Yu-Gi-Oh: A Past and Future Pharaoh
Written By: Lady Lunar Phoenix
Beta By: Lady Lunar Phoenix
A/N: And remember Editing is in effect, so from time to time things change...
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"Think you can check on something for me?" Set asked as they tried to turn their direction back to the royal city. He didn't want to bring it up in front of the prince, far too aware of how smart and clever the Prince was. But this was clearly no raiding band. Perhaps they had disguised themselves that way before with a small unit. However; at this point it was clearly an illusion, as the quartet should have had an easy time reuniting with the Pharaoh's group.
Only they were still being chased...
There was a pregnant pause from Mahaado before the mage finally asked, "do you wish to view it or is it something I can see for myself?"
"I'd like to see it myself if possible, since we can't stop riding. But if you need to stop to let me see, then you'll be fine," Set elaborated, keeping a watch on horizon for any potential threats.
"Well then tell me where I should check," Mahaado finally replied, his tone patient, then again he wasn't stupid.
"I need to know how big this group chasing us is, and if you could tell me whats in the direction we're heading. Be it a city or temple, or just more desert." Set instructed as he wished it was still night, at least he could go by the stars rather than the ever moving sun.
But Set figured that Mahaado had already picked up at least some of what Set already had started thinking about, given the situation they found themselves in. "Very well, take the reins while I do this."
It was a horrible twist of luck that he finally got Mahaado to obey him while they were in personal danger. Why couldn't Maha mind him this well back in the palace when Set suggested things? Like throwing High Priest Heisheen into the pond?
But he obliged the magician in training, slowing up his own mount and reaching out to take the reins from Mahaado. Trusting those reins to the little, eager, prince was out of the question after all. The heat of the sun was pounding upon his head and back as they rode, unprotected and he couldn't tell how long they would be traveling. That would be up to what Mahaado could tell him, and the longer they had to keep doing this the less hope Set had. Sweat was dripping down his face, making him grow irritated as he wiped it away.
The mounts they rode needed a better rest than what they had been provided, most of all the Prince and Mana were suffering. Both children were now missing two meals, and despite Mahaado's adjustment of the saddles the pair were getting saddle sore. Every stagger or jump the horse they rode made, sent Mana into pained cries and whimpers. With Set at a loss for how to settle her down given the situation.
He had no clue what was keeping the girl from an out right panic, while the Prince seemed more afraid of earning his father's displeasure than his own pain. His every protest was based on the fact that they were getting further away from his father, and that Maha would get hurt. Which was doubly impressive that he 'knew' they weren't approaching his father, and that he could fixate so hard that his own physical discomfort wasn't registering.
The saddle sores were going to be a mighty issue though, regardless if the three of them survived or not. Set was pretty sure any fixation on them was going to be based on the fact that they had the prince with them. In hindsight it would have been wiser to cover the princes' rather obvious presence once they stepped out of the tent. But if this had been a simple raiding party they would already be back with the Pharaoh's forces.
Not on the run through the desert harried by what he feared was more than just idle, if not out right insane, bandits. Mahaado had been impressively skilled at 'blowing stuff up', far more than Set had been willing to give him credit for originally.
'Big Boom' indeed.
Yet the forces never seemed to slacken, there was always another warrior to make up for the one that Mahaado took out. Making Set wary of what Mahaado would tell him regarding the forces, something deep inside telling him to expect that his gut was right.
"You will not like what my spell shows, but I suspect you asked in the first place because you already knew," Mahaado finally addressed him once more. His voice calm and pragmatic, "we are surrounded."
Wonderful.
"Its not a full circle yet, but given what I have seen I would hazard to say that this is an army after us." Mahaado needed to seriously stop sounding so casually indifferent about things... "Friends of yours then?"
And that was Set about to rip his horses' head off from surprise at that outright suggestion. "What? Where would you get such a crazed idea you mad mage?!"
"Well I figured, you like challenges and maybe this is just a group of friends you made... Maybe a joke of sorts or possibly a game of 'keep away' with the Prince."
"I'm sorry... did you forget you woke up being used as a daggers' sheath?!" Set retorted in a fury at such a thought process.
"Well, it could have been my Masters' doing, you know... for fun..." Mahaado replied as though they were having an idle conversation on the barge of the Pharaohs'. Going down the Nile and not being chased by an army!
