1
My earliest memories and many after are of living underground, away from the outside world, and studying the ancient scriptures. My entire life revolved around guarding the pharoah's tomb and waiting for his return. My family was destined to greet the pharoah when he returned to this realm. We had been since the great king's death. All I ever knew of the outside world came from stories my mother told me when I was very small. Because Mother died when I was only seven or eight years old, I never heard much after that. Of course, Odeon told Marik and I the stories, for he had heard them all his life, but it was never the same, and Father was always furious when he heard us speaking of the outsiders.
And because I was the only female child of my family, my father was both extremely protective and somewhat neglective toward me. It is true, he always provided for all of us, even Odeon, but it was always clear that Marik was his favorite. Odeon was not his son, merely an abandoned orphan, and Father had only let him stay first to please Mother and then to protect Marik. I was his only daughter, so he was very protective, but he knew nothing of caring for young girls. And apparently he didn't trust Odeon to take care of me or something, especially as I grew older. So I practically raised myself, living in the shadows and following the ancient scriptures. I got to play with Marik some when we were little, but he usually wanted to play with his big brother, and often Father would make him study scriptures until it was all he could do to keep from falling asleep.
Father did highly favor Marik, but he was very harsh on him as well. It made me appreciate my kicho of shadows lifestyle. As it came closer and closer to the time of Marik's initiation, I began to worry about him. I knew he was fighting it. He didn't want to be a tomb keeper, and I couldn't blame him. But I had always been taught that it was my family's destiny to guard the pharoah's chamber. I gave no objection. And even if I would have, it would have made no difference. Father believed what he wanted to believe and no woman's opinion would ever change that. Even if it was his own flesh and blood.
Naturally, Marik struggled when they took him on his twelveth birhtday to have his tombkeepers initiation. I've found no definite reason, but I believe it was most likely his attitude that left him so open to possession. Somehow, an ancient spirit entered him that day. He became like a different person. For a time, he usually acted pretty normal. But then one day the spirit took over him completely. You may know this story. One morning I took Marik out to the market with me. Because we usually slept during the day, I didn't think I would get caught. We were forbidden to leave and walk among the outsiders, and I knew I shouldn't have taken him, but I just couldn't resist going, and he wouldn't leave me alone until I agreed to let him come. While we were out, Marik saw many things he shouldn't have. Modern-day devices that we shouldn't have access to. I tried to get him home before he had too much time to think about it. But it was too late.
He'd already made up his mind. He wasn't going to remain a tombkeeper any longer. As if that weren't enough, Father had an alarm set up. He blamed Odeon for our absence and severely beat him. When Marik saw, he couldn't take it. That was the day the evil spirit inside of him was unleashed. He used the millenium rod to trap us and sent my father to the shadow realm. Odeon and I were next, and had Odeon not regained full conciousness, I fear the worst could have happened. A young man a bit older than I appeared before us as Odeon shielded Marik from the darkness. "Marik," he said, "you have taken your first steps into darkness." He warned my brother of the risks of his new path before he disappeared, but I knew somehow that it would make no difference. I knew there was a significant risk of my brother's dark side being released again, and I found that I had no choice but to take the millenium necklace, though I was no where near ready. I saw that my brother's future unfold before my eyes as I put on the necklace. I would have given anything for it to be different, but destiny had made her decision. Things were never the same.
Odeon took care of us after that. I was fifteen at the time and old enough to live by myself, but it was nice not to have to. For a while I thought my brother might actually be able to live a normal life,at least for a tombkeeper anyway, but as he grew older he became more and more determined to deny his destiny and become the new pharoah. No matter how hard I tried, he just wouldn't listen to me. Because Father was no longer around to provide for us, I was the one who went into town for food and supplies. When I discovered Maximillion Pegasus had created a card game based on the creatures of the past, (though I had seen the Egyptian god card Obelisk in my vision so I knew it was bound to happen), I thought it might be an excellent way to get my brother more interested he the ancient scriptures and maybe even in being a tombkeeper. That was a mistake.
When I first told Marik about the little present I'd bought for him, he was extremely excited. "You really bought me something?" he asked.
