Age of Majesty

Chapter 18

The sun was incredibly bright, and the world seemed to sing, which made the irony all the more dramatic. The streets of the capital were all smiles and laughter, lively chattering and children playing. Free flowing dresses and drums on the sidewalks, shouts of greeting, and birds zipping back and forth on the wind.

The optimistic atmosphere was not the only thing that was misplaced, Kisara soon discovered. The Light mages had the unfortunate luck of meeting the Pharaoh almost as soon as they entered the palace grounds. Still, this would not have damaged their plans too much—the High Priest Seto had accounted for that, and told them how to behave. Strangely, however, the Pharaoh seemed to see through their act, polished as it was.

" I need you to come with me." He said to the "servants", who glanced at each other in honest bewilderment and dread. Requests from the Pharaoh for servants were not uncommon on palace grounds, and they followed the sovereign through the garden paths to the area where the dungeons held the prisoners without really knowing if they should feel apprehensive.

Atemu did not enter the dungeons.

" I'm assuming my cousin sent you." The man said.

The servants glanced at each other, unsure of how to answer.

" This actually makes things easier for me." Said Atemu. " I was wondering how I should get rid of this one. Why don't you tidy up the place, so I may visit tomorrow."

Then he left.

" Did the Pharaoh just tell us to break Bakura out?" Asked one of the Light Mages.

" I think so…" Kisara said hesitantly, too astounded to believe it herself.

Alarmed, because they did not know what game the pharaoh was playing, they entered the dungeons, telling the guards they were ordered by the Pharaoh to clean the place up.

" Huh." Said the guards, but did not question them as they had seen for themselves the orders being given. " Wonder what is going on with His Majesty. Well, move along then!"

Bakura was asleep.

" Psst!" Kisara hissed. " What was your alias again? Wati!"

Bakura jerked awake at that, even as Kisara repeated, " Kamenwati!"

" Who are you?" He asked, blinking at her, the dirty hay that made for his bed tangling in his white tresses.

" Did they torture you or something, knock your brains out?" Kisara asked dryly. " You certainly do not look tortured to me."

" What are you doing here?" Bakura asked, having recognized her. " Where is Adjo?"

" He is far away from here." Said Kisara dryly, as the other Light Mages began to sweep the corridors between the cells. " He sent us to break you out but for some reason the Pharaoh is acting like he was expecting us."

" He probably was." Bakura rubbed his eyes. " Where is the Pharaoh?"

" He left us alone." Kisara paused. " It seems like he is giving us until tomorrow morning to break you out."

" Why?" Bakura blinked, dumbfounded. Then he blinked. " Perhaps the Pharaoh believed Adjo after all."

" Did they bind your magic at all?" Kisara asked.

Bakura raised the chains on his wrists. " Have you no eyes, woman?"

Ignoring that jibe, Kisara turned to the other Light Mages. " Well, we could only hope for so much good luck." Said she. " Time to execute the High Priest's plan."

oO

" What are we recalling the troops for, sire?" Shada asked.

" To fight a greater war."

The Pharaoh said this absently, looking through the scrolls with his back turned to the priest.

" …With whom?"

" The greatest evil the world has ever known."

Isis entered the court, her step firm but her eyes uncertain.

" Your Majesty," She bowed. " How may I serve you?"

" Our friend the Tomb Rubber brings us evil tidings." Said Atemu, without turning around to acknowledge her. " Zorc Necrophades has returned."

Utter silence fell. Neither priest could speak.

" He brings a letter from High Priest Seto." The King continued. " My cousin requests our aid, and we are obligated, for our country, to give it to him. Ten minutes ago I have sent the Dark Magician as a messenger to my cousin confirming his request." He paused. " However, I believe Seto may require more than just a message of confirmation."

" Sire?"

Atemu turned around and drew out the Millennium Rod. It had lain cold and unmoving for all this time ever since Seto had first been kidnapped.

" Of course, I cannot have one of the Ka bring this to him." He said. " He claims to be training with Light Mages. I am not certain how protected he is, if indeed the Light Mages are protecting him. Shada, bring the Rod to Seto and look after him. Isis, go seek Mahaado and Kalim and bring them back to the palace."

" Yes, Your Majesty." The priests chorused, minds still reeling over this new development.

oO

High Priest Seto was nearly skipping for joy.

" You have lifted a heavy weight from my heart by coming here." Said he to Shada, though he did not touch the Rod at first. " Under these circumstances, even loving my cousin as I do, it is hard to predict his reaction."

" He blew up his room." Said Shada. " This is after he blew up his room." He held out the Rod to Seto again. " Would you prefer for me to hold on to this instead?"

Seto was still a boy. Sometimes he would do things that strongly reminded Shada that Seto was a child, such as when the joy almost literally melted from his face. " You know what that does to me."

Shada tucked the rod in his belt. " This is not a permanent solution." He warned, before enveloping Seto in a hug. " It is good to see you so well. You had us worried."

