Chapter 20

Isis and Mahad had finally reached the ruins of Kul Elna and headed over to where the roof collapsed.

Looking at the rubble, Mahad felt the last spark of hope for his student's survival fade. "So this is where Mana is buried." Sighing sorrowfully, he asked, "There is no chance that she would have survived this, is there?"

"I am sorry, Mahad. I wish we had the time to mourn her death," Isis said, "but we don't. our mourning will have to wait until the war is over."

"You are right, Isis." Mahad said and swallowed his tears. "Now, where did you say the millennium stone was?"

"It shouldn't be too far from here." she answered and started searching for it. After a while, she saw it. Running up to it she quickly took the six items. (Remember, Aknadin still has the eye.)

"Look, Mahad, I found them!" she shouted excitedly, completely unaware of the dangerous figure looming behind her.

"Look out, Isis!" Mahad shouted, ran up to her and pushed her away, taking the enemy's attack at close range straight to the chest. The blow he had taken caused his diadhank's life-energy to lower drastically.

"Mahad!" Isis shouted, called Spiria to distract their enemy and helped him put some distance between them and the enemy.

"Here, take the millennium ring." Isis said urgently, kneeling at his side. "It will restore your life-force."

"The millennium ring is different than the others; I cannot just take it and use it like I would normally do, because Bacura had used it at some point. The ring will have to accept me first, and we do not have time for that." Mahad told his companion.

Fastening her necklace, Isis bravely stood up and moved in front of him. "Then I will just have to protect you."

"No, Isis. You have to get the items to the others. I will take that thing out while you make a run for it." Mahad instructed her.

"What? But Mahad-" she started.

"Isis, listen to me. My diadhank's life-force is almost non-existent. Even if both of us are able to return to the pharaoh's side, I will die if I receive even one blow. (A.N. Let's say his life points are 5) and on top of all that, your life force will be less as well, because you had to protect bot me and the millennium items." Mahad reasoned with her.

"Mahad." Isis said, tears filling her eyes.

"Sh…we are the priests of the pharaoh, and as priests, out duty come first. Now go, Isis."

Nodding, Isis summoned the Winged dragon, Guardian of the Fortress. Running towards her dragon, the enemy tried to stop her, but Mahad had his Dark Magician distract it.

"Your opponent is over here, you turtlish eyesore!" (the turtle Mana had to fight in canon)

Seeing that Isis was safely on her way, he sighed in relief. 'May the Egyptian gods be with you, Isis.'

Turning back the turtle, he shouted: "Finish him off with your Dark Magic Attack, Dark Magician!"

A few minutes later

Leaning against a heap of rubble, the panting Mahad thought, 'I had finally defeated that thing, but not before my Dark Magician was able to destroy it, he was attacked from behind. (Life points: 1)

Looking up to the sky, he thought, 'My king, I wish you the best of luck in this battle.'

As Mahad's vision was fading, he saw something at the corner of his eye. With great exertion, he turned his head to see a white portal to his left.

With even greater exertion, he stood up and walked over to the portal in a very unsteadfast manner.

'What in the name of the ancients-' he thought curiously.

"Hey! What the-' he started as he felt someone push him through the portal and close it up behind him.

Sceneswitch

(With Isis)

Sitting on Winged dragon, Guardian of the Fortress, she urged it to fly faster in an effort to lose the tail, an ugly black bird with a crooked yellow beak, sharp grey talons and red eyes, they had picked up not long after they left Mahad behind. But, try as they might, they just couldn't shake it off.

"Dodge, Winged dragon!" Isis shouted as the bird took another shot at them. The dragon dodged, but its wing was hit, ultimately hurting it and its mistress badly.

'This isn't good. If we get hit like that again, it'll be over! I cannot fail now; I need to take these items to the pharaoh!'

Wincing as her dragon's tail got singed in another attack, Isis knew what to do. Determined, she summoned Spiria and gave her the sack with the other millennium items.

"Take these to their respectful owners. The Winged dragon and I will stay behind to give you some time to escape. Here," she said and put the necklace around Spiria's neck, "the necklace will keep you in our world until your task has been completed. Now go!" she told Spiria and commanded her dragon to turn around.