"Yes," I told him, "and I'm pretty sure you'll like it too."
His eyes lit up. "Is it a motorcycle?" He sounded hopeful.
I laughed at his innocense. "Do you think I could keep that hidden from you?"
"Nope, guess not. I'd probably notice that a mile away!!"
I shook my head, smiling. "I'm sure you would. But actually, it's a card game."
"A card game? What kind of card game?"
"One that might be a lot more familiar than you think." I showed him the deck I had bought him.
"Huh? Oh.." he moaned. "That's just great.."
"Hm? What's wrong, brother?"
"The outside is getting involved with the ancient scriptures now, too?" he asked. "I don't wanna be a tombkeeper and I don't anything to do with your stupid ancient scriptures!!" I was shocked at his defensiveness.
"Come on, Marik. You don't know. This game could be fun. I've been studying the rules on the way home, and we'll get to duel each other."
"Huh? Duel? I guess it can't be all that bad.." he said.
"There now.. See? Just because you don't care for parts of the ancient scriptures doesn't mean it's bad. Let's have a duel now," I suggested.
"But I don't know how to duel, Isis."
I laughed at him again. "Come on. I'll teach you."
"Wow! What's this card, Isis?" Marik asked me.
"Hm? Oh, that's the Koumori Dragon," I told him.
"Is it a strong monster? It looks strong."
"Well," I said, "looks aren't everything. You see here?" I pointed to the bottom of the card. "This is the monster's attack points. The Koumori Dragon has 1500 attack points. And it has 1200 defense points."
"Oh.. Okay. So the higher the attack points, the stronger the monster, right?" he said.
"That's right. You catch on fast," I told him as I ruffled his hair. I continued to explain about trap and magic cards and how to play the game of Duel Monsters.
My little brother was quite the duelist right away. Of course, my deeper knowledge of the ancient scriptures gave me a serious advantage, not to mention being able to predict every move he would make with my millenium necklace. I'm not sure if he ever beat me at a duel, though it didn't take long before he could beat Odeon. Marik fell in love with the game almost immediately, and he even started to study the ancient scriptures on his own. He said he wanted to learn about the creatures of the past and find the most powerful monsters.
I found him one day when he was fifteen studying alone in almost complete darkness. I was a bit surprised that he could even see the scrolls he was reading in such little light, but I guess you get used to it when you live underground all your life.
"What are you looking at, brother?" I asked.
"The tombkeeper's initiation," he answered.
"Wha?! The tombkeeper's initiation?! I thought you hated being a tombkeeper."
"Of course I do. I hate being part of this stupid family!" I was shocked. "Er- not you and Odeon! I didn't mean that at all. You two are the only people I DO care about; I meant Father, and the fact that he only cared about me because I was his only chance for an heir.." He trailed off.
"Marik.." I started. I walked over to him. "My brother.. Father did care about you, he just.. didn't express his emotions very well."
He looked at the ground. "Yeah right.. He hated me.."
"Oh Marik! That's not true!" I moved over to the young boy and held him close to me. "Marik.. I know you never got a chance to know our mother, but I used to be very close to her. I was once very upset because I thought father was angry with me. She reassured me that he could never be mad at me for anything, but that he just never really showed how he felt to anyone... Not even her..."
"Huh? Really? Not even Mother? Well at least she was able to live a halfway normal life.." he whispered. He began to cry softly, and I held him tightly.
"It's okay... Ssh..." Odeon entered the room just then.
"Marik? Isis? Is that you?"
"Odeon," I said. "Could you come here?"
"Hm? Of course." He came and sat beside us. "What's the matter, sister?"
"Marik thinks Father hated him, but that's not true."
"Of course not.. Me, maybe, but not you, Marik.." He held us both in his strong arms.
"I know what it's like to be ignored and hated by the people I consider my family. Mother was the kindest person I've ever known. If it weren't for her, I probably wouldn't even be alive right now.. But Father.. Believe me, Marik, you weren't neglected at all. Father loved you, and so do we."
