THE DESCENT OF LOST SOULS
Chapter Ten: The Revelation of the Scrolls
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To the Reader
This Chapter has references on or contains the following: the supernatural, angst, depression,
actual and / or insinuations of cutting and suicide, death, and cursing (cussing).
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Day Five of the Quest - Seven thirty in the morning
Location: Bed-and-Breakfast, Isle of Crete
Purpose: Translate the Scrolls of Passage
General Point-of-View
Unzipping the leather backpack, Emrys reached in for the three resin tubes.
Carefully opening the tubes and cautiously pulling out each scroll, she then placed them on the study table. She also pulled out her journal that had notes from the scroll that Professor Arthur Hawkins brought with him at Domino City.
She sat down and rolled up the sleeves of her pajamas. After examining each papyrus, she figured out the order in which the scrolls should be arranged.
Within an hour's time, she translated the three pieces of papyrus. She chronicled her findings in her journal. After the translation, she then read all the notes she had taken regarding the Scrolls of Passage:
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Since the dawn of time, Atlantis and Egypt
Had an alliance forged from friendship and goodwill
As a token of that alliance,
The Atlantean king and the Pharaoh of Egypt betrothed their children.
Egypt was also in her darkest hours from invaders.
As a last source of salvation, the seven Items of the Millennia were forged
The arcane knowledge being a gift bequeathed by our Atlantean friends
The Items can bring peace and justice, as well as unleash evil and torment.
The Princess, the only child of the Atlantean king
Was destined to be the first Queen and Regent of the Ten Houses of Atlantis
The Oracles of Atlantis and Delphi have foreseen that once she ascends the throne
She would surpass the glory and power of her ancestors.
Due to the envy and greed of the other Nine Houses of Atlantis,
They plotted to assassinate the young Princess.
The Atlantean king entrusted the Princess under the protection of Egypt
The Princess was to remain there until her ascension to the Atlantean throne.
Once the Princess arrived in Egypt
A great cataclysm destroyed her kingdom
The Princess grieved for her kingdom, family, and people
Over time, she embraced Egypt as her second home
The Prince ascended the throne as the Pharaoh
Inheriting the throne and the Puzzle of the Millennia
It was at this time that a dark power had arisen
Plaguing the land and its inhabitants
The Pharaoh sacrificed himself to save humankind
He locked the dark magic within the seven Items of the Millennia
The sacrifice made by the young Pharaoh claimed his life
In addition, his soul was imprisoned within the Puzzle of the Millennia.
Hoping to be reunited with him
His Queen vowed never to rest until his return
Along with the eternal love between them
Her crest shall forever remain in her possession.
The crest, the symbol of the Atlantean kingdom under her rule
Represents the powers within and without her
The battle to reclaim her rightful throne shall wage on
Paving the way for all that must happen
The dark forces shall spew out its potent malevolence
Once again threatening humankind and existence
Darkness and death shall embrace her and everything that she touches
Contingent upon the powers within and without her – and them.
When the Queen attempted to restore the Pharaoh
She mysteriously perished
Her death left Egypt without a ruler or heir to the throne.
The Puzzle of the Millennia lay in pieces beside her remains
And deemed to remain so until one worthy shall make it whole again
With their sudden deaths, a curse has befallen the Pharaoh,
Thus erasing his name in all the annals of history,
And eventually the memory of most of humankind
Once the Puzzle of the Millennia is restored,
So shall the young Pharaoh be restored,
To mark the beginning of all to be made right.
The curse shall be lifted when the Pharaoh retrieves what was lost
All that was lost shall be found
All that was misplaced shall return whence they came
All that was forgotten shall be remembered
All that was broken shall be made whole
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Still shocked from what she read, she then returned the papyruses inside the resin tubes. She diverted her attention towards the notes that were copied from The Portal of Osiris and The Dead Incantations.
"This will be a tougher nut to crack," she mused, as she tiredly rubbed the nape of her neck to release some tension. "An all-nighter...."
