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.

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Chapter 33: A Thief In The Night

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Bakura remained carefully hidden within the shadows, having crept up to the balcony outside Atemu's room, and as he surveyed the young ruler and his wife he found himself growing ever more bitter. After that old priest had made his odd request, he was more than happy to carry it out. But not just because of the rich rewards he would receive. It would be vengeance for himself and his fallen fellows from Kuru Eruna, the village that the current Per A'a's father had wilfully massacred in order to create those accursed Items with which to protect the country. At least they would be able to rest once he had carried out his mission.

Tonight, Per A'a, you're going to die. I hope you've made your peace with the Netjer, he thought gleefully, watching on as Atemu's wife left the room, leaving his victim alone and unguarded.

For the last few years, he had been planning this moment over and over in his mind, the day when he would finally get vengeance. It had become a quest, one he was determined to complete. Once and for all he would kill the Per A'a, make no mistake.

Prepare to join your worthless father in the afterlife!

He glared hatefully at the current ruler as he removed the headband that he wore and laid back on the bed. He knew the truth, that this boy's father had been the one to order the massacre of his village. The sins of the father were the sins of the child. He still had to have acknowledged what had transpired on that fateful night fifteen years ago.

His head then shot up; someone had called out his name! How could he have been discovered so quickly?

"That traitorous back-stabbing priest! He had this all planned from the beginning!" He quickly glanced to his side at his Ka, which had now evolved into its third form. "Diabound! Let's get out of here!"

He quickly jumped down from the ledge, an angry look on his face. Once he had touched down on the floor he glanced around at the garden, seeing that soldiers were running after him. That priest would pay dearly for setting him up like some sacrificial lamb!

Putting two fingers in his mouth, he whistled for his horse, which soon galloped towards him up the path.

"There he is, down there! Get him!" he heard a guard yell.

He hurriedly kicked the horse off down the path, jumping over the heads of several guards who were running towards him. Once he was in the entrance hall, he quickly headed towards the heavy doors the guards were frantically attempting to close and then he burst out into the open. The horse he rode quickly galloped down the city streets, kicking up a dust cloud as amazed villagers who had stayed up looked on.

He then turned to look over his shoulder, seeing that his so-called 'target' was now following him on horseback.

"Curse you, Per A'a!" he yelled furiously, Diabound flying overhead. "Why can't you just die?"

His lips curved angrily and he bared his teeth, his hands tightly gripping the reins. That priest had made fools of them all! It was strange, though. Through the Sennen Ring he had acquired from the magician, he had been able to sense the wretched old man's sincere wish for the Per A'a to be killed in cold blood. But then why had he stirred the pot and redirected his efforts in an attempt to see him killed? One thought echoed through his unsettled mind as he galloped through the city streets, followed by the Pharaoh.

What's that old man up to?

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Whilst this was going on, the priest who had now become one of the targets of Bakura's hatred was walking on his own towards the Veju Shrine at the side of the palace to make sure his plan was carried through. Carried in his right hand was a wickedly sharp sword, similar to the one he had taught Set swordplay with. He had no qualms about betraying the thief, who would have easily done the same to him if given the chance. Nor would he have shied from killing the boy. He just had far more important and deserving goals.

That thief deserves what he gets. My son shall become king!

He walked inside the surprisingly unguarded temple and began to ascend the long flight of steps leading to the top. Of course, he knew that Bakura would not shy away from using the villagers as a human shield. He was more worried about his son, who would likely have followed Atemu along with the rest of his colleagues. It angered him that he would be placed in such danger.

He could hear the flames licking at the city outside the temple. A muted haze was in the sky above his head, seen through a small opening in the ceiling.

Doubtlessly, all those townspeople shall be seeking shelter in the palace. Set is right; they're nothing but worms. They're a bunch of people with no spine at all. How pathetic; but he can change all that. He will, once he becomes King.

Suddenly, a flash of red passed him overhead; Osiris's tail disappearing as the God no doubt went to the aid of the one who had summoned it. His heart beat faster as he watched the God disappear and he knew what he would have to do. There was a loud crash of thunder, and he knew that Osiris must have launched an attack at Bakura's Ka.

He got to the top of the stairs and stared at the three tablets that housed the Gods of Obelisk, Osiris and Ra.

"Die, accursed spawn of my brother; die so my son will take your place as Kemet's true king!" He walked closer to the pyramid of the three tablets and gripped the sword tighter in his hand. "Die, along with my brother!"

With an evil smile, he raised the sword high above his head, bringing it down into the heart of the image on the right hand tablet. It cracked noisily, a deep scar quickly running across its surface as the sword wedged itself within it. He knew that this must have worked in stopping the God; he could not allow Bakura to die unless Atemu died with him.

He had no time to contemplate further over what he had done. There was another flash of thunder and he was struck unconscious, collapsing next to the tablet he had attacked. His grip on the sword released just as the God Osiris shuddered out of existence in the sky above Atemu.

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At that moment, when Diabound attacked Osiris and it exploded, Atemu grabbed his chest and fell forward onto his horse as if the wind had been knocked from his lungs.

"Ahh! What's happened to Osiris?"

"How should I know?" Set glanced to Karim at his side, one hand holding the reins of his horse as they looked up at the sky in shock. "But, I do wonder what's happened."

Osiris, the god disappearing in a shower of red sparks, was swiftly destroyed by Diabound's attack. Looking at the white-haired thief, Bakura, who was laughing gleefully, he narrowed his eyes as the thief then raised his hand. Right then, a shout snapped him to attention

"Set, we can still see Diabound! Continue to attack while it's in the open!" Atemu told him.

