So this was it. This was the moment the Nameless Pharaoh would finally unveil all the secrets of his past and discover what happened 5,000 years ago. Yami, the other Yugi, looked at the large ancient relief, the Tablet of Lost Memories. It showed an image of him, but his name had been erased from the stone and forgotten in time. He looked at the empty cartouche Anzu just gave him.
«I will remember.»
Yami took a deep breath. He looked one last time at Yugi. The short boy, who very much looked like him, nodded in encouragement. The Pharaoh's lips drew a slight smile. He turned to the stone relief, full of determination and took the three Egyptians cards out of his pocked. He stretched his arm, presenting them to the ancient stele.
Yami looked expectantly at the wall before him. At first it seemed nothing would happen, but in a flash of a moment, Yami felt his spirit be ripped off the Millenium Puzzle and be sucked into the stone. He was falling. Falling down a crazy, dizzying and disorienting tunnel. He involuntarily screamed. He could not make out space. He could not make out time. The confusing travel was making him feel dizzy and nauseous. It seemed to last forever. And yet, as suddenly as it started, it ended abruptly.
His hand twitched, he opened his eyes and blinked. The light was bright, the air hot and dry. Yami stared at the sky. It was beautifully blue. He then looked to his hands and gasped of surprise. They were tanned, bronzed by endless days of summer. His ears heard a loud sound nearby, like millions of voices, singing and cheering as one.
"They want to see their new Pharaoh." A small man with a cloth covering his face, except for his eyes, spoke.
Yami, confused, looked forward. He heard the man say something about the people have been waiting for him all day, but his voice sounded far away. Yami could not believe his eyes. They met his world. The pyramids rising far away in a desert landscape. Thousands of sand coloured square houses spread themselves as far as eyes can see. But it was the sight of a mass of people below his balcony that surprised him the most. They were surely thousands and thousands of men, women, children and elders. They called him in unison and looked expectantly at their new ruler. Not really knowing what to do, the young pharaoh raised his hand as a greeting, followed by a hesitant "hi". The people dropped to their knees at once and cheered, calling "pharaoh" with great joy.
Yami, the King of Games, the Nameless Pharaoh, swallowed dry. He somehow had the feeling this was more than a mere memory. He had the strong feeling he was living this for the very first time, for no recollections came back to him. He wondered if he travelled in time. If he was actually reliving his past.
CHAPTER ONE
"He's gone!" Yugi's voice echoed in the large division. He had sensed Yami being ripped away. It had happened when that strange light filled the room. He held the Millennium Puzzle in his hands. It felt empty, lifeless, lonely. His friends didn't really understand what he meant. How could Yami be gone, just like that?
"The boy is correct." The four friends turned their heads to see a mysterious man wearing a long cream colored tunic with a matching turban. "The pharaoh's soul has travelled to the Memory World."
"Shadi!" Yugi yelled.
The boy didn't even feel surprised to see Shadi. The Egyptian spirit always seemed to appear in decisive moments. Yugi knew that this mysterious man was about to tell them something important. And his expectation was indeed fulfilled. The friends listened horrified to the truth about the Memory World. Yami was to relive the past, confront a dark energy and fulfil the important task of saving mankind from evil. If the events wouldn't repeat themselves the same way they did in the past, their future too was in stake. If Bakura was to defeat the Pharaoh, only the gods knew what would happen to the world. Cries of revolt echoed in the empty room.
"We need to help the Pharaoh!"
The four friends stared expectantly at Shadi. He would know a way to help Yami, right? That was, after all, the reason he had come. The Egyptian opened his mouth to say something, but shut it again. He looked at the floor thoughtfully. Yugi could sense his hesitance. Shadi shook his head slightly.
"This is most unfortunate." Shadi spoke more to himself. He turned around and was about to enter the wall he just came from.
"Wait! Shadi, what were you going to say? We can help the Pharaoh, right?" Shadi froze in his steps and sighed. He turned around.
"Yes, I was going to tell you how you could enter the Memory Realm and help the Nameless Pharaoh."
"So why change your mind?"
"I apologize. It's just… I know exactly how events will unfold. You'll find the way to the past and help the Pharaoh defeat Bakura. But then again, both their spirits will be sealed in the Millennium Items, waiting millennia to be found again." He sighed. "It will just start another endless cycle. Maybe I'm doing something wrong. Maybe, if I let events develop naturally, it will all finally end."
The friends blinked and stared at one another not comprehending what the strange Egyptian was telling.
"What are you talking about?" Jounouchi demanded.
