"Marik. Marik, we're here."
Ishizu gently shook her brother from the front seat, the teenager moaning softly as he regained awareness.
Sleepily he stretched and rubbed his face, blinking up at his sister through bleary lavender eyes.
"That time already sis?"
Ishizu smiled wearily and nodded. Marik could tell she was as apprehensive about this meeting as he was – and he was feeling worse by the minute.
He jumped slightly at a touch on his shoulder, but found it was only Odion leaning into the open car door to help his tired brother out. Marik smiled up at his dear brother and managed to drag himself out of the car and into the cold desert night.
He shivered slightly as a biting wind blew past him, and gratefully accepted the leather jacket Ishizu offered him as she and Odion wrapped themselves in jackets and shawls.
Marik turned and gazed out over the expanse of desert, to where he knew quite well was the trapdoor leading to the Tomb keeper's underground dwelling. They had parked their rental van far enough from the entrance so as not to alarm the people under the sand, but Marik found that the extra walk was testing his will to actually make it to the opening.
As he stared across the expanse, he could swear he saw dark shapes on the ground ahead; writhing, twisting shadows creeping across the sands towards them; for one terrifying second Marik imagined he saw his own figure, though distorted and horrific, with a glowing golden eye on its head, but he blinked and it was gone.
He felt Odion and Ishizu walk up to him, and instinctively reached shaking fingers to grasp for their hands.
"Akh… Ukht."
His siblings turned to him as he addressed them, both troubled by the fear seeping into his voice.
He sounded just like a little child.
Marik squeezed their hands and turned to look at each in turn.
"You've both done so much for me… I know I don't deserve any of it… but, please… don't leave my side. I know I have to do this, but I don't know… If it turns out I can't take it – I lose my nerve or breakdown – well, just… don't leave me alone." he finished, scrunching his eyes closed as he turned away from the expanse of desert.
Ishizu smiled and wrapped her baby brother in a hug as Odion held onto them both.
"Do not worry Akhee," Ishizu said lightly, "we will never leave you. We haven't left this whole time."
"And nothing will happen to you while we are here" Odion added, his strong presence bringing comfort to both of his siblings. Marik smiled warmly at both of them, some of his fears subsiding, and then moved away towards the entrance of the old tomb. "Let's go then," he said, his eyes fixed on their target, "we have to tell our family the big news."
The three Ishtar siblings approached the trapdoor cautiously. They knew full well that although it was night, the tomb keepers were wide awake for their duties. Plus, there was always the chance that the tomb keepers had heard their car and were at the ready to attack.
No matter. They had come this far – there was no backing out now.
Marik glanced back at Ishizu, who nodded, and then reached down to pull on the rusty rings that would open the doorway to the underground city.
The door lifted slowly and silently, until suddenly there was a click as the alarm mechanism, which had foiled Marik's escape attempt as a child, was released from beneath the door. The sound reverberated through the dark stairwell and filtered into the cold air.
He looked back furtively at his siblings, who stepped forward to help him open the door the rest of the way and descend into the dark. Odion closed the opening back up as they went lower, though by now there was no hiding their entry.
They walked in complete darkness, but Marik knew the way by heart, and judging from the steady sounds behind him, his siblings knew the way as well.
They had only been walking for a few minutes when Marik began to see dark shapes moving across the walls, darker than the pitch black around them.
He was about to mention the anomaly to his siblings, when suddenly he was grabbed roughly from behind and gagged. Fear overcame him as he was carried along the passageway.
He could hear Ishizu's muffled screams and Odion's protests, and wondered how anyone as strong as Odion could be captured so easily.
Though slightly disoriented by the darkness and rough handling of his captors, Marik could tell from the twists and turns they were taking that the three of them were being herded towards the guard's chamber. He saw a faint glow coming from a bend in the tunnel, and as they turned found a torch lit passageway, at the end of which was the guard's room as he had suspected.
Still holding firm to their prisoners, the guards shoved them through the doorway into a dimly lit room, where a tall man stood half shrouded in shadow, watching the trespassers stumble into the center of the room.
