The sun shined on her hair, reflecting a light azure on the white walls of her childhood room. Pulling on her black jacket
and a pair of knee high boots, she made her way out of her room and decided to see if anyone would like to join her on her
venture through Cairo that morning.
When she got to Tristan and Joey's room, she heard them bickering at one another about senseless guy stuff that she couldn't
help but giggle at, then finally knocked on the door. "Joey, Tristan, you two okay in there?" she asked, slowly turning the
knob to allow herself entrance.
Upon entering, she saw the two young men both without shirts gaze up at her embarassingly, immediately entangling themselves
in the sheets of their beds. "Uhh...hi, Reia! What can we do for ya?"Joey said, adding a sheepish grin up at her.
Reia laughed once more and walked over to their suitcase, pulling out a shirt for each of them to wear. Deciding to tease
them both again a little and to release some of her pain from before, she strode over to Tristan first and removed the sheet
covering him. Teasingly, she slipped the white tank top over his upper body, then kissed his cheek as a sudden warmth rose
up into his face.
Next, she sat beside Joey and pulled off the sheet as he continued to laugh nervously, watching her unfold the black t-shirt
with a certain girly desire evident in her eyes. Slowly, she slipped the shirt over him, her fingers lazily falling down his
sides to his hips where she tickled lightly, hearing him giggle in response. She then let her lips barely touch his ear as
she spoke. "I think the question is...what can I do for you?"
Joey said nothing and instead he and Tristan sat there in a dumbfounded daze, unaware that Reia's flirting was only a simple
joke to relieve her tension. She laughed a bit and interrupted their moments of delusions with her sweet voice. "I came to
ask if you guys had plans for the day, and if not, I was going to go revisit some places here in Cairo. Care to join me?"
"I'm all for it!"Tristan immediately replied to her pleasure.
Joey still sat there in a daze, Tristan eventually shaking him a little to snap him back to reality. "Huh? Oh yeah! We'd
love to hang with ya today, Reia!"
Reia smiled and nodded her head in gratitude. "All right then, you guys finish getting ready and I'll go see if Yami'd
like to join us." With that, she exited, leaving them to finish getting dressed, though she would find it amusing for them
to just walk around in t-shirts and boxers in Cairo. She stifled a giggle and walked down to Yami's room, knocking a few times,
not getting any reply. Unaware of what would be on the other side, she opened the door to see Yami sleeping peacefully.
She had to sigh at that beautiful sight. He breathed so calmly, his eyelashes cast little shadows over his cheeks, and
a small smile was evident on his lips. Reia wanted to touch him so bad, to thank him for all he had done for her over the
past several days. Everything about him as he slept appeared so inviting - especially his lips.
Would there be any harm in stealing a kiss while he was asleep? He would never know...
'I still do owe him that one before. I guess now would be a fairly decent time.'
Forcing back every mental voice inside her, she bent down and began to edge closer to him, her face barely centimeters
from his when a voice suddenly halted her. "We're ready to go, Reia! Is Yami goin'?" she heard Tristan yell.
She shot upright immediately and backed away from Yami's still sleeping form, angered that Tristan interrupted her sentimental
moment. "I don't think Yami can make it."she replied simply, preparing to exit the room when she stopped, pivoting around
and bending next to Yami once more. Hesitantly, she reached to touch his face, her fingers brushing away the golden bangs
that hung loosely by his cheeks. She fought the urge to cry and took his hand, gently putting her lips to it, then laid it
back over his chest with a smile as she finally left the room.
"Let's go, gentlemen."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Solomon Mouto was fighting the crowd of the market still when he saw a familiar blue haired woman accompanied by two more
young men he knew stride through the town. "Solomon!" Reia called with a smile, waving to her elderly companion. "Nice to
see you up and about here in Cairo! Enjoying your visit?"
"Oh yes, Reia. I'm having a wonderful time!" Solomon replied with a grin, reaching out a hand to touch her arm. "And how
are you feeling? Better I hope."
Reia nodded in return as she too smiled broadly. "I'm feeling better, Solomon, thank you. I'm just out revisiting the town,
and I thought I'd give these two knuckleheads something of a tour while I was at it. Would you care to accompany us?"Reia
replied, gesturing towards Tristan and Joey who were both scratching the backsides of their heads in embarassment.
"I'd love to, Reia, but I have something really important I need to discuss with Yami. Do you know where I might find him?"he
told her, a slight grimness in his tone at having to refuse her offer.
"He's still back at the house. Lazy bum was asleep still when we left, but I didn't want to wake him up. Goofball was probably
up half the night wondering if a mummy or pharaoh was going to come and get him."she replied, not noticing the look of humorous
irony on her companions' faces - Solomon included.
