The Eye of Horus
Neferi: I'm back again with an update!
Tara: And also a Set/OC fic!
Neferi: Yes that's true.
Tara: Well, here's the disclaimer: NeferNeferi doesn't own YGO but she does own the Horus Items and me.
Author's Note: There's a part in this chapter where Tara invokes the god Horus and she says something about "watches over his Eye". In that quote she refers to herself since her tittle is The Eye of Horus.
Chapter seventeen: The Key to the Temple
The rest of the ride through the desert went without a stop until night fell and the moon took its place in the dark sky. That's when they stopped and decided to keep on doing their journey the next day when the sun rose.
"We will rest here in the desert, I trust you all came prepared for an occasion such as this" Yami Marik said, dismounting his horse.
As he helped Tara down, she looked at all the Rare Hunters around her. Some were trying to put up their tents and others were taking out their sleeping bags. She couldn't help snickering when she saw the Rare Hunters trying to put up their tents and find it was useless.
'In which head can fit the idea of putting up a tent in a desert? It's obvious the tent won't stay in its place since it needs ground and not sand in order for it to stay put' she thought as she walked beside Yami Marik, who was pulling her by the forearm.
She was brought to Odion, who was looking after Yugi. The tri-colored hair boy was sitting in the sand by Odion's horse, his feet bound with rope.
"Odion I leave her under your watch, don't lose her or the consequences will be quite painful" Yami Marik said, pushing Tara forward.
The priestess stumbled upon Odion, who took a hold of her before she fell onto the ground. She regained her balance and looked over her right shoulder to glare at Yami Marik, who smirked at her before walking away.
"Damn you" she murmured, taking a step back so she could look up at Odion.
"Miss Kasuki, please do as I say, I do not desire to use brute force with you" he murmured to her, looking at her sternly.
"And why is that?" she asked, a light smile forming on her lips.
Tara didn't need to ask why, she knew the reason: when Marik had kidnapped her and taken a liking of her he had told Odion not to hurt her but to protect her. She was glad to know he was keeping his promise to Marik.
"Because I do not wish to harm you since you have done nothing" he told her "Now, sit down beside Yugi Mutou and don't try to run away".
"I won't run away without Yugi and since his feet are bound there's no way I'm making a move" Tara replied, sitting down beside her friend.
She glanced at Yugi, who, in turn, was looking at her.
"Are you ok?" he asked her, his eyes showing concern.
"Yes, don't worry about me Yugi" she answered, pushing her hair behind her left shoulder with her bound hands "What about you?".
"I'm ok I guess" he answered, looking at his feet "But I don't know what's the idea of tying my feet, it's not like I'm going to run away from here. I'll be lost".
Tara chuckled "They tied you because I could just tell you to run off with me and you'll follow me. But since you're Yami Marik's guarantee that I'll be leading him to the Temple he needs to have you under his control".
"Hey Odion, these are the sleeping bags in which the prisoners will be sleeping" a Rare Hunter said to him, throwing him two bags.
Odion caught them and started preparing them as Tara and Yugi watched him silently. A light and cold breeze traveled the desert, caressing the two teenagers gently and making the young priestess smile. The breeze brought her many memories.
"Do you think Yami's alright?" Yugi asked, breaking the silence between the two.
"Yes I think so though he's probably pissed off because he was separated from you" Tara answered, watching some Rare Hunters putting up a fire.
"And you" Yugi added, looking at her.
The priestess smiled as she looked at him. She was content to see that her friend was doing fine, though she still regretted getting him involved.
"Yugi I have a plan to get us out of this mess" she whispered to him after she made sure Odion was not listening "But we have to arrive at the Temple first".
"But if we arrive at the Temple Yami Marik will get the Items for sure" Yugi said, looking up at her.
"Not necessarily" Tara said, smiling at him "There are many things you don't know about the Temple and will find out in due time".
"Alright, the sleeping bags are ready, now go to sleep you two" Odion instructed them, picking Yugi up.
