Chapter 10: Even Playing Field

"This has got to be the most popular place in all of Cairo," Honda griped. There were now seven people in the room: Kaiba, Shizuka, Anzu, Jonouchi, Honda, Ryou, and the newcomer, Shadi – and there was practically nowhere to stand or sit. "Kaiba, can't we go someplace more comfortable?"

"There isn't time," Shadi answered before Kaiba could, earning himself a glare from the CEO. "I have much to say and little time to say it. You," he said, pointing to Ryou, "And you,"—he pointed to Kaiba—"Especially: you shall be tested."

"Me!?" squeaked Ryou. Kaiba merely snorted.

"You have the Millennium Key," Kaiba said, sneering slightly. "I'll hear you out, but after that you'll hand over your Item. I'll force you if I must."

Shadi met his gaze evenly. "You will not," he answered. "When the time comes, the Pharaoh will receive this Item from me. No one else may have it as long as it is entrusted to me."

"Then you do believe the Nameless Pharaoh is alive again," Anzu said.

"I don't care," Kaiba hissed. "I only care insofar as all the Item Bearers seem to revolve around this story. But I'll be damned if I let an Item walk into my grasp and let it walk back out!"

"You are wrapped up in this as well," Shadi answered, ever calm. "Did you not let Bakura do as much?"

"He was useful and in contact," Kaiba replied.

"The same can be said for me, then," Shadi answered, smiling slightly. "Do you want the information I have for you? Or do you want the Item more?" There was a sense of weighing in his gaze.

Kaiba's teeth were pressed tightly together, but he bit out, "The information. Hurry up."

Shadi's smile faded slowly as he closed his eyes. "Seto Kaiba," he said, "You saw the God Osiris."

Kaiba crossed his arms. "Yes."

"You saw how awesome his power is. But Osiris has an equal." Shadi gazed around the room. "All of you have become privy to the secrets of the Tombkeepers. I have been in contact with the one who controls the most of the Millennium Items. His name is Malik Ishtar, the inheritor of the Tombkeeper's seal. Under his direct control is the Millennium Rod and the Millennium Puzzle, and he long kept the Millennium Tauk close by. The Tauk is now moving, however. Under his indirect control are my Items. I carry the Key and the Scales."

Kaiba's eyes were wide. "Five Items?" he breathed.

"The Millennium Puzzle?" Jonouchi demanded, stomping his foot. "But Yuugi—"

Shadi spoke over him. "The Ring is here. The Eye is the only Item now lost." He met Kaiba's eyes. "If you take from me the Key and the Scales, then Malik will be able to use the Rod to look into my mind. He will perceive of your existence, and you will lose the advantage of being hidden in the shadows. Do you still wish to take my Items?"

Kaiba smirked slightly. "Fine, your point is made. But you cannot hide now, can you?" He gestured to Ryou. Ryou looked uncomfortable.

"No, I cannot, nor do I need to." Shadi gave the impression of being tired of Kaiba. "Allow me to continue.

"This is information I have received from Ishizu Ishtar, the sister of Malik Ishtar. She cannot be here, but she wishes you to know this: the three Gods have been found, their ka tablets long buried in the Valley of the Kings. They will awaken only for the Pharaoh. That Osiris has been summoned is proof that the Nameless Pharaoh once again walks this Earth."

"So you're saying that only one person can summon the Gods," Honda stated. "And it's the Pharaoh on the tablet?"

"The Wall of Memories, and I do not know. The Pharaoh must awaken them. That is all that has been written on the subject."

"The Pharaoh who looks a lot like Yuugi?" Jonouchi added under his breath, a little testy, shooting Kaiba a glance.

"There are two more Gods now that still slumber. Osiris is under the eye of Malik. Ra is out of our reach. However, Obelisk is with me." Shadi's gaze went to Seto. "You must awaken him."

Kaiba stared at him. "What?"

"Ishizu Ishtar named you in my presence: Set, the High Priest of the Nameless Pharaoh, and his successor to the throne. You are the only other Pharaoh that wielded Shadow Magic. You might be able to awaken Obelisk."

