V.E.: Once more my laziness comes back to haunt me, this story should have been updated a while ago but I've been putting it off because I don't feel particularly motivated. I thought summer would be great since I could finish chapters in a day or two. Now I realize it makes me even lazier. Still, I wanted to get on this.
Also, I'm still contemplating taking a hiatus from this story. Nothing personal, just feel like my mind is running with lots of ideas. I'm not doing it now, I'm just keeping it as a thought in my mind.
This line would be usually devoted to the disclaimer, but you can probably guess that this replaces it. Please just go to the line beyond the page break.
"Okay, on a scale of one to ten, how mad are you?"
Judging by Ishizu's expression, Mana would have to guess it was between several million and infinity, though she was doing an incredible job concealing all of her irritation since she was the one driving the jeep. And she thought she had it tough with her brother.
She glanced around the desert surroundings they were all driving through, the dust from the tires the only thing really affecting the surroundings. This was only the first of three jeeps, the first in which Mana was riding with her brother, Atem, and Marik(with Ishizu already being stated as the driver). The second held the Bakura siblings, Yugi, and Seto Kaiba sulking in the front seat(who though didn't approve of this field trip in the least, was in a much better mood after getting some internet connection on Kaiba Corp). Grandpa Muto, Arthur Hawkins, and Rebecca were currently riding a third with another Tombkeeper(though in comparison they were least likely to be targeted by the risen mummy).
Needless to say, Ishizu Ishtar had not been pleased in the least when she found Marik trying to sneak with the others back into the hideout. But that anger had been controlled as Marik told his sister in a hurry what they had found out from Weevil and Rex, immediately rushing the plans to see the tablet.
They had started out in early morning before the sun, it had been relatively cool so Mana had fallen asleep, since she really didn't get much the night before. Though it had been a little awkward waking up on Atem's shoulder, she thankful managed to reign in her blush(he seemed rather embarrassed by it as well).
Especially out of the dream she had woken from.
Last night, Ishizu and her had gone thorough almost all of her sketches and it took then to realize that some of the Egyptian ones resembled people she knew. She had even found one the resembled Ishizu next to one she thought looked like her brother
The piece seemed to be connecting to her; the magician in her dreams that looked like her brother, the vizier that looked like Mr. Muto, the thief that looked like Bakura…..
The pharaoh that looked like Atem.
From the expression Ishizu had worn when she went through the pictures, Mana knew she hadn't told Mana everything. But she was starting to come to a theory….a really crazy theory, but it was starting to make somewhat sense….
Mahad sighed.
"You think you're brother's trouble? A couple of years ago, my sisters rigged a contraption that made me look a king sized chicken!"
Mana rolled her eyes in exasperation, unaware the interest the story was getting from the teen boys.
"Oh please, like you're innocent? What about that time you snuck me out of the house when you wanted to go to that late night book signing when Mom and Dad were out to their anniversary dinner? Didn't you get grounded for a month?"
"Says the girl who messed with my conditioner that made my hair turn purple for two weeks!"
"Says the brother who spent so much time in an Egyptian exhibit he forgot his sister was there and went home without her!"
"You're the one who snuck into the dinosaur exhibit!"
"AHEM!"
The two siblings found that Atem was the one who caused the sound, causing their faces to turn rather sheepish.
Marik looked a little put out of it that he wasn't going to hear.
"Oh, why'd you make them stop?"
Atem shot the blonde a look before turning his gaze on the Kurozaki siblings.
"As interesting as this all is, I'd prefer to focus on what's going on. Then when the when our lives are back to semi normal, you guys can bicker all you want."
Marik looked around the desert, scanning.
"This feels too easy. I would have thought something would have happened by now."
Ishizu made eye contact with the mirror before turning back to the road.
"You're right. You would think he would have something that would stop us from reaching the Pharaoh's Tablet."
Mahad decided to remark on the comment.
"Okay, what is so important about this tablet anyway?"
Ishizu didn't look at all willing to say anything about it.
"You'll see…"
Mahad didn't seem very happy about that.
"Miss Ishtar, if this is some wild goose chase, though it is certainly not my first…"
Mana perked up at that.
"Excuse me?"
"I'll tell you later, if it than I swear…"
Ishizu's voice echoed anger, though her eyes were still on the road.
