AN: I know Wednesdays are my update day, however, next Wednesday is my birthday. I'm going to try posting the next chapter on Tuesday because I likely won't be online to post as usual. If I fail to do that, it'll be up Thursday latest

Happy reading!

Kek raised his blade, the force of contact jarring him slightly. He narrowed his eyes, fueled by anger as he pushed off aggressively. His opponent staggered back, stunned a moment too long as Kek swung, blade sinking into skin.

The harsh cry of his victim barely registered with the warrior as he turned his attention to the other two that had recovered and were now fast approaching. He smirked, ignoring the stings and cuts that scored his body from the bout. He sprinted forward to meet the two soldiers, closing the gap.

All too quickly, the two collapsed in front of him, unprepared for preemptive strike. Kek paused to catch him breath, knowing that he would likely not have long to recover. He had been going round after round, continuously pushing himself beyond physical limits. He ignored the sweat slipping down his brow into his eyes, the salty sting mute to the other sensations around him.

After a moment, Kek glanced over his shoulder. He did not care for being made for a show, but his hands were tied for the moment. The man who had him on a leash sat on the abandoned throne, a self-appointed ruler since seizing control of the capital. Kek was not a court jester, dancing for his master.

But Kek knew he couldn't hope to defeat his magic.

Aknadin sat upright, a relaxed, controlled air about him as he watched Kek fight wave upon wave of soldiers, honing his skills and demonstrating what he was capable of. Kek was familiar with this ploy – he had been forced to play the sorcerer's game ever since he was a child.

"Excellently done," Akhadin purred from his spot on the throne, his gray eyes studying Kek like a ewe being prepared for the slaughter. Kek didn't say anything, wiping the blood off the blade of his swords. It wouldn't do for his weapons to rust. Kek took a step forward, hissing at a cut on his leg.

"I see you're injured. Would you like me to take a look at it?" Aknadin's words were honeyed and sweet, promising relief from his pain. Kek snapped his head around, his violet eyes aflame with suspicion and anger. When Aknadin had taken him as his ward, he had thought it an act of charity. He quickly learned that everything promised had a steep price. He knew better than to accept any help from his lord if he could avoid it.

"I'm fine," Kek snapped, hands clenching the hilts of his blades. Aknadin chuckled, a smarmy smile mocking him from atop the throne. Kek forced himself to take a deep breath, eyes flicking down to the elder man's throat. Perhaps he could do it now. It didn't seem anyone was here. The illusions were gone and no one else from the order was near.

Perhaps Kek could finally free himself from this wretched man.

Kek paused, instinct screaming for him to remove the bastard from his life. He knew the consequences if he failed would be brutal – he bore the reminder on his back from all his failed attempts to escape. But Kek was stronger and smarter now than he was as a child. Surely he could bridge the gap between them before Aknadin could cast a spell?

But how would he escape the palace? Could he fight his way through? Soldiers were no issue, but magic was a different creature. Necromancers throughout the palace would make escape impossible. The sword was simple and elegant, magic was warped and twisted. Desperation clung to Kek like thirst to a man in the desert.

Kek felt his hand tremble a moment before a sound interrupted them. Only a few seconds had passed, but Kek couldn't stop his heart from racing at the temptation before him. The doors into the throne room swung open as another person joined them, the opportunity now lost. Kek released his clenched jaw, forcing himself to breathe as he turned to face their new guest.

His eyes narrowed at the young magician who stood before him, royal purple robe over his clean white shirt and vest. His eyes were a shade lighter than Kek and everything about echoed of prestige. He looked like he had been preened for this role his entire life, a false prince of the new false king.

"Marik," he hissed. It wasn't bad enough that he was taken in to be used as a tool. Marik was raised to be just like Aknadin, his true successor, and therefore, detestable.

Marik's eyes glanced over the swordsman, his resting expression was one of disdain. He always looked as if something reeked nearby and always had a contemptuous smirk on his face. Marik ignored him as he turned to his father. "Mahado was recaptured."

Kek bristled at being ignored, hands tightening on the hilts. He didn't bother to look back at Aknadin, eyes still glaring at his master's son. Aknadin spoke from his spot at the throne, but the soft steps indicated that he had now stood up. "Yes. Bakura is still out searching for Mana, but he should be able to locate her shortly. She can't have gotten far."

Marik nodded, eyes flicking away for a moment of thought. "I see. Then you called me to continue interrogating him for information?"

Aknadin chuckled, a low gravelly noise. Kek flicked his eyes over his shoulder, Aknadin crossing his arms as he observed the two young men before him. He could already guess what was soon to transpire.

"You can do that in a bit. I'd like to see how far you've come in your studies. How about a friendly sparring match with Kek right now?" Aknadin asked, though both men knew they could not refuse his request. Kek shifted the swords in his hands, wanting to get out years-long resentment towards Aknadin's perfect child.

