Chapter 18

Disclaimer : I Don't own Yu Gi Oh!

Italic stands for thought / dreams

+Japanese Language+

[Stands for voice from the past]

Underline stands for letter

"Quote stands for dialogue"

"Spirit Talking"

Bold stands for emphasis

Bold italic stands for a dangerous tone

The Mastermind

"Seth, where is the Pharaoh?" Seth looked up from the scroll in his hand to see High Priest Akhunadin standing at his work room doorway.

"The Pharaoh is in the Healing Chamber, checking on Yugi's condition, High Priest Akhunadin." Seth answered calmly and looking back at his scroll.

Seth heard Akhunadin sighed, "The Pharaoh care about that boy so much." he stated.

Seth frowned and looked back at Akhunadin, "Prince Yugi is the Pharaoh's Son now, of course he would care about Yugi." He said coldly, why was it that he felt like Akhunadin hate Yugi? In the whole Palace, only Akhunadin that disagreed about Atem's decision to adopt Yugi.

"But that boy was the Son of the Thief King." Akhunadin argued.

Seth sighed, "We already have this conversation, Akhunadin." He rolled up his scroll and stood up, "Before Yugi become the prince of Egypt, he was originally the Prince of Japan, so don't bad mouthed him anymore." Seth stared calmly at Akhunadin for a moment before walking passed him and to the Healing Chamber.

A week had passed after the incident during the announcement, the Japanese Royals had gone back to Japan due to their duties calling for them, only Prince Jono who decided to stay until Yugi fully healed before heading back to Japan. Even so, Yugi was still sleeping in the Healing Chamber, Isis and Akefia might had succeed in stopping the bleeding, but it's seemed that Yugi's healing ability was lower than what they expected, so the boy still sleeping and have yet to regain his consciousness.

"Seth." Seth stopped when Akhunadin's hand caught his hand and so halting his step, "I have to talk to you".

"And, what is it?" Seth asked as he turned to face the High Priest who once told him everything he know, whom he had thought as his own Father, but it's seemed that his trust is misplaced because Akhunadin was the main suspect as to who commit the treason and massacred the village of Kul Elna.

"I saw you taking some villagers with you, and when I asked the people, they said that you had brought people with Ka with you to unknown place." Akhunadin started with a serious expression, "Are you planning to went against the Pharaoh?".

Seth went rigid, well actually it's an acting, because he had a feeling that this conversation will be what he need to proved to his Cousin that Akhunadin was the traitor. "I, I don't know what you are talking about." He said in a fake nervous tone.

"Oh, don't play dumb, Seth." Akhunadin chuckled, "I saw you, there's no need to hide it." He said before looking around and pulled Seth to a nearby room.

Before the door fully closed, Seth had caught a glimpse of Jono's figure in the distant, he know that with the Prince's personality, the blond haired guy would surely eavesdropping his conversation with Akhunadin, another evidence that he would need for later.

XXXXX

Jono was heading to the Healing Chamber after having some snack from the kitchen when he saw a glimpse of High Priest Seth being dragged into a room by someone, frowning, he decided to eavesdropping them.

Jono walked to the door and pressed his left ear on the door, "I don't understand, Akhunadin." He heard Seth's voice, which strangely sounded nervous, "What do you mean I play dumb?".

Jono then heard a chuckled, he assumed that it's this person that called Akhunadin, he didn't like the man so much. "You are playing dumb, I already said that I saw you taking those people with you." Akhunadin explained with humor in his voice, "You are building power to went against the Pharaoh, aren't you?".

Jono gasped silently, he couldn't believe what he was hearing. He focused back to the room when he heard Seth sighing, "You caught me." He said in somewhat resigned tone, "What are you going to do now? Reporting this to the Pharaoh?".

"Oh no, I wouldn't." Akhunadin answered, "On the opposite, I would help you".

"You will?"

"Yes, I already building power by myself. I'm sure if we work together, we could win against that brat."

"I see." Seth answered with calm tone, making Jono certain that the young High Priest was agreeing with the older. There's was silent for a moment before there's a sound of footsteps approaching the door, "I apologize, but I should get going and go to the Pharaoh now".

Jono was panicking before he run to the nearest hallway and hide himself in the corner.

XXXXX

Atem was sitting on the bed beside Yugi and brushing the boy's bang away with his finger when the door to the Healing Chamber opened by a scowling Akefia, Atem stood up and looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "What's wrong?" he asked curiously, he didn't think that something happened because it's normal to see a scowl on the Thief King's face.

