Contemplations in the Afterlife 03

Fandom: Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters

Genre: Romance, Angst

Description: Despite his love for Seto Kaiba, the Pharaoh Yami Yugi has decided to move on to the afterlife. Now, he feels regret for his decision, and prays for another chance for him and his beloved to be together.

Pairing: Seto Kaiba x Yami Yugi (Prideshipping)

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!

Contemplations in the Afterlife
by: scarlet wax petal

Click here to return to Chapter 2. Click here to see the Table of Contents.

I now faced the stone tablet that was the portal to my memories. On it was engraved a recording of the momentous battle between me and my high priest, who greatly resembled Seto Kaiba. The Blue Eyes White Dragon and the Dark Magician hovered above us, both posed for attack and ready to kill, protective of their masters. I touched the engraving of the high priest. I felt vague memories come back to me -- mostly vision, barely any emotion. I stood there for some time, thinking and praying, half-hoping that something would happen to prevent me from getting my memories now (just like what happened before conflict with Doma) and give me another opportunity to be with my beloved.

My prayers were not answered. I knew that I was destined to get my memories soon.

I turned to my friends and gave them a light nod. To them, the nod may have meant that I was ready to face the upcoming challenges. To me, it meant they should be ready for whatever may happen. I was aware that I might never come back from the portal, that the enemy might defeat me in the world of my memories and cause me to cease to exist. If that happened, then at least I had already said my farewell and, in doing so, entrusted the life of my hikari to his closest friends.

They nodded back. I turned to the stone tablet and showed it the God cards. A bright glow, and I was taken from my hikari's body and hurled into the world of my memories. Ancient Egypt, three thousand years in the past. I arrived at the moment of my induction as Pharaoh of Egypt.

Chapter 3: High Priest Seth

I was surprised to see familiar faces. My advisor Shimon resembled Sugoroku, while the guardian of the Millennium Necklace, Isis, resembled Ishizu Ishtar. And then there was Seth, the previous incarnation of Seto Kaiba. Guardian of the Millennium Rod. My High Priest. I held my breath when I first lay my eyes upon him, as he knelt before me. He was beautiful: tanned skin, firm muscles, meaningful blue eyes. He was tall, proud and handsome. I knew that he was, in many ways, like Seto Kaiba. He left many questions in my mind as I looked at him. What was my relationship with him? Was he merely a faithful servant, or was he a friend? Or did he rival me and seek my power, just like Seto Kaiba did?

More importantly, had I been in love with him? Had he been in love with me?

I cleared my throat and mustered authority in my voice. "Stand, Priest."

Seth stood to his full height. There was no hesitation in his movement. From the throne where I sat, I gazed into his eyes. They carried pride and authority, but barely any arrogance. In fact, there was no hint of defiance -- only willfull submission. It startled me. I thought I was seeing things wrong.

Seth must have noticed that I was looking at his eyes, and that he was looking back at mine, for I saw him flinch. I remembered from Yugi's history class that subjects were not allowed to look at the eyes of the Pharaoh, for it was disrespectful, a sign of challenging the power of the Pharaoh. In most cases, such a crime was punishable by death.

"Forgive me, Pharaoh," he said, as he diverted his gaze from mine, "for my insolence."

For a moment, I was taken aback. This was not how Kaiba would act. If this were Kaiba, he would go on gazing, challenging my endurance, awaiting the moment that I avert my gaze and surrender. Seth's actions surprised me, and for a moment, I sat there, frozen, not knowing what to do. Then, I realized my priests were waiting for my word. I collected myself and gave him a nod. "Forgiven. Go back to your post, Priest."

"Yes, my Lord." Once again, without hesitation, he walked to his post.

In the midst of joy and celebration, my nemesis appeared. It was the Thief King Bakura. I didn't know how he had managed to get past the heavy security of the palace, until Shadi, keeper of the Millennium Key, had identified that this man had tremendous evil powers. A battle ensued. I saw how Seth took charge. For a moment, I thought I saw Seto Kaiba. Seth masterfully commanded the other priests as well as his monsters. He showed gallantry, bravery and strength. I saw how loyal he was to the Pharaoh, doing everything to protect me, at the risk of his own life. He never wavered from this, even when they all fell at the power of Diabound.

