Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh isn't mine. If it was, I'd be as rich as Seto Kaiba himself. (Well, probably not, but you get the idea…) And this fic is beta-read by Pamster. Thanks a lot to her for checking it and her advice.

Summary: Out in the village, Set hunts for Ka but finds a white-haired girl instead. Will she change him? He takes her back with him, but finds out Shadah has a bout of nerves.

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Chapter 31: Ka Hunt.

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The next day, Set was seated proudly on a chair, carried aloft on a slave-mounted sedan.

He looked to his right at Shadah and he frowned when the priest quickly looked away from him. After Isis's vision last night, everyone had been avoiding him. Whenever he tried to talk they looked away, as if he were diseased. Akunadin had fallen into deep thought and Neith seemed almost scared of him.

I'd never hurt her. Not intentionally. Why does it always have to happen to me?

He rested his chin on his hand, thoughtful about what Isis had seen and wondering what would be done about it. Her vision had him totally wrong. He was willing to do unspeakable things to gain power and protect Kemet, but he drew the line at cold-blooded murder. Those in the camp were an exception; they had threatened his country. He said so. In fact, he had been ready to admit to his actions until he realised that Isis had not seen the slaughter at the camp, but something totally unrelated.

"What about me disgusts you so, Shadah? Why do you turn away from me?" He looked at the bald priest, his voice cold. "If I'm as depraved as everyone thinks I am, then answer me these three questions. One; why would you be accompanying me today? Two; why am I still allowed to walk freely? Three; why am I soon to be a father to a child whose mother I love?"

"Well, I came because I agree that stronger Ka are needed to deal with the threat Bakura poses. You only remain free because Per A'a is a gracious soul and Neith loves you. Now please, just leave me be."

He frowned as Shadah looked away, after which he glanced down to his left at all the villagers who were prostrating themselves to them. It was sickening that they were so obedient, but who was he to complain? They were all peasants; what a bunch of imbeciles.

But at least now they'll have some use, he thought, thinking of his plan to use the Sennen Items to look through their minds for strong Ka.

The chattering classes soon lived up to their name when he raised his arm, bringing their ride to a stop. Soon enough, his reason for being here was underway. Atemu had given him leave to descend into the city, but he knew not his purpose and had told him not to frighten anyone. Hah!

He longed to test whether Ka could evolve, as they had shown in that prototype experiment with those spies. He had already removed their Kas and had them executed. After all, they were spies.

At least in death they shall serve me well. Heh, heh.

"You! Come here!" He pointed at a villager, a young man about his age, who his soldiers soon dragged before him. "Shadah, if you will."

He coolly gazed at the black-haired villager as his associate walked up to him. Shadah harboured feelings of guilt but he would get over it, for now he was as culpable as himself. The Sennen Ankh was held to the man's head but it proved to be a useless endeavour. Shadah shook his head and he sighed.

"Not strong enough, eh? Well, we have plenty more to filter through. Next!"

They soon found several candidates who he deemed suitable. He smirked as his soldiers grouped them together, ready to be taken to the prison. Shadah had little idea of his true intent, otherwise he would have informed on him to Atemu. Then he would have been in trouble, not that he was scared.

All of the crowd around him look frightened as he turned around and strode forwards, one of them brave enough to shout out in anger.

"The white dragon god shall punish you for your treatment of us!"

What did he say?

He froze, turned around and coolly gazed at the culprit. With a snap of his fingers, his guards dragged the man out from the crowd and forced him to his knees. He then walked up to the pudgy man and struck him around the head with the end of the Sennen Rod.

"What did you say? Such blasphemy!" He struck the man again, blood seeping from his nose as he turned to face his guards. "Take him back with the others."

That was when he caught something in the distance. A crowd of villagers had formed a circle and were yelling furiously at something on the ground. Some were waving rocks in their hands and he felt his rage increase as they cast them down. Walking over with his guards, he intended to see what the problem was.

--

Meanwhile, Akunadin lay on his back upon his bed, and as he closed his one good eye to seek some calm he sighed quietly, contemplating his son and the throne. Not only was it right that it should be Set who wore the crown, he hated the fact that his brother's legacy of peace lived on in his son.

It's not fair. Why should he have lived in glory when I was forced to serve? And now my son faces the same fate. I shan't stand for it.

