Ahmose Inarus

Ahmose Inarus

Hato chiisai

Shonen-ai

Disclaimer: I own Ahmose. That’s all. Nothing else.

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Chapter 15

Final Days

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It had been nearly a year since the confrontation in the throne room with Mariku and Akeifa… No one ever figured out just what the Pharaoh had done to them… none but Ahmose, and he wasn’t talking. When he had figured it out, he went pale and silent, and remained so for days. He worked around the clock, saying that he was trying to undo what the Pharaoh had done before it was too late. But only three days later, the soulless bodies of Mariku and Akeifa died. They were burned and their ashes were scattered to the wind, the Pharaoh hoping that their evil would be scattered along with them. Soon after, Ahmose had given up on whatever it was he had been trying to do. And then, the disasters started to happen.

The Shadow Realm was unstable. Holes had been punched through between realms, and monsters had been escaping into the Mortal Plane, and terrorizing Egypt. Yugioh and Ahmose found themselves overwhelmed, and Yugioh appointed five people to help him contain these beasts, gifting them the Millennium Items, but one by one, their lives had been claimed in the battle, and now Yugioh and Ahmose were all that remained. But the Shadow Realm seemed to have calmed down, and there had not been an incident for a month. Yugioh was relieved, and thought that the Shadow Realm and the barrier between the dimensions was stabilizing. But Ahmose disagreed. As he said to Pharaoh Atemu, ‘This is merely the quiet moment before the ambush falls upon us.’

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Yugioh lay on his stomach on Ahmose’s bed, watching the sorcerer sleep. Smiling, he reached out and brushed a few black tendrils of hair from his closed eyes, then gently traced his fingertips down the side of his face before moving closer and kissing him. Ahmose’s brow furrowed and he turned into the kiss, his lips parting with a soft moaning sigh. Yugioh smiled and slipped his tongue into Ahmose’s mouth. The older boy gave a slight jerk, and his eyes flickered open. Yugioh drew back and smiled.

“Have a good sleep?” The Pharaoh asked, and Ahmose frowned, then arched his back and stretched his arms above his head, surrendering to a large yawn.

“Mm-hmm…” He mumbled, then relaxed and rubbed his eyes. “Is it time?”

“Yes.” Yugioh replied, sitting up. Ahmose nodded and sat up, rolling his shoulders, then stood. Yugioh watched Ahmose move across the dark room and disappear into the shadows of the corner. There was a rustling of cloth, and then Ahmose reappeared, now dressed and running a comb through his long hair.

“Where is Tris? Why isn’t he here yet?” He demanded, and Yugioh smiled.

“He’ll be here soon.” He said. “Calm down.”

“I am calm.” Ahmose stated, raising an eyebrow. Yugioh rolled his eyes with a sigh.

“When are you not?” He muttered. Ahmose chuckled.

“You should see me later on tonight when I’m all messed up from the hallucinogens.”

“… hallucinogens?” Yugioh asked, looking interested. “You take hallucinatory drugs?”

“Of course. I do it every year.” Ahmose stated, looking at Yugioh. “It’s part of the ceremony for the Day of Anubis.”

“That is SO not fair!” Yugioh cried, amused. “I get presents, parties, and foreign dignitaries kissing my ass on my birthday! You get to get drugged to the point that you loose touch with reality!”

“Yugioh… you are ALWAYS out of touch with reality.” Ahmose teased, and Yugioh snorted.

“Ass.” He muttered, and Ahmose grinned.

“I have to go.” He said, as Tris knocked on his door. “Be good for Tris.”

“Great Bast, he is NOT my babysitter!!!” Yugioh cried, following Ahmose out of the room.

“Could have fooled me.” Tris snickered, but shut up at the look his Pharaoh gave him.

“I wanna see you hallucinate!” Yugioh whined, following Ahmose.

“Great. Just what I need. An audience to the most sacred ceremony of the year.” Ahmose snorted. “Just stay here and I’ll tell you about it when I get back.”

“You don’t even REMEMBER everything.” Yugioh cried.

