~*A/N*~ Hey guys! Hope everyone is well. I know a lot of people are wanting me to write these faster but I'm having an extremely difficult time writing these really long chapters by losing focus and motivation. I was thinking maybe I could write much shorter chapters and release one or maybe twice a week, or you guys can keep waiting for the long 6-8 page chapters. Let me know what you guys think! Thanks again guys.
Side Note*~ Because I feel like I'm letting you guys down with my own shitty motivation I am rushing through these chapters now so not all the details are included. I just REALLY want to start writing the next book, my Gawd! I'M SO READY TO WRITE IT!
Chapter Ten
Defeat
The warm light rushes over my body as my eyes slowly open. The hut fades back into view and the light diminishes. I blink slowly regaining my focus. Heba's fingers slide off the puzzle and his arm returns to his side. He stands up smirking down at me, proudly holding his staff in his grasp. I turn to Seth pushing his arm away from his eyes. He stares blankly at me. I smile at him widely as confusion crosses his features.
"Rise Seth. God has decided to wait. He's giving light a chance." Heba stands before Seth. He props himself onto his elbows looking at us.
"Pardon?" I playfully tug at his wrist making him lose balance for a moment.
"There's still hope Seth. I can still save him." Seth blinks a few times at me.
"Okay, but how exactly? Zorc is a beast of darkness. He wields the strength of a god and is consumed by the hate of Egypt."
"I uh." I stumbled on my words. I hadn't thought of that. "Heba has some knowledge that might be useful in stopping him." Seth looks at Heba.
"Is that true?" Heba simply nods once.
"Come Yugi, there is much to learn and so little time." I nod and follow Heba to the Nile. We sit with our legs crisscrossed on the shore. "First, you must learn to store you energy through meditation. This will allow you to use more of your gift at one time without the fear of draining it completely. I'm sure you know the risks of using all your soul energy." I remember the pain in my stomach when Atemu had forced me to use my power without the puzzle. I was sure I would die. I lost so much blood. I cringe at the thought. I shake off the memory and return to focus to Heba. He presses his fingertips from both hands together, and rests them in his lap in a contemplative position. He closes his eyes as I mimic his actions. "Make sure your back is straight. Let the world around you fade away and harness the strength within." That was easier said then done. I try to ignore the rushing of the river beside me and the distant shuffling feet from the village. I breathe deeply, holding it for a short amount of time before exhaling trying to calm my body. A few silent moments pass as the world quiets around me. "Is there someone you hold dear?" My eyes open at Heba's sudden question. What little concentration I had now gone. His eyes remained closed. I paused for a moment before answering.
"Of course." I waited for him to respond, but only a passing breeze tickled my skin and hissed by my ear. I try to understand the reasoning for why he would ask. Closing my eyes, I thought about it harder. I remember Yami. How I yearned to be held by him just once more. My friends appeared in my mind with smiles. They reached out for me and I could feel the warmth radiating from their bodies. Yami stood in the middle of them. He approached me extending his hand towards me. His hand caressed my cheek gently before it turned into a transparent white light that filled me with hope and love. As the rest of his body changed into light, I wrapped my arms around his waist placing my head against his chest. I absorbed the rest of his being. Like lightening shocking my body, my eyes jolted open. I lay my hands flat on the sand in front of me. I felt, better. The pain in my side was no more. I glided my fingers lightly on my neck where I had been strangled several times. I didn't even flinch. I pulled forward the collar of my robe and inhaled quickly in disbelief. The bruises were gone. I rose up from my feet and examined myself.
"Whoa…" The scars on my wrists remained, but all the wounds from since I arrived in this insane world had healed.
"So you finally mastered it." The voice came from my left making me turn to see Heba and Seth walking towards me.
"Wait, weren't you just here?" I point to the indented sand where Heba had been sitting. Heba smiles at me with closed eyes.
"It's been 3 hours, Yugi." I raise my eyebrows in confusion. That's impossible. I was only meditating for a few minutes maybe, though the sun was definitely lower in the sky.
'Magical puzzles, ancient Pharaohs, gods, dimensions and time travel? And now I'm worrying about impossibilities? Come on, get it together stupid.' I scolded myself.
"You were deep within your own soul. You harnessed enough energy that even a barrier surrounded you. You have quite a powerful spirit little one." I let out a long sigh, enjoying the feeling of breathing deeply without the accompaniment of pain.
"So. What's our plan?" I look between Heba and Seth. Seth crosses his arms as Heba rubs the back of his neck.
"Well, while you were down here, Seth and I were reading through some ancient scriptures in hopes of finding someway to purify a god…" Heba trailed off which made me nervous. I waited for him to continue, but he never did.
"Is there no way?" I spoke in a low toneless voice.
"There is, but it's no easy task." Seth answered.
"I never expected it to be easy." I smiled at Seth. He inhaled letting Heba continue.
