could see it in the dim lighting. With a quiet sniffle she told Tea the answer to her inquiry. "My mother Efra was a very extraordinary woman. While she was the highest ranking priestess because of astonishing abilities, she was an even better friend. Her most notable talents were that she could speak directly to the spirits in the afterlife as well as the creatures we summoned. She had been blessed with clairvoyance, a gift she bestowed to me along with being born with an abundant magical power. But she was also highly skilled at the art of medicine along with healing. She was also the best one to call upon when you were about to give birth," she told them with a proud smile.
"Why? Why was it such a good idea to have around when babies came shooting out the birth cannel?" Joey asked her confused by her pride in that statement.
"Joey, have you ever actually cracked open a book that wasn't a comic book? In ancient Egypt the mortally rate was extremely high, most mothers died giving birth and you were incredibly lucky to see to your first birthday. You must have been sleeping in class when we where taught this." Tea told him annoyed so much her veins on her forehead where popping out.
"Yeash! Sorry didn't mean to upset you Tea! But you don't need to have a cow over it!"
"It's quite alright, Tea. My mom Efra began being the best midwife from the time she was seven years old and every delivery she was ever part of, till she and my father death, she never lost the mother or baby. They both lived very long and prosper lives and she even would do a spiritual reading of the newborn for the moms to tell them what kinda of future they could expect for their children."
"Her most famous delivery and reading was that of Atem himself. He was a very stubborn baby. Queen Samira was in labor for 16 hours and it took what she over and over again described as if the Gods where trying to claw out of her belly to get him out. Atem was born on March 18th ,17 years ago our time, he was at birth exactly 7 pounds 12 ounces and was about 18 and half inches long. His reading was very unique one without a doubt. She foretold he would have a destiny so great not even the Egyptians Gods could tell her what he was destined to do." While Aziza had finally reached the last step everyone at the mention of her last words stopped so suddenly the rammed into each other and fell flat on their faces. She turned and frowned. "What did I say something?"
"Your mom was the one who helped bring the Pharaoh into this world?!" Joey exclaimed as he trip over his tongue in utter disbelief.
"Yeah, what the problem?" she asked confused by his response.
"It's just we never. I mean to think about it. I mean oh boy…." Joey as he continued to stammer as he held onto Tristan for support, who, was holding onto Tea for it.
"I see. You have always seen Pharaoh Atem as this almost flawless, strong young man. Smooth, confident, fearless and fun. You seemed to put out of your mind without difficulty, he was once like you a baby and yes he came into this world nude like the rest of us. Now if you all could focus on what needs to be done right now. We've arrived and it only took us eight minutes too."
"What eight minutes! You've got to be joking that must have taken at least an hour or so!" Tristan shot back at her.
"Actually she right. My watch says only it's been eight minutes. All that time we're talking, we where actually making good time to get down here to this place. What exactly is this place at any rate, Aziza?" Tea asked as looked up from her watch.
"We've at last arrived at the gate that will lead us into the Millennium Vault. But before we can enter this, The Sanctuary of the Gods Treasures, we must prove we mean no harm."
"How do we do that?"
"The Eye of the Gods will be the judge of what is truly in our hearts. There are more dangers in addition to traps within this sacred chamber then even in the Pharaoh Tomb itself. They are not all cleverly concealed. If you enter this sanctuary with hostile intentions you'll be worse off then dead. As the inscription upon the door says,"
They all looked at the gate that looked eerily like the one that had been the one that had taken Atem away from them. They all understood he deserved after 5000 years to go home and rest. On the other hand it had nearly killed each of them. There where more then a few times they worried that Yugi would sink into depression in addition to PTSD and with the loss of a part of his identity end it all. Grandpa had hinted he had actually come close once to doing just that. It was an extremely bloodcurdling thought losing not just one but two best friends.
"Is this the same door that Atem walked out of our lives?" Joey asked as his brown eyes watered with tears.
"No it isn't. But I can tell you all are in tears. The duel to end all duels was played before a door that was identical this one. In fact it was its sister. It was a great battle as each King of Games fought their hearts out. Still I know you didn't want to say good bye. I know what that feels like to say good bye to someone and know you will never see them again. Such a great battle, still I've got a question I've been dying to ask you all for some time."
"What?" they all looked at her puzzled.
"Does Yugi just own one outfit or does he just have many of the same? From his and Atem's soul drops I've seen wonderful clothes you've all worn on all your adventures. On the other hand he's until the end of time in the same boring outfit. Why?" she asked.
They all just started to laugh with her. She had asked a very real question but it at least gave them what they needed at the moment. "I never thought about it but you right. Yugi never seems to change his clothes ever!" Joey said as his sides where about to split.
"How much can you understand from their memories?" Tea asked quietly as the boys fell to the ground laughing like they were hyenas high on something.
"I never have seen color in my cat form. I'm able to understand a great deal of things from their memories but not all. I'm still very much in the dark with many things in the world. Now get laughing boys up so I can read the inscription please?"
