I procrastinated so much on this chapter. Idk, I was trying to figure out some things and my mind drifted off and suddenly I wanted to update and well, when you have rohanfox bopping up on MSN, I'll uh... blame, I mean uh CREDIT her for getting me off my butt and writing? Eh, whatever. This chapter will feature a great portion of Marik's backstory. Oh and this chapter has quite a few new characters. :o So uh, I hope you enjoy and uh... read on!
Chapter Twenty-Five: The Truth part II
Marik's POV
Sometimes I forget the modern side of Egypt. When all you remember regarding Egypt is darkness underground and tombs and sand, you can be taken off-guard by the fact that like the rest of the world, Egypt is trying to become more of a modern society. Even with its ancient history and pyramids and things... I don't know; I'm not particularly fond of urban places. I like scenery and I like history... They intrigue me. I couldn't help but feel odd in the limousine that picked Seto, Mokuba and I up. With the cars of his henchmen surrounding us, it was weirdly uncomfortable. Yet I remember going to the airport when I was headed to Domino City and again, I was surrounded.
This feeling sucked. I didn't want to look outside to examine the city anymore. Seto mentioned something about this 'Kisara' girl living in an apartment block of sorts and I couldn't help but feel like I should be regaining my memories in a more sophisticated place.
When I told that to Seto, he seemed to agree. Then he surprised me by doing some ramble about temples and whatnot. It's weird; I'm used to Seto caring for nothing but his goals, money and high tech gadgets. Or maybe it's the assumption I've simply adjusted myself to. Perhaps Seto is somewhat a traditional kind of guy after all.
Mokuba kept complaining during the car trip to the point where even Seto told him to just be quiet and that he was lucky to even be taken along on this trip. Ooh, harsh. Yet I was relieved Seto told him off.
About half an hour later, we found ourselves parked outside an apartment building. Seto turned to me and told me that we had arrived at our destination. So what, Kisara lives here? I'm going to regain all my memories in this... this crummy building block? I feel somewhat disappointed. Even though Seto told me earlier this was where we were headed. But I could tell we were in a slightly poorer part of Cairo. I guess it ain't so bad as that underground hole I keep seeing in the vague memories I recalled.
"Mokuba, go to the hotel we booked to stay at. I'll keep in touch and you report to me if something's up as well," Seto instructed his brother.
"Gotcha, Nii-sama!" Mokuba nodded in response. And without much more to say, Seto and I got out of the car and watched as it and the other cars drove off.
I looked up at Seto. Wow, he's still much taller than me. Where the fuck did he get that height from? "Hey, why aren't any of the bodyguards going with us?" I asked out of sheer curiosity.
Seto frowned. "Kisara's flat is small and to put it frankly, she only wants you and me there. Actually, she was pretty against having me there but I convinced her to make allowances because I'm apparently linked to some old lover of hers," he explained as we had to go up flights of stairs within the building. "By the way, she's on the top floor." Oh joy... "It's pretty hard to explain how I'm linked to this lover of hers – I want to know how she became his lover because the circumstances the two share are... unusual, let's just say. Also, I basically said all this to kill time," he added as we reached what was supposedly the front door to Kisara's apartment. I rolled my eyes as he knocked on the front door.
"Coming!" cries a feminine voice. A young woman opened the door and gazed at us with wide sapphire eyes. She brushed back her white bangs and I couldn't help but be reminded of Bakura and Ryou with that hair colour of hers. It feels like I'm constantly being reminded even though technically, I didn't leave that long ago. The woman smiled at me and Seto. "Ah, Kaiba-san and I presume you're Ishtar-san?" I nodded. "That's good. Right, come in and take a seat. I'll be with you soon."
Just like that, we were invited into her apartment. It looked pretty ordinary but I could tell she was making an effort to keep it tidy – no mould or noticeable dirt anywhere I laid eyes on. In the middle of the room was a pale blue rug with a crystal ball sitting neatly in the centre of it. Surrounding the carpet were scented candles already lit up. The windows and curtains were closed as well and the lights were switched off so that the only light within the room was coming from these candles. It definitely looked like a set up. Makes it feel like we're dealing with someone who knows what they're doing at least.
"So that's Kisara, huh? She seems... nice," I commented, only for the need to prevent an awkward silence as Seto and I waited.
