I would have had this done sooner, but I've been in an incredibly good place with my family these past few weeks, especially with my younger sister. And if you knew how impossible it is to get along with her, then you'd realize what a miracle it is for us to see eye to eye on anything! Things are looking really good in my life, and I'm gonna try to keep the ball rolling for as long as I can.
I don't want to say much right now, mostly because I'm really tired, and I want to go to sleep after I finish posting this. So I just want to thank everyone for reading and reviewing so far, and hope that you enjoy this chapter.
There will probably be a few grammatical errors towards the end of this chapter, seeing as I was writing this with a half conscious mind, and Isis and Mahad's reunion scene probably could have been better on my part, but again, too tired to mind at the moment. Hopefully, my next chapter will be better. I know I say that about EVERY chapter I do, but at least I can't be penalized for a lack of desire for self-improvement.
Please just read the chapter and tell me what you think, okay? Thank you.
That night, the entire palace was ablaze with light, and immersed in the sounds of merriment. The festivities carried outward into the city, where peasants and merchants celebrated in the streets. Within the walls of the palace, soldiers and their families had gathered by invitation of the Pharaoh, along with the many nobles and dignitaries of the city. Even the servants joined in the revelry, whether made to serve in the banquet or not. The festivities took place all around the outside of the palace, in the many courtyards and corridors, the banquet hall, and especially the throne room, where the majority of guests had gathered. Among these guests, the Pharaoh and his sacred court. Atem sat in his throne through the celebrating, looking incredibly bored, and Shimon stood at his right. Akhenaden, Seto, Karim and Shada were all scattered about the room, all speaking with various people. At the moment, Karim was speaking with his son, Shada with some people he knew well, and Akhenaden and Seto were speaking among themselves, no doubt about the events of earlier that day.
As for Nephthys, she had taken to leaning against the wall in an indiscreet corner of the room, taking in the activity around her. She analyzed everything taking place around her, searching for the smallest indication of something about to shift for the worse, or the better. Regardless, she wanted to know what would happen the minute it happened. She made sure to prioritize her train of thought. First she looked to her father and brother, then Atem, then back to her father and brother, then Shada, back to her family, Atem, Seto, her family, Akhenaden, her family, and then repeat the cycle. Occasionally, she also made sure to break the cycle, in order to search for any others to include in the cycle.
Yamaht. Nephthys had a general idea of where she was. When she had first come down to the celebration, she had quickly given her information to tell her family if they asked about her. She had yet to see Yamaht's family, so the excuse as to where the woman was had left the High Priestess's mind.
Mana; Mahad's younger sister. She had been hiding behind the Pharaoh's throne originally, until Shimon had spotted her and sent her away. Nephthys giggled. Atem had been so bored ever since the girl had left. She was tempted to walk over and start talking to him herself, but didn't want to become distracted and allow indications to go undetected. Mana would be safe, wherever she had gone off to now. If the very least, she was in no more danger than she normally was in.
Mahad; she had yet to see him at all. If she had, then she had not recognized him. Given how distinctive his magical aura was from other magic users, she doubted the latter, but anything was possible. She worried about what would happen when He discovered that Mahad was still alive, possessing an Item, and still had a claim to Isis.
Pharaoh; if he was close by, then that could only mean trouble. Pharaoh's presence would mean that the Item Holders were all in danger, and that she would have to somehow convince Atem of this in the least compromising way possible. Of all those previously stated, Pharaoh was the one that she hoped not to see.
Finally, there was Isis, whom was the most important for her to locate. Isis had come in with Yamaht, looking terribly apprehensive. Nephthys had been seeing her on and off through the night. Each time she lost sight of her, she became worried, only to have her return to her sight just as she was about to act on her fears. So far, she had not been interacting with the other guests much. But she was drinking. Notably, quite a bit more than was normal for her. Trying to calm her nerves, then. Not a bad idea, but not a good one, either. A drunk mind made her more susceptible to being targeted. Isis could typically hold her alcohol very well, but Nephthys did not want to take any chances tonight.
Going back to her cycle, she noticed that her Father and brother had broken apart, her Father being dragged into a conversation with another group of people. She didn't have to look far to see where Satoshet had went, and as it happened, he was walking towards her. She smiled as he came up to her, and he returned the gesture.
"Where is Pharaoh?" the 14-year-old boy asked, leaning next to her against the same wall. She smiled, and extended an arm over his shoulders, reaching up to stroke through his hair. She smiled. He would be as tall as their father eventually. She planned to enjoy the modest inch she still had on him while she could.
"Sleeping, I would think." she said nonchalantly. "Anything worth sharing?"
"Isis stepped out a while ago. She was with Mana at the time." he replied.
"How did she look?" she asked before he could say anything else.
"Normal; a bit flushed, perhaps, but she had her senses about her. Can I expect an answer as to why I am following Isis's movements for you?"
"If I thought it was important, then I would have told you." Nephthys stated before firmly pinching her brother's cheek, a signal for him not to pursue any further argument with her.
"Mmn." Satoshet groaned until she let go, prompting him to dejectedly rub the now red area. Nephthys's smile returned to her face, and she continued.
"So you have not seen Pharaoh, then." she mused, "And you have been keeping track of Isis. Have you seen anything of Master Mahad, perhaps?"
Satoshet scoffed, "As if I would even recognize him. You do realize that I only ever saw him once." His sister's smile thinned, and she returned her hand to his cheek, a bit harder this time.
"Ow!" He exclaimed this time, unable to hold back his discomfort. Nephthys brought back her smile again.
"He is an Item Holder, dear. I trust that you would be able to recognize one of the Sacred Items, of all things."
Satoshet sighed. "Well, be that as it may, I still have not seen he or his Item all night."
"Nor his aura?" Nephthys asked. She had inherited the vast majority of her family's magical aptitude, yet she knew that Satoshet still had a small spark within him as well; just enough that he was able to identify the Ba of living creatures.
Satoshet shook his head. "Nothing. Why are you looking for him?"
She shrugged, feigning boredom. "Just promised Isis that I would keep an eye out for him."
