Author's Note: This is going to be a really really long A/N guys so sorry!!
Well here goes another chapter! i actually had to edit it down a couple of times cuz there were some bits there that were totally unrelevant to the plot progession. This chapter is sorta the start of the REAL action to come, and it finally introduces us to the rest of the high priests as well! although a word of warning: i don't really know much about shada or karim so i just made up their personalities :P lol so sorry if they r OOC
i just started reading the ancient egyptian manga and lol i realised that i did the whole dueling thing wrong and that some of my characters are abit OOC but oh well. but im not going to change it now or anything so i hope you guys dont mind. =)
you may have also noticed that ive given each priest a prominent diety to worship according to what i think is appropiate [this is just totally random but i just thought it would be cool if they all were high priests of seperate gods as well].
i tried lookin up info bout wedding ceremonies in ancient egypt and well theres not really any info on it so i made up my own sort of ceremony :p hm yea and everyone in ancient Egypt wore makeup so don't freak out when i say Seth lines his eyes with kohl [olden day eyeliner stuff] lol but im sure most of you guys know that already =) if u read the manga it looks like they all line their eyes with kohl quite heavily [personally i think it looks great lol...just think johnny depp in parates of the carribean - yummmyyy!]
yea and this story is set after the whole kisara incident: she is dead T.T and Akunadin mysteriously dissapeared so there are only five priests now [the millenium eye is missing as well]
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HELP NEEDED: Im having trouble writing my OC, i really don't want her to turn out to be a Mary Sue - In this she is beautiful but only because i intended her to be cuz well [i dont wanna sound shallow or anything but...] shes the first wife of the Pharaoh - of course shes gonna be somewhat decent looking! i just thought Atem should be coupled with someone as good looking as him lol. anyways i was wondering if anyone had any tips for writing OCs, like i want her to be human like other characters and have flaws etc, im really trying to avoid the whole totally perfect and gifted sort of OC - its just to unrealistic. so im just sorta unsure of how i wanna write her as a character. any ideas or tips? plz suggests some personalities i could use, even base it on urself or someone u know if u want! im having lots of trouble thinking of one.
hm well i've bothered you guys enough so on with the story!!! ::hands out free candy::
[replies to reviews are at the end]
Disclaimer: [lol i almost forgot...agian] i don't own yugioh!!!!
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Chapter 7
"See the stone set in your eyes
See the throne twist in your side.
I'll wait for you...
Sleight of hand and twist of fate,
On a bed of nails she makes me wait.
And I wait without you."
[With or without you – U2]
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A patronizing lunacy erupted through the stadium as the ominous man ordered his mighty beast to strike the dark magician. A flash of pallid blue filled the stadium, emblazing it with a powerful aura of demise. Seth, hysterical with the glory of conquest shone a malice smile, one that embodied the entire paradox of sinister madness.
Atem watched with dreaded anticipation as his friend, priest and mentor, Mahado was powerless under the supremacy of the dragon. He waited, drowned in the anomalous silence of the crowd. As the dark magician was slain, dissolving its essence into the antique tablet once more, he could perceive Mahado stagger back. The ring holder had felt the power of the Gods themselves puncture though his heart for he was connected mentality, physically and spiritually with his annihilated magician. As it fell, he fell.
And now with his Ba depleted from his now feeble body, he collapsed lifelessly upon the ancient duel stage. A chilling laugh emitted through the enormity of the arena and all was dark once more as Seth conjured his creature back to the frail stone tablet.
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Kisara.
That was who had saved him. His love, his heart, his soul, she was all that was missing within him. Her most powerful entity had lingered with him after her death, it was one that caused her demise, a curse of Re she use to call it, but to him, it was a gift from the Gods. A blessing, a curse whatever it was, it was nevertheless a gift. The high priest thanked Setekh for it was his past lover's gift that had saved him. She had given him what he most desired: her love and ultimate power... with her demise she passed on to him this power of the Gods, but Re, he knew in his heart he would gladly swap one for the other.
He stared at the painted wall above him, pondering the alternative outcome - defeat. Her essence rescued him from the disgrace, from the shame of loss. He could not stand to fall, not to Mahado, not to anyone. Seth smirked at the irony of what they called fortune, for it was this luck alone that had salvaged him from the brink of defeat. When he was most venerable fate had favoured him and at his time of demise he was sardonically most powerful.