Seto ducked his head.

" Is my Pharaoh well?"

" He misses you." Said Shada, taking Seto's arm. " He has worried deeply about you. When we thought you died," He sighed. " His heart was broken."

Seto's eyes were dark when he heard this. " But he is well now?"

" As well as circumstances will allow." Shada pointed out. " But he no longer suffers so."

Seto smiled a little. " He sent you, and the Dark Magician. I suppose he means for you to watch me like a hawk."

" To an extent. After all the trouble you got yourself into, you should not blame him for being a little protective."

Seto grinned. " Ah, I do not blame him. I only feel sorry for you, dear friend. Surrounded by Light Mages…who would have thought? And this is good news for the Tomb Robber as well. I had hoped the Pharaoh would show mercy. I was concerned earlier, but now I see that even if my cousin had given in to his frustration, he did so with enough rational mind. Egypt, after all, is not ready to watch their King set free a known fugitive." He turned to Shada and gestured to the front. " Come, let me introduce you to the Light Mages. They know you, but you do not know them."

" That needs a little evening." Shada laughed, and Seto joined in. For the time being, they could afford to forget, for a few minutes, what exactly had brought Shada here.

Seto had more reason to smile minutes later, when a ball of light materialized in the middle of the camp and revealed, as it dimmed, several Light Mages, and one very familiar shadow user.

" Bakura!" Seto extended his hand to help the thief up. The Tomb Robber, for his part, looked slightly sick. As the young priest helped him stand, the fair-haired man mumbled, " What kind of heinous mode of travel was that…"

Seto grinned boyishly. " You must forgive me." He said. " It is good to see you."

Bakura swallowed with an effort. Shada stood to the side, watching.

" Ah, well, now that he's here," Said a woman Shada knew to be the leader, as she glanced over her own Light Mages to make sure they were unharmed, " We can proceed with your plan?"

Seto looked a little speechless at this. " A few minutes of rest would not harm anyone." He said. " Your Light Magic is as vile to him as his magic is to you. I would appreciate if my friend here can have some water first, and a little briefing. After all, he did not know what has transpired since he left."

" I want some water as well." Said one of the Light Mages that came with Bakura. " Your Pharaoh appears to side with us on this matter. He practically led us to him."

" He has sent me two messengers confirming the alliance." Said Seto. " Kisara, this is my dear friend Shada, High Priest and Holder of the Millennium Key."

" I thought you told Atemu to send the Dark Magician."

" He did."

" Ah." Said the woman, her eyes bright with intelligence. " He has sent you here to make sure we do not mistreat your young friend." She said to Shada.

Before Shada could reply, Bakura bent over and started retching.

" Oh dear." Said Kisara. " We tried to get him here as fast as we could, but I fear we might not have been gentle enough."

" This is unavoidable." Said Seto. " Though I had hoped that his exposure to me would lessen his discomfort." Bakura heaved a sigh. " Why don't you go lie down?" Seto suggested.

" Two High Priests and the Thief King in our midst." A Light Mage muttered. " The world has truly come to an end."

" Oh don't be so dramatic." Kisara reproached, and she helped Seto move Bakura out of the open air into one of the tents where he could lie down."

" Shada, can you tend to him?" Seto asked. Shada bit back a scowl, and knelt before the sick man.

" He is in shock. I can mend this easily." Said Shada, pushing in a bit of Shadow Magic and letting the Tomb Robber's own magic take care of the rest.

Pretty soon, Bakura was able to stand without aid.

" You want me to gather my men."

" Do you think you can?" Seto asked.

" Oh I definitely can." The thief replied. " The question is merely, once I gather them, then what?"

" Get them here."

" No."

" What?" Seto turned to Amisi.

" I won't have 200 shadow-using bandits swarming around my Light Mages!"

Bakura looked like he was about to growl at her, but before either Shada or Seto could do anything, Kisara stepped in.

" I think if we have to decide between 200 shadow-using bandits, and Necrophades crushing us with his minions, the choice is clear." Said she. " We have enough of an advantage here, I think, that we can keep them in line should we need to."

" I can keep them in line just fine." Bakura retorted.

After some discussion, it was agreed on that Bakura will recruit his men and bring them to mingle with the Light Mages.

" Should someone come with you?" Seto asked Bakura.

" No. Better statement if I go alone." Said Bakura, with a hard look in his eyes. " Well, actually, on second thought, that pretty flower over there will do nicely." He gestured at Kisara, who frowned, affronted.

" Bakura…" Seto began warily.

" Oh please." Said Bakura, flinging his fist up. " They are properly loyal to me, but I may very well be leading them into a death trap. You know it, I know it, and a few of them definitely know it. I need some symbol of my authority to show them I know what I'm doing."

" By pretending you have a hussy." Shada glared, despite the fact that before this whole mess began, he would have considered Kisara to be the same.

