THE DESCENT OF LOST SOULS
Chapter Five: The Secrets of the Dead
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To the Reader
This Chapter has references on the following topics: the occult and death. There are also references to Greek mythology and other legends in this Chapter.
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Day Three of the Quest - Mid-day
Egyptian National Museum - Cairo, Egypt
Still meeting with Isis Ishtar - Museum Curator and Director
Emrys' Point-of-View
Did I just hear the right thing, or am I going deaf?
Did Miss Ishtar just say Queen of Egypt? How the hell was that possible?
My eyes scanned the entire perimeter looking for anything - or anyone - except for Miss Ishtar to answer my questions. My glance rested on Pegasus, who was also stunned and speechless as I was.
When I could not find anyone to clarify this latest bombshell, my gaze returned to its quiet messenger. My heart fell and sank to the pit of my stomach. With a crinkled forehead, I said, "I've recently come across a scroll that narrated the past between the Pharaoh and his love. It was the last part of the narrative, but it did confirm that my counterpart in the past was an Atlantean princess – next in line to ascend the throne before Atlantis was destroyed. Did I make the wrong interpretation of that scroll?"
Miss Ishtar's eyebrow arched in curiosity. "You have managed to obtain part of the Scrolls of Passage? The narrative you read is incomplete. Are you aware as to where the rest of the scrolls are?"
I shook my head. "No. I have clues that may help me recover them. If what you say is true, then the only way for that to happen – "
" – Is for you to be married to the Pharaoh. I've seen your past together, as well as your present."
Assessing whether Miss Ishtar was telling the truth, my gaze into her slate blue eyes deepened. Unbelievable and ridiculous as it sounded, my discernment told me that she was stating the pure and unadulterated facts. Was that why the connection was so strong between Yugi's other self and me?
Seeing that I still shook my head from disbelief and shock, Isis explained, "I can only tell you what I saw in the past. The powers that allowed me to readily see the past and future have already left me."
I tried regaining my composure and mental presence back into our conversation. "Did that power leave you once you gave your Millennium Necklace to Yugi?"
The young museum director gave a tight-lipped response, "The powers already escaped me before I gave the Necklace to the Pharaoh's vessel."
Momentarily resting my right hand behind the back of my head while I deeply breathed in, I then inquired, "What else did you see?"
"Because of my duel against Seto, he proved to me that all I saw regarding the future are mere possibilities."
I observed her while she shared this latest thought with us. While paying close attention to every word she uttered, I saw the glimmer of hope in her eyes. What struck me was not what she just said, but the way she just said it. If she claimed that the future she saw were just potentialities, then why the glint of promise and faith show in her slate blue eyes?
For a split second, my mind wandered off. I just recalled the story of Cassandra in Greek mythology.
Apollo woos Cassandra, but the virgin priestess wants to remain chaste. To win her heart, the handsome sun god gives her the gift of future sight. When she still does not yield to his desires, he turns his gift to a curse. Throughout the rest of her days, she sees the inevitable future but the others she warns ridicule her. The last vision she sees is that of Clytemnestra chopping her head off with an axe.
God, I just had chills travel down my spine. I just could not help but feel sorry for Cassandra.
Now that I thought about it, I would never like to be a seer. I would not want to see all the misery, carnage, and death way before it happened. I guess that Miss Ishtar's viewpoint in seeing the future as an option, rather than set in stone, would be a refreshing perspective.
Briefly looking at Pegasus, and eventually glancing back to me, she said, "You and the Pharaoh have battles to fight. As of now, you are engaged in your own personal war. The choices that you and he make would affect the future, as well as the world above and below."
"What about his memory?" I intently asked.
Without hesitation, Miss Ishtar replied, "The Pharaoh has to fight that battle without your help. You are only destined to find your own whereabouts. However, as I said, what I saw were mere possibilities. People can rewrite was is destined to happen."
I then looked around to see if there was anyone within our earshot. Since the coast was clear, I whispered to Miss Ishtar, "Is there a way to restore someone who died long ago? Is there a way for the soul and the restored body to reunite – regardless of whether the body was mummified or decayed?"
I saw Pegasus hold his breath until heard the answer. As we shared that gut-wrenching feeling, our wait seemed like an eternity.
She then murmured, "There is a way...."
My heart jumped out of my chest. This was such awesome news! If I could not help Yugi's other self from retrieving his lost memory, then maybe I could restore him back to the land of the living.
