Chapter 21: Of Decisions and Arguments

"How is High Priest Seth?" the pharaoh asked, as the healers appeared to report to him. It was already sunset and the priest has yet to gain consciousness. There was no doubt that it worried him to no end.

"His breathing has returned to normal," the chief healer, a close friend of his father, told him, hoping to alleviate the overwhelming concern he has for his cousin.

Atemu nodded, "Is he awake?" he asked.

The healer shook his head, "No, sire, he has not. It may take a day or two for him to gain consciousness, I am sorry," he said.

Atemu sighed. He couldn't do anything anyway. At least Seth was breathing, right? That was enough proof that his cousin will live. Why did somehow, it wasn't really done yet. It was as if they have to do something again.

"Sire, although High Priest Akunadin and the thief, Bakura, are no longer here to threaten us, we have not completed this task we have started," said Hasan, the one who saved him from his uncle.

The pharaoh looked down to his guardian, knowing they were all waiting for the other to continue. Who else can be worse than the two? "Whom else must we stop?" he asked. Oh when will this finally stop? All he wanted was to live peacefully with Seth, was that so far-fetched to happen?

"Zork, the master of darkness. He must be prevented from resurrecting," Hasan answered, seeing the confusion in the young monarch's eyes.

"If he's dead, then what harm can he impose?" Shadi asked, voicing out his and the pharaoh's question. Atemu was silent, waiting for Hasan to give them the answer. How many lives will be sacrificed this time? Whose blood will be shed now?

"The moment he is resurrected, the portal between the Shadow Realm and this kingdom will open. He will make sure that darkness will envelope everything and when that happens, he cannot be stopped by anyone," the guardian answered.

Atemu swallowed the lump in his throat. By the tone the other was using, he could sense that this Zork, whoever this being is, is stronger and deadlier than the two combined. It was apparent that he couldn't allow Zork's resurrection. But what if his priests once again die protecting him? What if, knowing Seth pretty well, Zork kills Seth? Most importantly, what if Zork succeeds and destroys everything his father and forefathers worked hard for?

He massaged his temples; something must be done quickly. But was the risk worth it? "What should we do, Hasan?" he asked not as a lost child but a ruler seeking advice from his council. He must be strong now, as long as he can handle it, he will no longer rely on his priests to finish what he should have done in the first place.

Hasan looked up to meet Atemu's gaze, knowing exactly who will be affected the most. "Someone must die," he answered bluntly, cutting off the anticipation.

Someone must die, Hasan said, but whom? Does that mean all they need to do is give out one life? But as king, can he assume that he can handle seeing the slaughter of one innocent soul?

Seth slowly opened his eyes, his mind recollecting what happened as he scanned the room he was in. He was back in the palace, in his own private chamber and although the thought of dozing off again is simply tempting, someone very close and very dear was not in the room.

The priest immediately rose from his bed and headed to the throne room as he overheard the conversation in the room.

"Is there any other way?" he heard his lover ask, "Why must someone die?"

"I don't think it's a problem," he paused and entered the room as he heard his cousin cry out his name and run towards him to embrace him, "We can just use our prisoners who were supposed to be dead already."

Hasan shook his head as he rose, "I wish it was that simple. Unfortunately, it is not," he argued as he looked at his king, "He who must die is the one who has the power to control the three gods and seal the shadow realm," he added.

Atemu's eyes widened. Him? He had to die? Seth's arms pulled him closer to his cousin, as if protecting him from some invisible foe, "No!" Seth objected. He will not allow his lover to be killed just because of some power-hungry idiot whose over-inflated ego might even surpass the size of his brain.

"Sire?" Karimu asked, unused to the lack of response (or the look of it on his face) from the pharaoh.

The pharaoh's eyes, although wide in surprise and disbelief, were unseeing. He must die. Him. He must give his life for his people. But what about Seth? He will not take it easily, nor will he allow it to happen. But if he doesn't die, they are doomed. This seemingly decision-making was illogical for there are no choices.

He sighed and hoped for the best, Seth has to understand, "What must be done?" he asked.

"What!" Seth cried out. Of all the insanities in the world, why the hell would his cousin accept that?

"A ritual for the sealing is required, sire."

"I will not allow you, Atemu!" Seth said. Why the hell is everyone ignoring him? Did he not have a right to protest? He is Atemu's lover after all!

"Seth… you have to understand," Atemu whispered loud enough for Seth to hear.

"But Atemu… you're not actually thinking to—" Seth stopped midway at the look his beloved was giving, "There must be another way, an alternative," he said instead. He was in denial, he knew that, but there's absolutely no way will he let the one who just stole his heart to kill himself!

The pharaoh ignored his cousin's response. Seth was really the stubborn one, anyway. "How much time do we have left, Hasan?" he asked. The priests looked at their king in disbelief. He was the pharaoh, sure, but was he actually going to sacrifice himself? No other pharaoh did that before. This was too much a sacrifice.

"Three days before the portal opens," Hasan answered, "The ritual must be done as soon as possible."

Atemu nodded, taking in the words then the question hit him, who will conduct the ritual? Surely it will be one of his priests but who? Seth will definitely not do it, that's for sure.

"The one who shares the same blood as you do, sire, is the only one who is allowed to perform this ritual," Hasan interjected, interrupting the pharaoh from his thoughts. All eyes turned to Seth. How ironic, Atemu thought.

"I will not perform the ritual," Seth argued. Hearing Atemu accepting this mediocre of a plan is bad enough. He refuses to kill his love one.

"Seth please…" Atemu started but was stopped.