"I know you are an incredible young woman, Aziza. Surviving the desert prove that. But I got to know how you learn to read hieroglyphics! There a like a billion of them and they have to be a lot harder then Brail!" Joey asked her as he stared dumbfound at the chicken starches on the wall in front of them.
Smiling she began to run her hand over them. "It's like everything else. I've memorized the palace, the people and the city. I have an extremely excellent memory. Dad spent a great deal of his free time helping me memorize the symbols of our culture. The trick in reading them is in understanding which way to read them. The way a certain symbol is facing will tell you which direction it's meant to be read in. Whether it's left to right, right to left or up and down. This is from left to right,"
Taking a step back she kneeled in front of the golden eye. They other followed her lead as they tried their best to stop the intense beating in their hearts. She the gazed her blank eyes directly at the eye before and began to read out loud the inscription which she had long ago commit to heart.
"Heed thy warning of the Egyptians Gods for all who seek safe passage within our sanctuary. If you wish to pass unscathed from our fury listen closely to our warning. Only those of pure heart and noble intentions may be permitted safe passage in our domain. If you set a single foot on our soil with evil inside your soul you will swiftly be punished with a fate worse then death could ever be. Pay us proper respect and seek only our help for a noble as well as worthy cause you may enter."
"Oh, Sacred Eye of the Egyptians Gods, Slyther the Sky Dragon, Obelisk the Tormenter, and mighty Winged Dragon of Ra. We wish your permission to enter your inner sanctum. We seek your help in the name of the great Pharaoh Atem, in saving our beautiful land of Egypt in addition to mankind from oblivion. We also seek your aid in liberating the Pure One, Prince Yugi from the vile clutches of Nadira, the Witch of the Black Sand. Please judge us now and see thy truth of my words," Aziza told the eye in a very respectful tone.
The moment she uttered the last word the eye glowed brighter then a thousand suns. Everyone shut their eyes to avoid being blinded. The fear in them told them to run but it was the thought of their friends in danger that made them stay put. As they relax they all experiences a tingling sensation that seemed similar to the feeling one gets when a part of your body falls asleep.
A few moments later the light and feeling vanished and the door began to slide apart. Getting up and grabbing the torch again Aziza monition for them to follow her. They remember what the warning had said as the crossed the threshold into the unknown.
They walked up a small flight of stairs and out onto what appeared to be a balcony of some kind. The light form the torch wasn't enough to illuminate the whole chamber so they had no idea anything in front of them, beyond their nose.
Aziza then walked over to a weird shaped rail that went right down the middle of the balcony. "The time has come to behold the breathtaking wonders of the Egyptians Gods. Let them light our way out of darkness in this moment of need, shall we?" she said as she dropped the golden flame torch into the rail. It didn't go out instead it spread quickly all around the room. It was a fire trough! Soon they saw before them a colossal magnificent chamber overflowing with countless wonders beyond imagination.
"Come this is no time to stand around like idiots and gawk. Remember left foot forward and do not think or feel anything even remotely resembling evil. Or the traps both made by humans and the ones made by the Gods will activated. You will be dead before you can even utter a breath," she told them as she ran down the steps leading to the floor.
The gang continued to follow her lead and showed respect as they ran quickly through the room. They quickly gazed at the countless items in the room, remembering to only look but not touch. They came to the heart of the room where under a spotlight on a golden pedestal was a large purple book with the Millennium Emblem on it.
"This is the Millennium Spell Book. The most powerful and most dangerous secrets of the universe are encoded within it. It is to be respected and feared. Come along, it isn't the item we seek. What we seek is further ahead. Come on."
They all where stunned for a moment. She had made this book out to be incredibly important, but it wasn't what they had come down here for? So what was it she sought out so desperately for?
She was fast even when not in her cheetah body. They could barely keep up with her by the time they did she had stopped at the very edge of the chamber they were all winded. In front of her was the same tablet that had got them to the past in first place! Lying beneath the tablet on beautiful cloth with wonderful designs where the three weapons of the Guardians.
"What is going on here? Why are we staring at this hunk of a rock? Why did you drag us down a dark and smelly tunnel to show us this?" Joey asked her angered. Their best friend was in the clutches of an insane little monster, who, was intending on cooking him as well as eating him like he was a pizza!
"Joey, kill the anger pronto, if you don't want to be eighty-six, man! Remember we cannot have any hostile thoughts or feelings within this chamber!" hissed Tristan to his buddy who did as he was told.
"I've brought you three here because I believe it wasn't mere chance you have ties to Yugi who has a connection with, Atem, which is beyond words to describe. Nothing in life happens for mere chance. If Atem and Yugi can control the awesome power and might of the Egyptian Gods without being killed then I'm betting you three are vital in aiding us with a power that it almost as great as theirs," Aziza gazing her milky eyes at the tablet three winged sisters. Her sightless eyes burn brightly with a fiery passion that told all three of them she was very sure of whatever her plan was to even the odds.
