Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or am affiliated with them in any way possible. Unless I won that bid on E-Bay... Fiction!!!
Author's Note: Hello everyone. I'm proud to say that I have successfully made my promised comeback to this site. Wow has improved a lot since I was last here.
It took so long for me to decide what I was going to write but I've got it now...at least I think so. And just on the borderline of school too...which I warn you (in between my band and other stuff) will be the main reason of delayed updates. But I'll do my best to finish this.
This is a re-write of my other story "Yami's Past." I've kept them uploaded on this site for so long, and I don't think I'll remove them anymore like I planned to.Just know that there will be so many similarities between the two (hence re-write). I wrote that and the other stories when I was 11. Heh now I'm 14 so let's see how much I've improved.
Thank you to those authors and people who supported me. Especially Anya1 (thanks for all the help and advice and everything else you've done. I owe you much ;-D )
One more thing – this chapter doesn't have much in my opinion. (Then again, ones their own worst critic...) Well just stay tuned. I promise it'll be worth it.
Okay enough of the rambling...onto the fic...ENJOY!
Memory
Ch. 1 – The Beginning
A cool breeze flowed though the deserts beyond the city of Memphis, capital of the Egyptian kingdom under the rule of Pharaoh Seht I. The fine grains of sand were swept from one pile to another by the wind during this particular dark night, only to be trampled by a cloaked rider and his horse. The figure pulled on the reins of the horse, coming to a halt as he looked up into the sky.
The clouds shifted, covering the silvery moon and shielding its light from being revealed. With only the stars giving light to the weary travelers, one could easily be entranced by this sight. But he knew what was happening. Grasping a golden puzzle in his hand, he stared at it, holding it up towards the stars.
"The time has come, for the Chosen One is about to arrive."
Golden leaves, carried by the calm wind, swept and flew through the hallway of the Palace, finally landing at the foot of the marble doors of the Queen's chambers. Beyond these doors, screams of pain and agony could be heard inside. Silent words of encouragement were being whispered to the Queen by her husband, who remained at her side clutching her hand.
"Soon, my dear wife, this will all be over" Pharaoh Seht whispered, kissing her hand.
"Seht, please..."
"Please what, my morning star?"
Nefertari closed her eyes, beads of sweat dripping down the side of her forehead, her breathing pattern speeding up as another contraction came upon her. "Promise me...promise me that you'll remember me...if I don't make it..."
"Don't speak like that." Seht spoke sharply, consumed with worry. "I promise you, I will see to it that you will make it."
"Don't fool yourself, Seht. Asheru had prophesized that either I or the child has the possibility of dying." She screamed in pain as she pushed as hard as she could.
"That does not mean that it will happen." He said, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze and kissing her forehead. He looked older than usual in the faint candlelight.
"Asim, protector," she said, calling him by his pet name, "do not deny it. You've done enough for me already. But I can feel myself slipping away. I will live long enough to see our child take his first breaths, to hear his first cry..."
"Dear Queen, the head is out. I will need one last push from you, and it will all be over." The midwife spoke up, interrupting the conversation between the two royals.
Nefertari sighed in exhaustion. "Call...call our son." The Pharaoh nodded, gesturing for the advisor at the door to let the boy in. "My son," she whispered faintly, putting her arm around him as he rushed to her side.
"Mother..." Prince Khnum said, "Mother...please don't..."
"Shh. I want you to know how much..." she stopped, enduring another contraction, "how much I love you...and that I will always watch over you"
"I love you too, Mother..." he said, giving her a hug.
"Your Highnesses," the midwife said, showing the child to the Pharaoh and his wife, "it is a boy."
"Why isn't he crying? Seht...?" Nefertari asked frantically, watching the midwife wrap her newborn son in blankets and hand him to her husband.
The Sennen eye glowed on both father and son's foreheads. Seht ran a finger down his son's cheek, and the child opened his eyes.
"He is not afraid of this new world" Seht started.
"But what?"
"He is," he continued, smiling grimly as he gently handed their son to his dying wife, "a child of the dark."
"The heir to the powers of the Shadows." Nefertari said softly. She noticed Khnum staring at them all. She pulled him closer. "Khnum, my son, promise me one thing."
"Anything you wish, Mother."
"Promise me that you will look after your brother" she stopped, turning to look at her husband, who nodded, before continuing. "Look after your brother...Atemu."
Prince Khnum fought back the tears that welled up in his eyes as he saw his mother's look of despair. He knew it was coming for the longest time, but he never thought this would be it. The last time he saw his beloved mother alive. "I...I promise."
Nefertari nodded weakly. Kissing her younger son's forehead, she whispered, "I love you, little Atemu. You will always be loved, even if I am not around."
Pharaoh Seht stepped forward, stroking his wife's golden hair. A tear could be seen escaping the mighty pharaoh's eye as he looked upon Nefertari's pale face. "I love you, my morning star. I always have, and I always will. Thank you for blessing me with two beautiful children."
"Dear Seht, my heart belongs to you...always and forever. Do not remain in despair after my death; for I know that you and I will meet again someday in another life time." She whispered, crying.
