The end was coming and he knew it. The earliest rays of sunlight were breaking through the curtains of bedroom as a placid silence echoed across it, screaming the truth of the salient situation. Yugi Muto was dying and he knew that soon, very soon, his time would come. Physically, he resembled his own grandpa in many ways, despite being a bit thinner than him. As he lay reminiscing, flashbacks of some of the most memorable moments of his life reminded him of all his accomplishments and of all the friends he made along the way. There was when he first put together the millennium puzzle when he was only thirteen or so years old or when he set sail for Duelist Kingdom or when he defeated Pegasus in a duel or when he won Battle City and its successors, and most of all, when he proved his worth by defeating his greatest friend and true love in the duel that showed that he was ready to face the world on his own.
"Atem…" thought Yugi to himself as that name resonated throughout his mind. He knew that soon he would see him again.
…
"Silent Magician, attack his life points directly and end this duel!" And with the explosion of brilliant light, Yugi's new ace monster launched her assault on Atem's open field, annihilating what was left of his life points and securing victory for her master.
When his life points dropped to zero and the duel ended, Atem walked to his love, expressing a confident smile. His love, on the other hand, fell to his knees in tears as he mourned the fact that he had just sent away his dearest friend and greatest love, banishing him from this world forever.
"Yugi, a champion doesn't belong on his knees. Today you've achieved a great victory for us both."
"I was so focused on playing the game that I forgot what winning would actually mean and now I've sent you away… for good."
"No, you've opened the door for me and now my spirit can finally be free at last. Together we've prevented the return of the shadow games and we've each grown tremendously along the way."
"I'm gonna miss you… other me…"
"You do realize that we'll never truly be apart, right? Your gift of kindness you've given me and the courage I've given you will stay with us forever. And Yugi, I am no longer the 'other you.' From now on, there will only be one Yugi…"
…
Everything after that day was all Yugi's doing, not that of Atem. Yugi went on to be the greatest duelist to ever live and never lost a single duel. He would take his title of "King of Games" with him to death as the world would mourn the loss of its biggest celebrity.
"Joey, thank you for being here with me in these last hours," struggled Yugi.
His best friend, Joey Wheeler, was sitting at his bedside, restraining his own tears as he watched Yugi fade away. Joey, an old man himself, had spent his entire life with Yugi and the two of them had never been apart.
"You're welcome, Yug," struggled Joey through his tear stained words.
Yugi began to think about all the friends he made in life. Some of them had already passed on, but he was excited because he knew that he would soon see them again.
There was Mai Valentine. She married Joey's sister, Serenity, and was notorious for her sassy attitude. She and Yugi were always close friends and a few years ago, she passed on. She always reminded Yugi to stay strong and never to surrender a fight.
Duke Devlin was another of Yugi's friends whom had departed this life. Yugi could remember always beating him at his own game - Dungeon Dice Monsters, and how sad he was when he passed on only a year or so ago.
Duke's husband Tristan Taylor was another close friend of Yugi's whom had gone too soon. He never really was that successful at dueling and ended up as a police officer in Domino for the remainder of his life, despite his husband's massively successful dice game. Yugi sure did miss his sense of humor.
Ishizu Ishtar and her brother Odion, too, had each died a few years prior. They spent their entire lives as renowned Egyptologists and historians with focus on the history of Duel Monsters. Ishizu always reminded Yugi that he would one day reunite with Atem.
Ishizu's yunger brother Marik and his husband Ryo Bakura also had died not long ago and Yugi was devastated. He found such great and loyal friends in both of them, but he knew that he would soon see them again, like he would the rest of his departed friends.
…
"My friends…" whispered Yugi to himself, his eyes watering as Joey watched attentively.
What Yugi thought about next was his legacy as the King of Games. He never did lose one duel in his entire life and he was renowned as the greatest duelist to ever live. In his old and frail hands, he held the deck that he used to secure victory. The card at the front of the deck was none other than his favorite monster and signature card, the Dark Magician. Also in the deck were the three Egyptian Gods and many other monsters he used in life that always led him along the path to victory.