Tara stood up and accommodated herself inside a sleeping bag and watched as Odion put Yugi inside the other one placed beside her. When Odion had finished, he walked away and sat down nearby. Tara gave a smile to Yugi and then closed her eyes. Around fifteen minutes later when she heard a quarrel quell down she fell asleep.
The priestess opened her eyes and the first thing she noticed was that the fire the Rare Hunters had made was out. She blinked twice, trying to rid herself of the sleep in her eyes and then sat down. Everyone around her was asleep, or so they seemed.
'What time is it?' she wondered, looking around her.
She looked at the horizon and noticed the sun was emerging. So it had to be around 6 o'clock.
'Soon Yami Marik will awaken and I'll have to lead him again' Tara thought, pulling herself out of the sleeping bag and sitting in the sand.
The priestess watched the sunrise silently and soon she saw many Rare Hunters awaken. Yugi sat down next to her and saw the wondrous sunrise Egypt had.
"I've never seen such a beautiful sunrise" he commented, watching the different tones of orange and yellow in the sky.
Tara smiled as a response but the smile faded when she felt a pair of hands rest on her shoulders. She shrugged them off and looked over her left shoulder to see a smirking Yami Marik.
"Good morning Tara, are you ready to lead me to my destiny?" he asked, looking down at her.
"Yes I am" she answered, glaring at him.
"Good, then you shall eat and then we'll part" he said, turning around as his violet cape flared behind him.
Soon Odion walked over to her and Yugi bringing their breakfast, which happened to be an apple and a few grapes. Tara and Yugi ate in complete silent each thinking on what was going to happen when they arrived at the Temple. As soon as they were over, they were both carried to a horse and the journey started again.
"We will arrive at the Temple before noon, or so I calculate" Tara said to Yami Marik as he hurried his horse further.
"Excellent, I'm looking forward to that so I can test the powers of the Items" Yami Marik said.
The rest of the ride Tara remained silent, looking carefully ahead to see if she could find the location of the hidden Temple. Three hours later, she told Yami Marik to stop the horse for a moment.
"What's the matter my dear? Why do you want me to stop?" he asked her as he bid his horse to stop.
Tara didn't answer, she just looked ahead frowning slightly, a hand above her eyebrows to prevent the sun from bothering her vision. And there it was, the indication that she was before the Temple, the mirage of a strange looking oasis. Not many could see it because you had to gape ahead for quite a while in order for you to see it. It was the result of an old incantation made by a magician.
"Is there something that you see that I don't?" Yami Marik whispered on Tara's left ear, making her shudder.
He had hit right on the target, she could see the mirage but he couldn't.
"The Temple is just ahead" she said, pointing ahead of them with her left index finger.
"How do you make it appear so anyone can see it?" Yami Marik asked, looking down at her.
"I'm afraid I don't remember such information" Tara answered, looking at him.
"What?" Yami Marik said, looking down at her angrily.
"I remember the location of the Temple, though I do not remember how to make it appear. I traveled here because I had the hope I would remember while I was doing the journey but it seems my idea didn't work" Tara said, turning her gaze over to where the mirage was supposed to be seen.
Though she didn't see it anymore.
"You lie woman! You know how to make it appear!" Yami Marik said furiously.
Tara shook her head "I'm afraid not".
She heard him growl as she held back a satisfied smile. She remembered well how to make the Temple appear but she didn't want to let him enter. The priestess suddenly felt Yami Marik throw her off the horse and she fell on her back in the sands.
'Why in the seven Hathors did he do that?!' Tara thought as she sat down and rubbed her head.
She felt his hands grip her forearms and pull her abruptly to her feet. She met a maniac gaze, which made her narrow her eyes.
"Tara you better tell me how to make the Temple appear or I'll use my Rod on you" he said, squeezing her forearms.
The girl frowned in pain and answered "I told you I don't know!".
"Fine then" he said, throwing her to the ground again "I'll use a more effective method. Bring me little Yugi".
Tara narrowed her caramel eyes as soon as she saw Odion bringing Yugi forth and Yami Marik approaching him with a wicked smirk on his lips.
