Nightmare of the Pharaoh Chapter 3: Secrets Glimpsed, a yu-gi-oh fanfic

The Millennium items all had different powers. The Millennium Ring, for example, could enhance a person's senses, while the Millennium Rod could control another person's mind. A power shared by all the items was that they could project the owner's memories to another, allowing more than one person to relive the same moment. Thus, it was four people who watched a hidden memory, revealing what had set in motion the fate of Atlantis…

"Pharaoh Akon, I do not approve. If anything, we should be pursuing more diplomatic means, not—"

"Enough! I've heard all I needed to hear, Areus. You and I both know that the power of the Gods must be sealed away."

"But this course it total madness! Your Shadow Powers are unmatched, but attempting to tame Ra himself?!"

"What better way to fight a God than to tame a God of your own?"

"But no monster you have under your command, or under the command of one of your vassals will be a match for Ra! Not even your Black Skull Dragon!"

"Then I need to augment my powers. And you and I both know the way to do that."

Areus' blue eyes looked startled. "My lord, you cannot possibly mean to—"

"There is a village near Ra's lair. There are enough people there to augment my power sufficiently to bend Ra to my will. And the souls of the people of Atlantis should lend me enough power to seal them away for all eternity."

"But all those innocent lives…!"

"The lives of the many are more important than a few peasants!" Akon snapped at his loyal lieutenant. With a fluent gesture, Akon turned from Areus, resuming supervision of his vassals' efforts. Areus watched his overlord walk away, quietly muttering, "In order to save the village, we had to burn the village."

"Yami! Is this true? Did your father really…?"

Bakura answered before Yami could formulate a response. All true, young hikari. The great Pharaoh Akon decided for my village and the people of Atlantis that their lives were over, and he used his Millennium Puzzle to do it with.

Ryou glanced at Bakura. "So, the village was razed. He stole all their souls, and used them to tame Ra. Where were you, Bakura?"

I was away. I was on what I viewed as…an adventure. Oh, that I could have died that day, and killed the miserable Pharaoh!

Where were you, thief?

As if in response, the Millennium Ring glowed, taking the four back into the past…

Bakura grinned in excitement. He had been away from his home village for almost five years now. He had gone to the capital, and had learned with great enthusiasm the wonders of the Pharaoh's power. A friend he had met at the capital, Seto, had even taught him a bit of the rules behind the game the nobles based their horrific magic games on. Seto had invited him to stay on for a while, but he'd wanted to go home so badly, he'd cut his education short for the chance to visit with the excuse of guarding a caravan that used the village as a stopping point. Seto had given him a parting gift, however; a glittering gem that would let Bakura sense magic and shield his own life force from shadow powers. Bakura had protested the extravagant gift, but Seto had insisted, and that was an end to the matter.

He fingered the gift, then frowned when he sensed a darkness overshadowing his thoughts. He soon realized that Shadow Magic was being used, and shouted in alarm. Unfortunately, it was too late; the rest of the caravan was dropping like flies, having their souls sucked out of their bodies, banished to the Shadow Realm to supplement the welder's power. He started running toward his village, aware that he was too late to save anyone, but not caring. Instead, all he wanted was vengeance for the criminal noble who had destroyed his home.

When he arrived, all Bakura saw was bodies. Friends, family, and others, all dead from the overpowering might of Shadow Magic. And Bakura knew who had done it. He knew as soon as he laid his eyes on the gold cloth clutched in his father's dead hand. This heinous crime was done by the Pharaoh. And it fell to Bakura to avenge the dead.

My father was a cruel man. Not even I received any true love or affection from him. His loyal subordinates were loyal from the past, for his great deeds many years forgotten. When I learned of how he had sealed away the Gods, I was disgusted.

Your disgust certainly didn't extend to allow me my vengeance. That miserable fool Areus and his whore of an apprentice locked me in that damned tomb, and you did nothing to stop him. In fact, you quickly accepted the immortal creature he became without hesitation.

He died to protect my father's tomb! Honor alone demanded I respect his sacrifice!

And that little whore apprentice! She followed her master in seizing an eternal life for herself, didn't she? And I, I was doomed to starve to death, and my soul cursed to wander within the Millennium Ring, hunting for you throughout the ages!

Yugi was afraid. He sensed that the two were preparing to clash with all the frightening power gathered by thousands of years of isolated training. He was also seeing bits and pieces of the past as they argued: Yami and his baptism of fire, dueling against a traitor. Bakura on his first foray into tomb robbing. Yami and his marriage to a foreign princess. Bakura meeting the woman he would wed. Yami's death sealing away the magic of the Shadow Realm, using the Dark Magician to stop Seto's mighty Blue-Eyes White Dragon. Bakura's demise after using the awesome power of Akon's Buster Blader against Areus, who had merged with a monster to form the Dark Magician. Then he saw some of the writings on the wall of Akon's tomb, and he gave a shout.

Yami looked away from Bakura to Yugi. What is wrong, Yugi? What have you seen?

Yugi pointed, and all four glanced at the wall that froze for him, revealing writings on the wall. Yami and Bakura silently read the stylized calligraphy. Ryou and Yugi only saw nonsense symbols, but both sensed danger.

Remember well, you who see this.

Though the Pharaoh is dead, his legacy remains.

The dead ruler of Atlantis, Minos, shall not rest so long as his soul exists.

He shall rise again to avenge himself against the House of the Pharaoh.

With him shall rise twelve dead generals to destroy the world.

Six champions will return to aid the Pharaoh.

And the fate of the world shall depend on this legion of foes.

Finally, Yami and Bakura began to translate what was on the wall, alternating each sentence of the prophecy.