Silmeria: Emperor's Prophecy is considered my masterpiece and it is one of my highest reviews stories on the site, but I wanted to see it done better - bigger and here we are - Emperor's Prophecy - Reincarnation.
Disclaimer: I claim no ownership to Yu-gi-oh.
Chapter One: Saving Graces
"The war between the Kingdoms of Elysian and Atlantis was one of dominance and greed – it was a literal fog of death and despair that led to the loss of thousands. However, it was through the people's perseverance and love of each other and the land that blood-stained weapons were laid to rest, and hands grasped in friendship. It was unfortunate that my brethren – Seers of Elysian - were given in tribute to end these turbulent times and I, Leon von Schroeder, stand as the last of these noble people. But, as my time to depart this realm approaches, allow me to give Asrai one last decree – a final message from our heart to yours:
War will touch these lands again – not today nor tomorrow, but centuries later where conflict is a mere thought. This war will be fought over the life of a Seer whose name I will not breathe for I will grant peace to this child with all that I have left in me. Worry not, however, for he will be cherished and loved by a kind and gentle soul who will sacrifice all to keep him from him harm.
- Epithet of Seer Lon von Schroeder.
It was happening – again.
Yuugi clutched his head tightly, biting his bottom lip to keep himself from screaming as white-hot pain laced through his skull and down his spine. He fell to his knees, knocking over the potions he just created this morning and briefly mourned their loss before another jolt of pain attacked him forcing him to curl into a fetal position among the shattered glass and liquid. He prayed for the pain to still, but the Gods had no desire to heed his desires when a vision flashed through his mind – images that were brief and almost too quick for his mind to comprehend.
A pale-haired, golden-eyed boy pouring liquid that was as a black as night into a golden goblet.
A tan-skinned, crimson eyed man with hair so very similar to his own sitting upon a throne of gold and obsidian taking the goblet with a grateful smile unaware of what lied in wait -
"Your wine, Your Majesty."
Yuugi sucked in a pained gasp as the images faded and the pain with it. He rose and mourned the mess scattered around him and fought down the exhaustion of having to clean it up – again. Closing his eyes, Yuugi placed his hand against his forehead and bit back a curse at the warmth of his skin. With the visions, fevers were quick to follow due to the influx of the magic that his body barely handled due to his inability to wield magic – a rarity amongst Elysians.
"Yuugi? Child? What happened? You look like death warmed over." Sugoroku Motou, Yuugi's Grandfather, rushed over and placed an aged hand on his grandson's shivering shoulder. "Did you have another vision?"
"Yes." Yuugi shuddered, raising his dark eyes to his grandfather who stared down at him with sympathy. "I am well, Grandfather."
"You don't look it, Yuugi." Sugoroku countered, leading Yuugi to a small chair near the open window. "You are pale and wild with fever." Sugoroku reached over for a small pouch and pushed it along with a glass of water into Yuugi's hands. "Hurry before the fever catches and we will have to bother Shizuka so late at night."
Yuugi scoffed at the thought, knowing that Shizuka, who was the resident healer, wouldn't mind coming over so late at night – especially knowing what ailed him. He said nothing of this, swiftly mixing the water and powder before swallowing, biting back the disgust of the sour flavor. He placed the glass on the window sill, watching as the droplets slid down the glass before turning to his grandfather, his mind racing with consequences of his next words – his actions and for a moment, he was selfish enough to say nothing at all, to allow the moment to pass into the silence of the night, but he couldn't, not when so much was at stake and besides, he would never be able to look his grandfather in eye again if he did such a thing.
"Grandfather," Yuugi whispered, reaching out and grasping the elder man's hand with his own. "You—we have to warm him – now."
"Warn? Warn who, my boy?"
"Emperor Atem. He's in danger. There—there was this child—or a man with pale hair and eyes the color of gold. He put something into the Emperor's drink-"
"What did it look like?" Sugoroku urged, grasping Yuugi's shoulders and giving them a shake. "What color?"
"It was a liquid substance." Yuugi murmured, his eyes wild as he was forced to remember the images – the pain. "And black in color."
Sugoroku's face grew grim at the information and Yuugi was no fool to realize that it wouldn't bode well if the Emperor took a sip of that wine.
"You must rest." Sugoroku grasped his shoulders in a gentle grip, his aged face still grim but with a touch of determination that Yuugi had never bore witness. "I will tell the guards of what you have told me-"
"If you tell them then-" Yuugi closed his eyes, his heart stilling at the thought. All their sacrifices would be for naught. For so long, he and his grandfather had kept the burden of his abilities a secret with one person outside of their name knowing their shared burden and Yuugi would have preferred it to stay that way, but -
A life was at stake. An important one.
