Author's Note: Okay, here's the next chapter. This is also the last chapter that will have screwed up spacing, as we began using a different document to type in which hasn't messed up on us yet.

Chapter 24

"Dreams, Part Three: Fading…"

"It is a powerful spell, my Queen. My apprentice and I will do research, I assure you. Do not fear for the Pharaoh. He is quite a capable man at handling dangerous situations." Shadi bowed low to Dedi, then he and Void disappeared.

"Thank you," Dedi said to their vanishing forms, from her seat on the floor of Yugi's room, where what was left of their gang was gathered. Yugi was sitting at the chair in front of his desk, with Joey and Mai both on top of it. The Icari siblings were standing near the door, and poor Bakura's spirit was on the floor as well, leaning against Yugi's unusable bed.

"Not much else we can do now, is there?" Mai said, gazing sadly over in the direction she and Joey were told Yami was.

"Doesn't look that way," Joey agreed, nodding. He leaned over and put a hand on the shoulder of his best friend, who was looking rather glum, "Cheer up, Yug. I'm that Shadi guy'll figure out somethin'!"

"I sure hope so, Joey," Yugi said with a weak smile.

"If anyone can figure this out, it's Shadi," Dedi said.

"Actually," Diana said, "Shem might be able to help us as well…"

"Yeah," Athena scoffed, "If only he or Todd were speaking to us."

"Shem and Todd must be having some…er, issues," Nick explained, "Todd hasn't moved from his meditative spot since yesterday."

"It's too bad they can't just get along," Tsuki (in spirit form beside Bakura) said, shifting her position and tucking her legs underneath her.

Next to her, Bakura had his eyes closed wearily. It was hard, being away from his body for so long. It seemed as if any energy he had had was being sapped away from him. The teen blinked blearily, looking down at himself, then did a sudden double take. Panicked, he brought his hands up closer to his face. As if being absorbed by the wind itself, his fingertips had begun to fade away! "Oh dear…"

Tsuki was the only one who noticed his distress, and grabbed one of his hands, holding it up, "Oh no, Dedi – look! Isn't there some way we can help him??"

Dedi crawled over closer to them, taking Bakura's hand from Tsuki and examined it. "We could try an energy-transfer," she said, "If you think you could handle it."

"I wanna help him," Tsuki said, nodding earnestly.

"Okay…" Dedi made them all join hands and closed her eyes. There was a small flash of light followed by a glowing all around Bakura. "There. That should hold him for at least a day."

Joey leaned over to Yugi and whispered, "Yug…what's goin' on over der?" Having no magical essence in his blood, Yugi's best friend could only see Dedi's physical being sitting in the center of the room.

"Dedi's just trying to keep Bakura alive, Joey," Yugi explained calmly, watching as the white-haired boy's fingertips began to reappear.

"You're telling me that Bakura's over there??" Mai said, pointing in Dedi's direction.

"Yup. And Tsuki, too."

"Wow…I suppose I should be used to this by now, huh?" she shrugged.

Yugi nodded, looking over at the sleeping Pharaoh, whose fingertips were also beginning to disappear, "I wish we could do the same for Yami, but no one can touch him…"

"We're running out of time," Athena spoke up, "Even if we don't have Yami with us, we still need to strike against the museum before it's too late."

"But, what can all of you do that Barak couldn't?" Bakura asked quietly. His yami spirit might have made some stupid decisions, but he had had good intentions. And the spirit of the Ring wasn't exactly a magical slouch.

"We can work together," Dedi said, "One may not have been enough, but we may have a chance if we work as a team."

The young Moto nodded in agreement, but was still watching his oldest friend, now fading away, 'But no team would be complete without Yami…'

* * *

The blazing heat of the desert sun was horrid at noontime, but Yami knew his daughter was at least enjoying the trip. He pulled at the collar of his cloak, trying to let any small amount of relieving air in. The ancient ruler knew he was sweating profusely, having just spent the last three months in ice-cold winter weather. That was sure to seem odd to these shadow images.

Barak was walking behind him, wild white hair blowing in the slight breeze and arms folded crossly. To Yami's left was his wife and clinging to his right hand was his jumpy, excited daughter.

The elder of the two ruling siblings raised an eyebrow, "Is something wrong, brother? You seem uncomfortable."

"I still think you're coming down with something," Dedi insisted, "Look how much you're sweating."

Yami wiped his brow with one sleeve, leaving drops of perspiration upon it, "I…I feel fine," wanting to get the subject away from himself, he looked down at his daughter, "Where would you like to go, Chaldea?"

"Hmm…" she said, pondering over her choice, "Can we go see Aset's Temple? It's so pretty."

"That's not far from here," Dedi said.

Barak's voice cut in before Yami could reply, "I believe this is where we shall part ways. Tola wishes for me to run some errands for her, and the Temple Aset would not be pleased to see me, to say the least." He patted Chaldea on the head and pulled his hood up, getting lost in the crowd of busy citizens.

Yami shook his head, confused. The heat was beginning to make him feel light-headed and cloud his thoughts together, "Come, let us go to the temple!" he said, allowing the little girl to pull him along. Quietly, he leaned over to Dedi, "Why would the Temple Aset not accept Barak's presence?" the king of old asked softly.