"The Pharaoh and Bakura will confront each other. Bakura will try to destroy the world. Many will die. In the end the Pharaoh must sacrifice his soul and be sealed in the Millennium Puzzle and wait millennia again until the day Yugi put the pieces back together. And then the whole cycle will restart, all over again."
"You mean to say that we have lived this before?" Yugi asked, not believing what he was hearing.
"Yes. It is the curse of the Millennium Items. When they were made, they released a great dark force. The energies of the cosmos came out of balance. Since then, the events in the universe kept repeating themselves. I was chosen by the gods to be the guardian of the Millennium Items, with the mission to guide you in order to restore balance to the universe, and bring an end to this never-ending cycle."
"What? You knew from the beginning how things were going to develop? Jounouchi yelled revolted, remembering the dangers he and his friends lived the last years. "You know, if you would have told us the whole thing from the beginning, it would have been really helpful!"
"It's not the way it works. I have great limitations. I am not allowed to change the course of events that much. I must not change destiny. I'm only allowed to interfere in necessary moments. Like when I see you are in trouble." Shadi paused and his gaze met Honda, recalling the moment he saved the teenager and Otogi from having a deadly fall. "I'm the only person carrying the memories of each of these cycles. I do try, every time, something new, in moments that can be significant for the course of events. I do try to correct where I might have gone wrong in the previous cycle. But every time, the Pharaoh's and Bakura's souls end up in the Millennium Items and then the whole thing starts all over again. It's hopeless."
"Have you ever tried something completely different? Because, maybe, just maybe, you've been using the wrong method." Anzu carefully asked.
"Well, I was about to let things develop by themselves." He replied clearly offended.
"Yeah, and then the world would end! It would definitely be a great improvement!" Jounouchi angrily pointed out. Shadi looked a bit taken aback.
"I am sorry. It's just...I've tried already so many things...I just wish I could find the way to break this cursed cycle!"
There was a deep silence. The ancient reliefs seemed to watch expectantly, wondering if events would unfold differently this time.
"What happens if we break the cycle?" Anzu asked.
"The powers of darkness and light will become equal. The cosmos will regain its balance and the souls of both the Pharaoh and Bakura will finally be freed".
"So, how were we going to enter the Memory World anyway?" Honda wondered.
"We would have to dwell in the labyrinths of the Pharaoh's fragmented memories inside the Millennium Puzzle and..."
"Wait!" Yugi interrupted, sounding somehow excited. ""I have an idea! The Millennium Puzzle is full of secrets and mysteries related to Yami's past, right?" Shadi nodded. "So, maybe the answer is to be founded in there! Or at least a clue!" The Egyptian ghost seemed to consider this for a while.
"I suppose it's worth a try." The guardian of the Millennium Items smiled hopefully.
They held their hands in a circle. Shadi spoke some strange words and, thanks to the magic of the Millennieum Key, the four friends were transported into the Millennium Puzzle. It was, beyond doubt, he most confusing place they ever been to. Jounouchi noticed that it had changed since his last visit and Shadi explained this was a consequence of Yami's transformations in his memory. The four friends stared at the many stone walls and countless staircases that developed everywhere in all different and impossible directions.
"Yami's mind is completely messed up. No wonder he's always so confused about his past." Jounouchi commented.
"Let's split ourselves. Like that we have more chances of finding something." Yugi said.
And so everybody took a different path. Staircases would lead to doors. Doors would lead to new doors with new staircases. A false step would activate a trap. Dangers were to be found behind every corner. Often the friends would return to the start point without even knowing how. They wandered in galleries and corridors with empty walls finding nothing that would give any kind of clue. They finally all met in the beginning point for the countless time.
"Anybody found anything?" Yugi asked
"Nothing except for that creepy Bakura." Honda complained.
"Hey, did anybody try that gallery over there?" Anzu pointed out to a passage almost hidden by a staircase.
"How odd. I never saw it before. I must have missed it every time I came here!" Shadi sounded truly surprised.
"What are we waiting for?" Jounouchi yelled, as he run to the new discovered passageway. This one had its walls covered with odd stripes, points and lines. "Nya…It's full with scratches."Jounouchi pointed out.
"Those aren't scratches! It's cuneiform writing from Mesopotamia!" Shadi said surprised. He examined the wall from closer.
"Meso-what?"
"Mesopotamia. It was a culture that co-existed with Ancient Egypt." Yugi explained. History had always been his strongest subject. "They developed in the region of actual Iraq and were formed by several cultures and kingdoms. The Sumerians, Babylonians, Persians..."
"Akkadians!" Shadi exclaimed.
