Age of Majesty
Chapter 17
The gods did not see fit to bless the Tauk with more visions of the future. Atemu, mad with worry, paced back and forth in his quarters. There will be no meetings with his court; he was simply not in the state, and he ignored the many cries from the nobles for his attention, the imploring, the beseeching, that he tend to whatever troubles were in his lands.
Were he a true King! But true kings would be able to save their cousins. Half Light Mage! His world has turned upside down! High Priest Seto, a Light Mage! And now off with the Tomb Robber—the very individual Seto had been plotting with him against. Was it long ago? It seemed long ago.
No end to pains.
Above, Bakura crouched in hiding. He had gotten to the chamber before the King, but did not have a chance to make it back out. Currently he hid above a long cabinet. It was not much to work with, but Bakura knew how to stay unnoticed. He did not move an inch. Still, Seto's pyramid was clutched tightly in his hand, and he eyed the scroll the Pharaoh had yet to notice.
Please don't notice it, he thought, at least not until I get out of here! What bad luck. His timing was seriously off; but then, Pharaoh Atemu had adopted very unpredictable habits lately. He would go out, then abruptly change his mind and come back. Which was what happened.
Come on, Bakura thought, No need to drag this out! Just leave the damn room!
Just then, Atemu's eyes landed on the scroll. It was placed with the other scrolls, so there was still a chance for Bakura to make it out unnoticed—but then the Pharaoh seemed to decide now was the time to start doing some paperwork. He headed towards the desk.
No no NO! Bakura thought wildly when Atemu picked—of all the scrolls, Seto's scroll. He unrolled it.
Atemu blinked when he saw the familiar handwriting and thought he was dreaming. Then the first words stood out to him and he nearly dropped the letter.
Dearest Cousin,
If you should read this letter after finding the messenger, I ask of you to show mercy. I have recovered my memories entirely and am aware many of my actions prior to this have caused you much pain. For that, I am exceedingly sorry. I had no wish to cause you grief, and know that at my core I love my country and my King. But I fear that the news I bring you now will not lighten your spirits, but it is a matter of utmost importance. Please read the entirety of this letter before taking any action.
If you recall the story of Zorc Necrophades, you will remember he was a demon who pretended he was a god, and tricked our land of Egypt into worshipping him and his bloodlust ways. Our ancestors put him to rest with shadow magic, and locked his spirit away in the Shadow Realm. The old vizier, Siamun, was given the key to what locks him there.
This key has been lost.
Sparing you the details, my Pharaoh, this time around locking him away will not be enough. To destroy Zorc Necrophades requires the use of both Shadow and Light magic. I am currently training, as time is of essence, and therefore cannot speak to you in person; but I need your help. I have heard you deployed forces to take over the Nile. If you can spare those forces to aid me, I will forever be in your debt.
Dearest cousin, I cannot do this without you. The battle before us aligns shadow users and Light Mages. There is a greater evil threatening the world, and the gods have seen to it that I be placed at its centre. I cannot do this alone. Please send the Dark Magician with your answer; he will know where to find me.
Your loyal servant,
Seto
Atemu read it again. Crisp, and to the point, but he read the desperation in its lines. Seto, back to his senses! Zorc Necrophades returning? What, has life become some sort of folk tale?
How did this scroll get here anyway?
Then he looked up.
And froze.
Bakura froze too. For a long moment, King and Thief regarded each other.
Then, in a flash, Atemu released a dark spell. Bakura leaped off the cabinet to dodge it. He was unable to dodge the second spell, however, and it pinned him to the wall. The blue pyramid clattered on the ground.
Red eyes blazing, Atemu advanced, taking a moment to acknowledge the pyramid. " You dare show yourself here again." He hissed, fury and wrath contorting his features.
" H-High P-Priest Seto s-sent me!" Bakura gasped, terror catching his throat.
" Guards!" Atemu yelled, and at his summons two guards and two priests, who had sensed the shadow magic being used, rushed into the room.
" My lord!"
" Take this bandit out of my sight!"
" Wait!" Bakura cried out, desperately, " I speak the truth! Seto sent me! He sent me with the missive—"
" How dare you!" Cried one of the priests. " High Priest Seto will never consort with a tomb robber! Take him away!"
