Ch 3

Chapter: 3/6

Pairing: Not sure if there is.

Warning: A little disturbing. Seth is homicidal.

Summary: Seth wounded Mahaado. Atem was not pleased.

A/N: For those who have not followed the Ancient Egyptian Arc, Mahaado is Dark Magician and Atem is Yami.
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He awakened to the early sunlight that danced on his fluttering eyelids and diffused like golden honey on the desk's ebony surface. The first sensation that rose in his sleep-indulged mind was the cold on his feet and hands.

Drowsily, he lifted his head from wrapped arms, undoubtedly his pillow for the rest of the night, and leaned back into the hard chair. The bone of his neck seemed to crack as he moved, his paralyzed arms tingling with rushing blood.

How did he end up here?

Suddenly, he felt nauseated as bile rose from his stomach. A headache quickly announced its presence. From his left brain, it throbbed, crawled and spread to his right brain until he started groaning and there was tear in his eyes.

He stood with one hand to grab on whatever support he could find, and another hand on his brow, fingers applying pressure down on his temples in an attempt to dispel the headache. He had a quick glance at his empty bed before walking outside, stumbling on the desk's leg on the way. Something seemed missing. An elusive memory of last night involving the slightly disheveled sheet that now escaped him even when he fought against the pounding headache to remember.

He dragged the door open and froze in place. On the floor was his Millennium Rod stained with dried blood. Even before he picked it up, memory started rushing back like a stream in Inundation season that spilled over the land.

He remembered how the world had swayed and tilted under the candle's light that dotted rainbow colors. He had been seriously drunk after the wine from Per A'a. After the dance with Akunadin, he had more wine and danced with unknown people whose faces now seemed covered by veils of shadow.

He remembered the slave girl on his bed with nothing on her body save the strands of beads. He remembered the disgust and filth that were ignited by the sight of her and overwhelmed his mind to fuse with buried fury and hatred. The terror in her widen eyes was familiar. It resembled that he saw in his enemy's eyes which haunted his endless nightmares and walking days. In his temporary disoriented and unstable state, he had seen and thought of nothing but death.

/Brick and rocks and walls crumbled into halos of fire. The stench of burnt flesh and blood reeked the air. Screams and cries burst as everything explored and sunk in redness./

He would slay her open and drench himself in the blackened blood and laugh until he could not anymore.

She had ran away, screaming 'Devil from Desheret' as he reached for the Millennium Rod. He had chased after with murderous intention fueled by the blood thrill like a demon spawn from the dark hole of hell, his judgment totally clouded by his inebriety and the ghosts from his past.

There was a splatter of blood but it was not from her. Someone with a hateful smell had stopped his stab by shielding the slave girl with his body. Mahaado, the ever meddler!

The dagger was pulled back. Another vicious stab aimed at the broad chest but it was stopped by a fierce grip on his wrist.

The latter part was a muddle -- the bitter tang of blood, struggle and insults followed by words of blame regarding his campaign. Akunadin and Shadah had shown up quickly to interrupt the conflict.

If Mahaado was wounded, undoubtedly, Per A'a would be informed firstly.

What had he got himself into? Seth groaned as his headache seemed to heighten tenfold.

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A resounding sound was heard as Per A'a slammed his fist down the arm of his throne. "I demand an explanation from you, Seth!"

Kneeling on the floor, Seth bowed low. "Your Majesty! It is but a... mutual misunderstanding from both sides."

Murmurs ran around the room with knowing glances. It was, after all, not a secret that General Seth and Hem-Netjer-Tepey Mahaado were not exactly in friendly terms. Some had even gossiped that Mahaado was the main reason why General Seth spent more time in the camp than palace.

Seto continued humbly and respectfully. "When I returned to my quarters from the banquet, it was too dark to perceive the difference between a slave and an assassin. Upon seeing a shadow in my room, I believed that was an assassin who would attempt foul things at night. Mahaado's sudden intrusion could not stop the attack which resulted in his injury. I deeply regret the event, all of which is thus to your Majesty's consideration."

"You..." Atem was still angry but unable to punish the General, not after the other had brought such great victory to Kemet. Seth, despite his solitary, arrogant personality and reckless actions, was always the best of the best.

Just if the General could get along with Mahaado...

