The darkness has faded away and they are no longer where they were previously. Instead, the pharaoh, Mana and the priests have been separated and scattered throughout Kul Elna, having to fend for themselves against the various monsters that attack them. Managing to find a safe spot in one of the abandoned homes, Isis cradles a weakened Karim in her arms. He had taken a lot of damage from the battle with Bakura and his health is fading, causing him to go in and out of consciousness.
"Karim…" Isis says, her voice beginning to tremble. He stirs a little, his eyes fluttering open and she breathes a sigh of relief. "Oh thank goodness you're awake!"
"Where are we? How is the pharaoh?" he asks, thrown off guard by their current location. Regardless, his main concern is the well being of his king. "You must make sure he is alright." He grimaces, putting Isis back on alert.
"I am not going to leave you!"
"Isis, I barely have enough energy to summon a monster," he says, referencing his diadhank that shows a low health bar. "I am of no use to anyone right now."
"But Karim…!"
"Please…it is your duty to protect our king."
Hearing footsteps, Isis gasps and looks over her should to see who or what has just approached them. Standing at the doorway is none other than Cairo and Isis places a hand on her chest, relieved to see that Cairo is seemingly okay. "Princess!" But the moment Isis calls out to her, she soon regrets it as Cairo points her dark wand at the two of them. Her dull, cold gaze seems to pierce right into Isis' soul and she utters not one word as a ball of energy forms at the tip of her wand.
"What's wrong?" Karim asks, sensing Isis' apprehension and not being able to see who is there, due to Isis holding him up. "Is the princess alright?"
"This is not the Cairo we know and love," Isis remarks lowly. "While you were unconscious, the dark one got a hold of her. Now I'm sensing that same evil presence within the Princess. And it's growing stronger with each passing moment…"
Karim manages to sit up, being able to look at Cairo and see for himself what Isis is talking about, and he is taken aback by her stance and expression. She looks at the both of them as if they are her enemy and as if she doesn't know them at all. Isis is right. This definitely isn't the same Cairo and with the way she is currently acting, they could be in for a lot of trouble, especially if the dark one has control over her.
He stands to his feet, standing in front of Isis who protests, but he doesn't listen. "Princess, whatever has a hold of your mind, fight it! You are the princess of Egypt, daughter of our king and queen and beloved by so many! Don't let the darkness win!" But no matter how much he tries to talk her through it, the energy ball that forms at her wand only becomes bigger until she launches it at them.
At a shorter distance, Shada looks around frantically after hearing what sounds like Isis screaming. After managing to find Shimon, they were both on the search for the pharaoh and queen.
"Did you hear that?" Shada asks.
"Yes. It sounded like Isis!" Shimon replies.
Briefly exchanging looks, they rush off to the sound of the commotion, only to come upon a scene that makes their hearts drop. Karim lies motionless on the ground, face down and Isis tries to shake him awake.
"No…who is responsible for this?" Shimon asks before his eyes land on Cairo and he takes a step back. "No…She couldn't have possibly…"
"Watch out, Shimon!" Shada warns, pushing Shimon out of the way in time after Cairo shoots another dark blast.
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Mana opens her eyes, breathing frantically after trying to locate Cairo with her magic to no avail. She places her hands on chest, feeling like her heart is about to burst through. "I can't sense her…Where could she be…?" She drops to her hands and knees, shutting her eyes to prevent the tears from falling. The last thing she remembers is the dark one capturing Cairo and infusing dark energy into her. Could that be why she can't sense her presence?
"Mana!" she hears the pharaoh call and she looks up to see him and Hasan running toward her with Mahad floating alongside them. She quickly gets up and runs into the pharaoh's embrace, the tears freely falling down her cheeks now.
"I can't sense her! I tried and I just can't!" she sobs into his shoulder and he wraps his arms tightly around her in an attempt to calm her down. But the truth is, he is just as worried as she is.
"It's going to be alright," he says soothingly.
"Mana, you have to control your emotions and concentrate," Mahad instructs her, trying to remain calm. "You will not be able to sense her in your current state."
Mana shakes her head. "You don't understand. It's different from just sensing any other human being or sorcerer," Mana explains, sniffling. "From the moment I carried her, I've been able to sense Cairo with ease, even when she was a baby. I know Cairo's energy like the back of my hand and she knows mine. The fact that I'm having such a hard time finding her…" The tears begin to fall again, fearing the worst and the pharaoh brings her closer to him before looking up to Mahad.
"Mahad, see if you can find her by searching from above," the pharaoh instructs him. Mahad nods and ascends into the air. The pharaoh looks down at Mana, cupping her cheek with both hands and using his thumbs to wipe her tears. Hasan silently walks away to search on foot, leaving the two alone.
"Mana…" He doesn't know what to say to ease her distress. Not when he knows what the outcome will be. How can he comfort her knowing that he will have to defeat his own daughter once and for all?
