Hicky: Okay, let's get this straight. I KNOW I haven't updated in a long time. I KNOW this and do NOT need to be TOLD by other people that I have not updated in a long time.
Trent: big happy grin I was a good block.
Hicky: rolls eyes Peeps, I luv ya for your reviews but I write this fic for me, got it? Cause I want to and like to. I don't do it to please all you, so I don't mind not updating ever week, or every month. I don't WANT to hear everyone whining about "Finally!" and "I thought you had died!" And stuff like that. I KNOW it was a long time to wait so don't bother telling me.
Trent: Like, we don't own Yu-Gi-Oh, so yea. Enjoy the chappie!
To The Temple
As the sun peaked over the sandy hills of the desert, causing a beautiful red glow against the yellow, the caravan came to the borders of the city. They passed through the outskirts and more modernized homes of the citizens. It was still too early for the people to be up, but soon the city would be alive with activity.
Dane shifted a little as the sunlight hit his eyes. He turned his face into the chest of the young man who he had forgotten had brought him onto his camel during the night. He groaned slightly, not wanting to have woken up. He tried to hide his face in the robes of the young man he was sitting on, to go back to sleep.
"Come now Dane, you must be awake when you meet the Pharaoh," the young man said as he moved his hand to lift Dane's head; the eastern light brightening half of the boy's face, while the other half was hidden in light shadow.
Dane looked up and when he did, his eyes sparkled as they met ruby red irises, and black hair framing the face of the young man. "Ch-Chacer?" He asked quietly, amazed at what three years had done to his dear friend.
The young man, well, actually mature looking teen, smiled down at the boy in his lap. "Yes Dane, it is I."
Dane was suddenly wide-awake and filled with energy. He wrapped his arms tightly around his friend and pressed his check against the other's chest. "Chacer! Oh Chacer! I missed you so much! Your sisters and mother miss you too, they would have been so happy to see you when you were at the villag-"
"But Dane, I came for you, not them." Chacer held the boy close with one arm and kept the other on the reigns. "I volunteered to come on the trip to get you, and to tell you about the temple."
Dane just hugged Chacer tighter, almost wanting to cry. "Three years was so long, and you've changed a lot."
Chacer frowned a little. 'More than you know,' he thought, and was grateful that Dane could not see his unhappy face. His frown changed back to a smile as he enjoyed the arms around his body. True, he had grown; taller, stronger, his voice had changed, his hair had grown longer. But on the inside he had changed as well. Chacer maneuvered over to Dane's camel once again. "Dane, hop back over to your camel. We're almost there."
Dane looked up at Chacer for a moment before turning his head to see the palace to one side, and then turned his head over the other shoulder to see the temple. He clambered around as he tried to get back to where he had been sitting before last night.
Chacer laughed lightly and smiled when Dane finally sat down again. "Alright... fix your hair a bit. Everyone will be waiting for you."
Dane's entire body tightened with nervousness. He had been riding for days and was certainly in no condition to impress anyone, especially a pharaoh.
"Don't worry. No one looks spectacular when they first show up... well, except me of course."
"Shut up Chacer, you're not that good looking."
Chacer scoffed and grinned. "I am and you know it."
Dane waved one hand at his friend to shut him up while the other one ran through his hair, attempting to untangle any knots and make it lay flay. "How many other's will be arriving?"
Chacer thought for a moment. "I'm not sure. It's different every year. There are usually between ten and thirteen new arrivals on this day, a few before, a few after. It depends on how far away their villages are, and when the caravans left to get them."
"But this is the main day of arrivals?" Dane asked spitting onto his palm, rubbing his hands together and running them down his hair. "Shiny?"
Chacer nodded. "Yes, it's the main day, and yes, you're hair is shiny now."
Dane spit into his hand once more and repeated the processes for good measure.
"Oh yeah, that's attractive-"
"I'm trying to look good, not be attractive . . . . Shut up Chacer!" Dane lowered his hands and looked straight ahead.
"I am not going to let to march up to Pharaoh with your hair covered in spit."
