Chapter 37

The Second Book of the gods

The Darkness came ever closer, nothing could penetrate the darkness, not that the people tried. The people ran, they ran for their lives. Men, women, children, running, running and never able to escape. Their screams ringing his head. The darkness consumed them, and they became a part of the darkness that grows stronger as it feeds on their souls. The light of ra was nothing compared to the ever-present darkness that blocked the light from those who needed it.

He could feel it coming closer, he could feel its evil intent. He could feel it's desire for his blood.

He stood strong as it came.

Suddenly the screaming stopped and everything became dark.

When had he closed his eyes? He opened them to see the worried faces of his two most faithful guardians. He felt a tear fall from his eye before forcing himself to speak.

"It is coming."

"Pharaoh!" Mahad called again. He ran across the palace grounds calling for his king. Atem had once again engrossed himself in the Millennium Spell-Book looking for some way to defeat the darkness he saw in his vision, and every time the magician came to check on him he looked more and more frustrated, which wasn't a good sign. Mahad and Mana were trying to help, they looked though every spell-book they owned for any ideas, and Mahad looked though the history books as well. He hated having to report their failure to the Pharaoh every time he came in to see his friend. Though the most recent time he'd checked on the Pharaoh he wasn't able to tell him anything.

The Pharaoh was gone.

The guardians searched the entire palace for their king, but there was no sign of him. Mahad was convinced he was still within the palace grounds, he trusted that the Pharaoh would break his promise to not sneak out on his own a second time, and security was far too tight right now for him to have been kidnapped, the Millennium Ring would have sensed an intruder anyway. The others chose to search the city anyway, all of them but Seto. Seto agreed with Mahad, the other's were surprised by this but Mahad was grateful. So now Seto was researching the Palace, and Mahad was thoroughly searching the grounds.

Mahad called for him again, now entering the spirit shrines. The first place, and most logical place, he searched was the Pharaoh's own shrine. He called out for the Pharaoh one more time.

But this time he was rewarded with an answer.

Mahad climbed to the top of shrine to see the Pharaoh.

"Where have you been? We have looked all over for you." He asked trying to keep his irritation under control.

"Have I been gone long?" He asked, his distraction obvious.

"It has been hours." Mahad replied, with a small smile at his friend.

"I am sorry." The Pharaoh's gaze turned upwards, causing Mahad's to follow. In the direction it his gaze, carved into the sandstone were the images of the three god monsters as well as the Millennium Puzzle.

"They are the only thing that can destroy this darkness." The Pharaoh explained.

"The god summons? The prophesy…" Mahad began.

"Only the chosen Pharaoh will know the names of the three god Ka." Atem sighed and lowered his gaze. "Whoever he is he had better show up within the next three days or we are all doomed."

"I thought it was you." Mahad was confused. Everything pointed towards Atem being the chosen Pharaoh. He could perform the magic of the gods and everything. Atem just shook his head.

"I have no knowledge of their names." The Pharaoh began to pace. "I am out of ideas Mahad. There is no way to destroy a creature that is stronger than the gods themselves."

"Do we have to destroy it? Can we not just seal it away again." Mahad suggested, he was worried, it wasn't like the Pharaoh to lose hope. "The creation of the Millennium items released him did they not? What if we put them back?"

"Replacing the Items is an alternate method of releasing the dark one, not sealing him." Atem explained. Mahad didn't reply causing the Pharaoh to stop and listen to him. Mahad was giving him an odd look. "What?"

"You do not see it?"

"Mahad, I am not in the mood for riddles."

"I apologize, but if there is an alternative method to waking the dark one that requires the Millennium Items then does that not mean the first method would have to have been completed to begin with?"Mahad began. "To have the Millennium Items for the second method, one must have created them with the first method. Is this not so? Perhaps I am mistaken?" Mahad could not understand how the Pharaoh had missed something like that, Atem was far better at riddles and puzzles then he was.

Atem was silent, his mind processing the information, his pacing stopped.

"Of course!" Atem ran out of the temple, angry with himself for not seeing it sooner. Mahad followed right behind him. "There has to be a way!"

He ran back to the palace and buried himself once again in the Millennium Spell-book searching for anything he could have missed.

"I had better go tell the others I found you." Mahad told him after a few short moments.

"Tell them I am sorry for worrying all of you."

Mahad just nodded as he left. Finding the others wasn't difficult, searching was much easier when your Ka has a bird's-eye view… as long as what you are searching for is outside anyway. When that was finished he and Mana decided to once again raid the library in search of helpful information. They were there for hours before Mahad realized they weren't the only ones in the library.

The secret passage behind the bookshelf was open. Mahad peeked at where Mana was to see if she'd noticed. She was still reading so Mahad decided to leave her too it. He went down the tunnel with no idea why anyone would need to be down here as the Spell-book was with the Pharaoh in his room now.