Satoshet raised a brow. He knew there was a lot more to it than what she was letting on. However, it was also his experience with his sister that she did not play mind games unless she felt that they accomplished something consequential. If she was hiding information, and distorting what little she gave, then she believed there was good reason to do so.
His thoughts were drawn away from the idea of his sister hiding something, when he noticed her eyes widen slightly, and her smile grow in both size and light. He directed his gaze to where she was staring, and cringed at what he saw. A man, smiling back at her and turning to walk towards them. He was a palace guard that was a close... acquaintance of hers. He didn't even want to call the man her friend; even that seemed too personal of a relationship for the two to have. Satoshet personally hated the man, especially when he was around Nephthys, and the hate was so deep that he couldn't even be bothered to remember the sorry excuse for life's name. Father would have a fit if he found out a man was looking at Nephthys, much less talking to her.
"You don't intend to speak to him, do you?" he demanded.
Nephthys smiled mischievously. "Of course. He is my friend, after all."
Satoshet scowled, and turned back to the male in question. Choosing to leave Nephthys's side, he walked towards the man, and blocked his path towards his sister. The guard rolled his eyes.
"Out of my path, boy. I have no desire for your discrepancies against me." he stated, moving to the left to get around the younger boy. But Satoshet moved to block him yet again.
"It is just as well. My sister has no desire for scum like you." he retorted.
"Nor I for her. However, I do have a right to speak to her." the guard further argued, moving to the right. Satoshet once more followed.
"You will not speak with my sister, especially not while I am present." he stated.
The guard made to move again, but paused trying to get around the noble boy as he looked over his shoulder.
"So it would seem." he stated, indicating behind the younger boy. "She's gone."
Satoshet started, and looked behind him. To his surprise, his sister had, indeed, disappeared from her spot. Though he questioned where she might have gone off to, he wasn't upset. Quite the opposite, really. It meant that this guard (Ahmed...? Amet? He felt his name was something like that.) wouldn't be around her.
The guard shook his head. "I hate it when she disappears." he mumbled, "It shouldn't be so easy for a woman of her status, yet she pulls it off. Well... it's been a dreadful experience, boy, but I think I shall leave to find where she went off to now."
Satoshet whipped back to face him, a glare once more present on his face. "I refuse to let you even attempt such an act!"
The guard scoffed. "You can't really stop me from trying, can you."
"Causing trouble again, are you boy?" a cold voice said from behind him.
The guard paled and turned around, looking up to see Master Karim looming over him. His face wore a scowl to match his son's perfectly, only on him, it was effectively threatening.
"Master Karim." the guard addressed with a bow, surprisingly much more calmly than he looked.
"Satoshet."
"Yes, Father?"
"Stop harassing the guards and go enjoy the festivities."
"B-but...!" Satoshet stuttered, causing the guard to smirk. It looked like the self-righteous little bastard would get told off for once instead of him...
"I'd like a word with Amut myself." Amut's face instantly dropped, while Satoshet's broke into a smirk as he turned and walked away from the two older men.
"I think we should start the way these little talks of ours normally start, boy." Karim practically snarled, "So let us discuss your relationship to my daughter..."
From outside the entrance to the throne room, Nephthys watched the ongoing scene between her Father, brother, and her friend Amut, smiling a bit. That went exactly as planned. She had went over to her Father after Satoshet went for Amut's throat, to let him know that they were getting into one of their fights again. While her Father had went over to break up the fight, she headed for the exit, stopping only briefly to see the current scene. She would have to make it up to Amut later, but she knew it wasn't anymore than he usually deserved from her Father and brother either, the way he was always picking fights with one and disregarding orders from the other. At least he was being put back in his place.
The reason she had wanted to get away so badly, however, was because she had spotted someone pass by the throne room, with a quite distinctive aura about them. She was almost certain it was Mahad, and she hoped that if he was, he would be easy to physically spot. The hallways were littered with people, mostly servants, and a few nobility. But she could still sense what she believed was Mahad's aura. She just needed to follow it.
She walked down a few hallways, mapping out the palace in her mind, and some of the treasures that he had put in certain places. Hallways did not have much to offer, but certain rooms had certain secrets of his design. She made a right. Three doors to her left, that room had a secret entrance into his tunnels. Another right; there were three more rooms with hidden doorways, one with a trap switch, but nothing dangerous. A left, and she was in a courtyard. The one at the northernmost side of the palace, with the largest number of water pools. A large crowd of people was gathered out here. She thought that she sensed the Millennium Ring now, along with Mahad's own aura. It must be him. She sighed, exhaling some tension that had built up in her. Her biggest anxiety had been not finding him tonight. Now, her biggest anxiety was merely walking through this throng of people and picking him out among the masses. Irksome, but at least she could handle it.
Looking over several faces in search of one took as long as would be expected were the fate of dumb luck not on your side, but eventually, the man was found, the Ring laying over his chest confirming this to her. He did not seem to notice or recognize her, and he seemed to be searching for someone just as she had him. She needn't guess who. He had changed greatly since the last, brief time she had seen him. Many of his physical characteristics had remained the same, though he had certainly become taller, and developed more muscles. He now wore the robes of a Guardian, rather than his previous garb suited for an apprentice to a Guardian. Gold, and the cleanest white linen. Appearance, however, meant very little. For the most notable change in him was certainly his spirit. The once shy, polite boy that Isis had swooned for had become a young man who exuded confidence and strength that no one ever could have expected of him. Overall, an incredibly handsome man. War changes people, her Father had once said. Well, there was only one way that she could know for certain. So she decided to waste no time analyzing, and simply dive in. She walked over to him, just as he turned so that his back was facing her. She smiled, the grin bordering on a smirk. When she got behind him, she noticed he was taller than her, perhaps about as tall as Seto, if she had to guess. His shoulders were both covered by gold plates, so she decided to tap his exposed right arm instead. As he turned to his right, she moved to his left, waiting for him to turn back. He looked around for a few seconds, before slowly turning back to her. He did a double take when he noticed her, and after a brief pause, his face lit up in recognition, and a small smile graced his features.