“Hmmm… I guess you’re out of luck, then.” Ahmose snickered, mounting Nahkti once they reached the stables. Yugioh pouted as Ahmose rode from the palace and towards the temple of Anubis. He whirled on Tris.

“Did you know he gets stoned on the Day of Anubis?! EVERY YEAR?!” He demanded to know.

“Umm… yes my lord…” Tris answered. “It’s part of the ceremony. He’s done it ever since he became the High Priest… well… aside from that one year…” Yugioh pouted.

“And he never told me?!”

“Why would he, sire?” Tris asked. Yugioh seemed to puff up like a blow fish for a moment before deflating.

“Get my horse! I wanna see this!”

“WHAT?!”

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Ahmose knelt before the small altar in the tiny chamber that sat behind the great golden altar of the inner sanctum. Only the High Priest of Anubis was permitted in the chamber once a year, on the Day of Anubis. He lit the incense and laid it before the small idol of the jackal god and waved his hands back, wafting the curled smoke back towards his face, inhaling the scent deeply. He meditated to clear his mind and prepare himself for the night; it would not be easy. The hallucinogens he would be ingesting not only affected his mind, but it would also place a lot of stress on his cardiac and respiratory systems. He would be tended to carefully all night by not only the other priests and priestesses of Anubis, but by the High Priest of Set and the High Priestess of Nephtys, who would play the role of their patron deities, who were the father and mother of Anubis.

Finally prepared, Ahmose picked up the ceremonial Mask of Anubis and put it on, before turning and leaving the Sacred Chamber of the Inner Sanctum. He appeared behind the golden altar, and the priests and priestesses, led by the High Priest and Priestess of Set and Nephtys all knelt and began to chant prayers to the God of the Dead, whom Ahmose was representing.

Ahmose moved around the inner sanctum, blessing the priests and priestesses of Anubis, before finally approaching the altar, and the High Priest of Set and the High Priestess of Nephtys. The priest held a steaming bowl, and the priestess a chalice. It was then that Yugioh entered with Tris. The nearest Priestess stopped him from actually entering the inner sanctum, and bade him to simply watch from where he was. And watch he did.

Ahmose knelt and removed the ceremonial mask, then turned to the High Priest of Set who held out the steaming bowl. Ahmose waved his hands, wafting the fumes back into his face, and he inhaled them deeply. After a few moments of this, the High Priest of Set backed away, and the High Priestess of Nephtys offered him the chalice. Ahmose took it and drank from it, draining it of its contents. The High Priestess took the chalice, and she and the Priest of Set turned and laid the bowl and chalice aside, then turned and watched Ahmose, who had remained kneeling. All was silent for a while, but then, Ahmose swayed slightly, then slumped to the side. He caught himself and rested on his hip, bracing himself up with his arms. The High Priest and Priestess quickly moved to his side and helped him to his feet.

Yugioh watched as they helped Ahmose up to the golden altar and lifted him up, laying him down on it. Ahmose was flushed and sweating, and panting as though from exertion. Yugioh blinked and watched as Ahmose’s body began to shake, then spasm. He began to mumble, rolling his head from side to side as the narcotics he had ingested and inhaled took full effect. This continued for nearly half an hour before the Priest and Priestess of Nephtys and Set took the chalice and steaming bowl again, this time tipping the contents into a goblet. Then, Ahmose’s Second mounted the dais on which the altar sat, pulling the Sacrificial Knife and stirring the concoction. He turned and held the blade over Ahmose, a drop of the liquid rolling to the tip and falling onto Ahmose’s forehead. The sorcerer twitched and mumbled at that, and then four other priests moved up the steps to the altar.

The Priest of Set helped Ahmose to sit up, and the four new preists gripped Ahmose’s arms and legs, while his second forced his head back and covered his nose. The priestess of Nephtys gripped Ahmose’s jaw, forcing his mouth open. Ahmose panted heavily, sweat trailing down his face. Then, the Priestess held the chalice to his lips and poured the thick frothy liquid into Ahmose’s mouth. Ahmose thrashed and convulsed, and his second quickly moved to cover Ahmose’s mouth as well as his nose, cutting off his air until he swallowed the burning concoction. Ahmose thrashed in desperation, strangled screams rising from his chest.

