Disclaimer: The characters and cards from the Yu-Gi-Oh verse belong solely to Kazuki Takahashi. All human characters past and present are his and are merely borrowed to write this amateur story.
Sky Dragon of Osiris is the Japanese name for Sliffer the Sky Dragon in the English version.
Prologue
In a time long ago before the great pyramid was a twinkling in Khufu's eyes; before the Egyptians found their way to the banks of the life-giving Nile. Even before the great creator gods themselves, emerged from the waters of Nu. There was the law of leadership. Only the strongest and most courageous could be deemed worthy of leadership. Should the leader's strength or courage be questioned, a younger, stronger man would challenge his right to rule. If he was not prepared to answer the youth that day, his reign would end and he would be cast aside like a bone shard too small for even a needle. But should he accept and be defeated in an honorable duel, he would be accepted back into the tribe and looked to for guidance and wisdom. The challenger would take up the mantle of leadership as the new pharaoh.
Ch. 1 The Journey Begins
A shadow, dark as a cloudy night and as vile as the black sludge of the other world, slithered unseen down the ancient stone steps of a once beautiful temple, now buried under miles of sand. As it moved, not even the many layers of dust were roused from their centuries of sleep. It followed twelve sets of footprints down into the belly of the temple of Geb. Voices drifted up from below, calling out battle commands as steel clashed upon steel and explosions rang out their thunderous call. Downward into the greater darkness the shadow passed, avoiding any possible touch of light that the ceremonial torches might cast.
Reaching ground level, the shadow passed the Guardian Spirit of Ages, who stood strong against the ravages of time, preventing the stones themselves from aging and collapsing before the temples purpose was fulfilled. Here Shadi stood, vigilant against any who might intrude upon this sacred moment. Yet, even he could not sense the danger that simply passed him by as it silently approached the "Shrine of the Millennium Items".
The shadow ignored the extraordinarily high vaulted ceiling. It passed through the luxuriously engraved columns covered in depictions of ancient Egyptian life. It didn't even pause to reflect on the religious ramifications of the pillars presence. The fact that they were a representation of the eternal separation of the earth god Geb from his wife, the sky goddess Nut, didn't even cross its mind. It paid no heed to the elegance of its surroundings as it slithered with sinister purpose ever closer to the front of the temple proper. Finally, the shadow stopped just at the edge where the fire light beat back against the darkness. There, before a great stone slab, two combatants were locked in a game of cards and strategy. Silently it watched as Monster cards rose and fell; as Magic and Trap cards were utilized to gain an edge. It waited with hungry eyes locked on the smaller of the two, virtually identical, combatants. Its fingers silently messaged the sword at its side. "Sssoon," It purred, "My massster will have hisss desssire."
With calm certitude the once mighty Pharaoh of Egypt spoke. "From my hand, I play the magic card Monster Reborn. Now return to the field, Sky Dragon of Osiris!" No longer dressed in the regal robes befitting his office, he wore the same modern-day school uniform as his opponent. His shoulders and head were held high in the regal confidence befitting a king as his voice exuded authority and power. His red tipped, black spiky hair reached up towards the sky forming a dark backdrop for the golden rays of the setting sun that shot straight up from his bangs. These golden rays formed a depiction of his true name, Atem.
At the pharaoh's command, a long serpentine creature shot up from his discard pile. Its girth was about four heads thicker than a grown man was tall. Its two massive jaws hissed steam into the cool underground chamber as the firelight danced off its ruby colored scales, giving the dragon an ethereal glow. Its massive wings unfurled to form a tall tent, filling the expanse of the temple. Its grotesque movements stirred the air, ruffling his younger opponent's unruly mane. It was nearly identical to Atem's own lustrous locks save that the younger man's bangs silhouetted his face like the dawning of a new day.
The great dragon began to take its place next to its master. Its dark, black claws clicking on the stone ground as the long coils wrapped themselves protectively around Atem. From behind his opponent, a golden box engraved with the lost eye of Horus, the wedjat eye, began to glow. It levitated into the air and onto the battlefield. A smug smile spread across Yugi's face as the lid slid back and revealed the card the pharaoh had just played, Monster Reborn. By sealing his own, identical magic card in the Gold Sarcophagus, Atem's Monster Reborn would be removed from the game and its effects cancelled. A stunned silence filled the room as the onlookers slowly took in what this meant.