Solomon instead only smiled and nodded his head. "Thank you, Reia. Maybe we can get together for lunch later, then you
could show me around Cairo!"
"That would be great, Solomon. I'll see you then." After that, Solomon bid them farewell and made his way back through
the streets and finally to the house they were staying at during their visit.
"Yami!" he called, receving no answer as he pulled himself up the stairs. "I'm getting too old for this."he told himself,
finally reaching the top, breathing heavily as he walked down the long hallway to Yami's room. "Yami!"he called again, opening
the door to see that Yami was indeed still asleep like a baby.
Sighing in frustration, he strode over to the spirit's sleeping form and shook him til he was awake. "Dah! What is it?!
Take the nachos, they're yours!" Yami yelled suddenly, at last realizing just who it was that had woken him from his dream.
"Oh, good morning, Solomon."
"Morning, Yami. Listen, I have something really important I need to talk to you about."the elder told the drowsy spirit
who inhabited his grandson. "It's concerning something I believe may help you with your past."
Yami raised an eyebrow in interest, sitting up so he could be well attentive to what Solomon had to say. "Please continue,
Solomon."was all he could say to hide his anxiousness that was well concealed beneath his emotionless exterior.
Clearing his throat, Solomon nodded and began. "Yami, do you remember a man named, Arthur Hawkins?"
"Professor Arthur Hawkins...grandfather to the infamous Rebecca Hawkins?"
"That's the one."
"Figures."
Solomon chuckled and continued. "Well, I encountered him earlier this morning at the market and he had some interesting
information to share with me. A few weeks prior to this date, he was the head of an archaelogical team that came across a
mysterious ring of cliffs right in the middle of the desert that no one had ever seen before, at least not in recorded history.
But these cliffs were like a maze and many of his men never found their way back out, so they decided to leave the digsite
for a short period of time and eventually come back to continue with their work."
"However, upon their return to the presumed location of these cliffs, they had simply vanished without a trace. As they
searched for days, Arthur spoke with one of his men who was rambling about some legend he was afraid of. Arthur urged the
digger to tell him the legend, which says that hidden deep within the center of these cliffs was a cursed temple that no one
had tread upon for centuries, and within it lies the secrets of one of the Pharaohs. Do you see...what I'm trying to say,
Yami?"
Yami sat there in utter silence, taken by complete surprise of what Solomon had just told him. Hesitantly, he nodded and
spoke. "You're saying that perhaps if I go to this temple, I can uncover the memories from my past?"
"That's exactly what I'm saying."
"But..."Yami shot back, standing to his feet to pace out his frustration. "How am I supposed to find it? You said so yourself
its hidden!"
"Yes, I know Yami, but I'm not quite finished yet."Solomon replied, preparing to continue. "The legend says that only the
Pharaoh and a selected few who were to return could find the cliffs, guide themselves through the maze safely, and enter the
temple unharmed."
Silence was the only reply Solomon got for a few long, painstaking moments. He could only assume just how shocked Yami
was - all this information hitting him that he could unlock the mysteries of his origin in a day's time perhaps. Was Yami
in a way afraid of recovering all those lost memories so quickly? It was a possibility, but also a once in a lifetime opportunity
too.
Yami sighed heavily and looked up at Solomon with a confused glimmer in his eyes that could break through the darkest of
chambers. "Even if this is all true and I as this possible Pharaoh who can find the cliffs, I don't even know where to begin
my search. I have absolutely no clue of where they could be."Solomon then started to chuckle amusedly at Yami's almost dumbness,
Yami now glaring at the old man. "I fail to see what is so funny, Solomon."
Solomon's giggling ceased, but he maintained his smile, gesturing at the upside down pyramid that hung from Yami's neck.
"The answer to that lies within your puzzle. Just take a good look at it."
Yami quirked his eyebrow and stared down at the golden object that rested near his stomach, his reflection evident in its
shining exterior, when at last he saw it. "The Pyramids! That's it, Solomon!"
"Yes, that's right, and the Millenium Symbol will guide you through the maze safely. The rest is all up to you."Solomon
replied with a toothy grin to his grandson's counterpart who seemed positively excited with the news. "But Yami, about that
one part of the legend...the part about the curse. It is said that there is a creature who is the curse and only God knows
what it could do."
"Ancient curse...ha! That won't scare me away from discovering the secrets of my past!" Yami responded proudly, cradling
the prized puzzle in his hands with a smile to surpass all smiles.