"Mr. Shen this may be an adventure to you people, but this is my life and my family's life for the last three thousand years. Insult me again and I will kick you out of this jeep like I should have knifed you on the boat. Clear?"
That got a rather impressive silence, as the boys looked the epitome of wariness while Mana seemed look at the Ishtar woman with some reverence.
Mahad didn't seem that intimidated.
"Crystal. But just so you know, you're not the only person who has someone you care about in danger."
Before Ishizu could really respond to that, came the great rumbling beneath them and effectively stopping the jeeps.
RRRMMMMMM!
That got everyone to sit up and attention away from the conversation. Marik's eyes went wide as he tried to figure out where the sound was coming from.
"Were's that coming from?"
A shout from the jeep behind them, seemed to be Bakura by the tone of it.
"DID YOU HEAR THAT?"
Atem yelled back to his somewhat rival.
"YEAH! WHAT DO YOU THINK THAT WAS?"
Bakura looked ready to speak before the ground rumbled again.
RRRRRRRRRRMMMMMMMMM!
But that didn't just stop with the noise, as there seemed to be a giant monster popping out of the gorund looking similar to a scorpion, black with the Millennium Eye on her back.
The Mystical Beast of Serqet let out an unearthly scream as several mummies seemed to be coming out of the ground.
Marik shot a look at his sister.
"I told you this was too easy!"
Ishizu turned back to the two Millennium Item wielders.
"Marik, Atem, get out your monsters!"
She went to the bag right near her, pulling out her deck. She immediately drew a card, holding it up without even looking at it, the Necklace glowing around her throat.
"SPIRIA!"
A flash of light and a dark blue haired fairy with light green skin and white wings appeared, flapping until it stood beside it's owner.
For the first time in a very long time, Mana and Mahad seemed to be of one mind.
Where I have seen that before?
Atem looked at Marik in interest.
"Your sister has Spiria, that's a rather rare card."
Marik nodded, his hand going to his own deck, but he drew two while his sister drew one. His other hand was around the Rod as he called out his monster.
"Yeah, you'd be surprised the rare cards the Tombkeepers have. Come out REVIVAL JAM! FELGRAND DRAGON!"
With that crack of light, came a rather light blue gelatinous substance that latched itself to the nearest mummy. Another light coming from the clouds, a golden like slim dragon that seemed to have light glow with it gave out it's roar and started to blast some of the other scorpion beasts starting to appear.
But it seemed like there were more of those monsters to come as some Harpy Ladies were coming down to the playing field.
At that, Marik looked at Atem.
"You know, a little help would be nice."
Atem was ahead of him as he began going through his deck and nodded as he made his choice.
"This should do."
He raised the card high, his voice echoing almost king like in Mana's opinion.
"I summon thee, CURSE OF DRAGONS!"
And…..
Nothing happened.
Atem blinked a couple of times before pulling the card down, looking at it quizzically.
"That wasn't supposed to happen."
Mahad looked at his friend in worry as some of the scorpions were getting to their jeep.
"What's wrong?"
Atem shook his head in disbelief.
"I don't know! It worked when I called out Marshmellon to save Ryou!"
Mana's face seemed to perk up with an idea.
"Unless…."
Mahad was looking at his sister warily.
"Mana, you're getting that look in your eyes again….please tell me you're not thinking of whip creaming these guys?"
Mana grabbed Atem's hand.
"We need to get to Yugi! Marik, how good are you at hand to hand combat with mummies?"
Marik shrugged.
"Well considering I had to get a crash course when defending the Rod against them, I'd say I'm pretty okay."
Mahad looked at his sister with an incredulous glance.
"You cannot seriously think I am letting you go out there with a bunch of monsters that are going to kill us!"
Mana shot her brother a look.
"I have an idea! Just trust me!"
Mahad looked ready to argue at that, but Ishizu looked Mana right in the eye.
"Do you think it will work?"
"It's better that staying right here."
Ishizu nodded.
"Be careful."
Mana nodded as Marik slammed the door open and the three got out of it. Right into the crowd of mummies, but luckily for Mahad's nerves that Marik and Atem were rather apt fighters of anything(be they Tombkeepers or mummy Duel Monsters) and were capable of defending Mana. He turned his attention on Ishizu, who seemed to have a little trouble with a mummy until he got out his knife and cut off the hand.