"He whupped the Sky Dragon of Osiris," young Joey whispered. His blond bangs hung down into his dark brown eyes as he shook his head in bewilderment. "By sealin dat card, he whupped Osiris…twice!"
"It's a message Joey," An Egyptian priestess in a long white gown whispered. Her long, ebony braids were bound in gold trappings with a simple golden circlet nestled upon her head. She folded her hands delicately at her waist as she stared straight ahead, watching the duel unfold before her.
"A message?" Tea asked turning towards Ishizu. Her own auburn hair was cut in a more modern, shorter style and wore a pink miniskirt with a black t-shirt. Around her neck hung a simple silver necklace and a cross engraved into a rectangular metal plate.
Ishizu nodded, "By sealing this card in the Gold Sarcophagus, Yugi is telling the pharaoh that the dead should not linger here, but should move on to the otherworld." Pausing, she glanced over at Tea before continuing. "This particular move was part of his main strategy. He formed it with a fierce determination that the pharaoh's soul should not be trapped here on Earth forever."
"Oh…" Tea said softly as her eyes drifted to stare at the floor. It's not fair for him to be stuck here, but I don't want him to leave either. Slowly her gaze returned once more to the scene of the rising magic card.
As the last edge of Monster Reborn ascended from the sarcophagus, great winds rose up from its four corners to form a deadly vortex. Spinning wildly, the winds howled out a deafening war cry as they enveloped the newly summoned god card. No matter how the great dragon god beat its wings to escape the howling gale it was drawn up into the funnel and thrown back into the Pharaoh's Graveyard. Atem was left wide open for a direct attack on his few remaining life points.
The smug look slowly disappeared from Yugi's face as realization began to dawn on him. He had destroyed Atem's last defense and a single attack by his hand would bring him victory and their separation. Great tremors flowed through his slender limbs and his hands began to shake uncontrollably as memories of their many adventures flashed through his mind. Tears formed at the corners of his eyes but he squeezed them shut to prevent them from falling. He gritted his teeth in an effort to calm the tremors and fight back against the waves of sorrow that were pounding fiercely against the levis of his heart.
A small, proud smile spread across the Pharaoh's lips as he looked at his young protogé. He knew which card I would place my last hope in. Yugi is surpassing me in every way. I'm so proud of how much he has grown. "Go on Yugi, it's your move." he said at last.
The Pharaoh's words drew Yugi back to the game. He clenched his fists in determination to see this thing through to the end. He reached for his deck and drew the card that began the final round of the duel. He gulped as the flood waters continued their merciless assault on the ever weakening barrier. He hesitated once more as his legs began to tremble with the exertion of standing against the unusually high tides. Tears glistened in his eyes as he looked up at the one person whom he had admired and wished to emulate ever since he had solved that ancient puzzle a couple of years ago. He would not let the flood of loss deter him from his goal. Atem had to be set free!
He placed the card into his hand and called out his final attack. "Silent Magician, attack Atem's life points directly. The powerful personage leapt into the air, his black and red robes flowing out around him like a flower opening to see the sun for the first time. His hair the color of a clear afternoon sky fluttered around his face as an azure fire-ball leapt from the blue orb set at the end of his ebony colored staff. Yugi's tears finally broke through forming small rivulets that flowed down his cheeks to converge on his chin before finally falling to the stone slabs beneath his feet. A small whimper slipped out between gritted teeth as he squeezed his eyes shut against the onslaught of tears. His legs continued to grow weaker as holes and fractures began their final break down of his resolve. He managed to stay on his feet just long enough for the terrible attack to finish off the rest of Atem's life points. As the holographic images vanished into thin air, there was nothing to keep his feet under him as his legs were finally swept away by the torrents of swirling sorrow.