Yugioh frowned and moved forward, but Tris stopped him, shaking his head. The Pharaoh turned back to his friend in concern, as Ahmose finally swallowed the thick mystery substance, and was immediately released. He collapsed back onto the altar and writhed, finally rolling onto his side and curling into fetal position, shivering violently and sweating heavily. He groaned and twitched, his eyes rolling back into his head. The Priest of Set pulled a wet cloth out of a bowl of water and wiped Ahmose’s face while the Priestess of Nephtys began braiding a black and gold woven rope into his hair.

The Second approached Ahmose again with a young priestess who acted as a scribe, and the second listened carefully, trying to make out Ahmose’s delirious ramblings, and the girl recorded them for Ahmose to interpret later on, for it was believed that a priest or priestess’ drug-induced ramblings contained prophecy.

And so the night continued… It was nearly dawn before something new happened. The Second approached to altar again, once again with the sacrificial knife. This time, Pharaoh Atemu’s eyes widened as the Priest Set lifted Ahmose’s left wrist and removed the bracelet from it. The Second held the blade aloft, praying to Anubis, and then handed it to Priest of Set, who held the blade to Ahmose’s wrist, and drew it across the skin. The blood welled up quickly, and the Priestess of Nephtys held the goblet (still half filled with the thickened substance Ahmose had been forced to drink) under Ahmose’s wrist, and his blood dripped into the cup. Then, the Second stirred it up with the knife blade again, and like before, let a drop of the concoction fall onto Ahmose’s forehead. Then the priests and priestesses of Anubis approached the altar in a line.

Yugioh watched as the Priest of Set collected Ahmose’s blood in his fingers and on the forehead of each priest and priestess, painted the Mark of Anubis with the blood of the God’s High Priest. Then, the Priestess of Nephtys offered them the goblet, and each took a sip of the potion mixed with Ahmose’s blood. Yugioh looked ill.

”Ya know… I could have died happy without seeing all of this…” He muttered to Tris.

”YOU wanted to come, my Pharaoh.” The Captain of the Guard said.

”Yes…” Atemu said. “I know…”

After all of the priests had been anointed, the Priest of Set wrapped a bandage tightly around Ahmose’s wrist, and then folded his arms over his chest, as Ahmose had finally begun to come out of the delirium and was now quite still. He stared blankly up at the ceiling, still breathing a bit hard. He was still sweating, but his hot skin had cooled dramatically. He still twitched from time to time, but the shivering, the spasms and the rambling had stopped. The Priestess of Nephtys took Ahmose’s purple cloak and she and the priest of Set wrapped Ahmose tightly in it to keep him warm.

Candles were lit in a circle around the altar, and the priests and priestesses knelt in a circle as well, and began their chants and prayers in the ritual designed to guide Ahmose’s traveling soul back to his body.

As the sun began to rise, several preists approached the altar, and lifted Ahmose off of it. They turned, and carried him from the Inner Sanctum, led by The Priest and Priestess of Set and Nephtys, and went to the gardens. The High Priest and Priestess waded into the purification pool, and the preists carefully removed the purple robe from Ahmose, and passed him to the High Priest and Priestess.

They accepted Ahmose gently and bathed him of the sweat and blood, and a fresh clean robe was brought, and Ahmose was wrapped in it upon his removal from the water. The young High Priest was then carried back to the Inner Sanctum and laid upon the altar to rest.

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Ahmose awoke around noon. The High Priest and Priestess of Set and Nephtys were there, watching over him. As soon as he awoke, water and broth was brought, and Ahmose slowly drank both, before dressing. He led a procession of preists and priestesses through and around the temple complex, blessing and cleansing it for another year… little did anyone know, this was the last time that Ahmose-Anubis would make these rounds on the Day of Anubis…

At nightfall, the festival of Anubis was underway. Ahmose was exhausted, but his attendance was mandatory. From the moment he stepped out of the temple to face the crowds of people, he wanted to go right back to his room in the palace and curl up to sleep for the next week. He had the ceremonial Mask of Anubis on again, as well as a long black cloak, hood up. But then, the crowd parted. And he saw his Pharaoh. Suddenly, Ahmose felt infinitely better, and he smiled beneath his mask. He crossed the Temple Complex yard and to the gates, and there, Pharaoh Atemu bowed before the symbolic God of the Dead.