I decided to take action and protect him. I called for the power of Obelisk. My priests stared in awe, even as the battle with Diabound ended with a draw and the Thief King Bakura was able to escape.

That evening, I called for Seth to my study. He arrived almost immediately. He reverently knelt before me, his head bowed down, looking at the floor near my feet.

"How may I serve my Pharaoh?" he asked, humility apparent in his voice.

"Stand, Priest," I said, in the same tone that I had used a while back.

Seth promptly stood. At least a foot taller than I was, the High Priest had an aura of confidence and bravery, yet before the Pharaoh he was servile and humble. Strange. I didn't know that those things could go together in one man. Seth must have been trained for this.

"Now look into my eyes," I commanded.

I saw his throat move, apparently in nervousness, but he obeyed. I looked back into his eyes. His gaze didn't shift, his expression didn't change. He was there, simply looking at my eyes, just as I had commanded. I examined his eyes. I had not seen wrong when I looked at them back in the throne room. I came to a conclusion: This man, Seth, willfully obeyed the Pharaoh as a loyal subject. He would do everything that the Pharaoh commanded, and do everything in his power in order to protect his Lord. Even if he has to die, even if the Pharaoh tells him to kill himself, he would do it. He never questioned what the Pharaoh said; he simply placed his full trust and faith in the wisdom of his Lord.

Just like any loyal subject would. I sighed, and told him that it was enough. I commanded him, instead, to sit beside me at my desk.

"Let's talk," I said.

"Talk of what, my Lord?" he asked.

I shrugged. "Anything. Tell me about yourself, Seth. Where were you born? How did you come to the palace, and how did you become my High Priest? What do you think of me? What do you feel about me?" I looked at his face. A puzzled expression was on it. I heaved a sigh, closed my eyes and smiled. "Ah, forgive me, I didn't mean to ask so many questions..."

"No, Pharaoh, you need not ask for my forgiveness. I shall answer as you desire..."

"I wish for you to answer me honestly. Do not hold back any information from me, nor bother to think about how I would react, whether I would be pleased or angered. Just answer me freely. All I desire is for you to tell me the full truth."

"Yes, my Lord." And Seth went on to answer my questions. I saw that his gaze was still downcast, and that he chose his words carefully, but other than that, I sensed that he was answering in full honesty.

I learned that Seth was born in a village nearby, and that he didn't grow to know his father. According to his mother, his father had died on the battlefield, a brave soldier of the Pharaoh. (Later on, we learned that Seth was the son of Akhnadin, my father's twin brother and another one of my priests. Apparently, he had left his wife and his only child -- whose existence the Palace never knew -- in order to create the Millennium items. Seth never got to know him as his father until Akhnadin had become corrupted by the Dark Lord and expressed his wish for his son to become Pharaoh.) When he was in his early teens, his mother died when the village was burned down. It was the night when he had saved the beautiful blue-eyed white-haired maiden, the mistress of the White Dragon.

Since then, he had relied on his own strength and intellect. He devoured information from books, and learned how to do armed and unarmed combat. During his fifteenth year, his prowess caught the attention of the Palace, and he underwent training to become a priest. His teacher was Akhnadin, a very good man whose skill, patience and counsel he greatly admired. He became my father's High Priest at the age of eighteen. Later on, he became my High Priest. He was twenty-one, three years my senior. (Seto Kaiba, on the other hand, was physically about my age.)

And what did he think about me? What did he feel about me? I was eager to know.

"You are a great Pharaoh, my Lord," he answered, "And I admire you. I look up to you as my role model. I wanted so much to be like you. I have heard much about you from my teachers, and they all praised you for being wise and strong beyond your years. I trust that you would lead this country to peace and progress, my Lord. That is my honest answer."

For one to say that he admired the Pharaoh and wanted to be so much like the Pharaoh may imply that he wanted to become Pharaoh -- a foolish and punishable thought. It would also have been wrong for the Pharaoh to learn that his teachers had talked about him behind his back, despite the praises. From there, I knew that Seth had answered me honestly.

"And what are your dreams for yourself?" I asked him.

"I dream that, someday, I would once again find the woman I love, marry her and have a family," he answered simply.

I nodded. After that, I dismissed him and retired for the night. As he went out the door, I realized that I didn't feel even a twinge of jealousy in knowing that Seth already loved someone else. And I knew why.

Because Seth was not the man I love.

(to be continued)

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