Chapter 19

Several hours passed with little activity. Yugi and I searched for Rare Hunters to duel but came up empty. I had the feeling that they would appear on their own terms. At least I had a chance to unwind and process everything that had happened that morning. I was as confused as ever, but it helped to have a break.

We were strolling through the park where a circus had been set up when a harlequin jumped out from behind a tree. His creepy clownish costume made me wary.

"Who are you?" Yugi said in an even tone.

"Hello, Yugi," the man said. "We've been looking for you."

"Who's 'we?'"

"You'll find out if you walk that way." He pointed to his left. "53 steps forward and into that tent. My master is waiting for you inside. It's in your best interest to go." Then he cackled and jumped into the bushes.

I grabbed Yugi's arm. "Something about this doesn't feel right. It could be a trap."

"I know, but what choice to I have?"

I bit my lip and let him go. He was right. We had no leads so far. We needed to face whatever was in that tent. I took a deep breath and walked with Yugi.

I thought I heard someone calling our names, but I had to hurry to catch up with Yugi inside the tent. Inside the tent, a magic box was set up on the stage. The box opened to reveal the harlequin.

"Enter here, Yugi," he said with an evil cackle. "My master's waiting." He disappeared into the darkness of the box.

My uneasiness grew, and I shivered. "Be careful."

Yugi nodded. This time, I stayed very close to him as he walked forward. The box doors closed behind us, and we walked through to enter another room. My senses were overwhelmed by something, making me very disoriented. At least there was nothing downright evil. There was just… trickery being used.

Yugi stepped towards a computer in the middle of the room. Upon closer inspection, I saw that the screen displayed Yugi's Battle City duelist data. I stared at the Dark Magician, his rarest card. I jumped back in fright when the image suddenly changed to a magician wearing red and an evil smile.

The red Dark Magician materialized as a hologram in the room. This was an illusion, not magic, but it was still intimidating. "I've been waiting for you," it said. "You are not worthy of having me in your deck, so prepare to lose me forever! You're not the only duelist with my power in your deck, Yugi, and you're certainly not the best. It's time that you met the true master of the Dark Magician!"

Yugi remained calm and confident. "Alright, enough of these tricks," he said.

The magician faded, and an evil cackle filled the room. I shivered as a man emerged from the shadows. "Welcome, Yugi Muto," he said. There was a duel disk on his arm, and he held up the red Dark Magician card. The man was dressed as a magician himself and even wore a white and black striped mask. "I am the illusionist known as Arkana. And soon your favorite card will be dueling for me. Only a true master of illusion deserves to hold the Dark Magician. You will never understand its full potential."

Yugi glared at the man. "That is enough, Arkana!"

"Sorry, Yugi, I know it must be hard to think of your favorite card in another duelist's deck. Well, I challenge you to a duel! The winner will take the loser's Dark Magician."

"And I accept. You must know that, when a duelist builds his deck, he chooses his favorites from many different types of cards, but sometimes a card can choose a duelist. The two are connected, and the duelist can tap into the card's true power because each is bound by the heart of the cards. And the Dark Magician has chosen me." He held up his own Dark Magician card. "He has never let me down, and I place my complete trust in my Dark Magician."

"So, it's true. The great Yugi Muoto never backs down from a challenge. Very impressive. But this room's a little cramped, don't you think? Fortunately, I know of a special duel ring close by. Follow me." He swept his arms, motioning to a set of descending stairs.

I grasped Yugi's arm just as he was about to follow Arkana. "Something is up with this guy," I whispered. "He must be with the Rare Hunters. He's up to something."

I felt Yami stare back at me, his eyes clear and confident. "All the more reason to duel him. If this is too much for you, you may stay here and wait for me – or find our friends."

I shook my head. "I'm not leaving you." I would go crazy just thinking about what was happening to him. I would rather know the truth.

A faint smile formed on his lips, and he nodded. "Very well." Together, we made our way to the basement of the building.

"Hurry, it's almost curtain time," Arkana said while he walked. "I have special orders from my superiors to make this a real spectacle."