"Those bastards had spoken." Akefia growled, "I found out who hired them to try to kill you and Yugi".

"Really? Who?" Atem asked seriously before they both heard commotion outside the Healing Chambers.

"I swear! I heard by myself that Seth planning to take over the Throne!" Atem and Akefia blinked when they heard Jono's yelling voice.

"Prince Jono, calm down." It's Isis's voice.

"It's must be misunderstanding." Marik's voice added.

"I'm not misunderstanding anything!" Jono yelled again.

"Calm down, don't yelling like that." Malik's voice answered.

"Prince Jono." Seth's voice interrupted, but by the sound of it, he was still from a few distant away, "You are misunderstanding, and please don't yelling like that, Yugi is still sleeping".

"Don't you dare to denied it! I heard your conversation with that man! You traitor!" Jono yelled again.

The door then opened, Isis entered the room followed by Marik, Malik and Jono, a few seconds later, Seth entered as well. "Get out!" Jono yelled again, "I don't want a traitor like you to be around my Little Brother!".

Atem sighed, "Please, lower your voice." He said to gained their attention.

"Atem." Seth said as he approached the Pharaoh, "The plan is a success, the traitor had contacted me".

"But it's seems that Jono misunderstanding the situation." Isis added as she walked to Yugi's bed.

"I said, I'm not misunderstanding anything." Jono protested with a scowl on his face.

"You are misunderstanding." Atem said with a smile, "We have planned this, we are agreed to let Seth acting like he misuse his authority so that the real traitor that we were searching would approach him".

"Oh." Jono blinked before he blushed, "Oh, sorry then." he looked at Seth, "I'm sorry, I didn't know that you planned it".

Seth nodded before he turned to Atem when the Pharaoh asked, "Who was it?".

"Akhunadin." Seth, Akefia and another voice answered at the same time.

Their eyes all widened before looking at the boy on the bed, Yugi had woke up since the time Jono's yelling reach the room.

"Yugi?" Atem asked in surprise.

"It's Akhunadin." Yugi repeated.

"How do you know?" Seth asked in surprise, "And you too, Akefia, how did you know?".

"Those people who shot Yugi and Atem, they had spoken up and said that Akhunadin was the one who hired them." Akefia answered with a deep scowl, before he turned to Yugi and raising an eyebrow expectantly.

Yugi sat up on the bed, "I remember everything now, during the time I was knocked out in the Garden back in Japan and the time I woke up in the box before being found by Papa . . ." he started before he telling them what happened that time.

**Flashback**

Yugi woke up feeling the air hotter than usual, much hotter. He opened his eyes only to see that he was inside a strange room and a cloaked figure standing not too far from him. "Finally awake, huh?" The figure asked with a cold voice.

"Who . . . are you?" Yugi asked, feeling disoriented, "Where am I?".

"There's no need for you to know who am I, but you are currently in Egypt." The figure said as he stepped closer, "Now, I don't want to harm a child like you, so just stay here until my plan succeed".

Yugi sat up and squinting his eyes at the figure before he saw something that make his eyes widened, "You, you are the one who killed my parents!" he exclaimed in shock when he noticed a golden eye in the place of the man's left eye.

The figure stopped in front of Yugi, "I'm surprised you still remember." The figure said coldly.

Yugi growled before he launched himself and bit the person's hand since he was too short to aimed at the person's neck. Blood come out from the wound and entered Yugi's mouth, and when that happened, Yugi saw image of who was the man and what he has done all his life. Yugi gasped and stared at the man with wide eyes, but before he could say anything, he was hit by the man and thrown backwards by the impact.

"You brat, how dare you bit me?" The man, now Yugi know as Akhunadin, growled angrily at Yugi.

"You, you are the Pharaoh's High Priest." Yugi said in shock, "But why? You know that if you killed my parents, then Egypt and Japan would go to war!".

The man smirked, "That's what I want." He sneered, "If there's a war, there's a high possibility that the Pharaoh will die, then I can become the Pharaoh instead of that stupid Brother of mine." He spat angrily before glaring at Yugi, "Well, since you know this, I had to remove your memory from you, I won't let you mess with my plan even though you are only a child".

Yugi then felt a pain in his head, he screamed out loud before everything turned black.

**End of Flashback**

"What?" Jono gasped in shock, "That's mean, the one who kill Mom and Dad, also the one who kidnapped you in the past, was this Akhunadin person?" he asked in disbelief.