A smile, as warm and as comforting as the sun radiated from Atem's face as he walked over to where Yugi was kneeling. "Congratulations Yugi, you won." Seeming not to have heard him, Yugi continued to stare down at the ground as his tears flooded undeterred down his cheeks and great sobs racked his smaller frame. Kneeling down in front of him, Atem placed a comforting hand on Yugi's trembling shoulders. "Yugi, a champion doesn't belong on his knees." He whispered in his ear.
"I...I don't have the strength to stand." he sobbed. "I have always wanted to be like you, strong and courageous but I'm not… I'm just a simpering coward. And now…"
"You're not a coward." Atem interrupted giving Yugi's shoulder a firm but gentle squeeze. "You have the courage that comes from tenderness and caring. A courage that is far more potent than you perhaps realize. Yugi..." He said lifting Yugi's chin to gaze into his eyes... "Taking on this challenge was not the act of a coward, far from it; it took tremendous courage to do what you did. By defeating me, you have achieved a great victory for us both!" gently, he took Yugi's hands in his own and helped him back onto his feet. "Aibou," He whispered, "By defeating me, you opened the gateway for me to go home. For this, I am eternally grateful. Not only will I be able to return to where I belong, but you have saved the world from the return of the shadow games."
"The other me, I…"
Atem shook his head. "I am no longer the other you. You are no one else but who you are. You are Yugi Muto! The only Yugi in the world and the only one who can do what you do."
Sobbing, Yugi flung himself into Atem's arms causing the ancient spirit to momentarily lose his balance and take a step back. Yugi didn't seem to notice as he clung to him with all the strength of a drowning man. "I…I will miss you" he said at last, his tears forming a wet spot on the spirit's jacket.
Atem was momentarily too stunned to speak or react. Slowly he regained his composure and took a deep breath. He closed his eyes and gently wrapped his arms around the young person who had so willingly shared his physical body with him. "Aibou" he whispered as a single tear slid down his own cheek. "I too will miss you."
Behind them, engraved upon the wall, the great eye of Horus began to glow. This all-seeing eye, the Wedjat, had always been a symbol of the pharaoh's deity and power. According to legend, it was the eye that Horus had lost in one of his many battles with his uncle Set. Now the symbol glowed red before a bright beam of light shot out from its iris. The light illuminated the embracing pair casting the pharaoh's shadow over the younger man's form.
"The wedjat eye has distinguished the pharaoh's true soul" Ishizu breathed. Now all that's left is for him to tell the guardian his true name."
"Aibou…" Atem gently whispered in Yugi's ear as he untangled himself from his partners grasp and held him at arm's length. "It's time for me to go." Without hesitating, he turned to face the penetrating gaze of the wedjat eye. Taking a deep breath to steady himself, he took a step towards it. In a strong, clear voice akin to the force of thunder, he declared his personage. "I am the son of king Aknamkanon; I am called Tut-Mesut the image of rebirths, Neferhepu-Segerehtau one perfect in the ways of the law and who pacifies the two lands. I am called Aakhepesh-Sehetep-Netjeru, one great of strength and who pacifies the gods themselves. Nebmaetre, Rā is the lord of truth. I am Sa-Rā Atem!"
The temple began to shake. A rift formed in the middle of the wall and ran straight through the middle of the powerful eye. The whole wall folded back to allow the brilliant light of the afterlife to burst through and blind the onlookers. The light took on the physical characteristics of an impenetrable barrier to all those who were still clothed in flesh and blood. Atem looked into the light, his throat constricted as his thoughts turned to the friends he would be leaving behind. Even though only a short time had passed, they felt like family. His own family he had forsaken to save his Kingdom and the rest of the world.
Taking a deep breath, he took a single step towards the blinding light and the gateway to the other world. Before a foot could break through the barrier, an arm reached around his neck and a rough fist rubbed itself vigorously through his stiff hair.
"Don' tink you'd be allowed to just walk through dat door witout sayin goodbye!" Joey's husky voice scolded in his ear as he held the pharaoh tightly in his arms. His golden brown eyes glistened with barely concealed tears as Tea, Tristan and Yugi joined them. "I know you's got to go, but, we all gonna miss ya." Joey said turning him around to face them.
