The Priestess Legacy
Just to clarify, this isn't the reality after the Memory World, this is the Ancient Past as after Yami and Zorc were sealed. This is the world Yami left, NOT the world he returned to. Okay? Let's move ahead.
Chapter 7
Power
"We've searched the entire village, and there's been no sign of her." Yugi groaned, sitting back on the straw bed. Yami nodded and looked out of the small abandoned hut they had taken while they searched for Téa. The sun had just begun to set, making it yet another day that they had failed to find Téa.
"I know Yugi, but we cannot give up. There is but one place we have not searched, but I fear that searching this place will not be easy."
"Where?" Yugi asked, leaning forward.
"If Téa has come back to this world as Lady Teana, she will surely be within the Palace. Teana was my wife when I was a part of this world, so Téa will still probably be a part of the palace court." Yami said. "Unfortunately, with the recent attacks on the palace, I doubt we will find getting inside an easy task."
"But you're the former Pharaoh!" Yugi protested.
"I am afraid not Yugi. I am not the Yami of this world, I am the Yami of yours. Have you not found it strange that not one person has remarked on either of our resemblance to the previous Pharaoh while we have searched for Téa?" Yugi gasped.
"So is it like last time, when no one can see us?"
"I believe so, so only those within the palace will notice us. If we are to find Téa within the palace walls, we'll have to plan carefully, as it will not be an easy task."
- - - - - - - - - -
"You were hard on her." Darek pointed out, walking with Seth through the halls of the palace.
"I had no choice Darek. Barakhan is still alive, so we cannot afford failures. I would have treated any of my other apprentices or priests with the same attitude had they failed in such a manner." Seth defended. "Besides, not only was she unable to control her monster, but she nearly killed the High Priestess. Lady Teana's powers will be needed to combat Barakhan."
"Speaking of the High Priestess, have you noticed that she's been acting strange as of late?" Darek asked. "She seems worried about something."
"Yes, but I cannot imagine what." Seth admitted. "While Barakhan remains a threat, he is not as great a foe as he was when Zorc was alive. He is nothing but a nuisance now."
"It may not be the fact that Barakhan is a threat, but the fact that it is Barakhan we face." Darek said. "Remember, it was thanks to him that our last Pharaoh is no longer with us."
"That's true. In order to seal Zorc, King Yami had to erase the kingdom's memories of his true name and seal himself within the Millennium Puzzle." Seth mused, looking down at said Puzzle around his neck. When Zorc had been defeated and sealed in the Shadow Realm, there had been a heated debate over who would rise to take the Pharaoh's place on the throne. As he had no children, tradition dictated that his closet relative would take control. It was then, in a moment Seth would never forget, that the eldest of the Priests, Aknadin, holder of the Millennium Eye, revealed Seth's lineage as cousin to the Pharaoh, his own son. While Aknadin was technically a closer relative than Seth, the Priests agreed that in his age, Aknadin would not make a fit Pharaoh, and more surprising was that Aknadin agreed, insisting it be his son, not him that take the title. That was a year ago, and Aknadin had died some months after.
"The prophecy foretells of a day when King Yami will return to defeat Zorc once and for all, Seth, but for now we must concentrate on the task at hand. Barakhan's presence cannot be ignored, and if he continues to attack us, sooner or later irreparable damage will be done." Darek said, brining Seth from his thoughts.
"Yes. I will go forth and hunt Barakhan myself, and I will return with his head." Seth vowed.
"Are you so sure it is smart to battle him alone?" Darek asked as he and Seth reached the end of the passage they were walking down. Seth threw open the doors to the stables and nodded.
"Yes. I may lose my own life in the process, but I will not allow Barakhan to die before me. His wrath has already plagues two reigns, and he shall not live to see a third." Darek nodded as Seth pulled his horse from its stable and mounted it.
"Then I shall inform the palace of your absence, although I hope you'll agree this best be kept secret from the village." Darek said.
"Agreed. Barakhan's attack has not yet reached the ears of the commoners, and I'd prefer that they think him dead. We don't need panic in the streets over a petty thief." Seth said. Two stablehands opened the doors out, and Seth trotted his horse out of the gates.
"Good luck my Pharaoh." Darek called. Seth closed his eyes and held a hand over his heart.
"Kisara, I know you will see me through this endeavor." He whispered. With that, he lashed the reigns of his steed and rode out into the desert.
- - - - - - - - - -
"You okay after what happened today?" Mana asked, joining Téa on the balcony of her room. Téa sighed.
"Yeah, I guess…" Téa murmured. "I'm just worried about Roslyn. Seth was hard on her. I mean, I survived, so it's not that big a deal."
"Yeah, but maybe it has to do with Barakhan still running around." Mana suggested. "Seth is strict even on his good days, Teana. I'm shocked that vein in his forehead didn't pop when he was yelling at Roslyn." In spite of the fact Téa knew what Seth's actions may have spawned, she burst out giggling at Mana's joke.
"Mana, tell me, what happened when the last Pharaoh stepped down?" She asked. Mana gave her a shocked look.
"What? You're really okay with talking about it?" Mana blurted. Téa nodded. Apparently Teana didn't like hearing about Yami's reign.
"Yeah, I want to hear about it." Téa assured her. Mana sighed.