"Joey, you remember what to do with this deck, right?"
"Of course, Yug. You want me to make sure it's buried with you."
"Exactly," agreed Yugi, staring down at the deck that had made him a legend.
"I will, Yug," promised Joey, once again trying not to cry.
"Joey, I feel that my time is coming very soon and before I go, I want you to know how much you mean to me and that you really are my best friend," admitted Yugi as he tightly held onto the deck in his hands before him.
"Yug…" sobbed Joey, a single tear falling from his eyes.
"Tell the rest of our friends that I love them too…"
"I will, Yugi. I promise…"
Yugi's old heart became filled with the light of friendship as he reminisced of all the great friends he made in life and the fondness he felt towards them. To him, the greatest treasure of all was friendship and the bonds it formed between individuals, linking them together for a greater cause than anything they could possibly imagine in their wildest dreams.
"Joey, I love.. You…" struggled Yugi as he felt his entire reality begin to shift.
"Yugi…" replied Joey rather quickly. Frightened, he knew what was happening, but he couldn't prevent it. It was truly inevitable.
"I'll… see… you… soon…"
"Yugi..." sobbed Joey.
Suddenly, Yugi's spirit left his body. He felt the change of states as his astral being stood before his lifeless body as he watched Joey sob over it. Blinding white lights appeared from nowhere and they looked as if they were blazing more intensely than that of a million suns burning bright in the daytime sky. He heard voices calling him… Mai… Grandpa… Ishizu… Ryo…
Tears of bliss began streaming down his face as he was captured by emotion he felt awakening within his true self. This was the moment he had waited for his entire life and it was more sentimental than he could ever possibly have imagined it as being.
Suddenly, the light consumed him and he was no longer in his bedroom. He was somewhere entirely different and it was a wonderful place - he could sense it. He looked no older than twenty or so years old. It was as if his youth was restored to him… Merely feet away from him, he saw the one whom he loved most of all standing, smiling as he knew that the day he had waited for for decades had finally arrived. He was dressed in the beautiful white Pharaoh's attire as the golden jewelry bedazzled his body. The light shone upon his olive skin and crimson eyes as he stared at the one he loved.
"Atem…"
Atem, initially, was speechless. He stared at his love with a fire burning in his eyes, brighter than the blazes of the sun itself. In the rays of light, he was bathed, feeling complete now that his better half had come to join him forever and ever, never ceasing to depart. At each of his sides approached two more figures. Initially, it was hard to make them out but soon enough did their identities become clear. They were Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl and it was as if they, too, had been awaiting Yugi.
"Mahad, Mana, he's finally arrived," said Atem proudly as his two most faithful servants knelt alongside Atem and nodded their heads respectfully, pledging their allegiance not only to their master, but to their master's lover as well.
Suddenly, many other familiar faces appeared behind Atem. Among them were Mai, Pegasus, Ryo, Marik, Ishizu, Odion, Rafael, Valon, Allister, Duke, Tristan, Grandpa, Isis, Karim, Shada, Seth, Kisara… They all looked so much younger than they had when Yugi had last seen them with none of them looking any older than twenty or so years old. In Heaven, apparently youth is restored to its inhabitants.
"It's good to have you back, Yugi," smiled Grandpa Muto.
Behind the crowd of Yugi's friends appeared the spirits of Yugi's monsters. There were Silent Magician and Silent Swordsman, each of them standing tall and majestic, bowing their heads in service to their master. Silent Magician had tears of joy in her eyes as her Yugi was finally home. She clenched her scepter in her hands as she smiled serenely and her brilliant blue eyes shone in the light of day. Likewise, Silent Swordsman stood adamantly, his heart beating with pride for his master like only a warrior's heart could.
