I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or any of its characters and plots.
However the following characters (their powers and such) used in this fan fiction ARE mine:
Lady Aurora Phoenix
Lady Natara Fear
Lady Sapphira Star
Blaze
Chaos
Havoc
Now to take a side trip to the mail box...
AFG- I am glad you are enjoying it so far. I hope this chapter is at least at good as the others (smiles)
And now back to the chapter...
A Visit from Osiris
Three months had passed since the wedding and aside from the attacks of Lady Phoenix's enemies, all had been quiet. Well, almost. Several nights, Atem had woken up to her thrashing in her sleep. Her visions had begun haunting her at night. These nightmares showed so many evil things yet to come she was scared silent in the morning and had not said anything to anyone in the past month. On top of the nightmares, she had been waking up violently ill and could not eat to save her life. Dizzy spells threatened to overtake her weak form and she stayed in bed as often as she could. Atem told any who asked that she had not been sleeping well and had wished only to be left alone. He claimed it was the lack of sleep that brought on the illness. Truth be told he was scared to death of what was happening to his Queen. Her silence made it all the more frightening.
"Please, Aurora, speak to me. I want to help you but you have to tell me what is going on." Lady Phoenix moaned, her face twisted in a grimace of pain. She wished she could tell him. Odd thing was, she was not sure exactly what was causing this pain. She counted it as lack of food in her system. "Please, Aurora," he pleaded with her. His fear shone deep in his eyes.
"I... I wish... I could, Atem," she gasped out finally. He reached for a wet cloth in a bowl beside the bed and gently wiped her forehead clean of the sweat that beaded there.
"Can Mahado at least look in on you? One of the other priests perhaps? Isis? Anyone?" Atem was quickly running out of solutions. She looked at him wide-eyed in fear. She had never felt this way so no one had ever had to check on her in the way he meant. There were only two people she trusted her body to if a check was to be made.
"Natara and Sapphira," she finally whispered before her eyes closed and she fell back on her pillow. Quickly he stood and strode toward the door. Mana had just started down the hall toward him when he called to her.
"Mana, keep watch over her, please. Try to keep her comfortable till I return." Mana nodded silently, her eyes wide as she watched him move ahead. She had never heard his voice so strained. He was truly scared and it was beginning to show.
"Priest Set!" Atem called out as he neared the doorway to the palace. He knew that Lady Phoenix's friends had left earlier to go after yet another attack by their enemy. By this time Shadow's brother Panther had begun to show himself as well and he had to be taken out soon before more damage could be done. Set drew up sharply at the tone of Atem's voice and his eyes grew dark.
"What is it, my Pharaoh?" He asked tensely.
"When Lady Fear and Lady Star return send them to see Lady Aurora immediately. They are the only ones she wishes to see."
"She finally broke her silence, I take it."
"Yes, she has. I begged her to let Mahado take a look or someone. She said no one but they will be allowed to see her at this time." Set stared at his cousin for only a brief moment before nodding.
"I will watch for them and bring them when they arrive."
"Thank you." Atem stopped before turning back to head inside. "Has anything been heard as to Bakura's where-abouts?" Set shook his head.
"It does not make any sense sire. He has to be here somewhere, yet for nearly a year we have not been able to find him."
"We must, Set. We must find him, and soon. This chaos has gone on long enough. He has ripped through so many of the tombs. There are few left. My father's being one of them. I am surprised he has not hit that one yet." Their conversation was cut short by a scream from inside the palace.
"AURORA!" Atem shouted sprinting back inside.
The room had begun to spin around her again after Atem had left the room. She closed her eyes to shut it out. She knew what was coming. That vision. The one that had tormented her for going on three months now. A new threat approached. This one would happen soon. Very soon.
"Lady Aurora, I presume," a dark voice whispered through the room. She swallowed hard before opening her eyes. "I am sorry, I mean, Queen Aurora." The sight before her shocked her enough to make her sit up quickly before doubling over in pain. Suddenly drawings Mana had shown her after her wedding floated before her eyes. She knew who was with her. She knew whose presence she was witnessing. This terrified her more than any pain she was facing.
"Osiris," she chocked out, still gasping for breath. Her voice was dry and cracked. Her eyes took in the sight of the green skinned man before her in robes of a Pharaoh. His head-piece sat firmly on his head. She looked around hoping for someone to be near by. Mana had backed up against a wall before dropping to her knees on the floor in a bow.
"There is no need to fear me," the Lord of the Dead told her. "I have not come here to take you. I need your help." Now she was very confused. Even Mana had lifted her head to cast a curious glance over at Lady Phoenix.
"My Lord, what can I do to help a god?" Lady Phoenix asked hesitantly.
