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.
Author's note: You may recognise some of Zork's speech from the manga. I did extensive research (reading scans consitutes 'research', ku ku ku) to find out what exactly the contract was so I hope you enjoy this chapter. The other servant of Zork might remind you of those undead people that saved Thief Bakura in the anime. That's who they are. And Atemu will realise whose behind everything, he'll just need some time.
Summary: Held captive by Akunadin, Set bears unwilling witness to the great evil that his father brings into the world in order to complete his plan to destroy Atemu and see his son on the throne.
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Chapter 42: The Dark Priest
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Set gazed upon the scene taking place in front of him, his heart beating frantically beneath his chest. As Set watched, the items in the casket shone brightly as Akunadin stretched his arms out above his head. Soon after it appeared, a demon of tremendous size and immense power. It had wickedly curved horns, two of which shielded its skull-like face. It was so colossal that its wings curved around itself, its head almost reaching the ceiling as it crouched over the stone tablet.
The very size of it! Set thought, still bound by magic, glancing up at the monstrous demon in amazement. Is this the Evil God? What does Akunadin think he is doing, unleashing this beast upon the world?
"Are you the one who awoke me, wishing for my power?" the monster growled in a deep voice that shook the chamber, Akunadin bowing his head in determined confirmation. "By using the seven treasures and releasing me into this world, the sky will be clouded by darkness and catastrophe will rain down upon the land. But be warned. If you use up all your power, you will die. Are you saying you truly desire part of this power?"
The demon breathed heavily through its nostrils, emitting plumes of foul smelling smoke. The fingers of Set's left hand suddenly clenched together as the young man found himself capable of the smallest movement. As Set looked on, Akunadin yelled his desire even more vociferously and the Hem Ntjr found himself wondering of Atemu. This was a grave crisis for the country; just where was he?
Set could feel the incredibly seductive power of the devil all around him, but unlike his power-mad father he found himself growing resentful that the country would be placed in such danger just to make him king.
"Priest Akunadin, I know that you came here to exchange the vows of darkness with me, because you are the one who created the Sennen Items," the demon announced, Akunadin nodding.
"Yes, I believe it was all your will, Lord Necrophidius," the old priest agreed.
So it used Father to free itself from the tablet? But where was it before that? Set wondered, glancing at the two. In order to free itself, it will use the one who created the Sennen Items. But then how were they made?
"I will grant you a part of my soul that will allow you to control the world and fulfil your desire. But what is your one true desire? I sense it is not for yourself," Set heard the demon speak.
That was when the Hem Ntjr noticed that Akunadin was looking at him over his shoulder, a look on his face that angered him beyond words.
Set's rage boiled beneath the surface of his emotionless face. This was madness!
"Let my son, Set, become the new king!"
The young father saw Akunadin turn back to face the devil he had summoned, who raised its claw, within which formed a ball of light.
"Akunadin, take my power. Become the slave to my soul that will rule the world!"
Suddenly, the light sprang from the demon's claw, striking Akunadin like a bolt of lightning. The man Set had known was changing; his robes disappeared, replaced by black and gold armour, engraved with the Sennen Eye. Long red hair trailed down behind his back as he turned around, revealing the mask that covered his face. To tell the truth, Set did not know how to feel at this moment.
Set then heard a noise and turned his head, seeing Atemu and his old associates standing at the entrance to the chamber.
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Akunadin turned around and gazed at the group assembled before him. A smile then crept onto the old man's face beneath the mask. Atemu and Set, both in the same place. Things could not have worked out all the more better. If only things could have been done another way, but he had been left with no choice. Besides, at least now he had the power to make his dream come true; the same power that was running through his veins like a drug.
And now the lion I've trained for all these years can finally dissect this good for nothing boy, a hated reminder of my brother, Akunadin thought, noticing the anger on Atemu's face.
"So! I find a murderer conspiring with a traitor! How could you both do this to me?" Atemu quizzed.
Akunadin was going to speak but Set beat him to it.
"If you believe that I killed your wife then you're even more stupid than I thought!" Set snapped, Akunadin bending down to take the Sennen Eye from the tablet and put it back to his eye. It seemed they truly did have a wedge. "Try looking beyond the obvious, you stupid imbecile!"
"How dare you stand there and deny your wicked deeds to my face, Set! A real man would own up to his actions. So what are you? A man? Then prove it to me now!" Atemu demanded.
