Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Gi Oh or the songs I'm using in here. I don't even own this title either!

Prince of Egypt
Escape

Tiny flames of blue fire sparked to life around a dark chamber deep beneath the royal palace. Through the little vaults of light the stone carvings upon the chamber walls revealed their splendor and majesty. Carefully crafted statues of dragons, elves, wizards, monsters large and small bared arms against one another in a dazzling display.

"So beautiful." A majestic voice echoed throughout the cavern, "Such power and grace." A person within the shadows reached out to one of the carvings and felt every detail of a serpent creature. "The power of the Shadow Games is tremendous…and yet it has eluded from my grasp!"

The light flickered and flared up, revealing the regal king of Egypt Dartz. In his white and blue robes unfamiliar to the lands the young lord was kneeling to an alter where three, foot high statues stood. One, a long jagged serpent creature. The second, a tall muscular figure looking like a monstrous pharaoh. And finally in the center a plated dragon/bird. Dartz starred at the three monuments for a long enlightening moment before tossing them aside with his arm. "Curses to that wrenched pharaoh! If he didn't send away his child the secret of the shadow game would've been mine! Now even after fifteen years of searching the prince or princess is still not found."

Just then his most loyal servant Raphael entered the sacred chamber, "Pardon my intrusion master."

"Please me tell you have good news for a change." Dartz said frustratingly as he rubbed his temples.

"Out spotters have located a potential in our own offices in Nekhen. The Nomarch to be more precise"

The blue haired king grinned, "An unusual position for a renegade royal."

"Indeed Master Dartz. As we speak Alister is apprehending her."

Dartz chuckled to himself, "Poor poor Neverteri. It seems our long years of waiting have finally paid off."

"Alister! What is the meaning of all this!" Tea nearly screamed as the captain of the guard slowly approached her with his dagger in hand.

"No need to be frightened princess. The pharaoh just wants to see you."

"Yeah sure." she said grabbing an ornamental spear from the wall behind her, "And just why has he taken such interest in me?"

Alister shrugged mockingly, "I don't know my dear… maybe it's for your concern for the people, perhaps its because you turned down his generous gift…" he then gave her a sinister leer, "… or maybe it's because you are one of the potentials we were looking for."

Neverteri gasped in fear, "What? But how can that be!"
Alister: "I do not know myself. But no matter, it's my duty to return every potential to the capital…to be tested."

Tea's surprise immediately grew to fear. Ever since the search began none of the recovered potentials ever returned from Men-nefer alive. "You're mad if you think I'll go with you."

"I knew you'd say that." And with that Alister charged toward Tea. She dodged to her left and struck him of the back with the pole of her spear.

"Ah!" He fell onto the stone floor with a hard thud and slashed his dagger to her catching her gown. Tea tripped over him and the silken curtains and desperately screamed for help.

Meanwhile outside Bakura had led the others into the garden outside the palace.

"Hey Ivorytop! Where are you taking us!" Joey shouted ahead to the albino, only to be suddenly stopped by a hand over his mouth.
"Shh!" Bakura hissed signaling everyone else to hide within the shadows of the palace walls. They all looked up to see an archery guard patrolling the walls to and from the sentry towers.

Tristan crouched down over Yugi to further hide themselves, "Exactly what are we going to do?" he whispered quietly.

"Just what Yugi said. We have to get that other potential before Dartz's guards do." Joey said boldly as he reached behind him for a short wooden pole. "Whoever is in there might be the prince."

"Or princess." Bakura added. His eyes glued to the guard passing over them.

Yugi gazed to the dark shadows ahead of them. The raising moon shone brightly into the garden creating a crystal-like appearance to the plants and sleeping flowers that weren't shrouded in shadows. "It looks so beautiful out here," he then looked up to cold brick towers, "And in there someone could be killed…oh Osiris why are things so horrible for us mortals?"

The young thief grabbed Joey by the hand. "The coast is clear. We better hurry before he comes back." The other three boys followed Bakura to a heavily shaded corner in the palace walls. Carefully Bakura moved aside a jar pot revealing a hole within the stone. Inside was a rope with the stone tied to one end.
Tristan: "What's this for?"

"You'll see." Bakura then grabbed three small stones off the ground and began to toss them to a window above.

When the third stone cracked against the window a maid in the mansion appeared at the window. "Bakura!"
Bakura: "Shh! The Nomarch's in danger!"

The maid gasped, "Then cast the stone. You do not have much time."

With that the albino thief twirled the rope like a lasso and threw the rock attached to the window. The maid caught it and secured it within the room. Bakura quickly climbed up the window with Tristan, Yugi, and Joey not far behind.

Once inside all of them laid down on the cool floor, exhausted from the constant running and hiding. Little Yugi gazed in awe of the interior of the palace room. Fine cloths and tapestries he had never seen before hung elegantly from the ceiling and down from the shelves and chests. Statues and gold figurines of the gods were arranged and a navigational mess. But what caught his eyes more intensely was the numerous stone tablets the littered the tables. No larger then his fist the tablets held fine carvings of creatures and figures unknown to him. He forced his feet and wondered to the tablet covered table. "Wow. What are these?"

