Remember how I said it would be explained that what Atem had said/done to hurt Kat would be explained at a much later time? That time has finally come! The bigger picture is slowly beginning to form!
Atem stared in awe at the garden Imhotep had teleported Yugi into. He could have sworn it was the exact same one he had met Kat in.
"This place is impressive!" Yugi said in amazement.
"Yeah. Shae said she modeled almost everything here to look nearly identical to the original palace. She wanted there to be one place where our old man wouldn't feel so out of place and time," Imhotep stated proudly.
"She did an excellent job. I almost can't tell the difference!" Atem added.
"Well, this one has an orchard, and the view of the Nile is obviously different since we aren't near Amarna. This place is actually just outside of Luxor. Plus the palace is a bit more modern in comparison to the original."
"It's amazing nonetheless," Atem said smiling, taking in the view.
"Come on, I'll show you around!" Imhotep stated excitedly.
He escorted his twin and the spirit of his father around the palace, explaining each area's original purpose in comparison to its modern use. The throne room had become the main sitting area, made for entertaining guests (though according to Imhotep it hadn't entertained a single guest since before he could remember). There was an entire wing that had originally served as bedrooms for royal guests, but it had been remade into a massive historical library that housed millennia of information. These rooms had more than just books, scrolls, and tablets. There were also displays of weapons and armor that the elementals had once worn and brandished throughout the millennia. It appeared that each room pertained to a different time period. Some had elaborate paintings that had been commissioned to record the elementals during a given period. Others were obviously newer, as was evident by the various photographs.
Yugi and Atem stared curiously over a few carte-de-visite type photos, noting that the elementals sported outfits that were obviously from the Wild West era. Malik looked like a traditional cowboy, while Kat appeared to be dressed as a saloon girl. The one they assumed was Bakura (based on the scar down his face) was wearing an outfit that reminded Yugi of a Wild West gambler with his fancy vest. Looking at several of the photos and paintings, it was evident that Malik usually wore something simple and practical, while Bakura was always dressed to the nines. Kat appeared to wear a mix between the two while blending into the current society's expectations of women.
The tour continued onward to the pool-house, which based on the location, Atem recognized was originally the bathes. They passed back through the gardens, skipping two other wings entirely. Imhotep explained that the one was a replica of the Ishtari compound and was the personal quarters to Malik. The other was a replica of the servants hall and had become Bakura's personal quarters. The wing he and Mkhai resided in (as well as Kat from time-to-time) was the location that would have been known as the Royal Apartments. Imhotep showed them his uncle's room, which at the sight of Mkhai sitting in the dark surrounded by an entire wall of monitors, with even more monitors off to the side, reminded Yugi of the Batcave. He was obviously engrossed in whatever was happening on one particular screen.
Imhotep then led them to his room, which for all intents and purposes, looked fairly normal for a sixteen-year old. It had a large screen TV setup on the wall opposite of his bed, with several game consoles placed on display around on either side. Below the TV was a cabinet that housed the games that belonged to each of the systems, along with their respective accessories. There was also a PC setup that looked extremely high end. Off to the side there appeared to be a closet door with strange inscriptions on it. Yugi walked up to this door to get a closer look at the inscription.
"Wait! Don't touch that!" Imhotep shouted in panic.
"Oh, okay?" Yugi looked at his twin in confusion.
Imhotep removed his mini-Puzzle and placed it on a hook near his bed. "I would suggest placing the Puzzle on the nightstand. That room has several barrier spells, and I'm not certain what will happen if it encounters the magic of a Millennium Item."
Yugi hesitated, but Atem reassured him that this place appeared safe enough to let the Puzzle out of his sight for a few minutes. He reluctantly placed the relic on the night stand, then walked back over by his twin.
Imhotep bounced eagerly in place. "I've saved this room for last, because in my opinion it's one of the best!" He wove a simple spell and placed it on the door. Yugi could hear what sounded like a locking mechanism opening from the other side, the door opening slowly. Lights flickered on autonomously, showing several rows of glass cases. Imhotep grabbed Yugi by the hand, dragging him excitedly into the room, leading him from display to display.