"Thank you... Odeon.." Marik said between sobs. The three of us sat there like that for several minutes until Marik stopped crying. Odeon stood up saying that he needed to go speak to one of our "neighbors", if you will, about getting some more herbal medicines. You see, the Ishtar family wasn't the only one that awaited the pharoah's return. The labrynth of underground chambers was home to a great number of peoples, we just weren't very sociable toward one another.
Anyway, Odeon got up and left, so I sat there with Marik a few minutes longer.
"Do you feel any better now?" I asked him as I let go.
"A little," he sighed. "Thank you, Isis. No matter what happens, you're always there for me, and I know you always will be. I'd die if anything happened to you or Odeon..."
I sighed and nodded in agreement. Just then another vision came to me. I saw myself begging my brother to stop his madness, only it wasn't my brother at all. It was the evil spirit that dwelled within him. Then I saw Odeon lying unconsious, and one of the spirit's attempts to send him to the shadows. My vision stopped there. I stared wide-eyed into the darkness.
"Isis? Isis?! Are you all right? Your necklace was glowing. Did you see anything?"
My heart wrenched with immeasurable guilt and grief. "It was nothing," I reassured him. Then added quietly for my own reassurance, "It meant nothing at all.."
Suddenly an unnatural darkness engulfed the passage outside. Marik's rod and my necklace glowed simultaneously, and the darkness cleared.
"What was that?" Marik asked.
"I'm not sure." I stood up and looked around. Cautiously I looked around the corner.
Someone was there. "Marik!" I shout-whispered. "Come quickly!"
"What is it?"
"Sshh!!" I pointed at the dark figures that were approaching us. "Look!"
End Chapter One.
Aimi: Whew... Finally got that taken care of... I hate the formatting of this stupid site.. Anyway, hope you're enjoying it. Next chapter isn't fully finished.. So far it just has the "intruders", which turn out to be Shadi, Pegasus, and the expidition crew, and a conversation between Shadi and Isis.
(BTW, if you see the name Ishizu anywhere, it's cause I originally called her Ishizu in this. Then I found out about the relation between their names and the Egyptian Gods, and decided to put something about that in later. Thus, the name was changed to Isis.)
My earliest memories and many after are of living underground, away from the outside world, and studying the ancient scriptures. My entire life revolved around guarding the pharoah's tomb and waiting for his return. My family was destined to greet the pharoah when he returned to this realm. We had been since the great king's death. All I ever knew of the outside world came from stories my mother told me when I was very small. Because Mother died when I was only seven or eight years old, I never heard much after that. Of course, Odeon told Marik and I the stories, for he had heard them all his life, but it was never the same, and Father was always furious when he heard us speaking of the outsiders.
And because I was the only female child of my family, my father was both extremely protective and somewhat neglective toward me. It is true, he always provided for all of us, even Odeon, but it was always clear that Marik was his favorite. Odeon was not his son, merely an abandoned orphan, and Father had only let him stay first to please Mother and then to protect Marik. I was his only daughter, so he was very protective, but he knew nothing of caring for young girls. And apparently he didn't trust Odeon to take care of me or something, especially as I grew older. So I practically raised myself, living in the shadows and following the ancient scriptures. I got to play with Marik some when we were little, but he usually wanted to play with his big brother, and often Father would make him study scriptures until it was all he could do to keep from falling asleep.
Father did highly favor Marik, but he was very harsh on him as well. It made me appreciate my kicho of shadows lifestyle. As it came closer and closer to the time of Marik's initiation, I began to worry about him. I knew he was fighting it. He didn't want to be a tomb keeper, and I couldn't blame him. But I had always been taught that it was my family's destiny to guard the pharoah's chamber. I gave no objection. And even if I would have, it would have made no difference. Father believed what he wanted to believe and no woman's opinion would ever change that. Even if it was his own flesh and blood.
Naturally, Marik struggled when they took him on his twelveth birhtday to have his tombkeepers initiation. I've found no definite reason, but I believe it was most likely his attitude that left him so open to possession. Somehow, an ancient spirit entered him that day. He became like a different person. For a time, he usually acted pretty normal. But then one day the spirit took over him completely. You may know this story. One morning I took Marik out to the market with me. Because we usually slept during the day, I didn't think I would get caught. We were forbidden to leave and walk among the outsiders, and I knew I shouldn't have taken him, but I just couldn't resist going, and he wouldn't leave me alone until I agreed to let him come. While we were out, Marik saw many things he shouldn't have. Modern-day devices that we shouldn't have access to. I tried to get him home before he had too much time to think about it. But it was too late.