"What exactly is your plan, Aziza? What do those winged hotties have to do with saving our best bud from the dinner plate?" Joey asked at the same time as his warm brown eyes where locked on the Guardian of Slyther. She seemed to be calling out to him. Tea was looking at Guardian of Ra and Tristan to Guardian of Obelisk. It was a strange feeling that was overpowering each of them. It was both of perfect clarity as well as profound meaning. Like when you find out who you're destined to be or when you realize you found your one true love.
"I can already sense that my instincts about you were right. You are feeling them calling out to you, aren't you? The Guardians have great power they all but omnipotent. They merely have power over a tiny fraction of the power that the Gods possess. Only when they work in prefect harmony do their powers become omnipotent. Individually they are a great force but as one there're have a power greater then the Blue Eyes or even Exoida."
"You three comprehend the virtues of trust, friendship, and faith. You all work in prefect harmony, so I'm without a doubt; sure, you three are the destined vessels the Guardians need to bond with so they can take corporal form and put an end to the madness of Nadira along with her cursed Black Sand! Now one of you, please step forward and tell the Guardians your name. If I'm right we found our trump card to play against that witch. Go ahead."
Joey almost in a sleepwalking fashion walked forward and knelt respectfully to the massive stone tablet. Then in a loud, clear voice said who he was, "I am Joseph Wheeler! I humbly ask your help in saving the life of my best friend!"
The eyes of the Guardian of Slyther become burning red and a huge fire burst right in front of him. But he didn't even bat an eye. He stood his ground. When the crimson flames had died down standing before them was a young semitransparent woman. She looked like the girl from the tablet as she smiled thoughtfully at Joey.
"Wow, she is smoking," he whispered under his breathe blushing as red as the girl clothes, hair, and eyes. At the same time as the stunning woman glided like a ghost over to him. Her beautiful clothes and hair seemed to flow gently as if there was a warm summer breeze and she seemed to illuminate the room even more the troths that were lit.
"At long last we meet, Joey Wheeler. I've waited countless eons for you and only you. My destined partner, my avatar, you have at long last arrived. Though I never image you be so charming. Come we don't have much time. We must do the Bonding quickly if we are to save Egypt and mankind from extinction. Are you Joey Wheeler, ready to bond with me, Jasmine, Guardian to Slyther the Sky Dragon?" Jasmine asked him gently as he stood up to face her.
"If it means saving my two best friends from dying and kicking some bad guy butt, I'm more then ready Jasmine! What do I've have to do?"
She pointed to the phoenix handled sword before him. "Take the Phoenix Blade and say Soul of the Phoenix. It will activate the powers of my weapon and we will become one."
"OK, if you say so," he said as he picked up the long gleaming sword. It had something in hieroglyphics engraved on the blade. Holding it out in front of him he yelled, "Soul of the Phoenix!" the minute the words had escaped his dry lips he felt the beautiful Guardian Jasmine kiss him, then she turned into a fiery phoenix and then wrapped Joey up in a cyclone of fire. His friends wanted to run to his aid but Aziza halted them.
When at last the cyclone had vanished there stood Joey without a scratch from the killer inferno. But he was now in some incredibly stylish as well as lustrous duel armor with huge wings of living fire erupting from his back. A large genuine phoenix was at his side with a golden saddle on its back.
"Wow! You look well amazing dude! I'm totally digging the new threads! This is one kick ass look! I approved big time buddy!" Tristan told a stunned Joey who was still trying to absorb all that was going on.
"What the hell is going on?!" he asked out loud in a rising anxiety voice as he looked himself over and almost dropped the sword. To his amazement Jasmine materialized before him. But she was still translucent. Smiling gaily at him she told him what was going on.
"You and I are now one, now and forever. Like Pharaoh Atem and Yugi were. I will protect you and all those you love. Your sister, your wife and daughter I will protect from harm. You in turn will use my power to help save those I love. We are one now and forever. You are my very special friend as I am very special friend to you. My powers will come to you when you listen to your heart. You are now a Regent of Egypt. Come now it is time for my sisters to bond with their vessels," Jasmine told him proudly as went back within him.
"Regent of Egypt? One now and forever? WIFE AND DAUGHETER!? I'm 16 years old! I don't even have a girlfriend and I've not lost my virginity yet! I wonder if this is how Yug felt when he first realized his undersized body was being used as a timeshare space! Still she is smoking and I really love this armor! Oh yeah this is going to be sweet! But how am I supposed to take a leak in this getup?" Joey thought to himself.
While Joey contemplated his bathroom problems, Tristan, was making his move. Following the lead Joey had made he said his name and humbly asked for the Guardian's help. The Guardian of Obelisk eyes flashed a brilliant blue and a swirling vortex of water appeared before them. It was the same girl only with blue clothes, hair, and eyes.
"At long last we meet, Tristan Taylor. I have waited countless eons to find you and only you, my destined partner, my avatar. I will admit you are very charming. Are you ready to for the Bonding? To become one with me, Kanda, the Guardian of Obelisk the Tormenter?" she asked him.
