The Young God
Chapter 1
Seto looked around as he went through the town. He inspected several artifacts politely but didn't buy anything.
' Awfully good.' He thought to himself silently. ' It took them long enough to realize that seeds make new crops. But still, this is good.' He looked up at the temples far ahead. ' Very good.'
He was very happy so far. Overall everything seemed decent. He was so nervous at first, but now he felt reassured. Sure, some boys look slightly too thin to his liking, but then, starvation happens all the time, even lower animals.
" Did you hear?" Seto stopped, and tuned his ear to listen to the gossipers. " The Pharoah just killed his High Priest. Who is going to subsitute him?"
" I don't know." Said the other man. " Perhaps one of the lower ones. Why did he kill him?"
" Said to have rebelled. Tried to take over the Pharoah's position. The pharoah's a young kid, you know. But boy is he smart!"
' Funny.' Seto thought to himself. ' The gods never mentioned that there was such a thing. A Pharaoh? And a young boy? Hm. If the Pharaoh can kill other people just to rebel, and if other people want his position so much, then perhaps the Pharaoh is an important person.'
" So now the sons of the other priests are competing, you know." The gossiper went on. " They are seeing who is favored by the gods and who has the most magic."
At this Seto stopped briefly. Favored by the gods? The gods don't favor anyone. Hm...
' If I become High Priest,' Seto thought, ' I can discover more about the humans, after all that was what the Council want me to bring. The Pharaoh should know just about everything that's going on in this land. It shouldn't be too hard. It might be a good start.' He shivered. ' I wish they didn't send me here all alone.'
Belumfel blinked as he watched the duel.
" I summon the Swords of Revealing Light!" Cried a youngster, even though he was even older then Belumfel himself. The youngster on the opposite wasn't fazed.
Belumfel looked at him curiously. That one had brown hair and the most startling blue eyes. He was quite young, about thirteen or so. He called himself Seto Kaiba. That didn't sound native, but perhaps he was mixed. Seto had been dueling very well, and had an aura of mystery about him. There was something alien too. He had a thoughtful and wise expression, rarely smiled, and rarely spoke unless he needed to.
The Pharaoh secretly liked the boy and hoped he would win. He looked like an honest being.
" For my next move," Said Seto, " I place Dark Magician in defense mode. I also play spell, or a trap, facing away. I now rest my turn."
The other one blinked. " You are dead. I summon Exodia!" Belumfel snapped out of his thoughts at the name. Exodia! So that was where the second one went!
Seto tilted his head thoughtfully at the other boy. He then turned his eyes and looked directly at the Pharoah. Belumfel felt a knot form in his stomach as he stared into those orbs. The boy pardoned the pharaoh and turned back.
" Exodia! Destroy that Dark Magician!"
" I have a spell, remember?" Seto smirked. " Reflection. It reflects every attack that comes to my monster."
" Oh no..." The other boy blinked, horrified, as Exodia's own attack came back to destroy it.
' Hm.' Seto thought to himself. ' This is only a tablet game after all. Sure it includes some magical spells, but why are these people so serious about it? I have a bad feeling about the pharaoh. Funny, didn't know humans can actually have red eyes. He's special, but he knows too much. I heard he was eighteen years old. That's awfully young for a ruler.'
" Wonderful." Belumfel stood. He began to announce the new High Priest, but Seto wasn't really listening. He was pondering on his own motives.
' If he finds out I'm an immortal,' Seto thought to himself, ' The others are going to get me for this; unless he promises not to tell. But pharaoh's don't make promises...that's what I heard. It's not fair! How come all the other young gods get to go with partners, and I have to go alone on this one?'
But he knew the answer. It's because he was the smartest.
Belumfel studied the child that had come into his room. He looked up from the paperwork and leaned back.
" Well, Seto." He began. " I trust you've made yourself comfortable in your new home."
Silence. The boy's head remained bowed in respect, but he noticed there was something in his posture that suggests pride.
Belumfel found this quite strange. First, Seto was too young to be a High Priest, and yet he defeated everyone in the competition of shadow magic. Also, Seto had not been completely responsive during the ritual, as if he was preoccupied. Thirdly, there was something about Seto that seemed too beautiful to be human.
" Come, sit." Belumfel offered.