"Zorc, will soon fully inhabit Atemu's soul. When that happens there will be no way to save him. Zorc, in his current form, is vulnerable, but grows stronger and more evil with every second. You will have to strip his soul of all darkness and show Atemu the light, but to do that you will have to concentrate and get close enough to touch him." I nodded in reply. I understood what I needed to do. It was almost going to be impossible, but I could believe in anything at this point.
"We should leave as soon as possible." Heba turned his back to us, but Seth grabbed his shoulder and turned him back to face us.
"You must stay here with your people. This is not your battle to fight." Heba shifted back with a baffled expression.
"He is my brother Seth." Heba said with a weak voice.
"They need you. Put your faith in Yugi, and I. I fear it would only anger your god to see Atemu in such a blind rage." Heba's grip on his staff tightened as his face conflicted in emotion before he relaxed again.
"As you wish, but please do what I failed to do." he said turning to me. "Save my brother." Guilt crossed his face and my heart stung for him. "Before you leave there is one more thing I must teach you. This way." He spun around and briskly walked towards the hut. I hustled behind him.
Seth and I climbed atop the horse we had rode to get to the small village and galloped back to the palace. The sun would set in a matter of minutes as it dipped below the horizon. The faint blue left in the sky was beginning to be littered with stars that twinkled above us. I gazed at them as if it was the last time I would ever see the beauty of the world. I inwardly prayed for strength of my friends. I could feel the light of hope surround me, warming me, calming me. But as the palace came creeping closer into view, fear gnawed at my insides. We approached the courtyard, stopping just outside of a nearby stable to tie up the horse by food and water. Seth patted its back for its hard work before we creeped our way closer to the courtyard. We crept up to the outer wall placing our backs flat against it. Seth peeked around the corner searching for guards. Atemu probably had put a bounty for us. He glanced around checking the perimeter.
"Something's wrong. Why is no one guarding the palace?" He grabbed my arm before I could comprehend what he said. He pulled me along the sides of the walls keeping low to the ground. We moved from pillar to pillar before entering inside an arch that lead to the west corridor. It was deathly quiet. We made our way to the royal chamber slowly, making as little noise as possible. Sudden footsteps in the distance made us stop in our tracks. Someone was sprinting. Not just one person, multiple people. They got progressively louder making me panic. Seth's right arm arm slipped around my mouth as the left wrapped around my waist and I was yanked back behind a statue in the hallway. The pounding of feet swiftly came nearer as the bodies came into view. My eyes opened wide as I recognized two of the figures. I ripped Seth's hand from my mouth.
"Isis! Hadwin!" I called out. They stopped and stumbled in their tracks along with the rest of the slaves they were with. Isis made eye contact with me and smiled widely.
"Yugi! Your still alive! By the gods I thought Atemu killed-." She stopped herself face twisting into pain. "I'm sorry. I'm just glad to see you."
"Isis what's going on, where is everyone?" Seth stepped out from the shadows.
"It's Atemu. He's lost it completely. It's almost as if there was an evil presence looming over us at today's ceremony. A darkness enveloped the room as people were thrown around by a strong wind. Some were dragged and crushed by some kind of dark energy. So many died." Her voice started to crack. "Just what is he?" I place my hands on her shoulders.
"A god of evil has possessed Atemu. We're going to fix this right now. Can you get the rest of the people out?" She nodded and opened her mouth to speak. Seth grabbed my wrist and started pulling me down the hall as he called to Isis.
"I'm sorry, there's no time to explain." We started sprinting. "Good luck Isis.." Turning, she shooed the servants to the nearest exit. We slid on our feet, stopping as we reached the giant golden doors leading to the royal chamber. There was a moment of silence as we gazed up. This was it. This was our fate, possibly our last moment in the material realm. I took a long breath and turned to Seth.
"Seth, I have to do this alone." Seth snapped turned to me with a shocked look on his face.
"What are you talking about?" His face showed slight signs of anger, but mostly pure confusion.
"I can't lose anyone else…" I whispered to myself as my gaze drifted to the ground. "This is my responsibility." Seth glanced around the room flabbergasted as he stumbled on his words.
"But you-! But I-!" He briskly locked onto me with his eyes. "Absolutely not! This is not just your burden to bare!" I looked up at him as I selfishly said,
"You will only be in the way." He hissed through his teeth at me. I reached up placing my hands against his cheeks. My hands warmed his face as I used some of my light to cast a spell on Seth.
'Please. Let this soul sleep in peace in this time of great sorrow.'
Seth eyes drooped as his body slowly hunched towards me.
"Please…You can't…" His voice faded as I caught his limp body. I lowered his back onto the floor . Moving behind him, I curled my hands underneath his armpits and pulled him behind a statue. He was well hidden. I closed my eyes thinking to myself.
'Please understand Seth. I hope one day you will forgive me for my selfish actions.'