"Yes I am, Kanda. Let her rip!"
Smiling she pointed to her trident, "To evoke my power so we may become one now and forever please take my trident and say Soul of the Nile Serpent! That will active its power and we can become one,"
Picking up the aqua and turquoise jeweled trident he held out and cried. "Soul of the Nile Serpent!" he felt her press her angelica lips on his and he was swallowed up by a vortex of water. When it vanished he was in his own stylish and very cool duel armor. It was identical to Joey but was blue and the wings where made of water and in the center was the picture of Obelisk while in Joey were a picture of Slyther. A large aqua and turquoise serpent with a sliver saddle was at his side.
"Oh yeah this is so much cooler then standing on the sidelines! Yeah for once I'll get to strut my stuff oh yeah!"
"We are now one. You are now a Regent of Egypt. When you trust your heart you will be able to use my powers. While you help protect my home and family I will do the same for you. Your wife and daughter will be forever under my protection, my special friend. Now its time for my sister to make her big entrance." Kanda told him compassionately as she became one with him again.
Tristan took a few moments to register what the hot chick had told him. He was also baffled by what she had said but didn't have the time or luxury to dwell on it. Tea now presented herself before the final Guardian, Wakanda the Guardian of the Winged Dragon of Ra. The greatest of all Duel Monsters. Despite the fact that she knew she should be scared to death, she was surpassingly calm in addition to filled with the burning fire to save this world she loved so much.
"I am Tea Grander! I humbly call upon your sacred power to help save the two worlds that I love. To save both parts of my family the one that dwells here and the one in the world I live in. Please help me."
The eyes of Wakanda glowed with a blinding gold as a huge wind blew. But Tea stayed firmly where she was. Finally the final winged guardian sister emerged. She was just as beautiful as her sisters. She smiled happily at Tea as she approached her.
"At long last we meet Tea Grander. I've wait for countless eons for you and only you. You are my destined partner, my avatar. You are very beautiful both within and outside. It is you I bestow my powers to. Are you ready to become one? Are you ready to become a Regent of Egypt?"
"Yes"
"Take my bow and quiver of arrows. To summon my powers you must call out Soul Sacred Dragon of the Wind. Ready?"
She slung the golden quiver over her right shoulder and held out the bow. "Soul of Sacred Dragon of the Wind!" she felt a warm hug from Wakanda as the bonding happened and she became one with her. Soon she was in her own stylish gold duel armor. She looked very hot. She could tell by the look on Joey and Tristan faces that she was incredibly sexy to them.
"We are now one. When the time comes to use my power all you need to do is look within your heart. As my sister will protect the lives of the ones their partners love I will do the same for you. Your husband and son will not be harmed while we are bonded, I swear."
She like her two friends had no time at all to taken the true meaning of the Guardians words. They all turned to face Aziza who was smiling as she bowed before them respectful.
"I am deeply honored to be in the presences of the Regents of Egypt from the legend. It was foretold for many generations that when the three chosen vessel came and stood before your sacred stone you would be at last able to leave the world of spirits and be able to aid us in the most important battle of all time. When the three Guardians of the Egyptian Gods and their destined vessel became one, they would be known as the Regents of Egypt. Now at last the time has come and we desperately need your help in the storm that is brewing as we speak. I've know that to unlock the fullest potential of your powers your vessel must work in prefect harmony. Let me assure Guardians the three you are bonded with understand the true meaning of friendship and harmony better then anyone else will ever hope to know. Come let us go!" Aziza proclaimed happily as she opened the secret door that lead back to the surface.
"Ah! Fresh air! Forget me not blue skies! Wonderful to see it again!" exclaimed Joey when they at last came out to the surface. They had existed just outside from the corridor leading to the water gardens out back. The door then concealed itself again so well you think it wasn't even there. Aziza bit her lip till it bleed. Turning to her friends she commanded to them "You better go practice while you have time. We have very little time before the storm hits. You should at the very least become acquainted with you now hold in your heart. I will see you soon," as she turned to run but Joey grabbed her before she could run away.
"Hey where to you think your going, girl? You know all the secrets to this land and all this magic stuff. Shouldn't you help us or something?"
Yanking her hand free from him, "I've done my duty to you. Now I must go and quickly to another duty before I've got to meet Atem. I can't help you any further, Joey. You three must believe in yourself and the powers found within your heart if you wish to save Prince Yugi. Now I must really be going. Remember time is running out! The sun will set according to Tea's watch at exactly 6:48 and I need to get Atem to say the password before then,"
"If you're the Secret Keeper can't you just tell him the password or any secret for that matter?" Joey asked her confused. He was shocked when she whipped around and lowered her top enough for them to see the tattoos imprinted on her back.
"That is the oath of the Secret Keeper written on my back. It is a part of me right through my skin to my very soul. It states that I swore in the name of my king, country and in the name of the Gods that I would perform my duties to the best of my abilities. If I release certain information without the password I will break a very big taboo. The penalty for disclosing these secrets without the proper authority from my king is instant death," she informed them as she pulled up her top again. Then without another word she turned into a cheetah and ran like she was hunting for something.