"What are you going to do to him?" she asked as she sat down, her voice trembling slightly.
Tara gasped as Yami Marik pulled Yugi away from Odion and placed the dagger part of the Millenium Rod on the boy's throat. She heard Yami Marik chuckle in delight when he saw her reaction.
"If you don't want to cooperate then little Yugi will go and meet his doom. Perhaps that will be your stimulus" Yami Marik said, pressing the dagger to Yugi's throat.
Yugi frowned in pain when he felt the dagger make a little wound on his neck, from where a little blood poured out.
"What say you my dear? Are you going to speak or are you going to let him die?" Yami Marik asked, looking at her.
"Fine, I'll speak" Tara said, defeated.
"Good decision" Yami Marik said, letting Yugi go.
He threw the boy over to the ground next to Tara, who quickly checked his injury.
"I'm alright, it hurts just a little" he told her as he sat down and wiped away some blood.
"Start speaking priestess" Yami Marik said, standing before them.
"Yugi needs to have the Millenium Puzzle first" Tara said, looking up at him.
"It seems to me like you're lying" Yami Marik said, frowning at her.
"I'm not lying" she said sternly "Yugi needs the Puzzle if you want to see the Temple. Yami and I can make the Temple appear".
"Why don't you make it appear yourself?" Yami Marik questioned as Tara stood up.
"Because the Pharaoh and the Puzzle are the main key to make that happen" the priestess answered, looking at him seriously "Are you going to give Yugi his Puzzle or not?".
Yami Marik thought about it for a mere moment before walking over to his horse. There was a small bag tied to it and from it Yami Marik took out the Millenium Item. Then he walked over to Yugi and gave it to him.
"Yugi, you need to let Yami take over" Tara said, turning to him.
Yugi nodded "Okay".
The Puzzle glowed lightly and Yami took over. He opened his eyes and glared at Yami Marik.
"Come on Yami, let's walk ahead" Tara said, walking away from the Rare Hunters.
"Where are you going Tara? You can't run away from me" Yami Marik said as Yami followed her slowly.
"I'm going to make the Temple appear, wait there" she said as she kept on walking.
Yami caught up with her and walked at her right side.
"Are you really going to make the Temple appear for him?" Yami murmured, looking at her.
"Yes I am" Tara answered, putting her hands inside the front pockets of her pants "But just because I do that doesn't mean that he will find the Items. I have one more plan up my sleeve".
Yami smirked at her and then looked ahead. He saw a small platform made of stone covered with sand. Tara made her way over to it and stood upon it. She then motioned for Yami to do the same. The former Pharaoh did as told and waited patiently. Tara closed her eyes and stood still for a minute. When she opened her eyes, she thrust her left hand forward and murmured some words.
"Oh great Horus that takes care Pharaohs and watches over his Eye, please reveal the secret place where the Horus Items hide" she murmured, closing her eyes again.
Suddenly the Millenium Puzzle around Yami's neck glowed brightly and something started to appear in the distance. Yami Marik observed as a magnificent Temple appeared before the Pharaoh and the priestess some meters away. The Temple seemed as if the sands of age had never touched it. It had the slanted gateway, the columns outside could be seen and the giant wooden doors seemed new.
Seven shrines were around the Temple and paths leading towards them from the bigger complex could be seen. The Temple of the Horus Items could be seen again.
"At last I'm here" Yami Marik said, smirking evilly.
He saw Tara move and then she and Yami ran towards the Temple.
"You two come back here!" a Rare Hunter ordered but to no avail.
There was no way that Yami and Tara would be returning to them now.
"Let them go, we will find them inside" Yami Marik said as he saw Yami and Tara pass by the first shrine.
He mounted his horse and said to Odion "Let's go".
And so he kicked his horse and rode towards the Temple.
Neferi: End of chapter!
Tara: And the story is soon to end, in a few chapters or so, we don't know yet.
Neferi: Two or three chapters more.
Tara: Yeah well, please review and keep reading!