Just to let you know, I'm going to be out of town this weekend, and I won't be able to do any writing, so this will be the last update for a few days. I might be able to update some time on SUnday, May 10. If I can, it will only be one story most likely. On Monday, May 11, I will definately be back to updating. Hope you understand.
Enjoy!
Chapter 22- Old Enemy
"Pharaoh, there seems to be some trouble going on throughout the kingdom." Sereth said.
"What is the trouble, Sereth?" Aknankanon asked.
"There have been a rash of murders throughout the kingdom, and all of them seem to have been someone who once worked here in the palace." Sereth said.
"How were they killed?" Aknankanon asked.
"It would seem someone choked each person with their bare hands." Sereth said.
"It would take someone with great strength to do that." Seth remarked.
"It does not sound like something that anyone has ever done. How many victims have there been?" Amara asked.
"At last count, there were ten." Sereth said.
Aknankanon growled. "Ten dead! This is outrage! I do not know who is doing this, but whoever it is will pay!" Aknankanon said.
"Are there any leads?" Marik asked.
"None." Sereth replied.
Aknankanon turned to Bakura. "Bakura, you and Marik were once in the rings like this. Is there anyone you remember that would have done something like this?" Aknankanon asked.
"No. Thieves usually use a dagger or sword when committing a murder. Choking isn't something that they are known for. It takes too long." Bakura answered.
"What should we do, Pharaoh?" Karim asked.
"We will double palace security. The fact that there are former palace workers that are being killed, it is clear that this is an act against us, and I don't want to take the chance that they will be able to get into this palace." Aknankanon said.
~Two Weeks Later~
"Geez. There is too much security here." Jou muttered.
"Jou, the number of murdered people has doubled." Heba said.
"Doubled?!" Jou exclaimed.
"Yeah. The Pharaoh is worried that something might happen to someone here in the palace. That is the reason for the added security." Yugi said.
"Father had every right to worry. If that person were to get in the palace, it could be a danger to everyone here." Atemu said.
"How do they know that it's just one person?" Ryou asked.
"Well, technically, we don't know." Bakura replied.
"We're just making that assumption. I pray that it is just one person." Yami said.
"It'll be bad if it is more than one person." Malik remarked.
"So, what do we do?' Jou asked.
"All we can do is be on guard." Marik said.
"Heba, you know that there is more that you and I can do." Yugi said.
"Yugi, we can't use out power as sons of Ra to find out who is going this." Heba said.
"I know that, and I wasn't thinking about doing that. My thought was that we could use our magic to keep an eye on everyone in the palace. It would allow us to keep everyone safe." Yugi said.
"I suppose so. It wouldn't be going against the rules." Heba said.
"Heba, this is to protect everyone here, especially the Pharaoh and the Queen. You know that we are supposed to protect them as well." Yugi said.
"I know. Let's just hope that whoever is behind this is caught soon." Heba said.
A shadowy figure stood looking at the palace.
"You can up as much security as possible, but it won't stop me. I will get to you. You'll pay for what you did to me." the figure said.
He let out a laugh.
"You are soon going to lose everything." the figure said.
Yugi walked down the hall. He was thinking about what was going on. 'There has to be a way to end this. I know that whoever this killer is going to strike again and soon.'
"Yugi!"
Yugi looked up to see Mana and Ishizu running up to him.
Both of the girls looked scared and shaken. They ran up to Yugi and grabbed hold of him.
Yugi put a hand on each of them and said, "What is it? What's wrong?"
"Something's wring with one of the guards." Mana said.
"What do you mean?" Yugi asked.
"He's asleep, and we can't get him to wake up." Ishizu said.
Yugi tensed. He had a bad feeling that he knew exactly what was going on. "Girls, I want you to go to Isis in the healing chambers and stay with her. Now." Yugi said.
The two girls nodded and ran off.
Yugi ran down the way that the girls had come and soon came across not one, but two guards. Yugi check and knew for a fact that they were dead. He saw the marks on their necks. 'No. He's here.' Yugi thought. He stood up and quickly found Karim. "Karim!" Yugi called.
Karim turned to face him. "What is it, Yugi?" Karim asked.
"Karim, come quick. Two guards are dead, and I think it's the killer that's been loose." Yugi said.
"Are sure?" Karim asked.
"I'm pretty sure of it." Yugi said.
The two went back and found the guards.
"You're right. It has to be the same killer. Did you find them?" Karim asked.
"No. Mana and Ishizu found them. They came running up to me and saying a guard was asleep and wouldn't wake up. They were shaken up. I had them go to Isis and told them to stay with her." Yugi said.
