WHEN MEMORIES WOULD NEVER BE ENOUGH
Chapter Fourteen - Reunions
As soon as Xandra and the troops she brought with her returned to the palace, she met with Set and Shimon. She held the large velvet pouch containing the dragons' teeth that she asked her soldiers to collect. After she told them the full extent of her troops' discoveries, the two men shuddered and wore grave faces. After discussing the matter and reaching a consensus, she immediately ordered one of the palace pages to gather all the commanders to an emergency meeting.
An hour later, the three walked over to the the palace's military hall. Once they arrived and the doors were closed behind them, all the sentry and army commanders were seated. Seeing the grim faces from the three new arrivals, the men braced themselves.
Xandra scanned the entire room and then declared, "I need everyone to listen, and listen well. I also need your counsel, so do not withhold your thoughts from me..."
The commanders before Xandra nodded in agreement, knowing that she normally allowed free expression of opinions and advice during such meetings.
Xandra calmly explained the search team's findings at the second carnage site, the confirmation of the Atlanteans' involvement, the circumstantial evidence that the enemy called for reinforcements, and that every troop and sentry must be ready to protect the the palace for the next wave of attacks.
Before Xandra could share with them the rest of her findings and plan, the military commander that accompanied her during this last search said, "With all due respect, your proposal does not address the townspeople's safety."
The owner of the rich voice coming from the military hall's entrance audibly remarked, "The Commander is right. What about the townspeople's safety?"
Xandra froze in the middle of her train of thought as she heard the familiar voice. Seeing the men - especially Set and Shimon - shift their attention towards the new arrival, and their faces reflect happiness, a smile crept on her face.
Atemu stood about ten feet behind her. Isis, Shadah, and Karim stood beside him - each sporting a relieved smile.
As soon as Xandra abruptly turned and saw her husband, her eyes lit up more. She then quickly ran towards him and the two tightly embraced each other..she being teary-eyed and he eliciting a faint groan of pain as he reciprocated her hug.
While almost everyone present were pleased with the happy reunion, Set was conflicted. As much as he was glad that the Pharaoh was safe, part of him felt sad witnessing Xandra's reaction. To him, it was a grim reminder that she belonged to Atemu.
Knowing that there were still pending matters to discuss, the couple released each other from the embrace.
The Pharaoh, as tired and injured as he was, sat down on his specially-designated chair and joined the meeting.
Three commanders gave up their seats so that the three high priests could join in.
Once the room settled, Xandra told Atemu before everyone in the room. "We have a war in our hands. Hyperion summoned the Sparti to massacre an entire town a couple of nights ago. It is highly probable that he would summon them again to kill another town. I would not be surprised if his next target is the palace."
With his customary frown, Atemu said, "I thought that the Sparti were just mere myth."
"They are unfortunately real. A great amount of magic is required to summon them. Until a couple of nights ago, the Atlanteans did not have that much power to conjure them up let alone control them."
"And now they do. How does one conjure up these warriors?"
Xandra pointed at the pouch of dragons' teeth, while the commander sitting closest to Atemu handed the passed-around tooth for his inspection. "The conjurer mixes blood with these teeth and then buries them in the ground like one would a seed. These seeds would not sprout for just anyone. The more powerful the mage is, the faster that these seeds would sprout. Once they are fully grown, they would immediately kill every living thing in sight. Once they have massacred the entire populace, they turn against each other -"
Amethyst eyes then lowered down as the owner interjected, "And they then kill each other..."
After Xandra gave a grim nod and explained her proposal, dead silence then dominated the entire hall.
The Pharaoh scanned the room, his amethyst gaze landing and making contact with as many of the attendees as possible. He knew that the commanders before him as well as their respective men, would fight the Sparti once he decreed it. However, he also sensed fear and hesitation especially from the men that accompanied Xandra in the second carnage site.
Atemu then looked at Shimon, Set, Shadah, Isis, and Karim. The four remained quiet and grim.
Letting out a heavy sigh, Atemu then publicly remarked to Xandra, "I am proud of our soldiers, but the Sparti are a different breed. They're not even human and to send our troops against them would be marking their deaths before they face the enemy. I agree with your concern by keeping as many troops as possible within the palace walls. However, you did not address the citizen's safety."