"Nephthys?" He asked, sounding incredibly surprised. She smiled back at him.
"Ah, so you remember me, then?" she asked with a small giggle.
He breathed out a laugh as well, bowing to the young lady as a greeting. Nephthys shook her head. "It is wonderful to see you again."
"Is that really any way to greet a friend, Mahad?" she asked as he rose back to his full height. His brows furrowed in confusion, and she shook her head again. "Come here." she sang, pulling him into a quick hug. He seemed shocked by the gesture for a moment, but quickly laughed at the woman's forwardness and returned the hug. It looked like Nephthys had not changed much. She let go after a second, and looked up at his eyes. He was genuinely happy to see her, it was clear to see. Looking past his feelings, however, she saw deeper emotions, and the same darkness found in all of the Item Wielders. Though the scars in his soul were deeper that those of the others, she noted. The Ring had been a nightmare for him to take charge of, and it showed. She saw small glimpses of what he had endured, the terrors and pain. The Ring had even managed to hurt him physically on several occasions. Yet even more remarkable still... his magic... his heka... it was...it was not the same as when he had left. She noticed that he still held back the vast majority of it, a feat that took remarkable strength in and of itself, yet now she noticed...he wasn't only holding back now... a portion of his magic... a large portion of his magic...he had succeeded in sealing away completely. That had been almost as difficult as taking control of the Ring had been. Her heart went out to him; there was no denying that he had suffered through much, in and out of battle. She was curious, but knew better than to ask. He needed to forget right now more than anything.
"I have been looking everywhere for you." she stated, crossing her arms. "For a while, I was worried you were not coming back at all."
He chuckled at that, looking slightly nervous. "I cannot tell you how many times I felt the same way." he replied.
"If it's all the same, that is a discussion I'd rather not invite." she said simply, encouraging him to forget about his experiences for now. He seemed eager to oblige.
"Yes, of course." he agreed. "...Why not tell me how things have progressed here without me. I've heard much, but to witness the changes for myself is a completely different experience." He looked Nephthys over quickly. If nothing else, she was certainly a testament to the four years that had passed in his absence. Nephthys had always appeared older than she actually was, and even now at sixteen, she looked to be in her twenties. She had filled out nicely, too, possessing the body of a fully mature woman. In spite of this, the place his eyes were locked on was her hair. Still that strange mixture of dark brown and black stripes. Was it really... natural? He had to wonder. He wouldn't call her an attractive woman, because she really wasn't. She seemed to think the same way herself, at least that was his guess judging by the way she chose to dress. She still wore very little makeup and gold, even now with her rank of a High Priestess. The white dress she did wear was also very plain, showing very little skin, fitting loosely over her body, held at her waist by a belt made of lapis. No other jewelry to be seen. She wasn't beautiful, but... elegant was a very fitting word. She carried herself as one who took great pride in her mind, rather than the body that housed it. Further testament to this was that she wielded the Millennium Headdress, the Item capable of lending the user the wisdom of anyone they came into contact with.
"Isis has missed you." Nephthys began immediately, pleased to see that this statement brought a smile and a light blush to the magician's face. "As have your sister and our Pharaoh. We have all been eagerly awaiting your return."
Mahad gave a soft laugh in response. "I had wanted Isis to be the first person to see me upon my return, before anyone else." he explained.
"Am I impeding upon such a wish?" the priestess asked.
"Oh, no; not at all." Mahad assured her. "In hindsight, I actually should have known better than to think that I could get around your notice."
Nephthys chuckled. "You make me sound like some impish spirit." she stated.
"Just clever." Mahad corrected. "Perhaps it is for the best, even. I take it that you know where Isis might be hiding."
"That I do." Nephthys replied, about to tell him, before a better idea came to her mind, and she smirked.
There was a long pause following her statement, prompting Mahad's smile to wane as the seconds passed with no further commenting. He finally became too impatient to wait any longer.
"Well...?" he asked, hoping she would take the incentive.
"Hm? Oh, you meant for me to tell you!" she asked, feigning surprise.
"Well, yes. That was my hope." Mahad answered, trying to be patient with Nephthys. From what he remembered of the girl, she had an affinity for playing mind games with people.
"Ah, if that's the case, then you would do best to look for her in the Throne Room. She has been there for most of the celebration."
"Are you certain? I checked by the throne room once before, and she was nowhere to be found." he queried.
"Well, she has needed to step out for some air from time to time, but she would be there if you can wait a moment or two."
"Is she well?" Mahad asked, suddenly a bit worried for her.
Nephthys smiled reassuringly. "She is in good health. But she is rightfully anxious about seeing you after so long."
"Yes, of course." he replied, suddenly seeming nervous himself. "It is... understandable."
Nephthys giggled. It seemed that same anxiousness had finally caught up to him as well. All that confidence he had displayed only moments ago had now been almost entirely washed away. She couldn't blame him. Isis had changed just as much as he had in the last four years. The poor man didn't yet know what a beauty he was returning to.
"Would you like me to escort you back to the throne room?" she asked. "You suddenly seem like you would enjoy some friendly support."
"Ah, n-no, thank you, Nephthys." he stated uneasily. "I would rather see her unaccompanied."
"Well...if you are certain that your legs won't give out on the way." she stated, looking down at his legs. As if on cue, his legs began to shake a bit once she said this. Ugh, that girl... Mahad thought to himself. It seemed excessive to call her cruel, but the word still stuck in his mind. "Regardless, I should really be getting back to my Father. He worries, you know."
"Give him my best regards." Mahad said, bowing as a goodbye. Nephthys sighed, but relented a bow as well. Seemed she couldn't keep Mahad from being his polite, formal self.
They parted ways, and Nephthys quickly walked towards the other end of the palace, where she knew Isis really was. Not surprisingly, she and Mana were easier to spot than Mahad had been. There were fewer people at the southernmost end of the palace than the northern at this moment, and Isis and Mana were actually walking away from the room they had just been in, towards her. Mana smiled and ran up to her when she noticed the high priestess coming their way.
"Hi, Nephthys!" she greeted, taking one final bounce before stopping in front of her, "How's the party going?"