"Killing your master would be 'fun'!" Set snapped turning to glance at this idiot magician he found himself stuck with. Catching Mahaado keeping a look out for any other potential threats to their lives. While the Prince caught his eye, staring up at Set with his own eyes narrowed and his lips in a pronounced frown.
"Mama doesn't get to yell at Papa!" The Prince finally growled, which was on par with listening to a puppy trying out a new sound for the first time.
"Now see here, I'm not the 'mama' so stop that!" Set growled only to have Mana wiggle a bit in her seat.
"Mama?" The baby girl looked up at Set in confusing her hands dancing up towards his chest. "Where mama milk?"
Mahaado could be seen shaking in his saddle, while Set plotted violent murder on this stupid magician. While he dropped the reins back into the princes' young hands so he could force Mana's tiny hands down and away from his chest. "Gods above I hate you."
But it didn't distract Set from what Mahaado had just said, while distracting the children one of whom would understand.
An army.
There was an army descending on them with no forces to help them save what Mahaado could pull off and what help the Kurrs could give. Since their presence was dependent on the Prince summoning them again and that was out of the question. In the night the Kurrs probably could avoid being harmed, but in the light of Ra?
The challenge was going to be intense, trying to get the lot of them out of this circling death trap with only a sword and one magician. Though said magician, bastard though he may be, 'was' decidedly powerful. Mahaado would be a vast use if Set could only figure out how to use these resources. Since they couldn't exactly have a war room discussion with the kids right there able to panic the moment they understood.
"Loose, like a fishermans net really." Mahaado suddenly said, a casual, enigmatic phrase to the kids, but it gave Set something to work with.
A net had plenty of holes, but the reality would mean they would have to split up to slip through at 'best' or try to force their way through. The thing being there was no telling if the item used to seal away Mahaado's own magic was still with them. If so he going alone with the Prince or with Mana would put them in danger. Only a fool would not realize that there was a magician here and be prepared to deal with his spells.
Which meant ramming their way through one, hopefully fragile, part of this net in their bid to escape. Yet the question then became 'where' was the weakest part of the net and what direction would it set them off to? Off towards the Palace? One of the Temples? Into just empty desert where they would continued to be hunted down? The odds of them reaching the Pharaoh's party was nil, their enemies would undoubtedly not want the prince reunited with his father.
And the only way to communicate with Mahaado without upsetting the kids, left him exposed to the most insufferable amount of teasing.
"As for where we're headed, we are heading between the Valley of the Kings and the Valley of the Queens. But the forces are thinner towards the Queen's."
"Then let's go visit the Valley, hopefully we can go there hide so the horses and kids can rest, then go north." Set finally decided before he heard a soft, almost polite cough from Mahaado. "Do I want to even know?"
"We're about to have company from that direction."
"Oh really, should we invite them over for some drinks?" Set snarled at the mage who was looking away with an almost innocent expression on his face.
"I thought about it, but then anything loud would call down the rest of the forces on us..." Mahaado replied politely.
Set sighed as he wiped away more sweat from his brow when something occurred to him. 'Loud'? "Ok?"
"Well I've been thinking of a new spell you see..." Mahaado explained patiently, causing Set to turn to see Mahaado gently stroking the princes' hair.
"Seriously? That's what you do when I'm not around? Come up with spells?" Set grumbled as he finally stopped his horse and dismounted. "Stay here Mana, I'll be right back."
"No, I was inspired for a new spell over dinner last night," Mahaado explained as he stopped his own mount next to Set's. Before he put a steady hand on Mana's shoulder as she sat squirming about.
"We were talking last night!" Set objected before he crouched down and began going up the feeling the sand under his bare feet as he half crawled up the incline. If he could see the threats now he would just have them go around the dunes. He felt the burning heat of the fire in his hands and feet, making him quick step each move in an effort to alleviate the pain to the best of his ability. The wind that blew along the sand was comforting, and he wanted to believe that he could smell the hint of sea breeze from the distant Red Sea.
If he could get them that far at least then he knew they would be closing in on towns and places where they could rest and hopefully shelter. Only now he couldn't feel confident on that point, with an 'army' after them of all things. It would endanger a small village to have the prince with an enemy army chasing them down. It seemed unfeasible that any country would send an army to capture the Prince. If this was the same group that resulted in the very creation of the Kurr clan of tablets it seemed strange to go that route. Killing all those children, just to 'now' target the Prince while their presence was already strongly present in the minds of the royal palace.
