Thank you for these characters and their stories, Kazuki Takahashi. Requiescat in pace.


Chapter Sixty-Six

"Just as I left you, my dear priestess."

An arrogant voice I hadn't heard in 10,000 years caressed my ears. It couldn't possibly be him; he was dead. Except for myself and the guardians, who'd been frozen in time, everyone from my homeland had perished in the aftermath of the war. My mind had to be playing a trick on me, showing me yet another memory from my own past. If I didn't respond, eventually the illusion would fade.

"I'm hurt, sacerdos. You have nothing to say to me after all these years? Surely you don't hate me now, do you? I've come to take you home, at long last."

Rising from my suppliant position, I turned back towards my room, reminding myself that any figures I saw were only mirages; they couldn't possibly be real. There before me stood the man who'd once been my king, a leader I would have happily and willfully followed into danger. His heterochromatic eyes glowed with pure excitement and unconcealed madness as he extended his hand towards me. I quickly brushed past him and re-entered my bedroom. I was just at the edge of his reach when his hand grasped my wrist. My Pendant's light flared briefly as it created a barrier, but he broke through it with little resistance.

"Come now, Tyche. It's indecent enough for you to ignore me, but then to pretend like I'm not here? Surely your father raised you better tha-" Unable to ignore the fantasy any longer, I turned back in anger.

"You only exist in my memories now, fading ones at that. So, stop calling me by that name and return to the farthest corner of my mind where you belong. You aren't real."

"If I'm not real, how am I grasping your wrist? You're too shrewd to accept this as a mere deception."

His question halted my speeding thoughts as I realized he was right. But how could this be? I stared his hand for a few moments, stunned by the truth of his question. This wasn't a memory or a phantom vision; this was genuine. I felt my knees give out as I sank back down to the ground, my wrist still firmly, but gently, clenched in his hand. After allowing a few moments for me to process my situation, he kneeled to join me on the floor.

"It's truly me, Dria. I've been alive all this time. Now that it's time for us to go home, I've come to collect you."

The haughtiness in his voice was gone, replaced by a softer, more sincere tone. This was the voice I remembered belonging to my king. He had been a great leader once, but a greater power had driven him mad and changed his very nature. Looking up at his face, his eyes had lost the sheen of insanity that had plagued my old nightmares. Sitting beside me was simply my leader and my friend as he had once been.

"Basileu, is it really you?" I extended my free hand towards his face, tracing across his cheek to convince myself of the reality. "Where have you been all this time? I thought I was alone."

Tears I had been holding back for years escaped from my eyes and fell down my face. He quickly released my wrist and pulled me into his chest as my sobs escalated. For 10,000 years, I'd believed that I was the only one with Atlantean blood still alive. I'd searched for many years after the destruction of our home for signs of any other survivor, hoping that I would find someone with whom I could begin to restore my home. Only after much failure had I given up and left from the beach I'd washed up on, abandoning any chance of rebuilding Atlantis and relinquishing her storied history to mere mythology and conjecture. He held me tightly as my tears soaked his clothing, waiting until my long-repressed grief had subsided. Only when I was quiet once more did he speak again.

"I've been gathering the necessary power and pieces to reestablish our home, Dria. It's taken far longer than I ever thought possible, but it's almost ready. All I need is a priestess to channel the power of the Sacred Beast, and everything will be like it once was. We'll recreate the world as we see fit, and Atlantis will rule over all once more. Come with me, and see our dream fulfilled at last."

I pulled away from him, confused by his statements. Had he been ignoring my existence all this time? How long had he been aware that I was alive, and deliberately not reached out to me? I felt his hands tense against my shoulders as I stared back at him and voiced this question.

"Basileu, how long have you known that I was also still alive?"

He didn't respond at first, his hands still gripping my shoulders tightly. My heart pounded in my chest as I awaited his answer. Finally, he spoke. I couldn't help but notice that the sheen of madness had returned to his eyes once more.

"I knew you were alive from the beginning, and I even knew where you were. But you disappeared 5,000 years ago after your time in Egypt, and it has only been in recent years that I was able to locate you again."