Yugi nodded his head, "Yes, it's him." he confirmed.

"And he want to be the Pharaoh?" Atem asked in shock, "If he is Father's Brother, then . . .".

"If Akhunadin is the previous Pharaoh's Brother, then he is your Uncle, Atem." Seth finished with a dead glare on his face, "That's also mean that he is my Father".

"And the reason why Akhunadin want to kill Atem and Yugi." Akefia started, "Since it's impossible for Akhunadin to ascend to the Throne due to his age, he want for his Son to be the Pharaoh instead. He want to kill you both so that Seth could take over the Throne and become the Pharaoh".

The room was tense as they all digested the information, before Atem stood up abruptly and walked to the door. "Isis and Malik, stay here with Yugi and Prince Jono." He said as he opened the door, "Akefia, Seth, and Marik, follow me to the Throne Room. We will confront Akhunadin right away, and once he was trialed, you can get your revenge, Akefia".

Akefia smirked evilly, "Gladly, Atem." He said as he following the raging Pharaoh.

XXXXX

"Pharaoh, what is this sudden meeting about?" High Mage Mahad asked in confusion once everyone gathered in the Throne Room.

"We are here to open the trial for the traitor in my Councils." Atem said coldly as he stood in front of his Throne, his words causing Mahad, Shimon, Shada and Karim to gasped in shock.

"Traitor, My Pharaoh?" Shimon asked in disbelief.

"Do you all know how Millennium Items created?" Akefia asked from his position, the whole time glaring at Akhunadin, who was looking so calm even after hearing Atem's answer.

"The Millennium Items created using ancient Magic which requiring many sacrifices." Mahad answered with a frown, he didn't understand how the creation of Millennium Items related to treason.

"And that sacrifices were the people from my village, Kul Elna destroyed and the villagers sacrificed to created the Millenium Items." Akefia said as if he could hear Mahad's thought, "I'm the only survivor and the only one who bear witness of that incident".

"That's nonsense!" Shimon gasped, horrified by what he heard, "There's no way the Pharaoh would do that!".

"Indeed." Atem agreed, "If only my Father know the real sacrifices required to create the Millennium Items, he wouldn't agree to their creation".

"If only . . ." Mahad mumbled before his eyes widened, "You mean?!".

"Yes." Atem nodded his head, "Father was deceived in the past, that's mean the one who suggest the idea to create the Items has committed treason".

"Who were they then, Your Majesty?" Shada asked seriously.

"Akhunadin." Atem answered as he glared at the single eyed High Priest, again causing them to gasped and stared at Akhunadin in disbelief.

"What if the Thief King lying to you, Pharaoh?" Akhunadin asked calmly.

"Karim can judge your words, Akhunadin." Atem answered coldly, "And as if that's not enough, you had committed more crime, and your crime could lead Egypt to have a war with Japan, are you still going to denied it?".

"And what is those other crimes, My Pharaoh?" Karim asked as he gripped his Millennium Scale tighter.

"Yugi had regained his lost memories." Atem started, "Akhunadin, you not only killed his parents, who were the King and Queen of Japan, but you also kidnapped Yugi from his home Country.. How do you plead?".

"Not guilty." Akhunadin said calmly.

Atem growled, "You hired people to kill me and Yugi, how do you plead?" he asked angrily.

Akhunadin smirked, "Fine, I admit I did all of them." He sneered before pulling out a knife from inside his robe and stabbed it at Karim and snatched his Millennium Scale, taking advantage from the shock he created, he pulled out the knife and stabbed Shada before snatching his Millennium Key.

"Marik!" Atem yelled in rage, "Get him!" he pointed at Akhunadin.

"Too late, stupid brat!" Akhunadin yelled before he blasted the General with his Shadow Magic and fled from the room.

Atem stood up, "Marik, Mahad! After him!" he commanded, Marik stood up and nodded before he run out from the room with Mahad and Akefia, who out to get his revenge. He turned to Seth, "Seth, help me to get them to Isis." He turned to Shimon, "Prepare the army, Akhunadin had built an army all this time, there's no doubt that we are going to a war".

Shimon bowed to him before he run out to make an announcement. Atem and Seth took Karim and Shada to Isis in hope the Healer could save them.

XXXXX

Isis come out from the Healing Chamber with a sad expression, "I'm sorry, Atem. I had tried my best, but I couldn't save them." She said to the Pharaoh.

