Apep and the Sacred Scrolls of Duat.

Chapter 5: Sleep is a Luxury


He really should have been resting, but the Pharaoh couldn't sleep either. He'd seen more names vanish from the Scrolls, Mahad and Shada still hadn't woken up and they'd not heard from their foreign allies at all since the last bout of serpents had attacked the desert. Not only that, but Seto had found nothing amiss in the temple of Amun where his friends had magically appeared either

So, instead, he was out in one of the vast palace courtyards, surrounded by stone pillars under the moonlight. All around him there were vast fire pits and torches to illuminate the dark night as he practiced with one of his many swords, running through the basic forms that his father had taught him when he'd been a child. He'd also set up an archery target and the palace guards around him knew better than to make a sound when their king was so focused.

But Yugi didn't, so when Atemu heard a light shuffle of shoes on the stone ground, he spun around with his bow drawn.

"Whoa, whoa, hey, don't shoot, it's just me," Yugi exclaimed quickly, holding up his hands.

"Yugi," the Pharaoh sighed and lowered his bow and arrow. "Forgive me," he said.

"My fault," the young man shrugged, walking over to his friend. "So...erm...how're your friends?" he asked, looking round at the stunning courtyard. It was beautiful in the day, but at night it seemed otherworldly and eerie.

He'd had a nervous walk through the palace from his room as the whole place was lit with flicking firelight and as a teenager from the modern age, it really wasn't something that Yugi was used to.

"Still unconscious," Atemu answered, turning towards the target and firing the arrow to hit the bullseye. There were already several arrows lodged in the centre of the target.

"Oh," Yugi said, "But they're...okay...right?"

"I'm told they're not wounded. Just exhausted," Atemu replied, loosing another arrow. "For something to be able to magically exhaust the both of them..." he shook his head.

"Was it...the snakes?"

"We assume so," the Pharaoh shrugged, "Until they can tell us otherwise. But Mahad is the most powerful magician in my court."

"You're worried," Yugi said, needlessly.

"I am. This is meant to be a place of peace for the dead. No evil is meant to dwell here, it should be impossible...And the last time we encountered a soul stealer...I didn't fare so well," he admitted.

"It won't be like that again."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Well, for one thing, you destroyed the Orichalcos so it won't be coming back."

"Other beings could have the same power over me," Atemu said, "Dark Magic is addictive by its very nature and no one is immune."

"We shared a mind for years, Pharaoh. I like to think I know you pretty well," Yugi smiled. "You won't make the same mistake again," he added.

"Sometimes I think you have too much faith in me."

"Sometimes I don't think you have enough," Yugi retorted.

"Now you're beginning to sound like Seto," Atemu shook his head. "I never meant for any of this to happen," he sighed. "I've already brought enough chaos to your lives...it was supposed to end with my passing. Now you're all in great danger again and there's nothing that I can do about it," he said, his grip on the wooden bow tightening.

"Hey, none of this was your fault," Yugi frowned.

"But still..." the king muttered.

"Not your fault," the teenager repeated, slowly.

"Well, if you say say, Yugi," Atemu replied, his tone of voice lightening as he smiled a little.

"...Y...yeah, I do say so," Yugi nodded, a little embarrassed that an all powerful King had just, more or less, admitted defeat, albeit in a very subtle and casual way. "And anyway...erm...why are you doing archery in the dark?" he asked.

"It helps me think," the king shrugged. Suddenly, he gestured to his bow and smirked at Yugi. "Would you like to try?" he asked, playfully.

"Erm...I never really..." Yugi muttered, nervously.

"We can make it a game," Atemu suggested and despite his hesitation, Yugi never could turn down a game of any sort.

"You're on," he nodded and took up the bow. "Erm...but first...what do I do?" he asked, looking from the bow he held in one hand and the arrows which were held in a small standing vase on the ground at their feet.

After a quick demonstration, Yugi nodded and went to pull back the bow but he was in for a surprise.

"Gaaaaaah!" Yugi grimaced as he did his best to draw the bow. Its drawback proved too heavy for him and though he did managed to pull the string back, he couldn't hold it there long enough to nock the arrow.

"I can get you a different bow," Atemu said, trying his best to keep a straight face.

"I...got this..." Yugi grumbled, trying again only this time he dropped the arrow. "Ooops..." he muttered, sheepishly. "Guess Joey was right about that," he whispered.

"Right about what?"

"Erm...nothing...I'll erm...take a different bow," Yugi grumbled, rubbing his aching shoulder gently.

