Chapter Five: Chariot of Fire
Marik's vision blurred as he opened his eyes to see the same girl standing over him. Why couldn't he place a name with that face. Propping himself up on his good elbow he stared at her, trying to remember just who she was. Her face seemed so warm and caring, two qualities he had sold away long ago.
" Marik! You're finally awake!" Te'a was truly happy that Marik was awake. He had been asleep for almost two days straight. No one was really sure that he would wake up again, even the spirit of the ring. Bakura was apparently not as cold hearted as he would like to believe because he had healed Marik using some ancient ritual.
Te'a was also happy to see that Marik's eyes were normal again. Two days ago when she had stumbled onto him in the street she had been horrified. With the pupils only as big as a pinprick and the outer shell of lavender had been lurid and pale with fever. She had been so afraid when she saw him, so afraid he would die.
" Hey, don't cry! Nothing's wrong! Besides which, where are we?" Marik said in his sharp voice. He really didn't want her to cry, he wanted anything but that, and wondered why.
Te'a started when she realized she had been crying and wiped a stray tear off her cheek. She laughed and tried to look as cheery as she could.
" We're at Ryou's house. Yugi wanted to stay too, but his grandpa needed him at the shop." Te'a told Marik. He wouldn't have chosen the tomb robber's home, but he supposed it was his only choice. The Egyptian was, however, devoutly glad that the pharaoh had decided to leave. Wiping stray strands of golden hair out of his face, Marik swung his feet over the side of the bed he was in. He had to get home. Why was he so tongue tied around this girl?!? He had never been a shy person at all.
Te'a blushed bright red when Marik stood up and she realized that he had no shirt on. It only made sense that he wouldn't. The one he was wearing had been torn to ribbons during his attempt at suicide. She wished he hadn't stood up. Ryou and Bakura were both fast asleep and Marik was having a hard time just standing there. Not like he would show it though, Marik never showed his emotions or feelings. She could tell he was in no condition to be walking around, every few seconds his muscles would tense to keep from toppling over.
The Egyptian's head spun when he rose to his feet and he resisted the urge to sit back down. He needed to leave. He felt uncomfortable being in someone else's home. Slowly making his way toward the door, Marik thought about the melinium rod. He felt odd. Almost lost, without it. But it had caused him so much pain that he was glad to be rid of it no matter what the price.
The warm air hit his face in fast gusts so that it was confusing as to whether or not the weather was enjoyable as soon as he opened the door. Walking down the steps he squinted up at the turbulent sky and a chill passed through him. Marik wanted to believe that it was because of his injuries or the presence of spirits, but he had been dealing in magic long enough to know that that wasn't the case. There was something much greater than that and the youth didn't want to know what.
Marik hadn't been twelve steps when he became aware of another presence. He turned around and saw that same girl again. Looking up the street at her figure against a sun that had just appeared from behind the clouds the tanned figure recoiled as if struck.
Her body was illumined in the pale light so that it shone with a seraphic radience. Where the clouds were scattering the blue sky spread in two huge wings that sprawled into forever. Before she could see him, Marik tripped more than ducked into an alleyway.
Flashback
Marik was eleven. His father had kept him and his sister isolated in a tomb for their entire lives, but now he was free. Breathing his first breath of free air, Marik stood tall and looked to the horizen. The child's heart nearly stopped when he saw the visage before him.
A woman of medium height with brown hair stood at the top of the highest sand dune as far as the eye could see. She turned her head toward him in a manner that spoke of sadness and clasped her hands to her heart. With this, two huge, sky blue wings unfurled behind her. Framed by the golden Egyptian sun, Marik knew that it was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. With that, the angel, for that is what Marik assumed the creature was, gave a gigantic down swoop of the wings and lifted into the sky.
Riding atop the cyclone of sand her wings had created and smoldering like an ember before the desert sun, the holy being later reminded Marik of a story in the Christian religion. He later converted to Christianity and called the being Prophet, after Elijah who ascended to Heaven in the same manner.
End Flashback
Prophet. Marik mulled the word over and over in his mind until sleep pulled it into it's emotionless void.