I quickly reopened my eyes as I stood in front of the entrance. I didn't waste anymore time. I shoved the doors open. I inhaled sharply as I gazed around. Dead bodies covered the room. People who had been crushed laying in their own blood. Woman, children, men, slaves, royalty and guards. It was ruthless, but decided I would mourn later. There was no time for grief. I had a task and I was going to complete it, no matter the cost. I shifted my vision to the end of the room. Atemu stood, eyes vacant, staring ahead into nothingness. A strong wicked wind surrounded him and blew through the room. I lifted my arm to shield my eyes as they started to water. I squinted down the room to see huge shadowy figure behind Atemu smiling down at me. Zorc's demonic laugh echoed off the walls.
"You don't know when to give up!" I scowled at him in reply. Bending my knees slightly, I placed my hands together in the pray position. I summoned a shield of pure light around myself. My hands balled into fists as they returned to my sides. I glared at him. The wind no longer affected me. I straightened making my way towards Atemu and Zorc. His smile faded. "So, you've learned to control some of your power? No matter, I WILL DESTROY YOU BEFORE YOU CAN USE IT!" I quickened my pace trying to close some of the distance of the long hall. Zorc reached his hand out in front of him as sharp cone shaped needles shot out of it. I jump left and right landing on all fours successfully dogging them. As I regain my footing I full on sprint towards Atemu, now halfway down the carpet leading to him. Zorc growls in frustration as he crosses his arms in the shape of an X in front of his chest. Swinging them to his sides, a giant black and purple wave of dark energy comes barreling toward me. There was no way I could dodge that. It was at least six feet high and was the length of the room. It only got larger as it approached me. I immediately stopped running. I returned my hands to the pray position buffing my shield and bracing for the impact. The wave crushes onto my shield making the ground shake as bursts of different coloured lightening ejected as it made contact. I push back against it with my body strength as the wind blows my hair and robe around wildly. I grunt as I push through the wave and to the other side safely. Panting, I fall to one knee. I hear the sound of glass cracking and notice my barrier now is filled with lots of fractures. One final push. That's all it could sustain before shattering. I quickly summon some light to the soles of my feet. I spring off the rug and continue running down the hall. Zorc, even more frustrated now, roars as he raises both hands shooting the the cone like needles from his palms, only this time there was to many to dodge. They were coming at an alarmingly fast rate too. As they smash into my shield they slow my movements. I can hear the cracks increasing. Panic sets in.
'Please! I want to save him! I want to save him! I WANT TO SAVE HIM!'
I let out a cry as I move as fast as possible to Atemu closing in on him fast. As my foot reaches the first step I hear the shattering of the light around me as the shield disintegrates. Time slows as I reach out to Atemu. Silence envelops the room, all except for my thumping heartbeat.
Second step.
Ba-bump. Ba-bump. Ba-bump.
Third Step.
The tearing of my skin as the needles assault me all over.
Fourth step.
The breath leaves my lungs.
Fifth step.
I reach my arms around Atemu's neck and bring my face to his before pressing ours lips together. I close my eyes as a few stray tears roll down my cheeks. The heat wraps around us as I force my love into Atemu. I let the light of hope and purity wash over his soul. A luminous energy encloses around the room. Zorc lets out a guttural shaky scream as he's ripped from existence into nothingness. I open my eyes to find myself floating and surrounded by darkness. I look at my hands and arms flipping them back and forth noticing I emitted a warm yellow glow. I look around until I notice Atemu laying face down on a circle of faded white light behind me. I walk over to his soul. His left arm was bent laying inches away from his face, while his right arm was straight on the other side of his back. His legs were bent one in front of the other out to the side. He was light blue in colour and he was slowly melting into the floor like water. I kneel down beside him as he looks off into the distance, lips slightly parted. I place my hand on his squeezing it gently.
"It's time to go Atemu. You have a kingdom to rule." He blinks slowly fading to a deeper shade of blue. He replies in a low raspy voice.
"Let me disappear." My eyebrows raise in the inner corners. "I can't be forgiven. I don't deserve to be saved." He sinks deeper into the ground. "I should be alone." His hand turns into water as it slips through my grasp. I roll him onto his side so he can stare into my eyes.
"That's not true. There's tons of people waiting for you. Seth, Isis and… me." He props himself on his elbows. Pieces dripping off him splashing into the pool below. "And your people. They need you." Small tears escape his eyes and my heart aches.
"I've done such terrible things…" he barely whispered. I surround his head with my arms and pull him into my chest.
"It's not going to be easy. Your going to have to work very hard to earn back the people's respect, but I will be here to help." He lets his weight fall onto me.
"But how? How can I atone for everything?" I rest my cheek in his hair.
"One day at a time." He tenses up gripping desperately onto the back of my clothing. I feel my light pour into Atemu. He stops melting and the colour returns to him. The darkness fades as we return to material world.