My blood ran cold at his statement; he'd known all along that I was alive and alone, and he'd done nothing about it. He hadn't come for me and had instead allowed me to believe that only I had survived that horrible war. His reason for coming now was only because he needed a tool, not a partner, to fulfill his long-awaited wish. He released my shoulders and stood again.

"It's time for you to come home, Tyche, and serve your homeland once more. Join me, and paradise will be reborn."

He extended his hand down towards me, a large smile dancing across his face and insanity twisting in his eyes once more. I stared at his hand for a few moments before rising with my own strength, forgoing his offer.

"I'm sorry, Basileu, but the time of Atlantis and her priestess has long since ended. There is no place for either of them in this modern world. I wish you'd come to me sooner, so you wouldn't have wasted your life on this impossible dream. I've moved on, and I have new dreams I wish to pursue. It's time that you do the same."

I offered a small smile before turning away from him. I was about to be surprised that he surrendered so easily, before his hands wrapped around my neck, and with unexpected strength, he forced me down onto my bed. His hand pressed tightly against my throat, and though I wasn't afraid of death, I did fear that he would cause a blackout and kidnap me. I pulled against his fingers as fiercely as I could, trying to twist my body out of his grasp. The Pendant trembled in fear as it was pressed into my throat and tried to raise a barrier again, but its power stood no chance against him. Finally, I managed to strike the side of his head with a well-timed punch, and he released me. I quickly moved away and glared at him. The madness was now fully in control. I'd lost him again.

"Come now, Tyche. Together, you and I can rebuild what once was. We can make a paradise on Earth once more. We may be all that remains now, but the two of us together will create a new dynasty to last for eternity."

"Basileu, I will always respect the man you once were. But I will never help the man you have become. Our people would weep to see you now."

He laughed, unbothered by my declaration, "In time, priestess, you'll see it my way. All but one of former guardians are frozen or dead, the gods are powerless, and you alone can't stop me. Not even your mortal lover has the power to stop me. One day, you'll come to me, Tyche."

The mention of the Pharaoh caused my chest to constrict uncomfortably. If he even dared to pursue my beloved, I would destroy every inch of the Atlantis that he had painstakingly rebuilt. I wouldn't allow him to place the Pharaoh, Yugi, Pegasus, Seto, or any of my other friends in danger. I would rather watch the land of my birth burn in flames and sink beneath the ocean's grasp, never to rise again.

As these thoughts cycled through my head and distracted me, he placed a silver circlet with a green stone on my forehead. My eyes widened in panic as I realized what he'd done. Where had he found this? I had locked it at the bottom of my jewelry box with powerful magic, not having the will to destroy it but hoping to prevent it from ever seeing the light of day. This was the diadem of the Priestess of the Sacred Beast, an item I had once worn with pride. It would prevent me from harming the king or his creature in any intentional way. He had stolen a huge portion of my magic, and now he had effectively sealed the rest from being used against him. I would still be able to fight against other enemies, but if I couldn't fight him directly, I'd never be able to stop him. He had just ensured that I would have no option other than to seek help from my friends, souls who were entirely innocent in this war.

I reached up and attempted to remove the diadem, only to be repelled by a light electrical shock. It left slight wounds on my fingertips to dissuade me from trying again. My visitor then vanished, only the sound of his laughter remaining. I rubbed my neck before wrapping my arms around myself tightly and, leaning low to the bed, I began to tremble. I hadn't felt this powerless, alone, and frightened in many years, so I called out to the first people I thought of.

"Pharaoh, Yugi, please."

Pharaoh

To distract myself for the duration of our journey to Pegasus, I wandered throughout the halls of the Millennium Puzzle, looking for any answers I could possibly find to the questions I had yet to answer. Every door I opened led to another series of hallways and doors, and I felt my frustration rise each time. The Puzzle, or perhaps it was my own mind, seemed desperate to protect whatever secrets lay inside. A light giggle caught my attention as I opened what seemed to be the hundredth door today.

"You seem desperate, habibi. What are you searching for?"