"This is my Monkey's Paw! And over here is a bottle with a real Jinn in it! Oh! Check out this cursed doll! You see that box right there?! It has a malicious spirit called a Dybbuk in it!" he rambled quickly, extremely happy to show off his collection to someone.
"Wait, these are all cursed and possessed objects?" Yugi questioned.
Imhotep looked at his twin in confusion. "Well….yeah. You don't like them?"
Yugi looked around again, then slowly began to laugh in amusement.
"What?" Imhotep questioned with his brow furled in confusion.
Yugi smiled and continued to chuckle. "They're just like the Puzzle!"
"Huh?"
"Each of these items has a spirit of some sort trapped within them, right?"
"Well, yeah..."
"And the Puzzle has a spirit trapped within it…"
Imhotep still didn't get what Yugi found so amusing about the comparison, and his wrinkled up nose suggested as much.
"We both appear to be drawn to trapped spirits," Yugi tried to explain.
Realization crossed Imhotep's face, as he finally understood what his twin was getting at. "Oh! I hadn't even thought of it that way!" he said with a smile and a laugh.
"Hey, I have a question. You said this room is 'one of' the best. That means you think there's another room that's equally as interesting?" Yugi questioned.
"Yeah! Let's go! The old man will love the other room!" Imhotep drug his twin excitedly back out of the room with the possessed objects, quickly re-sealing it behind them. Both grabbed their respective relics, then Imhotep led the way down to the end of the hall.
"So that room off to the side there belongs to Shae. Word of advice: Don't try going into this next area when she's around. She gets kind of testy about it."
"Should we even be going in there then?" Yugi asked worriedly.
Imhotep flashed a fanged grin. "Trust me, it'll be worth it. I've been here lots of times. It's only fair you get to see it too!"
He walked up to what appeared to be an ordinary wall at the end of the hall, removing a painting that hung on it. Behind it was a high-tech screen with what appeared to be a retinal scanner beside it. Imhotep walked up and punched in a code on the screen and waited for the scanner to complete its work. There was a digital beep followed by a digital voice asking for vocal recognition.
"Sa-nesu." Imhotep stated to the computer. There were a few more authorization beeps, then the wall retracted and slid sideways, revealing a set of stairs that led downward into a dark abyss. Imhotep proceeded forward, sconces lighting up as he entered into the darkness. He looked over his shoulder, realizing Yugi hadn't followed him yet. "You coming?"
Yugi hesitated, but Atem's presence beside him helped to nudge him forward. He was curious to see where the stairs led. It was obvious that whatever was at the bottom, was something the elementals, and Kat in particular, kept highly guarded. It was also something that even though Imhotep didn't appear to be permitted to enter, he obviously had the credentials to do so anyway.
"Follow my steps exactly. Once we reach the bottom, do exactly as I do. This place is full of traps, but I know my way past all of them," Imhotep warned.
Yugi nodded and followed along. The stairs descended for what felt like forever. There were several spots where Imhotep indicated to walk close to a wall or skip a section of steps (which proved to be more difficult for Yugi than Imhotep made it appear). Finally they reached the bottom. There was a massive sand pit with braziers brightly lighting the room. Across the pit was marbled flooring.
"This is probably one of the trickier parts. Just take your time and think before you answer," Imhotep cautioned.
"Okay?" Yugi said, perplexed.
Imhotep stepped forward, lightly stepping onto the sand. It shifted and formed into a creature with the body of a lion and the head of a man that bore a Nemes crown in place of a lion's mane. It stood tall and imposing before the darker teen.
The creature bowed slightly before Imhotep, speaking to him in a respectful tone. "Young Master, it is good to see you again. You may pass as you have already answered your riddle, but the other two must complete the trial."
"I understand. Though I will not be going forth until their trials are complete," the teen said in a similar respectful tone. Having seen nothing but over excitement from the youth, it was an odd thing to witness.
The Sphinx looked towards Yugi. "Ah, another Young Master I see. And the spirit of the Great Pharaoh beside him." The creature bowed in respect as he had done with the other teen.
Both Yugi and Atem returned the gesture.
The Sphinx spoke again. "I pray you do not think me disrespectful, but per My Lady's orders, all who enter must answer one of my riddles."
Yugi nodded. "Okay. I'm ready"
"Often will I spin a tale, never will I charge a fee. I'll amuse you an entire eve, but, alas, you won't remember me. What am I?"
