Mana wasn't happy at all. Here she was, stuck in High Priest Set's private quarters, while she wanted to help Atemu and heal him. Of course she cared for Set, and Kisara in particular, but she couldn't stand her Master for sending her away. Mahaado had reassured her that Atemu was all right, he just needed to rest. Mana wanted to check up on him herself, she hated seeing her friends in pain. Atemu was exhausted after summoning Obelisk, and Mahaado, despite his constant reassuring, looked far worse for wear. It was so strange to see him without his Ring, and she knew he was suffering from the loss. The Items were so personal... everyone was either exhausted or injured and no healing spell could resolve that kind of fatigue. It had to do with the Darkness haunting the Palace... Mana shivered. In the far distance, she could hear construction noises; Set had wasted no time and had ordered workers to start the restoration of the south wing, damaged by Diabound and Obelisk.
"Something the matter, Mana?"
"I'm sorry," the girl apologized quickly, startled out of her thoughts. "Are you all right?"
"I'm fine," Kisara smiled. "Just tired."
Mana felt bad. She was supposed to look after Kisara, not the other way around. She took the hand of the fragile woman in hers. "Can I get you something? Water, tea? Would you like something to eat?"
"I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to hold any food down right now," Kisara answered. "I'd like some water, please."
"I'll go get it for you!" She let go of Kisara's hand and sprinted away, almost bumping into Set who returned from overseeing the construction work. He ignored Mana's apologies and instead focused on Kisara, lying in bed, closing the distance between them.
"How are you feeling?"
"I'm fine," she repeated. "How are you?"
He shrugged, eliciting a soft chuckle from Kisara. "I should've known," she said. "You would go on until the very end. Why don't you sit down? You need to rest."
"There is too much to do," he said, but he sat on the edge of the bed nonetheless. "I cannot waver. I have to keep stand and fight."
"You're so strong."
"I am not. I was not the one who called for God." He sounded a little sullen.
"Our Pharaoh is exceptionally strong." Kisara beckoned him closer, and he shifted his position, leaning into her. She brought up her hand to touch his cheek. "His strength rests upon his faith and trust in those around him: his Priests, his High Priest. Without you, without all of you, he wouldn't have been able to call for God."
"I did not even get to witness it," Set said.
"Me neither," she reminded him. "He protected us. Our Pharaoh is strong and great. To be able to summon a deity is amazing." Set put his hand over hers and brought her fingers to his lips for a gentle kiss.
"Kisara, you should rest, not speak. You summoned and supported a great kaa of your own."
She looked at him, eyes lidded. "I'm all right, Set," she said. "Maybe now that everyone is in awe of the Pharaoh calling for God, they forget about me... being here."
"I will protect you," Set said vehemently. He hadn't forgotten that Kisara had arrived at the Palace at the same time as the man who had tried to kill Atemu, but it was very clear to him that Kisara wasn't involved with the murder attempt. However, due to her exotic appearance - long, white hair, radiant blue eyes and pale skin - she was bound to become a scapegoat, as frightened, superstitious people would always be looking for someone to blame. He continued to caress her fingers, her hand so small in his own. "No one will ever harm you."
"I know. Don't worry about me, I'll be all right."
"Kisara..." They gazed at each other, enjoying the moment of silence, a moment of intimacy as they leaned into each other some more, lips parted.
"I'm sorry I took so long!" Mana bounced into the room, carrying a large jug of water. Panting, she grabbed a cup and started pouring the cool liquid. "I would've returned sooner, but everyone... well, you know..." As a witness to Atemu's summoning of Obelisk, everyone in the Palace wanted to know what she'd exactly seen, if the God had truly obeyed the Pharaoh, and if she could tell her story again and again? She handed the cup to Kisara, who accepted it gracefully. The woman drained the cup with long, thirsty gulps.
"Thank you so much, Mana."
Oblivious to what she had interrupted, Mana simply smiled and poured a second cup, glad to be of help.
"Mana," Set addressed her suddenly, "you have not seen as to where Bakura fled to?"