"What do you mean you have orders from your superiors? Just who is it that you're working for, Arkana?"

"Relax and enjoy the show. Forget who's backstage. Just worry about me." He laughed maniacally. Once we were in the basement, he approached a metal door with a red question mark painted on it. "Ta da! Beyond that door lies my dueling ring. I had it specially made for this match."

The bright light of the room struck me as I entered. It took a minute for my eyes to adjust so I could take in everything in the room. The dueling ring consisted of a rectangle carved in the ground and an indented circle in the middle. Both sides had spots for the duelists to stand.

"It's almost time to raise the curtain and start the show," Arkana said. "I hope you enjoy a good matinee, Yugi. You'll notice we're completely alone. Except for your friend of course." He eyed me, and I looked away. "There are no screaming fans and no cameras. Yes! It's the perfect setting for a private performance with so much on the line. We'll duel according to Battle City Tournament rules, but thanks to our location, not even Kaiba knows we're here." He and Yugi walked to the center of the circle to the raised platform to cut and shuffle their decks.

Once their decks were ready, the table sunk down and the floor moved backwards, sending the duelists to opposite sides of the field. Then shackles emerged from the circle and locked their legs into place! I gasped and ran to the edge of the dueling ring near Yami.

"Yugi!" I cried.

"Relax," said Arkana. "We're both locked in, which means neither of us can escape. See, there's an extra twist. We're not just playing for what's inside your deck; we're playing for what's inside your mind!" Something glowing and spinning with an evil energy emerged from the circle halfway between the players on either side.

"What's that?" Yami said in alarm.

Arkana let out a mad cackle. "It's a dark energy disk, Yugi, and I wouldn't get too close. One touch and your mind's banished to the shadow realm!"

My eyes grew wide in shock. "He has to be working for Marik. Only someone with a Millennium Item can invoke the Shadow Realm."

"I was thinking the same thing."

"Don't worry, Yugi," said Arkana, "I'll explain the rules to you before you lose. See the numbers written above the energy disks?"

"Those are life points," Yami said. "The closer the number gets to zero, the closer the disk gets to us."

"Precisely. And then you can say hello to the Shadow Realm! Alright, now look down between your feet. You'll see each of us has a key box."

Yami glanced down at the box. "A key box?"

"Yes, and inside is a key to unlock the shackles around your legs. Your box displays your opponent's lifepoints and will only open if you win the duel. Only then can you save yourself!"

"You can't do that!" I cried. My heart thudded in my chest as I watched helplessly from the sidelines. This guy was mad! I sensed no fear from him at all and it was not due to overwhelming confidence.

Arkana looked at me with a wicked grin on his face. "Do not think I have forgotten you, little girl. You will not interfere in our duel or leave this room. If you do, Yugi will automatically lose!"

I gasped. No!

"Leave Samia out of this!" Yami said in a harsh tone. "I will not let any harm home to her."

Arkana returned his gaze to his opponent. "But of course. After I win, my master request I bring her to him unharmed. Now let's duel!"

"At least he doesn't know we can communicate mentally."

"Still, try to stay out of it as much as possible. It's not worth the risk."

"Alright…"

I bit my lip as I watched the two of them activate their duel disks. I hated duels where the stakes were so high. At least I felt Yami's confidence and determination. He could defeat this guy!

Once again, I was swept up by the quick pace of the duel. Yami managed to summon his own Dark Magician first and cut Arkana's life points down to 1500. Arkana did show fear as the energy disk moved closer to him, but I sensed he still had something up his sleeve. He refused to stop the duel when Yami gave him the chance. I wondered what exactly was in this for Arkana. My intuition told me there was more than met the eye.

Finally, Arkana summoned his Dark Magician. He and Yami used magic and trap cards to amplify the power of their monsters, but the two Dark Magicians were evenly matched. They both attacked and were destroyed, but the duelists each used a Monster Reborn magic card to bring them back.

"Why don't you unlock us from these shackles and finish this duel with honor?" Yami suggested.