Perched upon one of the many balconies of a nearby staircase was Dria. She wore a white, nearly sheer, dress that left her shoulders bare, an ornate necklace in place of the fabric, an equally decorative belt with a small dagger tucked on her side, and bare feet. Dark eyeliner surrounded her gleaming green eyes, and a beautiful diadem encrusted with jewels sat atop her head. Though I knew it was only a glimpse of who Dria had once been, she was still a vision to behold. Ascending the staircase, I sat beside her and touched the side of her face.

"Are you alright? I had another vision, one of someone was holding you down by your throat and placing some kind of diadem on your head. You were calling out to me for help."

Her eyes widened slightly at the mention of the accessory, but otherwise revealed nothing. After a few moments of silence, she finally responded.

"I'm sorry Pharaoh, but I don't know. I'm only a portion of my whole self, placed here around the same time you were to monitor anything else hiding within this maze. I don't know what's going on outside of here. I suppose I'm at least well enough for this piece of myself to still be here."

I sighed, releasing her cheek, and turned back towards the various halls and doorways below. Now, I only had more questions for her. Why had she found it necessary to seal a portion of herself in here? How long had it been here, and I hadn't noticed? Would it place Yugi and the others in danger? Wasn't I the only being that dwelled here? Was there some evil lurking within the Puzzle that I was unaware of? Rather than asking her questions that she wouldn't, or perhaps couldn't, answer, I addressed her earlier inquiry.

"I'm looking for anything that'll be of use in this new fight we're headed into. You and the world are in danger, and once again, I'm incapable of doing anything about it. Even the Millennium Puzzle seems powerless against this Seal of Orichalcos."

She placed her hand on my shoulder and smiled lovingly at me, "You're not incapable. We each have our role to play, and it's just not the right time for you yet. Be patient."

Unable to control my sudden fury, I brushed off her encouragement and shoved her hand away, "I'm tired of being patient! I've waited for answers for 5,000 years, and each time I think I've gotten closer, the pathway extends, and the number of doorways increases. I want my life back; I want my memories of our life back," I paused as my rage subsided and my misery rose, "I want to be my own person. I will be forever grateful to Yugi for releasing my spirit from the Puzzle and for sharing his identity with me, but I want to be myself again. I want to be the man you fell in love with."

She remained quiet as my words echoed in the empty halls, absorbing the emotions I'd kept bottled up until now. I hadn't meant to be angry with her, but my frustration had reached its limit. After a few moments, she took my hand and placed it back on her cheek. She leaned into my hand, as if feeling it against her skin was all she could ever want.

"Shall I attempt to conjure a memory of our past? I can't guarantee it'll work, or if it does, what we'll see. But perhaps it'll help you realize that you're still the same man you once were, and that my love has always been yours."

The Eyes of Horus appeared on her forehead as a faint glow enveloped her body. Though I had seen it several times now, her capability with magic still amazed me. She smiled as she brought her forehead to mine and closed her eyes. My own closed with her as we were whisked away to our former lives.

"Father! Is it true? Has she returned at last?"

The young Prince burst through the door of his father's study, interrupting the Pharaoh's conversation with the guardian of the Millennium Ring. The king smiled gently at his young son, who was only 9 summers, and nodded his head.

"Yes, my son. My daughter, your sister, has returned at last. She's resting in her bedchambers."

The Prince immediately turned to run towards his beloved playmate, but his father's voice held his feet still.

"Be gentle, my son. She has not led an easy life these past two summers. Master Mahad and I just rescued her from a group of bandits who nearly killed her. There's no telling how frequently she found herself in that situation. Give her time to readjust and let her decide how much she wants to reveal to you."

Without responding, the boy ran down the halls, determined to reach his friend as quickly as his feet could carry him. The Pharaoh sighed after his son was beyond earshot.

"Mahad," the younger man kneeled before him, ready to receive orders, "please make sure that my daughter isn't overwhelmed by my son's excitement. Being exiled from the palace was likely very hard on her, and I'm sure being here again will cause her pain for some time."

