AN: This is my first fanfic since I usually write my own personal stories but I had this idea that was begging to be written out. This story is going to be a mix of the anime and manga and will be using the Japanese names. So, please, constructive criticism is welcome.
(Atem and 'Yami' are two different beings in this story for specific reasons, so if you are strongly against this idea then please don't bother reading)
Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh. I'm just a fan with an immense imagination.
Prologue
The Pharaoh's POV (1960, Valley of the Kings)
3000 years. It has been 3000 years and I still stand ever vigilant over my own tomb protecting it and all that lies inside from any who wish to wrongly steal from it. I've never been much of a fighter, so for the most part I leave the duty of warning away intruders to the traps that were set up within. Only when one ventures too far, too close to what I wish to protect the most, do I ever intervene. I made a promise to myself and my family to never let anyone get their hands on it and I will uphold that promise even if it means to act against my nature to protect it. The Millennium Puzzle.
A treasure worth more than the gold it was seemingly made of, the Millennium Puzzle held magic, strong and dark, which in the wrong hands could result in the doom of the world. But that is not all that it held, for it contained something far more precious to me, so much so that I was willing to do anything to keep the Puzzle safe. My beloved sister. My first friend and confidante. The one person in the world who I looked up to the most and would always fiercely protect. I loved her so much that I had even sacrificed my own life so that she may live. And with my death came her rise to the throne. However, evils still plagued the lands of Kemet and not long after my own sacrifice, my beloved sister sealed herself and the threatening wicked creature in the prison of the Puzzle to save our kingdom and its people. Many vowed to keep the Puzzle protected and had set up the most intricate traps of that time to prevent grave-robbers from ever accidentally unleashing that malignant being on the world again. I made my own promise to my sister that I would keep her safe and if there was ever a way to set her free and defeat the evil creature that caused all this strife, I would do whatever was necessary.
Little did I know as I was patrolling the outskirts of my tomb one day, that my prayers would finally be answered. I was doing my usual sweep of the outside when I spotted three figures headed in my direction, towards my tomb. Tomb raiders! Do they never learn?! I thought to myself. Nonetheless, I prepared for the inevitable confrontation. Disappearing to within my tomb, I waited, ready to intervene if necessary. Not long after, lit torches began to illuminate the surroundings as the infiltrators entered. The foremost one was rather short and wore dark attire that was not the usual for the typical bandit but other than that I could not distinguish much of his features as he wore some type of head-wear, with only a bit of his dark hair wildly jutting out from underneath, and his face was cast in the shadows created by the torch he held. His companions looked more like the typical thieves that had visited this tomb in the past, with their bronze complexion, dark hair, and ragged robes, eyes glinting with both fear and greed. Time for the game to begin.
As expected the two common bandits raced ahead at the sight of jewels that glimmered in the dim light. This will be too easy, it seems. I chuckled while turning away to avoid seeing the expectant deaths or harm, but the laugh died in my throat when the apparent leader of this incursion did the unexpected. He didn't run forward like the others; he stopped them and, by flicking the small item he had seemed to be chewing on towards the center of the room, revealed the trap that had been lying in wait. His action resulting in the deadly twin spikes that shot from the snake statues mouths to only pierce the air. I could only stare baffled as the trap that had fell many before was quickly and expertly exposed. Intriguing. I shall have to keep a close eye on this one. I followed the intruders from the shadows in order to see if they had the wits to solve the rest of the traps and puzzles, though I wasn't exactly comfortable with my part in this if they did manage to outwit the traps. I had only had to act once before and I nearly scared the man to death, so I did not wish a repeat of the experience.
In the next chamber, the group came to a wall and the leader, shocking me once again, revealed the hidden warning and read it as if it was his native tongue. I knew this was odd because over the years, watching from the confines of the afterlife, I have seen the decline in the usage of my language to the point where people could now only make educated speculations about our texts. Who is the stranger? Something about him is familiar, but what?! Watching more intently I tried to discern anything else about the short man, but from my angle I still could not detect anything else other than his pale complexion which is foreign to these lands. Ghosting into the next room, I positioned myself on the opposite side of the room so that if this man managed to pass this trap I would then be able to clearly see his features. They appeared soon after and, while the leader looked ahead at the upcoming maze, the two common thieves seemed to be arguing with one another until one pulled out an object of silver. If memory serves me correct about the advancements in human weaponry, then this must be a gun. I narrowed my eyes. I did not particularly like violence but this brand of hostility seemed intolerable if this man planned to utilize the weapon against his cohorts. I then decided that I could contain my curiosity no longer (especially considering the new circumstances and the expressions of the two common thieves which made me nervous for the leader's fate) and ghosted over to take a closer look at the intriguing man's features.
