" The Final Judgement "
By JessieHeart
*
Bakura limped passed the last of the forty-two demons, bruised and beaten. Blood ran down his left hand, dripping onto the floor.
The moments all the statues were behind him, they vanished from the hall and Ma'at reappeared. Behind her was a door.
The goddess kissed Bakura's forehead, and the bleeding stopped. However, the wound remained. She opened the door and led Bakura through.
Waiting for them was Anubis, a jackal-headed god of mummies and the deceased. The room was cloaked in darkness, with only candles to penetrate the shadow. A giant, golden scale stood in the center of the room, and behind it a great staircase led up endlessly into the dark ceiling. A crocodile growled from a corner.
Bakura blinked and stared wide-eyed at the crocodile. Its head and jaws were that of a menacing alligator, but its body was large and agile as a feline. Great, lion-like mane covered his throat. Bakura noticed that the hindquarters were tough and grey, like that of a hippo. He realized that this beast must be Am'mit, Anubis' deadly servant.
Anubis let out a dog-like growl as Bakura approached. He address Ma'at, indicating the spirit. "He has not been mummified. Why have you brought him here?"
Ma'at spoke calmly. "His circumstances are different. His physical body is still living, so I have granted him passage."
Anubis' snarl became more pronounced, but he face the scale.
"THOTH!" he called out demandingly. At the sound of his voice, a man with the head a bird came forth. "Prepare to record the Final Judgement."
Thoth nodded and pulled out a piece of papyrus paper and a quill in which to inscribe Egyptian symbols.
Ma'at stepped forward and pulled a sing feather from her hair. She placed it on one side of the scale and promptly retreated to a corner.
Anubis blinked. In one fluid motion, he reached his hand out towards Bakura, and the boy felt a white-hot pain in his chest. Anubis withdrew his hand and a glowing, crystal-like object formed in his grip. He placed it on the scale.
"Your own heart with not be weighed against the feather of Ma'at, the very essence of Truth itself. If your heart is as pure and light as the feather, you can continue to the eternal resting plane. If not, the heart will be heavy and only damnation awaits you."
Anubis backed away so they could all see the scale. "Now, step forward, Spirit, and receive judgement."
The scale tipped back and forth, creaking solemnly. Certain events seemed to be playing in Bakura's mind, and each evil deed made the heart side grow heavier. The more recent memories flooded into his mind, his most precious ones...
When he first met Ryou...
The heart grew lighter, tipping up...
Himself hitting Ryou, Ryou in pain, Ryou crying because he yelled at him...
The scale tipped down...
The time Bakura sacrificed himself to spare Ryou's life... All the instances he betrayed his poor, unselfish Aibou... The night he saved Ryou from childish nightmares...
Up, down... The scale tipped endlessly.
Bakura closed his eyes and fixed the image of Ryou in his mind. Perfect, smiling with bright cinnamon eyes... His innocent Aibou...
"The weighing is done." Ma'at's gentle voice said. Bakura opened his eyes.
The scale was tipped towards the heart side, yet it did not touch the floor. A thin, golden line had bound the heart to the top of the scale, trying desperately to hold it up. Everyone looked questioningly at Thoth. The god of scripture was uncertain.
"There is no record of an occasion like this. I do not know how to pass judgement."
Am'mit growled threateningly. Anubis examined the scale and gold string for a long time, until at last he spoke.
"There is a single ray of hope, a mere thread of good that keeps the scale from touching the ground." He said. "However, it is obvious that his heart if heavier than Truth." He looked at Bakura, an evil smile stretched over his sharp fangs. "And for that crime, I'll let my pet have you!"
Am'mit sprung into action, and with one cat-like bound he lunged at the spirit.
Bakura reacted instantly, grabbing the nearest candle pole and blocking the beast's attack. Am'mit's claws pushed against the rod, but Bakura matched his strength. The beast roared with great jaws longing to clamp down on the man's head. Bakura could see the teeth looming nearer, jagged and dripping with saliva.
With a desperate push, Bakura knocked Am'mit away and brought the pole down upon his muzzle. Am'mit attacked again, but was infinitely more cautious. Bakura continued to defend.
Anubis blinked. In all he millennia of years, he'd never seen anyone fight his pet. But Bakura was tired and weak from pushing the stone door and battling demons. The struggle would be over soon enough...