He'd already made up his mind. He wasn't going to remain a tombkeeper any longer. As if that weren't enough, Father had an alarm set up. He blamed Odeon for our absence and severely beat him. When Marik saw, he couldn't take it. That was the day the evil spirit inside of him was unleashed. He used the millenium rod to trap us and sent my father to the shadow realm. Odeon and I were next, and had Odeon not regained full conciousness, I fear the worst could have happened. A young man a bit older than I appeared before us as Odeon shielded Marik from the darkness. "Marik," he said, "you have taken your first steps into darkness." He warned my brother of the risks of his new path before he disappeared, but I knew somehow that it would make no difference. I knew there was a significant risk of my brother's dark side being released again, and I found that I had no choice but to take the millenium necklace, though I was no where near ready. I saw that my brother's future unfold before my eyes as I put on the necklace. I would have given anything for it to be different, but destiny had made her decision. Things were never the same.
Odeon took care of us after that. I was fifteen at the time and old enough to live by myself, but it was nice not to have to. For a while I thought my brother might actually be able to live a normal life,at least for a tombkeeper anyway, but as he grew older he became more and more determined to deny his destiny and become the new pharoah. No matter how hard I tried, he just wouldn't listen to me. Because Father was no longer around to provide for us, I was the one who went into town for food and supplies. When I discovered Maximillion Pegasus had created a card game based on the creatures of the past, (though I had seen the Egyptian god card Obelisk in my vision so I knew it was bound to happen), I thought it might be an excellent way to get my brother more interested he the ancient scriptures and maybe even in being a tombkeeper. That was a mistake.
When I first told Marik about the little present I'd bought for him, he was extremely excited. "You really bought me something?" he asked.
"Yes," I told him, "and I'm pretty sure you'll like it too."
His eyes lit up. "Is it a motorcycle?" He sounded hopeful.
I laughed at his innocense. "Do you think I could keep that hidden from you?"
"Nope, guess not. I'd probably notice that a mile away!!"
I shook my head, smiling. "I'm sure you would. But actually, it's a card game."
"A card game? What kind of card game?"
"One that might be a lot more familiar than you think." I showed him the deck I had bought him.
"Huh? Oh.." he moaned. "That's just great.."
"Hm? What's wrong, brother?"
"The outside is getting involved with the ancient scriptures now, too?" he asked. "I don't wanna be a tombkeeper and I don't anything to do with your stupid ancient scriptures!!" I was shocked at his defensiveness.
"Come on, Marik. You don't know. This game could be fun. I've been studying the rules on the way home, and we'll get to duel each other."
"Huh? Duel? I guess it can't be all that bad.." he said.
"There now.. See? Just because you don't care for parts of the ancient scriptures doesn't mean it's bad. Let's have a duel now," I suggested.
"But I don't know how to duel, Isis."
I laughed at him again. "Come on. I'll teach you."
"Wow! What's this card, Isis?" Marik asked me.
"Hm? Oh, that's the Koumori Dragon," I told him.
"Is it a strong monster? It looks strong."
"Well," I said, "looks aren't everything. You see here?" I pointed to the bottom of the card. "This is the monster's attack points. The Koumori Dragon has 1500 attack points. And it has 1200 defense points."
"Oh.. Okay. So the higher the attack points, the stronger the monster, right?" he said.
"That's right. You catch on fast," I told him as I ruffled his hair. I continued to explain about trap and magic cards and how to play the game of Duel Monsters.
My little brother was quite the duelist right away. Of course, my deeper knowledge of the ancient scriptures gave me a serious advantage, not to mention being able to predict every move he would make with my millenium necklace. I'm not sure if he ever beat me at a duel, though it didn't take long before he could beat Odeon. Marik fell in love with the game almost immediately, and he even started to study the ancient scriptures on his own. He said he wanted to learn about the creatures of the past and find the most powerful monsters.
