To Battle
It was the middle of the night, and Atem was standing on the Palace's curtain wall, hands resting on the front edge as he looked out over the city and to the land beyond it. There were guards to both sides of him in the distance, as everyone was feeling the waves of energy coming off him and were too afraid to approach. That suited him fine, as his mind worked through the data he, Yuugi, and the Priests had previously discussed about the enemy. Did they deserve his wrath?
After hearing what Isis had said about them and seeing what they'd done to Yuugi, he was prepared to step into the deepest darkness to destroy them.
It was probably safe to say that some of them were in that wadi where Yuugi had been attacked, or had been before Yuugi escaped, but those ones weren't necessarily his targets. No, the situation was bigger than that, much bigger, and he knew he didn't have enough time in his lifetime to find every last one of those things and kill them.
No, he had to pick his battles. Oh, he would hunt down the ones in Egypt, there was no doubt of that, but first, he had to find and get rid of the portal. That was his priority, and it was where he would unleash all the pent-up rage now bubbling below the surface of his skin, heating him, making him almost crazy to unleash it. This was nothing compared to the memories he'd been given, but it was that protectiveness of his other half which had led to causing his light suffering.
Only this time, there was neither doubt nor guilt. His enemy was beyond saving, and they would reap what they'd sown.
"You're scaring the guards, you know," Set's voice came to him from a couple feet away.
"Don't care," Atem replied, voice devoid of emotion. Where was that damned portal? He needed to know that first.
The High Priest sighed. "Isis told us about what happened when she tried to See them. I know what you're thinking...and Atem—"
"I won't stop this time," the Prince cut in harshly.
"Unless you were insane, I wouldn't stop you, anyway," Set snorted, making Atem turn to face him. "You're completely, frighteningly in control right now, the exact opposite of the other recent times you were angry. No, Atem, what I was going to say is 'don't go without me'. I don't care where it is or the Hell you plan on turning it into, let me be there with you—let me help you create Hell on Earth for those bastards."
"I can't do that to you. You've never truly seen me in a rage, and I have no intention of holding back. At all."
"Of course not. But frankly, you can't find them without me, anyway."
Atem paused at the words as a Bennu landed on Set's shoulder, reminded of the one in control of their information gatherers. It was a good point, that, so he sighed. "Only because it's you and you'll know where the portal is before me," he allowed.
"Good. Now that we're clear on that, the Pharaoh has spoken with the other Priests and they're discussing what, if anything, can be done for Yuugi," Set informed him. "But once we knew what kind of damage we were looking for—Atem, his soul was already rebuilding itself. He's in no fit shape for anything right now, but he would eventually recover of his own accord, even from this. We're hoping to speed the process, or retrieve at least some of the parts so he has less to rebuild."
After a long silence, Atem nodded. "Thank you, Set."
The High Priest gripped his shoulder tightly. "We'll get them."
"You're so sure."
"They can't see my Bennus. They can see other kinds of creatures, but not the Bennus. I can't fathom why, but even with Yuugi, when they attacked him, they had completely missed the Bennu watching them, and it was completely out of its element, with no reason to be there. If they could have seen it, surely they would have tried to kill or destroy it. But this is now a repeated pattern—and they just can't seen the Bennus, even though we, and even our people, can."
"...Our people can see them?" Atem asked, pointing down at the city below them. "Non-magical people as well as magical?"
"That's right," Set agreed, then blinked as understanding filled the Prince's eyes. "Do you know why?"
"It's conjecture, but the Bennu is the essence of reincarnation—and of love, kindness, and caring. They've detached themselves from love, those lizard-people, so it's possible they can't see something based purely on that very thing, while our own people, who willingly give love and caring to others, can see them."
"Possible, yes. The result is infinitely useful to us, since it means the Bennus can go right into their homes, bases, and territories and pinpoint anything we need or want them to find. As for the ones besides the portal monitors and future ones..."
"I want to route them from Egypt once the portal is dealt with. We don't need to necessarily kill them all or chase down ones outside Egypt, but there's no bloody way I'm leaving them here to harm our people."
"We'll have to pick them out of the population of whatever group we find them in, because not only do they speak Egyptian, but another language too, at least one other. It took awhile of hearing it before I realized what language it is. I would never say everyone belonging to the race who speaks it is also one of these lizard-people, but their ability to look human makes me think they've been hiding in an otherwise good race for far too long."
