The guards in front of Atemu's private quarters were taken by surprise when their Pharaoh stormed out, immediately followed by a flailing Mana.
"Pharaoh! You're not supposed to leave your quarters!"
"Follow me!" Atemu hollered, running as fast as he could. A great fear had settled in his stomach, and it had everything to do with Mahaado. His parting words had really felt like his final words, and it drove Atemu crazy with fear about what the magician-priest was going to do. I will make things right. He knew about Mahaado's devotion, and it scared him to think how far the other was willing to go. He knew how far Mahaado was willing to go, and the thought of losing him was too painful.
"We have to hurry!" Mana gasped for breath as she tried to keep up with Atemu's pace. "Master... Master... he is...!" Her voice became shrill, but Atemu didn't dare to stop and ask her what she was talking about. The sharp points of the Sennen Puzzle bumped against his chest, but the discomfort was nothing compared to the pain of losing Mahaado. Atemu ran in the direction of the source of the noise, the loud blasts that shook the entire Palace. Many guards joined him as soon as he ran by; they wanted to protect him, rallied by his determination and courage. The guards called upon each other's strength and power, and soon enough a crowd had amassed. But all their courage, strength and power couldn't prepare them for the unfolding scenario. When Atemu saw Diabound, he halted so abruptly that Mana slammed into him, her arms sliding around his waist so she wouldn't fall over. The stampede of guards also came to a halt; debilitated by fear as they saw the extremely powerful kaa towering over them, preparing its attack. It wasn't the sheer size of the monster or the massive orb of energy between its hands that made Atemu gasp. He quickly spotted Set and Kisara, lifeless on the floor, and Mahaado in a kneeled position, his entire body enveloped by a golden glow.
"Master!" Mana yelled and lunged at him. She jumped on his back, all but knocking him over. Mahaado's intense concentration broke and his body convulsed from the shock.
"Apprentice! Never, ever break a magician's concentration!" He coughed violently, shaking and trembling. His eyes widened as he saw Atemu, who reached for him. He took him by the upper arm to help him get back on his feet. "G-Great Pharaoh!"
"Mahaado, get up," Atemu said. Mahaado managed to find his balance again, still shivering from the sudden disruption of his spell. He frowned at Mana.
"The first lesson I taught you," he grunted, "is to never disrupt a spell! You know the danger of interrupting heka, it could backfire and hurt you..."
"Master, you were about to..." She started to cry.
"Mana, Mahaado, we have urgent matters to attend to," Atemu said. He could feel the scorching heat, radiating from Diabound's impending attack. He had to get everyone out of here, fast!
"Bakura..." Mahaado hissed. He was standing, but the next second his body gave out on him and he sank to the floor again, his heka depleted. "I cannot even conjure a defending shield..!"
The Magus of Fantasy Illusion hovered in the air, awaiting his master's orders. Atemu could see it had few reserves left. He might not dispose over much heka himself, but Mahaado had taught him the basic principles and rules of the ancient art of magic, and he could judge pretty accurately whether and how much a monster had still energy left. Whereas the Magus was running low, Diabound had plenty to spare.
"Great Pharaoh, stand back!" One of the guards spoke. "We will..." His voice was drowned out by Bakura's cackling laughter.
"It never fails to amuse me how pathetic you are," he said. "And now even the exalted Pharaoh has joined the fray!"
Atemu looked up, narrowing his eyes. So this was the infamous King of Thieves, Bakura. The red coat, the bone white hair... the thief's physique emitted strength and confidence, the man was probably afraid of nothing. "You were in my study," Atemu snarled. "You tried to choke me with my own Sennen Puzzle!"
"If it took you this long to figure that out," Bakura said in a bored tone of voice, "then you're not even worth that Puzzle of yours. But then again, you weren't worth in the first place. You don't know a thing about it, do you?"
"What is there to know about?" Atemu's hand went to the Puzzle, cupping the golden object protectively.
"Great Pharaoh, no!" Mahaado's voice was nothing but a whisper.
"It was handed down to me by my father," Atemu said. "An artifact that..."
"...belongs to me," Bakura finished his sentence. "Don't worry, Pharaoh, I'm not going to take it from you right now. I'm going to take it from you when you're lying at my feet, your body bloodied and broken, begging for mercy, begging for your life while I draw out your last breath. But first, I'm going to destroy your friends and your precious guards!"
"Great Pharaoh, get behind us!" The same guard shouted at him. "Please!"