"General, it is unfortunate that such conflict is given chances to occur in my palace. Anything that has passed cannot be regained. Still, a sound apology will be. I hope that you will pay a visit to Mahaado and consult him about the ritual tomorrow."

"Yes, your Majesty."

The rest of the audience passed in peace with nothing but petty squabbles over lands from some laymen, gifts from a neighbor kingdom and the like. The punishment ceremony to extract Ka from the prisoners before the end of the morning audience also went smoothly even without Mahaado.

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Mahaado hadn't left his bed since returning from Seth's quarters. The wound, although deep, was above his heart and thus not vital to any organ. Still, with a serious loss of blood, he had almost fallen into unconsciousness. Despite the care from the royal physician who sewed the gaping wound on his chest and stopped the bleeding, the pain did not stop radiating from the wound to his limbs and draining him off all the strength. It seemed the side effect of the wicked Millennium Rod that was the vessel of the dead souls. He had slept but little for every time he closed his eyes, he saw shapeless souls that moaned and screamed in voiceless words.

There seemed more deaths at each passing day. Fear and pain would not stop the will of people and hence, there would be no end to the war.

How could someone as young as the General harbor such thirst for blood, pain and death? If he had not interfere last night, Seth would have killed another innocent.

"Lord Mahaado! You have a visitor!" From outside, Mana ran in with a wide smile on her childlike face. He could not help but return it with a small smile of his own.

"Mahaado!" He turned and saw Seth leaning languidly against the doorframe with arms wrapped around his chest. He was half-naked from the waist up, wearing only a simple purple kilt and turban with a large golden ankh dangling from his neck. As Seth walked towards, Mahaado was again reminded of how young Seth was but he quickly dismissed the notion. A murderer was anything but innocent.

Seth was not noticing his scrutiny; he was busily scanning his room alertly as if looking for any potential danger.

Ignoring the pain, Mahaado tried to sit up with a hand clutching at his chest and leaned heavily on Mana who instantly reminded him. "Please don't move! The physician said that you need to limit moving until it's healed."

"I'm fine," said he with a slight shook of his head. He couldn't afford giving Seth more reasons to insult him but it seemed too late for Seth had turned towards him and commented sarcastically, "Seeing your pathetic form on the bed saddens me."

"By the love of Horus, I am not that easily killed," he said coldly, bothering on the rude side.

Seth was leaning closer. "Sacrifice yourself to save others. How noble, Mahaado. Very soon, you will die a dog's death."

Mahaado's lips tightened. He was trying to disguise his anger from the General who unfailingly destroyed his calm demeanor over and pushed him near breaking point. "If my death can protect others, I have obtained my purpose in life."

The General's normally icy eyes in an instant was touched by a splash of an indiscernible emotion. He blinked and it was gone.

"For you as an apology for the incident yesterday," said Seth and threw him something.

He caught the object. It was a small vial of a golden salve that smelled sweetly of herbs. Would Seth want to poison him after failing to kill him yesterday? He questioned himself and tried to analyze the fleeting glimpse in the boy's eyes. It was difficult to think that Seth was capable to show any emotion other than indifference, mocking and anger. As he turned the vial around in his hand, he saw a word craved and circled on the bottom, 'Seth'. It only meant one thing -- the salve had been concocted by Seth who was always well-known for his knowledge of thousands of different herbs.

/Such a waste of talent from someone who preferred to kill than heal./

"Thank you," he said and closed his eyes tiredly. "General, I need to rest. If there is nothing else, please..."

"On more thing, Mahaado. Per A'a wants to know if it is possible for you to attend the ritual tomorrow. If you are seriously unwell, then it is best to have it cancelled."

Without the ritual, the souls of the dead would never reach the Hall of Maat to go to the afterlife. Mahaado frowned deeply, unsure whether his current state could prevent him from performing magic during the ritual.

"Please don't go, Lord Mahaado. You will die," said Mana in worry.

"It's fine, Mana. Seth, please go back and give his Highness my words that I shall be there ere Re rises."

"I cannot wait to see you tomorrow," sneered the General and turned his heels.

Looking at the retreating back and vial in his hand, Mahaado started reconsidering his decision to try the salve. His pain chose that moment to scream for his attention again.

TBC

Next chapter: Mahaado collapsed during the ritual. Seth's plan was in motion.