"Why? What language is it?"
"...Hebrew, Atem."
"Could you determine what they said?"
"Not fully, but it sounded a lot like they said his soul was pure and strong and tasted good, so they'd keep him alive as long as they could, just so they could enjoy the flavor."
"They ate his soul?" Atem asked in something like horror.
"So it sounds like, and as far as I can tell—and this is also with Isis' input—the rest of the nation has no idea what's happening to them or to others who show similar traits."
Turning back to face the city and lean on the wall, a new surge of rage filled him, not for Yuugi this time, but for the deceit of the lizard-people and the harm they'd brought to at least one other race. To the best of his knowledge, the people of that nation were good people—ones whose society had been deteriorating slowly for hundreds of years. If the lizard-people were the sole cause of that deterioration, they had trespassed in so many souls genocide might well be the only way to stop the destruction they wrought.
Shaking his head slowly, Atem said, "We'll route them from Egypt. We won't pursue them further, but we'll keep an eye out to prevent them from returning to this land. I won't go so far as genocide, because that's no longer 'protecting' my people...or anyone's people. Our problem is what happens here. They can deal with their own problems, and we'll lend our support if they should ever happen to ask for it, nothing more. Otherwise...we would be as bad as them."
"And this is your strength, to clearly see the path we need to follow, and to act on it decisively...You may have to be the one to convince the Pharaoh to protect only Egypt, not take the battle elsewhere. Also should we take the battle elsewhere...Who would protect Egypt?" Set asked quietly, leaning on the wall beside the Prince.
Atem nodded, then faced the High Priest. "As I said, our problem is what happens here, nowhere else." His gaze moved to the main Palace as he said, "And I should get back to Yuugi's side until you know where they are."
"In your current state?"
"My being away from him does him more harm than good right now, since my soul will help to fill in the empty parts of his own. That's what a light and darkness bond is."
"Very well. I'll visit again in the morning."
"Good."
With that, the Crown Prince headed back inside and to Yuugi's room, where he was still being kept now that they knew of his damage.
PA-HPS-YM-SK
Two days passed, and Atem didn't have nearly enough time to spend with Yuugi because his father was determined to do exactly what he shouldn't do—go slaughter innocent humans in the hopes of finding more lizard-people. Finally, the Crown Prince managed to force his own father's hand into submission, making him stay within Egypt's borders to hunt for the lizard-people. In so doing, he earned the respect of the entire Egyptian court a thousand times over, having just shown his leadership ability exceeded his father's, even at his young age.
Finally, during the evening meal—where Atem argued fiercely with his father once again and the only nobles not present were Set, Isis, and Shada (where were they, anyway?)—Set threw open the doors. All eyes went to him as he took a moment to catch his breath, then he called out, "I have the location of their portal here. We haven't a moment to lose—the portal was active, and people were coming from it!"
"Where?" the Pharaoh asked harshly, rising.
"Sit. Down. Father," Atem ordered harshly as he rose as well, and everyone turned to stare at him. Ahknemkhanen actually sagged back into his seat as he felt the power coming off his son, and the Prince looked up to meet Set's eyes. "Where are they?"
"The Valley of the Kings—the one place we have no reason to go to unless one of our royal line dies," the High Priest answered clearly.
Shudders ran around the room as Atem crossed his arms and said, "Then only the Guardians, priests, and mages are able to cross safely to their portal." He faced his father and said, "I will be commanding this attack." As Ahknemkhanen opened his mouth, Atem ordered, "You and Uncle Akhenaten will stay here to protect your people. We've already discussed this, Father. It is not my fate to die here or now, but I cannot make the same guarantees of you, and there are still people here needing protection. Yuugi is only the start."
"Even you are not immune to the effects and curses of the Valley, my son," the Pharaoh told him with a frown.
"I have no intention of trying to be 'immune' to them," the Prince answered with a positively evil smirk. "I intend on activating them."
The words and Atem's expression frightened them all, including the Pharaoh and Vizier, causing Mahad to clear his throat and ask, "Shall we gather our more experienced priests and mages—and perhaps an odd few apprentices—My Prince?"