Dane whipped his head around to look at Chacer. "Heh! Shiny is good and it'll make people notice me. Besides, there isn't any other way I'm going to look any better..."
"Oh really? No other way?" Chacer un-strapped his staff and bought in into his right hand. It was a simple staff, thin, brown wood and a triangular gem on top. He made a little motion and watched as his spell took place.
Dane's eyes went wide and then closed as the magic washed over him. A warm tingle crept over his skin and danced through his hair. The brown-haired boy sighed dreamily at the wonderfully feeling. Once it was gone he slowly opened his eyes and looked back at Chacer.
Chacer tied his staff back down, trying his hardest not to look at Dane. The spell was a simple one, to remove all the dirt and other things off Dane's clothes and body. He was completely clean, and his hair shone in its natural richness.
"Wh-what was that feeling?" Dane asked, although he was sure it was magic.
"Love," Chacer said, smiling sweetly. "You love me, Dane." He just looked at the staring boy until he couldn't take it any longer and burst out laughing.
Dane blinked and scowled. "It was magic!" He said before turning abruptly to face forwards again.
"I know what it was, Dane, you silly boy." Chacer continued to laugh for a while longer, as Dane's cheeks reddened.
Dane held on tightly to his seat, as Chacer's laugher quieted to a chuckle, then stopped completely. "Aren't you going to clean yourself up a bit," the blue-eyed boy said, purposefully added a cold edge to his voice.
"Like I need it," Chacer shot back cockily. "Besides, I don't want to show you up too badly on your big day." Chacer moved his camel into an awkward trot to get ahead of Dane's.
The boy watched as Chacer moved past him, and slowed again as he came up to another man, maybe nineteen. He watched as the two leaned close to whisper something. The young man grinned for a moment, but that stopped as Chacer pressed his lips to those of the stronger mage.
The older mage smiled as Chacer moved up. "It's been a while," he said quietly, leaning in.
"What? I thought you had fun two nights ago," Chacer whispered back.
"Of course, but I know you can offer more when you aren't surrounded by unwilling participants."
Chacer chuckled lightly at what the man said. "Tonight then? Would that please you?"
"Very much... you're not busy?"
To answer the question Chacer simply leaned in those extra few inches and kissed the man. He had changed so much...
Dane slipped to the side, his mouth hanging wide open. He caught himself in the nick of time, just before he would have toppled off his high mount. Suddenly he saw Chacer's poems in a whole new light.
Chacer turned his camel around, caught the look on Dane's face and looked down. He moved back into his position beside Dane without saying a word.
Dane's staring eyes followed Chacer until he was looking right, parallel to his shoulder. "Why did he kiss you?" Dane asked, again knowing the answer, and also that his question was a little off.
Chacer said nothing, but his fingers tighten around the reigns.
The young boy tried something a little different. "Why did you kiss him, Chacer?' There was no reply. Dane sighed a little. "Do you love him?"
"... No...," Chacer managed to say quietly.
"But-"
"No, Dane. I'm not going to talk to you about something you would never understand."
Dane was hurt. They used to tell each other everything. Dane knew that Chacer liked boys, because he liked him. Maybe it was the fact that Chacer was the one to kiss the older man that shocked him, maybe because they kissed on the lips, maybe because it wasn't him. 'Because it wasn't him?' Dane thought a moment. Sure, it was Chacer, his dearest friend, his closest companion, but did he like Chacer that way?
The younger boy's brow knit in thought. He was only twelve, too young for his heart to fall in love, but old enough for it to play tricks on his mind with silly crushes. He thought about Mysotsu, four years younger than him, and so obviously attached to him, but that was completely one sided. There was Mynako, colder than the average child, making her seem much older, but there was no crush there. Takima was a wild-child bent on wreaking havoc and making mischief. A close friend, but like her normal-er sister, she had been Dane's friends and not even tried to be more.
The other village girls where just that, other village girls. They would work with their mothers, or stay to their groups. The carriers of the magical genes were taught, young, not to become romantically involved with those that were to leave for the temples. It made sense that way, ensuring that more special babies would be born, and those with magic would leave, to make their village better known.
