Chapter One:
Sakamoto Annie sighed pushing her hand through her wild hair to push it out of her face as she glanced up from the book she had been reading to the window in front of her. A flash of lightening soon followed by a loud boom of thunder distracted her from her research.
Annie was a young woman, who stood about 5.2" making her a little shorter than average. Annie had long wild black hair that had natural streaks of silver running through it, and wide silver colored eyes that made her look a little more on the cute and innocent side. To follow that Annie's features were soft and sincere almost making her look slightly childish.
Currently since she hadn't yet gotten ready for bed, she wore a black leather skirt that came about an inch higher than her knee, with a black studded belt. Her top was a loose fitting off the shoulder black shirt that had a bright purple butterfly on the front. She wore a leather bracelet on her left arm whereas her right was currently empty of accessories. Around her neck was a leather chocker that had a small Ankh, the Egyptian symbol for life. She wore a pair of long dangle earrings that were made from small rows of delicate chains that were both a deep dark blue and gold alternated.
Annie watched the window for a few minutes before pursing her lips in frustration and she turned her gaze back to her book. She looked at the book for a moment or two before turning her gaze to the bracelet sitting next to the book.
It was a thick golden bracelet. Ancient Egyptian in origin, the bracelet was excessively simple compared to any other Egyptian jewelry she had ever seen. The only thing decorating the bracelet was an eye, which Annie softly traced after a moment.
The bracelet had been a gift from her Uncle Kazou who she had lived with for the past year. Her Uncle Kazou was an Egyptian Anthropologist and had brought the bracelet back for Annie after one of his many expeditions.
Many people had told her that the bracelet was a fake. Many experts had said it was nothing more than costume jewelry sold by someone looking to turn a quick profit, but Annie knew better.
The bracelet wasn't a fake as everyone said, the reason she knew this? This particular bracelet was inhabited by an Ancient Egyptian soul. This spirit whom Annie had adapted to call Amunet, meaning Goddess of Mystery, had been cursed to remain in her bracelet. Why they had no idea.
Amunet, may I come inside? Annie questioned over the mind-link she shared with the spirit that came from being the owner of the bracelet.
Of course Akhu. This came as the steady instant reply.
Annie smiled at this and instantly picked the bracelet up and hurried over to settle herself on her bed before pulling the bracelet on her wrist. Annie closed her eyes, feeling a slight tug, which indicated to her soul leaving her physical body, and when she opened them again she was no longer in her room. Instead she was in a room scattered with puzzles across the floor, books opened and scattered and the bed she sat on had scattered sheets and blankets. This room was what Amunet called her 'Soul Room', the true representation of her soul.
Annie paid the room no true head jumping up from the bed she was now in to the floor. She carefully maneuvered through the mess on her floor and towards the door of said room. She paused only momentarily before carefully opening the door to her room to look out.
There was a hallway here, and straight across the hall from this particular room Annie was in was another door. That door Annie knew was where Amunet's soul room was and that meant safety from all of the shadows that lived here sliding across walls, releasing creatures that Annie was still positive that should have never existed.
Looking around to make sure the pathway was clear, Annie stepped out of her room and quickly crossed the hallway stepping into Amunet's room.
Once inside the room Annie looked around to try and spot the spirit. Annie knew even if Amunet wasn't here in her room she would soon return to it, knowing of Annie's presence as soon as she entered her realm.
This room was vastly different from Annie's soul room. Whereas Annie's room was warm and inviting Amunet's room was the exact opposite. Her room had a colder bite to it, cold enough that Annie rubbed her arms trying to warm herself up. There was a large bed in the room with dark red bedding, though Annie was sure Amunet probably never really slept, around the room there were various items such as a desk and a few paintings along the wall.
There were also a few weapons in a corner out of the way. Annie knew these were extremely important to Amunet seeing as they were her only lifeline to what her life once was. From what they had pieced together Amunet had been a warrior in her past life and a good one at that.
This information had been provided to them through the next object Annie's gaze shifted to. There was a stone wall across from Amunet's bed. On this wall were hieroglyphics, just like in tombs of the dead, except they were extremely faded making them almost impossible to see, and only a small portion of the story written here could be made out.
