Every decision you make in life comes with a price. That price doesn't depend on if the decision was on good intentions or bad and the repayment can either be in your favor or not, immediate or delayed. You never knew, and you could never tell.

Shimon had made a choice after the king's passing. Never explained why, but he handed over his millennium key to Shada. He just hoped the price that would come was at a good one.

Atem just hope he made a right choice as well… by giving Yugi that ring.

He was going to hold off on tell the kingdom and his court of his plan with the boy, and Yugi had agreed to wait after his Coronation. It would be best, for this would be the most vulnerable day for everyone.

~XxX~

A tan teen is chained by the ankles and wrist as he led from one city to the next, to face his trial. His floor length cloak, shirtless, bowing his head. Then he hears what he's been wanting to hear for the longest time.

"The Pharaoh passed, his son is taking over."

The thief king looks up, an evil grin on his face. He knew what that meant. His son would be in very vulnerable state, and there was a rumor about his little 'boy toy' who basically had the ex-prince's heart. To take him out would mean the young man would crumble to pieces. Atem's father was to pay for what he did, but his son will do just fine.

Starting with breaking his spirit.

He pulls a pin from inside his cloak and picks the locks with ease and escapes. 'This might be fun.'

~XxX~

Atem watches from a distance as he overlooks his father's preparation for his burial. Priest Seto was the best at this job and his family came from a long line of priests. Seto knew what he was doing and Atem trusted him.

The Pharaoh trusted him.

His coronation wouldn't be until his father was buried and on his way with the other kings before him. Atem nods to himself in acceptance and turns to leave, his red cape flowing as he did, a signature move he was always able to pull off.

"Pharaoh."

That title still stung.

He turns and looks to the priest prepping his father's body, he doesn't even turn to look at the new king as he talks. Taking the organs from the body and placing them in golden urns, to be buried with the body.

"Listen, I don't agree with everything you do, but you're my king now and I must respect and stand by the decisions you make. That Includes your preferences in love."

Atem raises a brow to that. "What do you mean?"

"You and that kid, Yugi. I can't tell you what to do, but you Just need to be careful." He removes the heart and placed in the urn. Then he tried to cut the skull open for the brain. "My family has served yours for many years. If someone wants to get to you, they will start with those close to you. Just watch your back."

Atem smiles at the priest taking care of his past father. "Thank you, Seto."

"Just know, I'll be watching you very closely."

~XxX~

Yugi looks at the ceremony from a distance. Pharaoh Akhnamkanon was being put to rest in his assigned tomb inside a pyramid. It was built when he was born, just like Atem's was. In years' time, decades later, Atem will be buried there.

He noticed something his lover's eyes, though and it scared him. They seemed dark, like something was taking over. Darkness was in his heart, souls and it was very Atem was changing. Anger, rage, and resentment was taking over. He was putting up a wall and only Yugi could penetrate it.

He was the light keeping Atem's dark side in check.

~XxX~

Isis stands next to the new king of Egypt as she watches the ceremony take place. He stands at the balcony, waving to his people. Isis couldn't help but smile proudly. Despite his father passing only a week ago, he pulled himself up and did what he had to do. Yes, he was still grieving but his people needed him, and he couldn't let them down.

Coronation Day. Behind that small smile and wave, she could see it in his eyes. When she looked to the door way of the throne, she saw Yugi and worry in his eyes confirmed that she wasn't just imagining things.

Atem seemed darker, colder.

Her necklace starts to glow. 'A vision. Now?'

Someone was in the palace rafters, running around watching them. And he was going to make an attempt on the young king's life. She takes a step closer to Seto, pulling on his sleeve as he comes closer and whispers in his ear. His eyes go wide. When he hears her words.

"My necklace showed me something. The prince is in trouble."

Yugi catches a shadow over him, running from a top. He knew someone was here, watching and looking, but for what? What did he want? Yugi takes careful steps in the directing he goes.

'What is he…" Isis and Seto look at Yugi confused as he wanders the room, watching the ceiling. Then it registered. 'He sees something.'