"I understand. We'd better tell the Pharaoh. He is not going to like this." Karim said.
"WHAT?! HOW DID THIS HAPPEN?!" Aknankanon shouted.
Every person in the room winced as the loud shout.
"How could that killer get into my palace and kill two of my guards?!" Aknankanon demanded.
"We do not know, Pharaoh." Mahado said.
"Increase the guard in the palace. If that killer is still here, I want him found!" Aknankanon ordered.
Everyone went to do just that.
Aknankanon rubbed his forehead. "How could this possibly get any worse?" Aknankanon asked.
Amara placed her hand on Aknankanon's shoulder. "I am certain that we will figure out how to deal with all of this." Amara said.
"I hope so. I don't want anyone else to lose their life because of this." Aknankanon said.
"Father was very angry about all of this." Atemu said.
"Do you blame him?" Heba asked.
"No. Two guards dead in the palace is not something to ignore. I know that Father is trying to keep us all safe, and I understand." Atemu said.
The two walked into their room.
"I'm going to check on Hasan." Heba said. He walked to where the nursery was.
Atemu sat down on the bed and let out a sigh. He was really tired of this killer.
"ATEMU!" Heba shouted.
Atemu jumped up onto his feet and ran into the nursery.
The nanny that was staying in the room with Hasan was on the floor dead.
Hasan was gone.
"No. This can't be happening." Atemu said.
"He was here. That killer has our son." Heba said, on the verge of tears.
Atemu wrapped his arms around Heba, hoping to calm him down. 'If anything happens to Hasan, this guy is going to die because I'll rip him apart with my bare hands.' Atemu thought angrily.
"HE WHAT?!" Aknankanon shouted.
Atemu and Heba had just told everyone about Hasan being kidnapped.
"I want this entire palace searched! No one leave and no one comes in! Seal all the gates! No one is doing anything until Hasan is found!" Aknankanon ordered.
Karim, Mahado, and Shada left to do as Aknankanon had said with plans to head up the search.
"How could he have so easily gotten in there?" Isis asked.
"I don't know. It doesn't make sense. There were extra guards there." Seth said.
"If anything happens to Hasan, I'm ripping that guy apart with my bare hands." Atemu said.
"There has to be something else that we can do." Heba said.
"There is not much else that we can do. We can help, but that's about it." Yami said.
Yugi stood away from the group a little. He closed his eyes and concentrated.
"We can't just sit here. Every second that we waist is the better chance of something happening to Hasan." Bakura said.
Ryou smacked Bakura on the arm. "Bakura! Stop inviting bad ideas!" Ryou scolded.
"No. He's right. Every second we wait is the better chance that something could happen to him." Heba said.
"Then what do we do?" Marik asked.
Yugi suddenly opened his eyes. "I know where Hasan is." Yugi said.
"How?" was the accumulative question.
Yugi turned to them. "Since Hasan is Heba's son, he gained the magic of being the grandson of Ra and Isis. I was able to trace his magic back to where he was. I think that Anat is causing trouble again, Heba." Yugi said.
"I'm killing her." Heba growled.
"Who is that?" Aknankanon asked.
"Later. We better rescue Hasan first." Yugi said. He led everyone out of the room.
The man paced back and forth across the room.
"I have to fond a way to kill the Pharaoh, and I need to get to him." the man said.
Hasan was crying as he wanted to be with his parents, not the strange man that had taken him.
"Shut up, you brat!" the man snapped.
That only made Hasan cry harder and louder.
"I've had it. Keeping this brat isn't worth it." the man said.
The group heard Hasan.
"That's Hasan!" Atemu exclaimed, starting forward.
"Atemu wait! I know you want to get to Hasan, but bursting in there might make things worse. We have to do this smartly." Yugi said.
"Yugi, you're right. I sense Anat's magic." Heba said.
"Which means we can use ours." Yugi said.
The group continued and arrived where the cries were coming from.
It was one of the less used rooms in the north wing.
"How big is this room?" Yugi asked.
"About the size of the throne room." Aknankanon replied.
"Okay. Heba and I will fight whoever did this. One of you get Hasan and then get back to the throne room. We'll handle this." Yugi said.
They all nodded.
Yugi opened the door, and he and Heba slipped inside. Heba looked over at Yugi, who nodded. They called their Sais and jumped out.
"Who are you!" the man demanded.
"Two rather angry people." Yugi replied.
Yugi and Heba charged forward at the man.
The man called on twin swords and ran at them.
