Contemplations in the Afterlife 10
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 9. Click here to see the Table of Contents.
Chapter 10: The Afterlife
"Welcome home, Pharaoh!" my loyal subjects said in unison as they all knelt reverently before me. There must have been thousands of them -- ranging from palace servants to commoners to my faithful priests -- welcoming me to the afterlife. It was a touching reality: to be reunited with all of these people for whom I had sacrificed my life and my soul three thousand years ago, and to find them happy and grateful for my efforts. I was now more assured than ever that each one of them was worth all the pain that I endured.
My father placed his arm around my shoulder. I looked up at him and smiled. And he smiled back. Through the light of the morning sun, I saw that my father was now younger than I ever remembered; why, his face seemed to have lost more than ten years, and we looked as if we were only brothers! Yet, unmistakably, he was my father; it showed in his eyes and in his smile, while I felt it -- and knew it -- in my heart.
My father, my priests and I were ushered to a huge room, with walls and floors made of large golden bricks that were painted with traditional designs of Ancient Egyptian times. In the middle of the room was a long banquet table -- coated with bronze and decorated with set baubles of sapphire, emerald and ruby -- upon which were courses of every description. The precious metals and jewels of the room shone with great intensity that they matched the glare of the morning sun, yet surprisingly, I felt no discomfort in its presence. With a motivating gesture from my father, I reluctantly sat at the end of the table, like I was the most esteemed person in the group, while my father took a length seat immediately at my right side. And all my priests and members of court took various seats along the length of the table. Seth, my High Priest, took the seat immediately to my left.
I looked at the people on the table, one by one. Their faces beamed with happiness and warmth, evidently awaiting my response.
"Well, what is all this for?" I asked.
Shada answered: "Every time a pharaoh passes on to the afterlife, a huge feast is held in his honor. It is a tradition here in the afterlife, in celebration of a successful journey from the physical world. A similar banquet had been held before for the Pharaoh Akhnamkanum, who was before you, and the Pharaoh Seth, who was after you." Both my father and Seth nodded in agreement.
"We have been preparing for this feast for the past three thousand years," Isis calmly added. "We all hope that you'll enjoy it, my Lord."
I nodded. "I know I shall. Let us all feast then." I raised my goblet, which was filled with fragrant red wine, and then drank. I absentmindedly licked my lips; the wine was the best that I had ever smelled and tasted. Everyone did as I did.
We all feasted on salads and meat pies and fruit and wine. No food on Earth came close in quality to the food on the banquet. I started to think that everything in the afterlife was indeed perfect.
And yet... There were many questions in my mind. Questions nagging, waiting impatiently to be answered.
But I had more patience. I felt that this banquet was not the proper venue for my questions, since everyone didn't seem to be eager to talk about serious matters. So I decided to relax and have fun and keep the questions at bay, for the time being.
The banquet had been an entertaining affair. There were dancers and jesters and acrobats who performed one breathtaking act after another. I was so amused by their performance, that I called for them and praised them one by one. It was evident in their actions that they were pleased that I was pleased; they each bowed down many times and thanked me more than twice as much. I couldn't help but smile at their appreciation.
My priests and members of court also swapped stories and jokes, like they usually did during banquets held in my father's honor back on Earth. As for my case, the banquet that was held in my honor back then had become a venue for serious discussion on how to defeat the Thief King Bakura and his invincible Diabound. No wonder I appreciated this afterlife banquet so much. Furthermore, I noticed that everyone was more at ease with each other, with members of court freely and unabashedly joking with Seth and my father, who both seemed to appreciate the humor even at their expense. Before, everyone had seemed to follow some code of honor, and had reservations with their words. Apparently, rank didn't matter here as much as it had mattered on Earth. Or perhaps everyone have just had too much to drink.
When the meal was over, and the servants have cleaned the table and dealt with the leftovers, I personally asked Seth to tour me in the afterlife. Being a former Pharaoh, and my former High Priest, he was best suited for the task, in my opinion. He should be able to answer my questions, which I should be able to ask with ease.
We spent about an hour walking around vast gardens of lilies of various colors, with petals swaying lightly with the morning breeze, and date trees lush with fruit. Seth, who walked reverently at my right and a few steps behind, introduced me to everything and everyone that we passed by as we headed for the river. I couldn't help but notice that everything seemed similar to the Ancient Egypt that I had ruled over.
If only these were the streets of Domino, and the man at my side were Seto Kaiba... I bit my lip and closed my eyes, as I tried to shut the thought away.
"Are you well, my Lord?" Seth asked in a concerned tone. "Perhaps, we should be going back..."
