Born From Destruction

by ReaperOfLostSouls

From the depths of the netherworld a shadow spirit is born; from this spirit grows a powerful thief. With a fate preordained by the gods can this spirit find her way? What'll happen when her dreadful memories and fate finally catch up to her? TK BakuraXOC adult themes

35. The Priestess Initiation

Yu-Gi-Oh! © Kazuki Takahashi

OCs © reaper-of-lost-souls

A/N: Meh, it's been a while since I posted anything so I figured I would. I hope you enjoy this next chapter and please comment! I have no one commenting for this story and that's probably why I haven't been posting anything ^^' So… yeah. To at least know who's still reading this ;3

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Slowly golden eyes peered out through the darkness, Apries squinting his eyes while he tried to see what was ahead of him. He walked slowly, his movements staggered, hoping to run into something, anything that could tell him where he was going. He looked around. Anubis had left him and the darkness had resided around his body, but oddly enough he saw shadows off in the distance moving around he went towards them. "The gods will save me," he began to tell himself in low mumbles, praying that his words were true. Suddenly the ground began to rumble and a large claw ripped from the shadows, a loud roar sounding throughout the darkness as the object came towards him. Apries' eyes widened and he took off in a run, trying to get as far away from the creature as possible. "Gods save me! Anubis come back!" Apries pleaded, but nothing appeared as the claw grabbed hold of him and began to squeeze the living daylights out of him.

"That's enough!" a loud booming voice came from beside them, the old man's eyes widening in shock when he was suddenly let go and dropped down into the shadowy pits below. He didn't know what was scarier: the voice of divine power or the monster that had grabbed him. Looking over he gasped, seeing a bright light coming out of the darkness and towards them. He backed away, but the monster beside him emerged out of its lurking place from the shadows and let out soft whimpers as it bowed its head to the shorter creature. Whoever this was he shouldn't trifle with their powers. Perhaps it was Anubis and he had come back to save him, but the voice wasn't as rough. Rather the voice of a woman, which he quickly realized to be while a large black cape with various stripped colors of light blue and white fluttering behind the woman in the wind, and her features became clearer while she moved closer to them. "Black Dragon, what did I say about devouring priests like that?" she snorted, her bright jaded green eyes peering through the darkness to stare at the creature bowing before her.

Then Apries watched in awe as the monster began to dissolve, his eyes widening to see a child of young age morphing from the beast with bright blonde hair and red eyes that quickly dissolved back into a normal color of brown. "I-I'm sorry," the boy pouted, "but he came out of nowhere! What was I supposed to do –"

"Perhaps wait for me before you start eating spirits… again," she snorted, a smirk coming to her face from behind the large black hood she wore over her face. "Besides~ I thought your mother taught you better."

The boy huffed back. "Zahra~~ we're bored~. If you won't help us whom will –"

"How about you stop giving me a reason to come back to this realm and then maybe I can get your vengeance in motion," the woman snickered. "You're always giving me a reason to come back while I'm in the middle of conducting business. First it was that small tribe of a dozen men, and then it was those demons I sent down here from Miletus. How can you expect me to get any work done if you're constantly causing me problems, little dragon."

The boy pouted, Apries raising an eyebrow at the insincerity in the boy's voice even though he was obviously in the presence of a goddess herself, "Sorry~~… did… did Seker and Teremun and –"

"Yes," the woman nodded, "they escaped the powers of the Millennium key as did every other soul trapped with the key's evil grasp. If you wish I can do the same for you if you tell me which item you are trapped in."

"Ummm… that I don't know," the boy shrugged, "but all I know is that it's very powerful and a very evil item."

"Well they all are –"

"But… but this is different!" the boy snorted. "The item I'm trapped in is derived directly from Zorc itself. That's why I'm always losing control of my ka. It's very hard to keep in control," he huffed, "but… I know you're trying your best. Just we're getting rather impatient."

"As I've told you I've decided to brand myself to our village," the woman told him.

