Heaven Sent
by Hunter K

AN: I've been hiding in my shell for so long, plotting plans on ruling the world — which doesn't seem to work at all… maybe it's about time I give delight to my readers… So, K proudly presents… /drum roll/ CHAPTER 4 of HEAVEN SENT!

DISCLAIMER: Yu-Gi-Oh! Doesn't belong to me...

Quote of the Century: "That which is static and repetitive is boring. That which is dynamic and random is confusing…" – John Locke

Chapter 4: The Pharaoh's Will

…-…- Bakura's thought/POV -…-…-

I am a thief. My parents are thieves. My friends are thieves. Our neighbors are thieves. Everyone in our little village are thieves…

That's the drawback when you live in a country where everything is passed through generations – skills, knowledge, profession and most of all, social class. Being born as a son of a thief means, you are to be a thief. And coming around on a low social class meant to stay on that class forever… that I hate for being an Egyptian – It is terribly boring.

Until the chain that binds the loop of our inevitably boring life broke. Our village was invaded by the pharaoh's assassins, leaving just the ruins, the ashes of the village I once called home, and I alone was allowed to live – as the witness of the devastating fate of Kuru Eruna…

I touched my face and fingered the token that made me reminisce all of my past. It was a scar over my right eye, a vertical slash crossing two horizontal ranks. I got it when they took Akila…

Speaking of Akila, I found out from a town's person that they took her to the palace alive to partake in a ceremony, along with the cadavers of our people. Knowing she's alive ignited a beacon of hope inside me. As long as she's alive, I have the chance of rescuing her and living with her far away from his hellish place.

I sneaked through the castle's back gates as I planned. All is going well. I got inside the palace unnoticed and got into the ceremonial chamber. I pushed open the huge stone doors. Dramatically, it slid slowly as if it wanted to give certain significance on the scene. As the doors unlocked and my sight pierced through the gap, white light blinded me. After adjusting to the light, my eyes widened. I was surprised to see Akila, in a white gown, standing on a platform and behind her stood a huge pot.

I froze. I can barely hear the chants of the priests surrounding the central pot above a blazing fire or smell the whiff of inscents that hung in the air. Before my eyes I saw Akila remove the gown and plunge herself into the pot, joining the essence of our tribe in the form of boiling blood.

I ran to her, trying to go after her... but a strong arm caught me.

"AKILA!", my shout filled the air but the priests didn't mind, they just continued chanting what seems nonsense to me. A tall man held me firmly. The pharaoh's right-hand, Mahad, I believe was his name. I tried to break the grip by revealing a knife on my sleeve. I struggled but he was far stronger. What's a kid compared to a grownup? He didn't haul me outside the room; instead, he let me endure every second of the ceremony. He let me hear every word uttered, let me smell the stench of combined blood of my villagers, and let me suffer from lost and incredulousness. I was scared and confused, confused to the point that I wanted to join them…

And that's when I lost the last strand of hope that keeps me up…

…-…- end thoughts -…-…-

The sound of harsh tapping on the wooden door disturbed the thief's reverie. He heard Ryou murmur something, which sounds like, 'I'll get it…', before rushing to open the door.

"Malik! Come in…", Ryou ushered his tanned friend inside the house. The thief recognized the voice but made sure he was the one Ryou introduced earlier this day so he sneaked a glance behind the bedroom curtain.

"Ow, Hi there! Bakura, ain't it?" Malik greeted him after catching a glimpse of him from behind the curtains. But the thief just stared at him, appearing from his hiding spot.

Ryou smiled and said, "I'll go get us something to eat.", to break the tension between the two. Malik followed him in the kitchen.

Malik held Ryou on both shoulders and confronted him face to face. He wanted to get to the point, early as he can.

"Ryou listen,"

Ryou was shocked. Malik never approached him this way before. His eyes stared at his friend, wide with confusion.

"Ryou, your father wants you in the pharaoh's court immediately." Malik said in a low, serious voice, as if conveying confidential information.

"Why is it?", Ryou tried to calm his voice.

"I don't know. Isis just told me. I didn't speak with your father."

Bakura sneaked behind the kitchen door, listening stealthily. He can hear most of their conversation, but not all. He flinched after hearing the tanned Egyptian say, "I just heard that it has something to do with the death of pharaoh Akuhamukanon…"

The thief's vision swirled. This can't be. It can't be! The only thing I live for, is gone? He felt hopeless, letting his once proud shoulders slump in silent mourning. He mourned not for the death of the pharaoh but for the death of his only aspiration – to get revenge.

…-…-…-…

"Mahad, does the medium reached the palace yet?", an old rumpled voice from a shadowy figure asked.

Mahad bowed to praise his superior, "He's on his way, my lord…"

"We got to have him ready for the ritual…"

…-…-…-…

Velvety white locks flared in the air as Ryou ran at the corridors of the palace. He wanted to talk to his father. He knew something was going on and he have to find out.

...- tsuzuku -...

AN again: What's with the maxims I put on every chapter? I was trying to make this fic kinda philosophical… Most of my viewpoints were here, I just wanted to share them. You can either condemn or adopt some of it… you are free…