Chapter 2: - Seeking the Pharaoh
Sirius watched in shock as Harry's face went rather white and sat down heavily. "Harry?"
"I think they're trying to give me a heart attack." Harry muttered, looking towards the window.
"Again?" Sirius scowled, working out who 'they' were quickly and thoroughly sick of their ability to get into trouble, "You told me that they don't disappear off the radar completely very often. What could possibly happen today that would block the link again?"
"They went to the museum." Harry said, like it explained everything. If he'd been talking to someone from the inner circle of the Clan, it would have been, but Sirius gave him a look as if to say 'and what does that have to do with it?' "Yami's getting his memories back today." He explained properly.
"If he's getting his memories back, why'd they vanish?"
It was them vanishing today of all days that had Harry worried. He'd spoken to Yugi only an hour ago and while Yugi had mentioned in passing that they'd run into Bakura last night, he somehow wasn't certain that this was all the Tomb Robber's fault.
After all Bakura never went after the pair of them at the same time, no one did since they'd separated into two people, it was asking for defeat.
"I don't know." Harry admitted, reaching down the link and getting nothing in response. He reached for his phone, and then hesitated. Who was he supposed to call?
Joey was at the museum with Yugi and Yami, as was Hermione, so they were out.
Seto and Mokuba wouldn't have the slightest clue what was going on, considering the pair of them were busy working on Kaiba Corp stuff and had informed his link partners a couple of days ago, that they didn't want to be disturbed until after Yami had gotten his memories back and even then only if they had news that threatened the Kaiba brothers or their company.
Luna and Rebecca were waiting on a call saying the deed was done, while Ginny and Ron weren't even in the same country as the others and Ron was spitting mad that he couldn't be in Japan for the big moment.
Not that Harry was much happier, but he'd taken advantage of Sirius enough over the summer and he hadn't wanted to press, not even about this. He didn't need to be there, Yugi and Yami would share their memories of the occasion if he asked, and as such, he'd decided not to aggravate his Godfather any further. Of course this had been before the link had gone again.
Besides if he and Ron were annoyed they were missing the event, he could imagine Tea and Tristan were absolutely furious. They'd been supporting Yugi and Yami since the very beginning, and missing this, the conclusion of everything…
Not that it mattered if something had happened to the Pharaoh on the way to museum…
"One phone call." Harry said, giving his Godfather a pleading look.
Sirius rolled his eyes but nodded. "Go on."
"Sorry." Harry apologised, pulling his phone out of his pocket and deciding on who he was going to call.
Now which speed dial number had he put Hermione on?
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Yugi didn't understand.
Yami was gone.
There was nothing, no door to his mind in the corridor, no sense of 'Yami', there was nothing…
Not even a hollow feeling, like there had been when Yami had been petrified.
Just a feeling he couldn't possibly recognise after nine years, a feeling of being whole, of being alone…
Did it mean… was that it?
Had Yami really just left?
He hadn't thought that this would be goodbye…
It wasn't fair.
"What do you mean gone?" Hermione hesitantly asked.
"He's not here." Yugi tried to explain, one hand one the Puzzle, the other going to his heart. "It's like…" He didn't want to say it.
"Like what?"
"Like we were never linked in the first place." Yugi's voice was quiet, miserable…
Joey hissed and Hermione blanched, "You serious?" Joey demanded.
Yugi just nodded, unable to comprehend what had just happened, shock still settling in.
Hermione's phone ringing caused everyone to jump out of their skins.
It was Harry.
Of course it was Harry. Who else would have phoned now? They all knew what was supposed to be happening…
Only Harry would know Yami was gone…
"Prince Yugi."
Yugi's turned towards the voice quickly as Joey growled and Hermione's conversation died, the sudden appearance of an Egyptian man in a white robe and turban, wrapped in Shadow Magic, startling them all.
"Who are you?" Joey demanded, getting between Yugi, Hermione and the man.
"Joey, it's ok. That's Shadi." Yugi shook his head, getting to his feet. "I should have guessed that you'd be here."
"The Pharaoh is almost at the end of his journey." Shadi bowed to him, "It is my duty to be here."
"Shadi, what happened to Yami?" Yugi asked, more worried about his dark
"The Pharaoh has entered a world created by his memories." Shadi explained.
"What… do you mean?" Hermione asked, hesitantly and earned an amused look from Shadi. Not a smile, never a smile, but a look that conveyed amusement even as it showed his irritation at being interrupted.
"This tablet and the God Cards that the Pharaoh won so long ago in Battle City were the final keys to the door within the Millennium Puzzle which hid his memories." Shadi explained patiently. "Now the Pharaoh walks in a world created by the memories he sealed away five thousand years ago."
"A world where…"
"Of course the events that will pass are already predetermined." Shadi continued, "And the Pharaoh must battle the great evil that he faced in the past and live out his fate once more."
"What do you…?" Joey started but Yugi held up a hand.
"You mean he has to die again?" Yugi asked, fear tainting his eyes if not his tone.
"Yes."
Hermione looked from Shadi to Yugi and back. What would happen if Yami died again…? Would he come back to them? Would he disappear forever?
"And he's there alone?" Joey snarled.
"He has those who were there in ancient times."
"If Yami dies in memory world… will he come back?" Yugi asked, looking at his dark side, who was still on the ground, the heartbeat light, a deep blood red light, still pulsing above his chest in a regular pattern the only signs of life.
"The only way the Pharaoh would be able to return is if he is victorious." Shadi shook his head.
