"Father... when is mother coming back?" She tugged at her father's sleeve gently, holding her cloak tightly around her neck to keep the sand from getting in her clothes.

"Sweetie, mother is not going to come back. She has passed on to a new life... a new life with Ra in the sky." Her father tried to hold back the tears that welled up at the thought of losing his beloved wife.

"But Ra will bring her back right? Right?"

"No, mother is going to stay with Ra forever now. She is not going to come back."

"But mother has to come back! She has to!"

"Sakhmet!" Her father's shout startled her, and tears poured down his cheeks, "She is gone! She is dead! Your mother will not come back to life! I want you to go back to the caravan and be with your grandparents. Now!"

Sakhmet shot up in her bed, completely blind in the darkness. For the past weeks, she had been dreaming of her past. When her mother and father died, and the time she spent with her grandparents and when they died-they all came back. She had tried so hard to forget her past and move forward, but it seemed she couldn't escape it.

How she had longed for her memories to be erased, so she could be rid of the guilt and start anew. And now, they were back to haunt her.

She stood up and pulled on a cloak to keep her warm, for the desert often grew cold at night. She left the room and walked down the hallway toward the main balcony. Maybe a little fresh air would help her.

The Pharaoh woke suddenly as he heard the soft footsteps pass his room. He stood and opened the great wooden door, peering out. Whoever it was had already turned the corner, but he could not hold in his curiosity. He grabbed his cloak and followed the sounds of the footsteps in the still night as he wrapped the grand fabric around his neck.

As he rounded the corner, the moon was covered by the clouds, casting a shadow over the entire palace. The figure out on the main balcony was obscured in the darkness, so he crept quietly over to their figure. As he neared the silhouette, they spoke up, "I am sorry, my King, did I wake you?"

The clouds parted, and the moonlight shone on Sakhmet's face, illuminating her dark ivory skin.

"It's fine. Why are you awake?" He asked, leaning against the railing casually. She wrapped her cloak around her tighter, stating, "I had a restless night... just memories of the past that I wish not to remember."

"Ones of your family?"

"Sometimes. I have had these dreams for several weeks now, and they vary."

"Maybe it's a sign. We could talk to Isis about it."

After their battle with the Thief King, Bakura, all of the souls that had been lost in the Shadow Realm had returned, including Akhenaden. The Millennium Items had been returned to their owners-even the Puzzle, which was left with the Pharaoh.

Sakhmet ran a hand through her dark purple-nearly black-hair. She sighed, "Well, maybe she will know something. But, Pharaoh... I have this strange feeling that we are not supposed to be here. Do you feel the same way?"

The Pharaoh looked out over the dimly lighted sandy terrain that spread across most of the horizon. He stared at the small craggy mountains that were on the left, leading to the Valley of the Kings, that were completely dark silhouettes against the navy blue sky. He stated calmly, "I do. I also feel like I have forgotten something very important."

"Forgotten something? Like what?"

"Like... Like there's a big section of my memory that just vanished. And I know it was important too... but I can't recall any of it."

"Maybe Isis will know that too."

"Maybe... Anyway, we should be in bed. It must be nearly dawn."

"I agree."

They walked together back down the corridor in silence, departing from each other once the young Pharaoh reached his chambers. But before he entered the threshold, he called to the priestess, "Remember, no title. I just want you to call me by my name. Good night, Sakhmet."

She paused and waited for him to enter his room, smiling slightly, "Of course. Good night, Atem."

He shut the wooden door behind him and discarded his cloak on the floor. The fact that Sakhmet had also felt uneasy about being here was reassuring-he didn't want to be the only one who felt restless. He climbed back into his grand bed and pulled the covers over his head, hoping to get a good night's sleep before he was to wake in the morning.

The Pharaoh slept fitfully, his dreams full of darkness and thoughts unknown. Flashes of two shadowy figures, the three Egyptian gods, three people-two women and one man-that had the heads of three different animals, and a tunnel underneath one of the priests' pyramids. He didn't understand. What were his dreams showing him? Were these visions of the future? Or are they visions of the past before his father? He himself was unable to answer these questions; however, his court might be able to.

Sakhmet slipped into the bed hesitantly. She hoped that she would be able to sleep well. But her wish was not granted, and a dream from the past crept into her mind.

She ran down the dank and dusty tunnel, holding the torch high above her head. It was so hard to see what lay ahead, and she had no idea what traps were left for her to pass through. Taking two nervous steps forward, Sakhmet inched down the entrance tunnel of the tomb of the Pharaoh Horus Nynetjer, where it was said that no one had touched the burial place since the king was sent to the afterlife. It was one of the most dangerous too, and she was sure to spring some traps.

She reached the end, and made it to the entrance of the first chamber. It was covered from the floor to the great ceiling above in hieroglyphics, all in perfect condition due to the lack of outside air in centuries, with four pillars. The coast was clear; however, Sakhmet knew better than that. There were traps hidden in the floors, ceilings, anywhere. Always.