"No apprentices. I will not consider even Mana fit for this battle unless she can summon," Atem replied. "We need mages and priests with attack magic and paralysis so the enemy cannot flee. This ends here. Healers are to be on standby here for when we return. We also need a few skilled in defensive spells, but I have no intention of requesting—"
He suddenly shut up as he felt something strike his Mirror Force barrier, and he instantly activated it, throwing the attack back at the attacker. The land rocked, making several people gasp and shout in surprise, and when the rolling stopped, the Prince looked pointedly at his father and uncle, who both paled in realization. With that realization, the other Guardians and priests also realized what had just happened, so the Pharaoh rose.
"A two-pronged attack," the man stated, and Atem nodded. "We will defend the Palace and city, and the apprentices will be able to assist in the battle here much easier. Go, Atem, and come back safely." He gripped the Prince's shoulder tightly for a moment, then headed out of the room at a run, yelling for the assembly of the guards and troops. Everyone sprang into action as Akhenaten also gripped Atem's shoulder for a moment before following his brother.
Atem faced Mahad, Karim, and Set, saying, "We don't have long, and we can't take a lot of people with us. What of Shada? Isis is staying here, for certain."
"He's in contact with Anubis, trying to find a way to recover Yuugi's missing soul pieces," Karim answered.
With a nod, the Prince said, "Find me the people I was talking about before, no more than ten of them for each of us. Send the rest to my father for orders. I'll go outside to the back, outside the wall, to arrange transportation to the Valley. By the 'back' I mean the hidden path to the lower floodplain the Nile occasionally reaches."
He walked out before they could answer, leaving them to find the appropriate support while he thought about how to transport forty-four people to the Valley of the Kings quickly. Suddenly, he grinned in amusement as he realized there was a very convenient 'monster' of transportation. In the card game, it was often called 'Yomi Ship', but he'd have to use its true name now, and he'd need to call on four, if not five, of them. Though, because they were spirits, and as far as he knew, there were several of them, it shouldn't be a trial to get enough of them.
Outside, he took a quick look around and saw that no one was there—the attack, as he'd thought, wasn't on this side of the city. Drawing in a deep breath, Atem let it out as he breathed, "Ship Crossing to the Afterlife, come to me. Five of you, I need your help to reach the Valley of the Kings and stop our attackers."
In front of him, five fair-sized Egyptian transport ships appeared, and he received agreement to his request from each of them. They were sleek, pale, red-hued wood with a small, covered shelter to the rear of the ship, and four beings who were clearly spirit beings without detailed features stood at the sides of the ships with long paddle-rods. The covered shelter was made of cloth and reinforced by palm fronds, which would also keep rain off and deflect wind.
A moment later, Mahad left the Palace saying, "My Prince, we have—" He and the ten Priests and Priestesses behind him all stopped to stare.
"Get on. I believe it's roughly eight or nine to a ship," Atem answered in wry amusement. Set arrived with ten more, these a mix of priests and mages, followed shortly by Karim, who also had a mix of priests and mages following him.
"...Are you sure the ships to the Afterlife are...safe for the living to use?" Mahad asked carefully, clearly sounding perturbed.
"When asked, yes," the Prince replied dryly. He looked at the others—all of them—and asked, "Were you already briefed on our task and goal?" At their agreement, he said, "Then let me add one thing—whatever you do, stay well out of my way and my path. Your main tasks are to stay at the perimeter and prevent escape, not to join me in battle, no matter how much danger you think I'm in. I won't risk your lives in my rage. Oh, and avoid being struck by their weapons at all costs—those weapons will rip your souls apart, and our enemies will devour that energy, so don't risk it."
The others looked a little ill, even Mahad and Karim, but one woman stepped forward and said, "I believe we all understand your concerns, Your Highness, and your determination to end this in our favor. We will do what we can in the battle, within the commands you have given."
"Good," Atem nodded as he saw the others gain determined looks and nods at her words. "Because we're all that's left between them and our kingdom. I'm counting on you, on all of you. Also to come back alive."
"Yes, Your Highness," they all agreed.
"Karim, Mahad, stay close to the group to give active orders as needed, but you have some freedom of movement onto the battlefield," Atem instructed as everyone got on the ships, Atem, Set, Mahad, and Karim on one with a few others. "Set, since you already gave me your—er—requirement in this, you're with me. I'm counting on you to watch my back if I forget to watch it myself." The ships rose and began flying in the direction of the Valley of the Kings.
