The night had been peaceful with only brief visions of a far world thousands years away. In his dream, someone was standing in the middle of a ruin with long hair and blue robe flowing in the wind. At a closer look, the man carried striking resemblances to Seth whose dragon was coiling around his body, its vast wings spreading wide and enveloping all the white light emaciating from a golden object held forth in an outstretched arm. In that posture, still and yet alive, he looked beautiful and mighty. His opponent was none other than Yugi in equal might, surrounded by a red hallo of the desert sun, the Dark Magician above him tall and proud.
Seto woke up to the twilight. His dream although slightly different, was essentially the same as the one he and Yugi had during their Battle City duel. It not totally unpleasant but unnerving. If the young hermit was the same priest he saw in his dream and the mural in Domino Museum, it meant he was not living in the 21st century but three thousands years ago.
Totally ludicrous!
Pushing the thought aside, he looked outside the window. The patch of sky was a uniform gray with no signs of the sun, the air cool and fresh, soaked in the night's stillness that made it easier to discern the sound of flowing water. It was another short moment of inefficient use of time to stay on the bed, stretching his muscles and blinking the night away but then, that was the end of luxury. After putting on his shoes, he pulled himself away from the bed almost immediately. He had expected to see a basin of clear water, fresh towel and single meal waiting for him on the table but there was none. The owner was also absent.
The wooden door gave an ancient sound as he pushed it, the hinge barely holding it in place. Seto found himself in a place serving both as the living room and kitchen. Despite the scattering of shelves and crates of scrolls, bottles and vials, there was a remote sense of organization in the room. As Seto looked around for Seth, he discovered that there was no other bedroom -- the idea that Seth and his female friend had left him the only bed made him quite conscious.
When he walked outside, it was still earlier than he'd initially thought. Comparing to the arid desert, this place could have been Eden. The sun was all but invisible, the earth tinted of red but groves after groves soothed the bold color with their green shade. The little harbor was a small house nested beside a spring from which spilled artesian water. It looked so appealingly cool and clear that the urge to cool his sore feet returned. Taking off his boots and rolling up his leather pants, he waded down and washed his face and arms. The seducing water beckoned him to tread further pass the curtains of palms and branches skirting the water surface.
Suddenly, he halted for the sight in front of him was not possible considering his situation.
There was, unmistakably, a blue eyes white dragon in the stream. The morning light was drawn towards it and reflected back from the pearly dews on its magnificent body, making it vividly real. It neither was moving nor directing its attention on him for its long neck was bending over a figure whom Seto immediately recognized as Seth. The young hermit was utterly still like a statue with his arms loosely wrapped over his chest and lower body submerged in the water, his eyes closed, face calm and serene.
It was a scene of harmony and the mystical tranquility was almost sacred.
In the next moment, the precious silence was broken like a crystal. It began with an indiscernible swirl in the waters around the slender waist and a gentle draft which seemed to rejuvenate and fill everything with life. The branches moved in jubilance with the rippling waves and then Seth started to move. The shifting of elegant arms and small curved body were extremely graceful and expressive, all of the stiffness last night lost in the tilt of smooth neck, dark color of eyelashes and fullness of lips. When Seth commenced pouring water over him from cupped hands, it was almost sensual and erotic but the young man was doing it with a genuine reverence as if he was practicing a morning ritual to whatever deity he worshiped.
Suddenly, Seto realized that he had been staring. In a moment, he would retreat to the harbor and forget this scene but something stilled his steps.
It was the sight of imperfection on an otherwise flawless skin. A scar started barely two inches below Seth's shoulder blade and ran on a slanted path to one side until it followed the prominent bones of his hip and expired underneath the waters. The tissues were pink in color, slightly puckered and particularly painful looking. It could have been ugly but on this young man, Seto found fascinating and mesmerizing. When a subtle throb began from his side and ran along his body, he was startled to realize the acutely familiar feeling as if he knew the wound as if he had known it for a long time. Yet, he did not know how and why. Still, his side were hurting and it seemed to him that if he could touch the other, the pain would go away.
He must have been trapped in a spell for he was unaware that the young hermit had caught his appearance and turned frozen in the midst of his ritual. He didn't even notice the threatening bare teeth from the white dragon as he crossed the distance. There were the thump thump sounds of his heartbeats and warm smooth skin under his palms but he did not have time to ponder.
"Why?"
It was his own voice but it seemed to come from somewhere behind him. It was not until the naked body gave a tremor and sudden intake of breath that Seto startled and lapsed into his fully controlled self. Eyes caught his in a moment of breathlessness, intense blue fire blazed with emotions and he sunk into its depths in an unfathomable drop that he was afraid he would never hit the bottom. None of them moved until the answer came, spat out through bitten lips, echoed by a sound roar from the dragon.
"Mind your own business. Take your ungodly hands off me!"
The eye contact stopped. As they met eyes again, he saw none of the emotions earlier, even anger and embarrassment were too forcefully suppressed that only the barest trace of them left. Seto turned away with an inaudible murmur of apology, his audacity still unexplainable. The waters went chilly and unwelcoming, the coarse sand whispering under his steps.
Not long before the sun clear the bleakness away, Seth walked in, dressed carefully with not a hair out of place, his face smooth and emotionless. They passed without acknowledgment of each other's presence. He had much to say but was unable to find the right words. The packing was swift and simple for he had no personal belongings and the provision was ready. Hoisting the duffle bag on one shoulder, he considered of a gesture to show his gratitude for the help but decided to skip the formality.