She took a few more steps, the place so quiet that you could hear her soft cloth sandals against the stone. After almost reaching the center with no trouble, a low growl thundered from beyond the next doorway. The whole tomb shook rhythmically as whatever was lurking in the darkness grew closer. She froze, and watched as a huge dragon stuck his head through the narrow passage, trying to wriggle through. It roared, causing a chunk of the stone in the top left pillar to crumble away.

"A-An ancient dragon! It must be here to protect the Pharaoh!" she cowered from its great red plated head as it snapped forward. Two hooks grabbed either side of the passageway as it tried to pull itself out with its leathery wings.

It roared and lashed forward, its sharp teeth glistening in the light of her torch, but when she dropped it, everything went black, and the only thing left to hear was a bloodcurdling roar.

Sakhmet jolted upright, her brow covered in sweat. Her tomb raider memories were the worst. How she hated herself for her previous misdeeds, especially since now she actually served under the Pharaoh himself.

There was no way she could sleep now, so she rose and dressed herself. She wore a white tunic, a gold necklace inlaid with ivory, gold cuffs that covered nearly half of each of her forearms, gold earrings, cloth sandals, and a thin gold ring, with the same eye symbol as that of the Millennium Items, that sat upon her head. She brushed her hair and wound the long strands into a tight braid that ended around the back of her knees before draping the sheets over the bed.

She washed her face before walking outside to the waking sun and said a quick prayer to Ra, whom they believed to be reborn every morning. She sauntered down the hall sleepily until she reached the atrium to the left of the great hall. At first it seemed that she was the only one awake at such an early hour, but that idea quickly vanished when a servant entered the room and asked if Sakhmet wished to eat something.

"No, no, there is no such need for you to wait on me. Just because I am a priestess, that does not mean that I should let you do all the work for me."

"But-"

"No buts. Now, please be off with whatever it was you were working on. I need not bother you."

The servant nodded and trotted off quietly, obviously grateful that she didn't have to add some other chore to her list. Sakhmet sighed, sitting down on one of lounge chairs; but before she had time to settle in, Atem walked into the room, yawning. He crashed down on the couch across from her and asked, "Did you get any sleep?"

"No. You?"

"No. That would explain why we both got up so early."

She fidgeted with the end of her braid, tapping the gold clamp that held her hair tightly. Atem attempted to get her to speak again, "So, how come you didn't get any sleep? Those dreams again?"

"Yes. I'm sorry, Atem. I must go and read the scriptures for the day."

"O-Oh, right," he watched her stand up and bow; but before she left, she asked, "Would you like to join me?"

He shook his head, "No thanks."

"Alright. But, Atem, you should start reading the scriptures at least once in a while. After all, you are considered a god yourself by your people." With that, she disappeared through the door that lead to the 'hallway of the gods'-the corridor that was covered from floor to ceiling in hieroglyphics that told of the gods and what they had done in the past.

She never did tell him entirely what she was thinking. If anything, she'd merely answer because of his status as pharaoh. But if she didn't want to tell him anything, then he wasn't going to force her.

Atem stood and left the room, taking the stairs down to the grand hall. He was just going to have to wait until everyone woke up before discussing the dreams with his court. And since Sakhmet was busy reading the scriptures, there was no one else to really talk to.

It was strange not having her around, since she was always nearby. After all, she was the priestess assigned to protect him ever since Mahad became an official part of his court. He seemed vulnerable, knowing that there wasn't anyone that could protect him at the moment; however, he knew that he could protect himself. It was merely that he felt... lonely. No courtiers, no bodyguards, no noblemen, and there wasn't even a servant around. He was completely alone in that grand hall.

His footsteps echoed off the high stone walls as he approached his throne. The plush cushion didn't really help against the hard stone. Atem sighed and lounged in the uncomfortable chair. He didn't really know what to do with himself. There was no one to entertain him, there wasn't anyone to talk to, so... what was he supposed to do?

A large bang thundered from outside, so loud that it even caused some dust from the ceiling to fall. It caught the Pharaoh's attention, but before he even had time to wonder what it was, more and more could be heard, and a young servant rushed into the room. She collapsed at the stairs to his throne and she squeaked, "My king, the kingdom-the gods-they're-they're..."

He stood up, urging her to continue, "They're what? Out with it! What's happening to the city!"

"The gods themselves are destroying everything and they're... they're demanding to see you, my Pharaoh," she whispered, terrified. Atem nodded and strode to the stairs, climbed them, and walked straight out to the main balcony.

What he saw before him was devastating. All of the houses that had been rebuilt after the previous attack by Bakura were destroyed. The gates to his palace were torn apart, fire spread across the city, and in the distance, he could see the ruins of Kul Elna on fire as well. His kingdom was being laid to waste by two figures in the distance, but another figure shot up in front of him, blocking his view. In his face was a man with head of a hawk looking menacingly at him: the god Horus.