NO! It can't be! Standing there was someone that could've been the double of a person I had known from when I was still alive, albeit he appeared younger than the man I knew. Siamon had been the royal vizier and a previous wielder of the Millennium Key, a sister object to the Puzzle that I protect which allowed the user access to a person mind, but he had died in the battle against the evil being that my sister entrapped so this couldn't have been him. Yet here this man stood, with violet eyes and golden bangs so similar to my own, defying my logic by appearing as an almost exact replica of Siamon.
*CLICK*
The sound broke me from my racing thoughts as I saw that the two regular bandits had shifted closer and one of them had unknowingly stepped on the trap that would force the three into the maze or face the incoming spikes behind them. Quickly, Siamon's double raced blindly into the maze like many before him to escape the dreaded spikes. Too bad there was more to this maze than meets the eye. Believing the fear would overwhelm them and either the wall or the enchanted statues would be the end of them, I turned away so that I would not have to witness the gruesome fate of the men and drifted back to the door to the next chamber. I felt a bit sorry for them, especially Siamon's replica, but the traps could not be stopped once set in motion. I had almost retreated into the next room when I heard Siamon's twin shout to his compatriots not in fear or pain but in a knowledgeable warning tone. Confused I spun back around to see the three men inch around the maze in the appropriate fashion of respect for a Pharaoh, effectively avoiding the deadly blades that would only react if one didn't act in a fitting manner. Siamon's double and one of the thieves made it across when the panic set in on the other and he made a grave misstep. Grimacing, I turned away before the blades of the nearest statue embedded into the man. Looking down on the two surviving members of this party, I saw the common bandit raise the gun threateningly in the face of Siamon's replica. I had to give the man credit as he did not so much as flinch in the face of the weapon waved so dangerously close to him.
Could this be a sign from the Gods? Could this man be the answer to my prayers? Is it finally time for my sister to be free and finally vanquish that evil from so long ago? Whether this was a sign or not, I knew that the next and final chamber would reveal all about the hearts of the men traversing this tomb and whether or not they were truly worthy, so I silently followed them as they made their way in. The gun-wielder forced Siamon's double across the Ka bridge while he waited in the safety of the edges of the room. I watched as Siamon's twin cautiously crossed the bridge and secretly hoped that he would be judged worthy. He was almost across the bridge when…
*BANG!*
I saw Siamon's replica shudder and fall, barely grasping the edge of the bridge before he fell into the abyss. Turning, I saw smoke coming out of the gun that the other man had so obviously just fired. Fiery anger coated my eyes but I nevertheless turned away so as to not witness the man receive the punishment that I knew he aptly brought upon himself as he cockily strode across the bridge. I couldn't however block the screams and I knew those would haunt me for years to come. After the screams ended I chanced a glance at the remaining man and saw that he was still hanging precariously from the edge of the bridge. Without thinking, I appeared in a semi-physical form before the wounded man dangling for dear life and offered him my assistance. He looked at me with complete bewilderment before he fainted. Quickly I grasped his hand before he fell and pulled him back onto the bridge. It was a bit of a struggle but I somehow managed. I looked at the wound inflicted by the other man and, using what little magic that I could, I healed it to the best of my ability. There. He won't die from the wound but he will still need to see a healer once he awakens. Looking to the box that sat on the one end of the room I prayed that I did not just make a grave error.