Having wished upon the eye that his son would be king, his deepest desire was still unfulfilled. Perhaps it was time he did something about it. He would not live forever, and he longed to see his son on the throne before he died.

He shivered as a cold draft blew through his room, forcing him to cross his arms and rub them in an attempt to keep warm. What was this? He could feel the hair on the back of his neck start to rise as a hazy golden mist gathered at the foot of his bed. He opened his eye and saw that he was not alone; standing before him was Akunumkanon.

Brother.

"What are you doing here? Can't you leave me alone?" He then leaned back, closing his eye once again. "You're dead. I don't have to worry about you anymore. Go away and leave me be."

"Not until you explain to me why you plot against my son."

He sat up, glaring at the ghostly vision of his brother. His breath caught in his throat and he shook his head in denial. This could not be! He had thought that he could finally live in peace, but no. His brother always had to complicate things, the inconsiderate fool.

"I'm not plotting. I'm just making sure my son gets what he rightfully deserves."

His brother looked down at him, his eyes narrowing.

"So you want my son to lose his heritage and quite possibly his life! What kind of brother are you? Just because I was chosen, you decide to bring misery to my son and this land. Brother, you're going down the wrong path. Grow up and renounce this evil plan of yours before it's too late!"

"No, brother, you're the one who needs to grow up!" He sat up in the bed, a dark and venomous tone in his voice. "You were only chosen because you were louder than me. What kind of a reason is that? My son shall get what should have passed down to him in the first place!"

"Don't you see where you're going, Akunadin?" Akunumkanon looked imploringly at him, causing him to look away. "If you keep on doing this, you'll lose your soul and your son."

"What concern is it of yours anyway? I would have thought you'd understand, now that you've passed onto into the next realm."

"It concerns me greatly to know all that you did in my name and the evil you still carry within your black heart, Akunadin. You had no right to bring such sinister powers into the world and now that corruption has bled over into your son."

"You were always so weak, Akunumkanon, yet you gladly embraced that power I offered with my sacrifices. Your son is no better then you were. Neither of you are worthy to lead our country and Atemu will surely destroy us all. As for losing my soul and family, you know full well that I lost them both when I pledged my loyalty to you so that I could serve you!" The Sennen Eye began to glow, causing his brother to pull back. "Now be gone!"

He focused on the power of his Item and banished his brother back to wherever it was he had came from to torment him. His foolish arguments had fallen on deaf ears; he was determined that his son would become king. It was his destiny, and he would do everything in his power to make it so.

--

"What are you doing?" Set's voice echoed coldly.

He loomed behind the murderous mob with folded arms and a blood-freezing voice. The stone throwing had immediately stopped when he had announced his presence and he could now see the object of his hatred. Lying bruised and battered on the dusty floor was a girl with long white hair. She was extraordinarily pale and looked to have been knocked unconscious.

"Why did you do this?" he asked then coldly, Shadah walking up behind him as he addressed the crowd. "What did she do to warrant such barbaric behaviour? Speak now or I'll remove all your hands so you'll never cast another stone again!"

"Look at her skin and hair, Hem Ntjr Tepey! She'll bring nothing but disaster upon us and our village!"

"And so you decided to take the law into your own hands and beat her, did you?"

Glaring at the crowd, he stepped forwards, standing above the girl they had attacked. That was when he realised that she looked exactly like the girl Isis had seen! His heart started to beat quicker as Shadah gasped. First the vision and now this: just what was going on?

He then glowered angrily at the man who had spoken. Because of the fact his mother had been half-blooded, she had been discriminated against, even though she looked the same as everyone else. To see such behaviour repeated here sickened him.

"You would torment someone because of the different colour of their skin? How about I carve the true difference between you into your flesh!"

They all looked away from him as Shadah muttered to himself. The priest was gripping the Sennen Ankh tightly, his eyes wide in shock. He walked over to the girl, bent down and placed the ankh to her forehead. He suddenly fell backwards before rising to his feet and facing him.

"Set, this girl houses the power of god in the form of a white dragon, just like what Isis told us," he was told quietly, out of earshot of the crowd. "It looked exactly like the one she foresaw you…" He paused when he shot him a glare. "Its power is incredible!"

He glanced at Shadah thorough the side of his eyes.

"Really? There are no gods but those of the Per A'a; you know that. Next time, watch your words."

