Yu-Gi-Oh: A Past and Future Pharaoh
Written By: Lady Lunar Phoenix
Beta By: Lady Lunar Phoenix
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Set stood outside his home watching as the flames ate away at the buildings around him and his mother ghosting past their window. Her body melting with each pass as she cried out to him. While smoke choked his breathing as faint sounds of roaring echoed in the distance. A dragons' roar woke Set up to a chaos not borne of the past. The sounds of yelling, horses neighing in a mounting panic and the well remembered smell of raging fires made him question where he was.
Was his time with the prince the dream?
It wasn't just sound either, now that he was awake. Stiflingly heat from flames and the alarms being given via shouting caused him to sit up in alarm. While the prince scrambled past him triggering his instinct to snatch up the youngling. A prince who was hauling tail past him towards the back of the tent. Mahaado was on the pair in an instant trying to capture the small child in a blanket.
Yet oddly enough, while the Prince was normally very obedient to Mahaado's wishes, this time he was actively fighting the magician in training.
"NO!" The prince yowled in protest.
"Why didn't you wake me up?!" Set demanded as he let the Prince go into Mahaado's arms, a sword he had put by his bedroll was grabbed, while he inwardly thanked the Gods for his training that made him think to do so.
"Next time I'll just kick you in your genitalia so you wake up! Since shaking you proved to be ineffective," Mahaado hissed back as the prince squirmed his way out of Mahaado's hold again.
Set followed the Princes' stubborn determined path. Baffled by what could be holding the princes' attention when they fell on the toy basket the prince insisted upon. Really?
"This is important, you can get new toys!" Set argued as he chased after the Prince with Mahaado by his side. The sounds outside the tent were getting louder and a soldier was calling for formation and trying to communicate orders from his commander. All the while the Prince was squirming and fighting the two. "Stop it!"
"Mmmm! Noo! No! No leave!" The prince argued when he couldn't break from the pairs grip. Then as he felt himself being lifted up, panic finally hit him as he gave a desperate cry of, "Mana! Come!"
Set felt his eyes bulge as he heard that, his eyes first seeking Mahaado for confirmation on that... Because there was 'no way' that could be right, she was in the palace... right...?
The basket that Mahaado had obligingly brought along rested in the near corner of the tent, and though it had been still for the whole trip. It suddenly began to wiggle and move before suddenly, "TA DA!" Mana burst forth from the toy basket with a blanket in one hand, a half eaten mashed up fig in the other.
Set was flabbergasted as he recalled the servants talking about the prince wanting to 'feed his toys'. Realization that the prince had 'smuggled Mana out of the palace' hit like he had crossed the wrong side of a mule. The alarmed expression on his face was mirrored perfectly by Mahaado, so clearly in fact, proving that the magician was unaware of this as well.
The small girl looked super thrilled to be out of the basket, but her expression turned quizzical at the reaction of the older boys. Normally her surprises were welcomed, so her gaze went to the prince. Seeking confirmation that she did the right thing, but the noise around them, the yelling and chaos beyond the older kids made her frown. His Highness was waving for her so she climbed out awkwardly and began her baby like steps over to the prince obediently enough. The older kids always equaled 'safe' after all, for which Set almost stumbled the first step as he rushed to pick the girl up himself.
Clearly someone told the Prince 'no' and he decided to override that order in his own way... but "One of you Gods needs to be accountable for the princes' behavior... Feel free to announce who is going to any time now." Set muttered under his breath as Mahaado just stood there staring at the top of the prince's head for a moment. "Too clever."
"Your point." Mahaado answered on instinct as he bundled up and carried the prince as the rushed to a pair of guards who had been waiting for them anxiously at the door.
Set froze as he saw the outside world, his mind going back to the night his mother died and the large conflagration of fire. He could hear the villagers die screaming either by blade or by flame, while the flames devoured everything. The air was filled with the smell of burned stone, fabric, and flesh enough to make him woozy.
While in the distance he could faintly hear his mother screaming for him, trying to find him in the house and he was just too far away for her to hear him. Only suddenly a pair of hands smacked his cheeks forcing him to reflexively shut his eyes against the blows. Before his vision was filled with baby girl eyes. Mana staring into them with this mildly concerned expression as she puffed up her cheeks.
As his senses returned to him he realized he had started blindly running, Mahaado had him by the arm. It was shameful that he lost himself to the past in a moment of importance such as this, and he picked up the pace so he could run properly by Mahaado's side. Though he was now hampered by Mana's presence in his arms. Hopefully there would be time to discuss, note complain, about the fact the prince had made their lives more difficult.
Even as his heart pointed out that it wasn't as though the Prince had any idea that they were going to get attacked.