Atemu's eyes were fixed on the glowing sphere in Diabound's clawed hands, brimming with heka, an unstoppable amount of energy. Once unleashed, it would kill everything and everyone in its path, and so many lives would be lost: Mana, Mahaado, Set, Kisara, the guards... he promptly discarded the thought that he could end up dead as well. He believed Bakura's menacing words without a doubt; that the thief would have him bloodied and broken at his feet, begging for mercy, was exactly what Bakura would do. He couldn't allow this to happen. He wouldn't allow it! But he didn't get any farther than a growling "Bakura...". The thief threw his head into his neck and busted out laughing, triumphant.
"You get to watch everyone being burned to a crisp," he taunted him. "This is the power of a God!"
Atemu brought up his right arm, the dia d'ankh neatly folded against his wrist. The power of a God...
"Why don't you try it?" Bakura jeered. "Try to call God, Pharaoh! Your attempt will fail, and everyone will know how powerless you are!"
"You are wrong, King of Thieves," Atemu said as he brought up his right arm. The dia d'ankh unfolded, the gold reflecting the impressive light of Diabound's attack. "When it comes to protecting my nation, my friends, my family, I am never powerless!"
"Nice speech," Bakura mocked him. "But I don't see any God appear, oh mighty Pharaoh."
"Great Pharaoh, please," Mahaado begged him, tugging at Atemu's purple cape. Mana's hand rested on her Master's shoulder to support him, but her eyes begged Atemu to listen. "Stand behind the guards. We will take the blast. I... we cannot live without you. I will serve you beyond death."
Mana cried. "Me too, me too," she said. "Please, Atemu!"
"No!" he trembled with anger and indignation, shaken to his very core that all these people were willing to give their lives for him, and he was deeply offended that Bakura would, and could, kill everyone he loved and care for so easily with his monster, this Diabound. His father, the late Akunamukanon, had always taught him: "Justice lies within the Gods".This was horrible. This was awful. He couldn't lose, he couldn't fail, and he couldn't allow anyone to die. Atemu lifted up his arm, punching the air. He had made up his mind.
"Hear me!" he cried out. "In the name of justice, your Pharaoh calls for you, Great God Soldier of Obelisk!"
"Impossible," Bakura hissed, eyes glued to Atemu's dia d'ankh. Nothing happened. Mahaado lowered his head. The guards looked on in fear, preparing themselves to run away.
"God must've fallen asleep," Bakura said, pleased. For a moment, just for a second, he had feared that the God would answer Atemu's call. "Too bad! Fortunately, mine is completely awake. Diabound, launch-"
The dia d'ankh flickered. A hint of light, just a sparkle - but everyone saw it. Even Atemu stared at the golden artifact, insecure, not quite confident if... but then a huge light washed over the hallway, which quickly proved to be too narrow for the giant God. Obelisk growled as he materialized in front of Bakura, who stumbled backwards.
"Impossible!" he cried out again, in disbelief. This had never been a part of his plan! The Pharaoh simply lacked the power to call upon God, just like his father! Bakura didn't hesitate to finish his order. "Diabound! Launch your attack!" His monster would hit Obelisk before it completely materialized, and he would win! But it was in vain. Obelisk, despite its massive bulk, reacted faster, even before Atemu could give an order. It clenched its mighty fist and punched Diabound, piercing through the giant orb of heka that dissolved as soon as the God touched it. Followed by sickly noises of crushing and breaking, Bakura fell over, spitting out blood. The pain was too much to bear and he rolled over the floor as Diabound landed next to him, defeated. Obelisk rose to its height, taking a thunderous step towards him. Bakura tilted his head, blood gushing over his chin. This was it. Obelisk was going to stomp on him. He wasn't going to survive this. He clenched his own fists in frustration and despair. All his plans, all his efforts gone, just because the Pharaoh could summon a god. But how..? He called out to Diabound, but his kaa was unable to respond.
"Justice will be served," Atemu said. "Obelisk..." Dark shadows quickly enveloped both Bakura and Diabound. As a warm, comfortable blanket, it wrapped itself around the thief and his kaa, shielding them from harm. Bakura grinned. He was safe now, rescued by his beloved shadows; and furthermore, just before his vision blackened out, he saw Obelisk disappear. Apparently, the Pharaoh was strong enough to call upon God, but not able to sustain God for long. With that bit of knowledge, Bakura surrendered to the Darkness and allowed it to whisk him away, acknowledging defeat for now.