”Gods, I’m glad you’re here…” Ahmose murmured, so only the Pharaoh could hear. “I’m so tired…” Atemu smiled at Ahmose, seeing his friend’s golden eyes behind the mask. And then the High Priest moved to lead the procession of the other High Priests and Priestesses of the Temples to the Festival Square, the Pharaoh and his court following.

The festival carried on through the night. It would officially end at midnight, but the people of the city would carry on until down. But at midnight, Ahmose returned to the palace with his Pharaoh, heading straight up to his room, stripping, and collapsing into bed. Yugioh chuckled, following him and sitting on the edge of the bed.

”Tired, love?”

”Don’t waste time asking stupid questions…” Ahmose grumbled, and Yugioh chuckled.

”Yes, Ahmose.” And he lay down beside his friend. Moments later, Ahmose was asleep.

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It was a month after the Day of Anubis. A month after Ahmose’s birthday, and a month before Yami’s. It had been a month of hell. There was no more denying it… the magic that had sealed the Shadow Realm was in rapid decay, and holes were punching through to Atemu’s kingdom constantly. Few had the power to combat the beasts of the Shadow Realm any longer. Ahmose and Yugioh were alone in their fight. And when they weren’t fighting, they were searching for a way to seal the Shadow Realm once and for all. And that’s what they were doing on that fateful day… their final day… when a call for help came.

”My lords!” Togeses cried, running into the library. Both young men looked up. “He, he’s free!!! The Thousand Eyes Idol and Relinquished broke loose and fused! Thousand Eyes Restrict is free!!!” Yugioh and Ahmose paled.

”Gods…” The Pharaoh gasped. Ahmose stood from his scrolls.

”I’ll go.” He said softly, and looked at his king. “Stay. Find a way to stop all of this. I will battle the Thousand Eyes Restrict…” Yugioh stood.

”Ahmose, no! Let me come with you! He’ll kill you!” He cried.

”You have to stay, Yugi. Find a way to stop all of this. You are Pharaoh. YOU hold the Millennium Puzzle. If anyone can stop this, you can.” The sorcerer said, laying his hand on his king’s shoulder. “Stop it all… for me.” And he hugged him. “I have no intention of loosing to this beast… but if you feel this strongly, I will take Pegasus with me.”

”Pegasus?! But he’s just my head Overseer!”

”But he is wise and can wield the Eye, my lord. I will bring him with me.” Ahmose said. Yugioh sighed and nodded.

”Alright…” And he leapt onto Ahmose, kissing him. “Good luck.” Ahmose blinked and blushed, but smiled.

”Thank you… I’ll return… hopefully before sunset…” And the sorcerer swept from the room… that was last time Yugioh ever saw his lover… A few minutes later, Nakhti bore Ahmose out of the Palace gates and into the city, Pegasus on a brown mare at his heels.

Togeses sighed at the worried look on the Pharaoh’s face. “Here… I’ll look with you…” He said, sitting down next to Yugioh and pulling over the scroll that Ahmose had been reading.

”We found ONE way to seal to Shadow Realm… the same way it was placed under control… but I refuse to do it…” Yugioh said.

”Oh?” Togeses asked. “Why?”

”It requires sacrificing 99 lives…” Yugioh explained.

”… Ah.” Togeses replied. “Yyyyyyeah… bad idea…”

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Ahmose and Pegasus reined their horses to a halt, staring up at the Thousand Eyes Restrict.

“What will you do, Lord Inarus?” Pegasus asked.