The Pharaoh bowed his head, holding his wife's face in his hands. "May Ra bless you with all the things and happiness you deserve in the afterlife." He said, kissing her one last time.
Prince Atemu let out a loud cry, as if he knew what was about to happen. Nefertari gently handed him to her husband as she took her last breaths.
"Hear my last words. To my family I remain devoted. And I shall reign over the land of Egypt at the right hand of Ra with our ancestors. Now I relinquish my soul, and move on to my next life." Nefertari whispered weakly, smiling at her family. "May Sehkmet grant you with protection. I love you all."
The Queen took one last deep breath, and with the close of her lavender eyes, the remaining Royal Family knew that she had passed on.
'Dear Ra, watch over her.' The Pharaoh, holding in his grief, watched his son blow out all the candles and close the curtains before taking his hand and leading him out of the room. The two walked in silence to the Pharaoh's chambers and upon entrance the Pharaoh placed the now-sleeping Atemu in the prepared cradle beside the bed. Sighing deeply, he looked out at the rising sun, golden rays beginning to spread through the room.
A small cry from the bed alarmed Seht. He walked over to Khnum, who had his head in his hands, and put his arm around him.
"So she's really gone, Father." He said quietly.
"No, she isn't." Seht said gently. His son looked up at him, confused. "Can you see the rising sun? Golden rays and all? Within the rising sun, is the spirit of your mother, my morning star. She will always be there, watching over you, me, and your brother. And that is why," he said, lifting Khnum's chin up, "we named you Khnum."
"Reborn sun." Khnum said. "Like Mother."
"That is correct." Khnum stood up and walked away from his father and over to the cradle, watching his younger brother sleep. "I know your grief, my son, but we must be strong for Atemu and for the kingdom...and your mother." Seht said.
"I know." Khnum said, looking down at Atemu. Noticing something sticking out of Atemu's blanket, he reached for it. Staring in amazement, he said shakily, "Father..."
But he couldn't say much, for the card he had found had suddenly levitated out of Khnum's hands, floating in the middle of the room before a flash of light was seen, and the soul within materialized in front of Seht and Khnum. Atemu, although sound asleep before and tired from crying, suddenly woke up as the light touched his face.
The mage opened his eyes, gazing at the Pharaoh. "Pharaoh Seht."
Pharaoh Seht's eyes widened in surprise. "The...the Dark Magician."
The magician bowed in front of him. "I am here on the request of the almighty Ra himself."
Khnum could not say a word. "Who...who are you?"
"I am the Dark Magician, master of all magic, and protector of my Master." The Dark Magician paused, eyeing the cradle. "Prince Atemu."
"So you are the protector of my son." Pharaoh Seht said.
"Correct, my Pharaoh. I am his guardian, to help him and aid him at his will."
"Apparently you are closely associated with the realm of powers he has been given."
"Not given, destined for." The Dark Magician brushed a stray strand of his purple hair away from his eyes. "Not only am I here to aid him in his training, for he will be the one to receive the powers of the Shadows, but I am also here for friendship and guidance."
"I cannot allow him to discover the Shadow powers. It ruined my father, and every ancestor I have." Lowering his voice, he continued, "I fear that it will also destroy me."
"You cannot change the path of destiny, Pharaoh Seht. It is determined from your birth. There is nothing you can do to avoid the crossing of paths with your family and the Shadows. It is destiny."
"Destiny..."
"Was what took your wife." The Dark Magician said quietly.
Khnum stepped forward. "Explain this situation to me."
"Prince Khnum, you are far too young."
"I am a child of the light. But as you said, Magician, destiny is what leads you through life. I know that the children of the light are also one in the same with those of the dark, so I do have the right to know what will come."
"For only eleven years of age, you are very wise." The Dark Magician said. "Every person has a significant other. In your case, you will find someone with powers of dark. Opposites come together, so that they shall form a balance. Your brother will have to go through rigorous training to be able to contain these powers, because of his destiny. I cannot explain more than that to you. Only time will tell what will happen."
Seht looked at the magician. "Until when do you want to become hidden?"
"I will emerge from my soul card once again when the time is right."
"And that is when?"
"When Prince Atemu has reached a point of hopelessness, or is in grave danger. But I ask you before I depart, to give him my card when he gets a little older."
"You request will be granted."
The mage bowed once again to the Pharaoh and his son. Taking a glance at his master, he sighed at the thought of his charge's upcoming youth.
'Soon, Master Atemu. You will find out how many great things you are destined for. But greatness also comes with consequences.' Atemu made a small fist at his guardian, and the Dark Magician had to smile. "I shall take my leave. Until we meet again, my Prince." He nodded to the Pharaoh. "Take good care of him."
With that, the Dark Magician vanished, and on the floor in the spot where he stood was his soul card.
Khnum picked the card up and handed it to his father, who tucked it into his robes for the moment. "What shall we do now?"
The Pharaoh sighed. "Come, Khnum, we must make the announcement that the kingdom has lost its Queen...and has a new Prince."
As his son nodded and walked towards the door, Pharaoh Seht turned to look at the rising sun. Exhausted but determined, his crimson eyes surveyed the city. 'The long road is just beginning. Not just for Atemu, but for the rest of us.'