Annie had spent hours sitting at this wall trying to translate what she could see. All Annie had been able to make out was that Amunet had been a warrior, a warrior with the origins in a tribe called the Sand Raiders. It frustrated Annie so that she couldn't help her friend find out who she was, or why she was trapped here inside the bracelet.
Annie brushed her fingers across the stone, where there was a place where something had been entirely chiseled off. Annie had a strong hunch this was where Amunet's true name had been, chiseled off by whomever had trapped her here. Without her true name even if Amunet had been freed from the curse that held her here, she couldn't go into her afterlife. Annie sighed at this fact; she wished they could figure this out. It was the only puzzle Annie had ever come across that she couldn't figure out; there were still too many missing pieces.
"What are you sighing for, Akhu?"
This voice pulled Annie out of her reverie. Annie spun around to spot her friend walking into the room pushing the door closed behind herself.
Amunet was in all purposes Annie's twin with a few minor differences. Amunet was taller standing closer to five foot five, and instead of pale skin like Annie's, Amunet's skin was a few shades darker in color having a slight tan to it. Amunet's eyes too were a different color, instead of being silver Amunet's were a golden ember color along with her long hair that had the same golden color as her eyes running through her hair in streaks. Her features were sharper than Annie's giving her a much fiercer look, the look one would associate with strength and power, the look of a trained warrior.
Amunet wore a black leather skirt very similar to the one Annie currently wore and a studded leather belt crossways on her hips. Instead of an off the shoulder loose top Amunet wore a blood red corset which had small gold chains handing here and there on it. Amunet had a small amount of what Annie could consider makeup on which she assumed was from her days in Egypt. Her golden eyes were highlighted with black eyeliner, and on her left eye there was a tattoo that flowed down from the corner of her eye into a curled backward J type shape, which again Annie assumed was a symbol from her heritage. She wore a pair of black boots that reached her mid-calf with buckles all along them, and a few golden pieces of jewelry like a few bangles on her right arm and a golden Ankh dangle earring in her left ear with a golden stud in her right. She also wore a leather chocker like Annie's around her neck again with an Ankh in the middle.
"Nothing!" Annie said with a bright smile. "Amunet?"
"Yes?"
"Can I ask you a question?"
"Did you not just ask me one?" Amunet questioned with a small smile at the red flush that covered Annie's face.
"Amunet!" Annie exclaimed hands on her hips. "Smarty!"
"Are you going to ask me this question or not?" Amunet questioned tilting her head to the side in question before walking on inside the room.
Annie didn't say anything for a moment watching the movements of her friend as she walked on inside the room.
"Why do you call me Akhu?"
Amunet paused looking up at Annie for a moment. "Same reason you call me Amunet, I thought it was fitting."
"What does it mean, Akhu?" Annie questioned again curiosity lining her voice.
"Light." Amunet answered promptly. "It means light in my native language, it is one of the few words I can actually properly remember."
"Light?" Annie repeated sounding confused. "Why call me light?"
Amunet didn't answer for a moment instead choosing to walk over to where Annie stood in front of the stone. Amunet absently brushed her fingers across the old stone seeming to be trapped in thought. Annie didn't say anything more allowing the spirit to think, but she didn't miss the look of pure sorrow that passed across Amunet's face before she spoke again to Annie.
"This place is dark, nothing more than a play place for shadow creatures." Amunet's hand paused just resting on the stone still looking at it. "I have been trapped here for centuries, and no owner of my bracelet has been like you. They have either run scared or tried to use me to their liking. That is why I locked my soul room and absolutely refused to let anyone in here until you became the owner of the bracelet…"
Amunet paused again thinking. "Your soul is so, pure. It is honest and giving and so painstakingly genuine, something that in all of my lifetimes I have never seen before. Your soul is achingly innocent; it's like a light in this dark place."
Annie stood stunned at this explanation from her friend. Tears prickled at the edges of her eyes as she leapt forward and embraced Amunet suddenly hugging her tightly. Amunet was startled at this sudden movement from Annie and took her hand away from the stone and gently placed it on her head.