Yugi stops where right under the person in the rafters. When he looks forward to see where he was looking, his eyes narrowed to see the throne before him. Five feet away. Yugi's eyes go wide. 'No… Pharaoh.'

Atem starts his walk to where his father once sits, that's when Yugi came out of nowhere and tackles Atem to the ground. They both slide across the floor.

"Yugi? What did…" He looks over to see a poisoned dart landing where he would have been sitting.

He holds the boy in his arms as Seto stands in front of them, making commands. "Find him! His sentence shall be the Millennium Trial!"

That was something knew. 'Millennium Trials? What was that, exactly?'

~XxX~

"Your family destroyed mine." The thief king smirks as he adorns himself in gold jewelry and clothes buried with the past king. He finds the ex-pharaoh's DiaDhank and adorns it on his left arm. His guardians were his to control.

Even though he had the guardians of the past king, he also had a monster that his people of the Village of Kul Elna had manifested from the darkness of their hearts. It manifested into a creature but now he had something he could summon it with. Now, he just needed a Millennium item. This would help him in getting all seven, then he could release the dark one and get his revenge for what the Pharaoh's father did to his home.

He leaves the tomb in style, dragging a sarcophagus behind him.

He looks to the palace, smirking. 'I know exactly where to find one."

~XxX~

Atem tries to take a step in front of Yugi, only for him to be pushed back behind him as they watch the attempted murderer is brought before the seven wielders of the items. Yugi was to make sure no more harm would come to the new king. The people needed Atem more than Atem needed him.

A stone slab was brought in, indicating the trial to begin, though Atem had never seen this happen before, and it honestly scared him.

The ring glows in the direction of the convicted man, a darkness lurking inside his heart.

The eye was used to one the mind of the convicted, and something was found

The scale was used to measure the evil and good in his heart. It was imbalanced.

Next was the key used to unlock his mind and bring the monster forward.

"Yugi. You need to go, it's not safe for you here."

Yugi shakes his head. He was in disbelief at what was just summoned from the man's heart. So, did this mean everyone had a dark side? Did it determine how strong the monster was depending on your dark side?

Thank the gods that Seto used his rod to seal the monster in a stone tablet. Gone but not forgotten.

The man, however couldn't handle the trial and passed out. He was then dragged to the dungeon where his main trial would be decided and how to go about the man. '

To attempt a king's life would be certain death, but the darkness was supposable gone. How true was that? Was he really saved.'

"Pharaoh!"

Atem looks down the hall to see his father's sarcophagus slide towards him. Added salt to the wound when the white haired boy took a seat on it, staring the new king down. "So, the rumors were true. You do have a Lover of the same gender."

"Leave the young one out of this." He glares at the thief, shoving Yugi behind him and taking him into his arms in a protective manner. "What do you want? State your name!"

"Revenge, and a Millennium item. I just found the one I wanted, but I don't want it now, not yet." The thief king uses his DiaDhank to summon a monster. "I want you to suffer first, for what your father did. I call forth the Winged Sage Falcos."

"You raided my father's last resting place, stole his DiaDhank, and used his personal guardian." Atem was basically seething as he looks at the beast before him. "You will pay dearly for that!"

"You're not my target right now, Pharaoh!" The thief smirks. "To break a king, is to take the ones out closes to him."

He didn't realize what he meant until it was too late. He sent his attacking monster behind the Pharaoh and targeted the young boy.

Only the blow never came.

Seto had called forth his own monster to protect the young boy. "I told you, Pharaoh. I'll stand by you, no matter what. That includes him."

'I'm not strong enough yet. I need to call forth Diabound but I'm not strong enough without an Item." He looks at the keepers of the items and counts the weakest link as Mahad, keeper of the ring. If he defeated him in a duel, he would get his ring.

In the slaughter of his village, the people there had created a being feeding off of hate, anger and darkness. This was known as the Diabound. The best way to make him stronger would be to have an item. A creation of that exact darkness.

He would have to get Mahad alone, in order to get it.

He sends another attack at Seto's monster, clouding up the hall in kicked up sand, and allowing him to escape without being seen. Making away with the Pharaoh Akhnamkanon DiaDhank.

~XxX~

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