Xandra intently replied, "We will call for outside reinforcements to deal with the Sparti. Our men, on the other hand, will defend the palace walls. However, the last decision rests with the Pharaoh."
As his amethyst probed into hazel-brown eyes, Atemu fell silent for a couple of seconds and then said, "I am in approval of your plan, for now..."
The commanders whispered among themselves for minutes and gave their respective nod of approval.
After Atemu adjourned the commanders from the meeting, he then discussed the matter with Shimon and the high priests present. Once respective duties have been delegated, everyone remaining inside the military hall walked out of the barracks.
When the Pharaoh asked for Akunadin's whereabouts, Shimon informed him that the elderly high priest and a handful of troops were investigating rumors of a potential massacre at a neighboring town. Satisfied with the answer that he received from his counselor, he then initiated talks about other politically pressing matters.
Once the royal couple were left alone, the two walked towards their bedchambers. They held each other's hand, letting the other know through such subtle gestures how much they missed each other and how thankful they were that Atemu was safe.
As the bedchambers' doors closed behind them, Xandra quietly told Atemu, "I want to conjure up Sparti to fight for our side."
A tightlipped Atemu then asked, "Have you been in touch with the Mages' Council?"
"What does the Council have to do with the Sparti?"
Referring to the dagger that Hyperion used to injure him, Atemu replied, "There is a possibility that a traitor walks among your circle."
Hazel stared into amethyst with grim determination as Xandra said, "I will find out right now."
When Xandra was about to wave her hand to open up a mystical portal, Atemu stopped her hand. "Do you have enough power to conjure up such a spell?"
"I have. The part that worries me is how to control the Sparti. The golden tomes within the Council's chambers will have the answer."
For the first time since Atemu heard the full extent of the problem, a glimmer of hope was reflected in his expressive amethyst eyes. "I cannot have our men face mystical barbarians. Too many of our villagers have died."
Letting out a heavy sigh, Xandra said with controlled anger. "Neither would I. Once I get my hands on Hyperion, he would pay for this!"
Caught off-guard, Atemu frowned and blurted out, "I thought that Hyperion is in our dungeons, or dead."
Stewing in silent rage, Xandra said through gritted teeth and clenched fists, "Someone released him...an impostor who looks just like me."
Atemu sensed the hurt underneath Xandra's anger. He quietly muttered, "And our men blamed you for this second massacre since they thought that it was really you who released him..."
Xandra's hurt inside intensified as she recalled the part that wounded her the most by saying, "Even Set thought that I was responsible for it. He blamed me for releasing Hyperion and not stopping the bloodshed. However, we have cleared up matters between us already."
"That is good that you have settled your differences. Set may be intense or even blunt, but he means well. I hope that you could find it in your heart to fully forgive our friend. He has always been on our side," Atemu replied with a gentle smile on his face.
Atemu then extended an open hand for Xandra to take. Once she accepted his invitation, he then embraced her and kissed her forehead. He told her in the gentlest voice possible as he consolingly rubbed her back during their hug, "We will clear your name. If you are going underground tonight, take me with you. I do not want you to go alone. I have my own questions to ask your peers."
A mystical vortex appeared from the void deep within the cavern.
Atemu and Xandra cautiously stepped out of the portal, each one scanning the dank cavern and with Atemu leading the way.
"I do not like this feeling," Xandra muttered as she looked around and felt a heavy pressure burdening her heart.
Atemu's amethyst eyes widened. Without removing his transfixed gaze at the scene before him, he yelled, "Sister! Quick!"
Xandra ran to join him, only to gasp and shudder at what she saw. She cringed and turned her face away for a couple of minutes and then gazed back at what she earlier saw.
The four mages - Kamose, Nabil, Djer, and Narmer - surrounded the area where the tomes rested in pedestals. Each of her peers was impaled to the ground with spears - one on each hand, and another through the body.
Atemu fell silent but was startled once Xandra let go of his hand. He then followed her as she inched her way closer to inspect the bodies.
"You are here..." said the voice that came from Narmer's corpse.
Xandra's tears flowed more freely as she first stared at Narmer and then the rest of the mages. "By the gods... They are suspended between our worlds..."
A shocked Atemu walked towards Xandra and stood beside her. Even though fear froze his heart, he still managed to ask Narmer, "Who did this to you?"