"Great Pharaoh..." Mahaado was astounded, just like everyone else. If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes...
"I..." Atemu stared at his dia d'ankh, not knowing what to say. The guards collectively dropped down to their knees, chanting his name in reverence. Their voices were filled with awe; they all had witnessed what he had done. The dia di'ankh folded itself up. "We... we should probably support the walls," he said, as this wing of the Royal Palace had been severely damaged. He had barely finished his sentence, or his body started to tremble from the enormous amount of heka and energy he had supported. Neither Mana nor Mahaado were fast enough to catch him as he fell to the floor. He heard them cry out his name, but he had no energy left to answer them. He didn't even have energy to keep his eyes open.
Of course it was Mahaado who'd keep watch over him. When Atemu awoke, his lips curled up in a smile when he saw his friend sitting next to his bed. Mahaado returned the smile, relief washing over his face.
"How are you feeling, Great Pharaoh?"
"I feel wonderful." Atemu said, much to his own surprise. He moved his legs to show the return of his strength, forcefully kicking off the cotton sheets.
"You summoned a God," Mahaado said. He still looked a bit shaken, apprehensive even. "I do not know how you did it, but it could have killed you."
"Where is Mana?" Atemu tried to distract him from the subject.
"I send her to tend to Set and Kisara," Mahaado answered. "They are fine, Great Pharaoh. Aside from some cuts and bruises, Kisara showed the same exhaustion like you, from supporting such a great monster... the Blue Eyes White Dragon."
"Amazing," Atemu said. "Who knew such a frail woman could support such a strong kaa?"
"Just like how you could support an entire God? Great Pharaoh," Mahaado added quickly.
"I am not frail, Mahaado."
The magician-priest bowed his head, so his veil covered his facial expression. "Forgive me," he said. "I failed you again. I do not know where to start, I..."
"Promise me," Atemu said.
"Wh-what..?"
"Promise me you will never do that again."
"Do what again?"
"That spell of yours," Atemu said sternly. "Mana would never have taken that risk of interrupting that spell unless it was a very drastic one. What were you trying to do?"
"I can perform it only once," Mahaado explained. "It is a fusion between my soul and my kaa, the Magus. Yes, it would have killed me. But I would gladly give my life to protect you."
"I do not want you to sacrifice yourself for me," Atemu said. "How could I go on without you? What am I to do without you?"
Mahaado looked sullen. "You would move on," he said, voice soft. "You have Karim. I have seen the way you look at each other. I have seen the way he is there for you. He is a good man, he is a good choice. Strong, loyal and dedicated..."
"Stop that, please."
"Great Pharaoh..."
"My name is Atemu. Say it," he commanded the magician-priest. Mahaado shifted around in discomfort, but did as he was ordered to do.
"Atemu," he said.
"That is better. Now, about that promise..?"
"Please, do not ask this of me. Atemu... please." Mahaado realized that he had grabbed Atemu's hand, but before he could let go, Atemu covered his hand with his own. "I am but a mere Priest..."
"I am but a mere human," Atemu stated. "Remember that day in the garden, when you were bitten by a snake? I told you, that all our blood is red. I am not above you. I am just like you, a human."
"You are a son of the Gods," Mahaado said breathlessly. "Literally. You summoned the Giant God Soldier..."
"...and destroyed the entire south wing in the process," Atemu said. "Mahaado. I ask of you to not perform that spell, ever again. I cannot live without you."
"I..." Mahaado brought up their entwined hands and pressed a kiss on Atemu's fingers. "I promise," he said, albeit weary. "But do not make me promise to do not everything in my power to protect you."
"Very well." Atemu reclined in the pillows, content with Mahaado holding his hand. "And I will do everything I can to protect you, even from yourself."
"Great Pharaoh..."
"My name, Mahaado."
"Atemu." Mahaado took a deep breath and said his name again. "Atemu. I cannot allow you to put yourself in danger."
He tilted his head towards Mahaado. "We have dealt Bakura a serious blow," he said. "Now is the time for us to strike, instead of waiting in fear."
"But we have lost the Rod and the Ring to him... only the Puzzle is left, Atemu. Your Puzzle. Bakura will come for you, and... and we all heard what he said. I cannot bear the thought of you, broken at his feet..."