"The other night, I had a dream…" Mana starts off, her tearful gaze fixated on him. "Cairo was drowning in darkness, constantly fighting off evil figures that appeared to be souls."
The pharaoh's eyes are filled with shock as he continues to hear her describe her dream. But how she describes it reminds him of when he last saw 'shadow' Cairo in the Shadow Realm, fighting off evil souls before he couldn't see her anymore through the darkness that surrounded her.
"I have this awful feeling…that I'm going to lose her," she continues, causing Yami to look away. While in his embrace, Mana can feel his body trembling. She has always known him to not show any hint of fear and always knowing what to do when trouble arises. But this time around, she has noticed that he has been mostly silent. "Do you…know something?"
He doesn't say a word. Since coming back to the world of his memories and becoming aware of Mana's existence and the role she plays in his life and Cairo's, he has contemplated whether or not he should tell her. Would it alter things in a negative way if he told her?
Besides, he doesn't want her to get upset. Then again, doesn't she deserve to know? She is Cairo's mother after all.
He takes a deep breath. "What if I told you that what you dreamt wasn't actually a dream?" he says, causing her to raise an eyebrow.
"You mean like some sort of vision?"
"Yes," he replies before averting his gaze. "There's something you must know…"
Mana lowers her head. "I don't think I want to know." If her 'dream' truly was a vision, then she has already put two and two together.
"Mana…" He cups her chin, lifting her head up to meet his gaze. "I'm going to do everything that I can, regardless of what the outcome may be."
She stares at him for a moment before nodding. "And so will I."
"My king!" Mahad calls out to him while flying over head. "I've located the other priests besides Seto."
"And Cairo?" the pharaoh asks, wondering about her whereabouts.
The answer to the question comes in the form of an explosion off in the distance. Cairo floats in the air, firing off magical blasts to unsuspecting villagers near the palace. Her eyes glow purple and she points her dark staff in random areas, attacking wherever she pleases. Smoke shoots up in multiple locations and screams fill the air as innocent people try to make their escape.
Finally reaching the other priests, the pharaoh and Mana come across Karim laying in Isis' arms with Shada crouched down beside them. Upon studying Karim further, Mana gasps, realizing what has happened. "No…Karim."
"What happened?" the pharaoh asks.
Shimon looks down to the ground. "I'm sorry, my king."
"Did Cairo do this?"
Shimon nods. "I'm afraid so…"
"Karim gave me the last bit of energy he had before he made his transition," Shada informs him. "I was able to fend Cairo off briefly and then she seemingly retreated…only to start attacking innocent villagers."
"And Seto is missing as well," Shimon points out. "I suspect Aknadin may be up to something."
"What do we do?" Isis asks.
Yami looks over to Mana who returns his gaze. Without saying a word, she nods and he nods back. "I will search for Seto," he says. He has a strong feeling that he and Aknadin may be at the palace. He turns to the remaining priests. "I need you to protect the villagers and get them to safety."
"What about the princess?" Shada asks.
"Leave her to me," Mana says, making her wand appear in her hand and all the priests look at her with surprise.
"Surely you're not thinking of fighting her, my queen?" Shimon asks with his eyes widened.
"If she truly is under the control of the dark one, I may have no choice."
"I'll join you all once I locate Seto and ensure he's safe," the pharaoh says.
Shada nods. "Please be safe."
"And the same to you."
He hops on a spare brown horse and gallops toward the palace. So many thoughts swirl through his mind as the horse gallops through the sand, quickly progressing through the desert. There seems to be a lot going on at once and it is overwhelming. But everything is starting to make sense, especially the things that 'shadow' Cairo hinted to him in the present world. He now knows the true origin of the Millennium Items, how they came to be and the lives that were lost as a result.
He knows more about his father and though he was not perfect, he truly was a great leader and cared about the well-being of Egypt. Some of the priests that serve him are more than just people who were chosen to serve. He would go as far to call them his friends, especially in the case of Mahad who continues to be loyal to him after death.
His mind then goes to that of his family. He only knows so much about Mana, but the moment he entered the world of his memories, he has felt this closeness to her. Interacting with her came naturally. They were in sync and he realizes that not only is she the calm to his storm, but he is the same thing to her. She is powerful. And it is no wonder why Cairo, even prior to the darkness taking over, is powerful as well.
"Cairo…" He reluctantly looks to the chaotic scene where dark smoke fills the air, followed by more explosions.
Seeing her in this time period was somewhat of a shock. In this world, she had a more fun and energetic personality. When he first met her in the present world, she was mainly apathetic due to being locked in the Shadow Realm for so long and the immense guilt she felt for her actions in this world.
He cringes at the sound of another explosion and he grits his teeth. "None of this is your fault."
Her innocence. Her childhood. All were snatched away in a matter of seconds.
It isn't fair.
"I promise you. I will save you," he says to himself, gripping the reigns of the horse even tighter. "I will free you from the shadows."