Mahad nodded and disappeared down the same hall as the Prince. The Pharaoh leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. He'd been terrified for the young girl's life when Mahad had mentioned seeing her in the city during General Kheti's arrest, his suspicions that she was somehow involved in the man's capture, and the suggestion that there would be others who knew as well. Immediately, a squadron of soldiers was sent to her small hut, with Mahad and himself at the head, to bring her home where she belonged.

When he'd seen the sword pressed against her slender neck, tears had welled in his eyes and rage had burned in his heart; he still felt both even now, despite knowing she was safe. He never should have allowed his court to exile her simply because she could use magic skillfully. He'd wanted to keep his followers happy, but it had come at the expense of his chosen daughter's safety and his own son's happiness. As he drifted into a light sleep, relief at her return slightly loosened the grip of remorse on his heart. He would never let anything happen to her again so long as he lived.

The Prince stood outside the returned Princess' curtains. He was overjoyed that his dear friend had returned, but he was anxious as well. What if she didn't want to see him? What if she didn't want to be his friend any longer? Would she even remember their friendship, and the days they'd spent together playing game in the gardens or pilfering treats from the kitchens? He wasn't old enough yet to recognize the truth of his affection for her, but he did understand that he wanted her to smile at him again and be with her always.

"Shall we see how our princess is readjusting, Your Highness?"

Mahad appeared behind the Prince. He had also been a companion of the boy until receiving the Millennium Ring, and while he did try to spend time with the Prince still, it had been more difficult since the exile of the princess. The mage-in-training Mana had begun following the Prince around again during the day then, as she had when she learned to walk. While he was glad to have someone to talk with, her attention was always quickly diverted by whatever came across her gaze, sometimes ruining their conversation. She wasn't terribly competitive in games either, oftentimes surrendering even when there was still a possibility of her success.

The Princess had always listened to his words with sharp focus, ensuring that he felt his voice and emotions were taken seriously, but also taking care that laughter and fun dominated their time together. She had challenged his burgeoning strategic mind in many ways, compelling him to see things from new angles and to consider alternative methods of success. Now, it was his turn to be the steady companion; he would be solid for her, a constant haven she could rely upon for the rest of their days. He clenched his fists in determination before striding through the doorway.

At first, the room looked as empty as it had been for two summers. His heart began to race in panic, fearing that his friend had been stolen away from him once more, this time without giving him a chance to say goodbye. When his eyes drifted towards the bed, he noticed a small figure laying across it. Her eyes were closed peacefully as she slept on her side, and the Prince's heart felt lighter each time he saw her body rise and fall along with her breathing. She was alive, and she was home.

Her hair had grown longer during her time away, and her skin had darkened as well. He could see bruises that must have been left behind by various troubles, and the bones around her shoulders and neck were more prominent than he remembered, as if she hadn't eaten properly in many months. He could only imagine how much she'd suffered since he'd last seen her, when the guard had torn her from his arms and dragged her out of the palace, tears streaming down her face yet offering no violent resistance.

She could have easily unleashed her magic against him, but she had held back and allowed him to take her away, even though he had fought with all the strength his small body could bring to bear. The Prince hadn't understood why she didn't fight back, and his temper rose as he recalled his fury towards her for such inaction during the first days of her exile. Then, a gentle voice called out to him, softening his anger with words he'd been longing to hear.

"It's good to see you again, my Prince. I've missed you."

She had awoken and was sitting up in bed, a smile on her face and joy in her eyes. Without another moment's hesitation, the Prince sprinted towards his cherished friend, throwing himself onto the bed beside her and gathering her up into his arms. He heard a soft laugh from her as she wrapped her arms around him and held him tightly. They remained locked in their embrace for some time, mainly because the Prince was reluctant to ever let go of her again. The Princess was happy to oblige, for she had missed him dearly and her love for him had only grown in their time separated.

Finally, the Prince loosened his grasp and pulled back to see her face, his hands drifting to hers to hold them securely. He closed his eyes to restrain the tears that had gathered but couldn't contain the large smile he gave her.

"Welcome home, Urbi."