The young priest rested his head upon the luscious cushions of his bed. He closed his eyes with an eternal fatigue. The duel had taken his power and he felt as feeble as an old man. Seth drew in heavy breaths trying to rid himself of the throbbing headache. Succeeding the shadow game the priest had changed from his formal attire into merely a kilt for Re was setting and his last flames for the day radiated upon all of mother Egypt and his heat still was scorchingly unbearable.
Seth closed his eyes and readied himself for slumber; tonight he would not join the feast nor bury himself in priesthood duties. He was tired, no one had ever drained him so much in a duel and his body demanded the impending rest. The priest knew the next day would command upon all his energy. He rested and soon weariness engulfed him into its dark abyss and he fell into the deep of night.
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A great dragon of white emerged from the unconscious body of the pale-skinned girl. Desperately encircled within his grasp, Seth fought with all cognisant strength within his battered body to clutch on to the insentient peasant while his other hand held frantically onto the golden Sennen Rod that suspended him from the bottomless pit. His chilling gaze now fixed upon the beast that had materialized from the girl's body, the young priest could not help but shiver under the majestic presence of the Blue Eyes White Dragon. Who would have known this simple, peasant girl could have possessed such a Ka of greatness? A creature of the Gods, a truly wonderful gift, he knew at that very moment he was its keeper, it belonged to him as he belonged to it. The girl, innocent and pure would go free of this profound burden that she longed to rid and he, great priest of Re would gain the power of the Gods; all would be content within this realm of utter chaos.
The dragon blasted the potent blue flames from its opened mouth, never had Seth witness such power. The beast obliterated all the Kas of those filthy criminals with such an effortless endeavour.
Seth was amazed and he, the man of the iciest of hearts was hardly ever impressed.
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He half opened his eyes in dismay, shutting them as light hit his still worn orbs; weariness filled his wake as the first illuminance of sun peeked through his half closed shutters. His mind still lingering upon the night's dream he rubbed his temple with a slender hand. Eyes still close he sighed with perpetual exhaustion. However his wits were impulsively snapped back to reality when a sharp thud echoed from his closed doors. Seth's eyes snapped open with an incisive swiftness. "Enter", he commanded as he sat up in his bed, brushing his stray brown locks away from his azure orbs.
A servant, a young boy who Seth was sure had seen no more than twelve summers entered, gazed bonded to the tiled flooring. His back hunched he murmured something incomprehensible.
"Speak up boy!" The high priest ordered for he was in no mood for ludicrous games.
The servant boy bow onto his knees, face almost touching the polished floors. Seth's perceptive orbs caught what he thought to be a droplet of sweat splattered down from his shiny forehead, "Y-your grace, the vizier Shimon has sent me t - to awaken your highness for the ceremony will commence once Re approaches his pinnacle".
The priest raised his right eyebrow in puzzlement for it must have been quite late and he was never one to oversleep, "Very well, you may go". The boy like so many of his other servants seemed relieved as he was dismissed and quickly scattered his way out before the priest could change his mind.
Seth got up and made his way to the open balcony adjoined to his chamber. The Rod holder stood, gazing over the beauty of the Nile and facing her arid winds, which was cooling off his perspired skin and charming his hair into dancing in its light breeze. Re's rays had shaded her glistening waters into a body of sparkling jewels. He often wondered how such beauty could exist in the barren deserts of Egypt. She was to him a snake of a thousand sapphires, coiling its life upon all of Egypt. Placing a hand above his brows he briefly gazed from the newly formed shadow at Re, posed majestically upon Horus' backdrop. Almost half way to his peak, Seth mused in amusing silent to himself, he had slept in for the first time since her death. He had slept passed Amen's first lights: what marvel simple fatigue could do to a man.
The priest found his thoughts wavering itself upon his adversary from the duel, he wondered if Mahado had awoken yet. Seth questioned if the fatigued priest would find enough strength to attend the wedding, a snigger met his lips with this thought. Of course, his mind replied with an automatic respond, you will find no man more loyal to the Pharaoh than he; certainly the Ring bearer will find what and gather what strength he regained within his drained body to honour the Pharaoh at his marriage.
