A/N As much as I'd like it to, Yu-Gi-Oh does not belong to me.
To all my reviewers: I'm so glad you guys like this story. It makes me smile. And here is your reward: the next chapter. Enjoy!
An evil grin spread across Seth's face as he reached into his cloak and pulled out a small dagger. "You might remember this blade, Pharaoh." Seth flashed the small blade in Atemu's direction, allowing him a glimpse of an ornate white pearl handle with black streaks marbled throughout it forming elegant designs. Atemu's hand instinctively reached up to his loosely wrapped silk belt and felt for the small sheath that was never far from his side. He opened the sheath and pulled out a dagger very similar to Seth's. The only difference being that the handle to Atemu's blade was not white pearl, but black with white marbled throughout it in the same elegant designs. He fingered the small blade as a wave of memories flooded his mind.
Atemu lowered his eyes to the blade, and when he spoke, his voice was but a soft whisper. "My father gave us these blades as he was dying. He said that they were like two sides of a coin, much like you and I." Atemu slowly raised his gaze to meet Seth's. "We were future Pharaoh and High Priest; small and tall, physically speaking; compassionate and indifferent. And now," he hesitated, the blade falling from his grasp and clattering to the floor, "upright and wicked."
Seth smiled an evil grin. "It looks like your father knew us better than he could have imagined." He lifted the blade into the air and removed his hands. But instead of falling to the ground, the dagger remained suspended in the air, blade aimed toward Atemu and Safiya. "I'm not the only one who has changed, Atemu, oh compassionate Pharaoh." Mock reverence flooded his tone. "It seems as though you've managed to change a few things about yourself as well. You've fallen from high and mighty Pharaoh to a lowly rebel servant's love." The mock reverence was replaced by a sarcastic plea to an unnamed god. "Whatever happened to the days when royals married royals? I fear that the bloodline has been forever tainted due to your stupid ignorance. And if you can't be trusted with the simple issue of marrying properly, why should these fine people trust you as their leader?" Seth knew exactly how to get under Atemu's skin. In one fell swoop, he had insulted Atemu's ability to be a fit Pharaoh and had cast doubt upon Safiya's royalty.
Atemu clenched his fists and prepared to lunge at Seth, but quickly thought better of it. With his fists still clenched, he quickly scanned his options, and found that they were very limited. He had been stripped of his guardians and in hand to hand combat, any physical advantage would have gone to Seth anyway, since the former priest was much taller than the Pharaoh. Even with Safiya fighting by his side, Atemu knew that they would not be able to bring Seth down, especially not now that the man was wielding the dark shadow magic. Finally, Atemu settled on his best option. Knowing that there was strength in numbers, he called forth the palace guards. "Guards! Seize—"
But Seth had anticipated the move and quickly cut the Pharaoh off. Before Atemu could finish his command, Seth waved his hand toward the Pharaoh, muttering a few words under his breath. With a simple curse, Seth removed Atemu's power of speech.
The Pharaoh quickly fell to his knees, clutching his throat, trying to from words, but incapable of doing so. Safiya knelt by his side, her hand on his back. "Atemu! Are you okay?"
In response to her worried questioning, he nodded and motioned toward his throat. He mouthed the words "no voice," in an attempt to make her understand.
"Oh, that's too bad," Seth said mockingly. "It looks like the Pharaoh is all out of words."
Atemu rose to his feet and attempted to shout at the former priest, but instead went into a violent coughing fit, his words catching in his throat. Not willing to stand by and watch her beloved suffer, Safiya stood and faced her former master. "Seth! Leave him alone! It's me you want, let him be!"
"Oh, sorry, I can't do that. First of all, I'd like to make something painstakingly clear." He focused his full attention on her, anger enveloping his features as he stepped toward her. Safiya was vaguely aware of the sound of the previously suspended dagger clattering to the ground. "You may be responsible for the initial sin, Safiya, but he is just as guilty as you are." Seth pointed toward Atemu, who was leaning against a pillar, trying to catch his breath. He quickly returned his attention to his former servant and took another menacing step toward her. "There was a time that I loved you, and a time that I loved him, as well. But in turning to each other, you turned your backs on me." He relaxed slightly, and stepped back. When he continued speaking, his voice was seething with hatred. "And now I am going to return the favor, beginning first with you, Saph." He spat the nickname out as though it were poison on his lips.
Seth took another step back, but maintained eye contact with Safiya. He then put his palms together and began to whisper in the foreign tongue. As he spoke, a great black cloud formed above his head. Safiya stood motionless, her gaze fixated upon the growing cloud. After a few moments passed, Seth separated his palms and the cloud became a large, fierce-looking black lion. Seth then shouted a single word to the shadow lion, and it immediately lunged at Safiya.
She remained motionless, her heart willing her to move, but her mind unable to comply. The only thing that she registered was Seth's wicked laughter echoing in the background as the shadow lion bared its fangs and dove toward her chest. The impact threw her against a pillar, and stars flooded her vision as pain coursed through her body. Inky blackness quickly overtook her mind, and she fell to the floor in a heap as the cloud vanished.
Atemu rushed to her side, gently shaking her, still unable to speak. The impact had knocked her unconscious momentarily, but after a few moments, she awoke. Atemu looked into her eye, trying to offer her whatever comfort he could. He then stood and offered his hand to her. She grasped his hand weakly, and he gently pulled her to a standing position. A moan escaped her lips as her head began to throb and blackness began to creep into the corners of her vision. Seeing that she was unsteady on her feet, Atemu placed his arm around her waist to support her. And so the two stood side by side, helplessly awaiting Seth's next move.