"That will never happen." Atemu heard his own fierce words, but he couldn't help the sinking feeling in his stomach. He had seen the King of Thieves with his own eyes, now he knew his enemy. To be honest, Bakura scared him - he had perfect control over his kaa which rivaled the powers of a God, and he had managed to collect all the Sennen Items except for one... his own Puzzle. Atemu hadn't seen Bakura taking the Rod or Ring, but he trusted Mahaado to speak the truth... the sight of the magician-priest without the Ring was painful enough. Mahaado played a little with Atemu's fingers, gently stroking them. Without his Ring, Mahaado looked a lot less stern, he looked younger even.
"Was it such a burden?"
"What do you mean?" Startled, Mahaado dropped Atemu's hand.
"The Ring. Tell me about it. What you have never told me before."
A slight nod. "I detected a great evil in the Ring the moment I received it," he said. "It took a lot of my heka to suppress it. I tried to study it, to research where that darkness came from, but I have never been able to find a reason why."
"I am sorry that you were tasked with such a heavy burden," Atemu said. His thoughts went back to that one memory of his earliest childhood that really stood out to him. "Mahaado... I once went with my father to an underground shrine. I'm not sure what it was about, I was so young then... but I do recall how afraid I was, as my father refused to explain to me what was going on. He knelt down and prayed to the Gods to protect me..."
"I know," Mahaado whispered. "Your father, he was so strong... forgive him, Atemu. He did what he thought was best for you. He sought out divine help to protect you..."
"I am getting sick of being protected all the time," Atemu raised his voice. "I am the Pharaoh! I should be the first in the line to protect this nation!"
"But you do!" Mahaado was taken aback by Atemu's outburst and he grabbed his hands again. "Can you not see how precious you are to all of us? Can you not see how we cannot bear the thought of losing you?" He took a deep breath. "Can you not see how I cannot bear the thought of losing you..?"
Atemu gently withdrew his right hand from Mahaado's grasp, only to touch the other man's cheek. "No more secrets," he said. "I can handle it. I want to know everything about the Ring. My father made you promise to keep silent, but I am renouncing that promise. Tell me everything you know. We need that information to defeat Bakura and whoever else is helping him."
"I..." Mahaado looked embarrassed. "I apologize for all the trouble..." His cheeks felt hot, Atemu's touch warming his skin. The Pharaoh's fingers dabbed over his skin, until they reached a few of his chestnut strands. He tugged lightly.
"Take off your headpiece," he said. "Please."
Mahaado did as he was told, avoiding Atemu's gaze. His breathing was slightly labored, as always as he was this close to his Pharaoh. He grew up with him, watched him become a Pharaoh, going from Prince to King... it was so difficult to see him any differently, to see him as a person, as Atemu, and not as the Great Pharaoh. But Mahaado didn't want to say no to him, he was in such need of Atemu's reassurance, his confidence, his presence... He dropped the headpiece on the floor, and when he looked up again, Atemu pressed his lips on his. Mahaado didn't recoil, he didn't withdraw, instead he latched on, almost desperately, and his hands immediately went to Atemu's upper arms to pull him closer. A kiss so intense that it was almost painful, and for the briefest of moments a flash of jealousy went through his mind: how many times had Karim kissed these lips? Atemu leaned into him, his arms sliding around his waist. The sheets slipped further away from his body as he shifted his position, and Mahaado's hands went lower, stroking his sides. The kiss intensified and became a bit rougher. Every thought of Karim went out of the window.
"Do not ever leave me again," Atemu whispered. Mahaado tightened his grip on him, taking him into a tight embrace.
"Do not ever put yourself into danger again," he answered, his words smothered by another kiss. Atemu tugged at his garb, holding him so close that when he suddenly pulled at him, they both ended up on the bed. Mahaado, still fully dressed, felt awkward. He had dreamed of this for so long, yet now that the moment was here... was it really the moment? Weren't they just upset about everything that had happened?
"Undress for me," Atemu said, his eyes half-lidded.
"Atemu... should we..." Mahaado couldn't help it. His Pharaoh's comfort and well-being was much more important than his own, and it was hard to connect a dream with reality. What if he couldn't satisfy Atemu's needs? What if he failed..?
"Undress for me," Atemu repeated and Mahaado, trained and raised to obey his Pharaoh's orders, acquiesced. He took off the golden belt around his waist first, putting it on the floor next to his headpiece. The priestly garb joined the other garments and now Mahaado was as naked as the day he was born. He felt proud and embarrassed at the same time; he had nothing to be ashamed of, yet he was... naked in front of... Atemu...
"Beautiful," Atemu murmured. "You are so beautiful."