She shook her head. She had repeated this a thousand times already. "I could only see a huge shadow falling over him. It just... took him away." Mana racked her brain, but she was unable to remember the details. "When the shadow was gone, so were Bakura and Diabound." She shivered at the very vivid image of the huge, diabolical kaa. "We were all focused on Ate... our Pharaoh, as he collapsed after summoning Obelisk. I'm very sure that Bakura didn't leave on foot. He was injured."
She peaked from under her bangs at the stern High Priest. She wasn't used to seeing him without his hat and his official attire. After the recent events, Set had dressed himself in simple garb, as if he wasn't a High Priest anymore without his Rod. He hadn't mentioned the disappearance of his Item, but everyone knew it was in Bakura's hands. The thief had managed to get away with almost every Item, except for... the Pharaoh's Puzzle. Mana didn't want to think about it, but it remained unspoken, creating a heavy, palpable tension.
Kisara enjoyed the cold, refreshing water, but calling forth the Blue Eyes White Dragon had exhausted her and Set quickly took the cup from her before she dropped it.
"I'm sorry," she mumbled.
"Do not feel sorry, ever," Set said. "You will rest now."
"I can't argue with that," she smiled at him, her eyes fluttering. Reclining into the soft pillows, she allowed Set to tuck her in; it had gotten quite chilly in the sober bedroom. "Will you take some rest yourself, please?"
"Later, perhaps," Set said, not making any promise but not lying to her either. Mana blushed lightly when she saw how gentle and attentive the usually stern and aloof High Priest arranged the sheets. She realized she was witnessing something very personal and she took a few steps back, to allow Set and Kisara their privacy. Maybe she could join Aishizu in the next room? The Priestess had taken it up herself to shield her fellow Priest from inquiring and curious people and mercilessly sent anyone who tried to bother Set away. As long as the great Pharaoh wasn't in need of his High Priest, everyone else could wait. On her tippy-toes, Mana made her way over to the exit of the bedroom, when something dawned to her. It was silent. Just a few moments ago, she had heard Aishizu's hushed voice, not to mention the construction sounds. It wasn't time for the afternoon meal yet, was it? Had the workers stopped to get something to eat? She shivered. The unnatural chill in the bedroom didn't seem to bother Set and Kisara, completely occupied with each other. Mana decided to step out of the room, but when she moved her foot, her sandal caught on something. The girl looked down, only to see some black... goo smeared all over her footwear. The substance was cold, chilling her to the bone, and it was sticky. She didn't recognize it at all, and moved her foot back and forth, to no avail. She was stuck! Huffing and puffing, she tried to break herself free.
"Mana, what's wrong?" Kisara looked over Set's shoulder, from her position she could see her struggle. "Something the matter?"
"No, I'm fine," she smiled apologetically as she kept trying to unstuck her foot. "There's something at the door... don't mind me!"
"What is it, then?" Slightly irritated, Set got up from his position and straightened himself. Every inch the High Priest, he strode towards Mana to check the 'something at the door' for himself. "I do not see..." The next second, the dark mass movedand lunged at Set, grabbing him by the wrists.
"Set!" Kisara cried out.
"What..." Set shook his arms, but it clung to his skin and he couldn't get it off. Mana twisted and turned her foot as it crept upwards her leg. Breathing loudly, she racked her brain for a spell, anything that could counter this... weird stuff. It wasn't heka, there was no magical energy behind this, only aggression, hatred, cold calculated malice, and she started to cry. It was Darkness, all-consuming menacing Darkness. Set shot her an angry glare, but she couldn't stop crying. She was just a girl, not as powerful as her Pharaoh or her Master, how could she ever fight off something so strong? It was so powerful, that corruption that chilled her veins, that Darkness whispering and wooing her as a grotesque lover, twisting everything that she held dear. From the corner of her teary eyes, she could see that Set realized it as well. He wasn't giving up, oh no, but the Darkness was enveloping him, challenging him to fight, draining him of all his energy. Mana could hear a weak cry in the background: Kisara, weakened and exhausted, unable to fight off the dark mass, leeching hungrily, wrapping her in heavy, pitch-black strands. It broke Mana's heart to see Set's despair, how he tried to reach for the woman he loved, how hard he fought- but it was strong, so strong, and tears streamed down her cheeks as Darkness closed itself around her.