"R-really?!" the boy gasped in awe, "I didn't know! I have been running around for eons now. I haven't been back at our safe encampment for a while because I was worried I would hurt other spirits."

"Then let's take you back," the woman smirked, pushing on the boy's back and directing him into the shadows. Then, out of nowhere, a thin path of light illuminated a path out of nowhere, causing Apries to become astonished. "… Well," the woman snorted, turning her gaze to the man staring confused behind them, "come on Apries. I don't have all day for you." Noticing that she had called his name the old man hustled to follow beside the goddess, the path disappearing behind them while the path in front of them stayed lit for a few short feet in front of themselves.

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"She's back!" a spirit called back to the others, the boy giggling as he ran and latched onto the back of another spirit.

Turning around Apries' eyes widened, a man who looked similar to the boy except he was obviously older and had larger muscles then the boy walked up to them, or preferably the woman. "There you are!" the man chuckled lightly, the boy giggling while he was thrown up in the air. "Why did you run off this time –"

"I-I couldn't control myself," the boy pouted, "so I thought it'd be best to leave –"

"Nonsense," he huffed, "we help our own son. Now let's see… little Ranpu how are you?"

"J-just fine," she gave him a slight nod, Apries noticing the humility the goddess displayed before the spirit. "Ummm… how's everyone here –"

"A bunch of spirits disappeared without a trace ages ago," the man sighed, shaking his head as he set the boy down and rustled up his blonde hair, "but we do not know if a creature of darkness got a hold of them or they simply went missing –"

"I touched the Millennium key and I felt their souls leave this place," Zahra explained, the man's eyes widening while the boy clung to his knee listening intently to the conversation. "They are in the living world with me… trapped here still in the necklace," she told him, holding up the jackal pendent around her neck as the green gem glowed intensity. "Once I finish what I came to do they will be back to join you with abilities to control their kas and able to find their way into the light of the afterlife without myself having to guide you anymore."

"I-I see," the man pouted, "though I guess that's a good thing… you know I'm still trapped –"

"You all are," Zahra sighed, "and I intend to free all of you before deciding what I'll do next –"

"And what'll that be?" a voice came from behind them, Apries turning his head only to stare widely at the spirit coming closer to them. It was the spirit of a man with a large build, tan skin, messy dark brunette hair, and dark amethyst eyes until they came upon the woman. Then his eyes lit up, various colors of purple streaming in his eyes while he gave them a devilish grin.

"Oh it's just you," the other man huffed, letting the boy shuffle around beside his leg while he took a step between the spirit and the woman, his brown eyes glaring as the boy gulped until the taller man let out a low chuckle. "What?" the blond haired man snorted, "What's funny –"

"Your face," the dark brunette snickered, the man narrowing his eyes and snarling while the boy giggled slightly before scurrying away and hiding behind Zahra. Then his gaze turned back to the woman's, Zahra letting out a tired sigh while she ran her hand through her hair and slipped off her hood. Apries' eyes went wide. It was the woman who had showed up only a few minutes previous. Yet she looked different… she wore silver bangles had had a silver crown tied on her forehead, which she untied and tied around the black cloth wrapped around her waist. The woman gave the other man a smile, though he could tell there was a hint of sadness hidden beneath her eyes. "So what did you mean –"

"After I'm done with all this I want to leave again," she exclaimed, the boy letting out a gasp while the other man narrowed his eyes and the man standing in front of her frowned at her comment. "I have no other reason to be here and it's only to free your trapped souls from this darkness. After that… well I might as well leave, right?"

"… Do as you wish," the dark brunette haired man snorted, "I don't care."

Zahra pouted, noticing how hurt the man was, "But –"

"I just thought there was more to your return I suppose," the man sighed, pausing and scratching the back of his head while he looked at the small encampment and huffed. "I guess I was wrong…"

"… I'm sorry –"

"Don't worry about it," he chuckled lightly. "I suppose this is understandable… but you plan on completing your initiation as a priestess, correct? After all your father told me you will –"

"I will as long as this man right next to me agrees to do so," Zahra huffed back.