Seto blinked, looking up for the first time, and their powerful eyes met. Seto hesitantly obeyed. Belumfel tried to hide his curiosity, appearing relaxed as to not agitate the young priest.
" Who is your father?"
Seto thought quickly. " My father died three years ago." He answered. " He disappeared."
Belumfel instantly knew that he was not a son of a priest. Still he looked relaxed, almost bored. But inside he was stirred with questions. How can a boy possess so much intellect and magic if he has no noble blood?
" Your name does not sound Egyptian." Belumfel continued. " Where do you come from?"
" I come from a land in the east." Belumfel nodded. " My father was a king outside the borders of this land. His people rebelled against him and he ran away with the entire royal family. But one day we lost him in the woods. He was never found."
Belumfel looked silently at the boy.
' He's a good liar.' Belumfel realized. ' Obviously he has some secret that cannot be shared. His face is too pale to be relaxed.' But outside he said nothing.
If Belumfel had been slightly unobservant, he would have thought the child's answer made sense. And it does, it explained why he had magic and why his name was alient to his land, plus it also spoke of why Belumfel never heard of his father. But it didn't explain where the child's family were, and since Duel Monsters was a game known only to Egyptians, it didn't explain the child's talent.
He didn't ask any questions on the matter so the boy could relax more. But the boy seemed nervous all the same. It seemed suddenly the child realized what state he was in and wasn't prepared for it.
' Strange.' Belumfel thought. ' Why would he try out for High Priest if he wasn't native? But no matter. This boy obviously doesn't understand the laws of this land, and isn't familiar with our customs.'
" Come here." Belumfel beckoned.
Seto blinked. What does he want? The Pharaoh rose, his red eyes gleaming in the candlelight. He held out his hand, taking the boy's hand into his, and looked deeply into his eyes.
Seto met the pharaoh's stare steadily, aware of its strength but not daunted by it. He knew the strength of his own eyes, and the pharaoh is but a mortal.
" You are very bright." The pharaoh said gravely. " But also very innocent and ignorant. The High Priest cannot be ignorant. I will give you a chance. The tests will come, little one, and it will take a good deal of your brains."
Seto understood what the pharaoh meant the next day. None of the priests respected him. He was but a young child, after all, and all of the priests muttered about how they want to be high priest, or their children.
At this Seto wavered a little. The gods are not going to like this. The humans carry too much greed. How was he supposed to fight them without his powers?
But he had powers. He was to use them only in emergencies. Seto thought for a minute as the priests bowed before him, some muttering, and then sat down before the Pharaoh, who eyed him warily.
The Egyptian " gods" were curious beings, with bodies of humans and heads of animals. Seto had spent some time alone at night looking at the carvings on the walls, and the pictures of the afterlife. Truly curious, the entire religion, for it was half wrong and half right. He felt it was mighty interesting how complicated the humans have become, but felt even more lonely. How was he going to adapt?
" Your suggestion, my lord?" Asked one of the priests, sneeringly almost. The pharaoh glared at him but said nothing.
Seto hesitated before answering.
" Bring the soldiers across the Nile." He said slowly. " Carry straws, and pretend to surrender to the barbarians. Attach to the back of the boats smaller canoes. When most of the soldiers are loaded, set fire to the boat. Cut off the ropes and send the fires to the enemy."
It was about the nomads west of Egypt across the Nile. They were trying to raise war on Egypt, and they had great numbers and sophisticated ships. Belumfel blinked at Seto in surprise. He didn't know that the young priest got this idea when he looked deep into his mind to see the world as a whole.
" It shall be done as so." Belumfel rose. " Adjourned!"
Seto trembled as he entered his room and sat down. ' This could be the end. The priests will revolt against me.'
Belumfel looked at the boy from behind and lowered his eyes in sympathy. The boy knew what he did. Poor child.
Seto sighed and sat down on the bed, and began to write. Belumfel crept against the wall, hiding himself. Seto wrote on for a while, and then reached out over to the balconey. There was a soft chant, and a bird flew onto the rail. The red eyed pharaoh blinked and gasped in surprise as the bird took the papyrus in its beak and flew off into the sky.
After the sight Belumfel left. But he knew he would find out who Seto was. Somehow.
