Ancient Magics

by Silverdust-Aestis

A new girl has arrived in Domino City. But what is she? I suck at summaries. R&R *FINAL CHAPTER UP*

10. Messenger: Prophecies

Ancient Magics

By Silverdust

Chap 10. Messenger-The Prophecies

***

Sekhmet stood there a few moments, frozen in shock, before throwing her arms around the God of Death and hugging him tightly. "It's you, it's really you! Oh Ra thank you!"

Anubis smiled slightly and patted her head, before pushing her away. "Sekhmet, I've missed you little one."

She nodded, mutely. He sighed, his face turning serious. "But I have a message to bring you, now that you've discovered your destiny. Summoned Skull attacked here a few days ago, so you know that you have to stop this soon."

"Do I ever," she muttered darkly.

"Well, I can't help you get into the Shadow Realm, but I can give you clues to as it's location," he handed her a parchment. "As to how you open it, that's up to you to find out. All I can tell you is you have to look within your own sadness to find the answers."

He turned to go. "Sorry I can't stay longer, but the Shadow Realm has taken its toll on the Heavens as well, I have issues I need to sort there as well."

"Wait!" Sekhmet said. "I have a question I need to ask. Where's Kiiraa?"

Anubis turned. "Kiiraa has to find her own path. As of now, you can't be to trusting of her. She's in a tense time."

He disappeared into the shadows. Sekhmet sighed. One of her surrogate parents had come, but for just an instant. She didn't want to realize how homesick she was right now, and no everything was becoming too much. And Kiiraa, what about her? She had been Sekhmet's companion through some of the toughest times in her life, and now, now she couldn't trust her. Truth was becoming lies, friends becoming enemies, reality becoming fantasy, what in hell or heaven was anything true to hold on to?

"Sekhmet!"

A strong arm grasped her from behind. Malik stood there, violet eyes worried. "Where have you been? We were worried!"

Bakura came up behind them, not really noticing them. "Damn, damn, damn mirrors! Spent an hour in this damn house ! We're so friggin' lost," he looked up and saw her. "Hi."

Sekhmet looked at both of them tiredly. "Anubis just came, he gave me this," she held up the scroll. "I need to go figure this out."

Malik nodded in mutual agreement. "Okay, we'll take you home."

"Thanks guys, you're the best."

***

Sekhmet bit her lip in frustration. Damn, damn, damn, damn! An hour at this stupid scroll and nothing ! Talk about puzzles, I know I have to figure this one out on my own, but this is really pushing it. The scroll was written in an ancient, almost unreadable style of hieroglyphics. She remembered Thoth mentioning something like this, but he had only given her the few details. How was she supposed to figure this out?

I bet if Kiiraa was here she'd help me, Sekhmet thought ruefully. The cat was an expert on languages and scripts, and she had always gotten things right. Oh I miss you Kit-kat!

Sekhmet considered calling Yami, because he was the Pharaoh and all, but she realized that it wasn't the Pharaoh's job to write, it was the scribe's. Man, why is everything so hard for me!

A few shimmering tears fell on the paper. Lamplight played in the prism of water, reflecting gently, strangely…

Sekhmet looked closer, was the parchment…shining? Yes, a faint silver glow beneath the water. The characters beneath it were changing, morphing themselves into modern letters. Sekhmet gasped in wonder, then slowly started to smear her tears over the lines. One by one, they became readable. 'Look within your sorrow,' that's what Anubis had meant! Thoth must have safeguarded the paper, that's all. So simple.

The words stood out on the wet paper, shimmering silver characters.

When Ra's flight is over

And Khonsu shines bright

When diamonds on velvet

The only light

Where Eden dwells softly

A flicker of green

In the black and white city

Nature pristine

A gate to unlock there

And a hidden key

One you have with you

But yet cannot see

"Who came up with that?" she wondered out loud. When Ra's flight is over, um Ra's the sun, to maybe at dusk? No wait, Khonsu is the moon, and he's shining bright, and I guess diamonds on velvet would be the sky, so around midnight. Eden dwells softly, umh, green, black and white city, Domino, duh! Nature, the park, yeah, the park! Now the key…"

She re-read the passage. That could mean friggin' anything! This was hopeless…She buried her head in her arms, she was so damn tired! Of all this mystery, and destiny, and monsters, and all fucked up crap!!!!!!!