Akunadin chuckled to himself; amused by the fact Set was such a proud individual. Yet his son was sometimes tempestuous, much like himself at that age. At least now his boy was doing his work for him. He had known that he would have had to force the situation onto Set because even now, his son was still reluctant to kill Atemu. Well, like they said, there was no better motivation than self-preservation.
"So you think you're a better man then I do you, Set? You think that you can defeat God and steal my power? Just you try. I will smite you down as I should have years ago as the vile snake you are," Atemu barked, all eyes on the two men and not himself.
But still, it would be best if he were gotten rid of, the old priest thought, walking away quietly out of view But still, perhaps there's another way this can work out in my favour.
Akunadin could see in his son's mind that he was reluctant to take the final steps he knew he needed to take. But there was another way to force his son's hand. There would be no escaping his destiny once Set saw what he had in store for him.
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Neith gently lay Sobek down in his crib, and as she watched over her son she wondered in amazement at having held the little child she had carried in her stomach. At least Sobek had been born in his father's hometown. She had feared that he might not have been born at all.
Walking out of the bedroom, Neith paused and looked across at Kisara, suddenly feeling a cold chill. Set had gone away and left her all alone, save for the white-haired girl.
"I'm fine, really. Don't tell me Set's told you to stop me from even walking," Neith said amusedly, walking off down the corridor.
"He's just concerned. But how do you feel?" Kisara asked.
Neith stopped and chuckled, feeling amused.
"If he had asked me nine months ago what I thought about having a baby, I'd have said that I wanted to have had it in Per-Bast." Neith smiled as she said this, for some reason the brunette felt uncomfortable.
The young woman could feel it within her soul and she knew that Kisara felt the same; Set was in grave danger. It was as if a familiar presence she could not pin down was lurking about inside the household, but she could not see nor hear it. And the worst thing for Neith was that she could not do a thing. Not in her condition.
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"He's just concerned. But how do you feel?"
Reappearing inside his son's estate, Akunadin quickly scanned his surroundings as he heard Neith murmur something in reply to Kisara. It appeared that he had surfaced inside his grandson's room, just as he had planned. The old man moved over to the crib, the boy's blue eyes following him as he came into view, the young child still sucking on his hands, almost fisting one entirely. Sobek reminded him so much of Set at that age.
Akunadin would do whatever he had to in order to get what he wanted; Set on the throne. But he loved his grandson and would do nothing to endanger the young baby.
Reaching into the crib, the old man plucked out the boy, along with a cloak of fabric, and held him close.
"Lord Akunadin, Lord Zork desires your presence on the battlefield. He wishes for you to complete your task as soon as possible," a gravely voice echoed, as if it found it difficult to speak.
Akunadin turned to face the black-robed figure, another servant of the God of Evil; it's red eyes glowing from beneath its hood.
"I shall be done within the hour. Two women won't pose me much trouble. Tell our Lord he has nothing to fear," Akunadin replied, manoeuvring Sobek in his arms as the child fidgeted. "This will bring my son into the fold, one way or another. Here, take the boy. I shall meet up with you later."
Akunadin handed Sobek to the hooded servant, his clawed hands unburdening the precious load. It would be far better for Set if he came over willingly. The old man hated to do it, but it appeared as if his son needed some incentive.
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Staring up at a dark sky that had once been bathed in light, Neith found herself growing fearful now that Ra's light had unexpectedly been swallowed up by the darkness. Set had told her nothing about a solar eclipse. What was going on?
Turning to face Kisara, the brunette sat herself on the edge of the garden wall in the main courtyard. The white-haired girl was still gazing up at the dark sky, all the soldiers that surrounded them doing the same, several of who now held lit torches that glowed in the darkness. Neith had a bad feeling about this and that it somehow involved her husband.
"Kisara, can you fetch Sobek for me?" Neith requested. "I don't know why, but I have this bad feeling."
The girl nodded and ran off inside, soon returning. Neith had expected to find Kisara carrying her son and saying he was all right. What she had not expected was the frantic look on the girl's face.
"Neith! He's – he's disappeared!" Kisara told Neith, looking frantic with worry. "I've looked everywhere and I can't find him!"
Neith's heart fell like a heavy stone in water.
"What do you mean? Where is he?"