What he saw horrified him.

The Pharaoh hunched over a book with the Millennium Spell-book closed at his side.

It wasn't hard to figure out what he was reading.

"Pharaoh!" Mahad exclaimed, unintentionally startling the Pharaoh. Causing him to jump and yelp in a way that Mana would have never let him live down had she seen.

"Mahad! Do not do that!" Atem's breathing was deep and he held his hand to his racing heart. "I am already freaked out enough. This thing is creepy"

Mahad knew if the circumstances were different, he would have four the Pharaoh's reaction to be laughable as well. But as it were…

"What are you doing?" He asked eyes shifting onto the Book of the Dead which was still laying open.

"I know how to seal him away. You were right, Mahad." Atem said hopping the good news would distract his friend. It didn't work.

"Yes, but…" Mahad's voice trailed off, unable to finish the sentence.

"Mahad, do not look at me like that. I do not care what the consequences are, I will do whatever it takes to protect my people." The Pharaoh looked far more noble than he normally acted as he defended his actions, trying to put more weight on them. "I thought maybe if the method to seal the dark one was not in the spell-book, it would be in the other book given to us by the gods, and I was correct. Mahad I know how to stop him and seal him away for a very long time, though I do not believe it will last forever."

"I suppose there is no point in arguing, is there." Mahad said

"Not really. The task is already finished, it will not do any good." The Pharaoh walked over to him and put a hand on his arm. "I thank you for your concern, but the fate of my soul is nothing when compared to the fate of the world."

Mahad looked away and closed his eyes, giving a short nod. He wasn't really sure how much he agreed with that, the Pharaoh was his best friend, if he could be so bold as to admit it, the young king did not deserve this fate. That he was risking his soul so freely only proved the magician's point.

"Let us go tell the others." The Pharaoh led him, almost forcefully out of the room. He wasn't going to take any chances on the magician resisting the urge to doom his own soul as well. Atem knew Mahad wouldn't stand up well to that sort of temptation, his friend was all too willing to follow him into the shadows.

When they made it out the hidden door Atem closed it.

Mahad jumped at the noise the door made when the Pharaoh broke the trigger-book off the shelf. The magician looked at him curiously before noticing the Millennium Spell-book was not with him.

"Those books should never be found again. They only cause more harm than good, and I have made sure they will not harm us again. Humans should never try to wield the power of the gods, there is a reason we are not given this power." Atem turned to him looking for his agreement which he willingly gave. Those awful books had already caused far too much damage in this world.

The Pharaoh nodded and turned to walk out of the library before he saw Mana at a table studying magic books and scrolls. He gave a small smile to Mahad and walked over to her, she sensed him there almost immediately.

"Hi Pharaoh!" She smiled happily, standing up and hugging him. "I have not seen you in forever!"

"Two days, Mana." Mahad all but rolled his eyes at his best, and favorite if he was willing to admit it, student.

"Exactly! I have not seen you in two whole days! I feel like life is completely falling apart!" she complained, sitting rather dramatically back into her chair.

Atem gave a small laugh. "If it makes you feel better, Mana, it should be over soon," He replied, sitting on the chair beside her.

"I had thought it was already over," she huffed.

Atem sighed and put his hand on her shoulder, "This time I am sure of it. By the end of the week it will all be over."

"Promise?" She asked.

"I promise," he answered.

"Does that me you have a plan?" She smiled at him, with a glint in her eye that meant nothing less than death of whichever poor creature had chosen to make her upset. The Pharaoh nodded, though Mahad seemed to be avoiding her eyes.

"At sunset tonight we are leaving for Kul Elna," He told her, Mahad gave him a curious look. This was new information to him as well.

"Awesome!" she jumped up. "I will get ready now."

She made to run off, but Atem's hand found its way around her wrist and she stopped giving him a questioning gaze. It took him a while to decide what he was going to say and her curiosity only increased as he hesitated.

Hesitation was not something she was used to seeing in her royal friend... usually that was Mahad's job.

"You do not have to go." he said suddenly, as though trying to force the words out. "I mean, if you do not want to come you may stay."

She only became more confused. "Of course I want to go. I can help too. Why would I not want to go?"

He let go of her hand and looked away. "It is nothing, I just wanted to make sure you knew that." He nodded quickly and walked out even quicker.

Mana looked at her teacher "I do not get it..." she hoped he would enlighten her on their friend's odd behavior.

Mahad just laughed "And they say men are blind." he continued laughing as he walked out the door.

Mana watched him leave. She shrugged and shook it off. Being completely and totally confused was nothing new to her.

A/N) Here's the next chapter. I haven't been getting any reviews lately so I'm a little worried. I don't mind constructive criticism, just tell me what you think and what I could be doing better... I would really appreciate it. Writing is a lot easier when you know your viewers like it.

Thanks so much for reading, ^_^ see you next time.