"With honor?" Arkana said incredulously. "And ruin all the fun? Never!"

"Have it your way. But answer this: Why did you lead me down here, Arkana? And why did you force me into a duel in which the loser's mind gets sent into the Shadow Realm?"

"I'm just following the orders of my master."

"Marik?" I said.

Arkana smirked. "Smart girl."

"Enough secrets, Arkana!" Yami said. "What's going on? There has to be more to it."

Arkana's demeanor changed. A swarm of emotions emanated from him, confusing me. "Look at my face." He pulled the mask off his face, and Yami and I gasped. His face was completely charred and burned! Despite the circumstances, I felt a rush of empathy for his pain.

Arkana explained that he used to be a world-renowned stage magician who was in love with his assistant, Catherine. One day, a magic trick went wrong and create an explosion, ruining his face and his career. He drove Catherine away from him because he thought she would spurn him for his looks. When he tried to get her back, it was too late.

"My life was over… until I met him!" Arkana proclaimed. "Marik!" He placed the mask back on his face. "He made me an offer: If I could eliminate Yugi Muoto for good, he'd help me win back Catherine with the help of his Millennium Rod."

"Working with Marik will only lead to more pain and suffering, Arkana," Yami said. "Marik cares about no one except himself. He will say and do anything to get what he wants."

Not true, said a tiny voice inside my head. He was rushing to judgment about Marik. I immediately felt guilty for the thoughts. Whose side was I on anyway?

"It's a cruel, cruel world, Yugi," Arkana said. "You'll find that out soon enough. There are very few things you can count on and even fewer people, but I am counting on Marik to bring my Catherine back into my arms." He raised his arm, and alight lit up in a room hidden behind a curtain. I gasped when I saw the shadow of a woman sitting on a chair. Why hadn't I sensed her? "There she is, waiting for me just like Marik promised. He's a man of honor, Yugi. You shouldn't be so quick to judge people." He looked back at the figure. "Give me a minute, darling. I have to destroy Yugi, then we can be together forever." He turned back to Yami. "So, you see, Yugi, it's nothing personal."

Staring at the shadow, I felt sick to my stomach. "That's not Catherine, Arkana!" I said. "I can sense emotions, and there's nothing human about whatever that thing is. But if you let Yugi go, I can help you win Catherine over. I am a girl, after all."

Arkana glared at me. "Shut your mouth! You know nothing! You're the one trying to trick me!"

I sighed. "No, I'm not." It hurt to feel his confidence and affection. Even if he won this duel, he would be sorely let down.

"You are a fool to trust in Marik," Yami said. "Instead, you should be placing your trust in yourself and in your cards, Arkana. You rely on tricks and illusions to win instead of believing in your deck. And that will be your downfall."

"They're just cards, Yugi," Arkana said, "and nothing more."

"That is your problem. They're not just cards. My heart is in my deck, and that's something you'll never understand."

"You talk about your faith in the cards, Yugi, but that will be your downfall. I knew you'd depend on your Dark Magician to bail you out, so I built my dueling deck with one purpose: To take your Dark Magician away from you!"

The duel resumed, and I felt more conflicted than before. It was times like this where feeling the emotions of two opposing sides really drained me. I stood close to Yami and Yugi so I could focus on them.

After several heated exchanges, both duelists lost their Dark Magicians. But soon enough, Arkana managed to summon a second Dark Magician. Yami protected himself by playing Dark Magician Girl. The monsters battled, and it was Arkana's monster that was destroyed since the two Dark Magicians in the graveyard powered her up. Then Yami attacked Arkana's life points directly, winning the duel.

Arkana stood there in shock and disbelief. "There's no way you could have defeated me, Yugi! I am the greatest magician the world has ever known. You're nothing, Yugi!""

Yami stared calmly at him. I felt no pleasure from either him or Yugi for their win, only pity. "What I am is very sorry for you. It looks like you led me all the way down here for the sole purpose of losing at your own demented game, Arkana. You rely on trickery to win instead of trusting and respecting the heart of the cards."