*
By JessieHeart
*
Bakura limped passed the last of the forty-two demons, bruised and beaten. Blood ran down his left hand, dripping onto the floor.
The moments all the statues were behind him, they vanished from the hall and Ma'at reappeared. Behind her was a door.
The goddess kissed Bakura's forehead, and the bleeding stopped. However, the wound remained. She opened the door and led Bakura through.
Waiting for them was Anubis, a jackal-headed god of mummies and the deceased. The room was cloaked in darkness, with only candles to penetrate the shadow. A giant, golden scale stood in the center of the room, and behind it a great staircase led up endlessly into the dark ceiling. A crocodile growled from a corner.
Bakura blinked and stared wide-eyed at the crocodile. Its head and jaws were that of a menacing alligator, but its body was large and agile as a feline. Great, lion-like mane covered his throat. Bakura noticed that the hindquarters were tough and grey, like that of a hippo. He realized that this beast must be Am'mit, Anubis' deadly servant.
Anubis let out a dog-like growl as Bakura approached. He address Ma'at, indicating the spirit. "He has not been mummified. Why have you brought him here?"
Ma'at spoke calmly. "His circumstances are different. His physical body is still living, so I have granted him passage."
Anubis' snarl became more pronounced, but he face the scale.
"THOTH!" he called out demandingly. At the sound of his voice, a man with the head a bird came forth. "Prepare to record the Final Judgement."
Thoth nodded and pulled out a piece of papyrus paper and a quill in which to inscribe Egyptian symbols.
Ma'at stepped forward and pulled a sing feather from her hair. She placed it on one side of the scale and promptly retreated to a corner.
Anubis blinked. In one fluid motion, he reached his hand out towards Bakura, and the boy felt a white-hot pain in his chest. Anubis withdrew his hand and a glowing, crystal-like object formed in his grip. He placed it on the scale.
"Your own heart with not be weighed against the feather of Ma'at, the very essence of Truth itself. If your heart is as pure and light as the feather, you can continue to the eternal resting plane. If not, the heart will be heavy and only damnation awaits you."
Anubis backed away so they could all see the scale. "Now, step forward, Spirit, and receive judgement."
The scale tipped back and forth, creaking solemnly. Certain events seemed to be playing in Bakura's mind, and each evil deed made the heart side grow heavier. The more recent memories flooded into his mind, his most precious ones...
When he first met Ryou...
The heart grew lighter, tipping up...
Himself hitting Ryou, Ryou in pain, Ryou crying because he yelled at him...
The scale tipped down...
The time Bakura sacrificed himself to spare Ryou's life... All the instances he betrayed his poor, unselfish Aibou... The night he saved Ryou from childish nightmares...
Up, down... The scale tipped endlessly.
Bakura closed his eyes and fixed the image of Ryou in his mind. Perfect, smiling with bright cinnamon eyes... His innocent Aibou...
"The weighing is done." Ma'at's gentle voice said. Bakura opened his eyes.
The scale was tipped towards the heart side, yet it did not touch the floor. A thin, golden line had bound the heart to the top of the scale, trying desperately to hold it up. Everyone looked questioningly at Thoth. The god of scripture was uncertain.
"There is no record of an occasion like this. I do not know how to pass judgement."
Am'mit growled threateningly. Anubis examined the scale and gold string for a long time, until at last he spoke.
"There is a single ray of hope, a mere thread of good that keeps the scale from touching the ground." He said. "However, it is obvious that his heart if heavier than Truth." He looked at Bakura, an evil smile stretched over his sharp fangs. "And for that crime, I'll let my pet have you!"
Am'mit sprung into action, and with one cat-like bound he lunged at the spirit.
Bakura reacted instantly, grabbing the nearest candle pole and blocking the beast's attack. Am'mit's claws pushed against the rod, but Bakura matched his strength. The beast roared with great jaws longing to clamp down on the man's head. Bakura could see the teeth looming nearer, jagged and dripping with saliva.
With a desperate push, Bakura knocked Am'mit away and brought the pole down upon his muzzle. Am'mit attacked again, but was infinitely more cautious. Bakura continued to defend.
Anubis blinked. In all he millennia of years, he'd never seen anyone fight his pet. But Bakura was tired and weak from pushing the stone door and battling demons. The struggle would be over soon enough...
*