Solomon could just exhale heavily, knowing that if Yami were to go to this temple, Yugi would be accompanying him within
the puzzle, meaning his grandson could be put in serious danger. Yami caught Solomon's concerned look and took the elder's
hand reassuringly. "Do not fear for Yugi, Solomon. I would die first before Yugi ever would. I promise I will use the utmost
caution for his safety."
As Solomon nodded and prepared to exit, Yami's voice again halted him. "Solomon, thank you. This could be exactly what
I'm looking for. I'm indebted to you forever." With that, Solomon smiled warmly and left Yami to converse with Yugi about
his upcoming decision.
/Yami, you really have to be careful, not for me, but for yourself. I don't want you to get hurt especially with Reia in
such condition./
//I know, Yugi. I don't plan to even begin my search until tomorrow. I'd rather enjoy at least one day in Cairo before
I play hero. Speaking of Reia...where is she?//
/I think she went out into town with Joey and Tristan.../
Yami shivered at that thought.//Oooo...not a good thought.// he laughed with his hikari as he got up to get dressed for
the day ahead of him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Hello, Reia! So wonderful to see you again back in Cairo!"an elderly merchant beamed at the woman and her guests. "Who
might your handsome friends be?"
"This is Joey Wheeler and Tristan Taylor, two close friends of someone else I brought along."Reia replied with a smile
to the old woman. "How's business been, Meme?"
Meme shrugged and lifted up a trinket from her display. "Can't complain, but its not quite as good without my two best
customers here buying everything their little heart's desired."Meme said in response. "By the way, how is Jayne? I miss her."
Joey noticed how Reia froze at the mention of Jayne's name, placing a hand on her healthy shoulder to steady her should
she begin to tremble erratically again. Meme however, was still unaware of Jayne's death and thought perhaps the blonde and
Reia had been in an argument recently, putting their friendship between a rock and a hard place - but it was much worse than
that.
"Meme...Jayne was killed a couple days ago."Reia choked out, fighting her tears for the sake of her elderly friend. "I
just found out yesterday."
Meme brought a hand over her shocked face, covering the gaping hole in her mouth as she rose to her feet. "Oh Reia, my
child. I am so sorry!"she told the azure haired athlete that had embraced her. "I wish there was something I could do, if
anything, to make you feel better."
Reia just shook her head in reply, her eye suddenly catching a glimpse of a blazing flame atop a torch behind Meme. The
flickering image dancing back and forth began to make her dizzy with the clouding tears in her eyes, when her body couldn't
fight anymore and she fell into a pit of unconcious darkness.
Chapter 18 - Apologizing for Death
Her foot left only a small crevice in the sand, soon to be recovered in a moment's time as she treaded the desert sands,
peering through Khemet's endless darkness. The cliffs surrounding her blocked any trace of moonlight, rendering her nearly
blind as she walked the maze of a path which she seemed to already know according to the robed figure that followed her.
Stepping where she stepped, they managed to conceal themselves from her fine tuned senses and wariness, despite not having
the faintest idea where she was going, much less themself. Where did this path lead, anyway? 'Its almost as if she is leading
me on purpose to guide me away from civilization and do away with me.'they mused in their head, continuing to sink their feet
into her already deep imprints.
Finally, after what seemed like hours, she stopped at the entrace to a massive temple, dimly lit torches showing her the
way into its forbidding entry. She gulped down her anxiousness and exhaled deeply, taking her first step inside, meanwhile,
the figure who followed disappeared into the shadows behind her and would soon join in on the action to find out this temple's
importance to the warrior.
"Master Derik..."her voice called down the vast chamber towards a fairly old man with his back facing her. Two more torches
stood on either side of his presiding stance that had yet to face her, his back bare, but well worn that was covered with
scars of war and battle over time. "Master Derik, I have come...to apologize."she spoke again.
At last, he turned around slowly, deeply angled, not to mention angered silver eyes piercing straight through her barely
stable body. "Apologize for what, Reia?"he said gruffly, folding his arms over his chest in displeasure.
"For death, Master Derik..."she replied, hanging her head in shame. She could feel her master's sharp gaze burn with anger
towards her, the stabbing pain of her heart thumping against her chest in heed that she run for her life, but she refused
her fears and stood up to his fury like a frightened, but determined soldier in the heat of battle.
"Whose death is it you seek forgiveness for, Reia?"he asked, even more coarsely than before.
She shivered and knelt on one knee, her lance in one hand, and her other hand fell to the ground near her leg. "It is not
forgiveness I seek, but punishment for allowing Jade to fall not by war or protection, but by...my own incompetence. I am
deeply sorry for her death, Master Derik, I beg of you to make me suffer for my failure."