Arkana glanced down and gasped. "No, the dark energy disk! This can't be happening! I can't lose, or I'll never get back my sweet Catherine! Help me!" The energy disk moved closer to his legs, and my leapt in fear.

The box below Yami's legs then opened, revealing a key and locator card. Arkana suddenly became relaxed, and I eyed him suspiciously. He then pulled out a spare key from inside his sleeve! On instinct, I wanted to call out to Yami but then realized he would probably not be against saving his mind.

The burst of fear coming from Arkana felt like a slap to my stomach, and I stumbled back in surprise. I felt another presence in Arkana, speaking to him in words I could not hear. "Just give me another chance," the magician said out loud. "Spare me from the Shadow Realm! Please, Marik, please don't send me to the Shadow Realm!" His eyes widened as he looked at each of his hands. "Where'd it go? I just had the key, and now it's gone!"

"It's right there!" I called out. "In your right hand!" This must have been one of Marik's mind tricks.

"I'm losing my mind!" Arkana cried. After a loud gasp, he dropped the key, and it tumbled to the ground and out of reach.

Yami unlocked his shackles and glared at Arkana. Pounding on the door behind him caught his attention. I could barely make out the sound of our friend's voices. They had come looking for us!

Then Yugi took control of his own body. While Arkana screamed, he raced across the dueling ring and dove to reach the key and unlock Arkana's shackles. He pulled him away from the energy disk just before it reached him, and I let out a breath of relief when I saw that he was safe.

"Not even a cheat like you deserves to go to the Shadow Realm," Yugi said.

Arkana whimpered in fear and despair. "What have I done? Catherine!" Hope lit in his chest, and he spun around to run at the figure behind the curtain. "I'm coming!"

"No, stop!" I said. He was absolutely delirious, and I did not see how this could end well.

"Catherine!" Arkana tore the curtains, letting them fall on the figure, which he lovingly held. "My Catherine, please stay and let me make it all up to you. Please." The curtain fell from the figure, revealing the wooden body of a dummy. "My darling, what's going on?" The doll's head fell off and rolled across the floor. "I have been tricked!"

I walked closer and stopped beside Yugi. "I – I'm sorry. I tried to warn you."

"Or maybe Marik is just hiding the real Catherine to surprise me with later! Oh, Catherine, I need you back with me. We can finally get married and forget all this." Sadness overcame him, squeezing my heart.

Yugi and I exchanged a worried look. "Arkana, are you going to be alright?" Yugi said softly. He stepped closer. "Can I help?"

"Ha! Arkana is gone!" said a strange yet familiar voice.

The sudden change caused me to leap into the air in fright. "Marik!" Everything Yugi had done had been for nothing!

"That's right," said the voice. Arkana's body floated through the air and landed right in front of us. His forehead glowed with the Millennium symbol. "So, we meet again, little Yugi. I'm sure I need no introduction."

Yugi glared at him. "Show your face to me, Marik. Coward."

"I'll reveal myself to you when the time is right and no sooner – once I obtain what's mine, and you know exactly what I want: the unlimited power of the ancient pharaoh, the spirit that lives within your Puzzle."

"No way, Marik."

"You can't stop me. Remember when I took control of Bandit Keith? I almost succeeded in separating you from the Millennium Puzzle forever. Unfortunately, you were able to put it back together before you and your spirit friend Yami were destroyed."

"I almost died in that fire too!" I said.

"Your bond with the pharaoh prevented you from leaving and saving yourself, and that is why the bond must be broken."

I shook my head. "No, that's not true. I'm in control. This is my choice." It was my choice, right? Even if I did feel unexplainably pulled to Yami, I still chose to stay with him. There was no way Marik could be right…

"We'll see about that."

"Tell me why you want Yami's power!" Yugi demanded. He clenched his fists as he held a tight lid over his rage. "Answer me!"

"Because that power is rightfully mine, and once I have it, I will be unstoppable. The world will belong to me, and no one will stand in the way of my destiny, especially not you."

"Oh yeah? Just watch me, Marik."