Chapter 1
Seto looked around as he went through the town. He inspected several artifacts politely but didn't buy anything.
' Awfully good.' He thought to himself silently. ' It took them long enough to realize that seeds make new crops. But still, this is good.' He looked up at the temples far ahead. ' Very good.'
He was very happy so far. Overall everything seemed decent. He was so nervous at first, but now he felt reassured. Sure, some boys look slightly too thin to his liking, but then, starvation happens all the time, even lower animals.
" Did you hear?" Seto stopped, and tuned his ear to listen to the gossipers. " The Pharoah just killed his High Priest. Who is going to subsitute him?"
" I don't know." Said the other man. " Perhaps one of the lower ones. Why did he kill him?"
" Said to have rebelled. Tried to take over the Pharoah's position. The pharoah's a young kid, you know. But boy is he smart!"
' Funny.' Seto thought to himself. ' The gods never mentioned that there was such a thing. A Pharaoh? And a young boy? Hm. If the Pharaoh can kill other people just to rebel, and if other people want his position so much, then perhaps the Pharaoh is an important person.'
" So now the sons of the other priests are competing, you know." The gossiper went on. " They are seeing who is favored by the gods and who has the most magic."
At this Seto stopped briefly. Favored by the gods? The gods don't favor anyone. Hm...
' If I become High Priest,' Seto thought, ' I can discover more about the humans, after all that was what the Council want me to bring. The Pharaoh should know just about everything that's going on in this land. It shouldn't be too hard. It might be a good start.' He shivered. ' I wish they didn't send me here all alone.'
Belumfel blinked as he watched the duel.
" I summon the Swords of Revealing Light!" Cried a youngster, even though he was even older then Belumfel himself. The youngster on the opposite wasn't fazed.
Belumfel looked at him curiously. That one had brown hair and the most startling blue eyes. He was quite young, about thirteen or so. He called himself Seto Kaiba. That didn't sound native, but perhaps he was mixed. Seto had been dueling very well, and had an aura of mystery about him. There was something alien too. He had a thoughtful and wise expression, rarely smiled, and rarely spoke unless he needed to.
The Pharaoh secretly liked the boy and hoped he would win. He looked like an honest being.
" For my next move," Said Seto, " I place Dark Magician in defense mode. I also play spell, or a trap, facing away. I now rest my turn."
The other one blinked. " You are dead. I summon Exodia!" Belumfel snapped out of his thoughts at the name. Exodia! So that was where the second one went!
Seto tilted his head thoughtfully at the other boy. He then turned his eyes and looked directly at the Pharoah. Belumfel felt a knot form in his stomach as he stared into those orbs. The boy pardoned the pharaoh and turned back.
" Exodia! Destroy that Dark Magician!"
" I have a spell, remember?" Seto smirked. " Reflection. It reflects every attack that comes to my monster."
" Oh no..." The other boy blinked, horrified, as Exodia's own attack came back to destroy it.
' Hm.' Seto thought to himself. ' This is only a tablet game after all. Sure it includes some magical spells, but why are these people so serious about it? I have a bad feeling about the pharaoh. Funny, didn't know humans can actually have red eyes. He's special, but he knows too much. I heard he was eighteen years old. That's awfully young for a ruler.'
" Wonderful." Belumfel stood. He began to announce the new High Priest, but Seto wasn't really listening. He was pondering on his own motives.
' If he finds out I'm an immortal,' Seto thought to himself, ' The others are going to get me for this; unless he promises not to tell. But pharaoh's don't make promises...that's what I heard. It's not fair! How come all the other young gods get to go with partners, and I have to go alone on this one?'
But he knew the answer. It's because he was the smartest.
Belumfel studied the child that had come into his room. He looked up from the paperwork and leaned back.
" Well, Seto." He began. " I trust you've made yourself comfortable in your new home."
Silence. The boy's head remained bowed in respect, but he noticed there was something in his posture that suggests pride.
Belumfel found this quite strange. First, Seto was too young to be a High Priest, and yet he defeated everyone in the competition of shadow magic. Also, Seto had not been completely responsive during the ritual, as if he was preoccupied. Thirdly, there was something about Seto that seemed too beautiful to be human.
" Come, sit." Belumfel offered.
