all disclaimers apply

As Yugi and his grandfather exited the plane, they were greeted by Marik, Ishizu, and Rishid.

"Greetings." Ishizu replied.

"Hi all." Yugi stated and his grandfather nodded his greeting as well.

"Come, we have much to discuss and show you." Ishizu replied as she led them out of the airport terminal.

As Yugi entered Egyptian air for the first time, he balked at the sudden rush of heat. "Uh, wait a minute." he said as he focused inwardly. /Yami...you take over. This heat is probably something you're used to./

//I don't remember so how can I be 'used' to it as you say.//

/That Egyptian blood of yours should remember./

//I don't have blood...I'm a spirit. I have your blood.//

/Oh right. So...just takeover for a while until I get used to it/

//It's your fault you wore all black. Didn't you realize black absorbs heat more than any other color?//

/Don't start with your lectures. You may find the information more suited to you anyway. Ishizu directs most information towards 'the pharaoh' anyway./

//Fine then. So be it.// Yami replied as he and Yugi switched. Yami inhaled. Perhaps to some extent Yugi was right. He felt a sense of nostalgia and comfort in the dry, yet sweltering heat.

The others immediately noticed the change in Yugi. They now knew the pharaoh was in control of the body. Sugoroku chuckled lightly. His grandson was never one to adapt quickly to extremes. He likely talked the pharaoh into dealing with the intense heat instead.

"My pharaoh." Ishizu said in acknowledgement with a slight nod of the head. Marik just rolled his eyes. He saw little need for such formalities, but his sister seemed to take it all very seriously.

All boarded the desert-modified Land Rover and were soon on their way towards the less-civilized, unforgiving, parched desert abodes of royal ancients gone by.

Yami gazed out the window thoughtlessly and images whizzed by. Nothing he saw reminded him of anything. Yet he could still feel a sense of nostalgia and a new sensation...was it longing? Regardless, Yami hoped something here would give him some clue of his past.

Rishid drove on as Ishizu and Marik filled in Yugi's grandfather on generalizations of the findings.

Ancient Egypt...

In silence she crept just as in silence she wept. With the grace of a solitary lioness on a hunt within the night, Kashir slinked her way into the medical wing and to her captive lover. While she could not risk a visit to the dungeons, she could risk the chance in the medical ward. In the medical rooms, she had a multitude of excuses, or reasons for her presence. With her eyes adjusted to the night, she could make out the slight sheen of metallic bars in the faint moonlight. As she drew ever near, she could see a shadow of a form within. It was no beast but rather one sickly human. Kashir held her hands to her mouth to hold in her gasp though tears ran freely down her cheeks. Anhur was nothing of the glamorous creature she knew. His tight muscles withered in weakness, his bronzen skin dulled in paleness, and his unique mane of hair matted in raggedness. Fever and infection had reduced this fine piece of young man into a soul seeking an end to it all.

"Oh mighty Atemu, if you can hear me now, help me spare your son." she whispered to the skies above. She then knelt down to the cage and whispered. "Anhur...love? Can you hear me? Please?"

Anhur fought through his fever-induced haze of consciousness. He recognized the voice immediately and knew that whatever strength he had remaining was needed now. He had to escape and take Kashir with him. He could die after...but only beyond the palace walls...as a free man. Kashir could leave the country and free herself from the tyranny of the evils that lurked within the palace. "Kas...."

"Oh thank Ra, you can still think!" she whispered in relief. It wasn't meant to be a joke, but Anhur coughed a chuckle regardless.

"Out." Anhur spoke.

"Yes I know. You're in mortal danger here. Since the prince hasn't killed you yet, I can only predict that a much worse fate awaits you." Kashir said as she held a jug of water through the bars to Anhur's parched mouth. "Do you think you can walk?"

Anhur choked down as much water as he could. He needed strength, but his body would not handle exertion so soon. "No. Need ka."

"Ka?"

"Summon beast...carry me...out...defend me...us."

"Anhur, I cannot leave."

"Must."

"If I leave, our doom is inevitable."

"Doom...now...anyway." Anhur slowly whispered. "With...child?"

"Me? I don't know yet."

"Yes."

"How do you know?"