She soon found who she sought for. Kaiba was leaning on a pillar with a scowl on his face and his cold eyes staring aimless into space. Narrowing her golden eyes she attacked him. He was completely caught off guard as the spotted feline pounced on him and pinned him to the ground. He tried to kick her but she was too fast and leapt off him. This seemed to be a bit of a game for her because even as a fast kitty she was laughing!
"Ok, you little blind pain in the neck. What are you doing? You better have a good answer for treating me like I'm a cat toy!" he told her angrily.
Seeing she had at the least got his attention she slowly transformed back to her human form. "Hey Kaibutt, we need to have a serious talk," she told him with a strange look etched onto her pretty face.
"Don't call me that ever! Wheeler will pay for even coining that ill name!"
"Fine, I won't call you that, Aknadin," she replied sarcastically to him. He completely lost his temper and ran at her ready to beat the shit out of her. He didn't care she was a girl or blind no one insult him and lived. However amazingly she was able to counter his every move and correctly predict what he was going to do next. In the end she managed to grab his right arm and twisted behind him.
"You haven't changed as much as you would like to believe, Kaiba. Even after 5000 years you still fight in the exact same manner. While the mind may forget ages past the heart and soul never truly forget now do they? Now would you please listen to what I've have to say? I really hate to escalate this further," she told him as she released her grip on his arm.
"You are nuts! All of you'll are nuts! I'm finding Mokuba and getting out of this nuthouse! Now if you excuse me I'll be leaving now," he told her coldly as he started to walk away form her.
"I guess then you won't be wanting this back, will you?" she called out to him. He turned around and in her hot little hand was his Dueling Deck! She had managed to pilfer his deck! It was his most prized possession! No one was ever allowed to touch it!
"Do you want me to kill you? Do you have a death wish? Give it back now!" he demanded as his fists turn white and where stained with blood. He made a grab for his deck but she jumped playfully out of the way. She then held the deck in front of him and whispered "Millennium Magic, Transport!" He watched in shock as his deck fade like it was a chimera from his mind.
He looked like the devil as he went to kill her. She calmly stood her ground as he came after her and at the last moment held out her hand and a gold light shot out an immobilized him.
"Perhaps now you'll listen to what I've got to say," she told him as she waved her hand in front of his face. Only his head could move now but he was still paralyzed all over.
"Why would I listen to you? You assault me, then insult me and steal and destroy my property! You are going to fry for this!"
"Kaiba, would you just lighten up? Your deck is perfectly fine. I merely sent it to a different location is all. If you follow me and listen to what I've to tell you, really listen. I will show you where I hid your deck, ok?"
"Fine! But make it quick little girl!"
"Ok," removing the spell that was immobilizing him. He was still scowling at her but obediently followed her as she lead him to the spot to where she had the audacity to hide his deck. She brushed a loose hair out of her face and began to tell him the real reason she been doing this stunt with him.
"It is so strange. To know you and everyone that was reincarnated look alike. But you and Seto are as different as day and night. You have many of the same traits; you are very ambitions, strong minded and have the drive along with the tenacity to accomplish whatever you have set in your mind to do. Yet Seto is very compassionate and honorable and a very good man. He also has retained his humanity. You Kaiba are cold, heartless and have no compassion at all. You have long suppressed any remaining humanity within you and willing let your heart become stone. Now both you as well as Seto are paying the price for your poor judgment."
"What are you babbling on about? So that dork in the crazy getup looks and sounds like me. But he not me and we have nothing in common. You live, you die, and you end up worm food. There no magical rebirth or anything at all!" he told her as he winced as if he was having a heart attack.
"I can tell even now you are sick. But you don't want to acknowledge it. There are many reasons you and Seto are both sick. One as I've pointed out is your lack of humanity. Kaiba you may think you have it all, money, power, as so forth. But in all reality you are a peasant. Money can be destroyed just like your company you love so much. But you can rebuilt a building and make more money. But you can't replace a life. A true king needs nothing for the body but has filled his heart with love and friendship things that once gone can never be replaced but will withstand both time and death. Tell me when Duel Monsters finally ends and your company is gone what is going to be your legacy? Who will come to grieve for man who wasn't a man to anyone? You will die and no one not even Mokuba will come to say good bye," she told him to which he got him fuming yet again.
"Your not just blind girl, you are out of your mind! Mokuba will be there for me forever as will Kaiba Corp. I will one day prove the world that I, Seto Kaiba, am the greatest duelist in the world! Way better then Yugi Moto!"
"You are more like Aknadin then you can remember Kaiba. Aknadin was Seto's father. He had the same feelings of jealousy in addition to envy. He was driven mad with an obsession to prove to everyone he was better then everyone else. Like you he couldn't just accept in life there will always be someone better then you. You can never truly win, Kaiba, if you can't accept losing. Even if you beat Prince Yugi right now you still be the one who lost. You've let the fact he beat become the soul reason for living. Kaiba there is more to life then winning or losing at a game. You're going to miss out on a lot if you let this continue. You've become blind to the fact that this obsession is slowly driving the only person you care about away from you. Mokuba is getting very sick of having to make up excuses and defending you. One day you will lose him and then you'll have nothing at all."
