Hi, minna! I haven't died yet. I've just been busy with my own life and recovering from a bout with the flu. Maybe that's why this chapter seems a bit weird with the translation of some parts. (I know I skipped over a sentence or two but luckily they were parts that wouldn't make sense if I ever tried translating it.)
Anyway, on to the comments.
Elusia: First of all, Atem was never a demon. It's just something that Akunadin made up to get rid of him. I'm not sure how the whole thing is cleared up because Youlan never reached that part in this story or in the side-story she wrote (which you can also read at FF.net ... only the first part is up though.) but I assume that either someone told the truth to the Pharaoh, who punished the guilty party or something else happened.
NeferNeferi: Here's your answer ...
Roanna Luna: I have no idea why she chose that name. I think I should ask her about that the next time I write her an e-mail. But I do know that she wrote this story before we all found out Yami Yuugi's real name ...
Metadragon: Thanks for your high rating. Hope you enjoy this chapter too.
Chapter 14
Faced with Atem's question, the old Queen could only reply with her silence.
"Mother ..." Atem spoke with a slightly imploring voice. He really wanted to know about his younger sister and where she was now. He had lived for sixteen years and this was the first time he had heard any information concerning a sibling.
"I am tired, child ... I want to return to my chambers. Sala!" The old Queen purposely changed the subject.
Atem stared at her, flabbergasted. "Mother!"
"Your Highness, you called for me?" Sala asked, stepping forward.
"I feel tired and would like to return to my chambers to rest." After finishing the sentence, she left with Sala.
Atem stood there, watching them leave with his eyes. At this moment, he had a look of complete bewilderment on his face because of Priest Meti's words to him earlier.
"You did have a twin sister ... only it's a pity that ..."
Of course, he wasn't at all satisfied with such an answer. As a result, he started asking a whole slew of questions, like: "What do you mean, it's a pity? What happened to her? Why hasn't anyone mentioned this to me before?!"
But Priest Meti merely shook his head and told him, "You should go ask your mother that. I can't say anymore, so forgive me for taking my leave now." He then left, with Seto promptly following him.
Before leaving though, Seto mouthed to him "Go ask the Queen! She surely must know the details about this!" Then as Meti wasn't paying attention to him, he continued, "We meet in front of the Temple of Light in one hour!"
'It should be almost an hour now. He's probably there already ...'
Carrying a whole stomach full of uncertainies, Atem quickly headed towards the Temple of Light.
{Temple of Light}
The halls of the temple were completely empty, with no shadows of anyone in sight. Atem walked to stand near one of the pillars and did a quick look around him to determine if there was truly no one there. He then pushed a decorative statue slightly downward. After a minute passed, a hidden stone door suddenly appeared in front of him. Opening the door, he went inside and the door quietly closed itself behind him.
{Inside the Stone Door}
After the door was opened, there were a row of whirling stairs that went straight down. The stairs were connected to a passage, which led to a wide room. At that place, someone was there already waiting for him. Seeing the shadow of the person, Atem promptly sped up his footsteps.
Seto had stood there for quite a while now. In his mind, he was constantly repeating, 'Sheesh! Why hasn't that guy come here yet?!' Presently, he had repeated this for the 9,999th time. Just when he was about to think of it for the ten thousandth time, someone hurriedly ran into the room. The first thing the person did was to apologize to him.
"I'm sorry, Seto! Have you waited for a long time?" Atem asked.
"No, I only waited for about half an hour." Seto said, sounding slightly sarcastic.
'It appears that you're not pleased that I'm late ...'
"Fine! It's my fault that I came here late. Are you happy now? Now to the issue at hand!" Atem answered.
"Did you find out anything?" Seto asked, although he knew it was a waste of time asking the question. From the expression on Atem's face, he knew that the other didn't get any of the answers he wanted.
Atem shrugged. "No. Once my mother heard that I wanted to speak about my younger sister, she made up some excuse to leave." He looked at the other man. "What about you? You probably asked Priest Meti, didn't you?"
"Yes. My grandfather was just as tight-lipped. He did tell me that when you two were born sixteen years ago, your sister was offered to the gods as a live sacrifice ..."
He was cut off by Atem's surprised voice. "Hey! Did I just hear right?! Live sacrifice?!" From what he knew, his father had ordered a complete ban on this kind of cruel ceremony when he was five. How could there still be someone who did such a forbidden act?!
"You heard me correctly! At that time, live sacrifices were allowed and their ceremonies still held. Now continuing with what I was saying ... during one evening, a ceremony was held quietly in the palace. It seemed that almost all of the officials were there, including the previous Pharaoh and his wife. The priest presiding over the ceremony was that old traitor -- Akunadin. He personally threw her into the fire to be burned alive. Everyone thought that your sister had died, even my grandfather thought that was the truth.
"But someone came to see him yesterday. He purposely came very late at night, when there wasn't anyone around and told him, 'Actually, the little Princess is still alive. The infant that was burned to death wasn't her sixteen years ago. She was secretly smuggled out of the palace by a group of royalist priests, the same ones who were at the ceremony and was turned over to a woman they trusted to raise her.'
"I hear that the woman once served your mother as a maid. But the Princess herself still doesn't know of her true identity. Even though she is your twin, she doesn't look much like your sister now. That's all I could find out ..."
"Hmm ... you're actually rather good at this. I didn't think you could get that much out of Priest Meti." Atem said.
"Hn. Who do you think I am?" Seto smirked, apparently pleased with the complement.
Atem's intuition suddenly told him that something was wrong with the story he heard.
'Wait a minute. I keep having this strange feeling. It's Meti we're dealing with here! How could he have told Seto so much ... unless ...' He looked over towards Seto. 'He used that ...' He wanted to know that truth so he probed him, asking, "Seto, how did you find out about this?"
Seto didn't bother replying, but something in his expression gave the answer away.
"You really did use the Millenium Rod ..." 'This guy actually dared to do that to his own grandfather ...'
"Yes. Otherwise my grandfather would rather die before telling me anything." Seto acted like he felt there was nothing wrong with what he did.
'What a rebellious guy ...'
Youlan: ... (Nothing to say)
Yami Youlan: ... It appears that you also know that this chapter is bad, right?
Youlan: You're right; it really is that bad. I ... what the heck did I type??!! (starts bumping her head to the wall in madness)
Yami Youlan: Hey! Have some temperance! You should know when to stop before you kill yourself! I don't want to continue this novel's story for you. (says this while reading magazines)
Posted on May 25, 2004 by Rika.