Yugi's hands balled into fists, as he tried to think of something, anything he could do to help his dark during this fight.
"And he is not the only one who treads the path of memory." Shadi continued, "The Tomb Robber, Bakura, who seeks the Millennium Items to release a dark power, followed him when he walked through the door."
"Bakura!" Joey snarled.
"That's not fair!" Yugi protested, "Bakura still has his memories! He knows how events are going to play out!"
"The Shadows are coming to their final game, the rules you are used to have changed. What is fair for one is not necessarily fair for another."
"There's a way into Memory World, isn't there?" Hermione spoke up; having run into Shadi once already and already worked out that he didn't divulge information unless it was necessary. "For us, I mean."
Yugi's eyes widened as Shadi nodded. "There is one way. The door you seek is inside the Millennium Puzzle."
Yugi thought of the daliesque maze that was a part of Yami's mind, the same maze he had once gotten lost in for three days and still not covered even a quarter of it. "But I can't get into the Puzzle right now. Without Yami…"
"The Pharaoh may be gone, but the Puzzle is not just his." Shadi shook his head, "With the power of the Millennium Key, I can get you inside and indeed, I will guide you through the traps, but when you wish to return, you are on your own. If you do not save the Pharaoh, you too will be lost forever."
Yugi looked at Joey and Hermione, "I'm…"
"Don't say it; don't even think about saying it. I'm coming, end of discussion." Joey growled at him.
"I'm not staying behind this time." Hermione told Yugi, "You guys always get to have adventures. This time I'm coming with you."
"This is different…" Yugi started.
"Yuge, we're coming." Joey stared the heir down. "Discussing it is a waste of time."
"Thank you." Yugi nodded to the pair of them with a small, anxious smile, and then turned to Shadi. "What do we need to do?"
"I will use the power of the Millennium Key." Shadi explained, "It will take us as far as the interior of the Puzzle, but it will be you, the other half of the Pharaoh's soul, who will be of most use once inside."
"What do you mean?"
"Only you can sense the Pharaoh's location and find the door."
Yugi nodded.
"Are you ready?" Shadi asked, looking at each of them in turn.
"I have a question before we leave." Yugi said, a thought striking him. "If we defeat Bakura while he's in the World of Memory, what happens to anyone he sent to the Shadow Realm?"
"If Bakura is defeated in Memory World, he will die. In that respect the world you are about to enter is fair."
"That doesn't answer my question." Yugi frowned. "What will happen to anyone Bakura trapped in the Shadow Realm if he dies?"
"If Bakura is defeated in Memory World, anyone trapped within the Shadows as penalty for losing to him, will be freed."
"Good." Yugi looked relieved.
"Do not waste what little time you have left, your task is not to hunt the Tomb Robber down. He will challenge the Pharaoh when the time is right. You must stick to your task, if you don't succeed, and the Pharaoh fails, the whole world will fall to darkness."
"What is it, exactly, we're supposed to do?" Joey demanded; annoyed as he'd wanted a shot at Bakura for everything he had done to the group.
"You must find the key to unlocking that which has been sealed for five thousand years before Bakura does. If the Tomb Robber finds it before you do, Shadows will cover the world, allowing all life to perish at the hands of a demon far more powerful then the Dark Lord you have fought before."
"We're supposed to find Yami's name." Yugi stated, realisation hitting him.
"Indeed. While the Pharaoh has been 'Yami Muto' for many years, he had a name before he was sealed into the Puzzle. It is this name that is the key to everything. If Bakura finds it, he will unleash the shadows on the world. You must find it and return it to the Pharaoh, only then will his true power be released, allowing him to defeat the beast controlling the Shadows once and for all." Shadi explained.
"How much time do we have?" Yugi asked, "How much tine remains in the world of memory?"
"I cannot tell you, but every moment you spend asking questions, is another minute lost."
Yugi nodded, understanding, and turned to look at his friends, "Ready guys?"
"As I'll ever be." Joey snorted, wondering if there had been a single time when they had jumped into danger that they had ever, really been ready.
"One sec." Hermione said, suddenly remembering the phone in her hand and raising it to her ear again, "Harry? I'll ring you back. Don't worry, we'll be fine. Speak to you later, bye." And she put the phone down.
Shadi looked bemused.
"What do we need to do?" The teenage witch asked, as she put the phone away.
"Hold hands." Shadi instructed.
Yugi took Hermione's warm hand in one, and Shadi's cold hand in the other.
"Now," And Shadi's tone changed, turning from a tone of reasoning to one of command, "In the name of the Pharaoh, I call upon the powers of the Millennium Key. Guide us through the labyrinth of the Millennium Puzzle."
The Key glowed, the Puzzle glowed in response to the call, not, as Yugi would have expected, fighting the power of the other Millennium Item, but instead adding to the power that he could sense pulling on him.
The combined glow from the two Millennium Items grew brighter and brighter.
"Muto…" The unexpected voice trailed off.
Yugi's eyes widened as he saw Seto stepping over the cord and into the room.
Then everything went white.
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Nen was furious.
The blonde haired man had worked hard to work his way up the ranks after he had been taken in by Siamun, and had managed to earn his place in the palace as Chief of the Royal Guards, answering only to the High Priests and Pharaoh himself, he'd trained all his men to the best of his ability, taught them all to guard this palace with their lives and they had tried, oh they had tried.
His guards, his friends, had tried to defend the palace against the arrival of the Thief King, Bakura, and so many of them had lost their lives because of it.