Nephthys smiled down at the younger girl. "I couldn't say myself." She replied as Isis joined them. "I stepped away from the greater part of the festivities a while ago. It was becoming a bit of a burden on my senses." She turned to look at Isis. The seer looked incredibly apprehensive at the moment, more-so than the last time she had seen her. If Nephthys had to guess, she was starting to become less worried about seeing Mahad again, and more worried that she would not see him at all.
"You do seem ill." Isis stated, her voice slightly rasped.
"Not as ill as you seem." Nephthys stated, moving closer to Isis and looking in her eyes. Instinctively, Isis took a step back, not comfortable with having her personal space invaded. Nephthys pulled back quickly, however, and looked at Isis seriously. She sighed and shook her head.
"You are giving yourself undue stress, Isis." she stated. "Perhaps you should step away from the party for a while."
The idea seemed to frighten Isis, as her eyes widened and she took another step back. "Oh no, no, I really can-"
Nephthys crossed her arms, and turned to Mana. "Mana, why don't you go to the throne room for me and tell Atem that Isis is retiring for the evening."
"Really, I am perfectly able to..." Isis continued to protest. Her argument was once again thwarted by the other priestess, however, who came up to her and leaned towards her ear.
"You really need to take a break to calm your nerves. It wouldn't do to have you in such a state when meeting Mahad." she whispered, prompting Isis to turn completely red. Nephthys smiled, and turned back to Mana.
"If you would, dear, please inform the Pharaoh of our departure."
Mana smiled. "No problem, Nephthys." she said. Secretly, Mana wondered what Nephthys was up to, but was more interested in putting whatever plan she was cooking up in motion. Nephthys was a genius at pranks, and Mana could tell she was plotting something fun right now. Something that required her to be in the throne room, and for Isis not to be there.
"Feel better, Isis." she said before turning and skipping off to her destination.
"I do feel fine, Mana!" Isis called to her, but sighed and lowered her head, realizing she was not going to convince either girl of her health. Nephthys smiled and wrapped an arm around Isis's shoulders.
"You need to relax." she stated. "The best thing for that is some quiet."
Isis turned to the girl. "I broke away from the throne room with Mana for just that reason." she said.
"Yet you still look like death." Nephthys countered. "Why don't we go to your room for a while, just to catch our breath." she offered.
Isis 'mm'd in response. "Do I get a choice?" she asked.
Nephthys's eyes gleamed. "Yes, but I'm not letting you take it." she said, before her face softened. "You really are over-worrying yourself, you know." she said.
"I can manage myself."
"You are afraid of not seeing him; it is more than understandable. Do you really think Mahad would want you to worry over him so?" she asked. Isis looked down at her words, not responding.
Nephthys's smile was gentle. "You merely need a little more time to prepare yourself. There is no shame in that."
Isis nodded, not saying anything more as Nephthys led them to her room.
~Q.N~
Mahad entered the throne room around this time, and stood before the entrance, looking over every face in search of Isis. However, just as before, she was nowhere to be seen. Nephthys had said that if he could not find her in the throne room, he should wait for her to return. So, he walked further inside, looking around in search of his blue eyed beauty. He waited, glancing towards all of the entranceways, waiting for her to appear. He waited...
"MAHAD!"
The sudden exclamation caused him to jump two feet in the air. His eyes darted all around him, searching for the origin of the voice. But his efforts could not stop a small body from ramming into him and embracing him in a full-bodied hug with all her might. From around him, people briefly stopped their conversations to look at the spectacle, some laughing, others looking annoyed by the disturbance.
"M...Mana!" He gasped before attempting to pry himself away from the unmistakable hug of his little sister.
"You're back, you're back, you're back, you're back!" She kept repeating as she continued to hold him in a near death grip.
"Get...off!" he grunted, before finally getting the leverage he needed to push his sister off of him. Though unexpected, she still managed to land on her feet when she was forced off of him. He breathed in the air that had been squeezed out of his lungs, and placed a hand over his now smarting ribs. She had gotten stronger while he was gone, that much was certain. He raised his head to reprimand her, but any words he could think to say died when he saw his little sister in full view for the first time in years.
She looked so different now, a stark contrast to Nephthys's near-agelessness. This girl's spirit was unmistakably Mana's, yet he didn't remember her to look like this. Had he forgotten what his own sister had looked like, or had she grown more than just physically in his absence? A closer look confirmed that there were certain aspects of Mana's physical characteristics that he had forgotten about, such as the exact color of her eyes, and the fact that her hair had never laid perfectly flat like his. Everything else, however, was brand new. Perhaps the most striking thing was that Mana had been so small before, short even for her own age. Her height was now almost twice of what it had been when he last saw her. She had also put on some weight, but that was actually a good thing. She had been too thin when they first came to live at the palace, mostly due to his unimpressive cooking skills, so he was glad that she had some meat between her skin and bones now. Another thing he took notice of was her dress. He didn't pay much attention to it until he realized that it looked a bit familiar, yet he knew that he had never seen it before. It was the necklace Mana was wearing that put the pieces together for him. It was Isis's dress that Mana was wearing. The top of the dress with the off the shoulder sleeves, the belt, the necklace, and the bracelets had all been Isis's. The skirt of the dress, pleated and knee length now, had been smooth and ankle length before. Isis must have re-sewn the dress to Mana's measurements and given her the jewelry to go with it. It looked better this way, he thought, at least on Mana. He was speechless; his little sister, annoying, obnoxious, childish... she had grown to be a lovely young lady.
"I missed you." Mana said, causing him to look down into her eyes, brimming with tears. His gaze softened, and he smiled down at her.
"And I you." he agreed, stepping towards her and taking her into a more gentle hug. She returned it, and cuddled her face into his chest. He placed a hand on her hair, gently rubbing the top of her head.
"Mahad!" came a much deeper voice. He turned, in shock, to see yet another familiar face approaching them, with the rest of the Guardians (minus Isis and Nephthys, interestingly) in tow. As he walked past, all others in his path kneeled and bowed in respect. Mahad looked at the now Pharaoh with wide eyes, surprised to see his old friend look... well, if her were honest... exactly the same. Was he taller? He couldn't say for sure. His hair was mostly responsible for about a third of his height. But he now certainly wore the robes of a king, and in his eyes there was unmistakable maturity to behold.