"It's her duty," he replied. Ugh, way to be boring.
"No, no!" I disagreed. "It seems genuine. She seems like a nice girl." What the hell, I'll pick on Seto. I nudged him and shot him a teasing smile. "You should totally make a move on her – I bet you're the best person she's ever met, apart from me of course. You said 'old lover' which suggests she's no longer with that person. She seems to live alone so I bet she's single."
Seto glared at me. "I'm not interested in dating. There's no point. Nothing lasts forever. Whenever I tried anything, something got in the way. It's like there's some sort of Will that says I can't. Plus we're only in this world for a limited time so there's no point starting anything."
I shrugged. "Okay, okay, don't throw a bitchfit."
"Only you, Bakura and females throw bitchfits."
"Guess that is sort of truth," I laughed. I shuffled closer to him only to grin when he backed away further. "So... Kisara can restore memories – wouldn't you like a girl with superpowers? I mean, that could be handy. Like, say you're stuck in the office and you realise that you've completely forgotten something and you don't know what! In swoops Kisara and she helps you retrieve that memory and so you complete that uber important assignment you almost forgot about and then you can go have hot sex with Kisara. It's like, the perfect scenario."
He raised an eyebrow at me. "I do worry about your definition of the 'perfect scenario'." I laughed again. Kisara returned to the room and ushered me over to sit down in front of the crystal ball with crossed legs. She did the same on the other side of the crystal ball. Looking me in the eyes, she told me that I had to follow her instructions perfectly.
"For this to work, we both need to be touching the crystal ball the entire time while I'm working my powers. This is how our minds connect and I recover your memories. Even if what you are recalling is painful and you want it to stop, you have to tell me to stop. If you withdraw before I do, we have to restart the whole process," she explained. "Next off, I will frequently ask you questions throughout and you have to answer them. This will ensure that you don't get stuck in a certain memory and slow down the process. For this to work, you need to be able to accept whatever comes at you. In a sense, you need to move forward and not be held back by certain things. I also have control of your mind to extent and you have to allow whatever I do. So if your mind drifts to something and it's disrupting the process, you need to do whatever you can to allow me to get your mind back on track." She turned to Seto with concern. "If you want to see the process of memory recovery, you may watch the crystal ball. But I advise you keep an eye on Marik and make sure he never takes his hands off the crystal ball. Do both of you understand? Do you have any questions before we begin?"
Seto replied that he understood and had no questions. I raised a hand. "How long is this process going to take?"
"Neither you or me will feel time. This process can take as quickly as five minutes to taking as long as six hours. Only Kaiba-san will be able to feel time. On that note," her eyes lit up as she remembered something else. "I've never had a third person watch before so I'm not sure but I don't want you to touch the crystal ball. There is a chance that if you were to do so, it would disturb the mind link between Ishtar-san and I. By the way, Kaiba-san, do not get surprised if either of us talk and it doesn't make any sense to you. If something is happening outside and it's important enough to halt the process, you let me know and not Ishtar-san." She took a deep breath. "Okay, let's begin."
We both placed our hands on the crystal ball and I watched as it began to glow. She instructed me to close my eyes and so I did. But maybe one more...
"Marik, keep those eyes closed," Seto told me. I groaned and Kisara giggled at this.
I squeezed my eyes shut and before I knew it, all feeling in my body disappeared. My body began to float in the middle of nowhere. Nothing but a calm ocean blue surrounded me. From the deepest section of blue emerged Kisara. With a wave of her hands, a golden gate appeared before me separating me from her. She clicked her fingers and just like that, a giant key covered in an Egyptian eye pattern appeared in her hands.
"Want me to retrieve your memories?" she asked simply.
"Yes! I do!" I replied desperately. To my surprise, it felt like my throat was dry even though I wasn't thirsty. Perhaps speaking is difficult here.
"It is," she remarked. What?! "Do not be alarmed. Our minds are connected but in order to continue, this gate must be opened. This is what's sealing off your memories. There are many locks to this gate and every time I unlock something, a part of you will appear on this side of the gate. So..." She held up the key to one of the locks. "Let's continue."
-
Wha? Where am I? It feels like I... I... Someone is talking to me. Talking to a young me. Ah yes... That's right. There I am. That man standing there talking to the child Marik on the bed in what looks to be my home in the underground is my father.