"Listen, little Yugi, my family has slaved for centuries protecting the tomb of the pharaoh until his return. On the edge of the Necropolis in Egypt, the Tomb Keepers have lived for three thousand years, protecting the pharaoh's secrets from all attackers. They are not allowed any contact with the outside world, but must stay in the dark, guarding the Millennium Items with their lives. Their mission is to return the pharaoh's memory to his soul. I seek revenge for myself and my family. I should be the pharaoh!"

"Never! You won't get the power of the pharaoh, and I'll make sure of it. That power belongs to Yami, not you."

"Ha! Well, we'll just see about that, little Yugi. You're nothing but a vessel for the pharaoh's spirit. You could never comprehend his strength, nor could you stand in my way of getting it. We've given up too much to let someone else claim the throne. I was raised on the ancient scriptures, learning all there is to know about King Yami the Pharaoh and the Shadow Games. The key to his power is your Puzzle and the three Egyptian god cards. But I can't just take the Millennium Puzzle from you. According to the ancient scriptures, I have to defeat you in a duel first, and then I'll banish you to the Shadow Realm."

"But why would you do that?"

"To make sure you stay out of my way!"

"And what do you want to do with me?" I said, trying hard to keep my voice from trembling.

"I only want to help you, Samia." Hos tone changed to take on a slightly gentler tone. "You and I are a lot alike. We were both born to serve the pharaoh against our wills."

"I haven't done anything against my will!"

"Oh, haven't you? Tell me, when you first met Yami, were you torn between running to him and running from him?"

I hesitated. How could he have known? "Well, I, uh-"

"You wanted no part of this, and yet something beyond your control compelled you to stay by his side. The ancient empaths always held a special bond with the pharaoh – a bond more literal and permanent than any mere friendship. You are doomed to follow your ancestors' path like I am – unless you choose to take a stand against it."

My eyes grew wide in shock. Somehow, he had laid all my doubts out in front of me and made himself sound very reasonable. "But I – Yami and Yugi are my friends. I won't betray them."

"That is not what I am asking of you. I simply want to give you a real choice – something both our ancestors never wanted to give either of us. This is what your mother wanted for you."

"My… mother?" My heart hammered in my chest. My parents died in Egypt. They must have gone to visit the Ishtar family.

"Don't listen to him!" Yugi said. "He's trying to confuse you!"

I chose to ignore him. "Did my mother see you before… she…"

"That's right," Marik said in an almost gentle tone. "She came to me because she was worried about you. She asked me to look out for you, and that is what I plan to do."

My mind swam with possibilities. My mother had warned me against all of this just like Marik. It was entirely possible that he spoke the truth. Still, I highly doubted my parents would approve of his methods. There was just one more thing I needed to know. "How did… how did my parents die?" Even before he replied, I knew they had been murdered. That had to be it.

"Likely in the same way as my father," Marik said in a suddenly cold voice laced with anger and hatred, "by the hand of a servant of the pharaoh!"

"No!" Yugi cried. "That's not true! It can't be true! I don't know what game you're playing, Marik, but we will stop you."

"You cannot. Once I gain control of the Millennium Puzzle and obtain all three Egyptian god cards, I'll be king – and a much more worthy king than your counterpart, Yami. He doesn't even know how to harness the great powers that lie dormant within him. I, on the other hand, know full well how to take them from him, and my Millennium Rod will ensure that I get everything I need."

"Who has the cards?"

"I already possess two of the Egyptian god cards, and I know where to find the third one. Soon enough, my loyal team of Rare Hunters will bring the final card to me. It's only a matter of time, you see, that is until I take what is rightfully mine and banish you and the former pharaoh to the dreaded Shadow Realm where you will spend all of eternity while the rest of the world is kneeling before King Marik, the new pharaoh! You're powerless against me, little Yugi. My destiny can't be stopped. Don't you see it's only a matter of time? The three Egyptian god cards along with your Millennium Puzzle will belong to me. Then I will strip the pharaoh of his ancient powers and use them within myself."