"Oh no, I'm fine," I said in reply. "Let us proceed." Seth and I continued to walk until we reached the riverbanks. It reminded me greatly of the Nile. I gestured for both of us to sit, and he followed. And as we sat there, staring at the clear blue water, I asked Seth about what had happened after I had sacrificed my soul to the Millennium Puzzle.
According to Seth, he found out from reading the archives of the afterlife library that peace reigned in Egypt for a few hundred years, while the people remembered my sacrifice in their hearts and dedicated themselves towards building and maintaining an orderly nation. However, as time passed by, the people began to forget, and started to become corrupted by evil, indulging in sin and vices and irresponsibility. The once flourishing nation of Egypt started to deteriorate. And then, one evening, invaders came from the desert and ransacked the villages, and soon, the Palace. The people were caught unaware, unready. In panic, they tried to remember what they had forgotten. But it was too late. Egypt had already fallen.
As he narrated, I nodded every once in a while, recognizing many of what he had told me from lessons in Yugi's history class.
"And how was your reign? Tell me," I asked him interestedly.
I noticed him sigh, a small smile upon his lips and a sparkle in his eyes. "I did my best to continue your legacy, my Lord," he replied. "The people were strongly united. Invaders frequently came to our lands, but we managed to drive them away. I believe my reign had been peaceful. And progressive in the arts and sciences. I am proud of my reign, my Lord. And it was all thanks to you."
"And I am also proud of you, Seth," I said. "I have not been here for a day, yet I could see that the people clearly love you. How did your life proceed? Did you have a family?"
The smile left his face, and he became more solemn -- even sad. "I never forgot about Kisara," he said, referring to the mistress of the White Dragon, "and I loved her until my dying day. Her spirit rested in me, and I was content to have her. But I had to have an heir, so I was forced to marry a young girl, a priestess-in-training and a friend of mine. She was beautiful and intelligent and kind, and resembled Kisara in many ways, but..." his voice trailing, as he rested his chin upon his knees, "she wasn't Kisara, and I never loved her. And she never loved me."
"I understand..." I whispered, remembering Seto Kaiba as I glanced empathically at Seth.
He hugged his knees with his arms. "We were both clear about it even before our wedding day. The girl even had a certain young man in her heart, and I told her many times that she may break our engagement and marry her love without fear of punishment. But she, like I, was determined to make sacrifices for the sake of the nation. And so, we were married and she bore me a son, who took over the throne when I passed away from fever at the age of thirty-five. He was only nine years old then."
"Is your family here in the afterlife?"
"Yes, my Lord," he said, smiling more brightly now, "and my wife has never been happier. She is now reunited with her true love. And so am I."
"I see..." I muttered, pleased that my first -- and most important -- question has been answered. Then, I noted something: "Seth, why do you -- like all the others -- continue to refer to me as your Lord, whereas you were, like me, a Pharaoh?"
"Because you have been the greatest Pharaoh," he answered simply. "No Pharaoh ever matched you in what you have done for Egypt."
"Speaking of which, is the afterlife really in the image of Egypt?"
"In this part of the afterlife, it is, my Lord."
"So there are other worlds in the afterlife?" I inquired, a sudden concern creeping through my heart.
"Yes, my Lord," he replied. "There are hundreds, each like a civilization in the physical world. When a person dies, his spirit goes to the world where his heart tells it to go, and it is almost always the civilization where he lived. But it was different in your case, my Lord, since you were bound to the Millennium Puzzle for three thousand years. You came to this world because we, your subjects, were the ones who led you here. Furthermore, in the afterlife, everyone looks as if they are at the prime of their life, regardless of their age at death." That explains why my father looks so young...
"The cause of death doesn't matter either," Seth continued. "What matters more is how one lived his life. Many are spending time in the dungeons because of evil that they have not yet paid for when they were still living. The time that they spend in the dungeons depends on the severity of their sins. On the other hand, those who have gained much merit when they were still living reign in the afterlife." I wondered if Bakura is locked up in a dungeon somewhere...
"Is it possible for a spirit to go from one world in the afterlife to another?" I asked, noticing some panic in my voice.
"It is," Seth replied. I suddenly felt relieved. "Even for you, my Lord, who came here due to special circumstances. But the spirit has to desire it so much. If it is merely for shallow reasons, like curiosity, then it cannot be done."
"I see..." My voice trailed off as I began to ponder.
My thoughts were broken by Seth's voice. "May I inquire something of you, my Lord? Something personal?"
I raised an eyebrow. This was the first time a subject of mine would ever ask a personal question. "Go ahead."
"Are you concerned because of Seto Kaiba?" he calmly asked. "Do you love him, my Lord?"
My eyes widened, as I stared dumbstruck at my High Priest.
(to be continued)
Click here to proceed to Chapter 11. Click here to see the Table of Contents.