Seto blinked, looking up for the first time, and their powerful eyes met. Seto hesitantly obeyed. Belumfel tried to hide his curiosity, appearing relaxed as to not agitate the young priest.
" Who is your father?"
Seto thought quickly. " My father died three years ago." He answered. " He disappeared."
Belumfel instantly knew that he was not a son of a priest. Still he looked relaxed, almost bored. But inside he was stirred with questions. How can a boy possess so much intellect and magic if he has no noble blood?
" Your name does not sound Egyptian." Belumfel continued. " Where do you come from?"
" I come from a land in the east." Belumfel nodded. " My father was a king outside the borders of this land. His people rebelled against him and he ran away with the entire royal family. But one day we lost him in the woods. He was never found."
Belumfel looked silently at the boy.
' He's a good liar.' Belumfel realized. ' Obviously he has some secret that cannot be shared. His face is too pale to be relaxed.' But outside he said nothing.
If Belumfel had been slightly unobservant, he would have thought the child's answer made sense. And it does, it explained why he had magic and why his name was alient to his land, plus it also spoke of why Belumfel never heard of his father. But it didn't explain where the child's family were, and since Duel Monsters was a game known only to Egyptians, it didn't explain the child's talent.
He didn't ask any questions on the matter so the boy could relax more. But the boy seemed nervous all the same. It seemed suddenly the child realized what state he was in and wasn't prepared for it.
' Strange.' Belumfel thought. ' Why would he try out for High Priest if he wasn't native? But no matter. This boy obviously doesn't understand the laws of this land, and isn't familiar with our customs.'
" Come here." Belumfel beckoned.
Seto blinked. What does he want? The Pharaoh rose, his red eyes gleaming in the candlelight. He held out his hand, taking the boy's hand into his, and looked deeply into his eyes.
Seto met the pharaoh's stare steadily, aware of its strength but not daunted by it. He knew the strength of his own eyes, and the pharaoh is but a mortal.
" You are very bright." The pharaoh said gravely. " But also very innocent and ignorant. The High Priest cannot be ignorant. I will give you a chance. The tests will come, little one, and it will take a good deal of your brains."
Seto understood what the pharaoh meant the next day. None of the priests respected him. He was but a young child, after all, and all of the priests muttered about how they want to be high priest, or their children.
At this Seto wavered a little. The gods are not going to like this. The humans carry too much greed. How was he supposed to fight them without his powers?
But he had powers. He was to use them only in emergencies. Seto thought for a minute as the priests bowed before him, some muttering, and then sat down before the Pharaoh, who eyed him warily.
The Egyptian " gods" were curious beings, with bodies of humans and heads of animals. Seto had spent some time alone at night looking at the carvings on the walls, and the pictures of the afterlife. Truly curious, the entire religion, for it was half wrong and half right. He felt it was mighty interesting how complicated the humans have become, but felt even more lonely. How was he going to adapt?
" Your suggestion, my lord?" Asked one of the priests, sneeringly almost. The pharaoh glared at him but said nothing.
Seto hesitated before answering.
" Bring the soldiers across the Nile." He said slowly. " Carry straws, and pretend to surrender to the barbarians. Attach to the back of the boats smaller canoes. When most of the soldiers are loaded, set fire to the boat. Cut off the ropes and send the fires to the enemy."
It was about the nomads west of Egypt across the Nile. They were trying to raise war on Egypt, and they had great numbers and sophisticated ships. Belumfel blinked at Seto in surprise. He didn't know that the young priest got this idea when he looked deep into his mind to see the world as a whole.
" It shall be done as so." Belumfel rose. " Adjourned!"
Seto trembled as he entered his room and sat down. ' This could be the end. The priests will revolt against me.'
Belumfel looked at the boy from behind and lowered his eyes in sympathy. The boy knew what he did. Poor child.
Seto sighed and sat down on the bed, and began to write. Belumfel crept against the wall, hiding himself. Seto wrote on for a while, and then reached out over to the balconey. There was a soft chant, and a bird flew onto the rail. The red eyed pharaoh blinked and gasped in surprise as the bird took the papyrus in its beak and flew off into the sky.
After the sight Belumfel left. But he knew he would find out who Seto was. Somehow.