Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!

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Chapter 5: Prayers Of Fate

Atemu was silent. He stared out at the rising sun, watching the sky slowly change colors. He wiped a tear away. He wanted so badly for his son to be watching the sunrise with him. 'Why did this happen? Why did Bakura take my son?'

The previous day, Atemu, the Priests, his soldiers and the shadow creatures spent hours in the desert looking for any trace of Bakura. The horse the thief stole appeared but it's hoof prints were quickly covered up by a sudden sand storm. They were forced to return.

Atemu buried his face in his hands. He sensed someone's presence, but knew it was his right hand Priest. "Why did this happen?" He asked.

"It's not your fault, cousin." Seto said as he approached the Pharaoh. He leaned against the ledge and watched the sun. "It's not a punishment from the Gods, you did nothing to deserve it."

He shook his head. "Then why? Why is this happening? Why him? Yuugi never did anything! He's so young and innocent." Atemu sighed, frustrated. "Am I not meant to have a family?"

Seto paused. "Amisi's death was inevitable. It was her fate to die when she bore you a child. Bakura kidnapped Yuugi because it was his fate to do so. However, that does not mean that you are not meant to have a family. Yuugi isn't dead yet, I'm sure of it. Bakura needs him alive. You haven't lost him. He's just been forcefully misplaced."

"He shouldn't have been misplaced at all. I should have protected him." Atemu said.

Seto sighed. "You cannot predict the movements of a snake, Atemu. They strike quickly and can rarely be stopped. There was nothing you could have done."

He looked up at the sun. "All I can do now is look for Bakura and rescue Yuugi. I only hope he's all right."

Seto looked down at Atemu. "He will be fine. You named him after a powerful warrior for a reason."

Atemu smiled at his right hand Priest. Taking a fresh look at things, he stood up straight. "Gather the men. We ride to the desert. Bakura must be found!"

XxX

The door to his cell creaked open, awakening the young Prince. He looked up at his captor in fear moving further into the corner.

"If you promise to be a good little boy I'll untie your arms." He waited for a response. Yuugi silently nodded his head and turned around.

Bakura walked over to him and pulled out a knife. The rope holding his arms together was cut and he turned around again. The door to his cell wasn't closed, but he knew there was no way he could escape. Yuugi carefully watched Bakura.

The thief suddenly threw a small sac at the Prince. Yuugi whimpered and waited to be hit. When he felt no pain, he slowly opened his eyes.

The contents of the sac had spilled out on the floor. A few chunks of bread, some small pieces of meat, and a branch of grapes. He looked up at Bakura.

The thief glared. "I am not going to feed you. Eat."

Yuugi looked down at the food. He picked up a piece of bread and slowly brought it to his mouth. He took a bite and cautiously chewed it. It was a little dry, but didn't taste funny. Knowing the food wasn't poisoned; he took a big bite out of the bread and quickly swallowed it.

Bakura sat down and watched the boy eat his meal. Yuugi occasionally looked up at Bakura as he ate. Why was the thief watching him? What was he waiting for?

Yuugi finished the last of the grapes and noticed there was nothing left to eat. He hadn't realized he ate everything so quickly. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and carefully watched Bakura.

Bakura gently raised an eyebrow. "Do you know why you're here?"

Yuugi shook his head. The thief smiled. "Be glad that you have such a high status, Prince of Egypt. If you were anything below that which you are I would have killed you where you stood in that room."

"Like you killed Salidji?" Yuugi spat angrily.

He laughed. "Exactly like that. But because you are the Pharaoh's son, you have some use to me."

Yuugi glared at him. "You're a bad man. You're going to hurt me to get to Papa. I hope he kills you!"

Bakura raised his eyebrow. "Why would you wish for death on me? Is it because I'm a thief? Because I took you away from your home?"

"It's because you're a bad man." Yuugi said.

He laughed. "Then you wish for death for everyone. Every last person on this earth is bad. There's no such thing as 'good' in this world. There is only evil."