"Where exactly are we?" Joey asked gazing at the fancy robes and gold treasures fro his seat, "The storeroom?"

The maid who helped them walked over to the smaller boy and kneeled down to his level, "Pretty aren't they?"

Yugi: "Excuse me madam but what are these? Some sort of gods? Cause I've never seen anything like these in our old temples."

The kind maid shook her head, "No. Replicas of the tablets used during the Shadow Games."

Yugi's eyes widened in disbelief, "So they actually were real!"

Maid: "Yes. These tablets were made to encourage children into studying the deadly game and inspire new players to defend the country. However when the secrets were sealed many of these tablets were abandoned and our lady collected them in here."

Yugi looked back to the plates of stone. He picked one up that held the image of a round ball with circular eyes and claws feet, "I wish they real now. We can really use their help."

The maid stood up straight, "Would you like to keep one?"

The young multicolored haired boy gazed up at her in shock, "That's nice of you but I can't. Your mistress-"

Maid: "She will not notice. Besides if what Bakura says is true she will have no need for them."

With an understanding smile Yugi gazed back again to the tablets. "I think I'll take this one here. If you do not mind of course."

The maid smiled and he placed the one in his hand in his special sack with the golden eye.

Bakura was already into the chests and pulling out weapons; A sword, a dagger, and an scythe with decorative coloring typical for a royal army. "Pick one."

Tristan: "What do you mean? We can't fight the royal guard! Even with these things!"

"We're not going to…kill anybody…are we?" Yugi asked nervously wrapping his arms around himself for security.

Joey stood up and grabbed the scythe from its place, "Only if we don't have any choice."

Tristan: "Joey are you crazy! We can't afford to have blood on our hands!"
"We haven't gone all this way for nothing." Joey then grabbed the sword and tossed it to Tristan, "Might not be an axe but we can't complain."

Yugi glumly reached for the dagger when it was snatched from his reach, "Huh?"
Bakura clinched the dagger in his hand and shook his head to the boy.

"Aaaahh!"

Everyone in the room jumped when a desperate scream echoed within the palace.

Bakura's eyes widened in fear, "TEA!"

"Ah!" Alister jumped back onto his feet only to meet against the steaming incense oils thrown to his face.

Tea retreated behind her bed scrambling for another sort of weapon.

Alister: "There's no use escaping wench."

Tea: "You're not going to take me alive."

Alister snickered, "Well then, I'm glad the power can be taken from the dead then." With that he charged at her again."

Katink!

"Gaaah!"

Tea gasped in shock when a blur of white shot in front of her taking full force of the dagger, "Bakura!"

The thief hunched over onto the bed with his hand clutched on his abdomen.

The Egyptian guard grinned satisfyingly, "Well at least that's one problem out of my way."

"Alister. How can you be so cruel?" Neverteri cried out as she rushed to Bakura's side.

He motioned her to get away from him and hide, "I'll be fine Tea. Just run and hide yourself."

Tea: "I'm not leaving you."

"Alright bub! What's the big idea picking on innocent ladies?" Joey said as he and the others rushed in surrounding the captain. Yugi ran to the two on the bed, "Is everyone alright?"

Bakura: "It's just a flesh wound. I'm fine."

Tea: "Who are you?"

Alister look around at him opposition, "Well isn't this interesting. Peasants baring arms against me?" with that he charged toward the bed.

Joey dodged just in time between him and the others holding back the sword with his scythe. Yugi and Tea raced to the other side of the room with Bakura hanging over each other's shoulder.

"Grr. You won' get away!" The captain shouted. He reached for his belt and threw a handful of blue sands at them. "Power of the Oricalcos!"

Tea knelt down to shield Bakura from the cursed matter, "Ahhhh!"

However the powders never reached them. Instead they were whisked away by the sudden flash of thick brown cloth. A shrouded figure formed from the phantom cloth positioned between the ruthless captain and his innocent victems. Irritated, Alister grabbed a sward from one of the guardian statues, "Whoever you are you're dead!"

The figure just waved hi cloak at the captain releasing the same magical powder at him.

Alister fell to the ground, knocking over another stand of buring incence onto the draps, which rapidly caught aflame. Paralyzed and shivering in pain, he starred up at his adversry, "Wh Whooo a….are you?"

The stranger removed his hood revealing his pale stern face and flowing lavender locks. He stood above the 'mighty' Captain of the Guard and angled his sward to his throat. "Tell your 'Pharaoh', that his days are numbered."

Yugi smiled brightly, "You're alright!"

Dark Magician looked back at the other boys and quickly counted heads, "everyone alright?"

Tristan: "Yeah. You saved our butts man. Thanks."

Joey: "We thought we'd go and search out some potentials while we're here."

Dark Magician: "That's noble, however our plans of escaping has been faltered."

Joey: "What! What do you mean we can't get a boat!"