Marik tilted his head, rolling his eyes in exasperation. "Is that really necessary? This seems like a waste of time."

Kek snarled, angered at his dismissal. He sprinted forward, not letting Marik weasel his way out of a much-desire match. "Fuck you, asshole!"

Kek lunged his sword forward, hoping to close the gap between them before Marik could retaliate. As the blade brushed past Marik's ear, his lilac eyes snapped up, aflame. Kek grinned, his other sword ready to bring the magician to his knees.

Marik flung his hand out, casting it like a sword. The effect was instantaneous as an earsplitting screech filled Kek's head. His entire body trembled at the noise, feeling as if his temple would split open any second. Kek froze on the spot, clenching his swords as he tried to keep focus, but the high-pitched noise made his vision double, then triple over, unable to focus.

Kek screamed, trying to drown out the noise that was only in his head. His squinted his eyes shut, dropping to a knee. He dropped one sword to clench his temple, trying to steady himself from the deafening pain that echoed in his mind. He squinted his eyes, growing more furious as Marik stood in front of him with one hand extended lazily in front, a bored expression on his face.

The fact that Marik didn't even seem to be struggling in the least only fueled Kek's anger. He gritted his teeth, trying to ignore that screech reverberating in his skull as he forced himself back to his feet. He could still win this. The magic spell was excruciating, but it wasn't crippling. Kek could still fight. He would win and give Marik reason to fear him.

Kek lunged forward, blindly swiping. He couldn't see straight and knew that it would only be chance if he made contact. He could only hope that his attack got him closer to the mage and that it might break Marik's focus. Kek stumbled forward, trying to catch his balance. He saw a sudden movement of royal violet to his left, grinning for a moment.

Kek struck towards the left, only to realize his mistake too late. He couldn't fight the magic, the sound resonating even louder now. As his right hand extended forward, he felt his wrist snap against cold iron. Despite the expected pain, the metal fell away. Kek blinked his eyes open, struggling to focus as chains wrapped around his wrist.

He swore, twisting away, but the chain was too fast, wrapping up his arm. Kek swung his left arm away, refusing to be caught in Marik's trap. He bolted backwards, but his left foot was snagged, pulling him closer to the center of the spell that Marik had prepared. Kek twisted, screaming in rage as he tried to fight his way to freedom.

But much like with Aknadin, Kek knew this fight would be futile.

Kek struggled against the chains that now bound him, leaving him crumpled on his knees. The earsplitting noise in his head softened a bit, just enough so that Kek could open his eyes without seeing duplicates of everything. His lavender eyes focused on a matching set, who watched with detached interest.

"D-Damn you," Kek hissed, rage burning at the father and son before him, but also at his own weakness. He didn't want to be toyed with. He didn't want to be a tool. And yet as Marik watched him struggle with a bored expression on his face, Kek was acutely aware of his own shortcomings.

And the thought of wrapping his hands around his neck, watching the light disappear from his eyes, kept Kek going.

Even if he couldn't win, Kek continued to struggle, refusing to accept his weakness. Marik snorted, glancing back to his father. "There. I won. Can I go now?"

Aknadin chuckled, an amused smirk on his face. "It seems dear Kek disagrees. Perhaps another round is in order?"

Marik rolled his eyes. "You know how this will end."

Kek gritted his teeth, the chains tightening as he fought to shake them off. "What? Scared to find out what will happen when there's nothing separating us?"

Marik let out a short laugh, the barking noise mocking his captured victim. A small smirk grew on his face, his eyes pitying as he gazed down on Kek. "Please. If you had an ounce of magical talent, maybe I'd be afraid. You couldn't kill me if you tried."

"How much are willing to bet out that?" Kek snarled, a vein popping out of his neck. He wanted to snap this son of a bitch's neck so badly and then slaughter his father right afterwards. Gods, would that feel amazing.

Before Marik could reply back, a new voice caught their attention. A light giggle broke the tense silence hanging in their midst. "My, my, he's quite spirited, isn't he?"

Kek struggled to twist around, spotting another man joining Aknadin up near the throne. His silver hair glow with natural sheen instead of age like their leader's. Half his face was cover in the long hair, a light, cheerful smile on his face. A royal blue coat, adorned in silver and gold, gave him the appearance of wealth and affluence, though Kek suspected he had neither prior to seizing the palace.

Aknadin turned to welcome their new companion. "Pegasus, good to see you've made it back. How goes the recruitment?"

Pegasus raised a ring-clad hand to brush through his silky hair, his smile widening. "Our ranks grow with every day that passes. Necromancers no longer hide in the shadows but now embrace their new role as leaders into the new world. And when you have a necromancer, you have a battalion gained."