"Woah, woah," Jonouchi interrupted, waving his hands. "Why the heck are you here and doing this?"

"You are the one in charge of the Mausoleum," Kaiba added, remembering something.

Shadi was as impassive as ever. "As I said, Malik has indirect control over me."

"Then why the hell should we trust you!?" Jonouchi demanded, only to 'oof!' when Honda elbowed him.

"Why would he tell us he works for Malik if he wanted us to trust him!? The guy's either betraying Malik or playing both sides. Either way, it's of help to us," Honda stage-whispered.

"I am merely a messenger," Shadi said, a tiny furrow between his eyes. "'The future is filled with shadow, but there is a point of light. My brother has the Pharaoh, but Set is still free.' This is what Ishizu Ishtar said to me."

"It's got to be Yuugi," Jonouchi muttered. "Somehow … the Pharaoh is Yuugi …" He looked around at everyone, gesturing. "I mean, come on! Yuugi is with the NO, which is apparently working for this Malik guy, according to Shadi here. He's the one that has the 'mark of the Pharaoh', the Puzzle – or at least he solved it. Whaddaya wanna bet he's the guy that summoned Osiris?"

"How!?" Kaiba snapped. "He doesn't have the Puzzle now if it is Yuugi! Think about it. The most likely participant in that second Shadow Game was actually him!" He pointed at Shadi.

"… Maybe Shadi was playing against Yuugi?" Jonouchi asked, a little more meek.

"I did not participate in any Shadow Game last night," Shadi said.

"Then we're back to the second game being impossible," Kaiba grumbled. "Okay, I'm going to go with this whole raising Obelisk thing. You have the ka tablet. Where is it!?"

"I cannot tell you. I will take you there this evening. As I said, I cannot stay long."

"One condition, then," Kaiba added. "Bakura here goes with me."

Ryou's eyes were wide, but he said nothing as Shadi silently sized him up. "Agreed," Shadi said at length. "I must be going." He turned to leave the room, but before he opened the door, he looked over to Jonouchi. "Your 'Yuugi' ... he does not remember it, but we have met once before. He is worthy to carry the weight of the Nameless Pharaoh." He swept from the room almost majestically.

"I knew it!" Jonouchi crowed.

&

Yuugi didn't wake up again until two o'clock in the afternoon. He yawned, stretching, and rolled out of bed to brush his teeth while only half awake. Rishid was shaving, his head and face a mass of white shaving foam.

"You called someone this morning?" Rishid asked after an appropriate amount of time.

Yuugi answered with his toothbrush still jammed in his mouth. "Yesh," he started, then spit in the sink. "Yes. I'm sorry if they called back."

Rishid shook his head a little before scraping the razor down his cheek. "No, it's fine." He never questioned the occasional, apparently random phone calls Yuugi made in certain cities. Yuugi suspected that Rishid knew exactly who he was trying to talk to but was being polite about it. Whatever the case, Yuugi let it slide. "We go to meet with Shadi at three," Rishid continued after a bit.

Yuugi rinsed his mouth with water and stared at the drain. Shadi … the possessor of the Millennium Key and Scales. Malik had ordered them – or rather, ordered Yuugi – to meet with the man today, supposedly regarding the Mausoleum attack. Malik was not happy with Shadi, who was also not present to prevent the attack. However, Pharaoh Malik did not have direct control over the Egyptian, or he would deal with Shadi himself. Instead, he sent Yuugi. Yuugi washed his toothbrush off and set it aside, and turned back to the room to change. "Rishid, you know Pharaoh Malik better than I," he said. "Does he want Shadi's Items more than he wants Shadi?"

Rishid answered in a louder voice, over the running water. "Right now I think it is a benefit to him to have Shadi carry the Key and the Scales," he replied. "He would have said outright that he wants you to Shadow Game him for the Items if that is what he wanted. I think he sends you because …" Rishid trailed off, and there was a long pause. Yuugi pulled on his sleeveless shirt. "Perhaps I do not know," Rishid finished, his voice lower.

Yuugi heaved a sigh and delved into his suitcase for bracers to wear. "Thank you, Rishid," he said, snapping a pair around his wrists. "I hope we will find out what we are looking for."