My mother died when I was born and I was the only real son in the Ishtar clan. Rishid was found by my mother as a young baby and ended up being adopted by the Ishtar's. He was raised to look after me as if he was real family. Not just me, he looked after my older sister Ishizu Ishtar as well. She too, was to be a Tombkeeper but because she was born a female, Ishizu could never be the true heir to the Ishtar clan. One day, I was to become just like my father and protect the tombs of the Pharaoh's and the ancient treasure of long ago.
This ancient treasure us Ishtar's specifically protect is not just one but a set of treasures known as the Sennen Items. One on their one has great power in itself but when you have them all together, it can lead to many possibilities. The Ishtar family – especially those who are heirs to the family must know everything there is known about the Sennen Items.
These Items were made hundreds and hundreds of years ago. In order to be made, almost an entire village of people's lives were sacrificed. That village was known as Kul Elna and it was said there was only one survivor.
As I was born Marik Ishtar, my duty in life was to do whatever it takes to protect these very items. A man close to the Ishtar clan – Shadi - knew a lot about the Sennen Items and nobody could really explain his background but because of his knowledge, my father who bore the responsibilities as head of the Ishtar clan trusted his judgement always. I was to be the next head of the family and I'd always wondered about Shadi – how trustworthy was he and so on. My father was also incredibly strict – I wouldn't be allowed outside, all my teachings revolved around what I needed to know in my adulthood as head of the Ishtar clan.
...
Kisara appeared before me with a serious expression. "I'm sorry," she began, "but you definitely have this section of your memory completely regained. We must proceed. So tell me: what school did you go to in Japan?"
I blinked a couple of times. My school? What school did I attend? Of course! "Domino High!" I answered using as clear a voice as I could.
"What's something that happened at school recently?" she asked me another question. I gave it some thought.
"It hosted a Christmas Party and I wasn't really into the party atmosphere."
"Anything special happen at that party?" Oh gawd, I don't want to say. "Tell me. If you bothered about Kaiba-san-"
"Screw it, I'll prove that I'm not socially inept in the slightest! I got my first kiss. With Bakura. It was fuck yeah."
The white-haired girl nodded at me with a calm look about her. She didn't seem to really be that particularly interested in what I had to say but I got the feeling Seto on the outside was-
"Keep your eyes shut!" Kisara cut me off. I pouted and she sighed. "Anyway, I managed to unlock some more memories. Let's continue this process."
I'm more than happy to agree.
-
One of the things I learned at a young age was about the Tombkeeper's Initiation. This was what made me not just a Tombkeeper but the Tombkeeper that would become the head of the family. I would know the deepest darkest secrets regarding the Sennen Items. I would learn how to gain access to these items but I had already been taught never to desire them. Also I would know how to use the Sennen Items and how to unlock their powers and also I would know the limitations of these powers.
That wasn't just it. Apparently through the Tombkeeper's Initiation, a spirit would get sealed within me and it could only take over my body when I am in the labyrinth that leads to the location of the Sennen Items. This spirit had powers and only the most powerful of hosts could take the body back in the labyrinth and prevent the rampage. Also few others could seal off the spirit within the labyrinth. Shadi and my father.
The concept of a spirit within me always intrigued me. He was sealed away so brilliantly – I never considered that I had this all along back when I was in Japan! But then again, if it only appeared within the Labyrinth of the Sennen Items, then of course I wouldn't have known about it, especially with my memories having been sealed away. This spirit carried hatred or so my father said and as he had the spirit within him, he always said that he could never seal the spirit with his own power inside the labyrinth. Apparently the head of the family that was before him was capable of doing it.
It was said that every second man to get the Tombkeeper's Initiation would be able to seal away the spirit and so if my father couldn't but my grandfather could, it probably means I could do it.
But my grandfather is dead. My father didn't know how to seal the spirit away. There's no one who can teach me. So I assumed from there that I could do it only if I learned how.
As for the Tombkeeper's Initiation itself, all I knew was that it was painful. Your back was carved into with the blade of the Sennen Rod and the ordeal is an excruciating experience. With this Initiation, you enter a contract that stays with you until your death. Yes, that's right. The Ishtar clan can actually destroy the Sennen Items... but only the head of the clan can do it and the sacrifice can potentially cost them their life. Sometimes heads of clans from past generations have tried but they died before they even got to the proper stage of destroying these items for good.