Apries took a step back as the spirit of the amethyst eyed man drew closer, staring him down as a large grin lay plastered on his face. "Hmmmm… I wonder… will he betray us or not."

"If he does I'll slit his throat," the woman snorted, the old man's eyes widening while she circling behind him and turned to end up beside the brunette haired man. "He's only my granduncle after all. I haven't had family in years. Why should I care if he stays alive?"

"Good child," the spirit chuckled lightly, Apries taking a step back and growling under his breath while Zahra turned to him and gave him a slight smile.

"Don't worry," Zahra smirked, "unlike him, I don't care about the rites. I just want to move on like all of them," she told the priest, lifting her hands and ushering to the shadows that suddenly sprung to life behind her at her command. "Because you see Apries, there's a difference between myself and any other human being on earth. My blood related father is a god, a god of darkness. I was chosen specifically to be the one who brings down the pharaoh and his family because I was born from a god. That way, even if they kill me, I won't truly die and will be able to appear back in the land of the living without any problems. You see," she chuckled lowly, taking a step towards him as her gaze slowly went grim and the atmosphere around them quickly turned chilled, "There was an event that happened in my village years ago that you may have never known about. An event, I must continue, that… brought about the death of everyone here. And… the death of myself. I'm a living dead girl Apries. I am neither here nor there, unable to pass on to the afterlife till the others are able to leave also. Even if I fulfill this I still have a mission to complete, a birthright I have been given even if I can't make my way in the land of the living."

Zahra took another step towards him, Apries' eyes widening when he noticed how close she was. He shuddered, the smell he suddenly felt whiffing up his nose with strange aroma of incense and burning candle light. "And lastly," she snickered, her breath entering his head while he shuddered at the loud voice he was hearing through his ears, "this place, this realm, these shadows, they're all~~ mine. I own~ them and they know it. Those items the high priests possess, those Millennium items, they are mine and every soul that has touched them belongs to me. I control this realm of shadows, I show the souls of the dead were to go when they die, and if I dislike them I can feed them to the monsters without a second thought. So now that you've come here, whether you like it or not, in the end you will be mine~ and I will decide what to do with you even if you chant spells to avoid this place. Do not disappoint me Apries. I will be back"

Apries' eyes split open and he gasped for air, falling down to the ground and looking around at his surroundings in shock. He was thrown back into the small library, his breathing heavy while he looked up to a window to see how much time had gone by. The sun was beginning to set and he gulped, the time for his decision to be met as he felt the shadows creeping around him, strangling him, and close to suffocating his frail form.

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Zahra blinked, her eyes slowly opening while a groan escaped her lips and she looked around. She had passed out again, but this time she had collapsed in the middle of an alley way several blocks from any main street. She had to think for a few minutes before she remembered what happened, sighing as she sat up and used the wall behind her to pry herself off of the ground and to her feet. After she had met with Apries she started feeling dizzy. The lost spirits of the shadows were asking for her council, yet again, so she searched for a place where her body wouldn't be tampered with and fell asleep against a stack of crates. She barely remembered the events that happened, just that the Red-Eyes Black Dragon had gotten into trouble again and she led him back home. It was a strange soul, she had to admit. There was only one sort of dragon like that in the realm, while there were many other sorts of spirits that roamed whose kas oddly enough could be described as being similar. The boy's soul was unique and she continues to recall that she has met that soul before… while she was alive. She shook her head. It was probably a boy that was killed when her village was destroyed. Simple as that. What intrigued her was what he had told her: there's a Millennium item that houses the soul of Zorc and in that item the boy is trapped. There are many other souls that have problems controlling their kas, but that particular boy has a severe time in doing so. Thus she decided she'll have to continue what she was doing. If these trapped souls continue to be a problem for her she'll probably go insane, if she hadn't agreed she had done so already.