The brunette was about to grab Kisara and demand an explanation, but they both jumped as one by one the soldiers suddenly started to fall over. Neith ran over to the nearest soldier and shook him in an attempt to wake him up, but he was having none of it. It was almost as if they had been placed under a spell. Kisara did not know what was going on, but she could feel that bad feeling she experienced whenever Akunadin had visited Lord Set working its way back into her system.
"Neith, I must talk to you," a familiar voice called.
Akunadin was walking out of the nearby shadows that covered the entrance to the main house, heading towards Neith, looking strangely different. Neith herself could see the long mass of red hair that drifted down over Akunadin's back and the black armour the old priest wore, along with a purple cape and the mask that covered his face, but it was nothing compared to the large amount of fear she felt at his sudden unannounced presence here.
"Neith, I am afraid that someone had taken Sobek away. I was aware of it and came to stop them, but by the time I arrived I was already too late," Akunadin announced, his voice stony.
"Who would do such a thing?" Neith asked, fear in her eyes. "He's only a small child!"
"The Per A'a would, I think. One cannot fathom the mind of one twisted by grief. We both know he's wrong about Set, but he refuses to listen to reason," the old priest replied, walking closer to Neith. His hands then clasped hers, and Neith noticed the wicked look they possessed. "Don't you see? You must help me to bring him down, for your son if not for yourself. One who would treat children so callously does not deserve the throne."
Neith paused, deep in thought. Atemu had, apparently, taken one of her most precious things away from her. But something about this did not seem right. She had only laid Sobek down several minutes ago. Neith then noticed a stern look on Kisara's face as the white-haired girl glared at Akunadin.
"You're lying!" Kisara said angrily. "Atemu would never do such a thing, nor would Lord Set permit him to do so! It was you, wasn't it?"
Neith yanked her hands free and stepped back in fear as Akunadin turned to face Kisara, sensing the evil atmosphere that was starting to build. Kisara had a look of determination as the white-haired girl and Neith both glared hatefully at the masked priest, who laughed evilly.
"Maybe it was me; maybe it wasn't. Either way, it's none of your concern, you wretched woman. Nor is this family any of your concern. The only reason my son keeps you around is because of the power you hold. He cares not for you: your own life in insignificant in his eyes. The white dragon is the only thing he's after, as am I." Akunadin sounded different as Neith saw him raise his left hand.
She's right. Lord Akunadin is not himself, the brunette thought.
Neith quickly grabbed Kisara's hand as a burst of lightning launched itself towards the girl from Akunadin's hand, pulling Kisara away from the attack that collided with and scorched the ground.
The young woman then hurriedly summoned her Ka and pulled Kisara up onto its back behind her, the two of them setting off at great speed towards the town down below on the lion's back. They soon reached the paths that led down to the town, and the old priest, who had irately followed them from the estate, was forcing them to dodge numerous lightning bolts and other such attacks.
Akunadin had been the one to take her son; Kisara had been right all along. He was a liar; one who had stolen Set's ceremonial mask, the Sennen Rod and the Sennen Ankh to frame his own son in order to put him on the throne. And now she was being forced to run away from him like some coward.
Curse that confounded betrayer! Neith seethed angrily, her Ka suddenly stopping as the earth rumbled beneath them.
Neith looked up in shock as several stone spikes sprouted from the earth, towering over the three of them, herself, Kisara and her Ka. The golden lion bristled angrily and its tail stiffened as it growled lowly. Kisara followed Neith's example as the brunette turned to face the old priest, who had his own plans for the two of them.
"You both will come with me now! Stop this foolish escape attempt. You cannot elude me, Neith. Did you forget? I have your son and if you want to see him alive you will do as I say!" Akunadin yelled.
Kisara was shaking in fear and Neith found herself unable to move. The threat against her innocent child held the woman paralysed, as if chains bound her to the back of her great lion Ka. She was unable to act and helpless to stop this raving maniac from hurting her child unless she did as he said.
Damn you Akunadin! Set will kill you for what you've done. Damn you straight to hell! Set, where are you?
Akunadin smiled beneath his mask, his threat had worked well. Neith was no fool, and what mother would abandon her infant in order to save herself? He had been smart to take custody of little Sobek before confronting Neith. Now all that remained was to set the stage for the great battle that was yet to come.
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