They remained together the rest of the day, never leaving the other's side. At last, when Ra had fallen and Mut had spread her body over the kingdom, the two fell asleep together in the Princess' bed, still holding hands. The Pharaoh sat beside them for a few moments and placed his hand over their joined fingers. Closing his eyes, he prayed for them to live out their days together, in whatever fashion they decided, be it as comrades, siblings, even lovers, though he couldn't help but hope it would be the last of that list. Kissing both of their foreheads and covering them with a sheet, he rose to return to his chambers and rest his own weary body.

"Father?"

The voice of his daughter caught his attention, and he turned his gaze back towards the child he had decided to make his own, a child whose voice he had once feared he would never hear call his name again. Her green eyes bore deeply into his own, and though she tried to conceal it, weariness and doubt was present in her gaze. His heart faltered at seeing such exhaustion and suspicion, knowing that he was the reason for it. He wanted to apologize to her and ask her forgiveness, but the words died on his lips. He could only send her a smile and hope she understood.

She smiled brightly in response, accepting his apology, before burying her face into the neck of the boy beside her. His still-sleeping son, almost reflexively, wrapped his arms around her back and pulled her closer. It was only moments before the Princess had fallen back asleep as well. The Pharaoh smiled again, hoping the love he already saw between them would blossom before his passing into the next world.

Dria's hands released my face as she pulled back and ended the memory. Only her face and mine had been clear to me; the other two had been fuzzy and unfocused, making it difficult to remember exactly who the other figures in the memory were. Though I was slightly frustrated by this, it had still been a wonderful memory to see. She had told me once before that we had grown up together, but it was different seeing ourselves as children together. It was evident that even from a young age, we were two halves of a whole.

A lock of her hair had fallen across her face, so I stretched out my hand and pushed it back behind her ear. She leaned into my touch once more, smiling happily. I leaned forward, gently kissing her forehead, then her cheeks, before finishing at her lips. She placed one of her hands on the back of my head and pulled me closer as our kiss continued. My eyes slid closed as my hand drifted into her long hair.

Suddenly, Dria broke away from me, grasping at her chest and struggling to breathe. The hand that was previously at my head now twisted my shirt between her fingers. I grasped her shoulders in panic, completely unsure of what I could do to help her. After a few moments, she regained her breath and returned her gaze to me.

"Something has happened to my actual body. You must find me. Promise me that you'll be careful though, Pharaoh. The enemy you face is ancient, more so than even you."

"Dria, what's going on? You must tell me what you know. I need to be able to protect you, Yugi, and all our friends."

Her eyes watered with tears as she considered my pleas, but I could tell that she wouldn't budge, not even for me.

"Give me something, Kadesh, please."

Finally, I saw something akin to surrender in her eyes. She likely wouldn't tell me everything, but hopefully it would be something I could use.

"Pharaoh, you will learn things about me, things that you probably never imagined. I never intended for any of this to happen. Please, give me a chance to explain when the times comes, and never forget that I will choose you."

My eyes narrowed as I tried to process the information. Give her a chance to explain? She had never intended for what to happen? Choose me? What did she mean? She quickly kissed the side of my head once more, too quickly for me to react before she retreated beyond my reach.

"Please, Pharaoh, be careful. Stay as far away from the Seal as you can. It's not what it seems to be."

"The Seal? Dria, wait! What do you know?"

In a flash of light, she was gone.

Seto

I had been working non-stop since the monster sightings began. No matter what research I presented or what company data I released, people still believed that my company was responsible for this madness. Our reputation and stock were plummeting, and I had to act quickly if I wanted to save Kaiba Corp.

After I sent Roland out to deliver my messages to the journalists, Mokuba came running into my office. Someone was buying every share of Kaiba Corp. that they could access. There were only a few people I could think of immediately who had deep enough pockets for such a scheme, and of that list, there was only one who would put the idea into practice.

Pegasus.

Thinking of that name brought Dria's face to the forefront of my mind, an image I had been trying to avoid thinking of for some time now, and I felt a tightness in my chest. I still hadn't forgiven myself for how I'd treated her at the end of the Battle City Tournament. I knew she wouldn't hold a grudge, but I hadn't yet worked up the courage to apologize to her directly, and knowing her, she wouldn't reach out to me until she knew that I wanted to talk to her.

