all disclaimers apply

' = Yugi speaking in soul room

/ = Yami speaking in soul room

After relentless hours of driving upon sand-swept roads, the looming cliffs of the Valley of the Kings appeared over the horizon. Desolate and foreboading, the canyons within were ideal final resting places for Egypt's great pharaohs.

"The Valley of the Kings." Marik stated flatly as all had trained their eyes upon the mighty cliffs.

"Cut and shaped by the mighty Nile herself. And hostile to any who tred unprepared into her depths." Ishizu continued. "We, however, are not entering the resting place of kings, but rather that of the princes and queens. Perhaps deadlier than the Kings' Valley and virtually unmapped."

Yami continued his blank stare out the window, seemingly oblivious to the conversation within the vehicle...until Yugi spoke up within the soul room.

'You're quiet Yami. As grandpa always said, it's the quiet ones you have to watch out for. What're you thinking?'

Yami sighed. /I'm not sure. The terrain gives me a sense of longing yet I remember none of it./

'You're home...in a matter of speaking.'

/Perhaps aibou. But it no longer feels as a home should be./ Yami replied solemnly then after a long pause. /It is not home anymore. This I know. Where ever my home may be, it is not here anymore./

'Until then Yami, my home is your home.'

/Aibou--/ Yami replied and could not find the right words to express his gratitude. Yugi always seemed to know how to lighten his mood be it with words or his innocent kindness and expressions. Yami continued his blank stare out the window.

After another hour or so of driving, Rishid pulled the vehicle into a densly bushed grove and stopped.

"We must go the rest of way on foot. The path we are to use to enter the resting place of queens and princes is only known to us tomb keepers. Rishid will remain behind to cover all traces of our tracks from the vehicle and our feet as we continue. Nobody should ever discover the location of this path nor the resting place we will be entering." Ishizu stated as she and Marik removed the gear from the back of the vehicle. Grandpa followed as Yami was the last to exit the vehicle. He stared upward and followed a vulture's circling soar above the sheer cliffs. From somewhere along the cliffs the screeching cry of a falcon sounded.

"The guardians of the gods welcome you pharaoh." Marik mentioned as he too, heard the falcon and saw the vulture on high.

Yami turned to look briefly at Marik. Everything was eerily familiar yet completely foreign at the same time.

A small donkey and Marik's mongoose welcomed the familiar voice of their master and exited their hiding place within the brush. Marik patted both and hoisted the mongoose upon his shoulders. It quickly wrapped itself around his neck like a scarf. The donkey stood its ground and allowed Marik to hoist their equipment upon its back.

Songoruku stared in amazement. This Marik was a lot different than the one he remembered from the view screens during Battle City.

Within moments all was ready and they began their trek towards the resting place of the queen of the Nameless Pharaoh. Yami followed beside the donkey quietly. His mind was racing and his feelings were a flurry of emotions entangling and just as complex as the labyrinth of his soul room.

Ancient Egypt...

Kashir raced towards the hill as fast as her legs would carry her. She tripped and stumbled through the whisping dunes, but was relentless in her trek to the hill. Never once did her eyes leave its image in the foreground.

As she approached its base, she had to tear through thick brush and thorns, tearing at her own skin like the claws of a cat. Ignoring the searing pain of the toxic thorns, she continued along its base seeking an opening to its upper portions.Soon the thorny thickets gave way to a hidden grove...a small oasis embedded within complete with water. Immediately she came to a screeching halt and ducked within the brush for cover and silence. Within the small pool of water was a man...or at least she thought he was a man. Completely nude and hairless aside from his grey brows, this man was cleansing himself. His back bore long gashed crocodilian-like scars. Kashir gasped then gasped once more as his frontside was revealed...he was a eunuch. She had never seen one unclothed before. Was this the old man Anhur told her to seek out? She waited for him to finish his bathing before revealing her presence.

"Sir?" she spoke softly, her voice revealing her nervousness.

The old man placed a cloth about himself as he turned towards the voice. "It has been ages since a fair maiden's voice has called to me. Come out child, reveal yourself." he spoke. His voice was high-pitched and boyish. He had been castrated before puberty. It also explained why his manhood was practically non-existent.

Kashir stepped forward boldy. She was still uncomfortable with the entire situation but then she remembered Anhur and all discomfort and shyness was forgotten. "Sir, Anhur sent me. He asked for you."