When the man started to stir, I let myself be enveloped by the shadows once more. He struggled and glanced around in disbelief, probably wondering how he had managed to survive. After a few moments, he seemed to shrug it off and hobbled over to the pedestal with the Millennium Puzzle situated upon it. I kept a close on him, examining his expression to see if there was any indication of malice or greed when he beheld the Puzzle. I would not like having to enact a punishment on him after all that he has gone through. However, the only emotions that tinged his eyes were amusement, wonder, and strangely a fierce protectiveness as he stared at the golden pieces, and, although it went against my eternal vow, I let the man walk out with the single most important treasure of my tomb. I then faded to the afterlife with a growing inkling of a plan in mind and one last forlorn thought. Forgive me, sister.
(Afterlife)
"Prince!" a voice called out moments before a solid form crashed into me, almost knocking me to the ground.
"Mana! It's good to see you too." I smiled at the girl magician with the wild brunette locks and blue eyes as deep and clear as the Nile embracing me tightly as I hugged her back. Mana had been my dearest childhood friend when I had been alive and despite protocol would constantly hug me and call me 'Prince' even after I became Pharaoh. I even had developed some deeper feelings for her but with the laws of Kemet being as they were, I was required to wed my sister to produce an heir and Mana was forced to remain chaste so as to not distract her from her duties. Nonetheless, we remained the deepest of friends and she even became somewhat of a substitute mother to my son after my sister's sacrifice.
Pulling back, Mana put her hands on her hips and gave me her best glare. "What are you doing here Prince? Not that I don't miss you and like seeing you buuuuut…I thought you dedicated yourself to forever protecting your sister from thieves, so why aren't you there now?" She was slightly shorter than me, especially when I stood to my full height, but she had a way of emitting a sort of dominance even over me.
In a bit of a nervous habit, I scratched the back of my head and tried to shrink away from her glare. Then, as if hearing my sister's voice in my head reminding me of my status, I forced myself to stand firm and look back into Mana's eyes. "Something happened Mana. I can't explain it now but would you please gather all the priests of the Sacred Court as well as Ptahmose? I have a need to speak with all of you and it concerns my sister and the Millennium Puzzle."
"Of course, Prince," Mana replied, giving me a confused look before rushing off to do the task I had asked of her. Turning in the opposite direction, I headed towards my father's chambers as I felt I needed to discuss the matter with him first before facing the Court with my possibly outrageous idea. Soon I was in front of the doors leading into my father's rooms and then I took a deep breath before I knocked, waiting patiently for his response.
"Enter," a deep voice on the other side stated and I did as commanded, hoping that my father's vast wisdom would help guide me.
"You did WHAT?!"
Looking calmly at the blue-eyed man, who had once been a High-Priest during my reign and had risen to the rank of Pharaoh after my sister's sacrifice due to him being our cousin, I answered simply, "I let the Millennium Puzzle be taken." I knew this was enraging him knowing that I had in every sense broken my vow to protect my sister, but he and the rest of the court must understand my reasoning. But before I could so much as input even a word of my explanation, Seto was off on a tirade about my ineptitude for such a task and how the job should have gone to someone more willing to undertake all the responsibilities required of such a monumental task. Sighing, I patiently waited for him to finish his piece as I knew that I would never be able to get a word in until he was finished. Luckily, I did not have to wait long since another High-Priest was more curious in understanding my reasoning than in criticizing it or myself. And braver at that too for willingly facing the blazing fire that is Seto himself.
"Pharaoh Seto, that is quite enough! He is still Pharaoh, and one of your predecessors at that, which means you ought to show him the proper respect and let him explain himself. I for one, although I do agree that this choice does seem naïve, would like to know why our Pharaoh thought it best to let the Millennium Puzzle be taken at all. Forgive me for being rude and outspoken but I believe that in this instance it should be overlooked."
"Thank you, Mahado and you are forgiven." I smiled at the man who forfeited his life to fuse with his Ka to better serve my sister in her quest against the great evil that they had faced. "And Seto should not find fault either in my judgement," directing this last statement to the man in question. Mahado in turn nodded while Seto's face went a bright shade of red as he held in his anger at being silenced. However, a pale hand reached out and touched his own sun-kissed one and soon the color of his face returned to normal as he relaxed under the calming presence the hand represented, but he continued to glare at Mahado which was equally returned by the mage. Although I hadn't expressly invited her, I was glad Kisara had come and sent a smile in thanks to the white-haired girl who at one time had been one of my sister's closest friends. She bowed her head demurely in turn, a faint smile gracing her lips lighting up her bright cerulean eyes.