What were they, the ordinary people, supposed to do against one who could summon his Ka beast? Especially one as powerful as that Diabound creature, who had decimated his troops, even more so when you considered there were very few of them who could see the beasts, Nen was one, but there were maybe three who now lived after Bakura had decided he was going to walk into the palace after desecrating the tomb of Pharaoh Aknamkanon, and try to take the powerful Millennium Items.
Nen was still in shock at the power that the Pharaoh, who, if Nen was right, was maybe two years younger then him, had summoned.
He had had a chance to see the God of the Obelisk in action and if he hadn't feared the Pharaoh before, he certainly did now.
If Obelisk could hurt Diabound like that, and Diabound had decimated his men, what else could the God do?
"You seem troubled." Nen jumped and wheeled around, drawing his sword as he did so. "Easy Nen," The brunette girl chuckled, backing off, "I'm not a threat."
"Sorry, Mana." The guard said, putting it away and returning to watching his post, waiting for just one more hour, when the moon would be highest in the sky, when his relief would be here and he could go to sleep. "It has been a rather long day." Brown eyes told the story of how long, and Mana wished she could do more for her friend.
"I would have thought you'd have gone to bed by now." Mana looked puzzled.
"My relief never made it up here." Nen ran a hand through his hair, brushing sand out, trying not to wonder if his relief had been caught in the fighting with Bakura. "So I'm staying until morning or someone else comes along."
"I'll stay with you, if you like." Mana offered, quite content to sit on the wall that surrounded the high walkway.
"Aren't you supposed to be resting?" He frowned, welcoming the apprentice magician, but knowing that Lord Mahado, the High Priest who had organised distribution of the rest of the forces, including vital places like the Valley of the Kings, and the High Priest who taught her magic would not allow her to slack off just because she had a late night.
"Mahado has a meeting with the Pharaoh early tomorrow morn, when the messenger gets back with how Bakura managed to get past the guards at the Valley of the Kings." Mana shook her head, "I won't have lessons until tomorrow afternoon at the latest."
"And have you been practising?" Nen snorted, knowing the answer even before his friend's bright expression turned changed to one of embarrassment, "Mana!"
"There was just so much happening today that…" Mana cut off when she saw the pain on Nen's face. "I'm sorry." She murmured, coming over and taking his hand, "How many?"
"Twenty six." He growled, trying not to think of those who had been directly caught by the 'White Lightening Attack' the snake like creature had fired off and disintegrated. If only he could call his Ka beast, maybe he could have done something different and saved a few of those lives.
Mana fell silent, not really knowing what to say. Everyone in the palace felt they had failed in some way today. The Guards were split into those who didn't think they'd done enough to stop Bakura and those who had survived Bakura's attack, barely, and knew it had been a hopeless fight. Nen, their Commanding Officer felt he had failed to train them well enough, or defend them if he could somehow…
The High Priests, who most thought infallible were feeling pretty flimsy too, after they had failed to stop a 'simple' thief, with her Master the worst, after all he had 'failed' twice. Once in his role as protector of the Tombs and once to guard the Pharaoh.
She couldn't know that the Pharaoh too, felt like he had failed. He was watching the interaction from the balcony where he had gone to try and figure things out. Everyone here knew him, hardly surprising when you considered that this was one of his own memories, and yet at the same time, he still knew as little as he did when he had first arrived here.
The people he had been introduced to today, were they friends, co-workers, servants? How many others did he know, but at the same time had completely forgotten. He had thought that once he'd presented the God Cards to the Tablet of the Pharaoh, all would be revealed, but if anything he was more confused now then when he had woken up on the throne and everything Bakura had been spouting earlier didn't help.
He knew he shouldn't trust the Tomb Robber, but if this really was, as he suspected, a world formed from his memories, then Bakura had told him this before, a really, really long time ago. Had he paid attention then? Had it actually been true five thousand years ago? He felt like banging his head against a wall, except that would probably bring a servant running and then he'd have to explain himself and he really didn't want to do that.
It didn't help that his most trusted advisor appeared to be High Priest Mahado, for he was certain that he did know and trust Mahado, and yet something was telling Yami that this wasn't the guise that he knew the High Priest in.
He knew a Mahado very well indeed. He had had the Dark Magician by the same name at his side for two or three years now, and yet it couldn't be the same Mahado, for the Mahado here was defiantly human.
Was it possible that Mahado the Dark Magician was the ka of the Mahado he had known all these years ago?
He smiled slightly when the girl on the palace wall waved at him and the man she was with suddenly went straight to attention, pretending he had never been distracted.
"Pardon me, my Pharaoh."
Yami blinked and turned around to find Mahado kneeling before him. "What is the matter, Mahado?"
"My Pharaoh, please excuse my interruption, but it's not wise for you to be out here alone." The priest answered.
Yami gained an almost imperceptible frown, he knew Mahado was right, after all there was more then one way to get to this balcony and anyone who could get past the guards would find him an easy target, alone and distracted like this. "Perhaps you're right." He sighed, having enjoyed the cool night air which was so very different from the cold and windy Scotland or the warm but often wet Japan, "We should go."
Mahado nodded and again Yami recognised his old friend in the expression, "Yes, stay close, especially after today."
Yami wanted to reassure him, try and convince him that it wasn't his fault, but he didn't know what to say, didn't know how he would have acted five thousand years ago, so he stayed silent and followed the barer of the Millennium Ring down the steps.
A question kept popping into his head that the Pharaoh didn't particularly like. If Mahado had worn the Ring five thousand years ago, how had Bakura gotten his hands on it?