"Aida told her son Seto before he came here some good advice, "That things such as power and magic are nothing but illusion. They may feed the body but deprive the soul then you are nothing more then an animated statute as, Rue, was doomed to meaningless existences,"
"You got a point to all this brainless babble? If not just tell me where my deck is. I'm so sick of wasting my time with Yugi Moto and his stupid friends and delusion of grandeur! He's so beyond stupid ugh I can't stand him!"
"Can't stand him or cannot stand the fact he got everything you really want? Don't even think you can lie to me Kaiba. There is a physical reaction when someone lies and I can sense it. You don't just hate Yugi because he beat you at Duel Monster, no the real reason you despise him, is because he has what you'll never have," she shot back at him coolly. She could tell by the vibrations she was detecting she had it the nail on the head with her statement.
"What is that? Lousy taste in fashion or really bad hair?" he inquired in an icy tone.
"He has people who love him. You see for yourself that everyone here is willing to lay down their lives for him. They love and respect him as well as they have fun plus they are never alone. Even though Atem and Yugi now are forced to be 5000 years and half way around world away from each other they can still feel when the other needs each other. Do you understand what is making you sick now?"
"No and frankly you aren't exactly qualified to give out medical advice. Just tell me where my deck is and stop talking idiotic circles and get a reality check would you?!"
She clutched her fists tightly and flipped the arrogant son of bitch over her shoulder, followed by she surround him with a golden flame at the same time as she gently pressed her hand around his neck. She growled furiously at him feed up with this boy icy attitude she just exploded at him
"You listen you ass and listen well. I'm trying to help you for the sake I owe your past self a debt. I always make good on my debts. If I can save your soul from being damned then I'll feel like I've returned the act of kindness he did for me. In a sense I pay it forward not back. Now listen to a little tale of your old self and you will realize why you can't sleep at all! Or why you feel as if your mind is coming undone at the seams in addition to your soul is slowly being ripped in two!"
There had very seldom been times in his 18 years of living that Seto Kaiba had been frozen with fear or even experienced fear. But this young woman was like something he never had encountered. He stood still as stone as she recalled an event form her past that in her words was a part of his past self life.
"Two years ago near the end of King Aknamkanon reign we had suffered from an unexpected drought. The rains where late and we had some bad desert storms. King Aknamkanon sent his court which his son, Atem, would inherit when he assumed the throne out to help the more devastated villages. There was a village to the far west that had been greatly hurt by these events. My parents offered their services to their oldest friend in aiding this village. They went accompanied by Aknadin as well as Seto,"
"I remained here as my duties bound me to always be with Atem. My parents and I had a great feast before they left oh it was wonderful night. They promised they'd be back soon, just in time to watch the Nile Challenge. It was one of my favorite times of the year. I may not be able to see the great race nevertheless it was the one day of the year everyone act as just one race. It's a day full of peace along with tranquility as well as loads of fun. They took the safe route to the village and remained there for a little over a week. In next to no time the village was back on its feet and the people were very grateful for all their help. The night before they return home to the capital city the rain clouds finally came. The thunderstorm that was unleashed from those clouds was unlike anything they ever seen. The storms seemed to be like all the great Gods of our land were in some huge battle in the skies above our noble land. Finally the morning at last came and all was peaceful again."
"They hurried home with a sense of pride in knowing that this village would be all right. When they came to the path that they had taken to get to this remote village they where shocked to see the unexpected fury of rain had caused the water in the Nile to rise and the safe trail leading home had become washed out and inaccessible. It would take weeks to get through the mess. They debated on what course of action to take for a few moments at last Aknadin said he recalled another trail nearby from a map that could get them home. But it was a very dangerous trail and wasn't used often and for good reason. Still they saw no other way back home. So following Aknadin lead they took the trail know as "Kimis's Forgotten Pass. Despite the fact that the river had long ago stopped colleting in this spot the ground was covered with razor-sharp rocks and enormous fissures scattered about. It wasn't a very safe place to be at all. As they made their way slowly on the safest spot they could find in this brutal unforgivable terrain. A very narrow ledge that even our bravest of stallions where scared of. They where almost all the way through, the main trail was just in sight then disaster struck."
"The rain from the previous night had caused the already unstable rocks to erode even further and a massive landside came crushing down. Aknadin and Seto escape by the skin of their teeth. But my parents weren't so lucky. My father was crushed to death instantly under his faithful steed and the rocks. My mother half buried and slowly dying. In your time I'm positive she would have been diagnosed with crush syndrome," huge beads of moisture began falling from her milky white eyes. Wiping the tears away she continued to tell her heart wrenching tale to Kaiba who surprisingly was really listing to her every word.