The Sennen Items have been my family's life. Those stupid items have done nothing but bring my family pain and suffering. But we couldn't let these items get into the wrong hands. They had to be protected at all costs. But generation after generation, we Tombkeepers had spilled blood and made sacrifices for the sake of these items. Why did I have to be the only son? I don't want to undergo pain solely to protect treasure.
How I would love to destroy those items. The Tombkeeper's Initiation... The concept regarding it. The details of the contract carved into my back...
The blood seeping out from my wounds...
My attempts to hold back the screams over the agonizing pain...
One day, that would be me.
The Tombkeeper's Initiation scared me like nothing else.
"I don't want to feel pain... I don't want to die... I don't want to die!!" I cried out. Once more, Kisara appeared before me and she tried to calm me down with a soothing voice. "Kisara! Kisara! I don't want to see what happens next! I understand what these marks on my back are now! It's the Tombkeeper's Initiation! I don't want to watch that scene! I don't want to remember!"
"Marik, we need to proceed. I'm almost up to when you turn ten years old," she told me in a serious voice.
"But it's too painful!" I sobbed, tears spilling down my cheeks. My words said it all. I don't want to see, I don't want to see! "Kisara, you have to help me!!"
"When we get to that stage, I'll do my best to help you through that particular memory recovery, I promise."
But I-
"What did you like best about living in Domino City?"
Huh? Domino City? I... There's plenty of things I liked. The scenery, the places to go and things to do, school, making friends... Yes, my friends. I don't think I ever really had true friends when I lived in the underground on the outskirts of Cairo, Egypt. Almost all the people I met in Domino City didn't care about my past or blab about the Sennen Items. People I talked to seemed genuine and kind and I didn't have to deal with pain and suffering.
I was treated like I was an ordinary human being. I could go through normal teenage emotions and experience things like normal teenagers would like going on outings with friends, worrying over normal teenage problems, understand what it's like to grow up and even find people I wanted to be with for life.
These friends I made... I wished it was possible to delete parts of my life and only keep the times that I spent in Domino. I wished I could relive those days of bliss, minus all the drama and suffering in my life. Every day I wanted to walk to school with my best friends Bakura and Ryou and be greeted at school by all my other friends. I would eat lunch with them and laugh and talk and hang out with them. Then I would walk home alongside Yami, Yugi and Anzu. I could invite Bakura and Ryou to my house for a sleepover or I could go to their mansion instead...
If only it were really possible to relive these memories... Hell, I'd even put up with Bakura always being able to read my mind.
Yes... I'm glad I got to put up with that arrogant jerk. Deal with him poking fun at me and constantly react to his irritating behaviour only to find myself falling for him more and more as the days went by. To relive that process of falling in love... I'd give anything for that.
"Bakura and Ryou. What are their full names?" Kisara suddenly asked.
"Touzoku. But they often went under the surname Kurufodo as in Crawford. Like Pegasus J. Crawford."
Kisara gave me a wry smile. "Well then, here's your next memory."
-
I watched in fascination as Shadi was talking to some mysterious man. The young me was listening in on a conversation but couldn't understand a thing of what they were saying. This man Shadi was talking to apparently came from America not long after his wife died. I couldn't make out much more of the conversation but Shadi realised I was there regardless and ordered me to appear before them.
Shadi had given the man the Millennium Eye and the man asked for my name. I didn't really want to answer but I did tell him my name. When I said to him that my name's Marik Ishtar, he simply nodded and his smirk grew wider. Perhaps that man was Pegasus J. Crawford.
Not long after that man left did my father catch someone trying to steal the Sennen Items. I watched as that thief was dragged through the dully lit hallway by the chains on his wrists and in all honesty, I couldn't help but wished he succeeded. This thief with messy white hair and skin the same as mine that was mouthing off like no tomorrow that I barely even knew gained my support though only I knew it. If he took the items, I wouldn't have to undergo the Tombkeeper's Initiation.
So later that night and everything seemed to have calmed down, I decided to visit the cell where this thief had been locked up in. I had to be quiet and extremely sneaky as to not get caught by someone who would get angry with me. I don't know how I did it, but I got to meet this thief.
Even though I was curious about this man, I was thankful that there were cage bars that separated me from me. But his condition scared me. When I looked at him carefully, I realised that he had been tortured.