The dark man she called 'Derik' growled in frustration, stepping towards her and snatching the lance from her trembling
grasp. He looked over it carefully, examining its three sharp blades with precision, then spoke. "I see no blood on your blade,
what do you mean 'your incompetence'?!"
Reia stumbled for words and let her other hand fall to the floor, almost as if she was clinging to its stone surface for
deliverance of her teacher's wrath. This man taught her everything she knew and took her in from a life of certain death.
This man showed her wonders and techniques she could have never learned had she lived with a normal family. This man, whom
she had looked up to almost as a father now scolded her for her honesty and humility, which she rightfully deserved in her
mind. It was her fault that Jade died, and there was nothing Reia did to stop it - the shame never ceased it seemed.
"She fell by the glass, Master Derik, not by the blade."she replied nervously, bracing herself for the sharpness of her
very own lance's stab.
"You mindless fool and pitiful excuse for a warrior!!"he yelled, his booming voice echoing off the walls of the temple
and bouncing into the mysterious follower's ears. Derik tossed the lance aside in fury and grabbed her by the arm, bringing
her up to meet his already icily firey eyes. Reia wanted to cringe, but dared not in his presence, especially when he was
angry. "How could you have been so foolish, Reia! What brought this about?!"
Again, she swallowed long and hard as she searched for a proper response. She rarely displayed fear, but this was an exception.
Oh how she wished Yami...the Pharaoh was with her to stop this madman's wrath. "The Pharaoh requested for Jade and I to join
him for an exclusive banquet last night, and that is when she fell. After making a simple toast to the Pharaoh's greatness
and supremacy, her breathing suddenly failed and she died in my very arms..."
Derik was still furious and squeezed on her arm tightly for her to continue. "What did she say before she died?"he urged
harshly.
Reia shut her eyes, recalling those sweet, but painful words Jade spoke with her final breath. "She thanked me for my direction
and for...my friendship." That was when she nearly gave up, fighting her tears with the last bit of will to keep a stone face
before her master. Derik suddenly released his grip and allowed her to nearly crumble to the floor she was so stunned that
he let her go. He was somehow compelled by the last words his daughter had spoken to this other girl he had taken in as a
fragile child - entirely unaware of the future that awaited her.
He went over to the place where her lance lay and stared down at it, then he shared a glance with the heavily breathing
azure haired warrior a short distance away. "If you still wish to serve the Pharaoh and protect him at all costs, retrieve
your weapon and stand ready for battle."
She inhaled sharply as she saw him draw his sword, ready for combat she could tell. Reia always knew this day would come.
When she'd have to fight her own teacher, the one from whom she learned all her techniques and strategies. But there was one
thing he didn't teach her. Yami did - he taught her to fight with a brand new tenacity and will to live on.
Rising to her feet and standing straight in pride, she stepped towards her lance and lifted it into her grasp, the sleek
trinity of blades reflecting the dancing flames that surrounded them. Her emeralds glowed fiercely as she stared into what
she first determined an immediate defeat, but now a certain victory. "I will protect my Pharaoh, Master Derik, and I will
prove it."
Derik smirked and charged forward, his sword's long blade colliding with Reia's lance with a loud clang. Parry's and lunges
were exchanged equally as each managed to dodge successfully from the other's weapon, other guardians peering out of the shadows
to watch the duel of the best warriors take place.
Exhaustion refused to make its presence known in Reia's fierce strikes, each swing more than capable of decaptitating a
grown man, but being that Derik was her mentor, he too was skilled in that department. He jumped at her with a loud cry,
grinding his blade against her's before she pushed him off almost immediately to continue the match.
Losing patience, Derik swung his sword upwards to her face, Reia countering and ducking out of the
way just in time before the blade would graze her shoulder. She could sense his predictability of her moves and smirked as
he launched several lunges at her, when she decided to pull a new stunt. While blocking each attack, she slowly began to twirl
her lance around and around like a wheel, in turn forming an inpenetrable shield from his strikes.
He knew this move well. It was his own use of defense against an opponent. "Clever girl..."he said as he pulled back, her
pinwheel shield slowing cautiously, but not enough to still be vulnerable. Gathering his strength and concentration, Derik
threw one more powerful blast into her defense which brought the dizzying wheel to a sudden halt and their blades became entangled
in eachother, both fighting for the right of supremacy over the other.
Reia could feel her body weakening under his influence, the muscles in her arms and back ready to give way because of his
strength. But she refused to give in to defeat, not now when her Pharaoh needed her even more. "I will not be defeated, Master
Derik."she said with a smirk that caught him off guard, opening up her window of opportunity.