Emrys' Point-of-View
With all the thoughts running through my head, I did not notice how tired my body was until now.
Maybe a couple minutes of shut-eye would not hurt. Propping my head on the study table, my mind's eye whirred through many random thoughts. From what it seemed like a couple of minutes, I then opened my eyes.
Staring at the wall clock, I mused, "God, has it been an hour already? It's already nine thirty in the morning...."
As much as I hated myself for that wasted hour, I knew that my body needed that nap. I got up from the chair to stretch my tired arms and cramped legs. That last stretch of mine solicited sharp stabs of pain from my sides – which were still sore from the accident, as well as our escape from the hooded men.
I needed to jog my sleepy senses. A good, long soak in the tub would work wonders. Yes, I would do that. Then I would have brunch with Pegasus and tell him what I just uncovered.
After I filled the bathtub with hot water and bath oils, I took off my clothes, slipped in the relaxing waters, and sat still. Keeping my eyes shut, I allowed my tired body and burdened mind to unwind.
However, something interrupted my relaxation. I felt an object in my left hand. Glancing down at my hand, my eyes widened and my heart throbbed from what I saw.
In my left hand was an unopened switchblade. The weapon was exactly the one that I used whenever I cut my left thigh. My heart throbbed, as I stared at the object clutched within my left hand.
I did not bring this with me, for it held too many bitter and morbid memories. Then why was it here? If I did not bring it with me, then why was my left hand holding it now?
As if my left hand had a mind of its own, it quickly flicked the release button. Fear struck within the core of my soul, as I saw the menacing blade. The switchblade's glint was terrifying, but also inviting.
My hand trembled, but its hold on the fatal object tightened still.
Now my eyes were transfixed on my left thigh, most especially on the series of keloid scars that served as a permanent memory of my dismal stupidity. I did not want to go back to my old destructive ways. Something inside me, however, wanted even a split-second release from everything.
Was the Master right? Was it true that I have been damned to be like this forever? Was I only meant to live a life of lies? If that was the case, then this revelation went against everything that I believed in. Could this be true?
The tears trickled down and slowly mixed with the fragrant waters in the tub. The silent tears then turned into helpless sobs. I threw my head back and looked up the ceiling, searching for answers.
God, what is going on with me? Why is everything unraveling now? What did I do to deserve this?
Without any forethought, my left hand slashed through my old scars and reopened the wounds of the past. The blood from the deep gash greedily mixed with the fragrant water.
Before my very eyes, the water turned crimson.
My tears flowed more generously, and my heart was so heavy. I could not even understand or explain why I felt this way. Just when I thought that life would be better, I now shudder from returning to the life that I despised most….
Having mixed feelings of deep sadness and a morbid sense of relief, my fitful sobs turned into nervous giggles.
Eventually, maniacal laughter reverberated throughout the large tiled and marbled bathroom. The entire room then spun out of control. After the room stopped its dizzying spin, I was once again alone after the roller-coaster mental and emotional ride.
My eyes then widened. I frantically looked around me, and I furiously splashed my hands in the water.
There was no switchblade. There was not even a drop of blood. There was no gash. There was no crimson water. It was just I – sitting in the bathtub, and with a trail of tears left behind as the only proof of the harrowing experience.
God, have I just gone crazy? Was I losing my grip?
Before leaving the tub, I thoroughly immersed myself in the fragrant water. I tried washing off the morbid illusion that seemed so real. Immediately thereafter, I emerged from the waters and then wore my terrycloth robe.
"The mind's eye plays many tricks..." said an ominous and deep voice as I entered the bedroom.
I scanned the room.
A tall and mysterious figure emerged from the direction where the voice came from.
Almost speechless, I stammered, "S – Shadi!"
End of Chapter Ten
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Author's Side Note
Shadi is back! Why?
To find out what happens, tune in for the next chapters.
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 Incantation, The Orichalchos Medallion, other original characters, and this fan fiction are the author's property. This fan fiction is written for entertainment purposes only - thereby releasing the author from any liabilities.