.:. The Pharaoh sat in his room, fiddling with his puzzle. His eyes constantly darted from the pieces in his hand and on the bed to the shell that was laying not all that far away. She had slipped into unconsciousness from starvation. If he didn't do something soon she would die.

He'd tried to make sure she'd eat while she slept, figuring that it would awaken her. However the attendants around her had stopped his efforts. "She left us orders to see that she wasn't to be fed." They told him. "Unless you had stopped the Shadow games."

"That's ridiculous!" he said to them. "Never mind that. I'm overriding her orders. "She also said that you would say that, and we were to slit her throat if such a task happened. She said that one life for that of many is a small price to pay."

"If a single one of you lays a hand on her, I will personally see you all-" "She also said that when you began to threaten us, as she knew you would, that if the Shadow games had not been stopped that the moment she had the opportunity to do so she would take her own life. She does not want to break her own oath, my King." The servant finished.

He'd left then in his frustration. It had been two days. They'd reported to him that she had gotten weaker. She only had a few days left, the doctor said. He could feel her heart skipping inside her when he laid a hand on her chest.

"This is ridiculous." He said as he finished the puzzle for the eighth time that day. "Oath or no oath, this is madness." "Then why not merely stop the games, my Lord?" his advisor said. "What?" he asked as he looked up at Siamun. "Atemu," he said gently. "I have never seen you more miserable in your life, and I have known you since you were a babe. There are other things. Why not humble yourself, just this once?"

"But I swore it." "And so did she." He says. "She is obviously not giving up in her oath. If you do not do something, she will die. Would you prefer that? You are merely holding your oath for some friends. She believes hers to be for the fate of the world. Who's cause is stronger?"

The Pharaoh sighed. "Hers…I guess…" he says. "What?" he hears from the doorway as a few of his friends walk in. "Are you giving in? Now? When things got easy?" one of them says, tossing an apple up and down while catching it. "I don't understand what you mean by easy." The Pharaoh says. "She is unconscious." "Exactly!" his friend said. "No more complaining! She can't rag on you now! Things are finally looking up! She'll stop soon!"

"Yes, because she'll be dead." Siamun says. "You can't just stop now." His friend says. "What about your oath?" "You seem to like reminding me of that." Yami said testily. "Yeah, well, it's a good thing I do or else you'd have stopped long ago." He says, taking a bite of the apple.

"Perhaps I should have." The Pharaoh says. "If I have been letting anyone control me, it has been all of you. Now stop badgering me or I will have you removed." He tells them, getting up and picking up the shell before exiting the room.

"Fine." His friends said from behind. "Ignore what you said."

A messenger runs up to them quickly. "My Lord…trouble, in the pyramid where the Ka's are stored!" he says. "The priests are requesting your assistance."

"What?" the Pharaoh asks, shocked. He rushes towards the end of the hall where a wide window opened towards the town. Across the way he could see flashes of light and monsters roaming near the building.

"She saw the Ka's…" he whispered to himself. "It makes sense." "What are you mumbling about?" his friend says again. "She doesn't know much about the games, she mistook them for something else." He says turning towards them. "Not entirely, Pharaoh." Siamun says. "Remember, they have called for the Ka's in battle before as well. They are a part of the Shadow Games."

"She was right." He says. Turning back to look at the window he sees the pyramid in the distance, the one with rising clouds over it. "Siamun…" he says. "Yes, Pharaoh?" Siamun says to him. "What must I do?"

.:. Dartz's life points go up once more as the third seal is firmly locked into place. "Orycalcos Diablos, attack Twilight Dragon!" "What?" Kaiba says as he sees his monster switch into attack mode. "It's part of Diablos's special ability." Dartz tells him as the monster goes in for the attack. "Then I play-" "NOTHING!" Dartz says, laughing. "All magic and trap cards are rendered useless against my monsters. Your card is worthless." He tells him. "Then I play counter shield!" Yami says, revealing a card. "Which raises the attack points of one of Kaiba's monsters by the defense points of the monster I sacrifice, and I choose Big Sheild Guardner!" Yami says. Kaiba's Twilight Dragon's points raise to four thousand, defeating Diablos. Dartz, however, loses no life points once more due to his Kyutora.

"Mirror Knights! Attack the Pharaoh!" Dartz shouts. One by one they do so. First Yugi, than Joey and Mia. Pegasus brings up the rear. The Pharaoh holds out his duel disk to block his attack. "Yugi, do you have that card from the room?" he asks him. "What?" Yami says. "It is a key to unlocking the secret of the dragons!" Pegasus tells him. "What's wrong? Attack!" Dartz commands from the other side. Pegasus raises his sword and slashes the Pharaoh, leaving him with less life points then before.