...
He looked up when he heard someone was there. "I said I'm..." When he saw that it was merely a child there, he lowered the harsh tone in his voice. "...Huh. A kid. What do you want?"
I began twiddling my thumbs nervously. "Um, my father caught you trying to steal the items. But I... um, are you trustworthy enough to keep a secret?" How naive of me to ask a thief such a question!
The thief obviously knew it was a stupid question to ask too. "Of course not. I wouldn't trust me with a secret either and yet I do what I can to learn them all. So kid, what's your secret?"
"I uh... wish you did take the Sennen Items. Then I won't have to accept my responsibilities as a Tombkeeper," I admitted foolishly. The thief burst out laughing.
"I should have waited until you became head of the family, if only I knew!" he exclaimed, I brought a finger to my lips and pleaded for him to keep his voice down. The thief sighed. "Maybe you'd listen to me then. Nobody else believes me but... I share the name of the one who survived the incident of Kul Elna. I'm related to him, even. Sometimes I feel like that hatred he felt became my hatred and sometimes I feel like he's there beside me, telling me what to do and how to think and feel. Like I know much about these Sennen Items but he wants me to get them and take revenge... Akefia does..."
I let out a gasp. "Akefia?!"
The thief nodded. "Yes. My name is Akefia Tozokuo and all I know about myself is that I'm related to the Akefia who survived Kul Elna. And that this Akefia possesses me. Gee, he'd love for me to have succeeded too. But nobody likes to believe that spirits of the dead do actually possess people. It's like just mentioning it is a form of taboo." He saw my expression and grinned. "You seem to be lapping up whatever I say. I could be lying, you know."
"No, no," I shook my head. "I'm willing to believe it. Because one day, I'll possessed by some creepy spirit thing too!"
Akefia chuckled again. "Is that so? Fine, I'll believe that," he replied. "I like you, kid. More kids should be like you and let people named Akefia run around doing what they please based on the whims of a dead man's spirit!"
Back then, I probably didn't understand a lot of what that man was talking about. But I do remember that he had his memories removed and replaced. Then he was dumped in some place in Japan called Okinawa and that was the last I'd heard of him. But I think that was the first man I respected. He wasn't all about following rules and protecting ancient treasures. Akefia just did whatever he liked even if his reasoning behind it made little sense. He was a free man with a devilish smirk.
Guess I always had a thing for guys like him. That explains why I put up with Bakura. On that note, Tozokuo sounds like Touzoku. Simply rearrange a few letters and it's the same. Interesting.
Again, Kisara appeared before me. She smiled and told me I was doing a good job. "Ishtar-san, how were your grades while you've been attending Domino High?" Ah, another 'take your mind off that' question. I'll let Kisara force me to think about it. Subjects, subjects...
Well, I'm doing good in all of my subjects – I guess I'd been brought up to know how to study and all that so I'd get through school okay. Hell, most of my growing up was revolved around study and learning. Even if what I was learning at school was different to what I'd been learning back here in Egypt, it's still all the same to me. Learning is learning. It's just as easy to learn the uses of the Sennen Items as it is to understand things like Trigonometry or be able to speak some French phrases. That's what I think anyway. Vous voyez ce que je veux dire?
Kisara simply stared at me blankly. I guess she hadn't played with Google Translator before. When I mentioned Google Translator in my thoughts, she giggled in response. Ah, she must know about Google. Not so deprived as I thought.
"There's plenty of people in the world that don't know Google. I just know from looking into your memories that you've used that site plenty of times – mostly for homework related searches. I can also see in your memories Bakura telling you that you can search for porn via Google and Ryou saying that you should use online databases instead as they're more reliable. In any case, I've unlocked the next memory; shall we continue?"
It feels somewhat soothing that Kisara and I can have these almost pointless little conversations with her while trying to recover things of the past. So I don't get too sucked in or after the memory recovery session, I freak out over some bad memory. Then again, Kisara obviously knows what she's doing. And she knows that me having a freak out would be bad.
-
From the moment that memory appeared, I knew what was going to happen. I couldn't help it or prevent it from happening. It was inevitable. But even so, even so...