"Yes, Per A'a!" he answered.

It's not the time to argue over who gives the orders, not now. I can wait until it's over, he thought inwardly.

"Dious! Launch your Aura Sword straight at Diabound!" he ordered.

There was a loud sound as the sword of his Ka pierced something. Glancing up along with his fellows, he wondered what had been hit but was quickly disappointed. Instead of striking Diabound as he had hoped, Dious's sword had pierced through the skull-covered shell of a Ka shaped like a turtle. The thief was laughing at the fact that their last chance to attack Diabound was gone. He angrily bashed his fist into his right hand and stared across at Atemu; he had fallen over his horse, exhausted.

"Hah Now the Sennen Puzzle shall be mine!" Bakura yelled in triumph.

Suddenly, he jumped as Atemu slid off his horse, collapsing to the ground from sheer exhaustion. What a pathetic display of weakness.

"Atemu, you weakling! Get up!" he barked, glaring at the fallen Pharaoh. "How can you expect to beat Bakura when you can't even stand up? If you can't even do that, then you're nothing but a weak ruler who needs to let go of the apron strings! A true ruler of Kemet would never bow down before his enemy!"

"Yes, Per A'a. He's right. You're still holding onto your mommy's hand," Bakura chuckled. "Aww. Does the poor little Per A'a miss his mommy?"

"Set! What are you saying?" Karim sounded shocked at his words.

He heard a scraping sound. Peering past the priest with the Scales, he saw Atemu drag himself back up onto his horse. His knuckles were white as they retook the reins, a determined look on his face. He seemed to be annoyed with him and Bakura both, but he also seemed to have gotten the message. Atemu finally seemed to have tapped that inner strength that he knew was there all along. He had seen it in him when he had called forth Obelisk so many years ago, and he was pleased to see it again now. Maybe Atemu would triumph against this foe after all

"Yes, Set, you're right. I have to do this. Not just for myself, but for everyone else."

"Then do it and quit whining," he scoffed.

He continued to watch Atemu as Bakura's Diabound remained concealed in the dark sky overhead. There was a fire blazing in his crimson eyes, and not for the first time, he wondered what it would be like to control the power of the three gods. By now, Atemu had climbed back up on his horse and was glaring at the gloating Bakura, who was either too stupid or just plain clueless as to what that look had in store for him.

"Bakura! You have yet to see the true power of the Three Gods! Now I shall shatter your darkness completely! Come out, the Divine Dragon of Ra!" Atemu called.

His eyes widened as a bright light suddenly descended upon the city and the surrounding country. What was this? Was this truly the greatest of the Three Gods, Ra? From the light descended the winged God, surrounded by a golden glow as everyone gasped in amazement, himself included.

"What is this light?" Bakura sounded as shocked as everyone else.

Karim whispered to his side as he voice aloud his thoughts.

"This is the light that comes from the heavens and can tear even the blackest of nights asunder. That is the God of the Sun, the Divine Dragon, Ra!" He stared up at the winged god. "Night has been changed into day. It's so beautiful."

"This is Ra? It isn't possible! How can you possibly have any strength left?" he heard the thief say aloud.

Bakura sounded amazed and angry as Shimon mumbled behind him. The old priest was wondering if it was Ra's power that had caused the night to be lit up as if it was day. Karim then answered him, stating that seeing as there was no darkness for Diabound to enshroud itself it, it was the perfect time to beat him.

"Hah! Who cares? Diaound has already beaten Osiris and claimed his power! Diabound; use Thunder Force!" Bakura yelled.

Hurriedly gesturing to his Ka, he ordered it to intercept the attack with its Aura Sword. He ploughed his entire Ba into the sword so that he could redirect the attack. Ra would not be on the receiving end of Diabound's attack, for he knew that the God could destroy this monster of Bakura's. The attack was directed overhead, where it harmlessly fizzled through the sky and faded away, leaving Atemu the perfect opening.

"Atemu, do it now!" he yelled, glancing at Atemu.

"Go, God Phoenix!"

Ra suddenly burst into flames and was soon in the form of a burning phoenix, one whose light pierced the darkness for miles around. It soon burned Diabound with its flames, and a loud scream of pain filled the air. Bakura was burning along with his monster, his skin starting to peel as he fell against his horse, defeated. Once finished, Bakura was just a lifeless shell, draped against his horse.

He shivered, feeling a twinge in his now-healed leg. If Atemu had summoned Ra those three years ago, he would have been dead in an instant.

The villagers stepped out from the shadows as he thought about this; amazed by the sight they had seen. The Sennen Ring glinted as they stepped out to congratulate Atemu, a dark aura surrounding it.

"Per A'a did it; he really did it! Congratulations, Per A'a!" the crowd called.

He glared to the side at the villagers as they thronged around Atemu. He would not even have summoned Ra if he had not prodded him into finding the strength to do it. What about him? He had put himself into the path of danger, yet he lay forgotten, cast once again into Atemu's shadow like some doll to be used and then discarded.

Why can't others see how Atemu falls victim for doubting himself? How come I have to always be second when I should be first? That damned fool. He could have been killed, and yet you can't even see it on his face, basking as he is in the light of his victory, he cursed angrily, glaring hatefully.

He seethed inside as Atemu continued to be congratulated.

He's not half the man I am. His father was a weakling and so is he. And should I succeed Atemu should he not have an heir, then Neith shall be the flower of all Kemet. Damn it! Why must I always come second?

His eyes narrowed darkly as Atemu continued to be congratulated. This would not be the end of it. Not by a long shot.