"I'll leave this facedown." Dartz says. "And end my turn. Your turn, Kaiba. This is your final draw."

Kaiba's life points are a mere six hundred, the Pharaoh's fifteen hundred. Kaiba looks at the stone tablet of Alaster and thinks of how far he'd go to save his brother.

"This isn't over yet." He tells Dartz. "I play the Fang of Critias! He says, the monster appearing. "And if I know Yugi like I think I do, then I'll combine it with his face down mirror force card!" the card rises and the dragon and card fuse together. "attack Mirror Knight Four!" He says and the dragon aims at Pegasus. Pegasus holds up his shield and Kaiba reveals his dragon's special ability. "Now I'll reflect that back to all your monsters!" Kaiba says. The group gaps, worried about the souls of their friends. Yugi and Pegasus smile at the attack though. "You did it." Yugi says, as they are freed from the Orycalcos and return onto the wall.

The Kyutora begins glowing with a strange light before bursting. Instead it reforms as a giant monster, with twenty thousand attack points. "Meet Orycalcos Shinoras." Dartz says smiling at his monster. "And when it is summoned it summons Orycalcos Dekshia and Orycalcos Aisteros!"

Two more monsters appear on the floor. "As long as Orycalcos Shinaros is on the field, Dekshia and Aiteros can't be destroyed." Dartz tells them. "Their attack and defense points are always three hundred more than the other monster. They are the first targets as well." he says.

"Now I'll activate Curse Martyrdom Master! This allows me to force one of your cards to attack. And I'll choose Mirror force dragon!"

The attack begins, the Dragon's special ability worthless. It is destroyed, and Kaiba's life points drop to zero.

Before he begins though, he plays a card. "I play Hope of Desperation." He says. "Which allows the attack points of a monster that was destroyed to convert to life points. So I give them to Yugi." Kaiba says, and the Pharaoh's counter goes up by twenty eight hundred, leaving him with four thousand three hundred life points.

"Kaiba!" the Pharaoh says. "Any last words?" Dartz says as a miniature seal encloses around Seto. "Don't screw up." He tells Yami. "I fought too hard." He falls to the ground then, his soul appearing on a tablet.

"Seto!" Mokuba shouts, trying to break into the Seal. "Seto! No!"

"Mokuba, he's gone. You have to wait." Alyssa says, rushing in front of him and kneeling down, her hands on his shoulders so he looks at her. "Right now is not a good time to be trying to go in there." She tells him. "Well, I've gotten what I need." Dartz says, flicking a finger and having Seto's body thrown out. "It's okay, sweetie, it's okay." Alyssa says, a gentle hand on the sobbing Mokuba's face. "And now to balance out the equation…" Dartz says, seeing her. Suddenly the Seal expands and she is pulled in. She lets out a small cry of pain as she lands hard on her shoulder. "Alyssa!" the Pharaoh says, helping her up. "What am I doing in here?" she asks him as she stands up, still slightly shaky from moving through the Seal.

"You are here because you will be helping me obtain some more cards." Dartz says, another duel disk materializing in his hand. "What?" She asks. "Now if you'll come over here…" he says, moving his arm much in the way he had when he had thrown Seto out. "I…can't…" she says as she felt herself being pulled to the other side of the field. "What are you doing, Dartz?" the Pharaoh says, eyeing him angrily. "Oh, nothing.' He says. "I'm just a little interested in seeing how this will play out." He says as her life point counter activates. "I don't even know how to play!" she says as her hand takes out some cards. "Don't worry about it. You won't be playing anything anyway." He says.

"Then why am I here?" she asks, her feet rooted to the floor where she stands. "I have already told you why. Pay attention." He tells her. "Now to have a little fun." He says. A large eye appears behind him and a wave sweeps out knocking everyone outside the seal unconscious. Mokuba's cries for his brother to open his eyes halt as it reaches him, Tea and Tristan fall backwards with the power.

"Now you will see why I have waited for you Pharaoh." He says. "But first we must travel back to Egypt, thousands of years in the past…"

The trio is flying above ancient Egypt, looking down at the city above. Suddenly they zoom into an outdoor arena. Alyssa sees herself waiting by the doors of it. "That's me." She says surprised.

As she has walked half the distance they see her turn as she hears a growl from behind her. There is a large creature that looks as if it were part dragon and bird. "I could have sworn that they were finished!" They hear her tell herself as she stares up at the giant animal, backing away from the creature slowly. It swipes out a claw at her and she turns, bolting terrified towards the covered walkway.

She dodges another swing of the monsters arm as she desperately tries to outrun the huge beast. It takes aim at her again. This time, though she dodges the brunt of the attack, the monster's hand catches her arm, slicing it with its razor sharp claws.