"NO!! I CAN'T WATCH THIS!!" I screamed at the top of my voice. I have to get out of here! I can't watch this! Anything but this – I can't watch, I can't watch, I-
"Kaiba-san, hold him still!" I heard Kisara's voice cry out amongst my shouting. Shit, I must be trying to let go of the crystal ball. I felt a sudden force compel me to stay even though I wanted to go. "Ishtar-san, please get a hold of yourself. Just close your eyes, you don't have to watch this." No, I'll still hear it! I'm still going to have to endure this memory.
The memory in which I received the Tombkeeper's Initiation.
I squeezed my eyes shut but that didn't stop me from feeling the emotions or hearing the agonizing screams of pain that my younger self felt. So I remained in place, refusing to watch but still I could hear the ordeal. The blade of the Sennen Rod tearing through my skin, leaving me with painful, oh so painful scars.
Kisara appeared beside me and embraced me, holding me tight. "You'll be okay, Ishtar-san. I promise you."
Suddenly the screams died down. I opened one eye and saw that the ritual was finished and it looked like the young me was slipping unconscious. As those who performed the Tombkeeper's Initiation left, the light began to fade – of course, this memory I'm viewing is from the younger me's perspective. The blood stains on him, surrounding him... surrounding me... they look so terrible.
A dark shadow emerged from the younger me and loomed over him. It leaned in closer, almost touching the younger me's ear. The shape of that shadow was similar to my own figure, only what looked to be the hair stuck out just that bit more. It felt like this spirit in a sense, had really become part of me to the point of starting to resemble me. I knew that shadow was the spirit. Proof? I didn't need any.
Didn't need any evidence at all.
"I've finally found it..." A voice spoke – I'll assume it to be the spirit. "I've found the perfect host body. The one with the most power out of anyone... Excellent..."
And so the younger me fell unconscious.
-
Apparently after I received the Tombkeeper's Initiation, I was originally supposed to go into the Labyrinth of the Sennen Items. But I was struck with a problem. I got an infection because the blade wasn't properly cleaned as they originally thought. So I fell sick and needed to undergo an extreme recovery. They had to bring in outsiders to ensure my survival. To think that the ritual was not only painful but I had to endure this pain even when my wounds became proper scars. The feeling of illness was horrible and Ishizu told me I really did turn into a horrible state.
But eventually, I did recover. They couldn't test me until I was totally and one hundred percent in good health. So we ended up waiting a long time. I even had my next birthday.
Then the day arrived. Where I would go with my father to the Labyrinth of the Sennen Items. But something worried me. The spirit is unleashed in that place, right? My father told me he knew the spell to seal the spirit away even while we're in the labyrinth itself. So I thought that things would be okay.
That was before we were right in the depths of the labyrinth and making our way through the maze. Apparently what's carved on my back is the key to getting through the maze.
...
"Is this the entrance?" I asked my father in a low voice. He didn't answer me. Instead he raised a hand towards the entrance to the labyrinth and muttered some kind of incantation. The door slowly opened up and I saw that torches were attached to the side walls to provide light within. Ah... At least it's not darkness.
We entered the labyrinth and went down a long spiralling staircase until we were really at the start of the labyrinth.
"Take off your shirt," my father instructed and I did as told. I saw the beginning of the maze had three doors, each with a picture imprinted on the door. I had all three pictures carved into my back as part of the Tombkeeper's Initiation. Apparently the door I'm meant to go through glows at my approach. I approached the door that had the picture of the Winged God-Dragon of Ra on it. The picture glowed golden and the door opened of its own accord.
My father and I proceeded to go into the maze and suddenly I felt like the more I moved, the less I could feel anything. All my senses began to go numb. Then next thing I knew, I was transported into a room of pitch black nothing. I found myself lying on a floor covered in smooth velvet. Holographic images of the Sennen Items hovered about the room. But where was I? Where had father gone?
"Fufufu~" a voice chuckled and my heart almost leapt right out of my body. I turned and saw the spirit appear in a more tangible form. He must have resembled me in every way except for the golden eye on his forehead and how his hair, while similar to mine, it stuck out in many different directions too. "How nice. I can do what I want in both the real world and still chat to my host," he commented in a rather disturbing tone.
In his eyes, I could see malice. And murderous intent.