"Anhur? Ahh yes, that secret whelp of the previous pharaoh. What deviant act has he caused this time that requires my expertise?"

"Sir, he's dying."

The old man didn't reveal any surprised expression. "Then we must hurry. I will get my things. Lead me to him." the old man replied and with the agility of a man half his age, scaled the slippery hillside to a hole within the muddy steeps. He emerged quickly after carrying a canvas bag. "Lead me o him young lady."

As Kashir and the old man trekked towards Anhur, they spoke briefly. Kashir informed him of her name and how Anhur came to be in the predicament that he was now in. The old man in turn revealed his own name and how he come to know Anhur.

"Doesn't that fool know that the throne is not what destiny seeks him to attain! Got too much of his father in him for his own damn good."

"Qeb, I have not heard Anhur speak of such."

"He challenges the prince does he not?"

"Yes."

"Then directly or not, he challenges the throne itself. If he is successful, he will attain the throne."

"He seeks justice."

"Justice? For what? If I can prevent the boy from entering the afterlife, I will have words with him for he has strayed from his intended path."

"Intended path?"

"All explanations later, my dear. Let's deal with the here and now first for if Anhur does not survive, there won't be a path to worry about."

Soon Qeb and Kashir were upon the hidden resting place of Anhur. He was barely awake. With great effort, he lifted one heavy eyelid. Qeb immediately went into a rush of examination of the dying young man as Kashir worriedly looked on.

"Infection. It's coursing his body and poisoning his blood." Qeb responded as he examined the wounds. "This will hurt, but if you feel the pain, then it means you're still alive boy." Qeb spoke as he unwrapped a spotlessly clean dagger. With it he incised the festering wounds, opening their once healing tissues so that blood could ooze out once again. He also incised a few areas that bore no wounds.

"Kashir, fetch some water and palm fronds." Qeb commanded as he heard the worried gasps of Anhur's lady-friend. As she reluctantly nodded and departed, Qeb returned his attentions to his 'patient.'

"Dabbling in the dark magics are you and blasted by some of the same by the looks of it. Your father just had to pass on his magical abilities to you didn't he boy. You're much like him, in more ways than I wish you were. Both of you have a knack for being heroic troublemakers. But that stubbornness you both share is doing you some good now boy. You're fighting to live on. Good. You'll need every ounce of that stubborn strength and pride. I don't think the gods wish to welcome you to the afterlife just yet." Qeb spoke as he continued to administer his medical and magical abilities upon the boy.

Kashir soon returend with the items requested. As Qeb finished his initial treatments, he stood and looked about. "It's not safe here. I take it Anhur's not in good graces with the prince nor pharaoh. We must move him to my abode within the hillside." Qeb spoke as he looked at Kashir.

"How? Neither you nor I can carry---"

A blinding white glow surrounded Qeb. Standing before Kashir was a ghostly white leopard. It sat upon its haunches and urged Kashir to drag the now bandaged Anhur upon its back.

Kashir was stupified by the strange magics of the old man, but knew enough not to question it now. Anhur was of the utmost priority. Answers and explanations could be found later. It took some effort, but Kashir managed to sling Anhur over the pale cat's back. It slowly rose to its feet. It looked at Kashir then the canvas bag then back a Kashir. She understood and grabbed the canvas bag then followed the leopard onward back towards the thickets of the hillside.

Once safely within the hidden caverns of the hillside, Qeb returned to his human form with yet another blinding flash. He started a fire with his bare hands and placed the now sleeping Anhur beside it. He wrapped the young man in thick woven blankets then turned his attentions to Kashir. He grabbed a jar of salve and handed it to her. "For your own wounds. Looks like you had battle with my friends outside."

"Friends?" Kashir asked as she took the offered salve. The she thought about it...their initial exit together then this recent return did not cause a single thorn scratch. "They parted?"

"Yes. They will do that with the proper magical incantations."

"So you know magics?" she inquired as she placed some of the strange goop upon her thorn cuts.

"Yes, but not like the magics this young man knows. There is a difference between light and dark magics."

"But the only trained magic users in this kingdom reside within the palace or city walls. So, you were once a member of the palace?"

Qeb nodded. "And now?" Kashir asked.

"An outcast, but by my own choosing. Once the dark magics were brought into the palace, I bid it my farewell. As an apprentice of light magic, it was nearly impossible to tolerate the torment the presence of dark magic caused."