Yugi stood silently for a full minute. I could sense the conflict within him, though it was not as strong as the struggle inside me. I knew he would soon come to a firm resolution against Marik. As for myself… I had a lot to consider.

"Marik," Yugi said with full confidence, "you'll never defeat me in a duel, so you'll never get your greedy hands on my puzzle!"

"I promise you, by the sands of Egypt, there pharaoh's power will be mine!" Marik proclaimed. "And so will Samia. Another of my mind slaves is already in Battle City, waiting to defeat you and take your Puzzle, and he holds an Egyptian god card."

Yugi gasped. "What's the name of this card?"

"You'll find out soon enough, little Yugi. 'Till then, beware the Quiet One."

"What do you mean, Marik? Who is the Quiet One?"

"We'll meet again, Yugi. And I will see you soon, Samia."

Then his presence left Arkana, and the magician would have collapsed on the floor if Yugi hadn't rushed forward to catch him.

"I'm not afraid of you!" Yugi shouted. "Next time, show me your face, you coward!"

Just then, the door behind us banged open, and Tristan rushed inside, followed by Tea, Mokuba, and Mr. Muoto. "Yugi!" Tristan cried. "You alright, buddy?"

"We're here!" Tea cried.

"Yugi!" said Mr. Muoto.

Yugi, still holding onto Arkana, turned around and smiled at them. "Hey, guys."

All I could muster was a weak smile. "Hi."

"You're okay!" Tea said in relief.

"What happened here?" Mr. Muoto asked.

"That's a long story," Yugi said, "and it made me famished. Why don't I explain over a nice hot dinner?"

Everyone agreed to this. Mokuba stayed with Arkana and radioed his brother for some help while the rest of us departed the creepy building. We soon found Joey and made plans for dinner.

I kept silent as I walked, but soon Yami interrupted my thoughts: "I hope you're not thinking too hard about what Marik said. He's just trying to use you."

"Maybe. It would be easier to discern his intentions if I could see him in person."

"It does not sound like he will show up anytime soon, and if he does, I want you to stay away from him. Motives aside, his methods are clearly wrong."

"Yeah, that's true." Still, if I understood Marik's motives, maybe I could figure out how to stop him. I could not help but think about what Ishizu had told me. She said there was more than one way to defeat an enemy and that I had a special power that could be useful. Why couldn't she have been more specific?

I entered the restaurant after my friends. I pushed my thoughts away so I could focus on spending time with them. At least Duelist Kingdom would not resume until tomorrow. I needed a break.

That evening, I sat on the couch of my living room, straining my mind trying to figure everything out. There had to be something I could do here. I felt helpless watching Yugi and Yami duel today. Sure, I could offer them emotional support, but others made it sound like there was more to my powers like that.

Why hadn't my mother shared the secrets of the empath with me? Was Marik right that she rejected her duty and thought I should do the same? Did she travel to Egypt to seek his help?

My brain hurt just going through all the conflicting information. I leaned back on the couch and groaned.

"Had a rough day?"

I turned my head and saw Raiden looking down at me with kind eyes. "Yeah, kind of."

"Battle City has turned out to be more than you bargained for, huh?"

I frowned, remembering his recent suspicious behavior. How much did he know exactly? He was my brother, so I should be able to trust him. "Everything has gotten so complicated. I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do. I bet grandma would know…"

"I bet she would." He paused. "You know, I think you might be ready."

I blinked. "Ready for what?"

Raiden smiled and took the seat next to me. "Mom forbade grandma from revealing too much about our family history to you, so she told it all to me. She said that once you befriended the owner of the Millennium Puzzle, it would be safe to tell you. That's Yugi, right?"

My eyes grew wide. My brother knew about some of this all along? "Y-Yes. That's right." My heart pounded in anticipation. "What do you know? What can you tell me?"

Raiden chuckled. "Slow down. A lot of what grandma said didn't make much sense, and I'm not sure it would all be useful to you right now. She said to start with a box she gave me, but it's locked, and I don't have the key."

"Oh!" I fumbled in my pocket and brought out the key I had found in the puzzle box. "Is it this?"