Both ways it was getting late and the sun was starting to set. Noticing it was about time to return to the temple she turned around, but there were a few things Zahra knew she had to do before returning. Walking deeper down the alleyway she looked for a place where no one would find her, not even the poorest that would be looking for refuge in between broken parts of the walls and small hangings where they could evade the elements. From the looks of the sky it won't rain tonight, but noticing the clouds that were beginning to form she may have problems later when she goes after Ihab, with or without this rite of initiation as a priestess of Anubis. She truly didn't care. She had other priorities, but the spirit that continued to call her daughter insisted she do this and, in honestly, Zahra felt it would benefit her in the long run. If she was able to have a stronger hold of her powers that meant she could start summoning her own ka again. Not in its full form, but at least in forms that will help her instead of summoning creatures from the depths of the shadow realm to use when she was provoked into attacking. She shook her head. It was too early to think about those sorts of things. Right now she just had to have one goal in mind, and there were a few things she had to do to prepare herself for this rite.

Once she found herself in a secluded place she summoned the shadows on command, a dark haze appearing from the increasing shadows of the walls and flowing around her in an eerie glow. Even though this was dark energy there was a glow to it, a glow that showed off the power and prestige that came only to those who could bring forth this superiority. Power, Zahra groaned at the thought, is why there are groups upon groups of beings after her, mortal or not. They seek her power like flies search for light and once they get too close they fizz away and burn until their insides are cooked into pieces. She didn't want to care about them, but when it's those who are close to her or have bright souls that do this it severely harms her own intake on her life. Should she continue? She can't simply kill herself, she's tried, but perhaps leaving and staying hidden in the shadows of the world will do others good. It won't do her any good, but if it helped others it would help her in the long run… probably.

As the shadows streamed around her a large set of chests appeared, each with its own engravings on top made from all sorts of different materials from wood to bronze to iron and even some with silver and gold. She landed her sights on a crate fashioned from the purest of silvers, engraved with markings of Anubis and other sorts of spells warding off evil. Pulling out that specific chest the rest of the items disappeared, leaving the silver chest in front of her feet. Crouching down Zahra pulled out a key and unlocked the chest, opening the box to reveal a treasure trove of all sorts of important items, mainly for her priesthood. She had always had this chest hidden in the contents of the shadows and she didn't know if she had stolen these, they were given to her, or she collected them in her own time. Either way there were many expensive items in the chest: silver candle holders with several dozen candles to spare, soft linens used to decorate altars with the finest embroidery she has seen, even compared to the treasures within the palace walls, clothes she was meant to wear for special occasions and most smaller then herself since she had worn them long before she was found in the middle of the desert, and several important scrolls and spells she had read over and realized they were ancient texts written in several different forms for all sorts of enchantments. From funeral rites to everyday use she had found texts on all sorts of problems. It was amazing what one could find when looking back on ancient times, but the scrolls weren't why she was there. She was there for a different matter and she reached her hands inside the silver chest to pull them out, placing the items beside her on top of her bag so they wouldn't get dirty.

Grabbing everything she needed Zahra closed the chest and locked it with her key, standing up and shoving the chest into the shadows as it evaporated once its mission was completed. Sighing she looked around, hoping no one saw her while she gathered the clothes into her hands and began to climb up the side of the buildings onto a rooftop. Looking around she smirked. There was no one around yet and everyone was still out hustling and bustling in the market streets before the merchants closed up shop. Candles were being lit, children ushered into nearby homes, but the woman had nowhere to go. No matter how much she wishes she had a family to go to she had nothing, watching as a child ran into her mother's arms while she pulled her onto her hip and brought her into one of the buildings. Even with an adopted family, a group that knows her well, she was still alone. The only sort of comfort she was ever brought was when the spirits appeared out of thin air, though she would never admit this to them. Zahra just wished everything was different, that she could have a normal life like everyone else… even if it's surrounded by gods, thieves, and the dead. That would still be her life, a life she will never be able to have because of the pharaoh and his priestly court.