Yuugi leaned forward. "That's not true! Papa is a good man!"

Bakura grabbed Yuugi's robe just under his throat and pulled him forward. "You know nothing about your family or the crimes they have committed! 'Papa' is just as bad as I am." Bakura drew a knife and slipped it under Yuugi's chin. "Even you're bad. So if bad people deserve to die, that means I can kill you."

Yuugi whimpered as the tip of the blade was slowly dragged down his neck. Bakura chuckled and pushed Yuugi back, releasing him. He slid the dagger into its sheath again and stood up.

Yuugi's back hit the wall when he was pushed away. He looked up at Bakura. "I'm not bad. I'm a good boy! Papa said-"

He slapped Yuugi across the face. "Don't be so stupid. You've done bad things before; don't deny it. Once you do even one bad thing, it means you're bad for the rest of your life. It's just as I told you, there's no such thing as good. There is only evil."

Yuugi whimpered and held his cheek. He looked up at Bakura with tears in his eyes.

The thief scoffed. "You have no reason to cry. I've seen many things at your age, boy that you are lucky to have never seen. I have seen the very core of human nature. And it's all thanks to your precious father. Believe me when I say, that there is no good in you, in me, or in the world."

Bakura whipped around, his robe swishing through the air as he walked out of the cell. He slammed the door shut and locked it. He watched Yuugi wrap his arms around his legs and sob against his knees. He shook with fear. "P-Papa . . ."

Bakura smirked as an idea came to his mind. He walked towards another room to fetch a piece of papyrus.

XxX

"Forgive me, my king, but we have found nothing." Karim said, ashamed.

Atemu sighed. "Keep looking. If there is even the tiniest clue I want to know about it."

Karim bowed again. "Yes, my Pharaoh!" He turned towards the guards and shouted orders.

Each time someone came back to report their findings, they came back with bad news. No one ever found anything. The heat was intense. He wiped the sweat from his brow and looked around.

"My Pharaoh!" Two guards approached him. There was a third with them that they were helping to stand. "Forgive us, my Pharaoh, but I must ask permission to return to the palace. This man has fallen from exhaustion and the heat."

Atemu looked around at the soldiers and the Priests. All of them looked exhausted and were sweating terribly. He looked back to the man that spoke to him. "We will all be returning to the palace."

Seto sighed. He was relieved to be allowed to leave this dry heat, but he was saddened that they hadn't found any clues yet. Seto pulled on the reigns to turn his horse towards the palace and rode beside his cousin. "We will find him, Pharaoh. Bakura can't hide forever."

He nodded. "I know."

Isis suddenly gasped and fell off her horse. She held her head in pain as she kneeled in the sand. Atemu jumped from his horse and kneeled by her side. "Isis, what is it? What's wrong?"

The other Priests stood around her, curious. They watched as her Millennium Necklace shined brightly. Atemu knew what was happening to her. "What do you see, Isis?"

She took a sharp breath. "The Prince . . . he's lying on a stone floor, covered in blood. There's a cruel laughter surrounding him. A scale is floating over him. He's dying!" The Necklace stopped glowing and she dropped her hands.

Atemu was shocked. His son was dying? No one said a word as the Pharaoh returned to his horse. Everyone remounted and returned to the palace.

Shada noticed the guilt in Isis' eyes. He rode closer to her, placing a hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him. "Do not be so upset, Isis. You are not at fault for what might happen or what you see. The Prince can still be saved from death."

He spoke quietly so only she would hear. Isis nodded. "Thank you, Shada. I will pray for his safe return with a clearer conscience tonight."

--

They returned to the palace. Atemu made sure everyone drank plenty of water and stayed where it was cool and out of the sun.

After having a rest, Isis walked to the temple of the Gods adjacent to the palace. She bowed before the statues of the deities. "Gods of Egypt, I beg you once again to spare our Prince from death. He's so young. Please do not let my vision be the only fate he is destined for."