"P-prince!" Mahad exclaimed without thinking, but quickly caught his mistake and corrected himself. "I-I-I mean, Pharaoh, of course!" he said, releasing Mana so that he could drop to his knee and bow to his king. "I am truly honored to come before you, as an eternal servant to your highness." he said. "Please, forgive my lack of respect."
"Mahad, please." Atem said, offering a smile. "There is no need for such a show of humility. My best friend has finally returned home, and I wish to greet him with the warmest welcome."
"You honor me, my Pharaoh." Mahad replied.
Atem chuckled. "Please, stand. You, above all else, are a guest of honor tonight." he stated. Mahad quickly got to his feet, yet his gaze still remained to his feet, until he looked to Mana, that is, noticing that she had been standing this whole time. That caused him some pause. Why had she now bowed to the Pharaoh when he approached? Surely, she had to know the rules of conduct when being addressed by the great Pharaoh. He knew the now Pharaoh and Mana were friends but... was there something... deeper to their relationship now?
Before he could think more into it, he was met on all sides by the rest of the court.
"Welcome back, Master Mahad." Priest Shada said.
"Thank you, Master Shada." Mahad replied.
"Mahad, good to have you back home. You've been missed by the girls." Karim said with a laugh.
Mahad returned the smile. "Master Karim." he said. The older Guardians of the Key and Scales were just as Mahad remembered them to be. During the war, he had only seen the two of them about four or five times. He regretted this fact. When he had fought alongside them, they had been fierce allies, and when they were off the field of battle, lighthearted companions. They made things seem brighter, even at the darkest of times. Master Karim would always talk about his family, and Master Shada was always able to see the positive in any situation. His teacher had not been such a comfort, in fact most times, Master Akil had made things unbearable for he and all the rest of the soldiers.
Master Akhenaden remained mostly quiet, seeming to be somewhere else at the moment. And the other young man with them, the one that held the Rod, he wore a similar look of disinterest. The Pharaoh introduced the young man as High Priest Seto.
"It is an honor to meet you, Master Seto." Mahad said with a bow to the higher ranking priest. Seto simply grunted, not even bothering to look in the magician's direction.
"I would like to say the same of you." he remarked. "We shall see."
Mahad stood straight and frowned. Mana sported a similar expression before sticking out her tongue at the arrogant High Priest, but Mahad placed a hand on her shoulder and shook his head. He couldn't say that he particularly liked Seto's attitude, but he did understand it. The Rod wielder had never met Mahad before this moment, and therefore was unable to pass judgment on the magician's merit. Respect would have to be earned in order to be given, and Mahad would not reject such a condition. In fact, he himself could respect the cynicism; it showed his devotion to his position as well as the Pharaoh.
"Welcome back, Master Mahad, sir." came another greeting. Mahad glanced down at the boy standing next to Master Karim. Raven black hair, brown eyes, quite tall... he tried to conjure a name to the description. Nephthys's younger brother, he knew that much... the boy worshipped her and Master Karim... liked to help tend to the horses...
"Ah, Satoshet." Mahad finally said. The noble boy smiled at the acknowledgment. "How have you been?"
"In good health, sir, thank you." The boy said with a bow. It was interesting how different he was from his more impish, eccentric older sister.
"My son has been in training to inherit the scales for the past few years now." Karim said, placing a hand on Satoshet's shoulder, who raised his head slightly with the pride of this recognition. "A few more short years, and soon, he can take my place as a Guardian alongside his sister."
"It's funny you should mention Lady Nephthys." Mahad stated, "I crossed paths with her not long before I entered the throne room."
This seemed to interest the father and son, whose eyes both widened slightly at this information. "You saw her?" Karim asked.
Mahad's brows knit together, but he nodded his head and responded, "Yes, she was in the northern courtyard. I... believe she might have been looking for me." he admitted.
"Well, that explains where she disappeared to, at least." Karim replied, smiling what seemed to be a mixture of relief and pure affection for the female in question. "I hate it when she just vanishes like that." he laughed.
Mahad blinked, interested by that. "A habit of hers, I take it?" he asked.
Karim nodded. "She has her grandfather's magical prowess. Unfortunately, it was inherited along with my impulsiveness."
"Well, she mentioned when I left her that she intended to return to your side, but perhaps her impulsiveness prompted her to take a detour." he said. He looked around the small group for the umpteenth time since they had started their conversations. Nephthys's absence could be more-or-less accounted for, but where was Isis? She had been the whole reason that he came here in the first place.
"Where is Isis?" he finally asked. Everyone looked at him when he made this query. "I was under the impression that she would be here."
Mana quirked an eyebrow, and jumped in front of her brother. "Isis and I met Nephthys in the halls. She escorted her back to her room and asked me to come down here to alert the Pharaoh of where they would be."
When Mana finished explaining, it then clicked in Mahad's mind that he had been deceived into coming down here by a certain High Priestess, and that this same Priestess had also expected Mana to make a scene to draw attention to him so that he would be delayed from leaving the throne room for quite some time. He exhaled in frustration, not sure whether to storm out and hunt down the woman in question, or play out the rest of the game she had just created in order to see what, if anything, she was planning.
Karim was the first to pick up on the frustration in Mahad's face, and question him on it.
"Something wrong, Mahad?" he asked uncertainly.
"That girl..." he simply groaned out. From there, Karim needed no further explanation, having heard those words plenty enough times to understand their meaning.
~Q.N~
Mahad managed to break away from all the people who welcomed him back and gave him their best wishes as a new Guardian eventually, and all but ran out of the throne room, making a beeline for Isis's room and praying that she was still there. He came upon the corridor where the Priests' bed chambers were, and followed his memory to where Isis's door was. As he approached her door, it opened, and he stopped dead, holding his breath in anticipation... only for a completely different woman to emerge and close the door behind her.
Nephthys again.
