Duel Monsters is a game, a game that is over a thousand years old. Duel Monsters was invented in ancient Egypt. They were originally the Ka summoned by the people of ancient Egypt, summoned in order to participate in the Shadow Games or duels. The Shadow Realm was a Realm of darkness where duel monsters lived. Not everyone could start a Shadow Game. Only the owner of a Millennium Item could. The Pharaoh and his priests were the owners of the Millennium Items, the Pendant, the Eye, the Rod, the Necklace, the Ring, the Key and the Scales. The Items were meant to protect Egypt and its people, but the Millennium Items had a dark history. The Millennium Items were created using an ancient spell, but the spell required the sacrifice of the souls of people. All of the village of Kul Elna, except for Bakura, was sacrificed in order to create the Millennium Items. Bakura came to hate the Pharaoh and his son Atem due to the destruction of his home village by the Pharaoh's soldiers, unaware that the Pharaoh had no idea of the way the items were created. Eventually the Pharaoh died, making his son, Atem, the new Pharaoh. Eventually, Zorc, an evil entity and Bakura attacked Egypt. Atem, desperate to save Egypt sealed the evil away and sealed his soul away in the Millennium Puzzle, in order to stop the evil threatening Egypt. 5000 years later the Shadow Games returned as a card game, the Millennium Puzzle was solved. Atem came back, as the King of Games.