Even if she won't admit it Zahra did have a hatred for the pharaoh. She knew what he had done. Even if he wasn't the priest that was there he gave the order. An order from a divine man like the pharaoh bears great consequence and even if he didn't realize this his one order killed many innocent lives. She had been hidden away because of that power. Power… a fickle thing. Only true power comes to those who deserve it, not those who blindly seek control. The pharaoh… he wasn't a bad man. She knew that, but the man who ordered her family to be killed… the reason why she never had grandparents or a big family… why… everything seemed so hard now. No matter how much she tried she wanted to side with the spirits. They may be dark, they may become warped by the shadows, but they were still her family. She cared for them. Yet she cared for Alexis and Seto. She cared about the promises she had made to them. To never harm the pharaoh, to use her powers for good… Zahra tries, but it never seems to be enough. To do good she also does bad, to keep harm away from the pharaoh she has to reject every feeling deep in her heart… she never seek revenge, but her body was created from the efforts of her village, their very essence fuelling her beating heart. Every time she dies they resurrect her, a small piece of every one of them disappearing into the hands of Osiris. She knew this, yet she still tried from time to time in killing herself for good. First material weapons, then she moved on to spells and enchantments to immobilize her body so she couldn't breathe. As much as she tried Zahra was still dead, living but dead, and the souls would continue to revive her with a deeper hidden malice for vengeance every single time she was revived. She came up with one decision; she would have to go through with their plans. Even if she wishes for the world to be different this cannot be the case.

In order for her soul and the spirits of her village to rest in peace she will have to live out their revenge. After going to Miletus Zahra realized how unreal her life is. She wasn't supposed to keep living. Her own life causes others to live in complete misery. There was only one thing to do, end her life as quickly as possible so the world can continue as it should be. She shouldn't have met Alexis, she shouldn't have met Orion. Because of her presence they are continuously unhappy… and because they are she feels depressed also. Quickly she slipped off her clothes, throwing them onto her bag as she slipped on the white linen cloth. Completely white and untainted by the dirt, a pair of clothing Zahra barely touched because she wouldn't want to dirty its cleanliness. Then she wrapped a black cloth around her waist, like always, making sure it was tied on one side before pulling her dagger from under her dress and slipping the blade visibly between the folds of the black cloth. She pulled out a comb and brushed her hair, humming quietly to herself while she thought aloud and looked down at the city around her. Zahra will be very visible, especially after she pulls on her cloak, but that didn't matter. This was what the spirits wanted, so she didn't care. If she was killed Zahra would simply blame the matter on the spirits. Maybe then they would let her stay in the darkness, but she doubted that.

Zahra carelessly placed silver bangles on her arms and legs, slipping on clean brown slippers before adjusting the necklace around her neck and placing several rings on her fingers. Each ring gave significance in her life, given to her at special moments or handed to her by the works of the spirits. Lastly she wrapped a black cloak around her neck and let the ends flutter in the wind, the ends of the cloak having the color scheme of black to light blue to white to light blue and then black again. White, a symbol of purity, against light blue, a symbol of the heavens and life, against the visible color of black, an image of death and resurrection. She recalled deep in her memories being given this color scheme by a man, Zahra quickly realizing to be Seker, in a temple just like the one she had walked into. It was to symbolize the priesthood she was about to take, years of long trials and hardship in the compounds of the temple. Even though she never worked for years in a temple like many other priests, she still got the training she needed to call herself a priestess. Whenever she could Zahra would venture into the villages' temples, praying along in Egyptian, Greek, Latin, and every other language she had come across on her travels. She had met many beings who may or may not even call themselves priests, which have taught her everything she knows that she hadn't read out of a scroll. She can read, write, heal, teach, and bury the dead. Zahra had all she needed to be a priestess and much more. She had more knowledge of the world then most priests do. That's why she didn't mind going through with this rite. She knew what she had to do and was proud to do so. She had many other professions to fall back on, category of priestess only coming after her roles as a thief, an assassin, a warrior, and more. Most importantly she was a bringer of light in a sea of darkness, ushering lost souls in the shadow realm from the land of the living to the afterlife.