"Be swift." Yuugi closed his eyes, clocking away the fear of what lied ahead and what he couldn't bear to see. "All of Elysium depends upon it."
Sugoroku pulled away and slipped downstairs to attract the nearest guard and Yuugi - Yuugi felt the warmth and pride of his Seer heritage fade into ashes when he heard the guards shout to retrieve a transportation scroll to the palace. It would take far too long for a messenger bird or start an incantation for the spell. He was relieved that his grandfather's words were taken seriously, but a small part of Yuugi dreaded the outcome of it. He felt a cold, clammy hand squeeze around his heart at the thought of Elysian and the world finding out that a Seer had been in their midst for nineteen years with them none the wiser. He would be punished for it – his grandfather would be punished for it was stated in ink and blood that should a Seer emerge within the bloodline that it would be reported immediately and his grandfather had failed to do so and thus broken the law and edict set out by Emperor Aknamkanon in decades past. If Emperor Atem would be kind then his and grandfather's punishment would be swift, but the Gods and Goddess had cursed Yuugi's family with death, despair and a legacy that was stained in blood.
If Gods and Goddess would not grant kindness, then why should a mortal-bound man?
Atem considered himself a just man – a kind man. He loved his citizens and took their complaints to heart and their praise with a humbleness that spoke of his mother's influence. He considered them all family and treated them as such, and he knew that the feeling was returned ten-fold. However, in his darkest thoughts, he never imagined the situation that sat at his feet.
"Majesty?" Seto Kaiba, his cousin, and advisor, called out sharply. "Are you well? You didn't drink from the goblet, did you?"
"No." Atem choked out, his darkened crimson eyes straying to the floor where the silver goblet lay at his feet, once filled to the brim with wine, now spilled on the pristine white floor like blood. And there, also at his feet, was the servant who was snarling at the guards who had him pressed against the floor. It was the sight of the boy – man? —staring at him without an ounce of regret that spurned Atem into action.
"Who sent you to my lands?" Atem demanded, stepping down from his throne, despite a startling hiss from Seto. He bent down in front of the assassin. "Who sent you?" Atem shut his eyes, forcing down a snarl of impatience when the guards failed to restrain the smaller man.
"Bind him," Atem commanded swiftly. "If you are having trouble restraining a man who is less your body weight and height then I shall send you back to Colonel Firimiar for training."
"Majesty." One of the guards acknowledged, his dull brown eyes glowing a light red before the struggling of their current captive ceased.
Atem opened his mouth to praise the guard before Seto appeared and was bending down to eye level with the disguised servant before a noise of thought escaped his lips.
"What is it?" Atem inquired, impatience warring with his normal politeness. "Seto-"
"He is under a spell – an impressive one," Seto responded quietly, lifting the servant's chin with a ringed hand. "His eyes are glazed, and his pupils are dilated." Seto snapped his fingers in front of the assassin's face earning a mild glare for his actions. "Someone is pulling this child's strings."
"If that's correct, then he is innocent of his actions." Atem lowered himself to his knees, joining his cousin on the wine stained floor. "That still doesn't answer our question: who sent him?"
"Shall we release him, Your Majesty?" one of the guards asked curiously. "To see the sheep underneath the wolf's clothing?"
"Aye." Atem acknowledged, placing his hands against the assassin's forehead, despite his cousin's protest. "Release – Unshackle the bonds on this child's mind." Atem removed his hand, his heart in his throat as the servant's hair turned from a deep black into a light aquamarine color that reminded Atem and Seto of a loving woman who was always at their back of their mind and the eyes - the eyes.
A pure, undulated amber that reminded Atem of that same, beautiful woman.
"Noah," Atem whispered, watching as the remnant of his spell shed away the remaining dark tone skin and clothing leaving only a cloak behind to cover Noah's small and slim body.
"Gods Above and Below," Seto whispered, distraught as he reached out, only to be stopped by a firm hand on his shoulder. He turned sharply to see Atem with a grim frown and dark eyes that reminded Seto of dried blood. It had been a long time since Seto had seen that look and he knew that the results of it were going to be far from pleasant.
"We do not what else lies beneath the cloak and mind control spell," Atem stated softly, shooting his cousin a sympathetic look. "I will not risk our lives over old familiarity."
"Old-" Seto began only to be hushed again by his cousin and Emperor, who continued speaking in that same calm tone that reminded him of his uncle and it brought an unwanted rush of safety and warmth settling in his chest. That tone of a voice spoke of a man who would know what to do and for once, he would allow Atem to settle the matters of the heart.