&

"I am Rishid Ishtar, Malik Ishtar's brother," Rishid introduced himself, pressing his fist into his open palm and bowing. "This is Yuugi Mutou, employed by Master Malik." Yuugi bowed in the same way. Compared to the two Egyptians, Yuugi was a dwarf, craning his neck to meet their eyes. Still, something about his presence competed with Shadi for attention.

Shadi bowed to them both. "I am honored to host Master Ishtar's servants," he intoned. The Millennium Key glinted in the afternoon light. "Come in."

Yuugi and Rishid stepped inside, following Shadi into what amounted as his office. It was more of a study space, papers and replicas of various artifacts dotting the earthen-colored furniture. "The Mausoleum is my private property," Shadi said, going to a homely desk and standing behind it. "There I house some of the lost artifacts of the Eighteenth Dynasty of Egypt on my own dime. Last night you were both there when it was attacked – twice," Shadi said.

Yuugi and Rishid looked at each other. "Twice?" Yuugi asked, apprehensive.

Shadi's eyes were golden-brown in color; they locked with Yuugi's. "You know what I speak of," he said, his features impassive. "The first attack was by a thief – the 'Thief King', whose face no one has seen. But you confronted him, did you not?"

Yuugi was silent, glowering, his hands fisted in his pockets.

Shadi did not look away. "He carries the Millennium Ring, one of the items that eludes Master Ishtar's grasp. You must have Shadow Gamed him, but somehow the thief escaped. In that time, you left the Mausoleum.

"The Mausoleum was attacked a second time while you were leaving. This attack allowed someone into the inner sanctum, where two secret tablets are kept bearing secure information about the Eighteenth Dynasty. This security breach is what Master Ishtar is most concerned about, I presume?"

"Yes," Yuugi answered, his voice slightly hoarse.

"I do not know who was the perpetrator," Shadi said, finally taking a seat in a wooden chair and motioning for Yuugi and Rishid to do the same. Yuugi remained standing, his back rigid. Rishid, taking his cue from Yuugi, remained standing as well. Shadi, however, folded his arms underneath his linen robes. "But he must have been a Shadow user with a powerful monster to have escaped with so many Ghouls on my property."

"He is the master of the Blue Eyes White Dragons," Yuugi said tightly.

Shadi turned his head slightly, but his gaze didn't leave Yuugi's. "Do you know who that is?"

Again Yuugi said nothing, his lips thinned.

Shadi held his gaze for a long moment, then looked to Rishid. "Please leave us, Master Rishid."

Rishid looked to Yuugi, but Yuugi's eyes didn't waver, boring into the side of Shadi's head. "… Very well," he said, bowing. He shut the door behind himself as he left.

Shadi stood again as the door swung shut, seeing that Yuugi wasn't going to sit. The shorter of the two was tighter than a bowstring, every muscle held to perfect stillness. "You know who is the master of the Blue Eyes."

"And you know him as well, don't you," Yuugi shot back. "My memory of him is dim, but we have met. And you … I have met you as well, in my soul room, when you violated the sanctity of my mind."

For the first time, Shadi seemed surprised. His eyes widened slightly. "You remember …"

"Tell me," Yuugi said, his voice deepening. "Have you been digging into the minds of others like a rat since that day?"

"You are not Yuugi. You are the spirit of the Millennium Puzzle!"

"I am the part of Yuugi's mind that was unlocked by the Puzzle, yes," Yuugi corrected him.

"But you do not have the Puzzle," Shadi murmured. "How can you …?"

"Let us exchange information," Yuugi proposed. "Quid pro quo. You first." The smile on his lips was cold. "We will use the Scales."

The room grew colder as the Shadow Realm encroached on the office. The Scales materialized on the office desk, called from their hiding place; the Horus eye on it seemed to glare at both Yuugi and Shadi.

Shadi stared at Yuugi. "This is impossible," he breathed.

Yuugi ignored him. "The rules are simple," he said. "The truth only. I'm sure you know, the Scales will accept nothing less," he grinned, showing teeth.