"Yes, Akkadians too." Yugi confirmed perplexed. Shadi looked at the wall with new enthusiasm.
"It's Akkadian. Listen, I think this is important. "
In the land beyond the sea
There lays a kingdom
Ruled by two, you see,
The lords of the Sun and the Moon
As one, they ruled
Together they were gods
Never to be divided
Alone they'll lose by all odds
The friend became the enemy
The Sun King went to battle
The Moon gave him victory
Alas, the city of Ishtar was feeble
The golden beast attacked the city
The Moon King missed his brother
He was brave and fought mightily
Alas, the beast was stronger
Too late was the Sun King
Walls were broken, the city burning
Death had taken the Moon King
And left the world mourning
Together the kings ruled as one
Together they were gods
Never to be divided
Alone they'll lose by all odds
And so the Sun King too vanished
"The city of Ishtar?" Anzu spoke petrified. "That's Malik's family name!"
"It's Akkad, capital of the Akkadian Empire, hometown of Ishtar, the great goddess." The ancient Egyptian ghost said. "Egypt had back then a strong alliance with the Akkadians kings."
"You mean Malik's family descended from this Meso-thing?" Jounouchi asked confused.
"Mesopotamia." Shadi corrected irritated. "Yes. It is possible. The tomb keeper family's origins are obscure to me."
"Together the kings ruled as one, Together they were gods, Never to be divided, Alone they'll lose by all odds…" All heads turned to Yugi as he muttered these words. "Shadi!" Yugi spoke, his hands closed in fists, his eyes glimmering. "What if these two kings were supposed to help the Pharaoh?"
"What do you mean?"
"Well, the text says that when these kings were together they were gods. They were probably very powerful. Never to be divided, Alone they'll lose by all odds. This means that when the Moon king died, the other king was weak, perhaps even powerless."
"You mean to say..."
"What if something went wrong already in the past? What if these two kings were supposed to play an important part in the battle against Bakura, but didn't because the Moon King died? That would explain why you fail to break the cycle every time! Because this is a piece of information you never knew about! This is probably an episode in history that needs to be amended."
"Perhaps you are right. In that case, you will have to be able to travel to the past instead to the Pharaoh's Memory...There has to be a doorway somewhere that leads to the past of these two kings."
"You mean like this one?" Honda pointed to a door a bit further. It had a picture of a moon and a sun on it.
"Yes. It is probably the gateway to the past." Shadi said and couldn't help but think the door's appearing was little too convenient. "My friends, I cannot guide you further than this. But first, I must warn. The moment you change the past, you interfere with history. Events will unfold with no destiny defined. Anything could happen. In the worst of all situations, you could all die there." All four gulped. They stared one another, fear present in their eyes.
"What kind of friends are we, if we don't try to change the events? We cannot leave Yami all alone with his tragic destiny!" Jounouchi spoke eloquently. "He would help us, he would sacrifice himself to make things better." Yugi, Anzu and Honda looked at the blond with great awe. They missed the sweat drop on Shadi's temple. He found the whole speech kind of cheesy. "I'm in! I will travel to the past, save this moony king and help Yami defeat the evil Bakura!" Jounouchi spoke with great determination, his fist in the air. Another sweat drop appeared on Shadi's temple.
"Count with me!" Honda followed, imitating Jounouchi's gestures.
"Me too!" Anzu and Yugi yelled in unison. Shadi, having now a collection of sweet drops, took a deep breath.
"Remember this. You will be placed on the right place, at the right time. But I have no idea where and when it is. May the gods protect you." Yugi and his friends nodded and walked silently to the door. There was nothing to see around. Nothing to hear. There was just darkness. It was as if nothing existed beyond that door.
"Are you sure about this, Yugi?" Anzu asked, unable to hide the fear in her voice.
The boy didn't reply. His frown was replaced by a smile of determination and courage. Without any warning, Yugi jumped into darkness. The others gasped and called out his name, but silence was all they heard. The three friends switched hesitated looks and took a deep breath. One after the other, they jumped into this blackness and their hearts hoped this wasn't their one-way ticket to death. And so they fell and fell and fell.
"Are those stars?" Honda asked at midway.
"Who cares?" Jounouchi yelled "Outch!"
The three friends landed, one after the other, on dry and dusty ground. It was still dark, but a dim pale light illuminated the nocturne world around them. Yugi stood there already, staring intently at the full moon.
"Where are we?" Anzu asked.
"In the right place and the right time." Yugi's voice sounded far and absent.
They all looked at the nocturne landscape and wondered what the right place and the right time were.