" Pharaoh!" The thief screeched, " Pharaoh, mercy!"
But his cries faded away, and Atemu regarded the blue pyramid. If you should read this letter after finding the messenger, I ask of you to show mercy.
There is no way Bakura even knew this pyramid existed. No way Seto would lose this pyramid. The way the High Priest had tucked it away…
Seto had sent Bakura. Atemu had no doubt of that.
For a moment, fury raced in his veins—at Bakura, at Seto even. He kicked the pyramid to the side.
I cannot do this without you.
Zorc Necrophades is back.
Seto is half Light half Shadow.
It really did not take a genius to figure things out. Atemu did not pick up the pyramid. Instead, he unleashed his temper at last, at the room. Chairs and tables, flung against the wall, and the King screamed. People, servants, ran to the door at the commotion, then backed away to avoid falling victim to his wrath.
Being King meant being inhuman. Oh but he was human alright. He loved and he feared and he hated. He did not need the Tauk to realize Seto had only lived so long for this moment.
The gods can be cruel.
oO
The priests were more than just puzzled. They were bewildered.
" The Nile has turned red?"
" There are red waters coming this way, your Grace." Reported a soldier. " We sent a scout out. He reported a foul stench. The waters are cursed."
" No doubt." Kalim looked at Mahaado. " What do you think is the cause of this?"
Mahaado frowned. " Some new evil is at work here. I fear taking over the Nile will not be as easy as we had hoped."
" This seems like strong shadow magic." Kalim commented. " To curse the Nile…but how to clear the waters before it reaches Egypt?"
" We will have to negate whatever this is." Mahaado called a priest over. " Head over to the red area and collect a sample for analyzation. We will have to move some ships back to begin the neutralization in time."
This was done with some alarm. The red was blood. The blood of shadow Ka.
" But the Ka do not bleed." Kalim protested.
" They do now, apparently." Mahaado frowned. " Find a way to neutralize the blood. Most likely we would have to send this to the Shadow Realm."
" Send the Nile to the Shadow Realm!"
" No." Mahaado said with great patience. " The blood. The blood has to be cleared."
" Well," Kalim then showed why he was High Priest, " We can send anything of Shadow origin back, I suppose."
" That would be your area of expertise."
" Mm. Alright, but I have to get close enough."
The boat was prepared.
" Be careful." Mahaado warned.
Kalim gave a wave. The boat set off. Mahaado watched as the figures grew smaller in the distance. He fancied seeing the red disappear gradually, and turned around to prepare the navy for further travel.
An hour passed. Two hours.
By nightfall, Kalim had not returned.
oO
Light Magic was draining in its own way, but it offered some very useful conveniences Shadow Magic did not have. Seto learned it with ease, as he did pretty much everything. Also, the Light Magic did not sicken him as much, which was something Seto was almost unused to. As a result, he was able to divine, as Kisara did, who Necrophades was conspiring with, and that Atemu had arrested Bakura.
" Necrophades has already occupied the mouth of the Nile. There is not much we can do, short of facing him on, and we need more people, as a group."
" I will not be sending any Light Mages to rescue a tomb robber."
" The Tomb Robber has about 200 shadow users at his command."
" 200 shadow users is no use against Zorc Necrophades."
" But in addition to the Pharaoh's own forces, 200 shadow users is plenty." Seto wondered why Amisi did not seem to understand this advantage.
" 200 shadow fiends, bandits?" Amisi sneered. " That hardly sounds promising to me!"
" Bakura has influence." Seto stretched out to test with his Light Magic. One of the things he was able to do was block Shadow divination, which has always been weaker than the Light divination, so none of Bakura's followers knew that he had been captured. There was still some time. " He is the most powerful shadow user of them all. They respect him."
" And if they do not?" Amisi pushed. " What will you do? You think you can intimidate them with your High Priesthood?"
Seto suppressed a sigh.
" All two hundred of those bandits probably want to ally with Zorc Necrophades themselves."
" Then we promise them something greater than what Zorc Necrophades can offer."
" What is that? Necrophades offers them the entire world! Unlimited power! Immortality, even!"
" Godhood." Seto replied.
" Oh, as if there is a difference."