Tea: "The head marshal has quarantined every ship and caravan from leaving Nekhen"

Tristan: "So we're stuck then. That's just great."

Suddenly loud clanks and scraps or steal on stone marched their way up the stairwell.

Joey: "Now what?"

Tea: "The guards! They must've heard the noise up here."

Yugi: "We have to get out of here."

"Follow me." said Bakura. He stumbled across the large luxurious chamber to a gold and black panther statue. He reached his hand to the god's head and pulled on of the ears back. Next to the stature a section of the wall cave way to unveil a fleet of stone steps covered in dust and shadows.

"Don't let them get away!" a guard shouted, and a dozen guards soon stormed the room.

Imhotep waved his hand in the direction of the soldiers causing a section of the burning roof to cave in.

Tea watched wide eyed, "What are you doing!"

"Sorry princess can't explain let's go!" Joey quickly said as he threw her over his shoulder.
Tea: "Wha! Hey let go of me!"

"Go one get out of here! Go!" Dark Magician shoved the two down the secret passage. He next grabbed Yugi and was about to go down too but suddenly a section of ceiling came crashing down over the exit. More guards came running into the room blocking the only other way out.

Alister: "Get them!"

Dark looked around desperately, holding the boy tightly in his arms, "Grr! We're trapped."

Yugi quickly looked around. His eyes immediately locked onto a rope line leading from the roof to another lower building next to palace. "No we're not." He then broke away and grabbed two spears from the fallen guards. "Follow me!" he shouted tossing one of the spears to Imhotept. The multi colored haired boy jumped to the window and threw one end of the wooden spear over the line. He grabbed onto the stick on both sides of the line and jumped. Dark Magician not for behind. He glided easily down the line to a hay pile just below by the stables.

Yugi: "Oof!"

Imhotep: "Ah! Aw. You alright?"

Yugi: "Yeah…lets get out of here."

Joey, Tristen, Bakura, and Tea watched from the outskirts of the city. Tristan kept a firm hold of their hostage while Joey watched in horror of the flames raising from the palace.

"YUGI!" he screamed and threw himself to the desert sands. "Curse you Dartz! Curse you!" Tears swelled in his eyes as his anger soon turned to mourning. "Yugi…you can't be dead…you can't…"

Tristan: "Maybe found another way out."

Neverteri: "Unlikely. They didn't come through the passage and by now the place is swarming with guards. Your friends were brave but you just might need to-

"Listen here lady!" Joey shouted springing back to his feet and grabbing harshly by the shoulders, "Don't EVER speak about him in a past tense! I know they're BOTH going to come out of there alive!"

Bakura: "Let go of her!"

"Joey!" said a voice behind him. Joey jumped and spun around to see both his brother and the Dark Magician walking up to them from the city border.

"Yugi!" The two boys dropped Tea and ran straight to him, holding him in a tight bear hug.

Yugi: "It's glad to see you too guys…uh...can you please let go? I can't breath!

Tristan was the first to pull away, "But now what are we going to do? We still don't have a ship and they have the map.

"You mean this?" Tea asked pulling out a folded piece of parchment from her carry bag.

Joey: "What's that?"

Dark Magician sternly approached the maiden with a cold expression on his face, "My I?"

With little argument she handed over her prized possession to the stranger. He unfolded the manuscript and his eyes widened with wonder.

Yugi: "Well...?

Dark Magician: "This is it…the map."

Back In Men-nefer

Raphael entered the shrine again after a messenger bird had returned from it's post, "Master Dartz. We've just received word from our hunters in Nekhen. The princess has escaped,"

Dartz: "Why am I surprised?"

Raphael: "and they have the sacred map."

Dartz: "Humph, So we'll just have to settle with the weaker duplicates. Do you have any sort of GOOD news for once?"

Raphael: "Yes. It has been confirmed that one of the rebels has been gathering the potentials. It seems that even they cannot pinpoint the real child."

Dartz: "Yes they are a tricky bunch aren't they? Where were they last seen?"

"Heading east across the Nile River toward Waset."

The king of Egypt then lowered his head in thought.

After a long uneasy moment Raphael spoke, "I'll send the troops after them immediately."

Dartz: "No."

Raphael "But sir, once they've passed Waset it'll be impossible to track them."

Dartz: "Have a scout follow them. If the rebels are collecting potentials the only place to bring them would be their home camp. Commission the force captain to lead the search party. They must not escape again."

Raphael: "The eastern desert is large and dangerous. It would take months just to cross."

Once again the pharaoh closed his eyes in deep thought. The key to finding out the secrets he'd longed is so close to his grasp he could taste it.

Raphael: "Sir?"

Dartz opened his eye as if he saw a new realization, "Summon the Oracle."

Raphael: "The Oracle! Master is that wise?"

Dartz: "These are desperate times my friend. It is because of the Oracle that I have achieved this power in the first place."

Raphael: "But the risks-"

Dartz: "Are nothing compared to the secrets of the Shadow Realm, and the power it contains."

Raphael bowed, "Very well. I'll send word to our allies in Byblos and request for the Oracle."