Shadi grew grim at these announcements. "What is said here will not leave this room," he added. "As the possessor of the Scales, I have the right to make this condition."

"You do," Yuugi agreed. "Begin." He stepped slightly closer. "What is the name of the man who controls the Blue Eyes White Dragons?"

"Seto Kaiba," Shadi answered. The Scales tipped, filled with something insubstantial. "Wait, that is the truth," he protested.

"The truth for the truth," Yuugi reminded him. "Should one of us lie, the game will be over. Lies weigh much more than the truth, don't they? Ask your question."

Shadi pursed his lips imperceptibly. "How can you walk the earth without the Puzzle?"

"The Puzzle was shattered, and I have not been able to return to it since then. I do not know why or how," Yuugi answered, his eyes on Shadi. Between them, the Scale once again balanced itself. "My turn. Why would Pharaoh Malik hide from me the purpose of the Mausoleum?"

"I cannot answer that in full. I believe he is afraid of you," Shadi replied, tipping the Scales slightly once again. "As for me: were you the one that awakened the Sky Dragon Osiris last night?"

Yuugi reached into his pocket and pulled out the red scale he had carried since then. He placed it on the desk before the Scales. "Yes," he answered, and the Scales righted themselves. "Why would Malik be afraid of me?"

"He probably suspects that you are the Nameless Pharaoh, whom his family has been enthralled to since his untimely death," Shadi answered. The Scales tipped again, but he continued anyway. "I too believe this." The Scales tipped further.

Yuugi did not speak for a long moment, his face gone slightly pale. "You are the second person to suggest this to me," he said slowly, and the Scales righted themselves a bit. "Ask your question."

"Why do you serve Malik Ishtar?"

Yuugi's gaze still did not waver. "He has the Puzzle and he keeps it from me. I must reassemble it. What do you know about the Sky Dragon Osiris?"

Shadi gave the information willingly. "The Sky Dragon is one of three Shadow Gods. Each answered to the Nameless Pharaoh during the Eighteenth Dynasty and were entombed in ka tablets in the Valley of the Kings. The first one, Osiris, was found by Malik and put under my care. The second one, Obelisk, was found by the Egyptologists that work on Cairo payroll. The third, Ra, was found by an archeologist named Petrov Kazynski from Russia, and is lost to Egypt."

The Scales began to tip—and Yuugi suddenly reached out, grasping the Scales. The Shadow Realm withdrew, leaving at the young man's command, and the room seemed to warm again, the earthen colors bleeding back in. "The command to keep these truths in this room is too much for this," Yuugi grit out.

"Why?" Shadi wanted to know.

"Three Gods that answer only to Pharaoh?" Yuugi's smirk was still cold, but he was sweating slightly. "If Malik does not know already, he will want to hear of this."

"Why should you tell him?" Shadi held Yuugi's gaze. "They are yours, Nameless Pharaoh."

"Because I will forfeit my title, if it is mine, to gain back my other self!" Yuugi snatched the scale of Osiris off the table and shoved it back in his pocket. "Nothing else matters."

Shadi was silent, but Yuugi's lip curled slightly. "Pharaoh Malik must fund your Mausoleum quite well, and there are other artifacts that you must protect there," he began. "Now, show your loyalty. The second God, Obelisk, you said nothing of it being lost. Where is it now?"

The tall Egyptian did not move at first. When he did, he bent down to his desk and produced a key, unlocking a hidden drawer. From it he pulled a thin file. "This has the information you seek," Shadi said, handing it to Yuugi. "Is that all, Master Mutou?"

Yuugi took the folder and flipped through the few pages there, his eyes settling on an address. "Yes," he replied, bowing in a way more traditional for the Japanese, with his hands at his sides. It wasn't very deep. "Master Shadi." He turned to the door and left, his shoulders only slightly less set than when he had arrived.

Shadi bowed after him, although Yuugi couldn't see it. "I serve only you, Pharaoh," he intoned, his eyes closed.

Ende chapter 10

Thanks to olesia.love, Shamise, tavia454, and Aramis-chan for your reviews of the last chapter! Reviews are always appreciated and replied to.