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 9. Click here to see the Table of Contents.
Chapter 10: The Afterlife
"Welcome home, Pharaoh!" my loyal subjects said in unison as they all knelt reverently before me. There must have been thousands of them -- ranging from palace servants to commoners to my faithful priests -- welcoming me to the afterlife. It was a touching reality: to be reunited with all of these people for whom I had sacrificed my life and my soul three thousand years ago, and to find them happy and grateful for my efforts. I was now more assured than ever that each one of them was worth all the pain that I endured.
My father placed his arm around my shoulder. I looked up at him and smiled. And he smiled back. Through the light of the morning sun, I saw that my father was now younger than I ever remembered; why, his face seemed to have lost more than ten years, and we looked as if we were only brothers! Yet, unmistakably, he was my father; it showed in his eyes and in his smile, while I felt it -- and knew it -- in my heart.
My father, my priests and I were ushered to a huge room, with walls and floors made of large golden bricks that were painted with traditional designs of Ancient Egyptian times. In the middle of the room was a long banquet table -- coated with bronze and decorated with set baubles of sapphire, emerald and ruby -- upon which were courses of every description. The precious metals and jewels of the room shone with great intensity that they matched the glare of the morning sun, yet surprisingly, I felt no discomfort in its presence. With a motivating gesture from my father, I reluctantly sat at the end of the table, like I was the most esteemed person in the group, while my father took a length seat immediately at my right side. And all my priests and members of court took various seats along the length of the table. Seth, my High Priest, took the seat immediately to my left.
I looked at the people on the table, one by one. Their faces beamed with happiness and warmth, evidently awaiting my response.
"Well, what is all this for?" I asked.
Shada answered: "Every time a pharaoh passes on to the afterlife, a huge feast is held in his honor. It is a tradition here in the afterlife, in celebration of a successful journey from the physical world. A similar banquet had been held before for the Pharaoh Akhnamkanum, who was before you, and the Pharaoh Seth, who was after you." Both my father and Seth nodded in agreement.
"We have been preparing for this feast for the past three thousand years," Isis calmly added. "We all hope that you'll enjoy it, my Lord."
I nodded. "I know I shall. Let us all feast then." I raised my goblet, which was filled with fragrant red wine, and then drank. I absentmindedly licked my lips; the wine was the best that I had ever smelled and tasted. Everyone did as I did.
We all feasted on salads and meat pies and fruit and wine. No food on Earth came close in quality to the food on the banquet. I started to think that everything in the afterlife was indeed perfect.
And yet... There were many questions in my mind. Questions nagging, waiting impatiently to be answered.
But I had more patience. I felt that this banquet was not the proper venue for my questions, since everyone didn't seem to be eager to talk about serious matters. So I decided to relax and have fun and keep the questions at bay, for the time being.
The banquet had been an entertaining affair. There were dancers and jesters and acrobats who performed one breathtaking act after another. I was so amused by their performance, that I called for them and praised them one by one. It was evident in their actions that they were pleased that I was pleased; they each bowed down many times and thanked me more than twice as much. I couldn't help but smile at their appreciation.
My priests and members of court also swapped stories and jokes, like they usually did during banquets held in my father's honor back on Earth. As for my case, the banquet that was held in my honor back then had become a venue for serious discussion on how to defeat the Thief King Bakura and his invincible Diabound. No wonder I appreciated this afterlife banquet so much. Furthermore, I noticed that everyone was more at ease with each other, with members of court freely and unabashedly joking with Seth and my father, who both seemed to appreciate the humor even at their expense. Before, everyone had seemed to follow some code of honor, and had reservations with their words. Apparently, rank didn't matter here as much as it had mattered on Earth. Or perhaps everyone have just had too much to drink.
When the meal was over, and the servants have cleaned the table and dealt with the leftovers, I personally asked Seth to tour me in the afterlife. Being a former Pharaoh, and my former High Priest, he was best suited for the task, in my opinion. He should be able to answer my questions, which I should be able to ask with ease.
We spent about an hour walking around vast gardens of lilies of various colors, with petals swaying lightly with the morning breeze, and date trees lush with fruit. Seth, who walked reverently at my right and a few steps behind, introduced me to everything and everyone that we passed by as we headed for the river. I couldn't help but notice that everything seemed similar to the Ancient Egypt that I had ruled over.
If only these were the streets of Domino, and the man at my side were Seto Kaiba... I bit my lip and closed my eyes, as I tried to shut the thought away.
"Are you well, my Lord?" Seth asked in a concerned tone. "Perhaps, we should be going back..."