The camp was in chaos, people dressed in the colors of night and flame were engaged in open combat with the soldiers that had accompanied the Pharaoh. Tents were being set fire to, servants were fleeing in terror only to be cut down the moment they came across some random attacker. The screams of the horses filled the air as he realized that there 'were' no horses in the immediate area that was of the Pharaoh's group. Had Anat and the other horses been stolen before this began?
With wild screams the enemy rushed the guards that came to their aid and Set reached for his own blade even as he put Mana down. In the back of his mind he found himself wondering why Mahaado wasn't fighting, but his focus was more invested in the attacker than the mage. Not an easy prospect as he faced an older, stronger fighter, and as much as he disliked admitting to Mahaado's words...
He really wasn't great with a sword.
The smell of burning flesh was making Set almost dizzy as he passively wondered why Mahaado wasn't casting any spells. It felt impossible that the magician in training would 'not' be actively casting enough spells to put such criminals in their places.
Set turned to face Mahaado, pondering such thoughts only to see Mahaado on his knees and the prince was clinging to him. Those peculiar amethyst eyes were filled with concern as the soldiers kept fighting other criminals. But it was the large spots of red on the back of the mages clothes that got Set's attention.
Suddenly he realized how bad the situation must have been in the tent. Apparently Mahaado had been attacked in his sleep and repeatedly stabbed. Which meant, as much as Set hated the fact, they would would be a man short in combat. And that was a problem, Mahaado had been ordered not to learn the healing arts. But he 'did' invest healing spells into potions and even his often sealed spellbook, yet for whatever reason, Maha apparently made no effort to evoke them. It would have been one thing if he had merely had blood on his clothes, but he still moved as though he had the wounds.
Amut snack on it, they should have just abandoned Mana the moment they realized she was there. Mahaado would have to be abandoned in the effort to reunite with the Pharaoh in fact. He may have learned to deal with life with limited blood, but clearly something was up with Mahaado.
"The area has become magically bound, I can't access any of my spells even Illusionary Magician would be useless here.." Mahaado explained as he pushed himself back to his feet.
Mahaado stood out of sheer stubborn will and gathered the prince back into his arms. But the news was horrifying for Set, if Mahaado couldn't use his magic, neither could his bastard of a master. It was the 'mages' who were serving double duty as priests and protectors thus the main points of protection for the Pharaoh.
Something that sealed away their power left the group under protected. Because while High Priest Shimon 'was' the holder of a powerful Ka... Exodia wasn't known for its focus when summoned. Its power tended to destroy everything in its path. Something one didn't want unleash when the Pharaoh and his son were in the range of that beasts' attacks.
Set tried to find the Pharaohs' personal entourage, the divine family had to be better protected and the Prince needed to be with the stronger guards. Only to realize they were completely cut off, there was a solid wall of flame cutting the camp in two. Though unlike Mahaado, his master didn't have a magician type Ka beast so it made sense to see the massive lion that moved like a man be unrestricted. The flames reflected off the flame orange mane and sandy yellow fur of the Ka as it tore into whatever came towards it.
Yet all that power was on the other side of the wall and it was just himself and the two guards, since Mahaado couldn't fight. Not with the Prince clutching at him, or all those injuries he sustained while he was asleep. Which meant that this group put the seal in place before Mahaado even woke up, and if there was anything more about this strange seal. Mahaado was in no condition to explain and they were too beleaguered to have this discussion.
One of the guards died in a bubbling scream a sword plunged through his chest, and Set was forced to engage them as well. There was a cry of voices, as several more attackers began to converge on the small group, swords at the ready with cries to capture the Prince heard. As Set braced for the battle, beyond the group was a trio of riderless horses that were charging wildly towards them all.
Or perhaps it would have been better to say 'Kurr ridden' instead, for there was Kurr floating along towards them. With what was to be assumed a look of serious battle harden readiness, with another furball that had no 'arms' but had hooked a rope that held the three horses to it by its tail. The horses probably would have ran off, or maybe they 'did' run off and only came back because they were bound to each other and being lead along.
Despite the fact that the little Ka Beasts were bringing them a means to escape, didn't mean that they were free from having to defend themselves though. Set fighting to push the attacker back when a staff suddenly shot forward slamming into the attackers' throat. The guys' eyes bulged and he jerked back, coughing in pain while the staff arced out away from the attack. Giving Set just enough time to see that Mahaado had gotten his hands on a pole and was fighting as well.
Damn it, the mage 'was' trained for combat. Bad enough that he could use spells, but apparently when push came to shove he could use weapons.
It was a testament to how strong these little furballs were that they could lead horses many times their own size along. Up to and including by knocking into the charging attackers to bring the horses to the small group.
