The Archmagus Pharaoh

By Cybra

A/N: I think that every author is entitled to one "this is Yami's past" fic, don't you? Of course you do. Thanks to the wonderful Forbidden Memories game (which I have yet to fully figure out since I have no idea what cards can fuse into what and that instructor guy goes too fast for me to see!) I finally have a villain. Huzzah! So this is my version of Yami's rise to power and his eventual fall. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Yami, the Duel Monsters, Heishin, and other names affiliated with a certain anime all belong to the people who own Yu-Gi-Oh!. One of those people, unfortunately, is not me. :::sulk::: All original characters are mine.

Chapter 1: Birth in the Shadow Realm

Screams were not an uncommon sound in the Shadow Realm. The screams of the Duel Monsters as they shouted their battle cries or their exclamations of pain endlessly echoed in the seemingly limitless darkness. The triumphant cries of the victors mixed in with the agonized cries of the losers.

However, there was one source of screaming that was new to the Shadow Realm: the scream of a woman in the midst of labor.

The Mystical Elf leaned over the Queen of Egypt, soothingly stroking the Queen's raven hair. The red highlights could barely be seen due to the dampness of the hair, the Queen's face bathed in sweat from the strain.

"The child seems to be coming along fine, my Queen," the elf told her master's wife.

Obviously in great pain, Queen Nefertari cracked open her eyes to glare at her midwife.

No one had anticipated that today would be the day of the birth of this child. In fact, many had never thought the Queen herself would produce an Heir. Even her husband, Pharaoh Sebek, the Morning and Evening Star, doubted that the Queen would ever give him any offspring, male or female. He had been about ready to name the eldest male of his lesser-wife-born children his Heir until a healer announced that the Queen would be having a child within months.

To show her dutiful support of her husband, Queen Nefertari accompanied the Pharaoh to the Shadow Realm. She watched from the sidelines as he dueled a powerful Phoenician until her stomach suddenly clenched in agony. The Phoenician – after much convincing from the Pharaoh along with much screaming from the Queen – agreed to allow the Mystical Elf to be summoned, though she would not be allowed to become part of the duel at any time.

Queen Nefertari panted as there came a pause in the abdomen-searing pain. "You're not lying…are you…?"

"Of course not, my Queen," Mystical Elf answered calmly.

However, the elf wasn't as calm as she appeared. Despite having intimate knowledge on healing and other things tied in with the human body that had come to her long before her master's ancestors had walked the Earth, she had never done this before. She had to blindly follow the knowledge infused in her soul, trusting that the knowledge was right when it seemed wrong.

Another spasm, and the Queen pushed with all her might, shrieking in pain. Mystical Elf quickly went to work. This was it.

The Queen screamed one last time.

~@~

Pharaoh Sebek gazed downward at the Phoenician who now sobbed at his feet. Not one ounce of sympathy did he hold for his opponent. After all, the Phoenician had issued the challenge and offered up the stakes.

The powerful Pharaoh turned and prepared to dismiss his Duel Monsters when he noticed them all gathered in a cluster, keeping a respectful and awed distance from something else.

The Dark Magician – the Pharaoh's most powerful and most loyal Duel Monster – stood at the front, the Dark Magician Girl and Celtic Guardian on each side. Even he was dumbstruck at the sight before him.

Though they had lived for centuries, the Duel Monsters had never seen this before. To them, there was simply existence, no real death and birth. They knew it happened among the humans they obeyed but to see this…

A new life, not a reborn one, lay in the exhausted Queen's arms. Even Mystical Elf who had helped bring the child into this shadowy world seemed awestruck. The tiny being held by his mother, wrapped in cloth torn from Mystical Elf's own dress, would one day grow to be their new master.

And not even wise and powerful Dark Magician knew what to do.

Celtic Guardian opened and closed his mouth a few times, unable to find words to express what they all looked upon. When one gazed upon a miracle, what does one say?

Amused by the behavior of his Duel Monsters, Pharaoh Sebek waited. He had witnessed birth many times for his many lesser wives. He had seen tiny babies grow into young boys and girls. This was nothing new or special to him, though he was intrigued by whether or not this child would be his Heir or a way of making sure his chosen Heir would assume the throne after he passed on to meet Osiris.

As eyes the color of freshly spilt blood opened, not a single Duel Monster moved. The child's eyes curiously scanned all the bizarre faces, but the child did cry out in fear as most would have expected.

Finally, a single Duel Monster came forward, surprising all: Kuriboh.

The little ball of fur approached cautiously as if it were the child who would explode if threatened and not himself. The Queen smiled tiredly and beckoned the furry Duel Monster closer, encouraging him. When Kuriboh came close enough, the child giggled and reached out to grasp a clump of his fur.

The little Duel Monster flinched in pain, hurrying closer so that the child's grip wouldn't hurt as much. As soon as he stood next to the child, his future master grabbed him with the other hand as well, pulling him into a sort of hug. Delighted, Kuriboh began to coo.

"He likes you," Queen Nefertari needlessly told her favorite Duel Monster.

Dark Magician Girl clasped her hands together, a large grin on her face. (She stopped smiling long enough to stick her tongue out at Dark Magician when he gave her an odd look.) "What's his name?"

"Yami," Pharaoh Sebek told the female Duel Monster, making all of his Duel Monsters turn to face him.

Searching his memory, Dark Magician found the translation of the foreign word. "'Darkness.' You choose to name him 'Darkness…'"

"…to remind everyone that he was born in the midst of the darkness of the Shadow Realm," the Pharaoh declared.

Queen Nefertari opened her mouth as if was going to protest but silenced herself. Who was she to argue with the Pharaoh? After all, he was a living god, and no one dared oppose a god.

Dark Magician gazed back upon his future master. Yami continued to hug Kuriboh, effectively keeping the small Duel Monster's attention away from his master. A small smile grazed the dark mage's lips.

'Future Master Yami, I think we can expect great things from you…'