Mana didn't see this as she went with the boys, but she did hear the rather loud bang nailing a couple of mummies close to them, while Felgrand Dragon was dealing with the big ass scorpion.
BANG!
As a matter of fact it came from the third jeep, Arthur praising his friend for the shot.
"Nice one Solomon!"
Solomon preened as he aimed his next shot.
"Oh, doing this reminds me of a little escapade in Guatemala. Man, that was one great casino!"
Rebecca got her gun and aimed near some of the lesser scorpions.
"This is more fun than that summer study in London last summer!"
That got her grandfather to shoot her a look.
"Remember Rebecca these things are here to kill us! And don't think this means you can slack off on your studies and go to a shooting range!"
Solomon seemed to be taking aim again.
"Arthur, I think this is the time to aim now, lecture our grandchildren on safety later!"
Speaking off the second jeep, Odion and Seto were the ones taking care of the front while Bakura was the only one who could fight in the back. Ryou looked slightly in the panic mode, though Yugi managed to bang up a mummy pretty good until he covered the mouth for some reason.
Immediately, the mummy collapsed into the ground.
The three looked incredibly weirded out by it, but didn't have enough time to ponder about this as Atem and Mana came up to them. Mana was the first to speak.
"Atem, you have to have Yugi touch the card while you summon it. It was like that back when you summoned Marshmellon, I didn't notice it before since it was briefly."
Atem looked at her with some skepticism.
"Are you sure this will work?"
Mana's irritation shown through then.
"Just try it!"
Atem looked at Yugi who smiled and grasped the card in his brother's hand. Atem readied himself again and called out.
"CURSE OF DRAGONS!"
This time the roar of a reaction as the yellow dragon with red in it descended from the crowds and began to join in with his other yellow dragon in getting rid of the scorpion, thus working into the Harpy Ladies.'
Marik and Atem both looked at Mana in wonder, the blonde Egyptian voicing his thoughts.
"How did you know that would work?!"
Mana shrugged, but unluckily they couldn't dwell on that train off thought much longer as the screech of a Harpy Lady was heard as it dove down towards what was left of the people left near the first jeep, grabbing Ishizu up in her talons, who was struggling as much as she could.
"Let go of me!"
Marik was turned into her direction, his eyes widening as fast as they could, with Odion not too far behind him.
"ISHIZU!"
But before Marik and Odion could rush over near her, the sudden descending of what seemed to be Swords of Lights blocked almost everyone off from getting to her.
An enormous red dragon, what most duelists recognized as Harpies Pet Dragon since they had seen Mai use it so much, flapped in descent with the risen demonic mummy himself, his white mask back on and Millennium Ring hanging from his neck.
A rumble of chuckling echoed form the dark mummy.
"Well Isis, I'd never thought you would be the next to offer up your Millennium Item to the Dark One."
Ishizu nailed the mummy with her most virile glare.
"You are mad, High Priest Aknadin."
"Ah, I see your scorn and high sense of duty hasn't changed despite your new life in this time. Still, the end will be the same for you in this time."
The Harpy Lady lifted the Ishizu up next to Aknadin, as he carefully unclasped the necklace from her neck.
Aknadin seemed to look at Ishizu in wonder.
"You know, I thought that you would be the trickiest of the Guardians to deal with, back in the past and in this time. But it seems like your visions have failed you both times."
"What in hell's name are you talking about?!"
That got Aknadin and Ishizu to look down at Mahad, the only one not trapped behind the Swords of Revealing Light. Aknadin seemed to let out a small sigh.
"Oh joy, you again."
Akandin jumped off Harpies' Pet Dragon and landed on the ground, right by Mahad startling him slightly but not for long. Akndin snapped his fingers and another Harpy Lady came down and pined Mahad to the ground with her talon.
Akandin bent down to look at the trapped archaeologist.
"I suppose it's time I paid you back for what happened in Kul Elna, Magician."
Mahad looked incredibly confused at that.
"What the….where's Kul Elna?"
Aknadin's tone gained some amusement.
"Ah yes, I forgot. No memory this time. Pity, it would have been nice to see the anguish on your face. Still, I think there will be enough instinctual memory for this."