Carefully, Mahaado shut the doors behind him and attached a magic spell to the panels; a spell that would alert the Priest if anyone would trespass. "The Pharaoh is not to be disturbed," he told the guards outside, "not even by me!"
They acknowledged his order and Mahaado walked away with a firm stride, reinvigorated. His entire body was glowing, and not only from his unison with Atemu. Those long, slender fingers touching him, pressing against his skin so hesitantly at first, but quickly gaining confidence, the touches becoming stronger, firmer, demanding... and Mahaado had all been too happy to give into those demands, to fulfill his own desire, his urges, his craving... and now it was nighttime already, after spending the entire afternoon in each other's arms, kissing and calling out each other's names. Atemu... such beauty and such strength, and he was all his. His? Was that true? Mahaado brought up his hand, touching his chest. The Ring wasn't there anymore. That was the other reason why he felt so different: now that he didn't need the majority of his heka to suppress the evil presence in the Item, his body rejoiced from the magic that flew through him without any restriction or limit. Even the spell on the doors had been done without a second thought; heka was his second nature. The return of all this magic made him want to burst out singing - if he was the person to sing. Right now, his mind was occupied with everything going on: Bakura, Diabound, the Items... he went around the corner and bumped into Karim, obviously on its way to the Pharaoh's quarters.
"Karim," Mahaado acknowledged his fellow Priest.
"Mahaado," the taller man said curtly. "We should gather everyone and the Pharaoh for a meeting concerning Bakura's last attack. We need to develop a new strategy."
"A meeting? Now?" Mahaado's stomach rumbled, fortunately not too loud. "I'm taking care of the Pharaoh. He needs something to eat." And he as well, not to mention. He hadn't eaten since early morning, and trying to fuse with his kaa had taken quite a toll on his energy reserves. He was simply famished.
"Let the servants bring him food," Karim said. "This is more important. We have to talk about the Pharaoh's protection."
"He is well-protected," Mahaado said. Something changed on the other Priest's face.
"You're protecting him," Karim said. "You want to keep him all to yourself, don't you?"
"What do you mean? Of course I protect him. That's what I vowed to do, as a Priest, as his friend. It's my job to protect him."
"And how far are you willing to go with that job?" Karim jabbed him painfully in the chest.
"Karim, this isn't you," Mahaado said, irritated. "Stop hurting me. You know where my loyalty lies, just like yours."
"Atemu is mine," Karim said. "I kissed him."
Mahaado held his breath. He knew it, he had always known. Karim and the man he loved so much, kissing... why had Atemu never told him? He didn't want to give into the jealousy, the part of his soul that wanted to hurl insults and harsh words at the other, he didn't want to show how much he wanted to possess Atemu, to keep him all to himself indeed, an aggression unknown and unfamiliar to him... but he acted upon it nonetheless.
"I made love to him," he said, the words coming out of his mouth before he could stop himself. "I saw his body, I held it, I caressed it, I took it."
Karim looked incredulous, mixed with insecurity - just a second before he became angry.
"How dare you," he spat, "how dare you defile our Great Pharaoh like this?"
"You wanted to be his first, didn't you?" Mahaado said condescendingly. "Too bad, Karim. It was my name that rolled over his lips in utmost passion."
Roaring, Karim swung a fist at him, and if Mahaado hadn't pulled up a defensive shield, calling upon his heka, his jaw would've probably broken. As it was, Karim's big fist hung in the air, inches away from Mahaado's face. His expression was one of pure hatred and anger, ready to kill. Mahaado noticed his own rapid breathing, his eyes fixed on the danger so close to him. Karim would never hurt a fly. None of the Priests had ever used or expressed aggression before...and Mahaado had never used words like this before, to deliberately hurt and upset the other. He could feel it. The Darkness all over the Palace, infesting, sickening, lurking around. It was seeping through the walls, crawling through the floors, hanging in the air, gnawing at each other's hearts. It started to dawn to him. The Priests wouldn't need a meeting to discuss a new strategy. They wouldn't need to go look for Bakura. The thief was already here, in the Palace, spreading his poisonous darkness.
"This is not like us, this is not who we are," he said. "Karim, I am so sorry. Something evil is going around in this Palace, and it is making us act like this."