"Hyperion and his men," responded the mute mage in a deathly monotone that froze the couple's blood. Although each body was physically dead, the spirit was still locked within the body. Their souls were mystically barred to go to the Afterlife and made the souls physically and spiritually suffer the torture that caused their deaths.
The royal couple, still shuddering from the idea of being able to talk with the dead, fell silent.
Kamose - his gray eyes opened wide upon his death - added, "The Atlantean has our ceremonial dagger. He also has most of the Scrolls of Passage."
Nabil - whose eyes and tongue were ripped from him - told them, "Brother Narmer had visions. He wrote everything on the Scrolls of Passage. The Scrolls contain what was destined to happen in the near and distant future. The fourth one is sealed within these walls and will not reveal itself until the right time comes."
Still semi-stupefied from pity and shock, Atemu murmured, "We should have been here to save you."
"If you were with us at that time, you would both be dead and damned," said Djer, whose head was already separated from his body. "This is our destiny. Your intertwining destiny is to save your people. Only you can release our souls to the Afterlife, Sister..."
Already numbed from sadness and shock, Xandra quietly asked, "What would you like me to do?"
In monotonous unison, the mages said, "The tomes have the answer that you seek."
Xandra glanced sideways to her husband as part of her felt overwhelmed and conflicted. Her doubts subsided as the tightlipped Pharaoh gave her a slight nod of encouragement.
Once Xandra raised her hands, the tomes furiously turned its slim gold pages.
Shortly thereafter, fiery hieroglyphics appeared before Xandra. Before allowing the lump on her throat to stop her, she said:
I stand before the four other mystic gods
Osiris, Isis, Anubis, and Horus
I now step forward to proudly join thy mystic star
As the last member of thy Council and as avatar.
I, the fifth to complete thy pentagram and circle
May the glorious Osiris flow into this vessel
May the merciful Isis be easy to appease
To allow the tormented ones their sweet release.
To Horus, the mystic one who holds the key
Release thy gods' secrets is my urgent plea
And to Anubis, who is eternally just
I offer the ones before you as they turn to dust.
Pour out thy infinite wisdom of the universe
Of all powers good and evil that humans immerse
And forge it in the symbol of power
That holds the secrets from above and under.
As the last remaining mage of my kind
I once again fervently kneel
Give me the strength of heart and mind
As I wield the symbol of thy seal.
The spears impaling each body mystically disintegrated as each corpse emitted a pentagram of light.
The two gasped as a similar light came out from Xandra.
All five pentagrams then floated in mid-air and formed a circle. In the middle of the circle, a large pentagram formed. The pentagrams all went up in flames, and within the flames came a bright light.
A pentagram medallion formed and fell on top of the middle pedestal while the fire where it came from was still suspended in the air.
The monotonous response from the mages was, "Millennia's worth of power from the Mages Council...from the first Council, to the very last...are locked within that medallion. Take the medallion and the tomes with you, for they are now yours."
Feeling more power coursing through her body since the incantation began, Xandra produced fireballs from her palms and hurled them at each body. She watched as the bodies combusted on contact with the fiery trajectories. As much as she knew that this was what must be done, part of her felt that she was disrespecting their remains.
Narmer's reassuring voice - now sounding like it did when he was still alive - echoed throughout the cave for both Atemu and Xandra to hear. "Thank you, Brother and Sister, for releasing us. May the gods be with you..."
With a bittersweet smile, Xandra responded, "Goodbye, my Brothers... We will always remember you..."
Husband and wife watched until the four small pyres died down.
Once the fires extinguished by themselves, the large fiery pentagram disappeared.
Atemu murmured as he stared at the medallion. "We have the means to save our people now. I will deal with Thief Bakura, and recover the lost Millennium Items. I will leave it up to your hands. I will respect your decision on whether you wish to summon the Sparti. Are you sure that you wish to do this?"
Tightly clutching the medallion, Xandra said as she looked at him with quiet determination. "I want to set matters right. I would not settle for anything less than that."
Author's Notes
Yu-Gi-Oh is the copyrighted property of Kazuki Takahashi. Emrys / Xandra, Hyperion, and this fanfic are the author's property.
This fanfiction was written for entertainment purposes only, thereby releasing the author from all liabilities.