"Lieutenant Hiroto and Otogi, take Noah to the interrogation room and create a strong barrier. I want a sporadic change in the guard that I leave to your discretion."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Atem lowered his gaze to the floor unable to watch the man whom he had called cousin lifted as if he weighed nothing and dragged out of the throne room and to the interrogation room that sat below. His mind ran with what seemed an innumerable amount of questions: Who would do such a thing? Who would dare attack him when peace had reigned over Elysia for centuries? Why now?
"It looks like I was late to the party."
Atem pushed his questions to the back of his mind to greet the newcomer and fought down a smile at the disgruntled look.
"Colonel Firimar." Atem greeted, watching as the commander's dull violet eyes took in the scene with mild disinterest. "To what do I owe this visit?"
"I ran into my lieutenants carrying what was supposed to be the dead Lord Noah Kaiba, but I see that even Gods have time for sadistic amusement." Firimar folded his well-toned arms across his chest. "What happened?"
"I would like to explain my attempted assassination attempt, but I have another task for both of you." Atem regarded his advisor and commander with a grim look of determination and it would do him well to gauge their next reactions.
"I need you both to head to the Eastern Business District and find the Seer that saved my life."
A long pause followed his words before Firimar threw his head back and released a loud, raucous laugh that bounced off the thick walls of the throne room.
"You have been in this palace too long, Atem." Firimar teased as his chuckles died, a frown coming to his lips when he realized that Seto nor Atem had joined him in his amusement. "You're serious? You mean to send Seto and I on a – a fool's errand and leave you undefended?"
"I am not worried about myself at the moment, Bakura." Atem's jaw clenched. "What I am concerned about is the Seer that lies hidden in my city without an ounce of protection."
"What will bringing him to the palace accomplish?" Seto asked with a raised eyebrow. "If the Seer remained hidden for this long then who are we to disturb such a thing? He is safe from prying eyes."
"The soldiers of the Eastern Business District were not discreet in bringing me that message nor was the man who brought the message to the soldiers."
"You're worried about the ears that were listening to the soldier and old man," Bakura stated. "If that is the case, then it's only a matter of time before the Seer is targeted and tagged with a price on his head. I can imagine the amount of gold that someone would give to have a Seer in their household or personal army."
"You understand my worries then, Bakura? Of why I want the Seer in my sight?"
"I understand, but I must side with Seto on this matter – bringing the Seer to the palace will cause unwanted attention regardless and will have an offset chance of setting off a chain reaction."
"You speak of the Prophecy?" Atem smirked, a sad light entering his eyes at the thought of such cursed written word. For centuries, his family kept the Prophecy close and watched as the world changed and molded until what it is today, but the Faenor Family – long-standing rulers of the Empire of Elysian – were burdened with the task of protecting the entire world from the Prophecy of War and now that the Seer was known to be alive and well, it would undoubtedly set off a chain reaction around the world and bring spotlight to his lands and Atem wasn't sure he was ready for the carnage that would soon to follow it.
"Are you sure about this, Atem?" Seto asked softly. "Once we find them and bring them here then the entirety of the Empire will know in a matter of hours and the Kings of Sylvantia and Atlantis will come calling and you will have no choice but to heed it."
"I will answer it," Atem stated with a tight smile. "I will face the judgment of the entire world if it means keeping that Seer safe and sound." That tight smile Atem bore spread into a confident grin that failed to convince his two closets friends. "You have your orders, gentleman."
At Atem's words, Seto and Bakura shared a look before bowing deeply silently expressing their appreciation of their friend and Emperor's bravery and sacrifice. Both rose and turned on their heels and left Atem to his thoughts which were quickly on their way to becoming dark and foreboding before he turned them back to the Seer.
The Seer who saved his life.
The Seer whose very presence would eventually bring war and death to his reign.
Atem closed his eyes and forced his shaking hands to still. He was the Emperor of Elysian and he would not falter in front of an arduous task. He would find the Seer and see to it that the Prophecy of War couldn't and wouldn't come to pass -
"You are not a coward," Atem whispered, stilling his shaking his hands with a clenched jaw. "You will do your duty to your people and to the Seer and keep them both safe – no matter the cost."
Atem closed eyes at his words before resigning himself to the tears that slid down his cheeks before raising his head to stare at the empty throne that once held the man that forced the Prophecy of War to become written word. It was his blood that cut down the Seers – a once proud and prosperous people and now he would pay the price. It seemed fitting that his family tasked themselves to protecting the very people who they cut down and Atem saw it ironic that the revival of the Seers would be his downfall, but Atem would not falter – he would set to the task as an Emperor would and protect the Seer.
Even at the cost of his own life.