"Akhu?" Amunet questioned quietly.
"That…was…the…nicest…thing…anyone has ever…said to me!" Annie explained through the sobs that now were coming from the younger.
Amunet laughed a little as she patted Annie's head and waited for her to stop crying. After a moment or two Annie stopped crying and backed away from Amunet brushing away her tears a smile on her face.
"I'm glad you let me inside, Amunet." Annie said to the spirit then turned her gaze to the stone. "I just wish I could repay you for your kindness and friendship…"
"We'll find it one day," Amunet assured her knowing what she referred to.
"Yeah…" Annie said her own hand wondering back to the place where Amunet's name was chiseled off.
"So Akhu, why did you want to come inside the bracelet?" Amunet questioned pulling her attention away from the stone.
Annie smiled and her attention was quickly turned to her, she then turned bright red and locked her arms behind her looking down and scuffing her foot on the ground.
"I wondered if you wanted to play a game of Duel Monsters with me?" Annie questioned and scuffed her foot again. "I know you don't like playing very much, and that you would prefer not to play, but we haven't dueled in so long… I miss dueling you."
Amunet smiled as her friend looked up to gage the reaction by the facial expression on her face. Seeing the smile Annie smiled as well.
"Very well, we can duel." Amunet nodded and Annie let out a triumphant yes before she quickly ran over to the desk in Amunet's room.
Here there was a small golden chest. It held again the same eye as Amunet's bracelet, instead of only holding the carving of the eye there were other carvings. Curses from what Annie could understand from translations, to keep others out of Amunet's belongings. Inside the chest were two stacks of Duel Monster cards, one deck belonged to Annie and the other belonged to Amunet.
Annie quickly picked up the two stacks holding them like they were the most precious things in the world to her. She turned back around to find that Amunet had summoned two chairs and a table for them to play at. The smile that lit up Annie's face was warm enough that if given enough time it might have been able to warm up this cold soul room.
Annie quickly moved to the table handing Amunet her deck for the two to play. Amunet accepted the cards with a smile and the two sat to start their duel.
The two dueled for quite a while, Annie's laughter filling the room when she made a move that bested her friend. Finally it came to the end both duelist had a small amount of life points left. Amunet then drew the last card of the game.
"Sorry to do this to you Akhu, but I play Faceless Warrior Maiden, in attack mode." Amunet said flashing the card for Annie to see. Annie groaned her head tipping back as she knew she had now officially lost the duel. "and attack your Lady Harpy. "
"How do you do that?!" Annie questioned. "You always draw that Warrior Maiden when you need her most."
"You're the one who taught me to trust my cards." Amunet said with a chuckle.
Annie pursed her lips looking at the card Amunet had just played. A thoughtful look crossed Annie's face then as she reached out and brushed her fingers across the card thoughtfully.
"You know, as many people I have dueled, that we have dueled I have never seen anyone else with this card.." Annie said then looked up Amunet. "It has become your iconic card. You've become known for having this card. The only one of its kind." Annie paused before looking back at the card again. "I just wonder where she came from."
Amunet didn't say anything watching Annie study the card for a few moments. The card held an image of a woman warrior. She was dressed in Egyptian styled garb, with long black hair, and held a sword out in front of herself in a defensive stance. Her attack points were high, at 2300 and her defense while lower was still good standing at 2000. The only thing was that missing though was that she was faceless, the entirety of her face was nothing but a blur.
Annie then yawned.
"Akhu don't you have classes in the morning?" Amunet questioned tilting her head to the side as she did.
"Yeah…" Annie yawned again showing just how tired she really was.
Amunet then stood indicating that Annie follow her lead. Annie stood and as soon as she did the table they had been playing at disappeared. Annie then quickly put the cards away before walking back over to where Amunet still stood. Annie offered Amunet a small tired smile.
"You need to sleep." Amunet admonished.
"I know I know..." Annie said and then scrunched her nose up in thought. "Amunet?"