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Sithathor stood there, beautiful in the magnificent golden silk dress strikingly embedded with fine, dazzling beads and gems. Her oiled honey skin seemed illuminated by the gown, which splitting at both thighs, cascaded slackly down to her sandaled feet. Fitted firmly around her waistline with a lucent sash, the dress flaunted her trim shapely figure, one which could have resembled a beautiful divine immortal of Hathor herself. Polished, gleaming jewels of earrings, necklaces and bracelets of gold bejewelled her body. Dark, ebony locks glimmered down her back, loosely curled into soft elusive ringlets with a few diminutive shaded tresses intertwined within petite golden beads. Her kohl lined, jade eyes shone with a heavenly radiance, shimmering with the glisten of an emerald while reflecting the ardent light. Lips warm and inviting flickered into a light smile as she met eyes with the pharaoh.
She kneeled in front of Re's great alter with her lover besides her. Atem was handsomely dressed in his formal attire. The fair cream coloured tunic and kilt, marked at the waist with an exquisite gold girdle and a Nile blue streak of silk that, in the lower centre ran from waist to knee. The outfit, simple and pure was yet magnificently brightened by the dazzling gold jewellery, which adorned the pharaoh from head to toe. The bands of gold embellishing Atem's slender arms, wrists, legs and neck were all in beautiful meticulous design and enhanced the bronze and tone of his flawless skin. The eminent millennium pyramid hung in the crest of his chest, raising and descending with his every breath. His crown, golden and embedded with fine sapphires, rested majestically upon his tri coloured hair beneath the light veil of fair fringe that hung nimbly over the centre inscribe; the eye of Horus. A dark cerulean cloak, adhered by polished clasps draped amiably from his toned shoulders. Atem appeared truly like the reincarnation of a God; clad in the most glorious of entities he was as stunning as his young, pristine queen. Jointly they were an alluring spectacle, marvellous enough even to evoke envy and desire amongst the Gods themselves.
As prayers to the deities were chanted and hymns sung in an ethereal tune, harmonizing the heavenly ambience of the day mother Nile blessed the lovers with her glimmering waters shinning with luminous elusiveness. She bestowed all her beauty upon the bleak, barren lands of Egypt. Whilst the sun God seemed to cease his hot rays, ridding them of the scorching heat and Horus cleared the heavens creating a stunning backdrop of azure, tainted by only the purest of clouds. Then, great offerings of the richest foods were placed amidst the feet of the creator God, Re, pleading upon his divine blessing upon both Egypt and the newly wedded couple. As the final prayer was uttered, the ceremony was concluded with the finality of the high priests pledging their loyalty and allegiance upon the young Pharaoh and his new queen.
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First, to no ones surprise was Mahado; high priest of Osiris and keeper of the Royal Tombs, he was the bearer of the millennium ring, which gifted him with the power of detecting evil forces from afar. The ring holder weakly knelt on one knee and bowed down before Atem. Seth could perceive the exhaustion upon his strength from the shadow duel and crossed his arms in a silent triumphant gesture of precedent victory. Eyes closed and right hand pledge in a fist across his chest that rested upon his left side, Mahado uttered a soft allegiance to remain an eternal devoted servant to the Pharaoh and his queen. The handsome man was then touched lightly on the shoulder by Atem who whispered a soft thankyou. Seth discerned his cousin's tender gaze and affectionate smile towards the Ring Holder and felt a minor stitch of jealousy, which soon dispersed as his watched Isis, priestess of the Goddess of magic - whom she was name after - take her oath.
She knelt before Atem in the same manner as Mahado had and vowed the same soft oath as he. The Rod bearer could not help but notice her graceful bow and how her face remained with such tranquil. Her cerulean eyes, lined darkly with kohl - much like his own - were close as Atem uttered his gratitude. Her golden Tauk, resting upon her chest gleamed softly in the light of Re. The question of the extent of power within the necklace lingered upon Seth's mind. It's magic, powerful enough to pierce through the mists of time, made him often wonder about her endless capacity; was Isis powerful enough to change the course of fate? Alter the path of the Gods? Most importantly adjust it to her advantage? "Such questions will never be answered", she forever told him in the past when he raised the matter, "For the destinies entrusted upon each of us are the Gods will. They cannot be changed, even if one foresees them". And always as she uttered those words, Seth could perceive the hidden painful scars of time that embellished her intense eyes. How agonizing it must be, he pondered, to discern the sands of time only to be unable to prevent them.
