This chapter is dedicated to the loving memory of Willow. A family member I'll never forget.

Summery: The Priests have taken over Egypt! The Shadow magic has been destroyed and the Pharaoh and his family have been killed. Or have they? Rumors are spreading that the king's newborn son had escaped the rebellion and is hiding somewhere in the desert. Now the Priests are out to hunt him down.

The Prince of Egypt

"It has been nearly fifteen years since the rebellion against the Pharaoh at Men-nefer, and since then our country is no longer on shaky stands and the boarders of our kingdom have never been more protected than they are now under King Dartz's rule." Explained the pompous scribe Panhesi to his troop of young eager minded students, "Now, any questions?"

"Um.. I do!" called out a small figured teen near the back with thick black hair with reddish highlights.

The scribe sighed heavily, "Yes Yugi?"

"Did…did King Dartz ever obtain the power of the Shadow Games?" the boy timidly asked.

As soon as the first syllable of the word 'shadow' escaped his lips the class's moans and groans echoed throughout the classroom.

"Oh not again!"

"Can't you think of another question?!"

"Please Ra; don't make this teacher go insane."

Panhesi folded his arms and starred at the boy who was starring innocently at him for an answer. "No, he had not. Although the rumors are spreading that some of the creatures usually used in those games are hiding throughout the deserts of Egypt. Personally I believe that the very concept of 'Shadow Game' is preposterous. Only a myth. Now, let's continue on with history…"

The day grew unbearably hot that afternoon as Yugi along with a blond haired teen Joey walk down a narrow dirt road from the school.

"I can't believe you asked about those Shadow Games again." the older teen scolded shielding his eyes from the blinding desert light.

"I'm sorry Joey. It's just that… those games for some reason fascinate me. The thought of summoning monsters from another world…."

Joey whipped off some sweat from his face and glanced down at his friend. "I hear yeah. Honestly I'd prefer to hear more about that then the crap those teachs are telling you."

Yugi glanced up, "Huh? What do you mean?"

Joey: "I'm saying that even thou we never had any invasions everything isn't so perfict since the rebellion."

"How so?" Yugi questioned.

"Take a look ahead of us. What do you see?"

The younger boy squinted his eyes to see sown the long stretch of road ahead, "I'm afraid I don't get it."

"Let me rephrase that. What DON'T you see?"

Yugi sighed knowing exactly what Joey was referring to. "I know. We lost about twelve neighbors this morning."

"And ten more left when I came to pick you up. And who knows how many left between those times."

Yugi: "The taxes have increase so much there's hardly anyone who can buy food at Grandpa's bazaar."

The two Egyptian boysfinally arrived at the local bazaar where their grandfather had worked for many years. Baskets of rich pomegranates, figs, and grain were stacked on top of each other. Chests of dazzling luxury goods such as ebony, ivory, and gemstone jewelry lay open to capture the wondering eyes potential buyers. Fine colorful linen hung from the awning with thick rolls underneath. Sealed barrels of freshly brewed ale littered the display floor, and next to them a tall rugged woodcutter was having a peaceful drink.

"Yo Tristan!" the boys shouted as they ran toward the bazaar.

"Hey guys! What took you so long? I doubt it's the traffic." The woodcutter said stirring around the overly-watered down barley brew, (Grandpa never allowed the boys to drink the strong or medium stuff.)

Joey just rubbed the back of his neck a little, "I had a little trouble at the marshland."

The even taller teen grinned, "Another encounter with your favorite hippo?"

The blond glared at him annoyingly, "No. Just a couple of crocs."

Tristan: "Phew! That's one job I'll never work. Reed gathering for papyrus. I just hope I don't fall into that gig up north."

Yugi's eyes widened, "You're leaving too?"

Tristan took another glug of his drink, "Yep. The taxes are too high for my family to stand. We're leaving when the next ship to Waset arrives. How long are guys going to stand it?"

Joey pulled up a hammock-like chair and sat down, "Not much longer, but we can't leave."

Tristan: "Why not?"

Joey: "Gramps. He can't handle the desert heat without some sort of transportation or shelter, and we don't have enough money to go with the caravans or trade ships."

"That's rough."

Yugi had already changed into his work cloths inside and brought out three ripened pomegranates, "That's not all. Grandpa helped build this city when there was only sand and grass here. He put great pride and hard work into this city and he's not leaving it without a fight."

Joey grabbed his fruit and jammed it into his travel bag. "Well, gotta go, those reeds aren't going to gather themselves up."

Yugi: "Me too. Grandpa wants me to help him at the bazaar."

"Good luck bro!"

Unknown to them, a distant figure was watching them.

(That Night)

"Can I look now?" Yugi asked trying to walk with Joey covering his eyes.

"Not yet." Joey said with a grin as he guided the blinded boy down to the dinning room.