Mahaado was pleased with the compliment, but he was also very modest. "I am just plain," he said in return. "You are the beautiful one."
Atemu reached for him. "Come here."
The magician-priest leaned into him, his body shivering from the other's touch. It felt like everything he had imagined, and more. Warm, slender fingers on his skin, touching and stroking, a little hesitant at first, but quickly gaining in confidence. Mahaado returned the gestures, the kisses, the touches, increasing in passion and desire with every passing second. He took the lead, unaware, but he couldn't help but respond to his growing urge. His need, to be with the one he loved, so deeply, so fiercely, couldn't be left unanswered. Without being commanded to, he removed the last of the Pharaoh's garments, and took his time to gaze at his body, naked and vulnerable, yet strong and open. The amount of trust that Atemu showed him, was overwhelming. Mahaado stopped for a moment, simply unable to continue. He was afraid of breaching that trust, he was afraid of destroying it, should he fail... but once again, Atemu comforted him by taking his hand and putting it on his chest, the heart area. It was the definitive sign for Mahaado that everything was all right. He answered the gesture with all his heart, compassion and desire. As he kissed him, the Pharaoh's hands sunk into the chestnut strands of his hair, fingers touching his earlobes, then dipping lower to his jaw line, tracing the outline of his face. Mahaado buried his head in the crook of Atemu's neck, kissing the tender, tan skin. Their hands explored every inch of their bodies, eliciting gasps and moans, turning louder when discovering sensitive spots, evoking sensations that made them shiver and squirm with pleasure. Mahaado derived his greatest pleasure in watching Atemu's reactions, how he parted his lips as he gasped or moaned, how he writhed, how his hands balled into fists as he tugged at the sheets. All these sensations were new to him, and it was once again overwhelming to think that he trusted him, Mahaado, in this most intimate of moments in one's life. His own body burned with desire, and he wanted to answer that trust, to comfort and hold Atemu and himself, responding to the primal hunger, craving and lust overtaking him, overtaking the both of them. He whispered his Pharaoh's name as he kissed him all over, his hands sliding over his lower back, holding him as close as possible. It was their moment, and Mahaado wanted to take it all in, to engrave it in his mind as an eternal memory, to absorb everything that happened in this moment. Atemu's fingers raking through his hair, Atemu's hands caressing him... he yearned for those touches, for his Pharaoh to never stop, yet he gently pressed against Atemu's wrists so he would drop his arms on the surface of the bed. His slightly confused face was endearing to Mahaado, who kissed him once more.
"I want to pleasure you," he said, keeping his voice low. "I want you to relax and to enjoy. You do not have to do anything. Just allow me to do this, Atemu."
Mahaado awaited his Pharaoh's permission, and he smiled when he noticed Atemu's nod, not speaking, overcome with pleasure already. Enthralled, Mahaado kneeled between Atemu's legs while he trailed lower with his kisses, his hands kneading Atemu's thighs. His body was preparing itself, and he couldn't deny the intensity of his desire. Shivers of anticipation and pleasure went through him as he took the final step, uniting their bodies and shuddering at Atemu's cry at the initial discomfort. Wrapping his arms around him, providing him with every comfort he could give him, Mahaado felt how intensely Atemu responded to their union, keeping his legs wrapped around him. The words they exchanged were only meant for the most intimate of lovers, promising eternal loyalty and forever love. Sensations building higher and higher, the intensity of their union reaching its pinnacle, they were entangled in their tight embrace, holding on to each other, clinging to each other as gasps turned louder and breathing became more erratic. Atemu surrendered to his release, arching his back as this overwhelming moment took a hold of him, freezing this moment in time. He was surprised and shocked by the intensity of it all as everything around him ceased to exist, only the immense pleasure taking a hold of him, the slow build-up leading to a cathartic relief and release. He submitted to this raw, unfamiliar physical response, his body overtaking his mind completely. Atemu closed his eyes as he allowed the sensations to wash over him, feeling Mahaado's reaction, sensing how his friend, his priest and his lover responded to him, and a long, drawn-out moan escaped his lips, immediately caught by Mahaado's for another searing kiss. Touching, stroking, caressing, they couldn't get enough; whispering each other's names and more promises for a lifetime, to stay together forever, to be with each other until the end of times. More deep moans, more kisses, their love soaring, their passion ever growing, and time went by as they kept exploring, unable to get enough until finally they rested in each other's arms, the golden sun having left the sky hours ago.
Chapter 12 | Chapter 14 |