Pegasus was so elated from what he just heard that he grabbed my shoulder. That firm touch of his said it all: he could, and would, get Cynthia back. What touched me the most was the tear-filled glint in his eye. He bit his lower lip hard, as the hope within his heart re-ignited from Miss Ishtar's words. Seeing him react this way, I now believe his claim that Cynthia was his reason for previously delving into evil.
Slightly nodding her head, Miss Ishtar whispered with a faint smile, "Please follow me...."
After walking though seemingly endless hallways, she escorted us at the other far corner of the museum. We all went inside her simple but tastefully furnished office. She then motioned us to sit on the leather-upholstered chairs across her oak desk.
Removing the large painting behind her work desk, she fumbled through the knobs of a safe. Once she opened the safe, another knob awaited for her to unlock. Eventually, she produced two thick books from the safe. She then laid them side by side on her desk - each one unique from the other but nonetheless equally fascinating. To safeguard the books, an airtight resin container protected each one.
Facing Miss Ishtar's desk, I closely examined the two books. On my left-hand side was the first book, which was entitled The Portal of Osiris. On my right-hand side was the second book entitled The Dead Incantations.
There were three similarities between the two books: they were in hieroglyphics, they gave out mystical energies, and they were made out of gold. What intrigued me, however, was the difference between The Dead Incantations and the Portal of Osiris.
First, The Dead Incantations was a compilation of spells from a council of ancient mages. If speculations among hardcore Egyptologists were true, this book existed even before the Archaic Period (3150 to 2660 BC). Second, the multi-authored grimoire did not have a patina like The Portal of Osiris. With the way its gold glittered, it looked like it did not exist for more than five millennia.
Just imagine such knowledge coming from the most powerful sorcerers of ancient Egypt contained within one book!
Still awe-stricken from these two tomes, I focused my sights on Miss Ishtar, who stated, "These provide the second answer you seek."
One of my eyebrows rose, and my eyes narrowed. "These books were supposedly lost in time. How did you manage to find them?"
"For generations, our family kept the Pharaohs' secrets. We protected some of the Millennium Items for the Pharaoh, while we kept these sacred books for you."
Following up with my inquiry, my next question was: "Have you tried translating these texts?"
She glanced sideways, as if she had done something shameful. "I read their contents, even though my father told us never to read them. I delved into these texts at greater length when I became the Director for this museum."
He then interjected, "Is there something in those books that aroused your interest?"
Deeply sighing, our dark-haired host said, "There is one prerequisite that must be met before the gods would listen to the spellcaster. Even if the gods do listen, it does not guarantee that they would grant the gift of resurrection."
"What is it?" he and I asked in unison.
With a grim gaze, Miss Ishtar explained, "The spell caster must be on the very brink of death while uttering the incantation. There is no exception to this requirement...."
End of Chapter Five
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Author's Side Note
Cassandra warns the Trojans about Helen of Troy and the Trojan Horse. Because no one listens to her, the city of Troy is sacked and she becomes Agamemnon's slave. The last thing she sees is her violent death.
Pretty grim story, huh? Still gives me the chills, every time I think about it.
By the way, a grimoire (in case I did not explain it well in this chapter) is a compilation of spells by a single wizard / sorcerer / witch / sorceress. When I thought about how I should portray The Dead Incantations, I could not resist making it a grimoire for a council of powerful - and possibly very dark – Egyptian sorcerers.
One of the most legendary - and notorious ones - is the grimoire of Simon Magus, a wizard reputed to have sold his sold to the Devil for greater power. The fact that Simon Magus is a powerful and rich alchemist is true, but the fact that he sold his soul to the Devil is still subject to debate (you know how historians blatantly romanticize and demonize people - and call their writings history). This legend has been the basis of Goethe and Marlowe's Faust.
Okay, now that you have been given some trivia, hope to see you next chapter! Thanks in advance for patiently reading and constructively reviewing :-D
Warmest Regards, Zatken
Normal Disclaimer
Yu-Gi-Oh is the copyrighted property of Kazuki Takahashi. Alexandra Emrys, Yoshiko, The Scrolls of Passage, The Portal of Osiris, The Dead Incantations, duel monster card Rhea, duel monster card Cronus, ritual card The Birth of Poseidon, duel monster card Poseidon Lord of the Seas, and this fanfic are the properties of the author. This fanfic is written for entertainment purposes only - thereby releasing the author from any and all liabilities.