Isis did not stop to wipe away the tears that fell from her eyes. "He has never committed any wrongs. Our Prince is innocent and does not deserve death. Fate will decide what happens to him, but please I beg you! Change the vision I saw of his death. Do not let him die!"

She sobbed. "Please, Gods of Egypt. He has always been loyal to you. Without our future king, I fear that Egypt may be lost. Surely, the line of kings is not meant to end after our current Pharaoh. Please, spare him from death!"

She took a deep breath and straightened herself upwards into a seated position. Her knees rested on the floor while her legs were under her. "I trust your decision. Whatever you decide is what must be."

"Thank you for your prayers, Isis." Atemu walked into the temple with a smile on his face. "Shada tells me you have prayed for my son's safety quiet often."

She bowed to the Pharaoh. "I have, my Pharaoh. I only wish there was more that I could do for your son."

He kneeled down before her and put a hand on her shoulder, signaling her to stop bowing. When she sat up again, he smiled. "For now, your prayers are enough. The Gods will decide his fate and if someone is praying for him, I'm sure they will save him. I'm glad that you're doing this, Isis."

She smiled softly. "Of course, my Pharaoh. I would have your son safely returned and a proper sentence dealt to Bakura, if it were in my power to do so."

"Bakura will be punished and Yuugi will be safe, I promise you that." Atemu looked her straight in the eye. "Your visions of the future are not finalized. They are a possible future. My son can and will be saved from death."

She bowed her head shamefully. "I am sorry. My visions have only caused you grief and pain."

Atemu shook his head. "No. They light a fire under my feet, giving me more fuel to find Yuugi. I will not allow my son to die at Bakura's hands."

XxX

Yuugi paced his cage. It was small enough to fit two people comfortably but it was too small for Yuugi's liking. He pulled at the door several times. He knew it wouldn't open, but he couldn't just sit there and let Bakura win.

'Think of this as a game. Bakura has the upper hand but I'm not going to let him win. Papa wouldn't just give up like that so I can't either.' He glared at the gate as if it were Bakura. 'I'm going to be Pharaoh one day. I have to be strong like him.'

Yuugi carefully looked around making sure the thief wasn't around. He gripped the bars of the door and pulled as hard as he could. He pushed all his weight against it but it still wouldn't move.

His knuckles turned white from gripping the bars so hard. He yelped before falling to his knees. He sobbed quietly. These bars were driving him mad! He couldn't stand being alone in such a small place. He was cut off from any human being and his only company was a Thief King who was probably going to kill him.

His hands fell to the floor. Yuugi couldn't stand this place any more. He hadn't been here for a whole day and he hated it already. The confinement, the fear of death, the stale air, everything about this place was horrible. It was starting to push him over the edge.

He whimpered. 'I'm sorry, Papa. I'm trying to be strong but I just can't do it! I'm too scared!'

Yuugi looked up when he heard footprints approaching him down a hallway. He backed into the corner furthest from the bars and waited. Bakura looked at the Prince and rolled his eyes. He pushed a canister through the bars. When it fell to the ground, Yuugi heard water splashing around in it. He looked at the thief.

Bakura opened the door for a moment to throw in an empty bucket. Yuugi figured it was to use the bathroom in. He watched the thief walk towards the exit without saying a word.

Yuugi blinked. "Now what?"

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Thanks again for the reviews! And, as always, I'm taking this time to thank my two anonymous reviewers!

First, to "Andrea". Thanks again for the review, hun! Happy day before your birthday! I have a Yami plushie too!!! You and me, man!!! (brainwaves). I love Mahado. I'm sad I didn't give him more story time in this one. Usually, I do. I think. Anyway, I hope you liked the chapter. Thanks for being so faithful in your reviews!

And we have a new anonymous joining us today! To "loulou", thanks for the review! I'm glad you liked it. I hope I'll see you in the next chapter.

Thanks everyone!