The dark robed mummy turned to the Harpy Lady holding Ishizu.
"Tear her to shreds and make sure he is watching."
With that, the Harpy Lady pining Mahad tightened her grip forcing the brunette to look upward at the wicked grin on the other Harpy Lady as she began to tighten her talons on the Egyptian beauty.
Mana ran straight to the barrier as she felt utter fear, fear she hadn't felt sicne the call form the hospital. Atem tried to restrain her as she banged her fist against the wall.
"Mana, get a hold of yourself!"
"Don't tell me what to do right now, Atem! Mahad!"
Mahad didn't speak as he watched, but he was aware of the utter rage and….utter terror that was forming within him as he watched Ishizu was helpless. Confused by it, nevertheless it began to grow even stronger as he felt the grip tighten around him, almost a dim humming in his ears….
As it turned out, there was a hum as the Millennium Ring around Aknadin's neck as it began glowing and the little things around the Ring began to move to the noise.
Akandin looked down at the Item, his voice filled with surprise and wonder.
"What's this?!"
Those outside of the light barrier were also surprised, but Atem and Marik were also aware of the slight glow their own Items were emitting.
The Millennium Ring stopped moving as the little golden arrows stood together, as the golden glow became blinding, that almost everyone covered their eyes from it.
When the flash dissipated, Mahad slowly opened his eyes to find them go wide at what he saw before him.
The Sorcerer of Dark Magic, the most powerful magician Yugi and Atem had, stood before him, his dark robes billowing with the slight wind.
His dark navy eyes settled on the Harpy Lady then went to Mahad. For a flicker of a moment, Mahad was struck by a sense of….for lack of a better word, familiarity.
The jeweled of scepter was raised as the magic attack struck the harpy, back into the barrier of light swords and off of Mahad.
Mahad got uneasily up as the magician turned towards Aknadin, his glare that could freeze hydrogen aimed at the betrayer.
You have gone too far.
Aknadin's voice echoed outrage
"How dare you meddle with me! How have you appeared? You were not summoned!"
The magician's eyes once more made eye contact with Mahad's for but a moment, but it was something that did not escape by Mana's notice, who at the same time was feeling the same feelings Mahad was currently.
The answer is obvious, you of all of people should understand the ties that bind.
The master magician turned back to Aknadin, raising his scepter towards the Harpy Lady in the air. One more glow which was brighter than the last, and the blast made the Harpy Lady scream in pain disappear and drop Ishizu.
Before Mahad even knew what he was doing, he was running at a great pace, catching her into his arms. He panted as he spoke to her.
"Are you alright?"
Ishizu nodded as Mahad set her standing upright.
"Yes, I'm fine."
She stumbled into Mahad's arms again, suddenly aware of how warm it felt, but before she could think on it even more, the Sorcerer of Dark Magic stood in front of the two, the scepter glowed once more and dispelled the sword barrier, allowing Mana to run straight to her brother.
"Mahad, are you alright!?"
Before Mahad could affirm, the sorcerer readied his stance, his words echoing through everyone's minds.
Run now, I will hold him off as long as I can. Seek out Shadi if you can.
His scepter glowed as Curse of Dragons, Felgrand Dragon, Guardian Dragon, and the Red Eyes Black Dragon descend from the skies and land, ready for passengers. Revival Jam and Spiria bowed to the magician as they disappeared. He turned back to make eye contact once more.
Go.
Everyone else was ready to do so, though Mana felt inclined to linger behind, as she was reminded of her meeting with the Magician's Valkyria.
Atem, however, pulled her along with himself, pulling her toward Curse of Dragons and settling her on.
"Come one Mana!"
His voice brought her back out of her thoughts, as she nodded toward him.
As soon as everyone was on a dragon(though Kaiba looked rather annoyed that he was currently on the mutt's favorite dragon), the wings began to flap, taking their charges with them. The last sight they saw of them was Aknadin's hands glowed with a dark magic and the sorcerer stood before him unyielding, the scepter glowing bright; as they all turned forward to their destination.
V.E. Man, this severely went off of what I outlined. Still, could be worse, could be a lot better. I was partially just trying to write it.
Well, at least I can go into Princess of Egypt now. REVIEW!