Marik's vision blurred as he opened his eyes to see the same girl standing over him. Why couldn't he place a name with that face. Propping himself up on his good elbow he stared at her, trying to remember just who she was. Her face seemed so warm and caring, two qualities he had sold away long ago.
" Marik! You're finally awake!" Te'a was truly happy that Marik was awake. He had been asleep for almost two days straight. No one was really sure that he would wake up again, even the spirit of the ring. Bakura was apparently not as cold hearted as he would like to believe because he had healed Marik using some ancient ritual.
Te'a was also happy to see that Marik's eyes were normal again. Two days ago when she had stumbled onto him in the street she had been horrified. With the pupils only as big as a pinprick and the outer shell of lavender had been lurid and pale with fever. She had been so afraid when she saw him, so afraid he would die.
" Hey, don't cry! Nothing's wrong! Besides which, where are we?" Marik said in his sharp voice. He really didn't want her to cry, he wanted anything but that, and wondered why.
Te'a started when she realized she had been crying and wiped a stray tear off her cheek. She laughed and tried to look as cheery as she could.
" We're at Ryou's house. Yugi wanted to stay too, but his grandpa needed him at the shop." Te'a told Marik. He wouldn't have chosen the tomb robber's home, but he supposed it was his only choice. The Egyptian was, however, devoutly glad that the pharaoh had decided to leave. Wiping stray strands of golden hair out of his face, Marik swung his feet over the side of the bed he was in. He had to get home. Why was he so tongue tied around this girl?!? He had never been a shy person at all.
Te'a blushed bright red when Marik stood up and she realized that he had no shirt on. It only made sense that he wouldn't. The one he was wearing had been torn to ribbons during his attempt at suicide. She wished he hadn't stood up. Ryou and Bakura were both fast asleep and Marik was having a hard time just standing there. Not like he would show it though, Marik never showed his emotions or feelings. She could tell he was in no condition to be walking around, every few seconds his muscles would tense to keep from toppling over.
The Egyptian's head spun when he rose to his feet and he resisted the urge to sit back down. He needed to leave. He felt uncomfortable being in someone else's home. Slowly making his way toward the door, Marik thought about the melinium rod. He felt odd. Almost lost, without it. But it had caused him so much pain that he was glad to be rid of it no matter what the price.
The warm air hit his face in fast gusts so that it was confusing as to whether or not the weather was enjoyable as soon as he opened the door. Walking down the steps he squinted up at the turbulent sky and a chill passed through him. Marik wanted to believe that it was because of his injuries or the presence of spirits, but he had been dealing in magic long enough to know that that wasn't the case. There was something much greater than that and the youth didn't want to know what.
Marik hadn't been twelve steps when he became aware of another presence. He turned around and saw that same girl again. Looking up the street at her figure against a sun that had just appeared from behind the clouds the tanned figure recoiled as if struck.
Her body was illumined in the pale light so that it shone with a seraphic radience. Where the clouds were scattering the blue sky spread in two huge wings that sprawled into forever. Before she could see him, Marik tripped more than ducked into an alleyway.
Flashback
Marik was eleven. His father had kept him and his sister isolated in a tomb for their entire lives, but now he was free. Breathing his first breath of free air, Marik stood tall and looked to the horizen. The child's heart nearly stopped when he saw the visage before him.
A woman of medium height with brown hair stood at the top of the highest sand dune as far as the eye could see. She turned her head toward him in a manner that spoke of sadness and clasped her hands to her heart. With this, two huge, sky blue wings unfurled behind her. Framed by the golden Egyptian sun, Marik knew that it was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. With that, the angel, for that is what Marik assumed the creature was, gave a gigantic down swoop of the wings and lifted into the sky.
Riding atop the cyclone of sand her wings had created and smoldering like an ember before the desert sun, the holy being later reminded Marik of a story in the Christian religion. He later converted to Christianity and called the being Prophet, after Elijah who ascended to Heaven in the same manner.
End Flashback
Prophet. Marik mulled the word over and over in his mind until sleep pulled it into it's emotionless void.