So, Dane came to the conclusion that he had never had a crush on any of the girls, whether he would have been able to pursue any of them of not. He looked over at Chacer and thought about the other village boys, the ones that worked hard in the fields, which were strong and powerful looking, and the ones that tended to their homes with their mothers.
He giggled lightly, picturing Takima out in the fields with the boys, either beating them all with her skills and speed, or standing on a tree branch or on a large rock and calling out orders. He had heard from his uncle about other villages that didn't let the boys stay home or the girls out to work in the fields, but their village was different, Dane thought it the best. It made sense, didn't it, for the people to do what they were good at, to send mages of both sexes to the temples because of their skills?
But what did any of that matter now? He had left his village behind, probably never to return. His life was taking a course that was known well, and also not at all. He always knew he would be a mage, but what about the rest of his life…
Chacer looked back at Dane, and watched him, wondering what he was thinking about so seriously. He smiled at the way the boy's eyebrows drew together and the way his bottom lip stuck out a bit, just like when he had been little. "Don't hurt yourself there, Dane. Your head might explode."
Dane blinked out of his thoughts and turned his head to his friend. He sighed and looked down at the neck of his camel, mumbling quietly, "I'm… kinda scared."
Chacer tilted his head to the side slightly. "Don't be, Dane. It's an amazing world, full of adventure, of things you could never dream of." He leans forward to see Dane's down turned face. "And you know, we'll be bestest best friends again."
The brunette's lips twitched into a smile. At least he didn't have to face this great big adventure on his own. "Thanks, Chacer."
There was a sound of a horn off in the near distance and a much louder echo from one only a few meters ahead. Dane looked around, a little confused.
"Our greeting begins, Dane. Look sharp, alert, ready. You're about to meet Pharaoh."
Dane's eye became wider. Although knowing that this was what was to happen all along, it was shocking having it suddenly so near. He sat up stalk straight and tightened his fingers around the reigns. His chest rose and fell in a long slow rhythm as he mentally tried to prepare himself.
From other roads throughout the city caravans from other tribes and villages converged and the sound of greeting horns erupted from each to the others. The lines merged and travelers fell into close lines to converse with friends not seen for long whiles.
A pair of, what Dane couldn't decipher as girls or boys, fell into step next to him, atop their own camel. They looked over at him and waved, smiling nervously.
"Anihae!" Chacer called over from Dane's right, all the way over to the pair's left. He waved, hand high in the air. "Twins again?! That's the eighth set from your tribe, isn't it??"
A rich voice laughed loudly. "Seventh Chacer! The sixth set were triplets!"
"Right, right! Can't keep track of the numbers you bring in!" Chacer laughed too.
Dane and the twins exchanged looks as the other two called back and forth. "My name's Staris," the first on the camel piped up.
"And I'm Starlet," the other chimed in, voices as identical and as hard to decipher as their looks.
Dane raised an eyebrow trying to decide whether to tag them as girls or boys.
The first, Staris, laughed. "We know they're oddish names. We're the sons of our tribe's astronomer."
"He likes stars," the second stated.
They were as slight in build as Mysotsu and Mynako, and their voices were somewhere between the girls' and Dane's. No wonder it had been difficult to peg them.
"I'm Dane," he said, and without being able to think of anything to match their 'sons of an astronomer' he added, "and I've been stalked by his loony sister since she was old enough to walk." He pointed toward Chacer and the twins laughed.
Said teen raised an eyebrow having been listening. "Still? I thought she would have dropped that by now. She knows she isn't allowed a husband anyway, let alone a strong mage like yourself."
"I don't think Mysotsu thinks about what she's allow to and not allowed to do."
The twins laughed softly again. "She sounds fun. Is she coming to the temple too?" Starlet asked.
"In four years, with her sister, Mynako," Dane replied.
Chacer suddenly called back to Anihae. "You hear that! Twins from my village, and my sisters no less!"
"Should I be scared??" Anihae pretended to shake with fear.
"Yes," Dane said flatly and the whole group of them burst out laughing.