One of the guards was quickly sent to find a selection of bows and returned in matter of minutes. Yugi settled for a smaller lighter bow but one which had plenty of power behind it. He took a few practice shots aided by the Pharaoh and their game began.

"Ready?" Atemu asked, drawing his own bow and eying the target.

"Ready," Yugi announced aiming at a second target which had been set up by the ever helpful and ever present palace guards. "Three...two...one..." he counted and they both loosed their arrows at the same time. "Hey, I actually hit it," Yugi blinked in surprise. He didn't hit the bullseye, but it was fairly close.

"Well done," the Pharaoh smiled.

"Again?" Yugi smiled.

"Again," he nodded but several arrows later, neither of them was particularly keeping score.

"Y'know...I think you're right...maybe this does help you think," Yugi remarked. "I know we really shouldn't be here and none of it makes any sense...and I should probably be really worried about it all...but I'm just glad to see you again," he admitted, glancing over at his friend. "I missed you," he said.

"I missed you, too," Atemu replied. "And...I admit I...might've slightly...ignored the rules of this world to watch over you all a little," he said, quietly so that they weren't overhead. One of the downsides to being king was that he was never alone; there were always guards around, for his protection of course.

"...You can do that?"

"I'm not supposed to," he scoffed and Yugi laughed. "It's very draining. The first time I tried I almost collapsed on my throne the next day. It was really quite embarrassing," he said.

"Really?"

"Really. Shimon was about ready to call in every healer in the kingdom," Atemu lamented, "I told them I'd been practicing late with the soldiers so I was just tired...they believed it a little too quickly for my liking."

"Oh, man, I wish I'd seen that," Yugi smiled.

"Aren't you supposed to sympathetic?"

"Oh, erm, I am, I'm totally sympathetic," he corrected, quickly, still chuckling.

"Somehow, I don't believe that at all," Atemu said, dryly.

"...Y'know...creepy snakes aside...I could get used to this place," Yugi said a minute later.

"This 'place' is the land of the dead, Yugi," the Pharaoh replied, seriously, "It's meant to be enticing, but I for one hope that you aren't bound for this place for a long time."

"So...I could end up here eventually?"

"Didn't you hear what I just..."

"I heard you, but I was just curious. Is this...just an afterlife for ancient Egyptians? Does that mean that I'll go to like a modern day version of where I live and I'll never see you again or..."

"I don't know. But it's a little early in your life to be worrying about the one that comes after it," Atemu replied.

"...I know. I'm sorry."

"I genuinely don't know, Yugi. Please don't think about it too much. Focus on living."

"Living in the land of the dead?"

"For now."

"I can live with that," Yugi smirked and the Pharaoh sighed.

Soon after, they discovered that Yugi was ridiculously clumsy with a sword and tripped over his own feet more often than not because he was too focused on the fact that he was holding a lethal weapon. So the Pharaoh gave him a wooden practice sword but he had the same problem.

"Unfortunately for you, Yugi, you seem to have no natural ability for this whatsoever," the Pharaoh remarked as Yugi tripped over his own feet again after he'd clumsily swung the training sword around like a cricket bat.

"And you're surprised?" Yogi winced. He dropped the wooden sword and rotated his right shoulder around slowly. "Isn't that why you always took over when we were in some kind of trouble?" he asked, "You could fight better than me even without your memories...blindfolded probably, as well."

"Let's not test that theory," Atemu chuckled, holding out his hand to help Yugi up.

"I think I'll just stick to Duel Monsters...and maybe archery. Archery's okay. I can't fall over then," Yugi said, taking his friend's hand and letting himself be hauled up by an arm much stronger than his own.

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Yugi assured him, "Nothing bruised...except my ego," he replied and the king smiled.

"To which, I am of course, very sympathetic," Atemu said, sarcastically.

"Hah hah," Yugi rolled his eyes and yawned a second later.

"You should rest. Being here doesn't mean you won't still need to sleep," the Pharaoh said.

"But..."

"As much as I hate to admit it, it's unlikely you'll be able to return home anytime soon. We've no clue as to how to do it, but I promise you, I won't give up. In the mean time, you should rest and tomorrow perhaps I could show you the carvings."

"Carvings?"

"Of the shadow creatures...the original duel monsters."

"The ones Pegasus used?"

"The very same."

"Well...okay, then. But you have to rest, too. If you collapse in the throne room again, I really don't think your reputation would survive," Yugi said and his friend snorted.

"Good night, Yugi," Atemu shook his head, amused.


Against that sound advice, the Pharaoh remained awake, sitting with Isis, Seto, Shimon and Karim around the circular stone table which held a magical flame in the centre. Isis preferred to use it to focus the power of the Millennium Eye.