Indifferent eyes flicked at him, spending barely a second on his face. "Follow the stars to go Northeast. The sandstorm will never cease but nothing can hinder your path if faith is with you. Beyond the desert, you will find the Wise from whom you will find counsel. Now, leave and don't ever return."
Seto left without looking back or saying anything.
If at Seth's sanctuary, the weather was cool, barely a few miles away, it turned ardent with fierce rages of sandstorm that buried him deep under the hot sand. Covering himself with the trench coat, he waited a few hours for the storm left but it didn't. His following attempts to walk were easily defeated until the sudden drop of temperature indicated the nightfall. He spent much time to think about Mokuba and the strange hermit ,and without his consciousness, he started to accept the fact that he was either not in his own world, or living a dream which he knew not of the way to escape. Dream or not, if this world was indeed the Ancient Egypt, then the only person he knew that could shred some light into this was Yugi, the pharaoh.
It was near midnight when he came back. Without wasting time for pleasantries or explanations of his return, he said, "Bring me to your king."
The young hermit immediately stiffened up, his hands clenching into fists at his sides. He looked uncertain for a moment. The show of emotions on his countenance was subtle but enough to catch Seto by surprise -- such a deep and profound longing but… for what?
/Home./
When Seth gave him his back, along with disappointment, Seto felt... rejection. His pride and dignity would not allow himself to ask again and yet, he must make this stubborn man listen to him. The point was how? His fear was, however, no longer necessary for the other was saying quietly, "It will be done."
oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO
They stayed in the sanctuary for the night, again with Seto taking up the bed and the hermit no where to be seen. As soon as dawn broke through, Seth brought him breakfast and left as quietly as he'd come. By the time Seto was done with his meal, he discovered that Seth had finished packing up and was preparing to set the whole place in fire.
No words were spoken, fire catching on the reed mats and woods easily, rolling on the wet earth like a living red snake. Seto looked regretfully at the burning shelter -- the only one in miles -- without questioning the deliberate action of the hermit who stood stoically next him, staring directly into the fire with his eyes open.
The smell of ash and fire followed them even long after the dragon's powerful wings lift them over the sandstorm and floated above the endless sand. Not long before the sun rose high above them, they reached regions of civilization where little houses rose from the horizon and fields of green covered the dark earth in miles.
The wind was strong enough to cool away the heat. At the speed they were going, the ride was both exhilarating and thrilling and even though Seth was giving him a cold shoulder, it did not stop him from enjoying the wonderful view from above.
They flied straight into the heart of the city, above which the dragon circled three times before lowering down a courtyard undoubtedly built for this single purpose.
Seth took off the dragon's back immediately the moment it touched the ground, leaving him behind. When he jumped down after Seth, he discovered that they were not alone. Several people whom Seto could only refer to as servants and guards were waiting for them. Despite the number of people, the air was surprisingly quiet that he could hear his own heartbeat above the dragon's heavy breathing.
"Seth…" he started but stopped at the sight of a figure standing opposite them. Seto could see none of the man's features for the man was covered from head down in a long white robe. All he managed to see from behind Seth were the broad shoulders and the tall stately presence speaking of the man's status.
Unexpectedly, the man stepped forward and enveloped Seth in a tight embrace.
"Seth, it's been too long," the man croaked, voice shaking like that of a father who had not seen his son for a very long time.
Seto frowned at the long fingers and wizened hands that grasped Seth with strength perhaps strong enough to hurt but Seth did not protest nor did he return the affection. The sentimental moment was touching but brief.
As they parted, the formal air settled down upon them and just then, the old man began to direct his attention at Seto. He caught the white eyebrows, thin lips, and crooked nose under the hood but they did not disturb him as much as the mismatched eyes, one of them red in color, the other glinting golden behind a mass of white hair.
The eerie eyes took in his features, swept through his clothes in a close scrutiny and then returned to Seth. And yet, even when they no longer focused their attention on him, Seto still felt as if his every movement was observed, recorded and evaluated. In the pit of his stomach, there was a growing sense of uneasiness and wariness of danger.
"Is this the One?" the old man questioned in a hard voice completely devoid of the earlier emotions.
It started daunting on Seto whom Seth learnt such indifference and apathy.
"Yes, it /is/ him," Seth said and titled his head slightly towards him in emphasis, his expression icier than it had been yesterday.
"Lord Akunadin, if you can excuse me, may I go and make myself presentable?"
"Go now and be swift."
The man waved to send Seth away and turned towards him. He suddenly felt even more uncomfortable and awkward.
"Seto, is it not? I am Hem-netjer Tepey Akunadin, Bearer of the Millennium Eye and Keeper of the Temple of Tablets. It is of gladness that God light your path and guide you here. We have been waiting for you long enough."
The man said in a voice that demanded respect from him even if his frustration was fueling the amble of anger inside him.
Still, when he replied, he could not keep the annoyance from his voice, "I don't understand any of this. Why are you waiting for me?"
The old man seemed surprised but it quickly changed into slight amusement. "I see. He has not unburdened himself to you after all, and yet it is not unexpected. I understand your feelings but have no doubt that all will be revealed to you when the time comes. Now, enough with the talking. We are wasting the daylight. His Majesty summons we both."