Mahado was muttering under his breath, having seen the girl on the wall and scowled because of it, something along the lines of 'she shouldn't be distracting the guards' and 'I'll give her double the practise tomorrow if something happens because of this'.
"Something the matter?" Yami couldn't help asking, amused by the thought of the Dark Magician acting this way.
"No, my Pharaoh." Mahado shook his head, frustration still showing, "I assume you saw Mana talking with one of the guards."
Yami nodded, a flash of memory catching him off guard. Not much but enough for him to know the basics about the girl who was only a year younger then him. "She did not appear to be distracting him." The Pharaoh replied, trying not to think about the possibilities.
It was possible that Mana was a common name in these times, right?
Mahado didn't reply to that, just carried on down the stairs.
By the time they had reached the bottom of the staircase, Mana and her friend, who had obviously been released from his post at some point, were just coming across the courtyard.
The friend knelt almost immediately. "My Pharaoh, Lord Mahado."
A moment of shock coursed through Yami. He remembered Ombre saying something about remembering someone like Joey, but for some odd reason the thought that his friends from the modern era could have been known to him in the past as well hadn't occurred to him.
"Rise." Yami said quickly, cursing his lack of memories, wishing he knew the man's name, since he seemed to be so important to his friend.
The blonde stood up, towering over the Pharaoh, as most did, and proceeded answer all of Mahado's questions about the placement of the guards, who was on duty and how many guards they had left. During this conversation the Pharaoh learned… or maybe relearned, the guard's name and discovered that there was a lot about palace security that he had no clue about.
"He'll be going for hours." Mana muttered under her breath, causing Yami to smile slightly but not enough to give the game away, however Mahado's hearing was sharper then either of them had anticipated and the High Priest wheeled around and glowered at his protégée.
Yami made yet another mental note to never aggravate Mahado.
Seeing that Mahado would go on at Mana for much longer if he was left to it, Yami deliberately yawned, faking tiredness in order to get Mana off the hook and too allow her and her friend, Nen, to go off and do whatever they were planning to do.
Mahado didn't get completely distracted, issuing Mana yet more homework before he sent her on her way, but he did finally stop scolding and carried on walking with him towards the rooms where he slept.
That was one luxury Yami was looking forward to. Not a dorm room, not a room, rooms. Rooms all to himself. No trying to fit three beds into one tiny bedroom, no having to clamber over each other to get out of the room at night.
Rooms all to himself.
"Should I send a servant to draw your bath, my Pharaoh?" Mahado asked as he pushed the door open and preceded him, cautious in case of a fresh invasion.
"If you would, I would be appreciative." Yami nodded as Mahado did a quick sweep of the room, checking outside the huge window, inside the bathroom, and finally sending out a wave of magic that whispered to Yami as it passed that swept into all the smallest gaps and, presumably, found out if there was anyone hiding within the room.
A bath did sound good, he disliked feeling sticky and horrible, a feeling he had to have formed in the last few years, since it had probably been an almost permanent state of affairs back in Egypt. "Mahado…" Yami hesitated, wondering if it would be out of character for him to thank Mahado for all his concern. They appeared to be friends, and Yugi thanked his friends all the time…
"Yes, my Pharaoh?" Mahado asked, having been headed for the door to call a servant.
"I want to thank you, for your concern." Yami said, watching Mahado's reaction. "Today has been… trying… and I know you've been doing all you can to try to prevent a repeat, so… thank you."
"You're welcome, my Pharaoh." Mahado nodded, smiling slightly. The smile didn't reach his eyes though, disappointing Yami slightly, though he wasn't completely surprised. If this really was the Mahado he knew, it would take a lot more then a 'thank you' to get the priest to feel at ease again. "Just give me a moment."
The High Priest popped out the door and a few moments later a pair of servants entered the room and headed straight for the bathroom.
An odd question popped into Yami's head.
How did they run baths, if there was no plumbing?
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Seto groaned and sat up, glowering at his surroundings.
This was not the museum. Nor was it Kaiba Corp or any of the other thirty million places he'd rather be hunting down Bakura in.
The turbaned man from the museum was already conscious and looked like he was just waiting for the others.
Yugi was the next to wake up, looking around and grinning slightly, before scrambling over to Joey and shaking him. "Joey. Joey."
The blonde groaned and muttered something about five more minutes, making Yugi growl slightly and somehow conjuring a bucket of water out of nowhere, before retreating and chucking the water at his friend.
Well that certainly woke the man up and his swearing brought Hermione out of unconsciousness.
"Is this it?" She asked, looking around and trying to ignore the fact Joey was threatening Yugi with murder and mayhem if he did that again.
"Is this what?" Kaiba demanded.
"Looks like it to me." Joey nodded, "It looks kinda familiar, but then all these corridors look the same."
"Prince Yugi…" Shadi interrupted.
"I know, I know." Yugi nodded, "We need to do this quickly."
Seto's snarl caught the attention of everyone there, "Do what? What have you dragged me into this time, Muto?"
"I didn't drag you into anything, Kaiba." Yugi glowered back. He didn't need this right now, they had too much they needed to do, and if Seto was going to call him by surname then he was going to do the same. "You're the one who entered the room while we were transporting. We've got a mission to do, and if you want to go after Bakura, I suggest that you tag along."
Seto, who didn't show how surprised he was when Yugi snapped back, unused to such displays of temper from the hikari when Yami wasn't petrified, just glowered, "What mission?"
"I'll explain, Rich Boy." Joey waved him off as Yugi started opening doors and Hermione picked herself up. "But we need to start moving. It's not just Mokuba at stake here."