Aknadin smiled, pleased by this news. The two exchanged a long glance that Kek didn't quite understand but didn't have time to worry about. Business among the upper echelon of the Sennen never interested Kek – he had always preferred fighting than their goals of glory and reformation.

Aknadin turned back to Marik, nodding sharply. Kek felt the chains go lax around him, disappearing into shadows. He stood up, rubbing at the places the iron chafed against his skin. He knew with two sorcerers and a necromancer now present, any chances of vengeance would have to be postpone. Kek was strong, but not strong enough.

Kek gave Marik a poisonous glance. He contemplated storming out, but he knew by Pegasus's and Marik's appearance that Aknadin would soon want to have a council meeting. He called them the new priesthood, though Kek couldn't use magic. Still, some have claimed that his skill with a sword made him seem possessed by a demon, so perhaps there was some truth to it.

Kek realized they were waiting for their final member. He heard the palace walls tremble, a grin growing on his face. Aknadin frowned, his annoyance apparent by the last member making his entrance. Kek smirked, watching as Bakura came flying in on Diabound, passing through the walls like the ghost he seemed to be before releasing his ka.

Kek chuckled, stepping back as he watched Bakura stormed through the hall. Based on the lack of the mage's apprentice, he suspected Mana had managed to escape. That or Bakura gave up searching because of the other issue hanging over him. Either way, this was going to be entertaining as hell to watch.

Bakura climbed up several steps, steely grey eyes ablaze as his barely concealed rage broke through. "You lying fucking bastard!"

Pegasus quickly stepped in front of Bakura, placing himself between the thief and Aknadin. Bakura stopped, fists trembling as he ignored Pegasus to stare up at their 'leader.' Aknadin narrowed his eyes, watching still from his spot atop by the throne. "Bakura, where is Mana?"

Bakura let out a short, barking laugh. "Who the fuck cares? Care to explain why you fucking hid the fact that Prince Atem is alive?"

Kek smirked, amused that apparently Aknadin had kept this secret from everyone. Aknadin met Bakura's gaze, staring back unflinchingly yet not denying the claim. Based on Pegasus's and Marik's expressions, they weren't made aware of this information as well. Pegasus's one eye blinked, glancing back at Aknadin for a moment in puzzlement.

Marik's neutral expression slipped, a moment of pure undiluted shock filtering through. Marik took a few steps forward, watching Bakura with a tentative expression. "Wait… Atem escaped? But I thought-" He cut himself off to look up at his father, a hesitant look on his face. To Kek's surprise, Marik didn't remark any further, a thoughtful look on his face.

Aknadin took a deep breath, his fingers twitching beneath his cloak. He didn't break eye contact with Bakura, meeting his steely gaze. "This information would have only served to distract you from your goal – our organization's goal."

"He is my goal!" Bakura hissed, contempt dripping in his goal. "When we teamed up, you promised me that every member of the royal family would be annihilated. You promised me Atem's head! Why did you hide this from me?"

Bakura narrowed his eyes, a knife flicking to his hand. Kek grinned, eager to see where this was going. Bakura brought the knife closer to his other hand, tracing along the blade edge until it broke the skin. His voice was gravelly and low. "Are you protecting him?"

Kek watched the droplet of blood trace along the knife. He knew that the moment it fell to the ground, Bakura could call his ka back. It didn't matter how tired the thief was – his vengeance mattered more than anything else. Pegasus didn't miss this gesture, glove sliding off as the Brand glowed, prepared to defend himself and Aknadin from a possible attack. Perhaps Kek would get his wish for the death of the Ishtar family.

The air was heavy and dense around them, the tension thick enough to slice with a blade. Aknadin met Bakura's angry gaze, his own anger flashing. Just when Kek was certain that a bloodbath was about to commence, Marik stepped forward, his swift steps ringing clean in the throne room.

"He's the sacrifice you mentioned, isn't he father?" Marik asked, eyes flicking between Bakura and Aknadin. His soft voice caught Bakura's attention, long enough for him to consider not murdering everyone in the room. His gaze softened for a moment on Marik before returning to Aknadin.

Aknadin paused, raising a hand to scratch at his beard. Pegasus remained frozen in place, eye focused on the thief. Aknadin sighed, holding out his hands in a grand gesture. "For our purposes, Atem's life is more valuable alive than dead. The Tablet marking our birthright is nearly complete. There are pieces still missing, and one of which is preparing the final sacrifice."

Aknadin took a step down on the stairs, meeting Bakura's gaze again. "A hundred sacrifices are needed for the ritual. You know that we have ninety-nine already."

Bakura frowned at this, tearing his gaze away. Kek watched, already knowing the legend of Kul Elna and the sole survivor before him. Aknadin kept speaking, knowing that Bakura was still listening. "We agreed that no more of our people would die for our ambitions. So few necromancers survived and we must live on to see the day our god returns."