Karim growled at him. "You're just making excuses! Release me, so I can finish what I started!"
"Please, listen to me," Mahaado begged him. "Can't you feel it? Bakura never left the Palace since the last attack. He's infecting us with his malice! We would never hurt each other!"
"Let me go! Stop hiding behind your powers!"
"All right." Mahaado called off his heka and braced himself for the impact- this was going to hurt. He closed his eyes, fearing the pain, but it didn't happen. After mere moments, he dared to open an eye. Karim stood in front of him, fist still raised in the air, but he was shaking.
"I want to hurt you," he said. "But that's not like me... I don't know what's happening."
"I know," Mahaado said. "Please, my friend. It will have to wait. Let us put this aside for now, as we have urgent business to attend to. Bakura and this Darkness..."
Karim withdrew his fist, albeit still shaking. "Very well. Is our Pharaoh safe?"
"Do not worry. I have placed a spell on the doors, no one will enter without me knowing. Not even Bakura."
"Hm." Karim stared at Mahaado.
"What?"
"What was it like?" he asked, voice nothing but a whisper. "How's the Pharaoh... you know..."
"He is beautiful," Mahaado said, turning a very interesting shade of red.
"I know," Karim said, impatiently. "Well, not like you do, he's beautiful in general... I'm just so terribly jealous..."
He loves him as much as I do, Mahaado realized. The protectiveness, the fierceness... how could he be jealous of or angry with this man, who was just as ready to die for their beloved Pharaoh as he was? "We will deal with Bakura first," he reminded Karim, "then we will... ah, sort everything out with our Pharaoh. For now..." His voice trailed off.
"What? What is it?"
"Something is wrong." Mahaado frowned. Mana's heka had disappeared. As his Apprentice, he was more than familiar with her kind of heka and all of the sudden, he couldn't sense it anymore. The eerie silence around them sent shivers down his spine.
"Wrong?"
"Darkness," Mahaado said.
"Darkness? Where?" Karim took a stance as if expecting a physical attack. He was surprised by a black substance attaching itself to him, and he immediately shuddered from the devastating and debilitating cold. "Mahaado!"
"Fight it, Karim!" He tried to conjure his Magus of Fantasy Illusion, but nothing happened. For a moment, he thought his heka wasn't sufficient enough - until the full realization hit him. This Darkness was blocking his heka, and Mahaado didn't want to think what kind of malevolent powers it took to be able to do that... Karim struggled, tugging at the shadows that had gotten a grip on his wrists and upper arms. What he managed to remove returned with renewed effort, slowly but surely covering his body. No physical force would keep those shadows at bay, only draining and exhausting him.
"Karim, stop," Mahaado said, his voice low.
"I can't! Do something! Use your heka!"
"It is of no use. You have to understand, Karim. Fight it with your heart... the light in your heart!"
Karim ignored his words and continued to wrestle with the shadows, to no avail. It pained Mahaado to see his friend struggle in vain. He tried to remain calm and not to give in to the rising panic and fear when the shadows coiled around his own body. He focused on his love for his Pharaoh, recalling their moments together and the kisses they shared. His love for Mana, his Apprentice, who would surpass him one day if she was able to stay focused and working hard, his love for his fellow Priests: Aishizu, Karim, Shaadah, Seto, even Akunadin and Shimon, as he respected their wisdom. He filled his heart with warmth and love as he concentrated on the most important people in his life. He didn't know how long he was able to hold these shadows off. The Darkness was overpowering, and it tried to find its way to his heart, to prey on the aggression he had expressed earlier, turning everything he loved and respected against him. The physical cold numbed his body and made it difficult for him to concentrate. The Darkness surrounded him with an intensity that was impossible to counteract. In front of him, Karim had turned into an unrecognizable dark mass, and Mahaado found it hard to breathe. He couldn't move. He couldn't think. Atemu... his Pharaoh... how could he forsake him? He had promised to protect him, he had vowed to keep him safe. He was going to be consumed by shadows, leaving his Pharaoh vulnerable and alone. No. No! He had to believe in him. He had to keep faith that his Pharaoh would come to rescue him. Without his faith in Atemu, the entire world would be lost.
Chapter 13 | Chapter 15 |