”… What I do best. Fight.” Ahmose said, dismounting and heading for the beast, the Key glowing around his neck as he reached out to alert his monsters that they should prepare for battle. The Mad Dog of Darkness was immediately ready, as were the Maha Vailo. Ahmose summoned the Mad Dog, petting his head and staring up at the monster.

”Ready boy?” He asked, and the dog barked and licked Ahmose’s hand. “Then let’s go.”

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Yugioh frowned as he stared down at the scroll before him. He had found it. He had found a way to seal the Shadow Realm… permanently… but it would not be easy, and Ahmose would never allow him to go through with it. A sudden explosion out in the city made the room shudder. Yugioh stood and slowly moved out onto the balcony, looking at the dispersing cloud of smoke, marking the place where Ahmose was doing battle. Yugioh frowned. He had to do it. Now. If this was the only way… he had to do it before Ahmose was killed. He turned, grabbed the scroll and walked out of the room.

”Pharaoh Atemu?” Tris asked.

”Everyone is to stay clear of the Shadow Grounds…” The Pharaoh said, his voice hard as stone. “That is an order.” Tris blinked and followed his king. Yugioh went to the throne room where the court was gathered. He went up to his throne, picked up his father’s crown and placed it on his head. He turned and looked around at the court. “You are all to stay away from the Shadow Grounds. I am putting an end to this…” He gripped the scroll tightly in his fist. “Ahmose will be a good king, Egypt will benefit from his rule.” The court stared. “Honor him as you would me. It is my wish that my crown is passed to him… my brother… when I am gone. This is my order, and it will be honored.” And he descended the steps that led up to his throne and crossed the room amongst the chatter of the court.

“Pharaoh Atemu, what are you doing?!” Ptahshepses cried.

“Protecting my kingdom and my people!” Yugioh cried back, and ran down the stairs.

“But Pharaoh Atemu!” The man shouted, following. Yugioh got to the entrance of the Shadow Grounds, pulling down on the torch and stepping through and hidden door that had opened. He looked back at Ptahshepses.

”… Tell Ahmose that I love him…” He said softly to the man, then closed the door and sealed it, preventing anyone from following him. He fled down the dark corridor and into the Shadow Grounds. He dropped to his knees and unrolled the scroll on the floor, reading it in the light of the glowing Millennium Puzzle. The air rippled around him as monsters began to creep out of the Shadow Realm, some of them sensing his intentions. Yugioh glanced up when the Celtic Guardian, Silver Fang and Dark Magician appeared, ready to defend him. And as he began the spell, the monsters around him broke into battle…

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Ahmose blinked when the Thousand Eyes Restrict suddenly backed down… it had already absorbed one Maha Vailo, Dark Blade and the Mad Dog of Darkness… Ahmose blinked and looked back at Pegasus, who shrugged. Suddenly, the monster turned and disappeared into a large hole ripped in the atmosphere. Ahmose frowned, but then his eyes widened and his heart froze… On the other side of the hole was the Palace Shadow Grounds… it was filled with battling monsters, and there, in the middle of it all, was Yugioh. He was reading a scroll out loud and holding the Millennium Puzzle in one hand, and a bloody sword in the other. He himself was covered in bloody scratches and torn clothing as some monsters managed to get a blow in between the beasts protecting the Pharaoh. Ahmose charged at the hole, but it closed after the Thousand Eyes Restrict.

”Lord Inarus?” Pegasus called. Ahmose whirled and ran to Pegasus, who was holding Nakhti’s reins. “What is it?!”

”The Pharaoh!” Ahmose cried, leaping up onto Nakhti’s back and kicking him. The stallion neighed and bolted, Pegasus following but quickly falling behind. Ahmose’s heart pounded… What was Yugioh doing?! Why had he gone to the Shadow Grounds to seal the Shadow Realm without him?! He could feel the power of the Puzzle pulsing from the Key around his neck. But suddenly, it spiked. Ahmose gasped, clutching his chest over his heart and he nearly fell from Nakhti’s back. But then, it stopped. And that frightened Ahmose more than anything… He couldn’t feel the Puzzle… He couldn’t feel the Shadow Realm… He couldn’t feel his Pharaoh…

When he reached the palace, Nakhti slowed as they approached the stable. But Ahmose spurred him into a full gallop again, guiding him straight into the palace and down the corridor, Nakhti’s hooves clattering on the stone floors. People screamed and dove out of the way. As he approached the stairs that would lead down to the Shadow Ground, he saw the court gathered around.