Dedi grinned, "Maybe because he robbed it and nearly murdered the priestess who presides over it. If it hadn't been for Priest Seti's attachment to her, the woman would have been lost for sure. Barak's just lucky he's reformed and no one can really prove it was him."

The walk to the Temple Aset was a short one and soon the royal family was standing at its front steps, gazing up at the pillars and statues that framed the entrance. "Wow…" Chaldea breathed.

Yami stared up at the magnificence of the building, then wiped his forehead again. Maybe he was getting a fever… "Priest Seti?" he asked, puzzled "Don't you mean Magi Seti?"

"No…" Dedi shook her head, "He is skilled with magic, but he's only a healer as far as that goes. He's worked at the Temple Osiris for years – you know that."

No, he didn't. That was yet another new twist in this strange world (how had he gotten here?), "Of course. The heat is just beginning to affect my memory a bit."

"Maybe we should get out of the sun for a little while," she suggested.

"Yes! Let's go in!" Chaldea said, taking the stairs at a run, tugging both parents along behind her.

The inside of the building was almost as mystifying as the outside was (perhaps less dusty). Elegant tapestries draped the walls and beads and chimes hung from the arched ceiling. At the far wall of the room was a statue of Aset herself, painted with gold and many different blues. One either side of the statue was a doorway, leading deeper into the prayer chambers. As the royals looked around, soft footsteps echoing through the room caught their attention.

The Priestess Aset was stepping through the right side door, her robes bright white, her long blonde hair tied back with blue ribbons. "My Pharaoh," she said, bowing as she approached them, "To what do I owe the honor?"

"My daughter has taken a liking to this shrine," Yami explained. This must be the High Priestess Dedi told him about.

"I'm honored," Aset said, kneeling down so she was near eyelevel with the child, "And I'm glad to see you again, Princess."

Chaldea released her father's hand to hug the Priestess, "Me too!"

Yami smiled at the sight of the two, "And how is Ma-, er, Priest Seti?" The Pharaoh asked, tripping over his words. Ever since meeting Ishizu Ishtar and reading Shadi's book of scripture, the fact that Seto Kaiba's ancestor was a dangerous magician that attempted to overthrow his kingdom had been burned into his brain.

Aset blushed, "He is quite well. He would be flattered to know you concern yourself with his well-being."

"Indeed I would," came an all-too-familiar voice from the front entrance and they all looked back. Seti was strolling through the entryway, not dressed nearly as extravagantly as he had been as a Grand Magi. "It is quite a pleasure to see you again, my liege."

Yami stiffened, "The feeling is mutual, I assure you."

"I'm honored," Seti said, bowing and then extending his hand, "We can expect you to be at the demonstration tonight, correct?"

"I certainly hope to be," Yami said, using his sleeve to wipe his forehead. The heat was less within the building, but he had not stopped perspiring. The changes back and forth in temperature were having an ill effect on his body.

"Actually, Yami may be getting a slight fever," Dedi explained, linking her arm with her husband's, "I may have to force him to turn in early tonight."

Seti nodded, "I understand. I hope you feel better, my Pharaoh." He bowed low once again, then walked off towards one of the prayer chambers, his gray, gold-lined robes just barely brushing against the floor.

"I wish you better health as well," Aset said, rising to her feet, "Now if you'll all excuse me, I have duties to attend to." She bowed and exited the chamber through the same door Seti had used.

"Duties…right…" Dedi said with a knowing smile, "Those two had better hurry up and get married before they get caught."

Yami shook his head, but regretted it an instant later as it began throbbing. He needed to lie down and get some rest soon. Here, however, was not the place for that. The Pharaoh straightened up and looked down at his daughter, "Shall we be going?"

"Okay," she said, her expression softening, "I'm sorry, Papa. I didn't know you weren't feeling good…"

"That's quite alright," he told her, picking her up in his arms, "We can still stay out as long as you like."

"I think we can go home now," she said tenderly, hugging him, "I want you to feel better."

Yami beamed at his daughter's kindness, "Very well."

* * *

Books were scattered all around the room, most still up on their dusty, little used shelves. Shadi's own personal library, or at least, that's what Void liked to call it. Long before he had joined him, his master had been carefully translating and recording any information pertaining to magical disturbances or Ancient Egypt he could. Now, hundreds of books sat on their wooden ledges, dark magical secrets and historical records concealed by covers alone. It was a long process, going through the book to find the cause of the Pharaoh's alarming condition.

Void looked down at the book in his lap once again. It was a history of the Roman invasion of Egypt, though summarized greatly, but there was a sentence that caught his attention. "Master," he said, "Listen to this: 'The Grecian army raided many of the Temples during the invasions, stealing away dark Egyptian magic secrets. When the Roman army seized control some years later, they would translate and mutate the magic into a well-hidden power of their own.' I believe we may be searching in the wrong places for the cause of the Pharaoh's dilemma. The museum woman is a native Roman."

Shadi set down his book, now interested in what his apprentice was showing him, "That is true, I suppose. Still, any curses she knows will have been taken from those in Egypt. We will continue our search, but keep an eye out for any spell you see that appears to be similar to those the Pharaoh suffers from." The Egyptian man snapped his book shut and got up from his desk to remove another from the shelves.

"Yes, Master," Void nodded.

Shadi looked through his books, a small bead of sweat making its way down the back of his neck, 'Remain strong, my Pharaoh. We are trying…'