"I think they're trying to give me a heart attack." Harry muttered, looking towards the window.
"Again?" Sirius scowled, working out who 'they' were quickly and thoroughly sick of their ability to get into trouble, "You told me that they don't disappear off the radar completely very often. What could possibly happen today that would block the link again?"
"They went to the museum." Harry said, like it explained everything. If he'd been talking to someone from the inner circle of the Clan, it would have been, but Sirius gave him a look as if to say 'and what does that have to do with it?' "Yami's getting his memories back today." He explained properly.
"If he's getting his memories back, why'd they vanish?"
It was them vanishing today of all days that had Harry worried. He'd spoken to Yugi only an hour ago and while Yugi had mentioned in passing that they'd run into Bakura last night, he somehow wasn't certain that this was all the Tomb Robber's fault.
After all Bakura never went after the pair of them at the same time, no one did since they'd separated into two people, it was asking for defeat.
"I don't know." Harry admitted, reaching down the link and getting nothing in response. He reached for his phone, and then hesitated. Who was he supposed to call?
Joey was at the museum with Yugi and Yami, as was Hermione, so they were out.
Seto and Mokuba wouldn't have the slightest clue what was going on, considering the pair of them were busy working on Kaiba Corp stuff and had informed his link partners a couple of days ago, that they didn't want to be disturbed until after Yami had gotten his memories back and even then only if they had news that threatened the Kaiba brothers or their company.
Luna and Rebecca were waiting on a call saying the deed was done, while Ginny and Ron weren't even in the same country as the others and Ron was spitting mad that he couldn't be in Japan for the big moment.
Not that Harry was much happier, but he'd taken advantage of Sirius enough over the summer and he hadn't wanted to press, not even about this. He didn't need to be there, Yugi and Yami would share their memories of the occasion if he asked, and as such, he'd decided not to aggravate his Godfather any further. Of course this had been before the link had gone again.
Besides if he and Ron were annoyed they were missing the event, he could imagine Tea and Tristan were absolutely furious. They'd been supporting Yugi and Yami since the very beginning, and missing this, the conclusion of everything…
Not that it mattered if something had happened to the Pharaoh on the way to museum…
"One phone call." Harry said, giving his Godfather a pleading look.
Sirius rolled his eyes but nodded. "Go on."
"Sorry." Harry apologised, pulling his phone out of his pocket and deciding on who he was going to call.
Now which speed dial number had he put Hermione on?
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Yugi didn't understand.
Yami was gone.
There was nothing, no door to his mind in the corridor, no sense of 'Yami', there was nothing…
Not even a hollow feeling, like there had been when Yami had been petrified.
Just a feeling he couldn't possibly recognise after nine years, a feeling of being whole, of being alone…
Did it mean… was that it?
Had Yami really just left?
He hadn't thought that this would be goodbye…
It wasn't fair.
"What do you mean gone?" Hermione hesitantly asked.
"He's not here." Yugi tried to explain, one hand one the Puzzle, the other going to his heart. "It's like…" He didn't want to say it.
"Like what?"
"Like we were never linked in the first place." Yugi's voice was quiet, miserable…
Joey hissed and Hermione blanched, "You serious?" Joey demanded.
Yugi just nodded, unable to comprehend what had just happened, shock still settling in.
Hermione's phone ringing caused everyone to jump out of their skins.
It was Harry.
Of course it was Harry. Who else would have phoned now? They all knew what was supposed to be happening…
Only Harry would know Yami was gone…
"Prince Yugi."
Yugi's turned towards the voice quickly as Joey growled and Hermione's conversation died, the sudden appearance of an Egyptian man in a white robe and turban, wrapped in Shadow Magic, startling them all.
"Who are you?" Joey demanded, getting between Yugi, Hermione and the man.
"Joey, it's ok. That's Shadi." Yugi shook his head, getting to his feet. "I should have guessed that you'd be here."
"The Pharaoh is almost at the end of his journey." Shadi bowed to him, "It is my duty to be here."
"Shadi, what happened to Yami?" Yugi asked, more worried about his dark
"The Pharaoh has entered a world created by his memories." Shadi explained.
"What… do you mean?" Hermione asked, hesitantly and earned an amused look from Shadi. Not a smile, never a smile, but a look that conveyed amusement even as it showed his irritation at being interrupted.
"This tablet and the God Cards that the Pharaoh won so long ago in Battle City were the final keys to the door within the Millennium Puzzle which hid his memories." Shadi explained patiently. "Now the Pharaoh walks in a world created by the memories he sealed away five thousand years ago."
"A world where…"
"Of course the events that will pass are already predetermined." Shadi continued, "And the Pharaoh must battle the great evil that he faced in the past and live out his fate once more."
"What do you…?" Joey started but Yugi held up a hand.
"You mean he has to die again?" Yugi asked, fear tainting his eyes if not his tone.
"Yes."
Hermione looked from Shadi to Yugi and back. What would happen if Yami died again…? Would he come back to them? Would he disappear forever?
"And he's there alone?" Joey snarled.
"He has those who were there in ancient times."
"If Yami dies in memory world… will he come back?" Yugi asked, looking at his dark side, who was still on the ground, the heartbeat light, a deep blood red light, still pulsing above his chest in a regular pattern the only signs of life.
"The only way the Pharaoh would be able to return is if he is victorious." Shadi shook his head.
Yugi's hands balled into fists, as he tried to think of something, anything he could do to help his dark during this fight.