"Well, this is getting boring! Prince, can you please explain to all of us why you did what you did, especially before Seto here explodes despite Kisara's reassurances or Master does something stupid to really set Seto off?"
"MANA!" Mahado reprimanded his former student, tearing his charcoal eyes off the other brunette man to look at her. Seto also shifted his icy glare from the master to the apprentice. The girl ignored both men and stared at the former Pharaoh whom she had posed her question to.
"I was getting to that point when I had unfortunately been interrupted. Yes, I did let the Millennium Puzzle be taken but for a good reason. Before I tell you this reason, I have to ask: Have any of you have seen Siamon recently?" I scanned the faces of the three women and five men in attendance, all friends and family.
Looking into all their predictable blank looks and eventual shakes of their heads in denial, I continued, "The reason none of you have seen Siamon recently is because he left himself be reincarnated." A chorus of 'What!'s rang about the room as I let that news sink in before continuing my explanation. "Yes, Siamon seems to have been reincarnated, as confirmed by my father, and it was his reincarnation that I let take the Puzzle. Now I know that sooner or later my sister will eventually be released once the Puzzle is solved but I believe that if all of you are open to my plan, then we can assist her in the oncoming battle." All but one eagerly nodded in agreement. "Ptahmose? Son, what is troubling you?"
"I just worry for Mother, Father, especially because of her memory loss. What if even with all of our aid, she is not able to conquer the evil?" the young man with ebony hair (surprisingly normal compared to his mother's and my own tri-colored locks, especially since it did not spike out unnaturally but laid relatively flat) said with tears held behind violet-red eyes, a perfect mixture of his mother's and mine. "Even though I was too young to remember her, I still know the feeling of losing my mother and I don't wish to relive it." My heart nearly broke at these words, as I too knew the feeling of losing a parent at such a tender age. The difference between us though was that I had only lost my mother, while my son, in a span of only a couple of years, had lost both of his parents.
Both Seto and Mana reached over and offered their consolations to the young man, having both taken on the parental roles for the boy when they all had been alive. I was practically a stranger to my own son, dying when he was a mere babe and then having spent most of my eternal afterlife protecting his mother from tomb-raiders. Any time I did spend trying to bond with him did not progress far so our relationship was strained leaving me at a loss on how to properly console my own son. Father said that Mother feels the same way when interacting with me, but she always made sure to never show it to anybody lest she seem weak. Thinking about her, I remember first meeting her. It was a shock to finally realize where my sister and I inherited some of our odd features. Her unusual blonde tresses and purple eyes had mixed with our father's own raven locks and brown eyes to beget two children, one with eyes of crimson and the other matching his mother's amethyst irises, both with hair of gold, black, and mauve. It still is a mystery to us where the third color came in, but it was assumed that it was a part of the Gods' blessing on our family. Aside from her appearance, she was interesting to me in that she reminded me so much of my sister with her strong and courageous outlook on life.
Glancing again at Ptahmose, I knew I had to give my mother credit for her resolve since I still struggle to reign in my feelings of regret when faced with situations such as these. Nevertheless, I knew I had to steel myself against the unwanted feelings if there was to be any hope in succeeding in this risky plot, so, addressing all in attendance but keeping my eyes on Ptahmose, I said, "We must have faith in your mother and in the Gods' divine will. As long as we have that faith the great evil stands no chance. As such I have a plan that if deemed worthy of the Gods should result in our victory." From Mana to Mahado, Seto to Kisara, Isis to Shada to Kalim, and finally Ptahmose; I knew that I could not trust anyone more than these souls with this dangerous mission I had in mind.
Ptahmose finally nodded and then everyone looked at me anxiously awaiting to hear the plan I had. At the time, I did not know if the Gods would agree, but it was my only hope. As luck would have it, the Gods would more than agree to it and even add their own conditions to the idea to further ensure our success. But I did not know this as I started with my explanation to the gathered group at hand, "Right then, here is my plan…"
AN: So...was this good or bad? Should I continue or just drop it completely? Please review! I would love to know what you all think.