A chorus of horns sounded ahead of them, closer than ever. The three younger boys became silent and nervous once again. The other two looked across at each other and smiled, proud of the younger three.
The great number of camels dwindled as many turned toward the temple. What was left was the newcomers and the mages that had come to collect them. At the gates to the palace courtyard they stopped, dismounted, and stood in a line in front of a group of very important looking individuals.
Chacer smiled and spoke to Dane out of the corner of his mouth, as did many of the other Bringers. "I am sure you know which is Pharaoh." After Dane's nod he continued. "His wife stands to his right, his two sons to his left. The young woman behind them is the eldest son's wife. To the queen's right stands her father, the High Priest, and in front of him is his only son, and brother to the queen."
Dane made a face as he looked from the queen to her brother. It looked like there was a thirty-year difference between the two. Looking from the High Priest to his children it looked more likely for him to be the grandfather, her to be the mother, and the boy to be her son… but Dane would ask questions later.
The pharaoh stepped forward and raised his hands in the air. "Loyal mages, welcome youths! The gods have blessed your journeys, and may they bless you on this day, and every day to follow!"
The mages joined into one voice. "May the gods bless you! Great and powerful Pharaoh! Hail Thabit! Hail Pharaoh!"
The twelve year olds all started as the cry erupted, their nerves on edge.
"Hail Queen Anzu! Hail Prince Chatha, Prince Yami, Lady Subira! Hail High Priest Akil! Hail Seth!" The chant continued.
The small red headed prince squeaked and ducked behind his brother's legs, peering around them. Dane watched him and smiled a little every time spiky read hair poked to the side, followed by two big amethyst eyes.
His attention was drawn from the little prince when two tall men stepped forward, large bundles in their arms. They came before the pharaoh, knelt down on one knee, set the bundles down and unwrapped them to display a number of simple staffs. The bowed and turned to the side, now facing one another, still on one knee.
Chacer and the other Bringers looked back and forth at one another, all impatient and excited to see which staffs their newcomers would obtain.
"Lakira Kinimo," the man farthest to the right, and next to Lakira, called.
The girl nodded and walked up, cautiously, to stand between to two men that had carried the bundles. She lifted her hands, palms up as her lip quivered.
The pharaoh and the High Priest stood side by side and each held out their right hand, hovering over the girl's. "Wind Mage," they said in unison, and the girl was handed a small staff with a pale green stone imbedded in it.
"Nisa Tomari," a young woman called, and the girl next to her repeated the same process as Lakira, only calmer. She was declared a Fire Mage and received a orange-red stoned staff.
Mathr Fakar, Ellir Dwear and Jazame Wimtu were all Water Mages, with shining blue stoned staffs. Zelack Dihyt, and Irvash Kinaea were Earth Mages.
"Staris and Starlet Hevsen," called Anihae.
The two walked forward together. They were instructed to hold each other's hands, and display only one each to the Priest and the Pharaoh. They did so, smiling at one another. "Light Mages." They were each handed a staff, one with a white gem, the other cream. They turned back and walked past Dane. "Light, who would have thought," Starlet said in sarcasm as he laughed lightly, his brother hitting him in the shoulder to shut him up.
Two very serious looking boys were next up. The first, Seif Alas, was declared a Fire Mage, specializing in fire manipulation; the second, Skall Lohear, was a Water Mage, specializing in ice. Their stones were deep red and pale blue, respectively.
"Dane Macia," Chacer called.
Dane felt his body tighten all of a sudden. He was the last one. He took one step, stopped to collect his wits and then proceeded. He held out his hands as the others had done before him, holding his breath.
Chacer's lips mirrors the words of Pharaoh and the High Priest. 'Dark Mage'. He smiled, having known all along that Dane would follow in his footsteps. The boy was given a staff with a turquoise green stone identical in color to the one in Chacer's staff. He looked very pleased as Dane walked back to him.
Hicky: If any of you say something REMOTELY unflattering about the time it took for me to update I will… BITE YOUR FACES OFF. Just do NOT mess with me on this subject.