" By showing them an attractive Light Sorceress who is on my side." Bakura flashed his gleaming teeth at the older priest. " Keep up, would you?"

" Far be it," Said Seto, a little wryly, " For me to presume I can ever understand how your hooligan minds work. This is not up to me, anyhow. This is up to Kisara, if she chooses to go with you. Bear in mind, you owe her one; she risked her life and freedom for yours."

" She will be fine." Bakura rolled his eyes, then smirked at Kisara. " You can act all refined, if you want. But keep in mind, we are mingling with a dark crowd. It takes a bearing of darkness to come out of that one."

" I liked you much better when you were properly humbled, in a cell." Said Kisara in distaste.

" Whether we like each other matters very little in this case."

" Very true." Kisara turned to Seto. " I need your word, though, that this thief would not try anything."

" I give you a Blood Oath." Said Seto. " You will be well taken care of."

Shada gaped, then glanced at Bakura, who looked almost ashamed. He did not even ask for such an oath from Bakura first. The priest thought, looking at his younger colleague. Rash, very rash. But ultimately, the most effective. Seto knew when to test one's loyalty. The fact that he did not doubt Bakura would serve to make the thief more loyal than ever.

Seto went through the brief motions of the Blood Oath, and Kisara, with some hesitation, accepted it though not before she heaved a sigh.

Seto then turned to Bakura, taking the thief by the shoulders. " Hurry back." He said.

Bakura clapped his hands over Seto's. " This is my domain." He smiled a little shakily. Then he turned to Kisara, cockiness back in place. " Ready to go?"

" What ever happened to the retching?" Kisara managed to exclaim as the two of them disappeared.

" It's her turn to retch, unfortunately." Seto commented out loud. " This will not be pleasant for her."

" What are we doing?" Shada asked. " Waiting around? Are you assembling everyone before we attack Necrophades?"

" This is assuming he does not attack us first." Seto replied. " My guess is that he is summoning his own forces, whatever they may be. This is an enemy we do not know or understand. He is not human, if I recall, and," He looked to the distance as the wind blew at his hair, " His strengths and weaknesses are not human either."

" How does one fight a monster?"

" Same way we fight people." Seto replied. " With everything we have."

oO

" Mahaado!" Isis called, as soon as she appeared again in the real world. The priest turned at her voice, but his expression was not of relief or even greeting.

" Isis." He stared. " What brings you here?"

" I have orders from His Majesty." Said Isis, stumbling a little as the ship swayed under her feet in the water. " You are being recalled to the capital. He intends on sending you elsewhere."

" But what of the Nile?" Mahaado gestured. " We still have not solved this mystery. And Kalim has not yet returned."

Isis blinked, not understanding, before she suddenly noticed the horrible stink that pervaded the air.

" Smells like everything in the Nile has rotted." She looked over the docks and gasped.

" The Nile is bleeding." Said Mahaado. " Kalim went to investigate yesterday. He has not returned."

Isis suddenly staggered a bit as a vision seemed to hit her mind. Whirling images of darkness and bloodlust spun before her eyes.

" Isis?" Mahaado asked uncertainly. " What did you see?"

Isis paused. " Kalim is no longer with us." She said softly. " He has passed on to the Other Side. We must leave the Nile at once."

" What?" Mahaado exclaimed, hardly believing her.

" Hurry!" Isis suddenly shouted. " Men! Get to the boats and lift anchor! We have to go downstream to the north, now!"

Stuttering with surprise, the men obeyed. Isis gripped her Millennium Tauk with dread. " Stranded out here as we are, we are vulnerable." She said to Mahaado. She rose on her feet and whispered, " Necrophades is returned."

It was Mahaado's turn to stagger. " This is why the Pharaoh is recalling the ships." He realized once he grasped what she had just said. " No doubt he is behind the threats upstream."

" No." Isis replied. " Those are human. However, by this time I have no doubt any country wading the waters south of us are under his control. He is expanding his influence. High Priest Seto needs our help." She waved her arms, summoning the Black Skull Dragon.

" Find the Blue Eyes White Dragons." Said the priestess. " Tell them we require their guidance to find their master."

" Are we to head straight to Seto?" Mahaado asked.

" We must." Said the priestess. " Seto might not know this, but we have not much time."

Mahaado nodded, summoning the Magician of Illusion. " Go to the Pharaoh Atemu." He told it. " Tell him we head straight to High Priest Seto. If he wishes to come personally, wait until he assembles his army at the palace and bring him directly to us."

Both Ka disappeared. Isis looked at the soldiers and sailors, who were starting to row the ships out from the makeshift harbor of the Nile. The sink was so sickening that she thought she might faint.

" What did you see?" Mahaado asked her, trouble written over his face.

Isis thought back to what she had seen before Seto had gone missing. " Nothing that can be stopped." She said. " Everything is all already in motion. There is only one person who can save him."

" Save who?"

" Save Seto." Isis replied, and she walked away from him to the other side of the ship.