Yugi thought for a moment, speaking quietly to himself while trying to work out the riddle. "Spin a tale...amuse an entire eve...won't remem-….Oh!" He looked at the Sphinx with a smile. "You are a dream!"
The Sphinx smiled and bowed low. "You may pass Young Master." It rose and looked towards Atem. "Great Pharaoh, are you ready?"
Atem nodded. "Yes."
"I am rarely touched, but often held. If you have wit, you'll use me well. What am I?"
Atem smiled in amusement at how simple the riddle was. "My tongue."
The Sphinx smiled and bowed low again. "Well done Great Pharaoh. You may continue on with the Young Masters. I wish you well in the next trials."
"Thank you Great Sphinx," he replied, blessing the creature before him with a final respectful bow.
The Sphinx dissolved back into the pit of sand. A path of marble rose up and connected the platform from the base of the stairs across to the other side. Yugi followed Imhotep across, with Atem trailing behind. They walked down a hall that was reminiscent of the Halls of Osiris, but this one opened up into another room.
"So what is the trick to this room?" Yugi questioned.
"Just walk straight. No matter what you see, hear, or feel. Just keep going straight," Imhotep cautioned.
"So it's just an illusion?"
"Something like that. We'll each see something different."
"What do you see?"
"Nothing that I haven't seen dozens of times by now. I'll stay on this side until the two of you are across. Then I'll join you."
Both Yugi and Atem nodded. Yugi went first.
There was a loud heart-wrenching scream from somewhere far off. Yugi sat up and looked around for its source. He heard voices. One sounded like a woman. She was obviously very upset. A door opened, and a faceless woman entered and picked him up, placing his tiny body close to her chest.
"Don't you get it! He's not safe here! They sent him after us! Now it's just me, and I can't do this alone!"
Tears flowed down the cheeks of the faceless woman from non-existent eyes. She moved quickly, flames surrounding the both of them. The flames vanished as quickly as they had appeared, and the two of them now stood in the dark. In the distance was a small flickering light. The faceless woman hurried towards the light. She placed him on the floor beside a small faceless child. It had pale blonde hair that stood in stark contrast to its dark bronze skin.
"Yugi, sit here and play. Ama-shae will be right back."
The faceless woman rushed over to where a faceless man was standing. He was shouting at her.
"Leave now Usurper! Take that abomination with you!"
"I've come to warn you! The one who protected your clan, he is….no longer around..."
"The Betrayer was never our protector! Now get out!"
"Fine! But I warn you: Keep that child out of Ra's gaze. He'll kill him if he learns of his existence."
The faceless woman picked Yugi up again, and more flames engulfed them. As the fire vanished this time, he saw the familiar silhouette of the Kame Game Shop. The faceless woman walked inside and approached his grandfather.
"Shimon, I need your help. I trust you."
"My Queen, what has happened? Why are you so upset?"
"Someone sent an assassin after us. The others….they are gone. It's just me now. I need to hide him somewhere they won't expect. Imhotep, he can hide in the Shadows, but Yugi…."
More tears fell from the faceless woman's non-existent eyes.
"I understand. I'll do my best."
"Thank you. I'll keep watch at all times from a distance, just in case."
"What should I tell him when he gets older?"
"Nothing. It's best if he doesn't know. I brought this. It will call him when the time comes."
Yugi saw the familiar shape of the box that the Millennium Puzzle had once been in. The faceless woman placed him on the floor, handed the box to his grandfather, then began to walk away. He turned to crawl after her, but a voice in the back of his head began shouting at him. "Don't turn around! Remember, it's only an illusion! Keep going straight!" Yugi turned back around, and crawled over towards his grandfather. As the old man bent down to pick him up, a flash of light blinded him.
Yugi rubbed his eyes, then looked around. He was back in the large room, except on the opposite side. He looked back to see Imhotep release a deep sigh of relief.
"You almost failed the trial," Imhotep stated.
"It felt so real. As if I were actually there," Yugi replied.
"That's because you were. It uses your memories against you."
"It's probably a good thing I don't have most of mine then," Atem stated in confidence.
"I wouldn't count on it. It preys on forgotten memories."
