Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh or its characters. I do own my OCs, Akunriou / Tory and Kishtoh / Lucca, plus the storyline.

Read the notices!

MidnightBallad: I'm happy to see that the whole scripture thing got you people thinking. And thanks for the reviews!

Answers to some things...

Auroran-Wings:Kaiba's an evil poo. We all know he'd have to give into his evil poo-ness sometime or another.

T-bone: Now that you mention it, it's rather stupid that Akunriou can read. But, she is gifted, after all ;)

Sylvia Viridian: Wow, thanks so much for the info on the priests! The site I'm using doesn't have that much on them, just their jobs and such. But I did know that Mahaado was loyal to the Pharaoh so...you'll have to see what happens, then, or I'll give too much of the story away. And the priests can be evil – if not, I'm gunna make them!

Past: Magic of Stone

Akunriou awoke to the familiar noises of the palace – she found herself thinking how strange it was that she found the noises familiar. She had only been here for a few days now but, strangely, she felt...at home.

Getting out of bed, Akunriou dressed and made her way outside, where she ran straight into Mahaado. She had not seen him since she had first arrived at the palace.

'Oh! Sorry.' Akunriou said apologetically, bowing shortly. Mahaado smiled. 'That's okay. I heard you singing last night – you are very good.'

Akunriou flushed. 'Thank you.'

Mahaado smiled again and went on his way. But there was something around him...the way he spoke, the way he spoke. Akunriou felt that the priest was keeping something from her.

Shaking the thought aside, Akunriou made her way outside, gazing out over the Egyptian landscape. She wondered where her brother was now...and she wondered what had become of Bakura.

Akunriou shuddered. I can't believe he touched me!

She looked up at the sky. Not a cloud in site. Not unusual – Akunriou couldn't remember the last time she'd seen rain.

Akunriou was just wondering when something interesting was going to happen, it did. A group of horses stopped in front of the palace, and Seto the High Priest swung from his horse, landing with a dramatic thud on the sand. Two servants waddled by his side as he begun to climb the staircase.

Akunriou frowned as the High Priest passed her. He had given her a strange look, and he wasn't the first this morn. What about Mahaado?

The High Priest stopped in the doorway, spinning on his toes to face Akunriou. 'You may want to be following me, Akunriou. The Pharaoh and Mahaado will be waiting inside for you.'

Akunriou frowned yet again. 'For what?'

Seto raised an eyebrow. 'The test – you do not remember?'

Akunriou looked like a lost child.

'The magic test,' Seto reminded her. 'What is it for, I know nothing of, but the Pharaoh insisted that Mahaado and himself teach you.'

'Oh!' Akunriou said, jumping slightly. 'I shall go find them –'

'STOP!'

Akunriou was crash-tackled to the ground by Mana. The young woman gasped, seizing Akunriou's hand and shouting, 'No! Remember, the danger, Akunriou – on your fate line!'

Seto grabbed Mana by the back of her dress' collar and plucked her from Akunriou. 'Mana! I thought you had already left!' He said shortly.

Akunriou, gaining her breath, stood upright. 'Where are you going, Mana?'

Mana shrugged. 'I am not really sure.' She looked at Seto. 'The High Priest has informed me of a family to the west that need my magic to solve...a problem. Seeing as my master is busy, Seto thought that I would be the perfect person for the job.'

'That is right,' the High Priest said, pushing Mana toward the stairs. 'You best be going.'

'Yes...' Mana winked at Akunriou. 'Good luck.' With that, she skipped down the stairs three at a time and hurried over to a chariot that was awaiting her. With a crack of the whip, Mana and her small group of servants were off.

Seto did not do so much as wave. 'Come, you will be late.'

- -

Atemu and Mahaado awaited Akunriou in the semi-darkness of yet another chamber that was built beneath the palace. In the centre of the stone floor was carved a giant picture of Thoth, the God of Wisdom and Time.

The two men stood in this symbol, watching the closed door, and waiting for Akunriou to arrive. Whilst they waited, both Atemu and Mahaado wondered if the girl would be able to do this. On the floor before him, Atemu had placed the stone tablet that held the Griffin of Horus.

'The creature is so powerful,' Mahaado commented. 'Will it destroy Akunriou?'

Atemu looked across at his life-long friend. 'I doubt it.'

Mahaado suddenly burst out, 'She cannot be the one, Pharaoh! The Gods would not put such a foolish child in our hands!'

Atemu's eyes sparked with good humour. 'Of course they would not – Akunriou is an amazing girl, and not foolish.'

Mahaado almost grinned, but felt it would be rude. 'You love her, do you not?'

Atemu sighed deeply. 'I – I care for her. Love is a powerful emotion, so much so that I would not dare to say I love Akunriou.'

Mahaado smiled inwardly. 'If you say so, my Pharaoh.'

The sounds of approaching footsteps silenced the Pharaoh and Mahaado's conversation. One of the coming people stopped, muttered something, before leaving – the second of the people entered the chamber, quickly looking about her. Fire flared in torches on the walls, lighting up Akunriou's green eyes as she came a few paces from the Pharaoh and Mahaado.

'Good day,' Atemu said as Akunriou bowed. 'Did you sleep well?'

Akunriou nodded, straightened up. 'Like the dead.'

Mahaado chuckled quietly. 'Do you really think that the dead sleep, Akunriou?'