Yugi ducked to avoid a blade, and Heba had to jump up to avoid the blade.
Yugi glanced over and saw Hasan. 'It's too risky for them to come in here.' Yugi thought.
Yugi blocked the two swords and was backed up against the wall. He kicked the man in the chest and threw him to the floor.
Heba ran at the man and lashed out with one of Sais. The man blocked it and lashed out with the other sword, but Heba blocked it. The man flipped over Heba and kicked him in the back, causing Heba to stumble. The man tried to strike Heba, but Heba ducked and then whirled around to strike out with both Sais, but the man blocked them.
While Heba had the man districted, Yugi ran over to Hasan and picked him up before running over to the others. "Go! We'll meet you back at the throne room!" Yugi said.
Atemu took Hasan, and the group did as they were told and left.
Yugi ran back and kicked the man in the back before he could strike Heba.
"Where's Hasan?" Heba asked.
"With Atemu. They're heading back." Yugi said.
"That brat was mine!" the man shouted.
"Hasan is my son! You had no right to take him!" Heba shouted.
"That doesn't matter! There's no way that you're going to win all of this!" the ma shouted. He formed a black ball of energy in his hand before he threw it at them.
Yugi and Heba jumped out of the way, but the recoil of the explosion threw them both into the wall.
"Okay. That could have gone better." Heba said.
The two stood up.
"What is your deal with the Pharaoh?" Yugi asked.
"That bastard is the reason that I lost everything." the man spat.
"What are you talking about?" Heba asked.
"He didn't do anything about the raiders, and they destroyed my entire village! It's because of him that I lost my wife, my children, and my home! He didn't do anything! When I had to turn to thievery to survive, he had me banished!" the man snarled.
"Then I think you have problems because two wrongs don't make a right." Yugi said.
"But the Pharaoh's death will make everything right!" the man shouted. He charged at them.
Yugi blocked a sword before he was thrown against the wall.
The man then struck out at Heba, and the forced knocked Heba out when he hit the wall.
"You've only prolonged the inevitable!" the man said to Yugi.
'Damn it, Anat! You've really done it this time.' Yugi thought.
The man charged at Yugi and swung back and forth with his swords. Yugi blocked them each time and then started back at the man, forcing the man to back up. The swords that the man had glowed, and Yugi was thrown back into the wall. Yugi got back up despite the pain in his back and went forward at the man again. The two continued to clash their swords together. The man kicked Yugi in the stomach and then punched him in the face, causing Yugi to fall to the ground. The man brought his swords down at Yugi, but Yugi rolled to the side out of the way and then jumped up, kicking the man in the face and throwing him off balance. Yugi spun around and punched the man hard in the face before he rammed his knee into the man's groin and then threw him to the side. The man got back up.
"You won't defeat me! I won't allow it I have to get my revenge!" the man shouted.
"You're plans of revenge are through! I will not allow you to do anymore harm!" Yugi said.
"Try and stop me, brat!" the man shouted.
Before Yugi could react, a powerful ball of energy hit Yugi in the chest and sent Yugi crashing into the floor.
The man walked over to Yugi and said, "You're going to die now." He brought his swords down at Yugi, but Yugi blocked them with his Sais. Yugi kicked the man back before eh jumped up. The man ran at Yugi and punched him in the side of the face before he rammed his knee into Yugi's stomach. He then grabbed Yugi by the arm and threw Yugi into the wall. The man then threw a ball of energy at Yugi.
Yugi countered with one of his own, but the blast was too close and blew Yugi through the wall.
The man laughed. "Now the Pharaoh will be the one that dies." the man said. He then gasped at the pain. He looked down and saw the blade of a Sai through his stomach.
"You have caused enough harm. The Pharaoh is my father-is-law, so there is no way that you are going to him or anyone else." Heba said. He pulled his Sai out of the man.
The man turned and tried to strike Heba with his sword, but Heba rammed the blade of his Sai into the man's throat, killing him.
Heba jerked the Sai out, and the man fell.
"Yugi!" Heba shouted, running to the rubble.
"Do you think that they are all right?" Atemu asked worriedly.
"This is Yugi and Heba we are talking about. They are going to be just fine." Bakura said.
"I don't know. Something wasn't right about that man." Yami said.
"He's right. Yugi and Heba seemed to know that there was more to that man than we know." Aknankanon said.
"I hope that they'll be okay." Ryou said.
Heba was walking down the hall, helping Yugi. He had Yugi's one arm across his shoulders and the other arms around Yugi's waist, helping Yugi walk.