"Kurrrr!"
Said little Ka Beasts arrived, pushing and knocking down everything with the horses with Kurr taking charge and flying forward to drive back the attackers. The rope that the other held proved to be on fire on one end. More over this furball didn't have 'hands' and had been pulling the rope with its tail.
Ok then.
More of the little furballs began to rise up into the air from the direction of the tablets, a clear sign that someone was calling them forward. Which the probability of it being the Prince himself running high. Horns, wings, there was a rather unique collection of furballs only Set didn't have time to be caught up with the observations. Instead he focused on helping Mahaado mount one of the horses with the prince staying in the mages arms. The horses had bridles and were still saddled with tack and supplies that Set didn't recognize.
Meaning that the Kurrs had stolen the horses from the enemies, he realized as he picked up Mana and swung himself up on the second horse. While the remaining guard mounted up as well and the group rode off to the edge of the encampment. Hoping that they could ride around the wall of fire and reach the main forces quickly. There was still no sign of magics being cast so whatever being used to subdue the magicians was large enough to seal up an temporary encampment.
They rode through the camp trying to get to the edge, as multiple soldiers died fighting, or killed these invaders. Servants couldn't be seen and Set had to wonder if they were already dead, as he held the reins on the horse. Mana sat in front of him, but he could hear her crying and regretted his inability to comfort the girl. A slaughter like this 'would' hold an effect on the little one, but there simply wasn't any time for him to try and settle her down. All he could do was hope she could handle what she saw until they got back to the Pharaoh and the main forces.
Not to mention that Mahaado had been stabbed repeatedly and Set was also concerned that Mahaado might keel over and die. If the guy fell from his horse would the Prince fall with him? Would he turn to see the Prince holding on to the horse and the mage outright dead in the saddle or gone? Well common sense told him that if Mahaado died and fell off, the prince would announce that to the world with out right screaming.
Yet somehow, with every glance he could spare to the Prince, he found Mahaado doggedly holding on to the reins and following Set. Which meant that Set was fully in charge at this point, the mage just no longer able to really make snap decisions. Though the Kurrs seemed to want to help, and as they rode along, Set noticed the Kurrs seemed... Rather fixated on harassing the attackers and given what he knew, perhaps this was the very group that ultimately killed these children and damned them to the fate of being Ka Beasts.
Yet the Princes' little Kurr friend seemed staunchly devoted to staying with them, flying above the madness, serving as a guide for them so Set could follow it. In fact, as he rode, Set realized he 'was' being forced to follow the small Ka. But did the Kurr know to take them 'out' of the camp so they could ride around and rejoin the Pharaoh? Only, how could it, when no one had given it an order? It was essentially doing this on its own since it wasn't as though the Prince could say anything at such a distance.
The air was an uncomfortable mixture of flame heated air and cool desert air, the smell of fire, ash, burning bodies and burned fabric was getting to the horse below him. There was a jittery feeling from the horse as though it was ready to bolt the moment that Set relaxed any control. And while he was pretty good with horses, if a horse wanted to go out of control, there really wasn't any way for Set to stop it.
The Kurr led them out of the camp, he could see the edge of the camp and for all of a moment Set started to feel a little positive by the open desert space. But then he caught sight of the horizon beyond them in the distance. The moon was setting behind what looked to be a line of mounted and standing figures giving the sickening feeling that they were surrounded by a small army.
He pulled up short once they were out of the camp as he tried to process the number of enemies before them, the second horse pulling up next to him. He turned to check on the prince and found the small childs' hands on the reins as were Mahaados'. Somehow the guy was still alive and staying mounted. Yet the third horse charged right on past them without slowing and all he could see was the body of the final guard being dragged along by one foot tangled in the stirrup. In a few glances of the soldier, Set thought he could see a broken arrow shaft protruding from the man.
"Don't cry Mana, we're almost safe," Set finally managed to give take a second to lean down in his saddle and give Mana a reassuring hug. He couldn't help feeling bad for the small girl, she had been in a sound sleep, woke up and dragged into this. The prince wouldn't want her to be terrified like this, though it might have been safer to leave the child in the basket. Perhaps the Gods would protect the basket and let it go unnoticed. But because the Prince didn't communicate with either of them when he brought her it left what could have been a trio, a quartet.
First thing first though, he had to lead them to the Pharaohs' forces so they could be properly protected. Or outside the realm of this accursed seal so something could be done magically. There was no telling how much longer Mahaado had before he would fall completely due to his injuries. Thus he found himself forced to make a judgment call between trying to reach the Pharaoh or trying to get out of whatever field it was that subdued Mahaado's magics so he could heal himself.