Beginning of the Tale

Disclaimer: I do not own Yugioh! However, I own Brian, Stafon, and the Gauntlet that they possess. thank you.

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"So, c'mon, Ishizu. Tell me what happened to him,"

"You are impatient, you know that? Very well. Here's how it goes...,"

-Egypt: 5,000 Years Ago-

A young boy, about twelve years old or so, wandered throughout the streets of his village, on a mission. His mission was given to him by his father and mother, who handed him the supplies he needed for this mission.

He stepped up to one of the many stands of the market place and peeked over the table. "Ah! Stafon, good to see you. On another raid for your family?" the elderly lady on the other side asked him with a gentle smile.

The boy nodded, his brown hairbouncing as he did, "Yes, Micah," he replied. The old woman chuckled and leaned over the counter. "Well, you know the drill little one," she said holding out her hands.

Stafon handed her a burlap sack and a small bag of coins. She took the objects, then proceeded into placing various fruits and meat into the sack. After a few moments, she handed the sack back (hey that rhymes! COOL!) to Stafon.

"Thank you, Micah," he said clutching the bag with both hands. "Are you sure you can carry that?" Micah asked the boy. He nodded, "I'm sure. See you later, Micah!" he told her before merging into the bustling crowd. The elderly woman shook her head, "Kids," she murmured before going back to work.

Stafon walked along his route, his blue green eyes scanning for anything new. Every now and then he would stop and adjust his sandals, who had too much sand in them. "Every day, no matter how much I try, I always get these stupid things filled with sand," he muttered as he hopped around, trying to pry them off his feet.

He spent about a couple of minutes until his sandals were finally sand free. He put them back on his feet, and reached for his sack, but he couldn't find it anywhere. He looked all around him, the sack of food was gone. "Oh Ra...," he groaned.

"You really should keep your eyes on the prize, Big Brother," a sly voice said in his ear. He turned to see his sister, grinning madly, holding the sack in her hand. He cursed and shook his head, "You made your point," he took the sack and lugged it over his shoulder, "What are you doing out here anyway, Eve?" he asked his younger sister.

Eve ran a hand through her long black hair, "Mother and Father were getting worried. They sent you for food and you hadn't come back yet, so I decided to come after you," she explained to him. Stafon growled, "You shouldn't have come out here alone, Eve. Remember, there are bad people out here; thieves, slavers, and Ra knows what else," he reminded her as they walked back to the their hut together.

She rolled her eyes and put her arms behind her head as she walked, "If I shouldn't come out here alone, why can you?" she challenged her brother. He glanced at Eve, "Because, I'm able to take care of myself, Eve. I can hold my own in a fight. You cannot," he pointed out.

Eve glared at him, but kept her tongue as they entered their small home. "Stafon, is that you?" a woman's voice asked from the room next to them. Stafon placed the bag on the floor, "Yes Mother. Eve is with me," he called back. A woman with short black hair and blue eyes cameinto the room and scowled at Eve, "You know the rules. Nor you or I leave this building without someone else with us,".

Stafon left his mother and daughter and went out to the back part of his home to find his father sitting at a corner, hunched over something. He crept up on him, and put his hands around his father's eyes. The man stopped his work and lifted his head, "That's either my son, or my daughter's hands are getting bigger," he joked.

The boy let go and sat down next to him, "Very funny," he mumbled. His father chuckled and ruffled his hair, "What do you need, Stafon?" he asked as he continued his work. Stafon leaned over to see daggers, along with bits of metal, wood and rope were gathered in neat seperate piles. "What are you working on?" he asked curiously.

His father massaged his fingers, "I'm working on new types of battle weapons. I figure if I can make small, yet effective weapons, I can propose to the Pharaoh to use them in his army. Maybe he will pay us and we can live in a safer part of the village," he said thoughtfully.

Stafon raised his eyebrows, "Any luck?" he asked. His father scratched his chin, "Very little. It seems I'm missing something but I don't know what," he said as he placed a few bits of metal together, snapping them into place. "Maybe if you pray to Ra at the temple tomorrow, he can help you with it," Stafon suggested.

The man laughed, "Perhaps he will my son, perhaps he will,". The two of them kept on talking about their day and helping each other on the odd project until Ra's light faded over the horizon and Stafon's mother called them to the dinnertable.

The dinner was small, smaller than most meals for most people, but it was filling. Afterwards, they locked up their home and retreated to their beds. It was this night, that Stafon would receive a calling that would change his life forever. For better and for worse.

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Kilnorc: there's the update for the Protectors of the Pharaoh! I do hope you all like!