She cried silently. Why me? Why in all the world me? I always had bad luck from the beginning, and now it's worse, what's the point in saving the world, it's so damn fucked up now, what's there left to save?

"Everything's left to save, don't you think?"

Sekhmet's head shot up. Kiiraa sat on the table, fixing her with those ruby eyes that could mean everything and nothing at all. She got up slowly. "You've found what you've been looking for, and now it's our parting of ways."

"Kiiraa, why in hell won't you tell me what's going on with you!! Ever since that damn attack at the mall you've been acting so friggin' weird! Everything is secrecy and lies and now even you! What is going on?!"

Kiiraa regarded her outburst coldly. "Control yourself, you'll need the discipline for your journey to the Shadow Realm."

"I can't even find the damn key, how am I supposed to get in there?"

"That's why I'm here Sekhmet. To tell you."

"Anubis told me I shouldn't trust you."

She shrugged her shoulders. "I couldn't give a damn right now Sekhmet, if you trust me or not."

That stung, all those years of friendship thrown away just like that. "You are the greatest fraud I've ever met Kiiraa, and I thought we had an unbreakable bond. So you don't care for me just like that, you wouldn't give a shit if I died or not?"

"Not right now, no. I have a different path than you Sekhmet. I've been chosen for a different destiny, a darker one that yours. Right now I can't care, because Sekhmet, I have power, greater power than yours and in return, I've given my heart and soul. So now, in order for my destiny to work, yours has to as well. The children Sekhmet, the children, like Mokuba, they are the part of the world that need saving. A child's gift, that is the key."

And with that she disappeared. Sekhmet looked at the spot where she had been moments ago. Betrayal, anger, sorrow burned in her mind all at once, but the worst of it was fear. She was afraid of the being Kiiraa had become. But if she could cut off her friendship just like that, so could Sekhmet. She hardened her expression and went back to analyzing what Kiiraa had said. A child's gift? What in hell was that? She played with her charm bracelet idly, like she often did when she was trying to figure things out. The metal was cool against her hand. Mokuba had given her this awhile ago, hadn't he? The only link to her old life now that Kiiraa was…she wouldn't think about the cat anymore. A priceless gift she would treasure forever…

Gift?

That was it! Finally! The key, she had it, right here with her all the time. A knocking came at the door. "Sekhmet? We're back."

"Seto!" she cried flinging open the door. "I've got the key, the portal, and the setting. Everything has to be ready by midnight. Come on, we've got work to do."

***

Sekhmet paced as the countless eyes followed her. Once again, everyone was gathered in the living room. "Okay, we'll need a task force to stay here to control the Shadow Realm monsters, and I'll need a small group to go with me into the Shadow Realm."

She pointed to Kaiba. "You'll stay here, so I can remain in contact with the real world. You are the computer expert after all."

Kaiba nodded, not sure how to handle how quickly it seemed she had grown up.

"I need a team to go with me."

Malik shrugged and stepped forward, followed by Bakura. She glanced at them gratefully. "I need one more person."

Joey took an eager step forward but was pulled back by Mai. "Not now Joseph. I don't want you getting hurt."

Otogi instead took his place.. Sekhmet looked at the rest. "Yes, there are a lot of you, but that will be useful, the outbreaks are going to get worse. Yami, Seto, you are going to share leadership understand?"

The two rivals glanced at each other grimly. Sekhmet could well as guess what was going through their minds. "To beat the Shadow Realm, you'll need teamwork. Shake on it."

The two boys grimaced but shook very briefly then stepped apart. Sekhmet nodded in approval. She looked up at the clock. 11:30. Brief time to get ready, but that was all they probably needed. A flutter of fear grasped at her stomach. There were so many things that could go wrong, and she wasn't entirely sure if she was doing the right thing, but there was no time for fear, not now. Not fear of monsters, of magic, of pain. Not of Kiiraa…

She hardened her heart and her expression, and turned back to the group.

"Let's go."

***

SilverD: That was cheesy at the end. Kiiraa is turning out to be more of a character than I expected her to be in the beginning. The next chapter is going to be pretty short, because it's the last chapter in the story. The Shadow Realm journey will be a whole other one. I will need some characters for the Shadow Realm and maybe a couple for the real world. Some might come in, some might not. Just fill out the sign up sheet below and post it with your next review. Adios!

Name:

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Eyes:

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Magic: (Leave blank if does not use. Try to be specific ^_^)

Weapons:

Where you would like him/her to be: (Shadow realm/real world)

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