The spirit cackled at this. "Malice? Murderous intent?" What? He can hear what I'm thinking. "Of course I can. We're sharing a body. Actually, I was expecting you to be more pissed off with your situation. You don't actually care for the Sennen Items but even so, your world has to revolve around them. That's exactly how each man feels when he receives the Tombkeeper's Initiation. But then he bows down to his fate and so on..." The spirit floated over towards me and extended his hand towards mine.
Without thinking about it, I shook his hand in fear of what I happened if I rejected his attempt at a friendly gesture.
"Who are you?" I asked nervously. "Have you taken over my body? What's going on as we speak?"
"Aren't you full of questions! I am your darkness, of course. Yes to your next question. And do you want to take a look?" the spirit reached out to the Millennium Eye and pulled it towards me. I took it and the spirit told me that I can watch the real world using it. And so I took a look.
...
Why did I listen to that spirit? Why did I have to take a look? If only I could have unseen what I just saw. If only I knew how to seal the spirit away before anything could happen!
"Your father knew how but that didn't mean he was able to do it when the situation called for it," the spirit mused as I stared out into the real world in shock.
For on the floor of the labyrinth was a man almost unrecognisable due to the slashes and bruises formed on his body... and the blood that was splattered on the walls and his body. He looked like he'd been hacked into thoroughly. Who could've done this?!
I looked at my body's own hands and realising that the tingling sensation on my skin was a certain red liquid that drenched the man's clothes... and the floor.
When I examined closer, I saw that his entrails were visible through the huge cut – whoever did this hacked him apart mercilessly. But who could have done this? Why am I not dead too?
Unless...
This was done by my own hands.
"NOOOO!!!!!!!" How could I? It can't have been me. I would never kill him! I would never kill my father no matter the circumstances! "Father! Father!!" I cried out from within this room of darkness. The spirit laughed at my reaction. I scowled, trying to act tough in his presence. "Why?! Why would you kill him? He wants to protect the Sennen Items as well!"
"...One of the rules listed under the Rule of Marik is most definitely 'No matter what universe, Marik's father will die and Marik will always take the blame for it' if I recall correctly," the spirit responded. He shot me a smug grin. "Your father's body will rot in this very labyrinth. Fancy dying in the place you were supposed to protect! But eh, I've done what I needed to do."
"Needed to?! My father's death was not necessary!" I shot back. I tried to lunge at the spirit, only to pass right through him. He watched in amusement as I tried to attack him unsuccessfully.
"No. It's a rule from above. Isn't that fascinating?" he asked as he took the Millennium Eye away from me. All I could see before disappeared in a flash. "To think that some kind of Will from above wants your father to die a brutal death and under your hands?"
"B-But you were the one who killed him!"
"With your hands," he pointed out. I went quiet even though my body was trembling in fear. The spirit inside me... is a complete and utter monster. "Also this Will almost always ensures that I am one of the reasons why you suffer so much. Isn't that interesting?" Why does he keep talking about some kind of Will? And what are these rules? I don't understand it at all! "No, you wouldn't. You're more of a key component than anything else. Ah, we're out of the labyrinth. Have your body back, I guess."
Suddenly a whirlpool formed within the pitch black room and everything around me, including me disappeared into the rapid vortex. Then I was spewed out into the open into a mound of sand. I looked behind me and saw that the labyrinth had sealed itself up again.
Hang on, wait! But my father is there! I tried to crawl back but a hand took hold of my leg and I was yanked. Looking up, I realised it was Shadi.
"My father, my father's in there, he-"
"You're now head of the Ishtar clan," Shadi talked over the top of me in a rather uncaring, flat tone of voice. Listen to me though! I don't want to be the head of the Ishtar clan! My father's the head of the family but he's, he's! "It appears the results of the Tombkeeper's Initiation are perfect. Now we must proceed to the next step."
Next chapter: the final part of 'The Truth' miniarc. The last part of Marik's backstory. Why were his memories erased? How did Yami lose his memories too? Now that Marik has recovered his memories, what will happen from there?
Now, normally I'd say 'Adios! Mel-Girl' and ditch but uh, I promised a fic preview of the fic which I'll start sometime after the conclusion of Bloody Brilliant. It'll be titled 'Reset' and be based around quite a few things. With murders going on and how Marik made them possible and also Seto trying to solve the mystery and find an end to this never-ending cycle of misery. With vampires and vampire hunters thrown into the mix, I'm hoping to do a vampire fic that's different from the rest. That's my goal anyway. XD Oh yeah, the preview may contain spoilers from other fics but I did my best to do a version of the prologue where it doesn't give too much away. So uh, here's the preview and I hope you enjoy and look forward to the fic when I write it. XD
Let's go!