The girl hesitated, before saying, 'No, I believe that they live. We just cannot see them. They are spirits; they appear only when they want to.'

Mahaado laughed louder this time. 'Indeed. Well, let us begin.'

Atemu left the symbol carved on the ground and sat down on a small set of stairs at the doorway. Akunriou watched him for a second – didn't he say he was going to help?

'The Pharaoh will help,' Mahaado said. 'Just not right now. Come further into the circle.'

'Circle?' Akunriou asked, gazing around her.

'We stand in the image of Thoth, God of Wisdom and Time; a circle, in one way or another.' Mahaado replied, stepping back. 'Please pick up the stone on the floor.'

Akunriou looked down – it was the Griffin of Horus again. The outlines of the carved picture glowed green. Pursing her lips, Akunriou bent down and picked it up –

Quite suddenly, she saw the griffin, as if it were in her line of vision. Its wings were spread wide; its eyes glowed with a supernatural power. It let out a great, knee-shaking screech, and Akunriou snapped away from the stone tablet, the image vanishing instantly.

'Is he...alive?' Akunriou asked, already quite breathless. Mahaado shook his head. 'He is alive in your mind, seeing if you have the potential to guide him – try again.'

Akunriou just stared at the tablet.

'Do as Mahaado says,' Atemu called. 'He is a skilled magician and will not do you any harm.'

Nodding valiantly, Akunriou picked up the Griffin of Horus and held it tightly in her hands. The stone was very warm to the touch – in fact, it was very hot. Steam wafted around Akunriou's hands, and she winced.

'It's okay, do not release him!' Mahaado said in a coarse whisper. 'He is testing you.'

The steam around Akunriou's hands left, and her skin suddenly froze over with ice, gluing her hand to the stone. She winced, but did not let go. She felt another sensation through her hand – it reminded her of something she and her brother used to do.

When they were still children, Kishtoh and Akunriou would run around the market place, rubbing their hands against woollen mats and then trying to catch each other, attempting to spark one another with the small current of electricity.

But the static in her hand was much more powerful; flashing up her arm, Akunriou let go of the stone, yet it did not fall. Instead, it hovered in the air, as if an unseen hand held it up.

'...How?' Akunriou breathed, looking at her hands. A strange symbol had appeared on them – the Eye of Horus. She looked up at Mahaado. He appeared shocked, and his eyes shone with conjecture.

'The Griffin of Horus has accepted you...' Mahaado said, almost in disbelief. 'Now, when the time comes, you can break the stone and he will answer to you.'

Akunriou suddenly heard a voice in her head. No, not in her head – echoing around in the chamber. Mahaado and Atemu went quite still, listening to the words of the creature still concealed in stone.

You are the one who can destroy the darkness plaguing Egypt... the voice said. Akunriou, you will come forward in three suns time, and summon me – I will show my power to Egypt, along with my brother card.

'Brother card?' Akunriou asked aloud. 'Who is your brother, Griffin?'

The Winged Dragon of Ra. He and I are bound in an eternal web of magic. You belong to that web, Akunriou. You hold pieces of it together.

Akunriou would have gone red, had she not been talking to an echoing voice of a monster. 'I understand. Is summoning all I have to accomplish this task?'

Yes. Do not forget...three suns, Akunriou.

'Three suns,' Akunriou repeated clearly. 'I understand.'

The stone tablet lowered itself slowly to the ground, flashing once, before its outlines ceased to glow. Swallowing nervously, Akunriou picked up the Griffin of Horus and held it out to Mahaado. 'Here: I know that you guard it.'

Mahaado took the stone. 'Yes. I will return the Griffin to its place of safety, and hand it over to you in three suns time.'

Atemu came over, his cape rippling softly in the chamber. He nodded to Akunriou. 'You did extremely well, Akunriou. You should be proud that the Griffin has accepted you.'

'I should?' Akunriou asked, as Atemu led her from the chamber.

'He answers to no one else...' Atemu said, his voice and Akunriou's fading away as they went upstairs.

All the while, Mahaado did not move. After quite a long time standing in the chamber, he called, 'Seto!'

The High Priest came into the chamber, as if stepping from another time. He took one look at the stone in Mahaado's hand, before he gritted his teeth and shook his head. 'This was not supposed to happen!'

'I know!' Mahaado said. 'But fate is fate, and...' he placed the Griffin of Horus in the High Priest's hands. 'I do not want anything to do with the arrangement you made. Akunriou truly is the one who will save us.'

Seto sneered at Mahaado. 'For a magician, you do fall easily for tricks. The Griffin could not accept Akunriou –'

'But we heard him!' Mahaado objected. 'Did you not hear?'

'I heard very well, thank you.' Seto snapped. 'They are only words. If Akunriou breaks this stone and the Griffin of Horus does not appear...I cannot take that risk.'

'You cannot –'

'I will do what I like to secure Egypt's future!' the High Priest barked. 'Do not forget, I am the Pharaoh's cousin. In desperate times, I also have quite some say.'

Mahaado did not bother to argue anymore. He only watched helplessly as the High Priest left.

-End chapter 15-

MidnightBallad: Waaah! I am SO sorry for the slow update! I wasn't in the mood for writing, and everything I wrote was crap! And I'm sorry if this chapter was short, but I ran out of ideas at the beginning. Anyway, thanks to everyone who reviews AND reviewed!

- Happy Christmas.