"They are still sleeping," Karim reported, "There is no healthy instant remedy for magical exhaustion."

"Then we should use an alternative," Seto suggested. "We do not have time for 'healthy' remedies."

"What good would that do?" the Pharaoh sighed. "We know what happened to them...or at least we can made an educated guess. Knowing the details won't change much at this point. Let them sleep. They are perhaps the only ones who can tonight...I counted three more names gone from the Scrolls earlier. The Winged Dragon of Ra may have brought us some time...but it didn't save them from the serpents."

"How did it manage to steal more after an attack from the Winged Dragon?" Karim asked.

"If I had to guess, I would say that snakes we see in the desert are just the foot soldiers. The real power behind this probably lurks safely in the shadows," Atemu said.

"The great serpent Apep," Isis uttered, "And his ally."

"Indeed," he nodded once.

"So all of our attacks mean nothing," Seto surmised, "Unless we can strike at Apep himself and reveal this ally of his."

"Easier said than done," Atemu said, "Apep is...technically a god."

"A god who is forever destined to covet the soul of Ra...your soul, my Pharaoh," Isis said.

"Then, should the opportunity arise, I am the perfect bait," he replied, much to their horror.

"I must protest, Pharaoh," Seto exclaimed, "Should the serpent acquire your soul, the afterworld and all its inhabitants would be lost."

"We are losing them without even trying, Seto. I will not hesitate to do what must be done. Apep must be stopped...but how? We cannot journey to his realm...he cannot journey to ours...so he sends his foot soldiers to do his dirty work," he said.

"And to seemingly seemingly send seven living souls to the land of the dead for no reason," Seto added.

"...Yes," Atemu scrubbed a hand through his hair, "It makes no sense. Why would he do that?"

"My Pharaoh...is it certain that they are living?" Isis asked, gently.

"Their names do not appear anywhere on the Scrolls," he answered, "Were they...dead...they would certainly be there for me to see."

"They must be returned from whence they came," Seto said.

"I know," Atemu nodded, "They don't belong here, but as in everything else at the moment, we are clueless as to how to do it. All we have are questions."

"Times are desperate...and desperate times frequently call for desperate measures," Seto began, "I would suggest that we summon the Priests of Apep here at once." (*1)

"They are unlikely to to answer any summons of ours," Atemu scoffed.

"I will escort them to palace personally, my Pharaoh and I will give them no choice. Their god of darkness has plagued us for long enough," he declared.

"Seto...outside the city walls you will be vulnerable. Had I known what would have befallen Mahad and Shada I would not have allowed them to venture into the desert. Furthermore, they went only a short distance away but the temple of Apep lies deep within the desert. Apep may not attack his own followers but he would certainly strike at you...No, I will not risk your safety."

"We have been left with little choice, my King," the stubborn Priest replied, "The Priests of Apep could very likely be our only hope. We must chance it."

"And if you fall to these serpents?"

"I will have done my duty," Seto said, simply.

"There is more to life than duty," Atemu said, rather contradictorily but he was thinking of Seto's father. Aknadin had abandoned his own wife and child in the name of duty and now his soul was trapped in the shadows. It was a pitiable fate.

"Not to us, Pharaoh. We are all bound by our duty. All of us swore a sacred oath to disregard all but our loyalty to you..."

"I don't want that kind of loyalty, Seto," he said, quickly. "However...I believe you are right. We must speak to these Priests...but we must do so without risking the desert."

"A messenger bird?" Karim suggested.

"They may not reply," Seto remarked, "Let alone consent to journey here to us."

"It's worth a try," Atemu said.

"Spiria can fly faster than any messenger hawk," Isis said. "Might I suggest that I send her?" she asked.

"The same risk applies to you, Isis. If she is destroyed..."

"She is faster than any other creature, including a horse. If she is found by the serpents she has a better chance of outrunning them."

"...Very well," Atemu nodded after a moment.

"I will see to it at once, my Pharaoh," she said, bowing before leaving them.


Some time later, Seto was alone with Karim and Shimon when the Pharaoh had left them also and Seto turned to his peers.

"What are we to do if this fails?" he asked them. "Our Pharaoh's caution is wise but even he agrees that we do not have the time for it," he said.

"Mahad rushed ahead in search of these creatures and see what happened to him," Shimon remarked. "If that should happen to us all, what use will we be to the King then?" he asked.

"If we can find nothing useful then we are just as redundant," the younger man replied.