She sighed, grabbing the back of her cloak and placing a loose end over her head to conceal her features. Yet, unlike normal, Zahra didn't place processions on her face being seen, only the hood hovering an inch above her eyes and keeping her black hair in place. Lastly she tied a braid on the left side of her face, a smirk coming to her lips once she was done and was ready to meet back with the high priest and see what his intentions were for her. Slipping the bag over her shoulder Zahra jumped down; letting the black cloak fan behind her while she walked without signs of fear or regret on her face. As she stepped onto the main drags of the streets she was given looks of wonder and confusion, though others simply let her be and barely gave notice to her. Zahra smirked. That's what was so great about being in a new place. The common people were so naive of the powers she possesses that they don't bow in fear or run away or even dash towards her looking for assistance. No, she was just a priestess walking the streets by herself. She was just a normal person walking among the Egyptians as the sun disappeared over the ridge. They felt no terror towards her as Zahra walked past, coming back to the large lone temple on the edge of the city and taking large steps up the stairs to the front entrance where she had first arrived.

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The high priest of the temple at Cynopolis was in frenzy. He didn't know what to do, yet Apries ordered his subordinates to gather preparations for a ceremony. When they asked he didn't give them a response, his dark golden eyes peering into their hearts and causing the younger priests to do as he commanded. He paced back and forth, biting the bottom of his lip while he began to worry. This was his own flesh and blood. Yet that young woman wasn't just a Ranpu, she was a goddess. What other powers could she possess? What harm will befall Egypt if he helps her? What if she uses her powers for evil… what if the gods smite him for thinking this way? He has been working for the gods for so long as their humble servant that those thoughts of angering them made his skin crawls. If Apries didn't do what she asked he will die, even if he's as old as he is he has lived for too long to die now. He didn't want to see his brother again, not yet. He has spent the rest of his life trying to redeem himself for his sins. Apries bit his tongue. He caused the death of hundreds and even thousands of people he may have never known. He killed his family and he should be ashamed… and smite… and destroyed.

Looking up he let out a grunt, instructing the others to leave him for what he must do. This was the highest force of treason he had ever committed against the pharaoh and against Egypt, but he must write the wrong he had done for his own kin. If he must initiate a ceremony for the lone survivor of a travesty to save his soul from the torment of the gods then he will do so. And he will do so without complaint, as he has always done for the gods.

His head snapped up at the sound of footsteps clanking on the marble stones, his eyes widening while he gulped and ran a shaky hand through his sharp dark brunette hair with thin strips of white and gray peeking through the folds of his dark hair. The woman smirked from under her hood, jumping up the last few steps of the stairs before stopping several feet from the man on the same set of steps Apries was standing on. "So," Zahra began in the same booming voice he had remembered from his encounter only a few moments ago, "what is your decision Apries Ranpu? Will you help me or will I go about my own business like normal?"

"I… I shall," the old man nodded, lifting his hand to the altar and ushering the woman to follow him. "There… are questions I would like to ask you –"

"Of course," Zahra smirked at him, stopping at the top of the stairs before flipping off her hood so she could stare at him through bright jaded green eyes. "If this doesn't mean you're stalling for time before the guards get here then I do not care what you ask of me."

Apries blinked for a few moments before chuckling lowly, sighing while he walked around the altar to the back and face the woman with his own piercing gaze. "First question, why did you have Anubis bring me into the realm of shadows? Was there importance in seeing you there –"

"Oh you saw me there?" Zahra shrugged, "Because I don't remember."