"Aknadin said they should leave them. Get the hell out of there before another landslide broke out. But Seto refused to even budge. He told Aknadin that he won't ever abandon one of their own. Aknadin tried to force him to leave, but he tenderly guided Aida, the stallion he had named after his mom, back to the edge of the rock slide. Then he slowly began the painstaking task of digging out my parents. He ignored the throbbing pain that came with the blisters and blood. He worked for hours all on his own till he got both freed from the debris. He then cradled my mother in his arms till she died later that night. He then returned with a very pissed off Aknadin with their bodies. They then were mummified and given a glorious as well as magnificent funeral; where they were buried along side their best friends as they had agreed upon so long ago," Aziza told Kaiba as the story was drawing to a close.
He felt something very out of the ordinary going on within him. He couldn't identify what it was but he couldn't believe it. This boy who was his so called past self had done all that for a mere blind girl and she felt such gratitude for it she wanted to help him?
"The answer to why both you and Seto are sick is very clear. I will try to explain it in a manner that your closed mind will understand. I understand in your time there is such a thing as organ donating and when you die your life flash before your eyes, correct?"
"Yeah my corporation has a regulation that every member on the staff must be an organ and blood donor. Mokuba had me write it about two years ago. What about it?"
"Well you know how when you match up someone for a transplanted they have to match or the body will rejected it? Well that is kinda what going on with you. You see everyone else who ever been reincarnated on some level whether it's conscious or subconscious accept this part of their soul. They embrace and welcome it. You on the other hand have pretty much done all that is possible to willing reject this part of you and your body is going through a spiritual crisis at the same time its rejecting your soul that fighting back to stay. This has only gotten worse recently because both you and Seto are going through extreme emotional crisis right now. This could have some serious and many unforeseen problems if both you and Seto don't learn to accept the other and act as one. Your deck is right over there unharmed. You should stay a few moments and get reacquainted with yourself while you're at it. I need to go meet Atem. Just think about what I said Kaiba, ok?" as she disappeared down a corridor.
He looked ahead of him and saw it was Kisara's Shrine. It was incredibly stunning and breathtaking. He retrieved his deck that was nestling between the strange bluish white exotic flowers around the shrine. He looked at the miniature statue of his Blue Eyes White Dragon and flipped the top card on his deck and look intently at it in repulsion. The bottom gave the info of the Blue Eyes but the beautiful illustration of his prized creature was nowhere to be found. It was just white! He quickly scanned his deck suspiciously. All the other cards where fine but the other two Blue Eyes weren't there either.
"What are you doing here?! Get away from here! This is a shrine and it doesn't need your cold heart of stone to defile its beauty! This was eructed in honor of the memory of a beautiful, brave young woman who gave her life to save another and with that selfless sacrifice helped save mankind from Zork!" yelled Seto angrily to his future self. He was fuming mad that Kisara's shrine was being touched by this beast!
"Hey I'm sorry if there no "Do not walk on the grass" signs around your stupid lawn ornament. Why are you wasting your time thinking about a silly little girl who was dumb enough to get herself killed?" asked Kaiba in an impassive tone with an expressionless gaze etched on to his face.
"How can you even say that, Kisara was just a "Silly little girl?!" If you're truly who I shall become in the next life and you possesses the Blue Eyes power, you must feel the connection that is in your heart to that magnificent dragon, and love that is burning in the reflection of its beautiful blue eyes? Or have you so long forgotten what it means to feel at all?" Seto demanded angrily to him.
"Listen pal, I can swallow that I'm by some illogical reason stuck 5000 years in the past. But I'm never gonna believe you are and I our one in the same. Sorry pal that just too much! I just came to get my dueling deck because that insane blind bitch stole it and sent it here! Now excuse me," Kaiba walked till the Rod was in front of him with a very pissed off Seto.
"You make me sick Kaiba. To know I fall so far. I told my brother Luxor, this morning that I would be the same man I'm now when I was reborn. Now I know I fail in that sacred vow to my little brother. But no one calls anyone of my family such names of dishonor without some punishment in return. If Aziza lured you here and she knew I would be here as well, she wants us to have a discussion," as the both looked out to the distant horizon with the blackish red storm clouds gathering. "We better at least hear each other out. She must felt it was important that we talk alone. So whilst there still time let's begin sharing with one another the tales of our lives. You first," he told him as he slipped the Rod in his belt.
Looking at the three blank cards in his hand and the sick feeling in his gut growing more intense with pain by the moment he bit his tongue and began to share with this look-alike his life story.
Atem was pacing like a man on death row. He didn't understand this at all. He usually never had a problem keeping it together. But now ever thing was just so mixed up and he didn't know what to think. He touched the base of the statue and for some reason it brought a warm and comfortable feeling. As he relaxed a bit Aziza finally came running up to him. But she was clearly out breath. She had obviously been doing quite a lot of running around in the last 35 minutes and he let her take five minute to catch her breath. "Are you alright, Aziza? Maybe you should lie down," he told her but she shook her head defiantly.