Seto's POV
Where Only Real Lives Die.
Take the above phrase as you may. The first letters of each word make up 'WORLD', the name of the organisation I am part of. I am the reincarnation of Priest Seth, one of the founders of this organisation, which is looking to build the perfect Utopia using the crystals I get when I create what's known as a 'Happy Ending'. Only those who are part of WORLD and do their job properly may be allowed into this Utopia, which is being built as we speak.
Every day a new story reaches a Happy Ending and when that Happy Ending is achieved, the reward is a crystal that gets added to the construction of Utopia.
I don't care for Happy Endings or making things right. The truth is that I'm extremely curious about what Utopia will be like. My curiosity meant that Seth, who only I can see and I would willingly be born into different worlds and solve the puzzle. Of course, every member of the organisation is assigned four worlds that each follow the same set of rules.
The worlds I was assigned had strange names and often contained the same set of characters. These characters are known as key components and are vital in creating what this world decides is the Happy Ending. Each character is a key component but then you get Main Components, who are specifically tied to these rules, which follow them around in each of these worlds. These rules if not overcome in some form, could either lead to a Happy Ending or a Bad Ending. The trick is knowing which rules to fight against.
So these worlds... I've completed three of four worlds. The first world I had to complete was the safest of the worlds, known as 'Zetsubou no Warui Kesu-hen', which translates to 'A Bad Case of Hopeless'. Even though that world was considered the safest, still I had to play this game right and prevent deaths. Thanks to Seth's powers, if I failed, I would die and be reborn into that world to have another try.
But this power was limited. I know that if I fail a certain number of times, Seth would eventually die and we would never get to see Utopia.
The second of these particular worlds was known as 'Ryuketsu no Buririanto-hen', which translated to 'Bloody Brilliant'. Again and again I had to be reborn. Even though things started off innocent, things got darker and I kept making miscalculations. I lost hope over and over because I wasn't sure how to get it. But I managed not to corrupt a Rule of Bakura, which saved me.
'Korera no Chen Sokuho-hen' was the name of the third world. I was sick of things not going my way in Ryuketsu no Buririanto-hen that I ended up abusing the powers I received to the point where another member of WORLD had to interfere in order to attain the Happy Ending. They said I was to be punished by having my fourth world be the most difficult. The world where I had to really watch out for my life and prevent fatalities at all costs.
This world I am about to enter... I must be careful this time or I'll never reach Utopia. Before I enter a world, I am given some hints.
"Seto, do you still remember all the rules? And who these rules apply to?" That voice must be Seth's.
I nodded. "I have memorized the Rule of Marik, which can also be known as the Rule of Malik. I also know the Rule of Bakura, the Rule of Yami, the Rule of Minor Components and even the Rule of Seto," I replied with absolute certainty.
Seth seemed to be satisfied with this answer. "Right. I only managed to get a hold of some keywords as well as a proper hint. So listen closely. Important words to keep in mind are: duplicates, vampires, hunters, manipulation of reality and here are three proper hints. One is that almost all components aren't in your favour. Two is that your greatest ally in solving the mystery is Ryuuji Otogi."
Once more, I nodded. "And the third?"
"I will not always be able to resurrect you when you die due to a power belonging to a Main Component. This does not mean you will not get revived, however. That is all," he finished. "Are you ready to go into the new world, 'Risetto-hen'?"
Risetto-hen? That means 'Reset'. So my new world is Reset, huh? This can only suggest one thing.
The story could go back to the beginning at any time.
And there it is. The preview. To be quite honest, I was thinking of placing in the rules into this preview but then I thought, 'Nah, too spoilery'. I think I came up with Reset after watching too much Higurashi and wanting to give vampire fics a shot. XDD But yeah, I also noticed similarities between each of my fics and I've decided to make a point of bringing these similarities to light, as if Seto really is watching over these worlds and making certain moves to affect the eventual turn-out.
But yeah, that's it from me. Nice writing session I had indeed. Full chapter + fic preview. Feeling quite proud. And I don't think there's anything else I need to say soooooo...
Adios!
Mel-Girl.