A/N: I've been writing a lot of slightly/extremely depressing stories about Atem lately. It's probably because I'm like two episodes away from the end of Millennium World and I'm already crying cause I know the pharaoh's gonna die... Wah...
Raphael looked dubiously around at the shifting shadows. Even though the light of Orichalcos gleamed brightly, it did not reveal where he was. This was not the first time that the Orichalcos had sent him a vision in the midst of a duel, and he was sure it wouldn't be the last, but he was anxious to return to the game. Just a few more duels, and Dartz had promised that he would finally get to face off against and vanquish that arrogant, evil pharaoh that had nearly destroyed the world three thousand years ago. He didn't have time for visions; the pharaoh could be arriving in San Francisco at any moment!
The shadows parted, and an even darker silhouette appeared. One step at a time, the figure made its way across the circle of the Orichalcos, coming into view in the pulsing green light.
Tall, with dark spiky hair, burning red eyes and a tanned face framed with golden bangs –
Raphael started, unable to stop staring. This was him! The pharaoh, in his first form when he ruled ancient Egypt! But something seemed wrong. His eyes did not have that hard, prideful glint he remembered, or the powerful bearing. He seemed tired – so tired, barely able to keep shuffling along.
The red eyes locked onto Raphael, and he took an involuntary step back.
"Who are you?" the pharaoh said.
"What are you doing here?" Raphael said at the same time.
The pharaoh's brow furrowed.
"I...I'm not exactly sure where here is," he said slowly.
A tinge of desperation entered his eyes, and the emotion seemed so out of place on the proud face Raphael knew.
"Do you...do you know where we are?"
"No," Raphael said.
The pharaoh's jaw tightened. His fists clenched. Slowly, slowly, he sank down to one knee, his hand going to his forehead.
"Damn," he whispered. "Damn. Why can't I remember?"
Raphael couldn't speak. Was this really the pharaoh? What kind of vision was this?
In a rush of motion, the pharaoh shot up to his feet with a yell. The shadows exploded, rushing all around him. Raphael threw his arms in front of him, but the shadows never even got close to them. When they finally settled, the pharaoh had sank to his knees again.
"I can almost see it!" he said, almost to himself. "I can just barely see it! The place I came from! But it won't focus –"
His voice tightened as he spoke, and with a shock, Raphael realized that the ancient spirit was crying! What was going on?
Rubbing his eyes furiously, the pharaoh dragged himself back to his feet.
"I have to keep going," he said, still talking to himself. "I have to find...have to find..."
But he didn't seem able to remember what he was going to say. Shaking his head, the broken spirit stumbled onward. With a strange feeling in his chest, Raphael watched him go.
"He's going to wander forever," a tear filled voice whispered. "And I can't help him."
Raphael glanced behind him – for a moment, he thought he saw the Dark Magician Girl. Then it turned into a tan skinned, brown haired girl with a tear-stained face.
Then the shadows withdrew, and Raphael returned to the present.
But the vision continued to eat away at the edge of his mind...