She lands a few feet away, backing against a pillar as she holds her arm tightly to try and slow the bleeding. She braces herself expecting its fist to plow into her, but it never comes. Instead she hears another voice. "By all the power of the millennium puzzle, I summon Obelisk, the Tormentor!"

"What's going on?" The pharaoh says as he sees himself in this vision of the past. A green fist appears from a portal as the large being takes place. "Now, Obelisk, destroy this outsider!" the Pharaoh sees himself shout. The green giant makes a fist of its own, punching the wayward animal. It flickers momentarily before disappearing.

"Are you alright?" The ancient Yami says, rushing over to her and kneeling beside her on the ground. "I'm fine." She says. "It merely cut my arm is all." She says. "I'll go back to clean it up." She states, beginning to stand. "No, stay still." The Pharaoh says. "Let me see that." He says, concerned. "No, it's not that bad, really." She says turning away, but he removes her hand covering her arm.

From the top of her shoulder to her elbow runs a long, deep gash, smaller scratches to its side. It is bleeding badly, and is clearly littered with dirt from when she fell. "Oh, baby." He says, removing his cape and tying it about her arm. "We're taking that to a doctor."

"I don't need a doctor." She says, pushing away his hands. "I know how to take care of such things myself." She says, beginning to stand again. "You needn't worry so much about it."

"You are still having that looked at." He says. "Fine." She tells him. "I'll have someone look at it. Go back to your matches. I know you enjoy them." "This is a little more important than a game" he says. "Besides, if I let you leave alone you won't go. I'm coming with you." He tells her. "Fine." She says. "Your being ridiculo-woah! Yami, it's my arm that's hurt, not my legs!" she says as he picks her up. "Put me down." She says, poking his chest lightly. "But I don't want to." he says and she sighs as he carries her off.

The Pharaoh and Alyssa had watched the small episode in silence. Now it switched to another. The Pharaoh was riding swiftly through the streets. "Ah! Here we are." Dartz says. "Right there. That's me." He says, and they see a man wearing a hooded cloak turn and watch the Pharaoh. "Why did you show us this?" the Pharaoh asks him.

"I thought you might want to know the exact moment when I realized that the Leviathan would be reborn." He tells them. "I'd seen you earlier. It was then when I felt the power of your soul, the darkness you carried with it, and the power I needed to resurrect the Leviathan."

"Why didn't you just come for me then?" The Pharaoh questions him. "It was not yet time. You were not yet ready." He tells him. "You are the root of darkness. You will bring the end of humanity; such darkness will always surround the cursed King. I knew it would only be a matter of time until I had your soul, that you would sacrifice it to my Leviathan."

"And…and what of me?" Alyssa asks him quietly. "Why am I there?" she says. "I thought you might find it interesting to know that you and the Pharaoh were close." He says simply. She looks across to the Pharaoh before returning her eyes to Dartz. "I…knew him?" she said, contemplating this. "But I was just…just a…" "A servant girl? Scrubbing woman? Oh yes, you were that too." "Then why-" "That is something you will figure out in due time." He tells her, pinching her cheek. She pushes his hand away and they return to the field, their friends still lying on the floor.

.:. Alyssa rolls over and opens her eyes before squeezing them shut again. Things were blurry at first and she still felt very dizzy. Her stomach hurt but she was used to that by now as well.

She sat up in her bed and heard someone drop what sounded like a clay pot or jug. She heard them shout to get someone but couldn't make out who they said. Finally she sat up, the room spinning for a few moments before her eyes. She glanced around the room and saw the shocked and uneasy faces of those around her. She put a hand to her head as it hurt.

"If I'm awake that means I have eaten, and if I have eaten that means Yami has stopped the Shadow Games." She says. "He has, hasn't he?" she asks them and sees them nod. "Thank heavens." She said, flopping onto her side with a smile. "I knew he could do it." She said. "He just needed a little push. Oh I can't wait to see him." She says.

She notices the eyes of the attendants as they begin whispering to one another. "As a matter of fact, I should probably see him now to let him know I'm okay. Where is he?" she asks them. "My lady," they say. "You are still weak from your fast." They told her. "Will you not stay in bed?" "Nonsense!" she says, leaning heavily against the wall for support as she stands. "Then perhaps we can call him to you?" One of them poses hopefully.

"Since when does the Pharaoh come to his Queen and not the other way around?" she says to them. "I'm fine really. If it will ease your minds I'll have somebody help me around." She tells them.

"Your Grace," they tell her. "It's not just that…" one of them begins, slowly, looking at the others. "Not what?" she asks, becoming worried. "You said he stopped the Shadow Games, correct?" she asks. "Well yes… he did." They say, not meeting her eyes. "And he is alright?" she asks, and they are quiet. "Is he alright?" she asks as someone leads her to sit down.