Then, the phone rang.

"Kaiba boy! I missed you. It looks like we're partners now. This is going to be so much fun.

"This company is mine. I will never let a snake like you wrap yourself around my company."

"Relax! I don't want your company. I just needed the upper hand so I could force you to do something for me. Plus I was bored, and it was fun."

Pegasus challenged me to a duel with the intentions of boosting both of our images to the public. It was such a ludicrous idea, so I wasn't surprised that he had been the one to suggest it. I had never understood how Dria had managed to maintain her sanity around this man; though the more I thought on it, maybe she hadn't after all.

"You have yourself a duel, Pegasus."

My anger was near the tipping point now. I had promised Mokuba that I wouldn't duel until we were finished building Kaiba Land Amusement Parks, and here I was breaking that promise before we even began construction. I had known that it wouldn't be long before I dueled again, but even I hadn't expected it to be this soon. I would crush Pegasus quickly for his stunt with my company and for making Mokuba upset; even Dria would encourage me to achieve that given these reasons.

Duelist Kingdom hadn't changed at all since I'd last been here for Pegasus and Dria's tournament. It held too many bad memories that I wasn't interested in reliving. The island was completely deserted, as if everyone had gone on vacation recently. I felt disappointment rise in my throat as I realized that Dria wouldn't be here either, but I quickly pushed it back down and proceeded forward. We finally arrived at the center of Duelist Kingdom, and there was no sign of even Pegasus anywhere. Suddenly, a wicked laugh echoed through the empty complex, and I wanted nothing more than to shut him up.

"Your lack of patience never fails to amuse me."

"You're as irritating as ever."

"What did I ever do to deserve such hatred?"

I didn't even know where to begin. How did Dria ever manage to survive growing up with this man as her father? She had insisted to me over the years that he was truly a kind and loving person, but I had yet to see even a glimmer of that personality. To me, Pegasus was nothing more than an annoying fly. I had wanted to marry Dria at one point, and I was willing to swallow the bitter pill that was my 'father-in-law,' but now, I was almost glad that she had rejected my proposal.

At last, the dueling platform appeared, which meant we could finally get this duel over with, and I could force Pegasus to return the shares of my company that he'd purchased.

"Is it me, or are you always in a bad mood? You've even treated my precious daughter terribly as of late."

I clenched my fist in response, wishing I had a clever retort to his words, but I knew he was right. Pegasus tried to mess with my head by playing the exact same card to begin the duel that he had used in our last duel. Rather than fall into his trap, I summoned my Spear Dragon to destroy his monster and remove 300 of his Life Points immediately. He quickly followed my move by using a card I'd never heard of before, Toon Table of Contents, which allowed him to play Toon World, one of my least favorite of all the cards ever created.

Even though I was able to summon my favorite card, Blue Eyes, in response, Pegasus responded with the absolute worst card in all of Duel Monsters: Toon Blue Eyes White Dragon. When Dria had revealed that she had created a toon version of my beloved creature, I was so upset with her that I had refused to talk to her for a few days. I still bore some resentment against her for humiliating my magnificent dragon. Nevertheless, I couldn't help but laugh when I drew the perfect card for destroying that monstrosity.

"I must have missed the joke."

"You are the joke. Your strategies are so outdated. I activate the magic card A Wingbeat of Giant Dragon."

With Toon World gone, now his Toon Monsters were no longer indestructible. Pegasus fell completely silent, as if he couldn't believe that I would be outdueling him. Predictable wasn't something within Pegasus' vocabulary or personality. This wasn't the madman I had done business with, nor was it the man Dria loved as her dear father. This was someone else.

"I just haven't been myself lately. I mean that quite literally."

Tearing away a wig and mask, someone named Alister appeared in place of Pegasus. As he continued the duel, he played yet another card I'd never heard of before: the Seal of Orichalcos. As he explained the rules of the card, a horrifying thought entered my mind and distracted me.

If this Alister had done something to Pegasus, what had he done to Dria?