"Damn it! He really got the best of me!" Yugi growled.
"Yugi, you went through a wall, not to mention that he got a lot of power. Besides, we're only mortal right now." Heba said.
"I know that, but I still feel like an idiot." Yugi said.
"If it makes you feel any better, I only managed to kill that guy because he was distracted." Heba said.
"Doesn't help." Yugi said.
"I didn't think so." Heba remarked.
They soon reached the throne room where Karim, Shada, and Mahado had just arrived.
"What happened?!" Mahado asked.
"Never mind. Get the throne room doors open for me." Heba said.
The three did as asked and opened the doors.
Everyone looked when the doors opened and gasped.
Yugi's head had a trail of blood coming from his and parts of his clothes were stained in blood.
"Yugi! What happened?!" Yami exclaimed, going over to help.
"Let's just say that I had a bad day." Yugi said.
The three made it over to the steps that lead up to the throne before Yugi had to sir down.
"What happened?" Aknankanon asked.
"I'll explain in a minute. Heba, call Father." Yugi said.
"Why?" Heba asked.
"Because I am too tired, and I need him to bring Anubis to heal me." Yugi replied.
"Yugi, we're mortal. We can't be healed by the gods." Heba said.
"I know that, but that man was given magic by a goddess, so it changes toe rules. I was injured by magic of the gods." Yugi said.
"Point taken." Heba agreed.
A moment later, the room started shaking.
"Yugi, I think he knows." Heba said.
Ra appeared in human form. "THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS! HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE GOING TO PULL THIS!" Ra shouted.
"I don't think this will help." Anubis said.
"Just heal him!" Ra growled.
Anubis walked forward.
Everyone was on edge as the god of death walked forward. "Calm yourselves. I have come for no one. I am only here to heal Yugi." Anubis said. He knelt by Yugi and quickly healed him.
"Thank, Anubis. I feel a lot better now." Yugi said.
"I would advise that you take it easy the next couple of days." Anubis said.
"Sure thing." Yugi said. He started to get up and winced.
"And your back will be sore for a few days." Anubis said.
"Thanks for the warning." Yugi said sarcastically.
"Where is that man?" Aknanaknon asked.
"Dead. I had to kill him. He managed to throw Yugi right through a wall-" Heba started.
"WHAT?!" Yami shouted.
"Relax, Yami. I'm fine. As the son of Ra, I have a bit more protection from things like that." Yugi said.
"Anyway, while he was distracted, I killed him." Heba said.
"What happened, though?" Isis asked.
"It was Anat. She's a goddess of war who likes to cause a bit of trouble, so she finds someone with an evil heart and gives them magic to sue in any way they like for a short period of time. Unfortunately, her target had a grudge against you, Pharaoh. It seems he blamed everything bad in his life on you, and wanted to kill you. Anyway, that's why he was so powerful." Yugi said.
"Well, I believe that I will have a word with Anat." Ra said.
"It won't help much." Yugi said.
"Be that as it may, I am still going to." Ra said before he and Anubis disappeared.
Hasan reached for Heba, and Heba took him from Atemu.
"So, is this over?" Amara asked.
"Yeah. Anat just tends to cause trouble." Yugi replied.
"Oh. You may want someone to clean up that room. There's a lot of rubble, and the body needs to be disposed of." Heba said.
"We'll deal with that." Aknankanon said.
"Yugi, I think that you should go and rest." Amara said.
"I think I will." Yugi said. He left the room with Yami.
"So, are you sure that this is over?" Atemu asked.
"Yeah. With Anat, it's always a one time deal." Heba replied.
Yugi walked into his and Yami's room. "This has been a really bad day." Yugi said.
"I can imagine. At least it's over though." Yami said.
"I know. I'm glad that Hasan wasn't hurt." Yugi said.
"Yeah. That's something we were all glad of." Yami said.
"I'm just glad this won't happen again." Yugi said.
"It won't?" Yami asked.
"No. It only happens once every thousand years." Yugi replied.
"That's good news." Yami said.
"Yeah. I know." Yugi said.
Aknankanon had had some guards go to the room Yugi and Heba had fought in.
The body of the man was taken and burned, and the people were assured that the killer had been caught.
The room had been cleaned up, and the wall was repaired.
Everything was peaceful again in Egypt.
Hope you liked it. I don't know where the inspiration for this chapter came from, but I thought that it would work.
Anat is actually a warlike character from Syrian origin, but I made her to where she would cause trouble for them.
Next: It will be either a ball or Yugi and Yami's wedding. Haven't decided yet.
R&R.