"Well, after the battle with Zorc, Pharaoh Yami used the Millennium Items to erase his name from the memories of everyone in the kingdom. His tomb, where his name had already been carved above his sarcophagus, was sealed. Seth and Aknadin were the only priests left, and they chose others from the court to serve as the new Priests." Mana's expression turned a little sad. "And as the apprentice to Mahad, I was chosen to take his place with the Millennium Ring. Aknadin revealed Seth's relationship to the Pharaoh, and he was chosen as the new Pharaoh, and got the Millennium Puzzle. The Millennium Rod fell to the new High Priest."
"Me." Téa breathed. Well, at least a few more things had clicked.
"Yeah, Seth figured you were the best candidate for the job, being Yami's wife and all." Mana explained. Téa's eyes widened.
"His…wife?" She croaked, blushing. She put a hand over his face and groaned. "This is gonna be so awkward when I get back." She muttered.
"Get back where?" Mana asked. Téa did a double take.
"Huh? Oh, nothing." She said, shaking her head.
"You've been acting really weird lately." Mana frowned, tapping the side of Téa's head with a forefinger. "You want me to get Peimune to read your mind and see what he can do to help?" Téa coughed.
"No, that's fine." She assured her. "Mana, could you leave? I just want to be alone for now." Mana nodded and left, closing the heavy wooden door behind her. Téa sighed.
"Yugi…" She whispered, looking up at the moon that had begun to appear with the sun's light fading. She turned to go inside, and stopped as a dark figure emerged from the palace gates. She peered down at who it was, and let out a sigh of (relative) relief as she saw Roslyn. She watched as the girl sat down on a stone bench outside, and decided to leave her alone as she walked into her room and pulled down the blue curtains to obscure the light of the moon.
- - - - - - - - - -
Roslyn hung her head and looked down at the stone she was sitting on. She had spent the rest of the day after her failure in the library with Otogi, looking through every scroll and book they had on then history of Summoning. She had learned a great deal. The source of the creatures, the dark hearts of the wicked and evil. She had learned the secret of the Millennium Items, the disgraced Pharaoh Aknamkanon, and the village of Kul Elna. And she had read every scroll on the previous Pharaoh and the three all-powerful Ka he commanded, the embodiments of the Gods. The Egyptian God monsters.
"Quite a pity that you should be treated so harshly by those who are just as flawed." Roslyn leapt to her feet and spun around. Barakhan emerged from the shadows of the one of the trees behind the stone bench.
"You again." Roslyn gasped, stepping back. "You're Barakhan."
"That's correct. And you are the girl Roslyn." Barakhan nodded. "That was quite the show you put on today. To think that had she been a little slower, the High Priestess Teana would have been killed by your hand." Roslyn scowled and looked away.
"That was an accident." She spat. "It means nothing."
"I beg to differ. What happened to day was just the beginning." Barakhan smiled, stepping towards her. Roslyn stepped back again in response. "Relax. If I wanted to hurt you, I would have done so by now. I came to talk."
"Talking doesn't mean having to be near me." Roslyn growled.
"Fair enough. As I was saying, there is no doubt you lost control of your Ka, but that is not why Seth was so harsh to you. The truth of the matter is that he has begun to fear you." Barakhan said.
"Fear me? You lie, the Pharaoh is the greatest sorcerer of our time, he had no reason to fear me." Roslyn replied.
"Not now, no. You are untrained and unskilled. But despite this you overpowered the High Priestess. Imagine how great your power could grow if you were to teach yourself control." Barakhan explained.
"Why are you telling me this?" Roslyn asked.
"Because I also command a great power, and I have seen first hand what the cretins of the palace do to those with power that they cannot bend to their will. The sad truth is that there are two kinds of people: those that follow and those that lead. And those of the palace wish to lead by any means, even if they must kill others to do so."
"You're lying." Roslyn accused.
"Am I? You've been in the library all day. You know where the Ka come from, the souls of the evil. Can you look me in the eye and tell me that the extraction of a person's soul is not wrong?" Barakhan asked. "I won't deny my dark intentions, but the matter is that those in the palace are just as corrupt, wicked and power-hungry as I am, they just manage to guise their actions behind the lie of doing so in the name of Egypt. And mark my words, they will take control of all with power, and those that do not submit they will hunt and kill. And that is why you were punished, because you managed to break one of their rules."
"You're mad." Roslyn realized.
"Perhaps, that is entirely possible. But at the very least I am honest. I am strong. And I am offering you a hand." Barakhan held out a hand to Roslyn. "They will try to leash your powers. I will teach you to strengthen them. They will use you to do their will. I will help you obtain whatever you desire. They will hold you back. I shall set you free." Roslyn just stared at Barakhan blankly for a moment before he closed his eyes and withdrew his hand.
"I understand. The truth can't be fully appreciated by someone who hasn't seen it with their own eyes. Remain in this prison if you wish Roslyn, but know that my offer still stands. If you ever tire of being trained to obey like a dog, then I'll be there. Know that your power has limitless potential Roslyn. It's up to you to decide how to use it, and who to help you do so." Barakhan turned and stalked off across the grounds to whatever secret way he had found inside the palace walls. Roslyn watched him go and slid down to sit on the dirt of the grounds, sighing heavily.
As he vanished into the shadows, A sneer slid across Barakhan's face.
"That went perfectly." He chuckled, looking down at his diadianhk. "Now on to phase two."