" We can pretend there is." Seto scowled. Really, this woman is slow. " This is not about truth, Amisi. This is about what they believe. Misdirection can bring one far, as can utilizing all possible resources."
" Trusting them with such sensitive information is hardly conducive, High Priest." Amisi turned her nose up.
" With all due respect," Kisara broke in, " I think His Grace would be as reluctant to utilize such unlawful means." Seto gave her a grateful look. " Two hundred potential shadow soldiers is not something we should ignore easily, even if their temperaments are volatile."
" They are not as cunning as Bakura." Seto pointed out. " Not all of them. And even if they are, they all share one trait."
" Greed." Amisi muttered. " Well, we cannot keep giving them what they want, if that is it."
" We do not have to." Good Ra, how come this woman does not get it? " We can lie. So long as it allows us to fulfill our task, we can try any means."
" Do you think you can convince them?" Kisara asked.
" If I have Bakura." Seto tried not to snap. Kisara was, after all, the one helping him here. " I can do nothing without Bakura. They will not trust me as High Priest, because of my position and what I can potentially do. However, with Bakura, and if they see Bakura and I are cooperating and trusting each other, they may be much more willing to help."
" Will Bakura agree to this?" Kisara asked. That was the only good objection that has been brought up so far, and Seto was glad to answer it.
" Yes." No wonder Light Mages are so abused. If all of them were as daft as Amisi, Seto would wring all of their necks himself. Except for Kisara, because she was the only sensible one.
" We have your word on it?" Kisara asked.
" He sent my missive." Seto replied. " He risked his life to send my missive."
" Only under the protection of your pyramid."
" He sent it all the same."
Kisara looked at Amisi. " I for one intend to volunteer in his rescue. High Priest Seto has advanced enough in the Light Arts to be able to suspend his training for a few days, so if he comes with me, I am willing to speak with the Pharaoh myself, if I have to."
" That will not be necessary." Seto shook his head. " It is perhaps best to avoid the Pharaoh until he has agreed to help us."
" You do not trust the Pharaoh's regard for you?" Kisara asked, her eyes intense.
Seto felt it wiser not to admit that. " I do not trust his impulse control."
" Ah." Kisara accepted that. " Well, Amisi?"
" I do not like it. It is far too risky."
" This whole prophecy was Risk in itself." Seto pointed out. " It would be foolhardy to avoid something just because it was risky."
" High Priest," Kisara warned, though Seto knew he was giving in too much to his temper.
" In any case, if we plan this carefully, we should not lose anyone." Seto continued. " I will provide you with a detailed blueprint of palace grounds. I had not done that for Bakura," He sighed regretfully at that, " Though where he was headed, I was not familiar with in any case. However, the palace dungeons I do know of. You will have to merge with the servants and mingle with the staff there."
" That can be done." Kisara said before Amisi could speak. " Is there anything in particular we should know?"
" Do not reveal yourselves to be Light Mages, under any circumstance." Seto replied. " Even if you get caught."
" That is preposterous!" Amisi cried.
" No." Seto shook his head. " Let me explain. The palace itself is of Shadow Magic. You may feel very…sick."
Kisara nodded to show she understood.
" Your Light Magic will not work well in that place anyway." Seto continued. " And, we must remember, the prophecy counts on me winning the favor of the Pharaoh over to the side of Light. He will not ally with Light Mages if he presumes they are assisting traitors."
" That is true." Kisara frowned, but at least she was agreeing. " To show ourselves to be Light Mages would be detrimental to the overall cause."
" Yes."
" I suppose that would mean fewer people are allowed to work on this case." Kisara looked at Amisi. " This adds to the risk, but it must be done."
Amisi heaved a sigh.
" You should not be caught." Seto shook his head. " Once you assemble your team, I will outline a clear plan for you to follow. Rescuing Bakura is the least of our troubles, after all."
" Alright." Kisara nodded grimly. If someone had told her she would one day be working with the Great High Priest Seto, she would have scoffed and passed it off as a ridiculous joke. It was funny, how the gods work. She wondered if they were doing this to her on purpose.
For his part, Seto sighed in relief. There was someone who would rescue Bakura.
One step at a time. Seto thought. Until the matter is resolved.