"There is a man who roams around the palace grounds who is trying to call himself the Lord of the Dead. I cannot have that. If he truly wishes to be a part of the dead then I shall see to it. However, I seek your help. You have seen the future of this duel between the Pharaoh and this man, Anubis. You know how it will end if someone does not step in to stop it." She turned away from the god before her. He knew of her powers. "Agree to help me and I can help you." Her head shot up to face him again only to see he had moved to be directly in front of her.
"How can you help me?"
"I know the pain you are feeling. I know why. I can make that pain go away. I can ease the change you are experiencing."
"What is this? What is happening to me?" Osiris pulled back.
"No, first you must agree to help me." Lady Phoenix cast a glance down at Mana who was still cowering on the floor. Mana's wide green eyes blinked at her but she managed a smile nod. Slowly, and wincing at the pain of the motion, Lady Phoenix turned to face the Lord of the Dead once again.
"All right. I will help you." She listened intently as he told her the nature of her task to serve him. He handed her a dagger with a crooked, silver blade. He called it the Dagger of Fate. He said it was the only way to destroy Anubis and serve him the punishment he deserved. Osiris told her that if Anubis wanted to be a part of the underworld so badly, that he would see to it that was what Anubis got. Lady Phoenix eyed the dagger cautiously. She knew her task. She just was uncertain as to how to complete it.
"When the time comes to use it, you will know what to do," Osiris assured her. "And now, my offer to help you." He stood back and raised his arms high above his head. A bright light filled the room and a heavy pressure bore down hard on Lady Phoenix's midsection. So hard she could only react by screaming out in agony. When the light was gone, she felt a fluttering stirring within her and she looked up at Osiris in awe.
"What did you do?" she breathed, placing her hands where the pressure had been. She felt the fluttering again.
"I merely made some adjustments. You see, your form was not prepared for the burden of three children to come at once." Lady Phoenix let her mouth fall open in shock. She tried to find her voice and could not. "I did what I could to ease the pain, however, I am afraid that does not mean that everything is still ok. You must still be careful. You have a large responsibility on your shoulders with these three. Things will get worse before it is over. Now I must leave. Your husband shall be arriving shortly. He must not know of the task before you until it is completed. Do not worry about any form of punishment. You will be sparred." With that, Osiris disappeared from view as Atem and Set burst through the door followed by several of the other priests.
"Are you all right?" Atem asked as he rushed to her side. Still in shock over what had just transpired, Lady Phoenix merely stared at her hands holding her midsection and said nothing. She was completely lost in her mind by what she had learned. "Mana? Will someone please tell me what happened?" Mahado stepped forward and placed a hand on Atem's shoulder to quiet him. Mana lowered her eyes and walked to stand behind Mahado.
"It was Osiris," she whispered. "He was here." The room was filled with gasps and instant chatter. Atem looked up sharply causing all to fall silent again.
"What do you mean, Osiris was here?"
"She is being truthful, Pharaoh." Atem started at the soft voice and realized his queen had spoken again. "Osiris was here. He was here to help me."
"I do not understand, help you with what?" Lady Phoenix looked up at everyone in the room before giving Atem a pointed look. Realizing no one was leaving, she resorted to her mental voice.
He told me why I was in so much pain. He took the pain away. At least for now, she told him.
What do you mean for now?
He said it may get worse. My body apparently was not prepared or ready for ... well, what is happening.
Just what is happening? She could tell he was beginning to become impatient. Quickly, he ordered everyone out of the room.
"Now just tell me what is the big secret?" he demanded once everyone was out.
"You will be a father, Atem," she answered softly.
"Are... are you certain?"
"Yes. Quite certain. I understand now. My body was not prepared. Not for this burden. This was too much for it."
"I am afraid I do not understand. All women can handle the birth of a child."
"A child. I am with three." Atem fell to his knees in utter disbelief. He kept telling himself he was dreaming and he would wake up at anytime. "My people, we were lucky to bare two." Lady Phoenix explained. "Three has always been too much. And most times, very rarely did the birth go well. More times than not, we would lose the mother along with at least one child if not all because of the early birth. This is not going to be easy. I must be extremely careful. That is, if I am to make it through this."
"I will do what I can to help you, I swear it," Atem vowed as he grabbed her and held her tightly against him. A relieved smile on his face at the idea of being a father; and a terrifiedthought in his mind at the possibility of losing her as a result.
Ok so it may not have been my best work... But the words just kept coming for me lol... They wouldn't stop... Well yes as you can tell I set up the stage for the battle with Anubis as well as for some complications that are sure to come... They all tie in together though, you will see (grins)... R/R please!