Unless this was a ploy to draw the prince out of the palace, making it easier to get their hands on him. It was alarming, especially since the prince clearly could summon Ka at this young age. However, bonding put his own young life in danger, it was just pure luck that none of the Kurrs had been wounded during the night.
Set wiped the sweat from his brow once more before shading his eyes from the light of the sun. As he looked over the top of the dune he could faintly see dots moving across the way, wavering in the heat from the sand. But they were getting closer and he didn't have time to wait before rushing down the dune itself.
This was going to be interesting and as much as he didn't want to admit it openly, there was a thrill running up his spine at the challenge set before him. It was like a board game, strategy's being made on the fly with people instead of little bits of marked wood. There was no Blue eyed dragon to protect him, and now before him was a chance to show how much he grew. He'd be the dragon, out think the enemy and return the prince back to the kingdom. Proving in his own way the divinity of the Prince that those he called to him could pull off a miracle.
For what else could it be called, to stand before an army and win? Divine providence for sure, after all how many could say they were named for a God and do what he did? As Set protected Ra, he would protect that unique and blessed Prince!
"Do we find higher ground?" Mahaado inquired when Set got close enough to hear the Magician as said magician began to look about for such a thing. One hand held the reins of the horses, the other was held as though he was holding a large plate on the tips of his fingers.
"The highest spot near by is this dune here from what I saw," Set answered as he mounted back up on his ride. Thankful that the heat of the sand was off his feet and hands as he took back his reins.
"Well in that case I might as well get up there," Mahaado replied before dismounting from his own horse. "Please keep them down here, as this is going to be the first time I cast this spell. Thus if it fails or something goes wrong please escort the Prince back to the Palace." He instructed Set as he began climbing up the sand dune, leaving the little prince sitting on horseback and looking a bit glum.
"We no help Maha?" The prince asked as he began playing with the reins on the horse.
"Not yet," Set replied, as the Illusionary Magician began to shimmer into view like a mirage coming to life. "Though the horses are probably grateful for a break."
"Hmm yes... Good horsey," the prince leaned forward and began petting the sweaty mane of the black horse he rode.
"Seth... I hurr..." Mana complained, reaching for his face and attention.
Thus he picked the girl up and turned her around to face him, letting the tiny legs wrap around his waist as he held her. Despite how awkward the position was on horse back at his age he let her settle down. A quick check of her inner thighs showed large ugly red welts on the cusp of bleeding and the prince was bound to be as bad. Set hugged her close rubbing her back as she sat there complaining about not wanting to ride the horsey anymore.
Though as Set sat there he was startled to see Mahaado's horse move forward,. Who would have thought the prince could get the horse to move on his own?
"Go with Maha, rest with Maha..." the prince stated, pulling the reins away from Set the moment the guy tried to get them. Made more difficult by the fact that Mana was holding on to his left side.
"Prince stop that," Set argued as he was forced to follow behind the Prince, struggling to get the reins. Not forced to run, Mahaado's horse walked along at a steady pace with the target magician up ahead. It was off putting and alarming to see how much of the back of Mahaado's clothes were black with dried blood. The edges only hinting at the red from the fact he had been repeatedly stabbed last night.
Yet he was ascending the dune about to cast a spell he just came up with. Seemed like a sound idea.
The horse finally decided it was done trying to climb up the dune and slowed to a stop just over half the distance between where they had stopped and where Mahaado aimed to reach. Set reached for the reins once more and this time the prince readily handed them over, his eyes fixated on Mahaado.
"Ooo!"
Set looked up to check on Mahaado and saw the sand rising up into the air around Maha, glittering in the light of the sun. The grains of sand grew into a larger shape before suddenly shooting forward with the Illusionary Magician apparently casting the same spell. Followed by the dying screams of pain and cries of horses suddenly erupting on the other side. Set could only hope that the horse wouldn't buck or rear with the prince on his back as the horses' ears flicked forward in alarm. As he struggled to tighten his grip on both his own and Maha's mounts.
Mahaado slid down the dune, rejoining them and grabbing the reins from Set as he mounted up, "I believe there's a tear in the net."
"And that was caused by?" Set asked as he began urging his horse up the dune.
"I'd say two thousand knives..."