"No. I will not kill you, Atemu," Seth interrupted.

"If I don't die, we all will!"

"This is insanity. I refuse to take part in this act. And I will not kill you, do you even know what you're asking of me?" Seth answered before turning on his heels and leaving the room. How could Atemu easily accept his death? How can he accept that he was going to leave his love one behind? Was it all that easy for that pharaoh of a cousin? Did he mean nothing to Atemu then?

Atemu sighed, still staring at the direction Seth took. He knew the other was angry with him. But what can he do? The solution is already laid before them; it was a decree of the gods. It was his fate to die. By Seth's hands. Who was he to question or refuse them?

"Sire?" Shadi queried, recovering from the initial shock.

"Yes, High Priest Shadi?"

"What must be done, your majesty?"

Atemu smiled at his friend, tracing the concern in the other's voice, "Do not worry. I will deal with Seth," he said and left to look for his cousin.

Seth watched as the sun sank, his emotions welling up. He didn't know it would happen to him. Questions were filling and what annoyed him the most was, of all those questions, he couldn't even answer one of them.

'If I don't die, we will!'

He snorted. Whatever happened to 'If there's a will, there's a way'? Why can't Atemu see that he did not want him to leave him? And besides, who was this Hasan person to just barge in and tell everybody their pharaoh, his Atemu, must die?

And how can Atemu accept that? What if Hasan was the foe that wanted to immediately kill their pharaoh? Did Atemu not see that? And they expect him, him, for crying out loud, to kill his Atemu? Are they insane?

"Seth…"

The priest's shoulders stiffened as Seth heard his cousin call him. "Yes, Atemu?" he asked casually, hearing the other walk his way to him.

"I'm sorry," Atemu whispered, embracing the other from behind.

Seth sighed, "What for?" he asked.

"I'm sorry that I had to agree with the plan but you have to understand that I—"

Seth turned around, "That you what? Have to die? Seriously, Atemu, are you telling me you're believing that nonsense?" he interrupted.

"We can't deny that there's no other way, Seth," Atemu argued.

"And what if there is?"

"There. Is. No. Other. Way," Atemu said, "Why can't you just understand that this is my fate? This is ordered by the gods, I cannot refuse!"

Seth, now angered, grasped Atemu on his sides and shook him, "Do you know what you're saying? You're acting as if you really want to die! And how many times must I tell everyone that fate, destiny, whatever you call them, does not exist!"

"Yes, they do, like I am fated to love you and you to love me in return—" Atemu protested.

Seth smiled icily, "Oh really? So it was Mahado's fate to die for you? It was Akunadin's fate to kill us both. You were fated then to be raped by Bakura, to be used like a whore?"

Atemu gasped at the outburst. Did Seth really mean that? Tears brimmed his eyes and he turned his back on his cousin, who stopped the moment he said the last word, his eyes widening, "Atemu, I'm so—"

"No, Seth, you have said enough," Atemu murmured, "So that was how you felt? That was what you think of me then? A whore?" The pharaoh walked towards the door but was pulled backwards by his cousin, who had a grip on his arm.

"Let me go, Seth," he ordered.

Seth shook his head, "I didn't mean it, Atemu, I'm sorry, I really didn't mean it," he apologized. He couldn't believe he just said that. The words came out all of a sudden.

Atemu looked up at his cousin with tear-brimmed eyes, "Like the way I didn't mean it when I told you that I love you, huh, Seth?" he asked as a tear rebelliously fell and he spun around, pulling his arm free from the grasp.

Seth spun the other around again, holding the other tightly to prevent any movement. He knew his cousin didn't mean that, he just knew. "Tell me you don't love me again," he said.

"I don't— Oomph!" Seth kissed the other hard, cutting off the other from completing the sentence. They broke apart panting as Atemu struggled but Seth held him tighter.

"Tell me you don't want to feel my lips on yours again, tell me you don't want to see me again," Seth ordered, his eyes slowly filling with tears. He will not accept this.

But as Atemu opened his mouth, he found it immediately covered with his cousin's lips as he was pulled into a bruising kiss. Tears started to flow as his heart felt like it was about to burst with all the emotions welling up.

"Tell me… tell me that you don't love me anymore," Seth said quietly than before, expecting for the other to answer but Atemu shook his head, "No, I won't. I can never say that," he whispered.

Seth embraced the other and kissed him lightly, only one thing left, "Tell me that you will not allow the ritual to take place," he said, forcing his cousin to meet his gaze. Atemu found himself drowning in the depth of Seth's eyes, taking in every emotion that was presented: love, desperation, pain, everything his cousin wanted him to see and know.

He could just say 'no' and then he and Seth will be fine. But was he truly that greedy that he will let his people die? And what will happen to the both of them in the end? Won't they just die too like the rest? No, he can't avoid the ritual. It must be performed.

Atemu felt tears flow down his cheeks as he shook his head, "I… I c-can't, Seth," he answered. Seth broke away, "If that is your decision, then so be it, Atemu, but as long as the one who will conduct the ritual is not here, the ritual will not take place. Understand this, Atemu, I will not allow myself to kill you, I cannot take it," he said and then he left his pharaoh alone in the room.

A/N: I'm really, really sorry for not updating. The schoolyear already began and the year is tougher than my previous ones so I really have to study. I want to thank all those who waited patiently for this chapter especially Aura Serene and Yami Val. Love you guys!

Oh yeah, before I forget, if I have time tomorrow, I might post the next chapters. Yes, I intended this chapter to be a cliffhanger. Couldn't resist. :wink: