Happy Independence Day to all the U.S. readers out there! I'm back with another update for this story. I'm sorry that it's so short, but a short chapter is better than no chapter, ne?
Millennium: Thanks for your review. Yes, I did translate all of this from Chinese ... probably because I'm really bored or something. Anyway, I hope you enjoy reading this chapter.
Roanna Luna: I guess I should mention it a few more times in 'Past Memory' when I get around to doing the next chapter. laughs Atem's troubles are getting worse, but there's a 'savior' coming to his rescue. If you can actually call that person a 'savior'.
Chapter 5
'Ooh ... This .... This place is ...'
Slowly, Atem opened his eyes.
"What a dark place ... Where am I? Is this a small room?" He tried to move his body. "Oh!" Atem suddenly felt a peal of tingling in his arms and legs.
'This ... this is?!' It seems that he didn't know when he was bound by a rope. 'What happened to me?!' Atem recalled the scene when he had fainted but he couldn't remember anything else.
"Are you awake?" A cold voice spoke near his ear.
Atem quickly turned his head towards the voice, seeing that it came from a man. "You ..." As he thought to himself, 'This man ...', he found himself able to remember everything that had happened to him.
"Release me! Why have you brought me here?!"
The man smiled slightly as he stepped forward and lifted Atem's chin. "Why, it's for business, of course. It's so hard to find someone as high quality as yourself."
Atem thought angrily to himself, 'High quality ...?! Damn him. Don't tell me that this guy thinks I'm a woman too?!'
"Ugh!" Atem flung away his hand and spat, "Don't touch me with your dirty hands!"
"Ah, it seems that you have a rather stubborn disposition." Once more, he lifted up his chin. "But don't you worry. The rules here don't allow us to do anything to the merchandise. In this way, we can maintain our good reputation. This is also the reason why the guests like to come here."
The man used a knife to undo the binds around Atem, surprising him in the process.
"Don't misunderstand me. I'm only doing this because I don't want the rope to leave marks on your skin. You better not be thinking of escaping. If you do, the consequences are very frightening for you."
As he spoke, he began retreating from the room. The sounds of the door closing and a lock being clicked was heard.
' ... He wants to treat me like a commodity?! Hmph! What a bunch of nonsense!' Atem scanned the small room before using his hands to knock around the walls. He wanted to know how thick they were.
" ... If I wanted to escape from this place, it wouldn't be a problem at all. But ..." From a ventilation opening, he could see a lot of people standing guard outside.
"It would be great if I had a sword in my hands now ... the problem is that there nothing here to use as one ..." He looked through the opening again. 'Actually, if I used my powers, I could escape from here very quickly. Yet ...' He remembered what his father once told him.
Listen carefully. You have a very great power within your body but this power cannot be used whenever you want to do so or else it will cause disaster for others. The main principle for this is: You cannot use your powers to harm the people of Egypt.
'Alas ... those men are also Egyptians ...' Atem sighed softly.
"Since that's the case, I can only figure out a plan of escape as I go ..."
Youlan: At least I was able to protect your body ... Don't hit me again ... (Her whole body shakes)
Pharaoh: ... Very well. I will not hit you this time. But there's still something left ...
Youlan: I ... I know ... I'll let you leave in the next chapter ...
Posted on July 4, 2004 by Rika.