”MOVE!!!” He ordered, and people leapt aside as Nakhti waded through the crowd. They reached the stairs and Ahmose guided Nakhti down the narrow spiral steps. He reached the door to the Shadow Ground and pulled down on the torch. The door didn’t open.

”The Pharaoh sealed it, Lord Inarus!” Jono gasped. Ahmose’s eyes flashed, and the door exploded inward. Ahmose kicked his horse, and the animal plunged through the doorway and down the dark and narrow hall. The court followed in the stallion’s tracks. Ahmose and Nakhti burst into the Shadow ground and the torches all lit up. Ahmose’s heart stopped in his chest as he reined the horse to a halt. He stared in horror…

Yugioh lay still and silent on the floor of the Shadow grounds, covered in bloody wounds and surrounded by the pieces of the shattered Millennium Puzzle. Ptahshepses cried out in horror when he entered the Shadow Grounds and came upon this sight. His cry broke Ahmose out of his shock. He slid off of his horse and ran towards the fallen Pharaoh.

”YUGIOH!!” He screamed, dropping to his knees by his king. “Yugi!” He reached out and laid a hand on his Pharaoh’s face. His king didn’t move. Ahmose slowly trailed his fingers down Pharaoh Atemu’s face and to his neck, feeling for a pulse… But there was none. Ahmose began gasping for breath as his own heart pounded harder than it ever had before, thundering in his ears. “Yugi…” He gasped, looking down at the single piece of the Millennium Puzzle that still hung from the cord around its owner’s neck. Ahmose slowly reached out and touched it… it was warm… but it was what ELSE the sorcerer felt in it that made him begin to hyperventilate… Yugioh’s soul… His soul was in the Puzzle… like Mariku and Akeifa a year ago, his soul had been sealed into his Millennium Item…

Ahmose was stunned. He didn’t even know that he was crying until his tears were falling on his hands and Yugioh’s chest, mingling with the blood. The Shadow Realm was sealed, it’s monsters locked within… and it would remain so as long as the Puzzle lay in pieces…

Slowly, the sorcerer gathered his fallen Pharaoh into his arms, trembling.

”… Yugi…” He gasped, closing his eyes and cradling his lover close, rocking himself. The royal court watched in silence, Ptahshepses on his knees, unable to bear the shock of what he was witnessing.

”Lord Inarus?” Togeses squeaked out, slowly moving forward. “L-Lord… Inarus?”

”… he’s dead…” Ahmose choked out, and the court murmured in shock.

“He… He told us… that we are to turn to you, Lord Inarus… You… you are… Pharaoh…” Togeses managed to get out, fighting back his own shocked tears.

”… No.” Ahmose said after a moment. “I can’t… He still needs me…”

”What?” Tris gasped.

”His soul… it… it’s in the Puzzle!” Ahmose gasped, still clutching Yugioh’s body to his chest.

”In the Puzzle?!” Jono gasped. ”He hasn’t gone on to the next world?!” Ahmose shook his head.

”He is still in this realm… and I must stay with him…” Ahmose said, getting to his knees and cradling Yugioh. He opened his eyes and they flashed, beginning to glow a bright gold as his tears continued to flow.

”But… but you are his heir!!” Ptahshepses cried. “You are Pharaoh! Egypt needs you!”

”… Egypt is not my concern…” Ahmose replied, wind whipping around him, plastering the court to the floor. Nakhti screamed, prancing in place nervously.