"As always, Seto, your devotion is admirable," Shimon sighed. "But please think of your own safety. The Pharaoh does not take it lightly when those around him take matters into their own hands and pay the price with their lives. Remember, you are his cousin, think of what your injuries mean to him."

Very rarely did Seto ever back down once he'd made up his mind about something. Irrespective of the fact that the Pharaoh was his cousin, it was his duty to serve to the best of his ability. He hadn't even known that he had a cousin for most of his life. But now he felt it necessary to outshine the others now to compensate for what his father had done. He hadn't known Aknadin as a father, hadn't even recognised him when he'd risen through the ranks to work in the palace but the man had seemed just as loyal as he himself. Until he sold his soul to the darkness and tried to make his own son kill a member of his family for power, of course.

As if reading his mind, the Grand Vizer continued, "No one holds you responsible for what Aknadin did. We know, as does the Pharaoh, that your loyalty is absolute."

"As, indeed, we thought of Master Aknadin," he said, bitterly.

"A tragic example, if nothing else, of fanatical loyalty taken too far. It led him to abandon everything for the sake of his duty and the darkness was able to use his regret and his anger against us all."

"...Yes," Seto agreed, sadly.


In his dream, he was standing in a never ending cave hewn from seemingly black stone with fire burning all round him. He could hear people screaming but he couldn't see anyone. The only living things he could see were snakes and they were all hissing at him as he took uneasy steps through the shrouded cave.

It was impossible to discern just how long he'd been trapping through the cave but eventually he found himself standing before a huge serpent that towered above the others. Its dark, thick hide was scarred, burned and covered with hieroglyphics and its eyes shone a demonic red. The Pharaoh couldn't help but see it, somehow, as the embodiment of both Zorc and the Great Leviathan; two of the worst beings he'd ever fought were now haunting him once again without even trying.

"Apep," he said, his voice strong and authoritative despite his unease, "Lord of Chaos, I presume."

A deep voice seemed to chuckle at him then and it was echoed by the hissing of the smaller snakes which got louder after he'd spoke. "I am he," the serpent hissed, "And I speak to you now through your dreams."

"Am I supposed to be honoured?" Atemu replied.

"Any of my followers would be so in your place, Pharaoh."

"I am not one of your followers. However, since I am, unquestionably here, I demand that you release the souls of my people that you have stolen."

"You are in no position to make 'demands'," the snake said, "There is a far greater danger to you than my serpents...but it appears that you remain in the dark. Perhaps you are not as knowledgeable as I had been led to believe."

"Explain yourself," Atemu demanded.

"My serpents are doing as all living things when threatened with destruction; they try to survive. The weak souls of your people are enough to sustain them for a time...but not for long. So they return."

"They return because you order them to. They do only as you command."

"Ordinarily, yes," Apep replied, uneasily.

"Why should I believe any of this?"

"I am weakening even now, every second you are here, my power is fading. Why should I waste my power to simply lie? There is something amiss in the shadows of my realm...something over which I have no control."

"And what is this...power?"

"A power you have destroyed but twice now. One which has been gathering power in the darkness using my serpents."

"Have you any proof?"

"Is it not proof enough that I, the Lord of Chaos and your sworn enemy, am appearing before you now explaining what you and yours have failed to grasp?"

"I am not easily tricked," the Pharaoh said, "Nor do I forgive the tricks of others easily."

"You are sceptical. Very well, allow me to demonstrate my sincerity, Pharaoh."

Suddenly, the colossal serpent raised its huge tail and struck the ground at the Pharaoh's feet. He was forced to leap back as a shadowy mist emerged and it stung his skin almost like a thousand snake bites all at once. Out of those shadows, a figure began to emerge, lying on the ground, lifelessly.

"This soul resides in darkness. I return him to you now as a gesture of...goodwill," it hissed the word as though it were foreign.

The Pharaoh cautiously made his way over to the robed figure and found, to his surprise, that it was Aknadin lying there. "Only Anubis has power over..." (*2)

"Anubis!" the snake hissed, angrily. "I have just as much power as he!" it cried.

Suddenly, a dark mist began to engulf them all and before everything vanished, the voice spoke again. "You will repay this debt to me...one day," it said.


(*1) I really don't think there were any 'Priests of Apep.' In fact from what I read, there were rituals to get rid of Apep not to worship him. So, again, I kinda took some liberties.

(*2) I know at the end of the anime, Aknadin is one of the people we see when the Pharaoh looses his duel with Yugi but after everything the guy did, it's kinda hard to believe that he'd get to go to 'paradise' so I'm gonna say that what Atemu saw was wishful thinking maybe.