The old man raised an eyebrow at this, though after he stared at her with critical eyes to see if she was joking. "Is that so? I saw you as clear as day, ushering a creature from one side of the realm to another and using mystical powers to summon a bright road for us to follow –"

"As I told you I don't remember," she huffed. "I did black out and wake up in the middle of an alley, but what happens in that realm… I usually don't recall." Noticing her answer didn't suffice she sighed, looking around at the white building around her before continuing again. "… I only remember what I need to. I have had spirits hounding me for my whole life. I have answered you as honestly as I can. Whatever you saw there, if that was me or not… I… don't know," she frowned, her eyes slowly growing troubled while she looked away and began to walk towards a statue of Anubis. "… I could have done this years ago," she sighed longingly to herself while her hand reached up to gently touch the knee of god, "I could be a priestess now alongside the family I had grown up with… but I refuse. I refuse to follow loyally a man whom has destroyed everything I belonged to. I don't remember them… I barely remember my family. My mother, father… I only recall snippets. I ran away Apries, with no intention of ever coming back. I ran away from everything I knew because I couldn't face the spirits again. Their screams telling me to obey… orders… I don't follow orders well," she chuckled lightly, "but oddly enough the spirits seemed to know that. They knew my frustrations and worries… they sympathize with me. I… belong there, with them. Not here… in this world."

She paused, letting the feeling sink into the pit of the man's stomach before she continued, "… I belong with them. I am supposed to be dead. I died years ago and that is the only memory I can recall with vivid detail. No abstract faces, no questions about identities and who I'm talking to, realistically… I saw them die. I died. I see myself die every single time I close my eyes and I can't stand it, but… I continue on. They're the reason I'm alive. The only reason I exist here is because of them. They gave me a body and bones and flesh so I can complete the vengeance in their hearts. Yet I know for certain that won't save them… I know how to save them and I will do so whether they wish to leave into the afterlife or not. They are my family and I wish for them to rest in peace… I don't see myself as part of this Ranpu family. I barely know them. What I do know are for the villagers I grew up with when I was young. They accepted me. I don't know if my own family would, but the villagers accepted me. Now I must help them. I want to contract myself to them… so once this is all over they can rest and so can I. I am here because of them and I've been selfish. I need to finish what we started, even if I don't know where I'm going… I'm just like the lost souls trapped between life and the afterlife. I don't know where I'm going, but I'll keep moving forward because I know at the end of the road I will find my fate. That… is why you see me there. I'm supposed to be there, not here… I don't belong in this world."

"Then… why do this ceremony?" Apries asked.

Zahra smirked, a chuckle escaping her throat while she looked away and ran a hand through her hair, and then stepping up onto the steps and coming towards him. "As I told you, I want to contract myself with them. Not only that, but my family is of a priestly class, no? You can't say that I haven't trained. I've been out on foot for years learning day by day how to read, write, heal, teach, and bury the dead. Isn't that the point? I'm just making everything official," she grinned, "and I honestly don't care. It's my deceased father that wishes this to be so, not myself. If you refuse I will turn my back and walk out of the temple without harming you. I don't care –"

"You, young lady, remind me too~ much of my brother," the old man chuckled, pointing his finger at her as he went around the altar and came towards her with a wide grin on his face. "I… miss them," Apries sighed, shaking his head while he slowly walked to her. "I miss my older quirky brother and all his flaws. His little children as they 'pitter' 'pattered' across the marble steps… I lost my family too and I was the one who caused this mess." The woman watched emotionlessly while he continued, knowing full well what he was entailing. "I mean… if I had just kept my big mouth shut I wouldn't have lost everyone! Everyone! You, I… I never believed there was another one like me… can you speak to the gods too?"

"Of course," Zahra smirked slyly, "and I know for a fact that my mother could too, but she never spoke to me and refused to have me speak that language in front of her."

"Must skip a generation," Apries chuckled happily, "because your grandfather couldn't. Do you know why~ our family is in the line of priests and holy orders?"

"No," she shook her head, "why –"

"It is natural for our kind to speak to the gods," he smirked. "Every once in a while a Ranpu will be able to speak to them, but with our bloodline one child, if not two, in every generation instinctively know how to speak their language. It was only a matter of time to see another one," he chuckled, "but I wish it was under better circumstances."