"Well now," the man snarled, his deep, gravelly voice echoing off the stone walls of the chamber, "What have we here? Robbers come to steal the Pharaoh's gold? Desert rats looking for some food? You'll find no such things here."
The authority in the man's voice made it only too certain that he was the guard in charge, as did the golden accents on his leather armor; Marik recognized the ceremonial garb, though he had never seen the man currently wearing it.
In fact, Marik didn't recognize any of the guards in the chamber. True, he had not been in these caves since he was a child, but everyone in the tunnels was family. Outsiders were not permitted. Unless these guards were younger than him (which they obviously weren't from their size) he would have met them at some point.
Also puzzling to Marik was the fact that the man before him was speaking in Arabic; not Egyptian. And although Marik had learned both languages (as well as a few others) in his upbringing as the son of the Tomb-keeper, mere guards would never have had access to that education.
Something was wrong.
The guard stepped out of the shadows, and his wide face, trimmed with a dark beard, was scrunched up in a harsh grimace as he said in a commanding voice "Search them!"
Marik shied away from the hands of his captors as they felt for weapons. Ishizu cried out through her gag as she was harshly searched by grinning guards, and both Marik and Odion struggled against their bonds to protect their sister.
The head guard laughed and waved her guards away, coming to stand in front of her.
"Now what would such a lovely woman be doing out in the desert with these petty thieves?" He sneered, looking her up and down. She leveled a stare back at him, and he frowned, apparently put-off by her bold gesture.
The guard tore his eyes away from Ishizu's, and turned to stare at her brothers.
Peering at the two, he raised a dark eyebrow at Marik's shock of blonde hair and leather jacket. His face showed contempt as he appraised the youngest of the three. "Hm. Foreign are we? Pah!"
Marik fumed. 'Try pure inbred Egyptian, you idiot! If you were actually part of this clan we'd be related' He growled but could do no more – the guards had no intention of removing the gags.
The man moved past him to inspect Odion, paying special attention to the hieroglyphs carved into the skin.
He appeared to be reading them, though Marik suspected from the furrow in his brow that he was having some trouble understanding what they said. Odion stood tall and firm, avoiding the intrusive gaze.
Suddenly the guards eyes flew wide and his expression turned fierce.
"YOU! Who are you? Why do you have the sacred name of the Ishtar clan on your person?"
He turned upon the other two, his eyes livid.
"And what about you two! Blasphemous rats! How dare you desecrate the noble Ishtar name and defile this tomb with your presence!"
Marik glared at the hypocritical statement, but made no other move.
If they were found to be guilty of heresy, they would be killed on the spot.
He struggled to speak through the gag, but it was no use. The guard continued to shout at his prisoners, throwing curses in Arabic at all three of them, when suddenly a second voice boomed into the chamber.
"What in the mighty name of RA is going on in here?"
The clatter stopped abruptly, and all eyes turned towards the doorway, where an older man stood hunched, his hands bracing the doorframe.
"Sir", started the head guard, bowing slightly to the man, "we found these outlandish people trespassing in our tunnels, and now they are spreading blasphemies and –"
"I highly doubt that Badru", the man said gruffly, "Considering they are unable to speak."
The man called Badru scrunched up his face as he held back a retort, and went back to glaring at the intruders.
But Marik hardly noticed.
For a moment he thought he was staring at his long-dead father, the father his darker-self had killed in cold blood – but no.
This man had a softer look, despite his scowling features, and his hair was a greyed-black – not the sandy blonde that had been passed to Marik.
'Fenuku!' He called in his mind, 'Uncle! It's us! Don't you recognize us?'
The man peered over at Marik and his siblings, taking in their appearance each in turn. As he glanced from one to the other his look changed, as the pieces started to fall into place in his mind.
Suddenly his eyes grew wide and he cried out in surprise, rushing over to grab Marik by the shoulders and scrutinize his face.
He glanced from Odion to Ishizu and back to Marik to confirm his suspicions and stepped back, shouting "BADRU! Have your overactive guards release these three at once!"
The guards stood still for a moment wondering what to do, and even Badru seemed frozen, but he shook off his stupor and commanded them to obey.