Ahmose reached out with every ounce of his powerful magic, gathering together the remnants of Yugioh’s spell. He filled in the gaps and made it whole and ready for casting. The Key was still fading; he could not use it… He felt his bracelet scraping against Yugioh’s broad necklace… yes, the bracelet would do. The gale force winds ripped through the room, screaming loud enough to drown out the cries of the court and the frantic neighs of the horse. Ahmose’s hair and cloak whipped around him, and then, with a shriek, his soul was ripped from his body, and he was overcome by a blinding pain, as if he were being ripped in half…

The wind died down and save for Nakhti’s frantic neighs and his hooves on the stone floor, everything was silent… slowly, Togeses lifted his head, and he stared.

”Inarus… L-Lord Inarus!!!” He got to his feet and ran across the shadow grounds towards the two bodies slumped together on the floor. He grabbed Ahmose’s shoulder and flipped him over onto his back. “Oh Gods…” He stared down at Ahmose, and the sorcerer’s glassy eyes stared blankly up at the ceiling… Togeses reached out and felt for a pulse… it was there, but it was faint. Then, he noticed Ahmose’s bracelet glowing. He frowned, but shook his head. Whatever… it wasn’t important now. He turned.

”He’s alive! Get him to his room!!!”

Ahmose’s body was carried to his room, and Jono tended to him day and night… but it only took one powerful sorcerer to tell them that Ahmose would not recover; his soul had left his body, as did Yugioh’s. Yugioh had been badly wounded, and having his soul ripped from his body had killed him. Being uninjured, Ahmose’s body had survived the loss of its soul, but it would soon die. And five days later the sorcerer passed on, peacefully and quietly. The kingdom fell into a terrible mourning. In the past week, they lost their Pharaoh, and his successor. Tearfully, Togeses gave the instructions that Pharaoh Atemu and Ahmose Inarus had left behind to be followed in the case of their deaths.

The bodies of Ahmose and Atemu were laid side by side in the Temple of Anubis as they were prepared over the course of 70 days for burial. A golden box containing the pieces of the Millennium Puzzle was set by Yugioh, and the bracelet that Togeses had seen glowing was laid by Ahmose. Their souls sat dormant within the objects, sleeping. Finally their bodies, wrapped in linen, were laid to rest in coffins, Yugioh’s gold, the Sennen Eye carved into it, Ahmose’s black, the Mark of Anubis carved into it. The coffins were taken by barge up the Nile river and to the canyon where the entrance to Yugioh’s tomb lay hidden. They were carried through the massive tomb, the whole trip through it taking an hour. In accordance to their instructions, Ahmose’s body was laid to rest in the large sarcophagus in the lavishly decorated decoy burial chamber. Beyond it, was the true burial chamber; even in death, Ahmose laid his body down to protect that of his Pharaoh.

The Pharaoh’s coffin was shut up in the large stone sarcophagus, and the burial chamber was sealed. His possessions filled the decoy chamber around the sarcophagus that held the coffin of Ahmose Inarus. The workmen then made their way out of the tomb, sealing doors as they went, until finally, they emerged from the cliff face and into the dying sunlight. Togeses was there, holding a vial of blood… Ahmose’s blood. He opened it, and poured it into a small circle just within the tomb entrance… the circle flashed, and all of the traps within the tomb were activated and the entrance was sealed. The funeral procession made their way back to the river to return to the capital city, where battle was ready to break loose as men fought for the throne, left empty…

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The young man slowly opened his eyes. He ached… all over… It felt like his entire being was burning. Slowly, he uncurled out of the fetal position and looked around. His glowing golden eyes took in the black nothingness around him. ‘Where am I? Who am I?’ He frowned, closing his eyes and thinking, trying to recall something… anything… slowly an image began to form. A youthful face, smiling… beautiful eyes, a deep rich crimson, filled with warmth and love… red and black hair, streaked with gold… He did not know who this was, and yet, he knew the face. A name came to his mind… ‘Yugi…’ The young man thought. ‘… I must find him… He needs me…’ He lowered his head and closed his eyes, long black hair rippling over the pale skin of his back that was criss-crossed with fourteen long thin scars, and a black mark pulsed between his shoulder blades… ‘I must get back to Yugi…’

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

END

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Look for the sequel within the next few weeks, ‘Mikado Maho’