"Oh no, I'm fine," I said in reply. "Let us proceed." Seth and I continued to walk until we reached the riverbanks. It reminded me greatly of the Nile. I gestured for both of us to sit, and he followed. And as we sat there, staring at the clear blue water, I asked Seth about what had happened after I had sacrificed my soul to the Millennium Puzzle.
According to Seth, he found out from reading the archives of the afterlife library that peace reigned in Egypt for a few hundred years, while the people remembered my sacrifice in their hearts and dedicated themselves towards building and maintaining an orderly nation. However, as time passed by, the people began to forget, and started to become corrupted by evil, indulging in sin and vices and irresponsibility. The once flourishing nation of Egypt started to deteriorate. And then, one evening, invaders came from the desert and ransacked the villages, and soon, the Palace. The people were caught unaware, unready. In panic, they tried to remember what they had forgotten. But it was too late. Egypt had already fallen.
As he narrated, I nodded every once in a while, recognizing many of what he had told me from lessons in Yugi's history class.
"And how was your reign? Tell me," I asked him interestedly.
I noticed him sigh, a small smile upon his lips and a sparkle in his eyes. "I did my best to continue your legacy, my Lord," he replied. "The people were strongly united. Invaders frequently came to our lands, but we managed to drive them away. I believe my reign had been peaceful. And progressive in the arts and sciences. I am proud of my reign, my Lord. And it was all thanks to you."
"And I am also proud of you, Seth," I said. "I have not been here for a day, yet I could see that the people clearly love you. How did your life proceed? Did you have a family?"
The smile left his face, and he became more solemn -- even sad. "I never forgot about Kisara," he said, referring to the mistress of the White Dragon, "and I loved her until my dying day. Her spirit rested in me, and I was content to have her. But I had to have an heir, so I was forced to marry a young girl, a priestess-in-training and a friend of mine. She was beautiful and intelligent and kind, and resembled Kisara in many ways, but..." his voice trailing, as he rested his chin upon his knees, "she wasn't Kisara, and I never loved her. And she never loved me."
"I understand..." I whispered, remembering Seto Kaiba as I glanced empathically at Seth.
He hugged his knees with his arms. "We were both clear about it even before our wedding day. The girl even had a certain young man in her heart, and I told her many times that she may break our engagement and marry her love without fear of punishment. But she, like I, was determined to make sacrifices for the sake of the nation. And so, we were married and she bore me a son, who took over the throne when I passed away from fever at the age of thirty-five. He was only nine years old then."
"Is your family here in the afterlife?"
"Yes, my Lord," he said, smiling more brightly now, "and my wife has never been happier. She is now reunited with her true love. And so am I."
"I see..." I muttered, pleased that my first -- and most important -- question has been answered. Then, I noted something: "Seth, why do you -- like all the others -- continue to refer to me as your Lord, whereas you were, like me, a Pharaoh?"
"Because you have been the greatest Pharaoh," he answered simply. "No Pharaoh ever matched you in what you have done for Egypt."
"Speaking of which, is the afterlife really in the image of Egypt?"
"In this part of the afterlife, it is, my Lord."
"So there are other worlds in the afterlife?" I inquired, a sudden concern creeping through my heart.
"Yes, my Lord," he replied. "There are hundreds, each like a civilization in the physical world. When a person dies, his spirit goes to the world where his heart tells it to go, and it is almost always the civilization where he lived. But it was different in your case, my Lord, since you were bound to the Millennium Puzzle for three thousand years. You came to this world because we, your subjects, were the ones who led you here. Furthermore, in the afterlife, everyone looks as if they are at the prime of their life, regardless of their age at death." That explains why my father looks so young...
"The cause of death doesn't matter either," Seth continued. "What matters more is how one lived his life. Many are spending time in the dungeons because of evil that they have not yet paid for when they were still living. The time that they spend in the dungeons depends on the severity of their sins. On the other hand, those who have gained much merit when they were still living reign in the afterlife." I wondered if Bakura is locked up in a dungeon somewhere...
"Is it possible for a spirit to go from one world in the afterlife to another?" I asked, noticing some panic in my voice.
"It is," Seth replied. I suddenly felt relieved. "Even for you, my Lord, who came here due to special circumstances. But the spirit has to desire it so much. If it is merely for shallow reasons, like curiosity, then it cannot be done."
"I see..." My voice trailed off as I began to ponder.
My thoughts were broken by Seth's voice. "May I inquire something of you, my Lord? Something personal?"
I raised an eyebrow. This was the first time a subject of mine would ever ask a personal question. "Go ahead."
"Are you concerned because of Seto Kaiba?" he calmly asked. "Do you love him, my Lord?"
My eyes widened, as I stared dumbstruck at my High Priest.
(to be continued)
Click here to proceed to Chapter 11. Click here to see the Table of Contents.
posted by cent @ 1:12 PM
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