(Warning: Chapters from now on will be from Shonen Jump's Yu-Gi-Oh! Millennium World as seen through the eyes of Juliana. I will try to be as original as possible)
Chapter 16: Enter Bakura, King of Thieves
The Pharaoh sat on his throne with Siamun standing to his right and the six priests standing in front of Pharaoh Atem to his sides; Akunadin, Karim and Mahado to his right, and Isis, Seto, and Shada to his left. Juliana, Naru, and Vash stood on a balcony in the room to the right of the pharaoh.
A guard approached and bowed. "Great Pharaoh. May we open court?"
"Very well," Atem said.
"Bring in the prisoner!" Two guards carrying spears walked in leading a fairly large, heavy-set bald man in. He struggled a bit, but the guards easily held him. "This man was caught trying to enter the tomb of the former pharaoh!"
The prisoner growled. "I'm not a thief! I didn't even steal anything! The tomb was empty when I got there! There was no treasure, not even-"
"Be quiet!" commanded one of the guards.
The first guard shouted now. "The resting place of the pharaohs is the territory of the Gods! Learn now what those who set foot in the sacred ground will face the Gods' judgement!"
"Now your crime will be judged by the seven Millennium Items!" said Siamun.
"There seems to be many thieves coming in lately..." said Naru quietly.
"Did that thief say there was nothing in Pharaoh Akunumkanon's tomb?" asked Vash.
"We'll have to see later."
As they spoke, a similar scene to Juliana's judgement was unfolding. Priest Shada found an evil ka with his Millennium Key, and Priest Akunadin drew the creature out of the man's heart. Priest Seto stepped forward as the two guards who had brought in the prisoner came in with a large stone slab.
Priest Seto faced the hideous, multi-armed creature. "A ka of this low level isn't even an amusement for the Pharaoh..." As the monster moved in to attack, Priest Seto rose his Millennium Rod. "Evil ka! Dark spirit of chaos! BEGONE-and enter the holy stone!"
The creature roared as the Rod began to glow brightly and drew it into the stone slab. "Well done, Priest Seto," Akunadin said.
"Please. I'm sure it was dull for the Pharaoh..." Seto looked over at the weakened prisoner. "Shall we draw and quater this prisoner for his amusement?"
"That is unneccessary. The evil ka has been exorcised from that man's soul. Even though he is a sinner, part of the duty of a priest is to show mercy. Don't you agree, Priest Seto?"
"The resting place of the Great Pharaoh is the domain of the Gods. There should be no pity for a grave robber who would defile such a holy spot. I suggest we flay his body, break his bones, and execute him as a warning to other robbers..."
"Please don't kill me..." the prisoner pleaded.
"That man is sentenced to seven years' hard labor! Take him away!" said Priest Akunadin.
"Yes sir!"
Seto looked over at Priest Mahado. "Supervision of the royal tombs is the duty of your guards, is it not? The royal tombs are being defiled too often these days...what do you have to say about it?"
Mahado looked down. "You have my deepest apologies..."
Naru sighed. "He shouldn't be so hard on Mahado. We're still trying to clean up the messes from the previous battles fought near the royal tombs."
"Is it just me, or does Priest Seto seem...harsher than mormal?" asked Vash looking at Naru and Juliana.
"Yeah, a bit," Naru said. She looked at Juliana. "Are you alright?"
"Thinking..." Juliana said quietly.
Vash looked at her carefully. "Are you sure? You haven't been quite yourself since you spoke to the Pharaoh the other day."
"I'm fine. I've just had a lot on my mind, that is all."
Suddenly the Millennium Necklace began to glow and everyone looked at Isis. "What is it, Isis!" asked Akunadin.
"My Millennium Necklace has picked up a...disturbing...future."
"What!"
"An evil shadow approaches this palace...someone with incredible powers of heka!"
Vash looked at the two girls again. "You two see it?"
They both nodded. "Extremely dangerous. Almost as if it were Heishin...but worse," Naru said with her Millennium Age glowing.