"I..." Atem stammered at a loss of words.
"Is it really over?" Tristan interrupted. "Are you really leaving us?" Tristan blubbered as tears streamed from his dark brown eyes. "You don't have to go. You could stay here, we could go to school together we could…"
Atem sadly shook his head. "I only wish I could…" He said turning to look each one in the eye. "But, if I stay the millennium items would too, endangering the world with Zork's imprisoned form. Just because we finally defeated him, doesn't mean that he is completely destroyed."His eyes drifted to look into the light as his thoughts once more turned to his family. If I stay…I'll never be able to see them again either, there's only this small opening where I'll be able to go home.
Tea followed his gaze into the streaming light, her own tears formed rivulets that flowed down her cheeks. "Yugi… no… Atem" She sobbed shaking her head. "That is where you belong isn't it? There's too much at stake if you should choose to stay. I do understand. But I don't understand why it has to be right now." Her shoulders shook like a harsh wind forcing its way through the branches of a tree.
Joey reached out and gently squeezed Tea's shoulder to steady her. "Tea, why don' madder. We…"He closed his eyes and took a deep breath fighting the tears coming to his own eyes. "We gotta accept the fact dat now is da time." He looked up at their friend. "Jus remember all da good times we had togeder." he smiled, "Heh, if it's time for him to go, then let's see him off as he moves towards da future."
"We will never forget you!" Tristan said. "It doesn't matter if you are really pharaoh Atem or not! You will always be Yugi! Even after 1,000 years, you will still be our friend."
Those words were like a warm spring breeze that danced among the waves of the great Nile river. It warmed his heart and caused a small smile to part his lips. "Thank You." His gaze traveled once more around the room taking in all whom he had shared adventures with. His eyes came to rest at long last on the Ishtar family. The guardians of his tomb whom had stood so faithfully for too many centuries. Soon, they would be free too. It seemed impossible that a family would willingly sacrifice so much for anyone especially for such a long time. Words of gratitude just didn't seem enough for what they had done for him. Yet they were all he had. "Thank you Marik, Ishizu, and Odion for assisting me in finding my place of rest. I will never forget you…any of you."
His gaze shifted once more to rest on his young partner. "Yugi, You will be alright won't you?" He said lines of worry etching at the corners of his eyes.
Yugi nodded bravely as he gingerly wiped a tear from his eye. "I'll be alright. Our friends will see to that. He paused, looking up into the violet eyes of the pharaoh. I will never forget you."
Atem's eyes glistened with barely concealed tears as he responded. "You will always be in my thoughts, Aibou." He took one last look at the gang as he bid his last farewell and turned once more towards the waiting doors. Out of the corner of his eye's he saw Joey give him a thumbs up. His own hand moved out and away from him to return the good luck sign. As he walked into the light, his tears culminated at the corners of his fiercely determined eyes. But, he ignored them and strode forward with his head held high and his shoulders back. Each step proclaimed the confidence and determination of a king. As he passed under the gaping archway, his school uniform changed into the flowing robes of a proud pharaoh. Through the dense forest of spiky hair, the double crown of his office materialized to hide his rigid locks from view. Not once did he look back as he made his way through the bright light of the gate to the afterlife.
Closing his eyes against the immense glare he emerged on the other side. The moment his vision cleared he was able to discern the wonders of the afterlife. A grassy knoll stretched out as far as the eye could see filled with wondrous wild flowers. For a moment Atem could only gape in awe at the beauty of this glorious hillside. A playful breeze brushed through his hair and flitted through the blades of grass. As it passed, the colorful wind-sails of ripe flower seeds leapt into the air to join the dance. Brilliant hues of reds and blues mixed with the mild colors of whites and yellows to flood the skies with a dancing rainbow. Atem laughed with delight as all the worries of his past life melted away. Looking down he saw a lovely flower, ornately colored in lavender and navy blue. Kneeling down, he plucked it and took in its heavenly aroma. Straightening up again he glanced up at the large palm tree nestled at the top of the hill. What he saw waiting for him there, caught his breath. The lovely rose he had so tenderly gathered, fell forgotten from his fingers tips, as he beheld a sight he thought he would never see again.