"And he is not the only one who treads the path of memory." Shadi continued, "The Tomb Robber, Bakura, who seeks the Millennium Items to release a dark power, followed him when he walked through the door."
"Bakura!" Joey snarled.
"That's not fair!" Yugi protested, "Bakura still has his memories! He knows how events are going to play out!"
"The Shadows are coming to their final game, the rules you are used to have changed. What is fair for one is not necessarily fair for another."
"There's a way into Memory World, isn't there?" Hermione spoke up; having run into Shadi once already and already worked out that he didn't divulge information unless it was necessary. "For us, I mean."
Yugi's eyes widened as Shadi nodded. "There is one way. The door you seek is inside the Millennium Puzzle."
Yugi thought of the daliesque maze that was a part of Yami's mind, the same maze he had once gotten lost in for three days and still not covered even a quarter of it. "But I can't get into the Puzzle right now. Without Yami…"
"The Pharaoh may be gone, but the Puzzle is not just his." Shadi shook his head, "With the power of the Millennium Key, I can get you inside and indeed, I will guide you through the traps, but when you wish to return, you are on your own. If you do not save the Pharaoh, you too will be lost forever."
Yugi looked at Joey and Hermione, "I'm…"
"Don't say it; don't even think about saying it. I'm coming, end of discussion." Joey growled at him.
"I'm not staying behind this time." Hermione told Yugi, "You guys always get to have adventures. This time I'm coming with you."
"This is different…" Yugi started.
"Yuge, we're coming." Joey stared the heir down. "Discussing it is a waste of time."
"Thank you." Yugi nodded to the pair of them with a small, anxious smile, and then turned to Shadi. "What do we need to do?"
"I will use the power of the Millennium Key." Shadi explained, "It will take us as far as the interior of the Puzzle, but it will be you, the other half of the Pharaoh's soul, who will be of most use once inside."
"What do you mean?"
"Only you can sense the Pharaoh's location and find the door."
Yugi nodded.
"Are you ready?" Shadi asked, looking at each of them in turn.
"I have a question before we leave." Yugi said, a thought striking him. "If we defeat Bakura while he's in the World of Memory, what happens to anyone he sent to the Shadow Realm?"
"If Bakura is defeated in Memory World, he will die. In that respect the world you are about to enter is fair."
"That doesn't answer my question." Yugi frowned. "What will happen to anyone Bakura trapped in the Shadow Realm if he dies?"
"If Bakura is defeated in Memory World, anyone trapped within the Shadows as penalty for losing to him, will be freed."
"Good." Yugi looked relieved.
"Do not waste what little time you have left, your task is not to hunt the Tomb Robber down. He will challenge the Pharaoh when the time is right. You must stick to your task, if you don't succeed, and the Pharaoh fails, the whole world will fall to darkness."
"What is it, exactly, we're supposed to do?" Joey demanded; annoyed as he'd wanted a shot at Bakura for everything he had done to the group.
"You must find the key to unlocking that which has been sealed for five thousand years before Bakura does. If the Tomb Robber finds it before you do, Shadows will cover the world, allowing all life to perish at the hands of a demon far more powerful then the Dark Lord you have fought before."
"We're supposed to find Yami's name." Yugi stated, realisation hitting him.
"Indeed. While the Pharaoh has been 'Yami Muto' for many years, he had a name before he was sealed into the Puzzle. It is this name that is the key to everything. If Bakura finds it, he will unleash the shadows on the world. You must find it and return it to the Pharaoh, only then will his true power be released, allowing him to defeat the beast controlling the Shadows once and for all." Shadi explained.
"How much time do we have?" Yugi asked, "How much tine remains in the world of memory?"
"I cannot tell you, but every moment you spend asking questions, is another minute lost."
Yugi nodded, understanding, and turned to look at his friends, "Ready guys?"
"As I'll ever be." Joey snorted, wondering if there had been a single time when they had jumped into danger that they had ever, really been ready.
"One sec." Hermione said, suddenly remembering the phone in her hand and raising it to her ear again, "Harry? I'll ring you back. Don't worry, we'll be fine. Speak to you later, bye." And she put the phone down.
Shadi looked bemused.
"What do we need to do?" The teenage witch asked, as she put the phone away.
"Hold hands." Shadi instructed.
Yugi took Hermione's warm hand in one, and Shadi's cold hand in the other.
"Now," And Shadi's tone changed, turning from a tone of reasoning to one of command, "In the name of the Pharaoh, I call upon the powers of the Millennium Key. Guide us through the labyrinth of the Millennium Puzzle."
The Key glowed, the Puzzle glowed in response to the call, not, as Yugi would have expected, fighting the power of the other Millennium Item, but instead adding to the power that he could sense pulling on him.
The combined glow from the two Millennium Items grew brighter and brighter.
"Muto…" The unexpected voice trailed off.
Yugi's eyes widened as he saw Seto stepping over the cord and into the room.
Then everything went white.
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Nen was furious.
The blonde haired man had worked hard to work his way up the ranks after he had been taken in by Siamun, and had managed to earn his place in the palace as Chief of the Royal Guards, answering only to the High Priests and Pharaoh himself, he'd trained all his men to the best of his ability, taught them all to guard this palace with their lives and they had tried, oh they had tried.
His guards, his friends, had tried to defend the palace against the arrival of the Thief King, Bakura, and so many of them had lost their lives because of it.