Raiden looked at the key in surprise. "Maybe. Where did you find that? Never mind. I'll get the box."

As soon as he left, I stood up and paced nervously. Was I finally going to discover the secrets of my family's past? I hoped I would learn the information needed to find what to do!

"Here it is!" Raiden entered the room with a large, wooden. He laughed when I snatched it from him. "I'll leave you alone with it. Let me know if you have any questions."

"Thanks, Raiden!" I returned to my spot on the couch and placed the box on my lap. Then I fit my key into the keyhole on the top. My breathing shallow, I pushed the lid off the box to reveal what was inside.

A white envelope lay on top of a book titled Secrets of Nonviolence. I carefully picked up the envelope and ran my finger across the edge, breaking the seal. Inside I found a folded paper that must have been a letter, but it was the photograph that grabbed my attention.

I instantly recognized the little girl as myself nine years ago, and the person next to me was the boy from my dreams. A chill ran down my spine as I gazed at the blond kid with tan skin, an unnatural glow around him due to the flash of the camera. It was Marik. This was taken during my trip to Egypt.

Why had my grandmother kept this photo? Why let me have it now? And why keep it with a book about nonviolence? Had her intuition told her that Marik would choose the wrong path? Did that mean she thought I should help him?

I flipped the photograph over. Underneath the date was a sentence written in weird symbols that I assumed was Arabic. I squinted my eyes, but I knew there was no way I could understand the message.

I gently placed the picture back in the box and unfolded the letter. Sure enough, it was addressed to me from my grandma.

My Dearest Samia,

I hope this letter finds you well. I do not know when you will read it, but I do know it will be exactly when you need to read these words. There is so much for me to say, but my time is almost up. I am sorry I had to leave so soon.

You are a wonderful young girl, and I know you will turn into a wonderful young woman. You have extraordinary gifts that can change this world. I believe in you. Your mother believes in you too, but fear has stolen her heart. Do not take her actions the wrong way. She only wishes to protect you, but ignoring your destiny will only hurt you more.

Like your mother and like me, you are an empath: someone with powerful intuition and an ability to intensely feel the emotions of others. This may feel like a curse at times, but you are young and will learn how to harness your abilities. You are part of a long line of women who have served their families and their friends by utilizing this gift. In ancient times, we worked side by side with pharaohs!

The time is coming when the last great pharaoh will return. It is my belief that you are the one who will meet him and bond with him. Perhaps your mother is so secretive because deep down she believes it too. Do not be afraid. Everything I have read says he is kind and good. I am sure you will make a wonderful team.

It will not be easy. I sense a difficult path for you, but there will never be an obstacle you cannot overcome if you trust in yourself. You will face moral dilemmas that will not appear to have a simple answer. Life is not black and white, my dear, and sometimes you must choose between several imperfect options when there is no right choice.

I have enclosed a book for you to aide you in your journey. Empaths have long followed the wisdom of nonviolence. It is a blessing that violence harms our sensitive souls, for that means we can see beyond violence and make choices that others do not know even exist. We can choose mercy, love, and forgiveness. We can travel into the pit of darkness to save a lost soul because of a tiny flicker of light.

You must decide what you are fighting for and what you believe. Do not think too hard about these questions. Trust your heart. Even if it steers you wrong, at least you will have acted on something you wholeheartedly believed in. Never give up on your friends or yourself.

I wish I could be there for you as you travel down this difficult road. Look to those around you for aid. Remain humble and open to suggestions. Know that everything that has been screwed in can be unscrewed again. And no matter what you do, do not forget who you are.

I wish you all the best on your journey. I know you will make all of us proud.

With love,

Grandma

A tear slipped down my cheek and plashed on the page. I wiped my eyes with the back of my hand. Grandma had known. She had not answered all my questions, but her words comforted my heart and calmed my soul. It was almost like she was there with me, guiding me.

I still did not know how I should proceed, but if grandma believed I would make the right choice, I had to trust myself too. I picked up the book and opened to the first page. It was time for some skimming. I had a big day tomorrow. Anything could happen.