"Mana" He whispered her name. Her magicians cap was as usual off to one side. Long tendrils of auburn hair cascaded down about her shoulders. As if in response to hearing her name she turned towards him. Her big brown eyes sparkled with delight. She took on the aspects of an elated young child filled with excitement. She eagerly leapt into the sky her arms flailing through air with all the frenzy of an overjoyed puppy, inviting him to join them atop the hill. Atem's master magician, Mahado, was instantly at her side attempting to placate his energetic young apprentice by placing a restraining hand on her wiry shoulder. Atem's eyes crinkled with amusement at Mana's usual antics. Without a doubt, that was her.
A small laugh hung back in his throat as he began to charge towards the group. As he ran he observed the others waiting for him. Karim, his captain of the guard leaned casually against the old palm tree his hand resting lightly on his sword. His short black hair hung down just below his ears as his bare muscular chest welcomed the warmth of the sun. Shada's shiny bald head glistened in the warm afternoon sun. The high priest of Thoth was clothed in the white cotton befitting his station. Atem's gaze drifted through the small group to rest momentarily on his first cousin, Seth. No longer dressed in the rich blue attire of the Pharaoh's highest ranking official, he was now dressed in the attire of an Egyptian pharaoh himself. Atem's thoughts drifted to that fateful day when the crown passed from him to Seth. A soft movement just off to the right caught his eye. A figure dressed in elegant finery rose up from where it was resting in the shade. Atem's heart leapt into his throat as he recognized the figure. His father smiled and opened his arms wide in anticipation to receive his son in a warm loving embrace. With a proud smile on his face he spoke the words Atem had so longed to hear. "Welcome home my son." A small breathless laugh of delight escaped Atem's lips as his spirit seemingly took on wings. His feet soared over the ground to carry him to the top of the hill.
Without warning, a blood curdling scream shattered the stillness. The blood drained from Atem's face as he recognized the voice. He stopped dead in his tracks just a few feet away from the waiting arms of his father. He turned back towards the gates. To his horror, he saw red and white flames leaping up around his partner, encasing him in an unearthly glow. "Yugi, No!" He screamed as he ran back towards him. Desperately he reached out with his mind to touch the power that lay hidden in the cards at his waist. But it was gone, in desperation, he reached down to seize them, but all his grasping hand could find was the hilt of his sword. Panic gripped him as he saw Yugi's back and neck arch upward. His young hands desperately clutched at something around his waist. He squinted trying to see what held his friend and partner. The flames grew to blinding heights blocking him from seeing anything more than Yugi's agonized face.
Frantically, he raised his left arm and called out the name of his most faithful servant hoping against hope that this alone would call forth the purple clad wizard. "Dark Magician! Come forth" he commanded, but not even a whisper of wind responded to his frantic cry as he flew onward towards the closing doors. The blood pounded in his ears as his mind raced to come to grips with what was happening. He was so close to them now. Only a few more feet and he would break through. But the doors weren't slowing in their timeless pursuit. Through the ever thinning crack he saw Yugi's eyes glaze over. His lips gaped open noiselessly as the air was sucked from his lungs.
"Yugi! NO!" he screamed as in one final act of desperation he threw himself at the closing doors. His eyes, focused only on Yugi's tortured face. The doors thundered shut; hiding his soul partner from view. The sound of their closing reverberated through the air shoving Atem backwards before he could even come in contact with the carved stone. "Yugi!" he screamed as he picked himself back up and rushed at the doors, he placed his hands on them and threw his shoulders and back into opening them. Sweat glistened on his brow as he strained against the mighty barricade.