He said nothing, but held up a Pharaoh's crook and Atem felt as if something had grabbed him by the shoulders, picking him up and dragging him into the air. The god opened his mouth and shrieked, a piercing sound that could be heard for miles.

"Atem! Atem!"

He heard his name from the balcony, and he turned his head as much as he could to see who it was. Sakhmet was standing on the balcony, wide-eyed with fear. It was her job to protect the pharaoh, and yet there was nothing she could do.

"Sakhmet, something's wrong with the gods!"

She nodded, "Please, great Horus! Why is it you terrorize our kingdom? Have we done something to upset you or Ra?"

The god simply ignored her while he raised the crook again, and Atem yelled while a bright light enveloped all of them. When the light faded, Atem and Horus were gone, with Sakhmet left behind.

A horde of footsteps echoed behind her, and she turned to see all of the priests, gasping for breath. Priest Seto stepped forward, commanding, "Sakhmet, what happened to the Pharaoh?"

"I-I..."

"Well?"

"The-The gods, they-"

Seto grabbed her shoulders and shook her hard, "Where. Is. The. Pharaoh!"

"Horus took him!" She blurted out, and everything went silent. Priestess Isis stepped forward, "You mean... the gods themselves really have come down to pass judgment?"

"I saw it. I was right here. A man with the head of a hawk. He even held the Pharaoh's crook. Somehow, he had gotten Pharaoh and-"

"If you were right there, then why didn't you stop him!"

"How am I supposed to stop a god! And Pharaoh... Pharaoh was out there. In midair. There was no way for me to reach him! You expect me to do something that is impossible!"

Priest Mahad quickly stepped between the two, pushing Seto back towards the rest of the priests, "That's enough you two! Standing here arguing is not going to find the Pharaoh now! I suggest we split up and take care of this mess first!" He waved his hand toward the scene behind him, "Our kingdom is being destroyed, thousands are dying! Can we do nothing without the Pharaoh!"

"Mahad is right. We should take care of this as well. Half of us should look for the Pharaoh," Isis agreed.

"Isis, Akhenaden, Shada, and Karim, you four should go find the Pharaoh. Seto, Sakhmet, and I will stay here," Mahad said.

Sakhmet objected, "No, I want to go look for the Pharaoh."

"You've done enough-" Seto began, but Mahad cut him off, "We need your Ancient Dragon. Will you please stay and help us? They will bring the Pharaoh home safely."

She thought about it, and then quietly muttered, "Fine. As long as Seto apologizes, then I will not make a fuss."

"What! What kind of deal is that-" Seto exclaimed, but Mahad cut him off once again, "He will. Thank you, Sakhmet," he turned to Seto, "Well?"

"There is no way I'm apologizing to someone who let the tyrants capture the Pharaoh," he folded his arms and narrowed his eyes at Sakhmet. She shrugged, "Alright, then have fun fighting without me. I will go look for the Pharaoh myself. Guess my Ancient Dragon will be of no use to y-"

"Okay, okay!" He sighed and muttered, "I'm sorry."

"For what?"

He grimaced, "For accusing you of being a worthless bodyguard."

"Oh, you thought I was worthless, did you?"

"That's right, you tomb raider!"

"We don't need you two in another fight. C'mon, both of you. We must prepare for battle, even if it means fighting the gods themselves."

Sakhmet and Seto both growled, but they didn't continue fighting. Mahad stepped forward and passed through the small crowd of priests, beckoning for Sakhmet and Seto to follow.

"Take care you three," Isis did a small bow, "May the gods have favor on your victory."

"If only the gods weren't the ones we are about to fight."

Atem sat up slowly, his head spinning. He was surrounded by trees, and he could hear the sound of running water. The thought of something to drink made his already parched throat even drier. The urge to have something down his throat was greater than the pain he was in, so he clambered to his feet and trudged down through the trees. There in front of him, was the great Nile river, so far the best sight he had ever seen in a long time.

He slid down the muddy banks and crashed into the water, but when he tried to take a huge gulp of water, he got a mouthful of sand. The image of the Nile and the paradise that surrounded it disappeared, and he was left in the sandy desert under the heat of the sun-still without water.

Atem groaned, his throat becoming more and more irritated by the second, as he flipped onto his back. It was blistering hot now that the sun had risen at it's full peak. Due to it's position, it was likely he had been lying there for several hours. He had no idea where he was and he could barely remember how he had gotten there. There was nothing he could do. With no water and no food, he was surely done for, unless by some miracle those in charge of his safety found him before he die of dehydration or heatstroke.

"Why couldn't humans be born with the ability to drink sand?" He asked himself, completely at a loss, "Or at least teleport to somewhere with water?"

He closed his eyes, picturing himself in one of the ponds in the palace's gardens, or in the Nile. How he wished that he was dreaming, still lying safely in his bed with Sakhmet down the hall to protect him.