"Perhaps you should wait for Siamun to get here. Someone has sent for him and-" "No!" she says. "Where is he?"

"He's gone." Someone finally said. "What?" she asked, knowing what they meant but not wanting to believe it. "Where did he go?" she asked, still trying to cling to the false truth. "Have you checked his room?" "He's not there." One of them said. "What about the-" "He's not anywhere." The person repeated sadly as he saw her face. "I'm sorry."

"…No." she said, denying it. "No. You just…you just missed him. He's here somewhere. He has to be!" she said, getting up and stumbling against the wall for balance. "Your Grace, please," one of them said as they came towards her. "No!" she said and pushed them away. "I'll find him. He's here, you just haven't found him yet!"

She left the room, holding onto bits of furniture when the wall was too far away. She made her way to his room. "Yami?" she called for him, looking through the chambers. The attendants followed her wordlessly, but she knew the looks in their eyes. "One more place." She said, walking around. She went downstairs to the hall, nearly giving those who were trailing behind her a heart attack when she stumbled on one of the stairs. She had caught the railing however. "Yami?" she asked the empty room. "Has my husband been here today?" she asked someone who was standing by the doors. They looked at her, shocked. "Has my husband been here?" she repeated, her eyes wide with fear.

The man said nothing and she left to search elsewhere. "Yami?" she said when she went out to the courtyard. "Yami, are you here?" she asked, near to tears. She felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to see his advisor.

"Siamun!" she said with relief. "Do you know where Yami is?" she asked him. He sighed and nodded. "Please, take me to him." She said, hoping that he was here to tell her there was some mix up and he was fine. He led her by the arm to another room, one with a long hallway. They entered it and there on pedestals sat the millennium items.

"No." she whispered seeing them. "No…no…no, no!" she shouted, falling to her knees and sobbing before the box that she knew contained the millennium puzzle. "No!" she screamed, sobs wracking her body as she collapsed.

"He did what he needed to do." Siamun says to her, blinking back his own tears. "He's been locked away inside his puzzle as the rest have into their own items. They sacrificed themselves to stop the Shadow Games. He wanted me to tell you not to cry and that he's sorry. He also says he loves you very much."

"He can't be gone." She said, still sobbing. "He can't be!" "He is, until that puzzle is solved. "Then give it to me." She shouts, her face still buried in her arms. "I've solved it before, I can do it again!" she persists. "Give it to me!" She got up and walked over to the pedestal it sat on.

"You know you can't do that." Siamun said, grabbing her hand as she collapsed onto him, crying again. "Yami..." She said. "Yami, no."

Siamun handed her her shell. "He had this with him every moment you were unconscious." He told her. She took it and ran her fingers over the smooth layer of the shell. "Who did it?" she asked him. "Who did what?" he asked her. "Who helped lock them away?" she asked. "They couldn't have done it on their own. They'd need someone to seal them in at the end."

Siamun looked uncomfortable. "It was you, wasn't it?" she asked him. "I had to." He said. "Good." She told him. "Now you're putting me in as well."

"What?" he asked her. "You have to be joking! It is folly!" "I'm not joking." She said, looking at him. "There are other things," Siamun told her. "There is so much you can do," he told her. "I don't care." She repeated. "Without Yami it matters nothing to me. I want you to put me in."

"But what would you do?" Siamun asks her. "Why bother? It will not be easy for you. The Pharaoh might not even have his memory when he is released." Siamun says. "He might not even remember himself, much less you. Besides, in your present state you might just end up being destroyed. At least wait a few days." He tells her. "I don't care!" she tells him. "You ask me what I'd do, well I'll tell you. To be there for him when he's given up on himself. To have faith in him when he no longer can. To wipe away his tears as he has done with mine, so that he need never feel a single bit of pain. To give up everything to see him smile. To be there when he laughs, cries, hurts, fears, and dreams. You ask me why I'd bother. It's because I love him."

"How much time do you need to get the energy?" she asks him. "Well…" he begins looking at those around him. "You have one song." She tells him. 'What?" he asks.

"I play my song for you." She whispers. "The same song that brought us together before will bring us together again."

And she began to play, infusing the song with all the laughs they had laughed, the tears they had cried. Into it she poured all her emotions, her fears and dreams that might never come true. And as she played the staff Siamun held onto radiated light from a central stone at the top. As her song reached it's climax it burst into an elaborate brightness, blinding all those around it. And it dimmed as the notes of the song fell quietly into silence. She had finished.

Her body lay motionless on the floor, her shell still clutched in her fingers. Siamun walked up and took it, a few notes seeming to echo the room out of nowhere as those around shuddered. He placed it on the velvet pillow next to the millennium puzzle.

"It is done." He said quietly. "And I feel they are together."

At that, he exited the room.