"Just do...must leave...too...fu...ture...at...stake."

Kashir's emotions were running amok like a herd of stampeding wildebeast. Too much too soon. Rescue her lover, risk her own life, find out she's likely with child, leave the only life she's known...and---

"You...summon...use ka."

"Anhur, I do not know how."

"I...help...jackal...amulet?"

"Yes, I have it."

"Is...magic...made from...Atemu's...dia...diank."

Kashir pulled out the little golden jackal figure from a pouch upon her waist. "This?"

"Can...summon...special...beast."

"But how?"

"Give me...your...hands." Anhur replied as he used some precious strength to reach out from the bars. With the jackal amulet held tightly within, Kashir placed her hands within his. She could feel his skin on fire. The fever was very serious, but she had to shove it aside. Anhur wrapped his hands around hers. "Now...focus...heart and... soul...to me...and fu...ture."

She closed her eyes and focused every ounce of her heart and soul inwardly. She thought of the special moments she and Anhur had shared...their love...peace...happiness.

"Good...can feel it. Keep fo...cus." Anhur replied as he enacted a risky act. As a last resort, one's ba can be utilized...at the potential cost of sucking one's very life away. Using some of his ba and Kashir's ka, the jackal amulet began a dim glow.

Kashir could feel her very essence surge within her body. It felt as though her very body was on fire and the fire coursed from her heart, down her arms, and to their clasped hands. Was this ka? She did not know, but she fully trusted Anhur.

Within moments a sudden bright flash appeared then disappeared just to their left. Where the flash had been now stood a strange looking beast. It seemed like a lion, yet had an eerily human shaped body and a strange single horn protruding from the middle of its head. Kashir was instinctively frightened and Anhur sensed it.

"Don't...fear...he is...Gazelle...one of...Ate...mu's...faves."

Kashir wanted to ask him how he knew all this, but it would have to wait. He released her hands and she frantically looked about for a way to free her lover from the cage. She didn't see a key left conveniently around. "How do I get you out?"

"Move...for...minute." Anhur said to her as closed his eyes once again and focused while sliding to a far end of the cage. Suddenly a massive paw with sharp claws swooped forward and with little effort, sliced the bars then bent the lower ones outward so Anhur would have a pathway out. The beast then stepped back and sat upon its haunches, awaiting its next command. Kashir stared in awe.

"Help?" Anhur asked thus breaking Kashir out of her stupor.

"Oh yes, I'm sorry." Kashir apologized as she immediately returned to Anhur's side and helped pull him out of the cage. Once out, the beast was called to them and laid down.

"Get on...his back." Anhur directed.

"And you?"

"In teeth." Anhur replied back. He watched as Kashir straddled the beast's massive back and grabbed its thick, dark mane for balance. The beast's head then dipped and gently scooped Anhur's body by its mouth. The beast was large enough that Anhur's slim chest actually fit width-wise in its mouth, just behind its massive canine teeth. Slightly closing its mouth, the beast secured his master. Then with as smooth a rush as it could, it lunged out of the medical wing and lept out the nearest window. The beast moved so quickly that it was never seen from the initial escape all the way to beyond the palace walls. It continued on until they found secluded cover in a small oasis just outside of the main city. There it stopped and laid out in Sphinx fashion. It lowered its head and gently placed Anhur upon the ground just as Kashir slid off its back. Then...as suddenly as it appeared, the beast was gone.

Kashir rushed to Anhur's side worried that in his condition, he may not have survived the ride. "Anhur?"

"Nyuuuhh?"

"Thank Ra, you're not dead!"

"Now...leave me."

"WHAT?!"

"Get...help."

"I can't! Where? How? Who?" Kashir spat in sudden panic.

With energy nearly gone, Anhur used a little bit more to point towards a nearby hill. "In cave...old man...can help...just say...my name...hurry."

Kashir stood and hesitated. She didn't want to leave Anhur helpless and alone. She had no idea if anyone had noticed their escape. And, even if they didn't this night, they would by morning. She wasn't sure how much time was left before sunrise.

"GO!" Anhur commanded. Time was of the essence, not only for their escape to be made good, but because Anhur's very life was slipping away.

to be continued...