"Maybe it won't affect me the same, seeing as I'm a spirit?"
Imhotep shook his head. "These trials were designed to judge the worth of everyone that enters, that includes the living and the dead. But don't worry, I wouldn't have even bothered bringing the two of you down here if I thought you couldn't pass the trials. I honestly thought the Sphinx would be the hardest part, but then again I've been down here so much over the years that I guess I kinda forgot how difficult the other two could be for the first time."
"What's down here exactly that requires so much security?"
"You'll see! It's a surprise!" Imhotep replied with his normal level of excitement.
Atem sighed, then looked to the room's opening.
"Remember, keep going forward no matter what. You won't realize you're walking, but don't turn back to follow anyone. It's at that moment that you will actually turn around."
Atem stepped forward and felt a strange sensation overcome him.
"Henry, what are you-...Oh! Atem!" Kat turned to look over her shoulder at the man that had grabbed around her waist from behind, her face changing from disgust to mild surprise at the realization of who it was.
"Miss me?" Atem asked casually, nuzzling the crook of the exposed golden neck before him. He thought she was stunning in the maroon Elizabethan dress, and loved that she had a habit of forgoing the high-collars most women appeared to be fond of in this time period.
"Atem, you know how I feel about you trying to seduce me with a host body," she chided.
He looked at her innocently. "It was Henry's idea. He said if tonight is the last time we'll be seeing one another for a few centuries, we should make the most of it."
"He should be with his wife."
Atem sighed and withdrew his embrace. "You can't wait to be rid of me again," he said bitterly.
"That's not true."
"You won't allow me to bed you in a shared body, but the moment I return to my slumber you'll have no problem allowing others to entertain you." His jealousy was evident.
"Atem, you said it didn't bother you."
"No….what I said was that there isn't really anything I can do about it."
Kat rolled her eyes. "I told you why I refuse to lie with you in a shared body."
Atem sighed in exasperation. "Yes, yes. You don't want to leave room for doubt in my mind who it is you are with. I already know it's me though. I've seen the way you look at Henry. You're not fond of him in the slightest."
"All the more reason it's not going to happen. You think I want to lie with the body of someone like him?"
He placed his head on her shoulder in frustration. "Will we ever truly be together again?"
"It will happen. There has to be a way. If there wasn't, I would be already serving my punishment for failing to keep my oath."
"Maybe if you had been able to produce an heir, we wouldn't still be ritually murdering people," Atem stated coldly.
"You knew I was barren when you took me as your wife. If it was such an issue, then why not have chosen someone like Téana or Mana? I'm certain both would have jumped at the opportunity without second thought," she replied bitterly.
"Sorry, I didn't realize I was going to be trapped in a relic for all eternity," he stated acerbically.
There was a loud 'slap' across his cheek accompanied by a sharp sting. He stood there with his face off to the side, jaw clenched as his frustration was replaced by anger.
"You know, there are times when I wish I could forget ever meeting you," he stated in a low, harsh tone.
"Keep wishing for it and I'll make it happen," Kat warned coldly.
Atem looked at her. "Then do it," he said while glaring callously. "And while you're at it, forget even trying to bring me back unless you find a way to produce the heir we need to end this nightmare. I would rather spend forever trapped than continue with this never-ending madness."
The expression on his wife's face was one of pain. He could see the tears brimming in her widened eyes. She fought them back by changing her expression to one of anger and loathing. "Fine. If that is what you want, then so be it. After tonight, you won't remember a thing and you won't awaken until I can fulfill my oath. After that, we're through. I hope when your final judgment comes, Ammit devours your heart." She walked past him to begin the preparations for the night's ritual.
Atem contemplated going after her, but something reminded him not to turn around, no matter what. He began to move forward, but the words the two had spoken echoed within him. He was tired. So very tired. Why had he brought up the fact that she was barren? He knew it was a sensitive subject. More so after they had discovered that a small fraction of blood from an heir was needed to complete the ritual. They had attempted to use the blood of descendants from one of his cousins, but the most they were capable of doing was rousing him from his centuries of slumber within the Puzzle. Each time Kat had held out hope that maybe this current host would have a strong enough bond to help make up for the weakened bloodline. Each time she had drained his host in a desperate attempt to bring him back.
