Silmeria: Emperor's Prophecy is considered my masterpiece and one of my highest reviews stories on the site, but I wanted to see it done better - more extensive, and here we are - Emperor's Prophecy - Reincarnation.

Disclaimer: I claim no ownership of Yu-gi-oh.

Chapter Seven: A Seer or a Weapon?

General Marik Ishtar was an imposing man who commanded respect and loyalty and it was no surprise to Yuugi that he had earned the man's curiosity. Which, according to Bakura, was no easy feat.

"Sit." Marik urged pushing out a chair next to him. "I am a soldier, but I do have manners." Marik shared a grin with Bakura when Yuugi slid onto the chair with a touch of hesitance. "Your name is Yuugi? Yuugi Motou?"

"Yes." Yuugi shifted in his seat, well aware of the attention he was garnering. "You're General Marik of the Imperial Army?"

For a moment, Marik looked a touch surprised. "You've heard of me? That's no surprise."

"You would be a fool to not know of you." Yuugi countered with a small, hesitant smile pulling at his lips. "The Blacksmiths call you The Pheonix and the Mercenaries call you Wildfire." Yuugi was hesitant to ask his next question but pushed on. "...Is it true that you can transform into a Phoenix?"

Marik's lips pulled into a small smile of his own, a far cry from the manic smirk he bore a moment prior. "You shouldn't believe all the rumors, Seer."

"Yuugi." Yuugi swallowed at the raised eyebrow. "Please call me Yuugi. I am the Seer of Elysian, but I am still Yuugi just as you are still Marik Ishtar and not just the General of the Imperial Army. We all have our masks to bear, but I prefer to breathe once in a while."

A swift silence followed Yuugi's words before a small chuckle escaped Marik's mouth and Yuugi found his hair being ruffled. "You are right. I, too, prefer to breathe once in a while. But, if you insist that I call you, Yuugi, then I trust you to do the same. From this point forward, call me Marik."

Marik turned to Atem with a small nod. "I would like to return to the topic of Yuugi receiving self-defense training and weapons training. I am sure that we are all aware of the skirmishes on our borders with Sylvantia and there has been movement in the Western Seas toward Atlantis. If there would be a time for peace and negotiations then it needs to be now."

"You know as well as I that the Sylvantians are not interested in negotiations." Bakura cut in. "Do you not think I have been attempting to call their General to the frontlines for a ceasefire?"

"General Howard is known for his love of bloodlust. I would entreat for an audience with King Crawford if you plan for a ceasefire, Bakura." Mai Kujaku piped in smoothly. "Our losses are minimal and I would prefer to keep it that way."

Bakura huffed, folding his arms and regarding the councilwoman with a mild frown. "The skirmishes are getting worse and I'm losing men by the hour, Mai. If General Howard is not willing to entreat with me then King Howard will be even less." Bakura's violet eyes turned toward Atem. "Majesty? Do you have an opinion on how we should advance?"

"I have sent inquires for an audience with King Crawford and have received an upsetting lack of a response. That, or the letters have not reached him." Atem looked troubled. "Either road does not bode well for us."

"And let us not forget the rumblings of the Western Seas." Yoshimori, a councilman and one whom Yuugi was unfamiliar with spoke up. "Atlantis is on the move and without a declaration." Yoshimori turned to Marik whose jaw was clenched at the mention of Atlantis. "What of our naval forces, Marik? Our ships are in reasonable condition."

"Malik and Rashid have begun preparations and training exercises will start on the morrow. I hope to receive good news in the following weeks."

"Sylvantia to the East and Atlantis to the West, each poised to strike and all for our Seer." Mai's gaze slid in Yuugi's direction. "You must be flattered, little one? To have so much attention."

Yuugi's lips thinned at the vainly thinned insult. "I bring war to our lands, Lady Kujaku. I am far from flattered. This is not the kind of attention I desire."

"Those who have divine class magic rarely do." Mai countered, her amusement fading. "Yet, you stand before a world audience and have no tricks up your sleeve. I find it hard to believe that the grandson of Sugoroku Motou has no weapons at his disposal?"

"I did, once upon a time," Yuugi confessed, drawing a raised eyebrow from Atem. "...I was identified as a Time Mage long before I was a Seer."

"A Time Mage?" Seto repeated, a curious light entering his eyes. "I thought your body couldn't handle magic? Are you telling me that it can-"

"It could," Yuugi corrected. "The Motou's come from a long of Time Mages and my mother's side was drenched in Fire Magic. So, when I was born, I was blessed with Time Magic, but as soon as I was blessed, it...vanished."

"Vanished?" Atem pressed, his eyes narrowing at the word. "Your time magic vanished? My apologies, but that's not logical."

"How so?"

"The Golden God, Ra, is the one who has blessed Elysian with magic. As did the Water God, Leviathan, with Atlantis and Obelisk in Sylvantia." Bakura explained. "Ra grants magic at birth, and that magic is bonded with your soul until your death. It does not simply vanish."

Yuugi shook his head in denial. He was well aware of the Gods and their workings, but that still didn't take away the fact that - "I am without magic and was given divinity in its place. I was taken to countless doctors - magic and non and they have come to all the same conclusion - my magic vanished."

"Or, it was sealed," Marik remarked, drawing the room gazes to him. He shrugged offhandly and met Yuugi's gaze with a smile. "His Majesty and Bakure are correct, little one. Magic doesn't vanish, but it can be sealed." He reached over and tapped Yuugi on the nose. "We just have to let Lady Ishizu look into it."