Calling over several of his own personal guards, he ordered them to carry the girl back to the palace and take care of her. To think that such a frail girl housed such power! He would have to work out how to take it from her and make it his own.

--

Hours later, Neith gazed at Set. As she watched her husband from the bed, he gazed back at her from the chair, a smile on his face.

"You're happy about something," she remarked.

He walked over to her, still smiling at whatever it was he had done. He climbed into bed and embraced her, only for her to recoil at his touch, still reeling from the shock of Isis's vision. She sighed as he angrily pulled away, feeling offended.

"What is your problem?"

"It's nothing," she lied, curling up beneath the covers.

She heard him sigh in exasperation and she jumped when he kicked the bed. Ever since that vision, she had been plagued by thoughts of just how ruthless he could be. She then yelped as he grabbed a fistful of her hair, almost tearing it out of her scalp as she found herself gazing into a frightening pair of blue eyes.

"Do I look like a heartless monster? I may be many things, but I don't kill innocent people," he growled at her, slapping the side of her face. "You should try to have more faith in me." She then felt him stroke her chin where his hand had struck. "You used to be so devoted to me, lotus."

She grimaced, but then she sighed in relief when he finally let her go.

"I still am!" She was about to finish her sentence when someone knocked repeatedly on the door.

Set gave her one last look before rising to answer it. He only held it open slightly, as if afraid of her seeing his visitor. Why would that be? She tried to listen in as Set whispered quietly, shooting her worried glances.

"Shadah, it would be more prudent to talk when we're alone."

"No, Set, we shall talk now!"

Her husband looked at her again, frowning as she thought about what Shadah could possibly mean. He then turned back to face the other priest, said something she could not discern and went to slam the door shut, only for Shadah to push his way past him into their room. He slammed the door shut and marched over to the priest, who had stopped at the foot of their bed where she was resting.

"Good evening. I did not mean to intrude, but I wish to have words with your husband."

"Shadah, I'm warning you."

Set looked down at her from the foot of the bed.

"Set, why haven't you told the Per A'a yet? You swore to me you'd tell him as soon as we returned; it's been seven hours! If I didn't know any better, I'd say that you weren't planning to tell him at all!"

"Shadah, what are you talking about?" she asked curiously.

"Maybe you should ask your husband. He's an expert at keeping things from the rest of us," Shadah spat.

"Set, what is he talking about? What is this? Set?"

She then realised that Shadah had a faraway look on his face, as if he were possessed. Set was standing right behind him, an angry look on his face, the Sennen Rod raised. What did he think he was doing? He would get into serious trouble! She shifted uncomfortably as he leaned forward to whisper in Shadah's ear.

"You'll forget all about what we did today. You don't want to cause undue fuss, do you?" he hissed, resting a hand on the priest's shoulder. "That's it; just forget all about it."

She looked up at Set as Shadah blinked and began to awaken.

"What do you think you're doing, Set? You'll get in trouble!" she whispered, before the priest awoke.

"Don't be like that, lotus. We're the only ones here, and I know what I'm doing, so have a little faith. You do love me, don't you? Do you value me as your husband? Then keep quiet and trust me; it's all for the best."

She felt unsure as she nodded glumly, Set guiding Shadah out of their room, muttering something about having a funny turn. He then followed Shadah outside, stopping behind momentarily as she called out to him, asking where he was going.

"I'm going out for a walk. When I get back, perhaps you'll have found out where your loyalty lies; with me or some stupid vision!"

He then slammed the door shut behind him, leaving her to her thoughts.

--

Later, once Set had made his way down to the prison and left Shadah behind, he found himself standing over the girl he had rescued. He did not know why he had saved her, but something inside him had been sickened by the villagers' blind discrimination. She sure looked foreign, but she had caused no one any harm. And then there was the fact she housed the white dragon.

"To think that you hold such power. It's quite a mystery that it would reside in someone as weak as you," he mused, all the while thinking of how to obtain that power for himself. "I wonder what Neith would say if she could see you now."

He looked at the white-haired girl as she slept on, unaware of his presence. She deserved better than to get stoned to death because she was different. He had not put up with it when it had been his mother and he would not do so now. She looked so different; perhaps she had come down from the northern countries that lay across the sea.

I shall find a way to make your soul my servant. At least that way your death can bring forth something meaningful, he thought, glancing down when he heard a small moan.

It seemed as if she was awake at last.

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