"No Atem, there is no time to rest, not for you or me or anyone. I will tell you with great pleasure that my hunch was correct. The Guardians of the Gods have bond with your friends and now are the Regents of Egypt. I sent them out to the water gardens to practice a bit. Trust me they'll need all the practice they can get for the storm that is about to hit. I also took care of a personal matter. Now let's get you and your father together for a few moments of quality time, shall we Atem?"
"May I confess something to you?" he asked as his sharp amethyst eyes looked away. A small frown was on his face and he seemed rather dishearten.
"I am your Secret Keeper. I've kept your secrets all my life. Cast onto me what troubles you so it may be lifted from your somnolent shoulders if only for a moment?"
"I am about to talk to my father. But he is a virtual stranger to me. I've no real memories of my life in this time. My life is locked within your soul and I cannot figure out what the one word that will give it back to me. What do you say to someone who you've known your whole life but you can't remember anything about at all?" he asked her with much uncertainty in his soothing voice.
"Atem, I will tell you the same words you told me yourself, before I performed the spell that wiped your mind clean and bind you to the Millennium Puzzle. You said and I quote, "While I may forget in my mind, this wonderful world of beauty and wonder. That is filled with so much adventure as well as enchantment. All the wonderful days of my childhood and the extraordinary people that made my life worthwhile. I swear to you my most precious friend that my heart will remember the wonderful feelings forever. As my mind grows dark my heart will be filled with the light of all those I've loved and who loved me. In this way my mind will forget but the heart will forever remember."
"Trust what you feel in here," she told him as she pressed her hand against his heart. "The heart never lies. Now you ready?" He wiped the tears off his eyes and took her hands and squeezed.
"Ok now say the spell with me. Place your hands on each side of my head as I do the same with you. Now say what I say as I say it."
"Ok"
"Millennium Magic! Let me see what Atem sees and feel what he feels. I call upon thy sacred power! Millennium Sight!" In a blinding flash the area disappeared when he could see again he was in a place that seemed oddly familiar. On the left side was a wall with a single door. This door and wall reflected Aziza's personality the one on the right was indeed reflecting that of a great king.
"Hello, welcome to my mind. I can't even see anything here. Are you ready to see your father?" Aziza asked as she gently closed the door to her chamber and joined him. He gazed at the golden door and reached for the handle but hesitated for a moment.
"I'm scared. I can't remember the last time I was this scared. Why am I coming unglued so bad? I've face countless evils and triumphed over them furthermore I've saved mankind. But why do I feel like a small child now? Why can't I keep it together?" as he voiced his fearful thoughts out loud.
"If I had to guess is because a part of you is no longer there. Atem you are terrified right now that you'll never see Yugi again. This is worse then ever because you have finally come to terms of what is in your heart," she whispered compassionately into his ear.
"What are you talking about, Aziza?" he asked trying to avoid what was obvious to everyone.
"It's ok if you don't say it out loud to me. But you need to say it to him. He needs to know the truth of how you feel. He needs to hear your sweet and soothing voice tell him those three words and you need to hear yourself say them. I will go in with you but you are going to have to talk to him alone. He is your father but I will tell you this if your looking for advice on matter pertaining to that of the heart he going to tell you the exact same thing
She took his hand gently and led him into the replica of the throne room. Bowing respectfully to her king with a warm smile, she gave Atem a gently push. Looking at each other for a few minutes then father and son ran into a tender embraces. They began a very much needed talk. Aziza quietly slipped out of the chamber and back into her side of the mind.
In the dark along with sinister underground citadel Nadia was putting the final game pieces in her sick and twist game into play. Summoning the full on ferocity of her fowl power, she forcefully removed the monsters that lurk from the dark depths of the minds of her prisoners. Their bloody hellish screams didn't faze her in the least bit as she ripped out a piece of their soul.
Now lying before her where countless living shadows all laughing evilly. She touched her cursed hourglass pendent she used the powers she had stolen in such an inhuman manner to merge these wicked beast with her evil Black San, and then mutated them into even worse nightmares. Soon she had a vast army of monstrosities willing to do her sick bidding.
"Now my pets while I must battle that, fashioned challenged king, of this barren wasteland for his wonderful little toys. You will be under the commanded of the only person who is competent enough to win this little game with no slip ups. Isn't that right my lovely dark shadow?" she cooed flirtatiously to her shadow which came alive.
"Of course we'll show the boy who the real King of Games is? But what to do with the boy or the little runt?" asked her shadow.
"Don't worry about that little runt. She will be nothing in a short while but a bad and annoying memory, lost to the winds of this accursed sandbox! As for the boy, while I can't use his life force or power for myself, I can managed to divert a tiny portion of it to fuel our wonderful pets and give us a tiny power boost that will give us a very unfair advantage to Atem. Egypt and the ways of mortal end tonight! The Great Pharaoh of Legend and his hideous relation will both lose more then the game tonight!" As all present in the dark throne room broke out cackling insanely.