The little ones - Kuriboh and his four siblings - Kuribu, Kuribe, Kuribi, and Kuriba - along with Watapon, Marshmallon, Kuribandit, Clear Kuriboh and Blockman all expressed joyous smiles and Kuriboh began clapping to his heart's content over Yugi's arrival. The Kuriboh siblings flew around in circles, jubilantly, cheering as their cries filled the air.
The warriors - Buster Blader, Black Luster Soldier, Timaeus, Big Shield Gardna, Celtic Guardian, and the three Royal Knights all raised their swords to Yugi, offering a welcome filled with valor and honor as they saluted him while the beasts - Silver Fang, Gazelle, and Berfomet, all began howling in a pleasant sounding tune that one could only hear in Heaven of all places.
The Fiends - Summoned Skull and Archfiend of Gilfer roared triumphantly as the playful Feral Imp did a cartwheel in joy.
The remaining Spellcasters - the Sorcerer of Dark Magic, the Magician's Valkyria, and Breaker the Magical Warrior bowed their heads as they held high their scepters, while the Magician of Black Chaos stood with his arms crossed, smiling with pride, and Choco, Berry, Lemon, Kiwi, and Apple Magician Girls all danced cheerfully.
Stronghold the Moving Fortress, Metalhold the Moving Battlement, and Morphing Clay Fortress all stood in the back, waving their gargantuan arms in the air as the Gadgets - Red, Yellow, Green, Gold, and Silver - all jumped up and down in front of them, along with the three Magnet Warriors - Alpha, Beta, and Gamma.
Catapult Turtle and Electromagnetic Turtle both smiled placidly as Curse of Dragon and Gandora the Dragon of Destruction stretched out their wings, loyal and rejoicing over their master's arrival into the realm of Heaven as they roared to the skies above.
"Welcome, my love," smiled Atem as he held out his arms to Yugi, welcoming him to his true home.
"I love you, Atem," admitted Yugi as he ran into Atem's arms, embracing his true love and knowing that he would forever be bound to him for all eternity.
Instantaneously, the surroundings began to change, transitioning into a paradise. Yugi stood with all his friends and monsters, gazing at the most gorgeous scenery one could ever imagine. It was a lush valley filled with green pastures and not so far away was a serene ocean. Many beautiful mansions and palaces lined the valley and they were the homes of all of Atem's and Yugi's friends. Near a cliff was a particularly magnificent palace of white brick and it caught Yugi's eyes. It was so sublime.
"That palace is where we're going to live?" asked Yugi.
"Yes," answered Atem.
"And all of them will live with us?" asked Yugi as he looked to his many faithful monsters, still standing behind his crowd of friends.
"They will," answered Atem once again."
"This is so much better than anything I could have imagined," admitted Yugi, tears of bliss falling from his violet eyes as he held on tightly to Atem. "I can't wait until Joey gets here so he can see all this too… and Anzu, Rebecca, Serenity…"
"I love you, Yugi…"
"I love you, Atem…"
With those fateful words and the physical embrace that accompanied them, Gandora the Dragon of Destruction gave a great roar and all of Heaven was rejoicing on this magnificent day of all days. It was then that the three Gods - Slifer, Obelisk, and Ra, appeared in the sky above them, smiling down upon the joyful homecoming of Yugi Muto. Beyond them, the Creator of Light Himself stood in silent rejoice as He smiled upon the arrival of the King of Games.
Shortly afterward, Yugi moved in with Atem to their gorgeous palace and all of their monsters lived with them in it. Their friends made frequent visits and every moment was precious. In this realm, it was as if no wrong could ever be done and Yugi felt truly blessed to know that soon Joey and their few friends that were still on earth would join them…
…
The first evening, Yugi was on a balcony at the palace, leaning against its white, marble railing as he stared out at the endless ocean. He had such an amazing day and was so happy to be reunited with all of his lost loved ones in paradise. With Atem and Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl and all his other many faithful monster companions, he lived in this beautiful palace and here they all would remain forever. He smiled to himself, feeling the joy in his heart over this sublime reality and he knew that his joy would never be extinguished.
"This is my story and it is a story that concludes in light…"