"The shadow is at the palace entrance at this very moment. Wait..." Juliana's eyes widened as she quickly looked at the door to the chamber. "It can't be..."
"Can't be what?" both Naru and Vash asked.
Just then, a guard ran into the room. "Your holiness! A grave robber calling himself Bakura is heading toward the Pharaoh's Chamber!"
"Here? That's insane! What are the guards doing!"
'It is him...Bakura...' Juliana thought.
Soon steps were heard as a man walked into the room. He wore a long maroon robe and was covered in gold treasures. In his hand he carried a long rope that had the other end tired around the neck of a mummy, which he dragged on the ground. A white cloth sat on his head and covered his spiked silver hair. Under his right eye he had three scars, one going straight down from his eye and ending at his mouth, and the other two going horizontally from his ear and intersecting the vertical scar.
"Bakura..." whispered Juliana.
Naru looked at her curiously. "You know him?"
"I've met him...when I was much younger. He was the first human I ever spoke to...he's changed dramatically from what I see now. I suppose I'm not that surprised."
"Isn't that Pharaoh Akunumkanon's body he's got!" Vash said pointing to the mummy that lay on the ground next to Bakura.
"Oh dear god...I think it is...so he was the one who emptied the tomb," said Naru.
Bakura laughed at the priests in front of him. "So! Are you worthless slime going to pass judgement on me!"
"To step unbidden before the throne of the Pharaoh is a serious crime! You will not be forgiven!" Shada said pointing his Millennium Key at Bakura.
"These gold trinkets are the burial items I just took from Pharaoh Akunumkanon's tomb! But there's something I want much more than these! Your Millennium Items! I'll ask you once nicely...will you give me all seven of them to me? Well?"
Naru growled. "He's got a lot of nerve busting in here and demanding the Items."
"We have the advantage. He doesn't know about our Items," Juliana said staring down.
"That's right! He only asked for seven!" Vash laughed. "Should we go down in case they need help?"
"I'll go. You two stay here," Naru said. She looked at Juliana, then ran down the walkway to a door and was gone.
Vash and Juliana looked down as another stone slab was brought into the room. Bakura just stood facing the priests, smirking. "I have a bad feeling about this..." Vash said. Juliana nodded.
Below them the six priests were having difficulty reading Bakura's mind, heart and soul. "Priest Shada! The shadows of that man's soul are deep. Be careful not to be drawn in by his evil!" advised Akunadin.
"Yes!" Shada said. He rose his Millennium Key. "Power of the Millennium Key! Lead me into this sinner's soul!" After a moment, Shada stumbled back with his eyes wide.
"What's wrong Shada!"
"That man's ka...is too great...that sealing stone is too small for it!"
"What? How is that possible?" Juliana said.
The Millennium Chain around Vash's neck began to glow fiercely. "Look out! Here it comes!"
There was a large blast of light and an enormous creature appeared behind Bakura. The top of it was like a muscular human with huge bird wings on its back. The bottom half of it was one large snake that hissed at the Pharaoh and priests.
Everyone stood in shock. "May the Gods help us..." Vash whispered. "Such a powerful demon within an ordinary thief."
"He's not an ordinary thief...trust me," Juliana said without looking away.
The other priests throught it was a demon as well, but Bakura disagreed. "This isn't a demon...this is a God...the great Diabound!" He laughed. "What is "evil"? If I'm loyal to what you say is right, is that all it takes to make me "good"?"
Seto smirked. "Evil ka! By the power of the Millennium Rod, I cast you into the holy stone!" The Millennium Rod shot a beam at Diabound and with some difficulty, Diabound was drawn into the stone slab. "Now do you see?"
"You think it's over...?"
"The stone's breaking!" Vash shouted. Indeed, it was. The stone tablet began to crack and was shattered when Diabound burst through.
Juliana crossed her arms. 'This is strange...Bakura wasn't like this when I saw him. I sensed he was different, but not this different and powerful.'
"Uh oh...look at Seto." Vash said.
"Hm?" She looked over at Seto, who had a sly smirk on his face.
"I sense a duel coming on..."