"Attack, Winged dragon!" The injured blue dragon shot a fireball at its enemy the same time the bird released its attack. The two attacks collided and exploded violently, destroying both the bird and the Winged dragon, sending Isis spiraling to the ground.

'I am sorry, my pharaoh, it seems that I will not be able to fight alongside you and the others in this battle. I only hope that the items will reach all of you in time.' Isis thought and closed her eyes, not noticing a portal opening underneath her and sealing up once she fell through it.

Sceneswitch

(With Karim)

It had taken quite some time for Karim to wake after being knocked out.

Standing up slowly, he staggered to the door of the building he found himself in that led to the outside.

'What happened?' he thought and looked around. 'Where am I? And where is the pharaoh?'

He was still trying to gain his bearings, when he heard something.

"Who's there?" he demanded.

A few seconds later, he saw a monster that was wrapped up like a mummy with a pot-belly and red eyes appear.

"Sorry I asked." Karim muttered and activated his diadhank.

Sceneswitch

(With Yami)

"pharaoh, are you all right?" Yami heard someone shout. Looking up, he saw Spiria, shada and Shimon running towards him.

"I am all right, but what about you?" Yami asked, but before Shada could answer, he saw that Shada was holding his key.

"Shada, you have your key?" he asked.

"Yes, my pharaoh." Shada said. "Spiria found me and returned my key to me. She has your puzzle too as well as led us lead us to you. However, my pharaoh, look what is hanging around Spiria's neck. Mahad's ring is also in the sack."

"But if their items are here, that means that Isis and Mahad…" Yami started.

"It means that they had given their lives to ensure that the millennium items reach us." Shimon said miserably.

Yami clenched his fists in frustration.

A few seconds later, Spiria took off. Shada quickly explained that she must have taken off because he had located one of their companions. Swiftly, they took off after her.

Sceneswitch

(With Karim)

Panting heavily, Karim looked at his Curse of Dragon who was doing its best to keep the "mummy" away from its master.

'Alone, my Curse of Dragon isn't strong enough to destroy that thing- not in my current state. And I am too weak to summon another monster.' he thought grimly, 'it is only a matter of time before it will be overpowered. There is only one thing I can do: merge the rest of my life-force with my dragon. Either way, I will die, but this way, my way, that monstrosity will at least be taken care of.'

Transferring all but a snitch of his life-force to his Curse of Dragon he had it attack the "mummy" one last time.

'Finally,' he thought as his knees gave way beneath him, 'that freak of nature is gone. It is up to you now, my king.' (life points: 0.5)

Lying face-down with his eyes closed, waiting for oblivion to claim him, he never registered that he was sinking away in a white portal and when he finally realized that something was wrong, the portal had already closed.

(Timeswitch)

At first, they had not realized that something was wrong when they finally caught up with Spiria, but after a few seconds, they knew that something was dreadfully wrong- Karim was nowhere to be found and Spiria was behaving oddly.

"What is it, Spiria?" Shimon asked as he walked up to her.

Looking down, he saw a makeshift bandage. Picking it up, he showed it to the others.

Yami recognized it instantly.

"That is what I wrapped around Karim's wound." he said.

"It seems that we were too late." Shada said frowning as he looked at the traces of a battle that took place not too long ago. "But where has his body gone?"

"It seems that, when he lost, he was taken by the Shadows."

"I've seen enough! I have had enough of this nonsense. It is time we put a stop to this." Yami said n anger.

"My pharaoh, I have finally found you!" a soldier shouted as he galloped over to the pharaoh on his horse. Once he reached them, he got off and kneeled. "My captain had sent me to tell you that all the defenses are in place and that we are awaiting your command."

"Shada, Shimon, go with him and prepare for battle. I am going to fetch Seto." Yami commanded his priests, took the millennium rod from Spiria and gave the sack with the ring and scale to Shimon, telling them to take it with them.

Taking the reins the soldier held out to him, he got on, quickly thanked the soldier and turned to Spiria.

"Have you found Seto, Spiria?" he asked.

Upon receiving her nod, he said, "Lead the way."

TBC