"Now?"

"Not yet."

Joey moved his hand so Yugi could see a fairly made unlivied cake with lighted wick sticking it. "Happy Birthday Yugi!" both Joey and Solomon cheered. The boy smiled brightly gazing at his happy family. "Oh guys, you didn't have to do all this."

"Don't be so modest Yug. We wanted to do this." Joey grinned as he hugged Yugi from behind.

Solomon: "I made the cake and Joey's got you a little something."

Yugi glanced at his grandfather confused, "A present? Me?"

The taller teen backed away with a cheesy smile on his face. "Yup. And you better like cause I can't take it back." He said handing him a tan colored linen package.

Holding on the package Yugi untied the rough straw-like string that held it together. His eyes widened as he saw a glimmering gold charm shaped like the Eye of Horis. "Joey, it's beautiful…but, how did you get it? We can't afford anything like this."

The blond teen grinned, "Well I just scoped out the old gold mines for a few years. Pick up a few pieces here and there the miners forgot. And snatched a couple of molds from the jewelers. The sun kinda did the rest. I wanted yeah to have something nice even in these hard times."

Yugi jumped toward Joey and wrapped his arms around his waist, "I love it. Thank you!"

"Don't sweat it. What are big brothers for."

Suddenly a knock came from the door. The two brothers stopped as their grandfather went to the door to seewho was there. "Now I wonder who's out there at this time of night." The old man opened the door, to reveal a shrouded figure in the pouring rain.

Solomon: "Hello there."

Stranger: "Peg your pardon sir, could you please spare some food and a place to rest for the night?"

Solomon smiled at the traveler and motioned him to come in, "Of course, come in. any stranger is a friend in my house."

The shrouded man entered the as the boys prepared the table for the new guest. The unknown figure watched the boys with peculiar interest.

Joey: "Sorry your birthday got messed up Yug."

Yugi: "It's alright. At least your guys remembered. I completely forgot."

Joey: "So, were you able to get some more pottery from the storage yards today?"

The younger boy shook his head, "No. Kaiba is still holding off the pottery for a special request from the pharaoh."

Stranger: "It seems that all the troubles in Egypt are because of the pharaoh. Those fools in charge are nothing but ignorant fools who are too blind to see that their people suffering."

Everyone starred at the drifter for a few minuets. He quickly started coughing to cover up what he said.

The stranger then glanced around the room of the modest apartment that they lived, "A lovely home, (turning to grandpa) is it just you living here?"

Solomon paused at the guest's question, then carried some loaves of bread from a large ceramic pot, "Yes, along with my grandsons. There used to be more people living here but the taxes grew too high and everyone left. We moved here from a slum town a few years after Yugi was born."

Stranger: "Born the same day his father died."

The room immediately grew silent. Both the boys and the old man starred wide-eyed in surprise. Yugi jumped to his feet and rushed to the stranger sitting at the table, "You knew my father?"

The drifter turned to look in eager boy's eyes. They starred at him with hope and determination to know the truth. He gently patted the boy's head and smiled, "Yes. He was a great solder of the betrayed pharaoh. He knew that the rebellion would be dangerous and requested that his only son would be taken to somewhere he'll be loved."

The smaller formed boy looked down in disappointment. He didn't expect anything else about his father but he wished that somehow he would remember him. Or his mother.

"Sound to me like you're from the capital." Solomon said as he took a mild sip of water.

The drifter sighed heavily, "Yes I am. And…right now I'm on a very important mission."

"Really? That sounds cool." Joey said as he and Yugi gathered around the table.

Yugi: "What kind of mission?"

The shrouded man chuckled and acted less then a beggar, and more of a soldier, "Well, you all have heard about the rebellion and that all of the royal family have been killed?"

All three nodded in anticipation.

Stranger: "That's not entirely true. For you see, there is one member of the family that's still alive. The Pharaoh's new born son, who disappeared long before the final battle."

The old man grew fearful with worry, "That's impossible! The news spread throught the country that the child was dead."

Stranger: "The priests killed a child. But not THE child. The one they thought was the prince was a sickly babe belonging to a servant in the castile."

"Just how do you know that!?" Joey nearly shouted as he hid Yugi behind his arm.

The drifter grinned even more, "Tell me, have you wondered why the magic of the Shadow Games had disappeared?"

Yugi starred in wonder, "You know the Shadow Games?! Have you seen them?"

"In a way, the Pharaoh's magic is passed down from generation to generation. The Priests have the power to remove the magic from a generation after it's dead, so long as there isn't a generation to follow. And I... " he said as he drew a bladed dagger from his cloak, "..was sent to kill the child!"

I'm just evil arn't I? I know I didn't use all the sneak peek Quotes but they'll be comming up. Read and Review.