Aknadin narrowed his eyes, his voice commanding. "Do you understand now? That's why we need to his life instead."

Bakura stared down at the steps, his hands still trembling. Kek watched, wondering if this excuse would be enough. It certainly smelled like bullshit to him, but then again, he didn't have Bakura's trauma to deal with. He only had his own suspicions and loathing towards Aknadin.

Still, he could empathize with Bakura's intense hatred towards Atem. The prince had done nothing for him all these years. His death would cause no real grief in Kek's mind. However, Kek was all too familiar with intense loathing, his eyes snapping towards Aknadin briefly.

Bakura refused to look at Aknadin, his clenched fist tinged red from the blood that had been smeared. In a surprising moment that broke the silence, Marik stepped forward, resting a hand on the thief's shoulder. Bakura jerked back, flinching at the touch until he saw Marik. He relaxed for a moment, his eyes still angry and intense. Marik met his gaze steadily.

Kek raised an eyebrow, as Bakura finally sighed, sliding his knife away. Apparently Bakura wouldn't try to kill Aknadin today. That was disappointing. Things were more fun before Marik started keeping the thief on a leash. Bakura turned away, walking down the steps. "You better not be lying to me. I expect to have his throat slitted and his heart torn from his chest before this is all over!"

"And you shall have it as promised, but you need to be patient," Aknadin snapped back, carefully watching Bakura step away. Pegasus remained froze a moment longer before finally relaxing.

Marik kept an eye on Bakura, hand dropping away. Kek felt as if he had missed a great show, but he supposed he could get Bakura riled up about something else. His short temper never ceased to amuse him.

Before Kek could think of goading the thief further, Aknadin spoke to all the members of the high council. "So far, we've made excellent progress towards the Covenant Day, but there is much work still to do. Chances are, Mana will try to reach the other priests who escaped. But more than that, we need to find the prince in preparation for the final sacrifice."

Aknadin turned his gaze to Kek and Pegasus. "I am entrusting you two with the task. Our last report has the prince near the southern border. His royal guard was all but decimated, but the prince's body was not found. With Pegasus providing back-up and your skill with a blade, detaining Atem should be no problem for you."

Kek nodded, indifferent to the job. A fetch quest for Aknadin wasn't a bad thing. Still, he wouldn't have minded a little more time in the city. If he had a longer window, perhaps he could finally…

"Fuck that! I'm going after him!" Bakura snapped, an angry glint returning to his eyes. Kek grinned, hopeful that he was still going to see a fight. Marik just rolled his eyes, an exasperated look crossing his face as if he had anticipated this sort of reaction.

Aknadin's expression remained neutral, studying Bakura for a moment. Kek wondered if he was actually considering giving the clearly bloodthirsty thief the task. As expected, though, Aknadin denied his request for revenge. "There is other work I need you to take care of. I worry that the prince might not make it back alive under your patrol."

Before Bakura could argue back, Aknadin raised a hand, a glint in his eyes as he smiled. "I can assure you, when it comes time to take his life, I will personally hand you the knife."

Bakura narrowed his eyes, silent as he gave a small nod. Bakura didn't wait for his orders, storming out of the hall. Marik shook his head in resignation of his short-tempered partner, quietly bowing in habitual politeness before chasing after the thief. This would be their compromise. In the end, Bakura would still get his revenge, but patience would be needed. Kek had to wonder if he would be able to seize his own hate-filled desire before this was all through.

Pegasus chuckled suddenly, a smile on his face. Kek snapped his head, confused by the strange silver-haired necromancer sudden outburst. Pegasus just gave him a light smirk, watching the warrior with amused interest. Kek frowned, already sensing he would not care for this task.

"Pegasus, might I have a word before you depart?" Aknadin asked, the council meeting dissolving without him having to say a word. Kek started to walk away, planning on gathering supplies and grabbing his gear. There was a chance the prince would try to find the other missing priests or hire mercenaries for protection. Either way, it would be a fun fight.

"Oh, Kek?" The light voice behind him was teasing and light. He didn't stop walking, deciding if Aknadin wanted to say something to him, he better say it now before he was gone.

Out of nowhere, the crippling screech struck his ears. Kek staggered forward, struggling to stay upright. Even now, he couldn't let Kek leave in peace. Even now, Aknadin needed to exert his control over him.

Aknadin's voice was like a cool whisper over the agonizing cacophony. "Don't let me down, boy."

Kek gritted his teeth, forcing himself to keep walking. He ignored the sound of the priest's growling chuckle. He burned with rage, trying to decide who or what to hate the most in the world, but couldn't with the incessant screech that rang in his mind.