He groaned, and marched towards her, not forgetting that she had misled him only moments ago. She noticed him coming up to her rather fast, and smiled as he approached.
"Ah, perfect timing. You're exactly on schedule." she replied, incredibly calmly. Mahad didn't take notice, however, and instead glared down at her.
"I just want you to know, if I wasn't completely sure that your father would murder me in my sleep if I tried to hurt you, I'd do just that." he seethed.
Nephthys's smile turned mischievous. "Is that the thanks I get?" she asked. "And here I went to all this trouble to guarantee you and Isis had some privacy. Well, father always told me that no good deed goes unpunished."
Immediately, Mahad's scowl dropped, and shifted to a completely dumbfounded expression. "Uh... what?" he asked, not sure that he had heard her right.
"Well... everyone in the court is now aware that you have returned, Mana got to welcome you back. I doubt anyone will be looking for you now. You have all the time in the world to be with Isis." her gaze lowered, her eyes darkening to a richer chocolate brown. "Or was I wrong in assuming that you would like a more... intimate reunion?"
Mahad's face turned deep red, and he looked away from the priestess, towards the door where the woman he had been dreaming about returning to for four years was currently behind. He gulped. He had been waiting all this time to see her, and now all that divided them was a single door.
Nephthys sensed his anxiousness, and smirked before turning to the side. "I think I will return to my Father and brother now." she said. "Have fun." she turned and walked away without another word following this, leaving Mahad to his thoughts. He had to wonder whether this was better or worse than what he had originally hoped to happen. What if Isis no longer wished to be with him? What if she had been married while he was away? No; that probably wasn't so. Otherwise Nephthys would not be going to such lengths to put he and Isis alone together. But she still could have forgotten about him, or grown tired of him. And she surely had changed as much as he did over the last four years. Would she still like him, even if not in a romantic way? Would he still like her? He couldn't stand to know... yet he could not go on without knowing. A door was all that separated them now, after four years of being separated by unspeakable distances, yet he felt closer to her then than he did now. He could easily break down the simple wooden barrier if he desired, yet he was afraid to even open it.
Yet he could wait no longer. Four years was enough time to be separated from her. And now, she was so close, all he had to do was walk a few measly steps, and he would be face to face with her. They were separated only by a single door, a simple plane of wood.
He took a deep breath.
He opened the door.
He stepped inside, closing the door behind him.
The room was dark, scarcely lit by a few small candles and the light of the moon coming in from the windows. In the dim light, however, he could still tell that the room was exactly as it had looked the last time he had entered it, all the furniture, statues, candles, furs and blankets in the exact place they were the night before he left. He looked to a chair seated next to the window at the far end of the room, and for a moment, he felt his heart stop.
There she was. Isis. She was unmistakable. Everything from her long, dark hair to her enchanting blue eyes was significant of the girl he remembered. But there was no doubt that she was older now. The curves of her body were much more defined than before, and the angles of her face just seemed more mature. She was dressed as a priestess, a Guardian. Around her neck, the Millennium Necklace gleamed in the dim moonlight. He was stunned by the vision in front of him. He had remembered her as being the most beautiful woman he had ever known, but he was a fool to think such. What laid before him now was nothing less than the most radiant goddess the world had ever been blessed with.
He was frozen in his place, unsure of what to say or do, or think or feel. Even breathing had suddenly become a labor for him to undergo. His legs wanted to give out from under him, yet they were paralyzed stiff and unmoving. His mouth hung agape, no words escaping him.
She continued to look out the window rather than face him, even when she spoke for the first time for his ears to behold. "...Nephthys, I thought you were going back to the throne room."
Mahad smiled. Her voice... her soft, beautiful voice. It was still the same as he remembered it; even so, to truly hear it was so much more wonderful than mere memory. Well... he had to say something now, even if he still had no idea of what could possibly be said after being parted for so long...
"Isis..." he started, her name exhaled in a breath of air that he had been holding in.
Before he could continue from there, she gasped and jumped out of her seat. She faced him fully with wide eyes. For a moment, she looked over the stranger that had just entered her room, trying to figure out who he was. "Who...?" she began, but her questions were paused as her eyes made contact with the golden Item hanging over his torso. The Millennium Ring. Her heart jumped into her throat. It... it was him! He was here, standing right in front of her. She... she didn't know what to do! What was she to say?! What would he think of her?! What would she think of him?! Had the room just gotten warmer? Why was her chest on fire?
"Isis, it is me. Mahad." he said, taking a step forward.
"M-Mahad?" she asked, taking in a deep breath to calm herself. As she did so, the burning sensation in her chest went away immediately. When had she stopped breathing?
"Yes." he nodded.
"I-I... I..." she stuttered, trying to find her voice. Once again, her lips had fallen silent.
Fortunately, Mahad was able to see how uncertain she was, and this gave him the strength to find his own voice, so she could have the chance to find hers.
"I... I wish that I had been more prepared than I am..." he said. "To return to such a beauty as you."
Isis's face warmed at this comment. Why did he say such things to her?
"Y-you... flatter me." she said as she looked away to hide her blushing face. "But you really should not speak in such a way."
Mahad's face flushed as well. "Of course. I... I know that it has been a very long time." he stated, "It will be difficult to return things back to what they were, at least for now." he took a few steps more towards her. "But if you still desire it, then nothing would make me happier than to court you once more."
Isis gasped. What... what on earth was he talking about? No, no; he had it all wrong. She... they had never been together. Of course, they had been close friends, but nothing more! Her heart had always belonged to the Messenger. He had always loved and cared for her. She had always yearned for him.
Yet, this feeling... this aching desire for the man in front of her, for Mahad, it was undeniable. Feelings were emerging deep from within her that she could not deny, though she wished to. The thought of being held in his arms, to want to be held in his arms... it felt right. And when she looked into his eyes, she was overcome by a powerful torrent of emotions and memories... remembering things she hadn't known that she had forgotten. Much of it was a blur, but they all screamed one thing at her: that she had loved Mahad.
That she still loved Mahad.
That could not be! How could she have forgotten something as important as that?! How could it even be possible, when she knew that she was so in love with the Messenger?