"As far as I'm concerned, you're free to leave your back to me, because I'm not leaving your side," the High Priest replied steadily. "Thanks to the Bennus, I have a very good idea of what I'm getting in to, maybe even more than you."
"So you say," Atem allowed as he watched their progress. The ships moved quite fast, so he gave the one he rode a pat—and it purred under his hand, making him chuckle. "I didn't know the ships to the Afterlife could purr," he told the others on his ship, making them all grin in amusement. "Anyway, from here on out...It's do or die, as they like to say in Yuugi's homeland." His serious expression prompted nods from Set, Mahad, and Karim.
"We'll end this today, for Egypt, and for Yuugi," Mahad answered.
"I'll warn you, they have a power, but it's not like ours," Set put in right then, his gaze distant and thoughtful. "It has some similarities to initial mage training or the kinds of lessons I gave Yuugi, but it retains the same formless nature as those exercises in more powerful forms. I don't know the whole extent of it, but I wouldn't put it past them to levitate and throw objects at us, or to create barriers for protection. For the four of us, that's important, because the ones we'll be targeting are the lizard-people, but the rest, and the ones most likely to run, are the humans serving them."
Gazing ahead of them, Atem noted they were near the Valley, so he intoned to all five ships, "Ships Crossing to the Afterlife, come into the Valley low, just in case they're foolish enough to attack you, my friends." The ships responded with amusement the whole group felt, and lowered themselves nearer to the ground as requested.
"Why?" Karim asked in confusion.
"If the ships are destroyed, it won't hurt me because they're already dead—they aren't actually 'spirit summons' the way Curse of Dragon would be considered. But what they do when they're destroyed...is take their attacker back to the Afterlife with them. Of course, they also drop their current living cargo..."
"Ah," Karim nodded. "You expect us to be shot down and would rather we don't have far to fall."
"That's about it," the Prince agreed in a dry tone.
Then, they were at the Valley of the Kings, passing over the ridge and down into the Valley...
PA-HPS-YM-SK
Shada, sitting beside Yuugi in a trance as he spoke with Anubis, came out of his trance to see a worried Isis return to the room. He now had instruction, but needed Akhenaten's help, and now something else had their Priestess-healer worried.
"Isis? What is it?" he asked, standing.
"Did you find what you were looking for?" she asked immediately.
"Yes, we have a possible method, but we need Akhenaten's help to take the soul pieces as Anubis and I find them and send them in Yuugi's direction. The task is not easy by any means—the time it took to find the two Anubis is already holding was extensive. Searching the Afterlife for soul fragments is a task, because they are 'there' but not 'present', not until the whole soul is reunited. The Vizier-Priest is the only one able to step into the boy's mind to take them and place them," he explained. "However, what happened to leave you so worried?"
"We are under attack and the Prince has left to destroy the portal our enemies are coming here through," Isis sighed. "We healers are on standby for battle injuries from both parties."
"By Ra...But Anubis said we need to awaken Yuugi with a completed soul, the Palace and city cannot stand against them without him..." Shada answered, shaking. "The time...and to draw Akhenaten away from the battle..."
"Go, Shada. Do not waste your time here," Isis told him. "Yuugi barely wakes as it is, and you can do no more without Akhenaten. Bring him here, then."
Feeling suddenly steady, Shada straightened and gave a nod, then rose and ran from the room to see what was happening outside and to find the Priest whose help he needed. The Pharaoh was likely to be at the very top of the Palace, where he had a clear view of Palace, city, and lands beyond the wall. Sure enough, as he ran up the last flight of stairs into that chamber, which was open to the air on all sides, he found the Pharaoh and Priest Akhenaten, and he could see even from where he stood that there were summoned beings present outside the city wall, fending off enemy troops. And yet, it seemed to be a losing battle...
Anubis was right. They needed Yuugi.
"Akhenaten, Anubis has said we need Yuugi to win this," Shada said without preempt, making both men look at him. "We have a means to repair his soul and wake him, but we need your help, Vizier-Priest. There is no time to lose if that battle out there is any indication."
The two looked back at the battlefield, then at each other, then the Pharaoh said, "If this is Anubis' word, I will take it as fact. I will hold them, not try to defeat them. Go wake my younger son." With nods, Akhenaten and Shada left to go back to Yuugi.