"Karim, Shada, Mahado, help me!" Atem cried out. But there was no reply. Startled by the silence he looked back over his shoulder. The lush green hill where they had been resting, was gone. The fields of flowers were gone. Everyone he knew had vanished like shadows into the night. Even the sun with its promise of warmth and light seemed to have been ripped from the sky. Everything around him was bathed in absolute darkness except for the light that was emitted from the doors themselves. Startled and confused he ran a few feet towards the location he had last seen them. But there was no indication that they had ever been there in the first place. Looking down he found the rose he had dropped, resting delicately on a large grey rock. Its petals were just as vibrant as when he had first plucked it. The moment he touched it, the final remnants of the illusion shattered into a million sparkling lights as the rose disintegrated into white sand.
His fingers curled inward to form fists as hard as granite and he let out a howl of fury so terrible it shook the very ground itself. Whirling around, he ran back towards the sealed gate. He threw himself against its barricaded doors only to be thrown back. Again and again he charged but they were unyielding. Atem was sealed off from the world of the living forever. Anger, confusion, frustration and sorrow roiled through him twisting and pulling at him from all sides, whipping themselves into a violent storm. They formed a hurricane so fierce and chaotic it had no center of calm, no eye for a creature to find solace in should it find itself caught in the deadly vortex. Mercilessly, the tempest threw Atem at the solid stone gate. Again and again it beat him against the doors. So violent was this fury he could not feel the bruises forming nor could he hear the popping of joints being forced from their sockets. The only thing he could hear were Yugi's cries of pain ringing in his ears. His anguished face was ever before his eyes as he fought valiantly against his stone and metal enemies.
Atem's foes stood firm under the onslaught. Not giving the hint of a flinch when he made contact with them. They ignored his harsh words that hung like a thick vapor in the air. They paid no heed to his howling and swearing. They simply watched and waited. Storms had come and gone and this one was no different, it too would pass. After a time, the winds did finally slow and the rain began.
Tears gently cascaded down Atem's cheeks as he sadly slumped down to the ground. His fists beat weekly at the doors as huge racking sobs shook his slender frame. Alone in the dark, there was no one to see this undignified display of emotion. But then there was no one who might provide comfort or direction. At long last, his energy utterly spent, exhaustion took him to the brink of oblivion as sleep enveloped him in her loving embrace.
Ch. 1 Author's Notes:
1. A Pharaoh actually has five names, not just one. Four of which are connected with his position as pharaoh. They are typically listed in a specific order. In parenthesis is the actual Egyptian pronunciation for the name.
. "He of the Sedge and the Bee" (Nesw Bity),
. "He of the Two Ladies" it's a concept of Duality (Nebty)
. "name for Horus" (Hor)
. "the Golden Horus" (Hor Nebw)
. The fifth name is usually given to him at birth and is always preceded by the title Sa-Rā meaning Son of the Sun god Rā.
2. The other 4 names I chose for Atem are actually a combination of Tutenkhamun's and Akhenaten's pharaonic names.
3. Interesting fact, movies and T.V. shows pronounce Rā's name with a soft A. However, according to my studies, it appears that the pronunciation should be shorter and much more fierce. More along the lines of Ray, with a long A sound but cut short, almost like a bark.
4. Atem's true birth name is actually spelled Atemu on the cartouche. As usual 4kids has changed the name albeit slightly. Interesting thing to note though, the u at the end of a word isn't always pronounced. In fact, according to Egyptian Hieroglyphs for Complete Beginners, it's usually left off. Thus, both pronunciations of Atem's name in the English and Japanese versions are probably correct. personally, I believe the Japanese version is correct simply because it's not just a word, it's a name. Despite this belief, I have chosen to stick with the 4kids version simply because that's how I heard it first. Curse you 4 kids for butchering names and getting them stuck in my head!
. In addition, I found a website where you can type in your name and find out what it might look like in Egyptian Hieroglyphs. From what I have studied so far, it looks to be pretty accurate. You do have to use the key board on the screen. Do a search for hieroglyphic typewriter. should be the first link that pops up. It's hosted by Discovering Egypt.
5. Final Note: Most chapters will have little notes concerning Egyptian mythology in context with the particular chapter. However this will not be true of all chapters. The reason for this is A) I don't want to give too much of the story away or B) it actually has no real relevance to Egyptian mythology and is nothing more than a chapter of action to move the story forward.