"Yes?" Amunet questioned knowing that Annie was thinking about something serious with the way her nose scrunched up. Annie then looked up at Amunet.
"Do you ever worry that the gods have abandoned you here?"
There was a pure silence for a moment at the question. Amunet looked slightly surprised and caught off guard at this question.
"…maybe they have." Amunet said tilting her head.
"If they have, then what will you do?" Annie asked quietly seeming almost afraid to ask.
Amunet paused, crossing her arms over her chest seeming to be honestly contemplating the answer she wanted to give Annie. The two sat in silence for a moment or two while Amunet thought.
"Well if the gods have seen fit to abandon me here then I will stay with you until you either pass into your own afterlife or no longer want me and then I will lock the bracelet again." Amunet finally said.
Annie put her hands over her mouth with a horrified gasp. "Amunet! That's horrible! I won't ever not want you around!"
"You should sleep, little one you have classes in the morning." Amunet said changing the subject abruptly.
Annie lowered her hands from her mouth and tears formed in her eyes. Amunet wasn't even really looking at her, more focused on a spot somewhere on the floor. Annie could see the small amount of pain that flickered across Amunet's face.
"Amunet.." Annie instantly dashed forward embracing her friend in a tight hug. "I promise Amunet I will find your name. I will break this curse no matter what! No one deserves what you are going through, it's not fair! You and Seto are the only friends I've ever had Amunet, I hate seeing you trapped here alone."
Amunet smiled a little patting Annie on the head then returned the embrace. Annie finally released Amunet from the hug and stepped back away from her whipping her tears away. Amunet reached over and brushed the hair away from her face.
"Go to bed, Annie." Amunet said and smiled. "You have classes in the morning, I would hate for you to fall asleep during them."
Annie smiled brightly looking up at Amunet. "I'm going! I'm going!"
Amunet laughed lightly before ruffling Annie's hair. Annie let out a small squeal and reached up to remove the offending hand. Amunet laughed harder at this and then released her small companion nodding towards the door to her room.
Annie laughed before heading towards it in a jog waving over her shoulder at Amunet calling back a goodnight to her.
After Annie left there was a ringing silence in the room. Amunet sighed, before turning back to the wall that held the glyphs on it. She crossed her arms studying it for a few moments.
Behind her there was a small air disturbance as someone else appeared in the room. As she did the small air disturbance knocked something off her desk. Looking down the new appearance saw the Faceless Warrior Maiden card lying at her feet.
She picked the card up reverently and looked at it for a moment before setting it back in its rightful place inside the small chest. She then turned her attention to Amunet before slowly approaching her.
"Mistress?"
Amunet turned slightly to see who it was calling out to her.
"Valkyria." Amunet greeted her.
Magician's Valkyria stood next to Amunet for a moment or two carefully taking in the appearance of her Mistress.
"Did you need something?" Amunet questioned curious as to why the magician had summoned herself into the room.
"The little Mistress has reason to worry about you." Valkyria said. "We are worried about you. You have become very withdrawn that of late, doing nothing but wondering the halls of your soul."
"Valkyria?" Amunet questioned her gaze still lingering on the stone.
"Yes Mistress?"
"Do you think the gods have abandoned us here?"
Valkyria was silent for a moment or two before she answered. "I do not know."
"Why do you stay?" Amunet questioned her gaze finally turning to look at her. "You could have left long ago; your soul is not bound here."
"I promised someone long ago that I would protect you no matter where you went." Valkyria explained with a shrug. "And even if I can't clearly remember who that was I intend to keep you safe."
Amunet paused at this. "You should rest Valkyria, there is no telling when Akhu might need you in a duel."
Valkyria nodded knowing a dismissal when she heard one. "Rest well then, my mistress."
Valkyria disappeared from Amunet's side leaving Amunet alone again. Amunet sighed before resting her hand against the stone before her, and then leaned her head up against it.
"Ra, if you will listen to my prayer please, give me a sign, give me something." Amunet said in a whisper. "I do not know what I have done to deserve being abandon so, but I wholeheartedly repent, just please. Help me."
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