What were they, the ordinary people, supposed to do against one who could summon his Ka beast? Especially one as powerful as that Diabound creature, who had decimated his troops, even more so when you considered there were very few of them who could see the beasts, Nen was one, but there were maybe three who now lived after Bakura had decided he was going to walk into the palace after desecrating the tomb of Pharaoh Aknamkanon, and try to take the powerful Millennium Items.
Nen was still in shock at the power that the Pharaoh, who, if Nen was right, was maybe two years younger then him, had summoned.
He had had a chance to see the God of the Obelisk in action and if he hadn't feared the Pharaoh before, he certainly did now.
If Obelisk could hurt Diabound like that, and Diabound had decimated his men, what else could the God do?
"You seem troubled." Nen jumped and wheeled around, drawing his sword as he did so. "Easy Nen," The brunette girl chuckled, backing off, "I'm not a threat."
"Sorry, Mana." The guard said, putting it away and returning to watching his post, waiting for just one more hour, when the moon would be highest in the sky, when his relief would be here and he could go to sleep. "It has been a rather long day." Brown eyes told the story of how long, and Mana wished she could do more for her friend.
"I would have thought you'd have gone to bed by now." Mana looked puzzled.
"My relief never made it up here." Nen ran a hand through his hair, brushing sand out, trying not to wonder if his relief had been caught in the fighting with Bakura. "So I'm staying until morning or someone else comes along."
"I'll stay with you, if you like." Mana offered, quite content to sit on the wall that surrounded the high walkway.
"Aren't you supposed to be resting?" He frowned, welcoming the apprentice magician, but knowing that Lord Mahado, the High Priest who had organised distribution of the rest of the forces, including vital places like the Valley of the Kings, and the High Priest who taught her magic would not allow her to slack off just because she had a late night.
"Mahado has a meeting with the Pharaoh early tomorrow morn, when the messenger gets back with how Bakura managed to get past the guards at the Valley of the Kings." Mana shook her head, "I won't have lessons until tomorrow afternoon at the latest."
"And have you been practising?" Nen snorted, knowing the answer even before his friend's bright expression turned changed to one of embarrassment, "Mana!"
"There was just so much happening today that…" Mana cut off when she saw the pain on Nen's face. "I'm sorry." She murmured, coming over and taking his hand, "How many?"
"Twenty six." He growled, trying not to think of those who had been directly caught by the 'White Lightening Attack' the snake like creature had fired off and disintegrated. If only he could call his Ka beast, maybe he could have done something different and saved a few of those lives.
Mana fell silent, not really knowing what to say. Everyone in the palace felt they had failed in some way today. The Guards were split into those who didn't think they'd done enough to stop Bakura and those who had survived Bakura's attack, barely, and knew it had been a hopeless fight. Nen, their Commanding Officer felt he had failed to train them well enough, or defend them if he could somehow…
The High Priests, who most thought infallible were feeling pretty flimsy too, after they had failed to stop a 'simple' thief, with her Master the worst, after all he had 'failed' twice. Once in his role as protector of the Tombs and once to guard the Pharaoh.
She couldn't know that the Pharaoh too, felt like he had failed. He was watching the interaction from the balcony where he had gone to try and figure things out. Everyone here knew him, hardly surprising when you considered that this was one of his own memories, and yet at the same time, he still knew as little as he did when he had first arrived here.
The people he had been introduced to today, were they friends, co-workers, servants? How many others did he know, but at the same time had completely forgotten. He had thought that once he'd presented the God Cards to the Tablet of the Pharaoh, all would be revealed, but if anything he was more confused now then when he had woken up on the throne and everything Bakura had been spouting earlier didn't help.
He knew he shouldn't trust the Tomb Robber, but if this really was, as he suspected, a world formed from his memories, then Bakura had told him this before, a really, really long time ago. Had he paid attention then? Had it actually been true five thousand years ago? He felt like banging his head against a wall, except that would probably bring a servant running and then he'd have to explain himself and he really didn't want to do that.
It didn't help that his most trusted advisor appeared to be High Priest Mahado, for he was certain that he did know and trust Mahado, and yet something was telling Yami that this wasn't the guise that he knew the High Priest in.
He knew a Mahado very well indeed. He had had the Dark Magician by the same name at his side for two or three years now, and yet it couldn't be the same Mahado, for the Mahado here was defiantly human.
Was it possible that Mahado the Dark Magician was the ka of the Mahado he had known all these years ago?
He smiled slightly when the girl on the palace wall waved at him and the man she was with suddenly went straight to attention, pretending he had never been distracted.
"Pardon me, my Pharaoh."
Yami blinked and turned around to find Mahado kneeling before him. "What is the matter, Mahado?"
"My Pharaoh, please excuse my interruption, but it's not wise for you to be out here alone." The priest answered.
Yami gained an almost imperceptible frown, he knew Mahado was right, after all there was more then one way to get to this balcony and anyone who could get past the guards would find him an easy target, alone and distracted like this. "Perhaps you're right." He sighed, having enjoyed the cool night air which was so very different from the cold and windy Scotland or the warm but often wet Japan, "We should go."
Mahado nodded and again Yami recognised his old friend in the expression, "Yes, stay close, especially after today."
Yami wanted to reassure him, try and convince him that it wasn't his fault, but he didn't know what to say, didn't know how he would have acted five thousand years ago, so he stayed silent and followed the barer of the Millennium Ring down the steps.
A question kept popping into his head that the Pharaoh didn't particularly like. If Mahado had worn the Ring five thousand years ago, how had Bakura gotten his hands on it?