"Oh, Mahad..." she whispered. "I-I... I don't...I..." she didn't know what to say, or what to feel.
Mahad's gaze turned to pity for the young woman. She was troubled by something. Was it because of him being here, or something else unrelated? Regardless, it was causing her incredible trauma, and he could not stand to see her so distraught. So, he closed the final distance between them, and wrapped his arms around her, gently rubbing her back in comfort. She was quick to tense at the unexpected contact, but soon found herself being... soothed by his touch. It felt natural to be in his arms, to be close to him. She relaxed a bit, leaning her head against his chest. He was, taller now, she noted, the memories of the young man he once was coming back to her slowly. That was not all that changed. Four years ago, he never would have held her like this, even if they had been together as he claimed and she was beginning to recollect. He had become more confident, more sure of himself. She smiled upon realizing this. She was... happy for him, even though she still could barely remember his former self. She wrapped her arms around his waist, returning the embrace. Why did he have to be so warm? Why did she have to feel so safe in his arms?
"I... I have forgotten." she admitted quietly.
"What?" he asked, unsure if he had heard her correctly.
"I have forgotten. You. Us. What things were like before the war."
He smiled. "It has been a long time." he told her softly, resting his chin on her head. "You have nothing to be ashamed of."
"What I do not understand is why I forgot at all." she explained.
"There was much about you that I forgot until just now." he told her, trying to comfort her. "What matters now is the future. We shall have many chances now to relive those memories together, as well as to make new ones."
"All I can remember is His voice." she said, sounding as though she had not heard any of what Mahad was saying.
Mahad pulled away from her slightly, while still keeping his arms around her. "Whose voice?" he asked.
Isis looked up into his eyes. "The Messenger of Osiris." she stated. Mahad's brow furrowed. Isis smiled before continuing. "My Mother told me stories of him when I was small. Ever since her death, I have sensed his presence all around me. He protects me."
"I see." Mahad said, trying to not sound worried. Could this be the Millennium Necklace's doing? He could seldom believe the existence of such a specter was truly following Isis around. And he was more than familiar with the dark energies within the Items, his having nearly killed him on more than one occasion before he found a way to quiet the Ring's unspeakable rage. Perhaps this was connected to her memory loss as well. She was seeing visions of a being that was to be in the future, or that was in the past. If it was the Necklace's doing, perhaps he could help her somehow.
"Isis..." Mahad began. "Is it possible that the Millennium Necklace...?"
"I know what you are thinking, Mahad," Isis interrupted, "but He is not a product of my visions of the future. He has helped me to overcome the anxieties I had upon inheriting the Necklace from my mother. He has protected me from those that wished to harm me. And he sings to me in the night, wishing me into a peaceful slumber."
Mahad's shoulders slouched as he listened to Isis speak about this person. The way she spoke of him, the look in her eyes... whether this man was real or not, Isis undeniably adored him. Mahad wouldn't deny he felt a little jealous, and more than a bit hurt. Had he not been the one to comfort her when she spent restless nights worrying about inheriting the Necklace? And it was also him that rescued her when three apprentices had been harassing her. Why was it that she did not remember him, and instead her memories were filled with this faceless character that she spoke of with such fervor?
He had little time to contemplate this, however, for a moment later, a knock came from the door, and a guard entered, bowing.
"Lady Isis! I apologize for disturbing you, but the Pharaoh has ordered the presence of all the Guardians outside the Royal Wing. There has been another incident." the guard stated.
"Another...?" Mahad exclaimed in shock.
"Thank you." Isis said without hesitation. "Please, inform the Pharaoh that I shall arrive at once."
The guard bowed and exited the room with haste. When he left, Mahad turned back to Isis in confusion.
"Isis, what is...?"
Isis shook her head, and pushed Mahad towards her door. "The other guardians and I shall explain to you when we arrive. Hurry; we have to go."
Mahad chose not to ask further, realizing the seriousness of whatever had occurred. He nodded, and quickly walked towards the door. Isis trailed behind him, until a noise from behind her caught her attention and caused her to stop. Mahad exited her room, and she turned to look over her shoulder to see where the sound may have come from. It sounded like... like someone was singing.
As she realized this, the door slammed shut, separating her and Mahad. Her first instinct told her to panic, and she ran for the door, attempting to open it, but she could not open it! It felt as though something incredibly heavy was blocking the door, but when she moved her hands around, there was nothing but air. From the other side, she could hear Mahad trying to open the door as well, and having just as much luck as she was.
"Isis! Isis, open the door! What is going on?" he called to her. She opened her mouth to answer him, to cry for him to go get help. But then something met her ears once again, and any words to indicate that she was in danger died on her tongue. His voice filled the room, and she became deaf to everything else. Mahad's voice drew farther and farther away, and with it, her recollection of what had just transpired between the two, as well as what the guard had told her. All she could hear was the Messenger.
"Insolent Guardian;
Slave to the throne;
Basking in your glory!"
"Ignorant fool;
This brave, young suitor;
Sharing in my triumph!"
His voice was filled with rage and accusation. It caused her to tremble, but she still found voice to respond to him, to reassure him.
"Spirit, I hear you.
Speak, I'll listen.
Stay by my side;
Guide me."
"Spirit, my soul was weak;
Forgive me;
Enter at last;
Master;"
The Messenger seemed pleased by this response, for he answered her a voice of gratitude.
"Gracious maiden, you shall know me;
See why in shadow I hide;
Within the walls of your bedroom;
I am there inside!"
Heeding his words, she dashed towards the entrance to her bed chambers, and almost screamed at what she saw standing beside her bed.
A man. He was taller than her by a few inches, and his body, which appeared to be quite toned, was hidden beneath dark red robes. Most of his face was hidden by the darkness, so she could not make out much of his countenance. However, in the light coming from her window, she could see that his hair was long and spiky, and it was the color of cotton. As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she saw that the reason she saw so little of his face was because he wore a mask that covered most of his face from her sight. She cringed at the terrifying sight before her, yet she refused to look away. The creature before her was just as mesmerizing as he was frightening. Especially his beautiful voice, the voice that told her it was He, the Messenger of Osiris, standing before her now.