I found him one day when he was fifteen studying alone in almost complete darkness. I was a bit surprised that he could even see the scrolls he was reading in such little light, but I guess you get used to it when you live underground all your life.
"What are you looking at, brother?" I asked.
"The tombkeeper's initiation," he answered.
"Wha?! The tombkeeper's initiation?! I thought you hated being a tombkeeper."
"Of course I do. I hate being part of this stupid family!" I was shocked. "Er- not you and Odeon! I didn't mean that at all. You two are the only people I DO care about; I meant Father, and the fact that he only cared about me because I was his only chance for an heir.." He trailed off.
"Marik.." I started. I walked over to him. "My brother.. Father did care about you, he just.. didn't express his emotions very well."
He looked at the ground. "Yeah right.. He hated me.."
"Oh Marik! That's not true!" I moved over to the young boy and held him close to me. "Marik.. I know you never got a chance to know our mother, but I used to be very close to her. I was once very upset because I thought father was angry with me. She reassured me that he could never be mad at me for anything, but that he just never really showed how he felt to anyone... Not even her..."
"Huh? Really? Not even Mother? Well at least she was able to live a halfway normal life.." he whispered. He began to cry softly, and I held him tightly.
"It's okay... Ssh..." Odeon entered the room just then.
"Marik? Isis? Is that you?"
"Odeon," I said. "Could you come here?"
"Hm? Of course." He came and sat beside us. "What's the matter, sister?"
"Marik thinks Father hated him, but that's not true."
"Of course not.. Me, maybe, but not you, Marik.." He held us both in his strong arms.
"I know what it's like to be ignored and hated by the people I consider my family. Mother was the kindest person I've ever known. If it weren't for her, I probably wouldn't even be alive right now.. But Father.. Believe me, Marik, you weren't neglected at all. Father loved you, and so do we."
"Thank you... Odeon.." Marik said between sobs. The three of us sat there like that for several minutes until Marik stopped crying. Odeon stood up saying that he needed to go speak to one of our "neighbors", if you will, about getting some more herbal medicines. You see, the Ishtar family wasn't the only one that awaited the pharoah's return. The labrynth of underground chambers was home to a great number of peoples, we just weren't very sociable toward one another.
Anyway, Odeon got up and left, so I sat there with Marik a few minutes longer.
"Do you feel any better now?" I asked him as I let go.
"A little," he sighed. "Thank you, Isis. No matter what happens, you're always there for me, and I know you always will be. I'd die if anything happened to you or Odeon..."
I sighed and nodded in agreement. Just then another vision came to me. I saw myself begging my brother to stop his madness, only it wasn't my brother at all. It was the evil spirit that dwelled within him. Then I saw Odeon lying unconsious, and one of the spirit's attempts to send him to the shadows. My vision stopped there. I stared wide-eyed into the darkness.
"Isis? Isis?! Are you all right? Your necklace was glowing. Did you see anything?"
My heart wrenched with immeasurable guilt and grief. "It was nothing," I reassured him. Then added quietly for my own reassurance, "It meant nothing at all.."
Suddenly an unnatural darkness engulfed the passage outside. Marik's rod and my necklace glowed simultaneously, and the darkness cleared.
"What was that?" Marik asked.
"I'm not sure." I stood up and looked around. Cautiously I looked around the corner.
Someone was there. "Marik!" I shout-whispered. "Come quickly!"
"What is it?"
"Sshh!!" I pointed at the dark figures that were approaching us. "Look!"
End Chapter One.
Aimi: Whew... Finally got that taken care of... I hate the formatting of this stupid site.. Anyway, hope you're enjoying it. Next chapter isn't fully finished.. So far it just has the "intruders", which turn out to be Shadi, Pegasus, and the expidition crew, and a conversation between Shadi and Isis.
(BTW, if you see the name Ishizu anywhere, it's cause I originally called her Ishizu in this. Then I found out about the relation between their names and the Egyptian Gods, and decided to put something about that in later. Thus, the name was changed to Isis.)