"Yes," Zahra nodded with a smile, "I wish it was too… Just don't you dare associate yourself with me. I'm a criminal. You don't want to get involved with the likes of me –"

"So was my brother lass!" He laughed aloud, grabbing her in a bone crushing hug and completely surprising the woman as her eyes widened in shock. "He's always been a sick in the mud, but when it comes to get business done he does so. You know that cloak you're wearing? He used to wear one like yours, but in a robe fashion. Perhaps it's a part of that village he became involved in. I don't know, but… gods I miss him. Don't you worry about me kid. I've lived years keeping the secret that my brother was a mastermind bandit and a thief. I'll do the same for you… so don't worry about it."

"… I will still worry –"

"Well~ that's to be expected," Apries smirked, letting go of the woman while he sighed happily and looked her over. "You… have you been married yet –"

"If you're asking if I neked with anyone you're wrong," she snorted. "Besides don't you know how virgin goddesses are? Men pretty much dissolve into dust if they so much as touch us –"

"Oh I know," he chuckled. "I know… sorry. Just… my own niece?"

"Sometimes things aren't what they seem –"

"No, not that," he smirked, "but… I never saw your mother as the type to be attracted to the divine. In fact that's the difference between myself and my brother. I don't mind being a servant; he is the rebellious type that refuses to bow down to mortals and even to a god. Sure he plays the role of priest well, but when it comes to doing as they say to exact detail he doesn't particularly follow orders."

"I can relate," Zahra snickered.

"I see," Apries smiled sweetly. "… Well I guess it's about time we get this started –"

"You're not starting the party without me, are you~~?" came a voice from the bottom of the stairs, the two Ranpus looking down to see a man standing in the shadows of the columns before emerging and setting his sapphire eyes on the woman.

"Anubis," Zahra snorted in disgust, "what are you doing here –"

"You're a valuable asset to me sister," he smirked, "and I wish to make sure this ceremony is as official as they come."

"But –"

"And I also~ decided to bring a soul to help conduct this," Anubis continued, taking a step to the side to show the spirit standing behind him in the dark.

"O-oh –"

"Seker?" Apries squinted his eyes, taking a few steps down the stairs and making his way to the spirit. "You… you're her father –"

"Not biologically, but I did raise her for eleven years," the man told him.

"But… you and –"

"Her mother? Yes we are together," Seker smiled.

Apries grinned happily back, "You should have told me! You were one of my favorites –"

"I had Zahra's best interest in mind," Seker pointed to the woman, who still stood above them on the top of the stairs glaring down at him with her arms crossed over her chest. "You know the reasons why we couldn't come out of hiding. If she had her name in the records the priest who destroyed us would be after her, but now that doesn't matter. The child has enough mind and strength to keep that evil away. Besides that's not the darkest evil we will face, right Zahra?"

"Sure," Zahra snorted, "but I'm still not excited about this idea –"

"I know you're not," Seker sighed, "but I wish that you could become like your mother and I wanted. We wanted you to be a priestess. Perhaps not one trapped in a temple all day, but a priestess of our village and a traveler on the roads. An aunt and uncle of yours had done this, but I know you wanted to be a priestess of our village. So why not? A priestess for the thieves, has a nice ring no?" He smirked happily, the woman rolling her eyes while the old man nodded knowing and turned his head to the god.

"If we are done I guess I should start correct?" Apries smiled to the woman, Zahra giving him a nod as he walked up the stairs with the woman following him. The spirit appeared right beside the altar, the old man giving him a nod also before standing on the other side of the altar with Zahra standing on the second to the top of the steps and staring at the man intriguingly. He began with a few simple chants and prayers, the woman instinctively knowing them by heart while she mumbled the answers to his questions and knew what to say at the right times.

! #$%^&*()

A/N: And we end there because the chapter was getting long and I wanted a bit of a cliff hanger. Also because I didn't what to come up with words and sayings they'd say, so there you go. For Zahra's cloak think back to Bakura's red cloak. How there's a border of white against the red. That's what I'm trying to describe, that type color scheme on fabric. Hard, but trying ^^' and I think that's all I have to say. So SEE YOU LATER!