Seth was abruptly snapped back to reality as he heard the gentle thud of Karim's sandals as the priest made his way to the Pharaoh and knelt before him. He looked down upon the older man, the high priest of Anubis, fist on across his bowed chest. Karim was another of the six high priest of Re. Descendant of the previous millennium scales holder; he acted as its keeper and as the high judge of Egypt, reviewing the worth off all before him, weighting their moral with the scale - just as Anubis did with the scales of Truth. Karim was generally the most articulate of them all. The young priest hated to admit it, but the scales bearer was a man of undeniable intellect. An extremely sharp-witted cleric, his words were like piercing blades upon all who crossed him. Karim held his power with his intelligence and wits as Mahado held his with undying loyalty and Isis held hers with foresight and wisdom.
Next was Shada, high priest of the earth God, Nut and the keeper of Millennium Ankh. He was the one with true sight, his item enabling him to see through the hearts and minds of all. He was peculiarly quite, eerie silence a trademark of his, only uttering a soft word when the situation was necessary. Shada use to assist Seth in his spirit hunts, looking through people's souls to distinguish their Kas and read their memories. Seth did not know what he felt for this fellow priest; he neither like nor dislike him for he did not mind the silence, but rather the enigma that was Shada himself. Rarely did the older priest express open emotions, his face always with an unnatural stillness that Seth could not read – or particularly like for he was not one that cared for secretes kept from him. But nevertheless Seth felt not hate or fondness of the man, but rather calming indifference.
Then, lastly it was he, the highest of high priests' turn to pledge his allegiance upon the young Pharaoh. Seth stood before Atem, towering over his lean framed cousin. Though only two years apart the two descendants of Re had always held a significantly different build. Although much taller now, Atem still was slender and slight as most Egyptians were. The pharaoh only started to develop the fine tones of muscle and height of manhood last year, whilst Seth, having already reached his full potential was blessed with an extraordinary tall, strong physique - a probable result of his half-Roman linage. The Rod Holder knew he held potent strength for a man his age for he was always skilled with such things physical as combat training. [1]
The high priest knelt upon one of his knees, bowing down before Horus' incarnation. Seth placed one slender fist across the crest of his chest, the other clasping his powerful Sennen Rod. The magical entity gifted him with the ability to capture souls and bend the wills of mortals - to which suited the priest perfectly for he loved to possess such power. Closing his kohl-lined eyes he pledged a sincere allegiance to his beloved cousin, "I, high priest of Setekh and Re, protector of the Sennen Rod and of mother Egypt herself, pledge my everlasting loyalty of thee, the divine Horus on Earth; the great Pharaoh of the two lands of Egypt. My soul will remain your faithful servant for all eternity".
A short silence lingered upon the ambience as Seth felt his cousin's subtle touch upon his shoulders. The high priest opened his glacial orbs, gazing upon the benevolent crimson eyes of the Pharaoh, "Thankyou my cousin", Atem uttered, a soft smile stretched across his regal lips as he help to older boy up.
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[1] Seth in my fic is half roman, half egyptian just for the reason that he really doesn't look very Egyptian. In those days Egyptians were really short and Seth's physique, not to mention general apperance doesn't really fit into the time era. I know Atem doesn't really look Egyptian either but it is mainly because the hair so I'll just leave him be. They'll be more explaination of Seth's past as the story progresses.
Replies to reviews:
Minor Arcana: thx for the praise =) though compared to your work my duel sucks lol! anyways thx u so much for always reviewing!
kikoken: hehe he is isnt he? hope you liked this chappie!
cwthewolf: thx u for reviewing - me good writer? thx! ::hands out free candy::
darkmetaldragonfangs: yay! im glad you liked it ::proud smile::
NeferNeferi: thx for the encouragment and for pointing out the grammatical mistake ill fx it up one day!
sailor-z-360: yea sorry if i confused you, but when seth says BEWD was his Ka he didnt mean it literally, he meant as in he owned it and he was its keeper. i hope i cleared it up abit more this chappie but i actually have no idea what seth's real Ka is. if u know plz tell me and thx for the review!
Hutchy: well yea lol seth did win but will he fall for my OC? no one knows mwhahahaha!! keep reading to find out :P
dreamangel1130: thx for reviewing. hope you liked this chappie!!
SGCred: thx for the review and dont worry because now ::rubs hands together:: after this chapter the REAL action will begin!! mwhahahaha!!!
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so how was it? ::nervous smile:: good? bad? hope you guys like it. i honestly didnt know about this chapter cuz ive read it so many times over and over it seems hella boring to me. i hope i didnt go overboard with all the descriptions lol. anyways plz REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!!!