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"This way!" Shada yells to villagers, leading them away from the fires and destruction that Cairo has left behind. He and the other priests work quickly to get the villagers out, while also instructing soldiers to put the fires out where they can.
Mana stands in the middle of the pathway between the destroyed buildings, watching all of this occur. Her wand is tightly gripped in her hand and her eyes scroll from left to right, looking for Cairo who is no longer up in the air. Shimon runs up to her, panting heavily.
"Is that everyone?" Mana asks him without giving any eye contact.
"I believe so, your highness," he replies between breaths.
"Good. I'll—"
"Someone help!" a small and frail voice cries out and Mana and Shimon's gazes both turn to a nearby building that is on fire. On the second level, an old woman waves her hand, trying to catch someone's attention. The smoke and the flames are becoming too much for her and she begins to cough violently.
"Oh no!" Shimon exclaims. "Where are the remaining guards?"
"There's no time!" Mana darts off in the direction of the flaming building despite Shimon's protests and pleas for her to come back. Kicking down the wooden door, she is immediately greeted by the immense heat and she grunts, taking a step back. She can partially see her way through and there appears to be a pathway that she can take to get to the stairs. Taking a deep breath, she rushes in, hurrying up the stairs to get to the woman.
"Hey! Where are you?!" Mana calls out, looking to the two doors that are shut.
"Help!" she hears the voice yell from the door to her right. She immediately runs to the source and barges through. The woman is knelt down near the window, sweating profusely and panting heavily. Her eyes light up in shock when she sees who is there to save her. "Your highness! You shouldn't be—"
"I got you!" Mana goes up to her and helps her stand, placing the woman's arm over her shoulder for support. Just as they are about to leave the room to go back down the stairs, a wooden beam from the roof collapses, blocking their path. Mana sucks her teeth and narrows her eyes.
"I'm so sorry…" the woman apologizes, feeling hopeless.
Mana looks over to the woman, flashing her a reassuring smile before using her free hand to whip out her wand. "Nothing a little magic can't handle."
Meanwhile, Shimon stands near the flaming building, anxiously awaiting for Mana to emerge. Each second feels like minutes and worry begins to consume him until he sees two silhouettes appear. "Oh, thank goodness!" he exclaims in relief.
"Incredible…" the old woman remarks as Mana helps her out. "I had heard the queen was quite skilled in magic, but I didn't know the extent of it."
"Are you alright?" Mana asks.
"I'm fine, thanks to you." She looks to her destroyed village and shakes her head. "It's unfortunate what has happened here."
Mana sighs. She can't believe that her daughter is behind all of this destruction. The quicker she finds her, the quicker she can put an end to it.
"Your daughter…she's a sweet child," the woman says out of the blue to which Mana whips her head over to look at the elderly woman. "She probably wouldn't want me to be telling you this, but I know that she frequently snuck out of the palace and hung out at the markets in the village. And one particular day…" Her mind flashes back to a scene that unfolded in front of her while she stood in a crowd. A few villagers were harassing a woman with blue hair, threatening to stone her. But then a small girl stood protectively in front of the defenseless woman, coming to her aid.
"Most of her face was covered at the time," the lady continues. "But I know for a fact that it was the princess protecting that poor woman. I don't know much about the princess, but something tells me she's not doing this out of her own free will."
Mana's gaze goes from the woman and then to the destruction around her. "You're right. She's not…"
Shimon notices how Mana's fist is clenched and her body is stiff as she stares forward with narrowed eyes. He then looks to the old villager and he clears his throat. "Let's get you somewhere safe," he says, leading her away and leaving Mana alone.
Once again she finds herself closing her eyes to track Cairo down. She releases the tension in her fist and lightens up the hold of her wand in her opposite hand. She blocks out any outside distractions, inhaling and exhaling deeply. Her mind is black for a minute, until she zooms onto a small, purple flame. Simultaneously, she feels a foreign yet familiar presence behind her. She slowly opens her eyes and turns around.
There, standing at a distance, is Cairo. For a moment, the atmosphere around them seems to go completely silent. The wind that blows progresses from a gentle breeze to a fierce wind, the tension between them growing. Mana calmly stares into Cairo's pitch black eyes. Her daughter wields a wand nearly similar to her own, hanging it over her shoulder as she stares back into her mother's eyes with a grin.
The amount of dark energy emitting from Cairo along with the sinister look on her face gives Mana goosebumps. But the anger she feels toward the Dark One, along with the determination to save her daughter, outweighs any fear that lingers.
"Cairo…" Mana finally says, but she gets no response. "I know you're still in there." She can still sense her energy while being up close, though the energy that she has grown accustomed to sensing from Cairo is fading and fading fast. But it still gives her a small glimmer of hope, despite what she saw in her dream.
"I'm running out of time…"
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AN: Things really got intense this chapter! I also snuck in a little pharaoh and Mana moment, but tried not to make it over the top, especially with them being in the middle of a crisis! Hope you enjoyed! Please review!
