Disclaimer. Yu-Gi-Oh! does not belong to me. It belongs to Kazuki Takahashi and crew. Some characters will be made up by me. Please ask if you want to use them.
Seto dashed down the halls, ignoring the splitting pain in his injuries. "Kisara?" He called. "Kisara!" He tripped, and collapsed on the ground. Groaning, he got up, leaning on the wall for support. Taking another step, his hand smeared blood on the wall. Trembling, he painfully continued to force himself to move, still leaning on the wall for support.
Someone came into his line of sight, but his vision was clouded. "I-Isis? Is that you?"
The woman nodded. "Seto. Are you alright?
Did Aknadin...well...tell you anything? Did he try to force you to join him?"
Seto blinked. "No...did you have a vision of him telling me that?"
Isis hesitated.
"Well yes. And you were forced to listen. Then you turned into the dark priest, and..."
Seto interrupted her.
"No! I will never listen to that old man. Your visions must be wrong."
Isis stared at him sadly. "The Millennium Tauk does not lie Seto. This is what the future has fortold. You can try to change it but it is inevitable."
Seto scowled at her. "Enough. Move aside. I have something to do."
Isis shook her head. "You can barely walk as it is. What makes you think you can save her in the state you're in?"
Seto started waking again, a stubborn look on his face.
Isis stood her ground.
"I implore you to reconsider your actions at this point."
Seto ignored her, pushing her aside so he could move past.
Isis sighed, looking at the bloody handprint on her beige colored dress.
"I wonder...if he's this determined to save her because...he doesn't want to let her die.
Like how his mom did...Kisara is the only motherly type figure Seto has after his mother's death.
Or maybe...he truly loves her. Possibly a mixture of both."
Turning around she went in the opposite direction of Seto, going towards the palace courtyard, searching for Mahado.
Evil Bakura lounged in his chair, waiting for Aknadin to return. The sound of feet echoing on stone reached his ears. Aknadin appeared, holding two ropes that were tied around the prisoners hands. Evil Bakura grinned, his teeth flashing.
"Good. Now. Put them in the pit."
Aknadin obediently did as he was told, stationing the two prisoners opposite each other on the wooden planks. Then, he walked around the ledge, coming to stand beside Evil Bakura.
The white haired spirit stood up. "Now! Unleash your Ka and fight! Only one of you gets out alive! But if I feel like it, you'll both die! Who will reign victorious? Fight to find out!"
The prisoners looked at each other. One of them scowled. "I'm getting out of here alive! You can go ahead and die!"
A dark brown and green fog drifted off him, before turning into a strange ogre type Ka. It had four arms and five eyes. As well as six blood red horns atop it's head.
The other prisoner shrieked. "You're betraying me?! How dare you!"
A dark blue fog drifted from him, before curling around him and revealing itself as a snake. It's black eyes glittered. It's long dark blue body curled slightly around the prisoner and even draped off the edge of the platform. The first prisoner wasted no time.
"Get him!"
The ogre leaped foward, grabbing the snake with clawed hands. Hissing, the snake wriggled around, before going towards the ogre's neck, poisonous fangs glinting. The ogre let go but it was too late. Long fangs sunk into large fatty flesh. The ogre roared.
It's owner collapsed onto his knees, holding his neck. The snake refused to let go. Roaring again, the ogre spat fire at the snake, melting some of it's scales. Hissing in protest, the snake reluctantly let go, keeping it's head in striking position.
The owner screamed as he was bathed in flames. He rolled around, trying to get the fire to snuff out. Unfortunately, the wooden plank caught fire, and the plank creaked. The metal chains holding up the plank glowed red, affected by the fire.
Sensing the danger, the snake curled around the plank, while it's tail wrapped around the metal, holding the platform in place. Fire sizzled on it's underbelly, and the prisoner whimpered.
Evil Bakura laughed and clapped his hands. "Yes! More! More! You must fight more!"
Aknadin stood silently through it all, the fire making his Millennium Eye glow in the heat.
Mahado glanced around, seeing if anyone had follwed him. Spotting no one at the moment, the magician crept off, towards a large hut near the corner of the courtyard. Unbeknownst to him, two pairs of eyes were watching him. Opening the old and cracked door, Mahado went inside, seeing everything as he had left it.