Mahado was muttering under his breath, having seen the girl on the wall and scowled because of it, something along the lines of 'she shouldn't be distracting the guards' and 'I'll give her double the practise tomorrow if something happens because of this'.
"Something the matter?" Yami couldn't help asking, amused by the thought of the Dark Magician acting this way.
"No, my Pharaoh." Mahado shook his head, frustration still showing, "I assume you saw Mana talking with one of the guards."
Yami nodded, a flash of memory catching him off guard. Not much but enough for him to know the basics about the girl who was only a year younger then him. "She did not appear to be distracting him." The Pharaoh replied, trying not to think about the possibilities.
It was possible that Mana was a common name in these times, right?
Mahado didn't reply to that, just carried on down the stairs.
By the time they had reached the bottom of the staircase, Mana and her friend, who had obviously been released from his post at some point, were just coming across the courtyard.
The friend knelt almost immediately. "My Pharaoh, Lord Mahado."
A moment of shock coursed through Yami. He remembered Ombre saying something about remembering someone like Joey, but for some odd reason the thought that his friends from the modern era could have been known to him in the past as well hadn't occurred to him.
"Rise." Yami said quickly, cursing his lack of memories, wishing he knew the man's name, since he seemed to be so important to his friend.
The blonde stood up, towering over the Pharaoh, as most did, and proceeded answer all of Mahado's questions about the placement of the guards, who was on duty and how many guards they had left. During this conversation the Pharaoh learned… or maybe relearned, the guard's name and discovered that there was a lot about palace security that he had no clue about.
"He'll be going for hours." Mana muttered under her breath, causing Yami to smile slightly but not enough to give the game away, however Mahado's hearing was sharper then either of them had anticipated and the High Priest wheeled around and glowered at his protégée.
Yami made yet another mental note to never aggravate Mahado.
Seeing that Mahado would go on at Mana for much longer if he was left to it, Yami deliberately yawned, faking tiredness in order to get Mana off the hook and too allow her and her friend, Nen, to go off and do whatever they were planning to do.
Mahado didn't get completely distracted, issuing Mana yet more homework before he sent her on her way, but he did finally stop scolding and carried on walking with him towards the rooms where he slept.
That was one luxury Yami was looking forward to. Not a dorm room, not a room, rooms. Rooms all to himself. No trying to fit three beds into one tiny bedroom, no having to clamber over each other to get out of the room at night.
Rooms all to himself.
"Should I send a servant to draw your bath, my Pharaoh?" Mahado asked as he pushed the door open and preceded him, cautious in case of a fresh invasion.
"If you would, I would be appreciative." Yami nodded as Mahado did a quick sweep of the room, checking outside the huge window, inside the bathroom, and finally sending out a wave of magic that whispered to Yami as it passed that swept into all the smallest gaps and, presumably, found out if there was anyone hiding within the room.
A bath did sound good, he disliked feeling sticky and horrible, a feeling he had to have formed in the last few years, since it had probably been an almost permanent state of affairs back in Egypt. "Mahado…" Yami hesitated, wondering if it would be out of character for him to thank Mahado for all his concern. They appeared to be friends, and Yugi thanked his friends all the time…
"Yes, my Pharaoh?" Mahado asked, having been headed for the door to call a servant.
"I want to thank you, for your concern." Yami said, watching Mahado's reaction. "Today has been… trying… and I know you've been doing all you can to try to prevent a repeat, so… thank you."
"You're welcome, my Pharaoh." Mahado nodded, smiling slightly. The smile didn't reach his eyes though, disappointing Yami slightly, though he wasn't completely surprised. If this really was the Mahado he knew, it would take a lot more then a 'thank you' to get the priest to feel at ease again. "Just give me a moment."
The High Priest popped out the door and a few moments later a pair of servants entered the room and headed straight for the bathroom.
An odd question popped into Yami's head.
How did they run baths, if there was no plumbing?
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Seto groaned and sat up, glowering at his surroundings.
This was not the museum. Nor was it Kaiba Corp or any of the other thirty million places he'd rather be hunting down Bakura in.
The turbaned man from the museum was already conscious and looked like he was just waiting for the others.
Yugi was the next to wake up, looking around and grinning slightly, before scrambling over to Joey and shaking him. "Joey. Joey."
The blonde groaned and muttered something about five more minutes, making Yugi growl slightly and somehow conjuring a bucket of water out of nowhere, before retreating and chucking the water at his friend.
Well that certainly woke the man up and his swearing brought Hermione out of unconsciousness.
"Is this it?" She asked, looking around and trying to ignore the fact Joey was threatening Yugi with murder and mayhem if he did that again.
"Is this what?" Kaiba demanded.
"Looks like it to me." Joey nodded, "It looks kinda familiar, but then all these corridors look the same."
"Prince Yugi…" Shadi interrupted.
"I know, I know." Yugi nodded, "We need to do this quickly."
Seto's snarl caught the attention of everyone there, "Do what? What have you dragged me into this time, Muto?"
"I didn't drag you into anything, Kaiba." Yugi glowered back. He didn't need this right now, they had too much they needed to do, and if Seto was going to call him by surname then he was going to do the same. "You're the one who entered the room while we were transporting. We've got a mission to do, and if you want to go after Bakura, I suggest that you tag along."
Seto, who didn't show how surprised he was when Yugi snapped back, unused to such displays of temper from the hikari when Yami wasn't petrified, just glowered, "What mission?"
"I'll explain, Rich Boy." Joey waved him off as Yugi started opening doors and Hermione picked herself up. "But we need to start moving. It's not just Mokuba at stake here."