"I'll have Ryou look into it as well," Bakura added, a thoughtful expression coloring his features. "He's more adept at sealing magic than Ishizu and considering your age, the seal is no doubt, a powerful one. It is possible that you can experience an influx or a backlash of restrained magic, but wards can be put in place."

"He will need a teacher." Seto cut in, his brow furrowing. "Time is a powerful magic and he cannot go without proper guidance."

"The only proper teacher is my grandfather," Yuugi stated, a burrow to his frow. "He no longer uses his magic. It-" Yuugi bit his lip, his heart clenching at the thought. "The Twilight Plague takes him day by day."

Mai stilled in her seat, her eyes widening at the information. "He never said anything-"

"He's not aware that I know of it." Yuugi felt a rush of guilt. His Grandfather didn't want him to know of his ailment, but during one of their stocking days, his sleeves had slipped, and Yuugi had noticed the sunset-colored runes dotting his arms. The anger and sadness that followed were swift and left an empty hole in the place of his heart. His Grandfather never kept secrets. His philosophy was that the more knowledge one had, the clearer their decisions would be.

He often wanted to confront the elder, but he knew his Grandfather was keeping his ailment secret to spare him further pain considering that he was already dealing with his visions and the constant paranoia of being discovered.

"Do you know how long until he...?" Mai trailed off, biting her bottom lip as if it physically hurt to say it and Yuugi could only give her a small, brittle smile in return.

"His runes are dark and becoming mottled and if I'm correct, he has the remainder of the year before he becomes completely bedridden. I know that he was once an authority on Time Magic, but I would prefer if we didn't involve him. He has given all that he has and is for our people. He deserves his rest."

"Of course." Seto's face twisted into a sympathetic look. "Where do we find a teacher? I know no other than your Grandfather?"

Mai tilted her head in thought before her features brightened. "What about Siamun? He is not a Time Mage?"

"Great Uncle Siamun? Grandfather's twin brother? I wasn't aware that he was a Time Mage." Yuugi didn't exactly remember much about his Great Uncle, but what how little his Granfther told him, he was an intelligent, almost prodigal mage that traveled the world over. However -

"The last time he was spotted was in Atlantis." Yuugi's chest tightened and he shot Atem a resigned look. "There's no telling where he is now."

"If he's as strong as you describe then I'm sure we can sniff out his magical signature," Marik reassured. "He is a citizen of Elysian and his services are needed." Marik rose from the chair and gave Yuugi's hair one last rough ruffle. "I assume our meeting is adjourned for now?"

"No," Seto responded firmly. "We've yet to discuss the-"

Marik shook his head, cutting Seto off with a wave of the hand. "You can give me a summarized version. I must return and see if there's a way to track down this elusive Great uncle." He turned to Yuugi with a wild grin. "I look forward to seeing how you wield your magic, Seer of Elysian."

"And I look forward to seeing the Phoenix in action. General Ishtar." Yuugi returned, a matching grin of his own as he watched the General leave the room before he returned his attention to Atem who was giving him a bemused stare forcing him to lower his gaze.

"I apologize, Your Majesty. I meant no harm in taking over these proceedings."

"No harm is done at all, Yuugi," Atem reassured. "Marik will find your Great Uncle Siamun, but I'm afraid that your seal will remain in place until he is found. We don't know if we'll face a backlash when we break it. I hope that is alright?"

"I don't particularly have a say in it, no?" Yuugi shrugged, but he didn't fail to hide the disappointment that lingered in his chest at the thought of his magic remaining sealed. All of his life, he was told that his magic was gone and never to be used again, only for it to be a lie and that he was capable of using it.

"I can imagine that you didn't have a say in several things, little one." Atem's solemn gaze held no anger at his blatant disrespect. "But, that will soon change. I plan on returning your magic to you and with it, the necessary tools to use it properly. Along with that, you will begin weapons training."

"Weapons?" Yuugi pressed, startled.

"Yes," Atem gave him an amused look. "All residents of the Imperial Palace are trained with weapons in case their magic fails. A failsafe brought to use in the War of the Seers."

"Ah, that's right, the magic in Elysian was temporarily disabled during the final legs of the war." Yuugi gave Seto a questioning look. "How did that happen?"

"Atlantis is a country continuously on the brink of technological advancement. It is a country of science and magic and the Seers borrowed an experimental weapon that sucked the mana - or magical energy from the capital leaving the royal family and its army defenseless. The Seers took that opportunity to advance into the city proper and raze it to the ground."

"We almost lost the war had it not been for my ancestor and Leon von Schroeder who had betrayed his people at the war's climax."

"All to save his brother." Yuugi finished. He could understand Leon's actions: stuck in the middle of an awful war not knowing who was right and wrong, but through it all, his remaining family stood at the end of it all, waiting with open arms.

"It was a shame that Zigfried died at the Emperor's hands." Seto looked distressed at the thought and Yuugi couldn't help but agree. At the end of the war, Zigfried had been poisoned by the Emperor and died in Leon's arms and with no family remaining, Leon took the remaining Seers into West Elysian and annexed the land, and the Seers were never heard of again until Leon's passing and the War Prophecy was passed into the royal family's hands, its message simple and damning all at once

But, it was enough to strike fear into the Emperor and Elysian for generations. It was enough for them to start them on a path of redemption, but Yuugi wondered, deep down, if it would be enough to save them.

Or rather, would Yuugi have enough strength to save them from a prophecy that his divine ancestor wrote? For the first time, he wished that a vision would enter his mind and give him an answer and a path to walk.

And Yuugi, felt a sick sense of relief when his prayers lay unanswered.