Books full of extremely hard spells were strewn about. A few different summoning circles were carved on the ground.
But the most noticeable thing was a long smooth purple and ebony staff, carved from the rarest metals leaning against a wall. The tip of the staff jutted outwards, forming a half circle. In the half circle was a deep violet gem. Multiple colours swirled inside it, buzzing with energy.
Mahado picked up the staff, smiling.
"It's feels good to finally wield you again my faithful staff."
The staff made some sort of happy buzzing noise.
His neck hairs prickled and the magician turned around, stern wise brown eyes intent on finding the source of discomfort.
Nothing was there.
Frowning, he turned around, grabbing a large leather bag and started putting lots of books neatly into the bag. Opening a drawer, he took out a few packages of dried fish crackers, stacking them in the bag. Then, glancing around, he saw a small green leather bracelet, made by Mana for his 18'th birthday. Smiling, he picked it up, and tied it around his wrist.
Giving the staff a expert spin, he nodded.
The gem glowed, as Mahado closed his eyes. In the air in front of him, a black jagged line appeared. It opened up, revealing nothing but swirling colours of black and gold beyond. Mahado pointed two fingers at the bag, a slight purple glow radiating off his fingers. The bag floated, and the magician led it to the rift, before allowing it to go through. The gem glowed brighter, and the rift disappeared slowly, the black line getting smaller and smaller before vanishing.
Mahado opened his eyes, smirking.
"It took a bit but I still remember the basics. I just stored the bag in an inter-dimensional rift. There, I can call upon it whenever I need to. It'll be safe there. And also convenient because I don't have to carry it."
He gripped the staff tightly. "Well. Here goes. Time for me to stalk Bakura. First. For a few months...I'll observe his activities. The more he gets done his plans, the more I practice my spells.
When he moves away from whatever occupation that's he hiding in at the moment, I shall summon one of my Ka, drawing him to that place which needs to used for my plan.
Then...using some forbi-"
Something clattered, interrupting Mahado's planning. He whirled around, glaring. "Who's there?! Mana? Was that you?" Footsteps thumped on the roof, before the sound of someone landing heavily on the ground was heard.
Mahado dashed outside, seeing a teenager girl with long brown hair and a uniquely styled brown dress running away. Mahado called after her.
"Mana! Don't you dare tell the Pharoah what you learned from eavesdropping on me!
Mana!
Come back here at once!"
The smaller apprentice shook her head. "No! I'll save you from your stupid decisions! I'm telling and you can't stop me!"
Mahado gritted his teeth.
"You shall not!"
"I shall!" Retorted Mana.
Finally snapping, Mahado used a tiny fraction of his powers to freeze Mana in place. He walked up to her.
"Who else was here with you?! Is the Pharaoh hiding somewhere?"
Mana couldn't move but she could speak. "Yes. He is! Maybe I'll just scream out your plan since I can't move!"
The magician stiffened.
"Y-you!"
Mana frowned at him. "You going to silence me too? Why won't you let me stop you? There has to be another way!"
Mahado shook his head.
"If there was Bakura might've not escaped yesterday.
If there was Seto might've not been beaten to near death.
If there was..."
Mana sighed noisily. "Okay I get it. Can you let me go now?"
Mahado narrowed his eyes. "Not until you promise me that you will speak nothing of what you learned from me. Alright?"
Mana frowned. "I guess. What I learned now was different than what you told me before."
Mahado tapped her arm in a scolding gesture.
"Be quiet! Shh."
He started whispering.
"It's still the same plan...you just heard the more elaborate layout of my plan. But you didn't hear everything did you? My secret plan among my other decisions has been interrupted by you."
Mana made a face like she was struggling to move. Mahado undid the freeze spell on her, and she dropped to the ground.
(Mana had been frozen mid-run.)
She turned to face her teacher. "Can you tell just me?"
"No."
Was the immediate reply.
Mana pouted. The magician smiled at her child like nature. "I'll be here for just tonight. I'll be gone in the morning. Why don't you show me your most effective spell before I leave?"
Mana's face lit up.
"Okay!"
She ran off, Mahado following behind.
End Of Chapter Eleven