Atem gritted his teeth and glared at the floor, "Cover them, we don't have time to give them a proper burial yet." He said painfully before he looked at the rest. Mahad, Marik and Akefia had come back but without Akhunadin, the old man managed to escaped. Jono, Yugi, and Malik was waiting with Atem and Seth because they were worried for Karim and Shada. "We head to the Throne Room, we have to discuss our action".

Without a word, they all went to the Throne Room, Atem told Yugi to rest, but the boy insisted on coming, saying that his wound was nearly healed already. Atem sat on his Throne with Yugi on the chair beside him, then the door opened and Shimon and Kisara entered the room. Atem nodded at them, "First, we need as many army as we could get." Atem started, "Announce to the people that we will have a war with Akhunadin the Traitor, ask if they would want to help by volunteering themselves or support us with food or weapon".

Shimon bowed, "I will do so right away." He said and went out from the room also.

"Old man, wait." Akefia stopped him, "Please inform the guards to open the gate for a group of people wearing red robe and black bandanna, they are my underlings and they had agreed to help me in this war".

"Is that going to be alright?" Atem asked him.

"Just think of it as temporary truce." Akefia explained, "They all owe me for their life, so they had agreed to not steal and help you until this war over. Once this war over, then they would be back to being a thief and you can punish them if they ever get caught".

Atem nodded, "This is a dire situation, we need help as much as possible." He turned to Shimon, "Tell the guards to let them in and led them to the Training Ground".

Shimon bowed and left.

Atem then turned to Mahad, "Mahad, I would like for you to contact all your Magician acquaintances and ask for their help." he ordered, "Tell Mana to get back as well, we need her help".

Mahad bowed and left.

"Cousin." Seth called for Atem, once Atem turned to him, he continued, "I will go and bring the people that I found with me, I had trained them so they can called out their Ka".

Atem nodded, "Please do so, Seth." He agreed and turned to Isis, "Isis, please get ready with your herbs, make sure you will have enough for the upcoming war".

Isis bowed, "I will go buy them, excuse me, Pharaoh." She said and left.

Atem then turned to Jono, "Prince Jono." He started with serious tone, "I'm sorry, but the situation is dangerous, I hope you don't mind to get back to Japan as soon as possible".

"No." Jono looked straight to Atem's eyes, "I will also fight, I'm sure my skill is high enough and my Ka will be a great help".

"But-" Atem started but cut off.

"No buts, Pharaoh." Jono said with determined eyes, "That man killed my parents and attempted to kill Yugi, I have the right to fight".

Atem sighed and nodded, "But please send message to your family, I wouldn't want them to blame me when they find out that you helped us in our war." He said in defeat.

Jono grinned, "Don't worry, I already knew that there's going to be a war, so I already sent the message last night." He said confidently.

Atem nodded, he then turned to Yugi and Malik, who was standing beside Yugi the whole time, "Yugi, Malik. You both will stay here and helped out with the people seeking refuge." He ordered.

Malik nodded while Yugi frowned, "I can help you out." He protested, "My Vampire Magic is strong enough to help".

Atem opened his mouth to answer but Akefia beat him to it, "Yugi." He called to make the boy looked at him, "I don't want you to fight, you are too young to join the war. I know that you have mature personality and also act maturely, but you have to stay here and help those who seek for protection. You can use your Vampire Magic to protect them, okay?".

Yugi bit his bottom lip and nodded, "Okay." He said before standing up, "Please gather all the weapons that you are going to use, I will enchant them so that they won't break easily and become stronger than normal weapon".

Atem nodded to Seth, Seth nodded back, "Follow me, Yugi, the weapons are in the Training Ground." He said and offered his hand, Yugi accepted it and they left the room.

Malik looked at the Pharaoh, "I will help my Sister." He said before he left the room.

All that left in the room were Atem and Akefia, "Akefia, do you have any idea where Akhunadin might be?" Atem asked.

"He took the Items, right?" Akefia asked in thought, "I guess that he's heading to Kul Elna." He turned to Atem with a serious expression, "Remember the Dark Energy Yugi said?" he asked and Atem nodded in answer, "I have a feeling that Akhunadin is trying to get the power from this Dark Energy, and to do that, he would need to get to Kul Elna".

Atem nodded, "How long to get there?" he asked as he stood up.

"About half a day on horse." Akefia answered right away.

"Lead us, we will head there tonight." Atem said firmly.

To be continued . . .

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