"Messenger of Osiris;
Guide and Guardian;
Grant to me your glory!"
"Messenger of Osiris;
Hide no longer;
Come to me, strange spirit!"
From somewhere, she heard another sound, one similar to the one she had heard before the door had slammed shut. This noise invoked some common sense to return to her, and she glanced in the direction of the sound. When she did, she saw a small silhouette sporting two yellow eyes, gazing at her from on top of her bed. It was a cat, she realized as it mewed once more. Although she had noticed it, either the Messenger had not, or he was simply ignoring the other creature. Isis wondered, was it... Nephthys's cat? If it was Pharaoh, then what was he doing in here, and how had he gotten in in the first place? Come to think of it, how did the Messenger get into her room without her notice? Did this spirit always come into her bed chambers so effortlessly without her knowledge? Was he always watching her? Just why was she allowing this... person to be in her room like this? But her grasp on reality was once again slipping, and before she was able to act on her sudden fear of the creature before her, the questions had disappeared from her mind, and all she could think about was running to the Messenger, and letting him take her hand, leading her through the walls of her room, into some unknown plane of existence.
~Q.N~
From outside Isis's chambers, Mahad continued to desperately ram the door. Nothing he did was working. His magic would not break the door, ramming it was proving ineffective, and if there was a way for Isis to open the door from inside her room, then she was unable to. He continued to call to her, begging her to answer him, yet he was receiving no response. For a long time, he wondered if she had in fact locked him out of her own will, and he still believed this to be possible.
Until he heard the voice. It was feint, incredibly low and soft, but he heard it. And the hidden darkness carried underneath it.
"I am the Messenger of Osiris."
His eyes widened in shock. "Whose voice is that?" he wondered, trying to hear it more clearly, but all the voice did was repeat the same thing over and over. "Who is that in there?!"
"I am the Messenger of Osiris."
"Isis! ISIS!" Mahad took a step back. Something was in there with Isis, and whatever it was, a great darkness surrounded it. It was one of the darkest spirits Mahad had ever felt. beneath him, the arrows of the Millennium Ring were moving erratically. He looked down in shock. He needed to get in there and help Isis now... but he had tried everything and the door would not move. He clenched his fists. He hated to think of what could happen to Isis... but his strength was not enough. He had to get to the other Guardians and get them to help him. Right now, it was all that he could do to save Isis. Wasting no time, he bolted as fast as he could down the corridor, running to where he knew the others would be.
~Q.N~
Nephthys ran towards the Royal Wing as fast as she could. When she arrived outside the room where the other Guardians were standing around, she stopped and walked slowly toward them. Atem noticed her first, and turned to greet her with a nod. She bowed in return, before glancing at the open door of the room. The reason this room had been empty for so long was because it had belonged to Master Akil, the former Holder of the Millennium Ring. Mahad was meant to have this room now that he returned, but it seemed the Thief King had claimed it for himself. Nephthys wondered if that was a coincidence or not.
"What happened?" she asked, though she already knew the answer.
Atem turned pale as he relayed the information to her. "We sent five guards into the room the Thief King mentioned in his note to me to investigate... all... all five of them were just found outside the room, dead."
Seto walked up behind Atem, and looked Nephthys in the eye. "Each of their bodies were ripped to pieces, and each one's faces have been slashed over the right eye."
Nephthys took all of this without displaying any emotion. "I see." she stated. A glance over Seto's shoulder gave her a look at the very bloody massacre first hand. She walked around Seto and the Pharaoh to get a closer look at the gore. Seto turned and watched her walk to where the bodies were, and scowled at her lack of emotion. That, to him, was much more unsettling than the carnage itself.
"Not unnerved by the carnage, I see." he stated.
Nephthys almost invited a smile at Seto's forwardness, but held it back for respect of the dead soldiers before her. "I am a woman, Seto. It would be too much of an inconvenience for me to be repulsed by the sight of blood." she retorted. Seto's mouth opened, but he could think of nothing to reply to this with.
"Has anyone been in the room yet?" she asked, still not taking her eyes off the bodies.
"I have had several guards examine the room. We have found blood, but no other insight. No notes, or anything else that may have been of use." Atem explained. What's more, there had been other guards stationed outside of this room when the bodies were thrown out, she there was no way that anyone could have gotten in or out.
"Hm." Nephthys mused. "Perhaps we are dealing with a phantom of some sort after all."
Suddenly, Mahad appeared running towards the group, shouting as loud as he could.
"MY PHARAOH! MASTER SETO!" he shouted as he approached. "Lady Nephthys!"
All the guardians present turned to Mahad as he came towards them. He stopped in front of them, panting for breath. Nephthys could see that he was visibly afraid, and his expression told her enough to know what he was about to say next.
"Mahad, what is it?" Atem asked.
"It's Isis!" Mahad exclaimed in a panic. "Isis is in danger! Someone has locked her in her room, and now she's alone with them!"
"What?!" Nephthys asked in bewilderment.
"I've tried to open her door, but not even my magic has been able to open it." Mahad explained.
"Don't worry." Atem said, motioning behind himself. "Seto. Karim. Nephthys. We will go to Isis's chambers and save her from whatever has her trapped. Quickly, let's go!"
"Yes, Pharaoh." Seto said, running after Atem and Mahad as they started towards Isis's room. Before they got far, however, Nephthys called back to them.
"Do not bother." she yelled, causing them to stop and look back at her. She looked at them straight on, her brown eyes bereft with sadness.
"I can sense it; the Thief King has taken her prisoner. She is no longer in the Palace."
...At any rate, it's the LONGEST chapter that I've done for this fic, anyway.
...Due to my current state of sleeplessness, I can't think of much more to say than that, so hopefully, a few of you will send me some intelligent reviews of this chapter. I've been getting quite a few of those lately, and I have to say, they make me incredibly happy. So please, give me more of those well-thought-out reviews that make me smile when I read them!
Sorry that I can't think of more to say for this. Please R&R. Thank you, and good night.