As soon as his bonds and gag were released, Marik turned to assure that his siblings were alright before proceeding to kick his guards in the shins and punch out the ones that had touched Ishizu. Enraged, the remaining guards moved to attack, but with a wave of a hand from Fenuku retreated, grumbling, into the shadows.
Odion had managed to grab hold of the rampaging Marik, though he himself had aided in downing Ishizu's captors, but Fenuku only laughed as he watched the riot.
"Quite a spirit you've got, son! Of course, you always did."
He turned to address the remaining guards and Badru, who looked furious about his men being attacked.
"You really can't blame them you know," he said with half-hidden amusement, "after all; the penalty is death for attacking the Ishtar heir!"
Badru was stunned, barely managing to stutter out "But what… you mean… what're you –"
Marik took a deep breath, then stepped forward boldly, squaring his shoulders and lifting his head; his face was neutral, but inside he wanted nothing more than to grab his siblings and leave.
"I am Marik Ishtar, son of Okpara Ishtar, heir to the Tomb keeper's clan and bearer of the Pharaoh's secret."
Badru was now truly speechless, the blood draining from his face as he realized the gravity of his actions.
In a last ditch attempt to save himself, he glared at Marik and spat "PROVE IT!"
Marik hesitated, unsure of whether or not this stranger really knew about the mark on his back, but started to move a hand to his jacket anyway.
He was stopped by his uncle however, who said "The heir to the Ishtar clan has no need to prove himself. One such as you is not worthy to behold the Pharaoh's secret."
The guard backed off, but his eyes gleamed with hatred for the former intruders.
Relieved at their rescue, Marik turned to Fenuku, gratitude and happiness shining in his eyes.
"Uncle… we are indebted to you!"
Fenuku smiled and shook his head.
"I am but a servant of the Ishtar heir. There is no reason to thank me."
He turned a knowing glance back at Odion, who had once himself lived in servitude to those he now considered family.
Ishizu placed a comforting hand on her older brother's arm and turned meekly towards her uncle, saying softly and humbly "My lord uncle… we come with glad tidings for the Tomb keepers clan."
"Say no more Lady Ishizu," he said, his tone firm yet respectful. Ishizu's face lifted and her eyes widened at what was the most recognition she had ever received from anyone but her brothers within that dark tomb.
"I am not the one to deliver this message to. Come, all of you, we will see the Tomb keeper's chief."
Marik turned to his Uncle, his face brightening; the chief, another uncle, had always been level headed, if not a bit intimidating.
"Ah, Uncle Najja! How is he?"
Fenuku turned away from him and started for the door.
"I am grieved to have to correct you," he said solemnly, walking slowly out of the chamber with the three siblings in tow, "but Lord Najja is no longer in charge here. He is dead these four years."
Marik paused. His uncle hadn't been that old. "Well, who's in charge now? Weren't you next in line Uncle?"
Fenuku laughed humorlessly, keeping his eyes facing forward into the darkness as he said "No, not anymore. You'll find Master Marik, blood isn't as strong down here as it used to be. Don't be surprised if you do not recognize as many faces as you would expect; the order of things has changed since you and your siblings left, and I'm afraid it hasn't changed for the better.
*Author's Note:
Okay, finally got another chapter edited and finished, and now I think I *really* have a clear view of where this is headed. I wasn't sure when I started this just what was going to happen, but while editing this chapter, it just came to me! So hopefully the next chapter won't take as long to upload as this did, but we'll see. Just because I know where the story is going doesn't mean it'll get there fast.
Oh, and a little note on the Tomb-keeper positions and OC's and stuff: I actually got the idea from the "Grave-keepers" set of Yugioh cards, which I found descriptions of online. Basically, it's a set with cards like "Grave-keeper's Chief", "Grave-keeper's Spy", "Grave-keeper's Assassin" and so on. I thought it was pretty awesome, and I figured "these guys need to be made into actual characters. I'm gonna make them into Marik's family". So I did. Thus you have this story.
So they're not *completely* OC's. They are inspired by actual Yugioh... er... things. Kind-of-characters. Or something.
And the names are Egyptian. If you look 'em up, the meanings may tell you some more about the characters! ;)