With a strong yank, she pulled with all her might and tossed off the sword from her lance's clutches, hearing it crash
down to the ground behind her. Reia now held the blades near his heart, all the while she heaved her shoulders and upper body
up and down with each exasporated breath she drew in. "It seems...I am the superior warrior, Master Derik."she said, almost
satirically.
He too breathed rather heavily, but managed to smile in reply. "Yes, I indeed taught you well, Reia."he spoke deeply, immediately
wiping the grin off his face when he spoke again. "I can never forgive you for the death of my daughter, because you were
not responsibile for her death. However..."
Reia caught the pause as a sign he was about to increase her duties again. Days ago she had figured out that it was he
who suggested to the Pharaoh she be his guardian of soul, telling his Greatness the tales of all her bravely fought battles
of the recent past. That little trickster, she mused to herself.
"...Now that Jade has journeyed on to the next life, the responsibility of protecting the Pharaoh now lies with you alone.
You must be willing to sacrifice yourself for his safety. Trust no one."he concluded as she nodded. "You may return to your
obligations."
As she turned to leave, a question she had been wanting to ask since her promotion rose into her mind and she looked back
at her teacher for the answer. "Master Derik...why is it you recommended me to be the Pharaoh's guardian instead Jade?"
He hid a chuckle behind a sigh as he replied with a stern, yet relieving grin. "Because I knew she'd fall in love with
him."
'Jade...fall in love with the Pharaoh...? How could he be sure that Jade would do such a thing?' "And...why didn't you
suspect me, Master?"
"You'd never fall in love, you're too serious. Now, go, Reia. The Pharaoh is unprotected."
Bowing slightly in return, she pivoted around and exited the temple, this time only one thought swimming in her head. Was
it true? Could she never fall in love...? What a depressing thought.
Meanwhile, Derik had returned to his reading of a text before him, completely unaware that a tall and dark figure had approached
him from behind. With a snarl, he swerved around and shouted up into the icy sapphires. "Who are y-y-y-you? ....lord Seth!"
Derik then immediately fell to his knees in respect for the unexpected arrival of the High Priest of Khemet. "What may I do
to honor you, my Priest?"he stumbled.
Seth laughed crudely and removed the hood concealing his head and boasted a fiendish smile to the cowering 'master' below
him. "You can start by telling me why this temple is here. I don't recall authorizing such an extravagant structure to be
built in the middle of a ring of cliffs I've never seen before."Seth seethed coldly.
"I...I can't tell you that, lord Seth. It is strictly forbidden for us to reveal the secret of this temple."Derik replied
shakily.
"Answer me now, you fool!!"Seth shot back, his voice now even louder than before as he lifted the elderly man with a single
hand. "Tell me the secret of this place, now!!!"
Derik cringed under his commanding voice, and struggled against Seth's strong grasp that began to choke him by the throat.
"Wh...when the time comes..."Derik started to say between gags. "..The Pharaoh will be...will be laid to rest here for...eter-"
Seth released Derik from his grasp, the old man's body completely still and all the guardians that hid in the shadows gasped
in horror that their master and keeper had been murdered by the Pharaoh's own high priest. Many drew their swords and charged
out into the open, but Seth just chuckled and lifted his hand as he shouted in the tongue. A roar then echoed in the temple
and a great beast of white emerged from nothingness, glaring down at the frightened warriors.
Some started to run away and scream for their lives to be spared, but Seth paid them no heed and continued to laugh when
he gave the command for his dragon to attack with full force. Arching its head upwards, the dragon shot a striking beam of
light down at the cowardly soldiers, each screeching in agony, while some managed to cry out a plea for help. But outside
the temple, no one could hear anything, not even Reia who was well into the dark maze...never to return.
After a few more moments of savoring his victory, Seth grinned in pride as he observed the damage his monster had done.
A massive gap was now formed in the floor, dividing passage into the main chamber where the Pharaoh would be laid to rest,
and not a single soul was left alive inside the nearly empty temple. Seth chuckled and reached out to stroke his dragon as
he spoke. "So this is where the Pharaoh will be put to rest for his journey into the afterlife, and I'll make sure that's
soon. But first things first, I must take care of business with a certain 'guardian of soul'."
Chuckling malevontly again, Seth climbed upon his dragon's back as it soared out of the temple and into the nighttime sky.
The high priest and his pet would deal with Reia back at the palace, then the Pharaoh would be next, rendering the throne
empty and ready for the taking.