He stopped walking, hanging his head in contemplation. They never used to fight. Not like this. How long had it been since they stopped being happy with one another? Centuries? Millennia? When was the last time she had referred to him as 'Ibib'? He tried to remember. Had there been a single time with his current host? Perhaps it was with the last one? It was hard to tell which memory belonged beside which host in which time period. He rubbed his temple and forehead, trying to discern the memories. Perhaps forgetting might solve this problem. And not having to look forward to another host would solve the issue of adding to the enormous stack of memories that he constantly found himself sorting through.
He allowed himself to look over his shoulder to see her retreating form. Yes. It would be best to forget. He looked forward, moving away from the person that at one time had been his future, but now was just another piece of his past. He rounded a castle corner and was engulfed by blinding light.
Atem stood with his eyes shut tightly, waiting for the spots to fade from the bright light. When he opened them, Yugi was standing before him with a concerned expression.
"Are you okay? You took your time walking across," Yugi questioned.
Atem didn't know how to respond. He hung his head in the palm of his hand as he fell to the ground, ethereal tears finding their way down his face. He'd wondered what had happened between him and Kat, and now he knew.
Imhotep closed his eyes and quickly made his way across to join them. Once across, he crouched down before the spirit of his father.
"If you don't mind me asking, which memory was it?"
Atem couldn't bring himself to say. He didn't want either teen to know that the only reason they existed was because of the words he'd said that day.
"You don't have to worry about what I'll think of you. I've already seen all your memories."
Atem looked up at Imhotep in surprise. "All of them?"
Imhotep nodded. "Even the unpleasant ones. The more...risque ones….I skipped through….very quickly. There are a few things I could have lived without knowing about you, but it was my fault for looking I suppose. I just wanted to know more about you."
Atem couldn't hold the teen at fault for wanting to know more about his paternal figure. He looked downwards. "I know why she's angry with me. I know why she moved on."
"Oh….that. Figures it would show you that of all things." Imhotep hung his head as well. "You didn't mean it though. I tried to tell Shae, but she wouldn't hear it. I think if she heard it directly from you, she would-"
"No." Atem interrupted.
"But….don't you want another chance?" Imhotep questioned.
Atem shook his head, stood, then proceeded down the hall to the next trial, leaving the two teens to puzzle his behavior.
Yugi and Imhotep followed in silence.
Atem didn't even feign surprise as they approached the final trial. It was a wall of black flames. He had already deducted each of the trial's origins. The first barrier was the wall that Imhotep had opened using his credentials, obviously created by Mkhai. The Sphinx had risen and formed from sand, obviously placed there by Malik. The illusion had been placed there by the Master of Deception himself, Bakura. It only stood to reason that the final trial would involve fire, Kat's trial. He also had a very good idea what lay beyond the flames. It was the one thing she would have fought to keep safe no matter what.
"How do we get past that?" Yugi questioned, referring to the massive wall of flame.
"You stand in the flames and face the truth. You'll be trapped in the flames until you accept whatever harsh truth is thrown at you. If you try to run from the truth, you'll be turned to ash." Imhotep explained.
"Doesn't sound too pleasant." Yugi stated, mildly concerned.
"It's not meant to be."
Yugi looked at Atem, still concerned about his change in demeanor since the last trial. "Are you going to be okay? This sounds like it's going to be a rough one."
"I'll be fine. After the last trial, I think I can accept whatever truth I encounter." Atem stated in reassurance towards his host. He stepped forward into the fire and vanished.
"See you on the other side I guess. I can't help you with this one," Imhotep stated, following Atem into the wall of flames.
Yugi took a deep breath, then followed.
I didn't use the actual layout for the palace of Amarna as a reference what-so-ever. It didn't even occur to me to even look and use it as a reference until after I had this chapter written, and by then I pretty much just said F-it. I just picture it as a big square complex with a large garden in the center and an outer wall for the most part. Not too far off from the actual layout surprisingly, but the room placements/layouts are off (plus the original didn't house Ishtari lol).
If you have ever played through the Mage origin in Dragon Age: Origins, you will most likely recognize the Sphinx's riddles. They come from the sloth demon himself! (obligatory I don't own Dragon Age)