"The Millenium Items? If I remember my history correctly, these items possessed great magic, but also a dark and evil aura."

"Yes. If you know of the palace histories then you are from the palace yourself. A concubine? No. Anhur would not be in the company of such. You must be someone of great importance. By age and your mannerisms, I predict a royal princess. Not Seto's though. Perhaps a bride to the Prince?"

"Your intuition is as amazing as your magical abilities Qeb. Now let me see if I can match your intuition with my own. You said you were a member of light magic. And your age puts your prime during Akunamukanon's reign. Only nobility and royalty was trained in magics. That makes you someone important in that throne room. Yet, your eunuch status confuses me."

Qeb chuckled. "Ah yes, you did summon for me during a more private moment. But, at least I was clean in the presence of a royal princess. As a boy, I was much like Anhur...noble, just, and heroic...with trouble at every turn. My best friends were the twin royal brothers themselves...Akunadin and Akunamukanon though Akunamu was usually busy with learning the facets of becoming a king. Akunadin and I were often left to each other's company. Akunadin was a bit of a bully...often challenging me to stupid dares. Naturally though, I usually accepted such as I did not want to be deemed a coward in the prince's eyes. One time, when we were eight, he dared me to enter the chambers of the females. I did, but was caught. The penalty for any male...boy or man, entering the females' quarters without permission is castration. Only Akunadin escaped this punishment since he was a royal prince. Though not the chosen one to become pharaoh, he was next in line should anything happen to Akunamukanon. So, he had to remain intact. I bore the punishment for both of us, but moreso for my own stupidity. I knew better and fell prey to Akunadin's stupid persuasiveness."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. I deserved it. One learns from one's mistakes. And I learned from that point on that Akunadin was one to be watched and not trusted. It was he who ratted on me to the palace guards that I was within the females' chambers. I was correct in every way about him eventhough for a brief time, while he was with his wife and newborn son, he was a decent fellow."

It was then that Anhur stirred and moaned. Qeb stood and knelt beside his patient, feeling his head for fever. He then urged a bowl of drinking water to the young man's lips and allowed water to eep into his mouth.

"Will he be okay?"

"Hard to say. I had to drain a lot of his blood and could not replace it. His body has to make more on its own. He's very weak, but he has a strong heart. He seems to know he has a purpose to live on which is why he is fighting to stay within the mortal world. Rest is his best medicine right now. If there is a recovery, it'll be a long one." Qeb stated as he once again returned to his seat beside Kashir.

Kashir's head was down in worry. "He must live. I don't know how I can live on if he---"

Suddenly Qeb realized the seriousness of the situation evenmoreso. He interrupted her. "You love him. And his strength of heart is likely from his love of you. We all tred dangerous ground now. The prince will seek your return. Your return would be a death sentence for you both." Qeb stated then turned to the sleeping Anhur. "Oh Anhur, when you cause trouble, you do it royally so and not just literally. You may have even surpassed your father on this one." Then Qeb focused inwardly within himself. He was utilizing magic once again. When his eyes opened again, he spoke. "You are with child. Anhur's I presume. Am I correct?"

"You are a seer as well as doctor? I think so. I'm not sure. My next red moon is not for another week or so."

"We may not have that much time to find out if you are with child or not. To ensure your future and that of the potential child's, you must leave Egypt. Flee to the south...to the fertile lands beyond Nubia."

"I WON'T leave Anhur!"

"He cannot be moved as of yet. Besides, the prince and pharaoh will assume him dead anyway. You, however, they know is very much alive."

"I WON'T leave Anhur!"

Qeb sighed. When young lovers were involved, there was just no negotiating with them!

Elsewhere...

Sethos reigned his horse in hard. The expert Nubian tracker had done his job well as he pointed to a large patch of blood.

"Human?" Sethos asked the Nubian slave in Nubian.

The Nubian bent forward and studied the tracks around the blood pool. There were leopard tracks in their midst. "Taken by leopard. Ate here. No dragging of carcass."

"But there are no bones."

The Nubian continued his study of the scene. The leopard tracks led away, but so did a human's. It was baffling. What was more baffling was there were no entry tracks made by the leopard. It was like it appeared out of thin air!

Sethos' mind was racing with attempts at his own theory of the scene. Kashir was missing though he only knew this because her servant girls brought this matter to his attention. Anhur was missing. Two human tracks in. Two human tracks returned to the scene. Only one human and one large cat that appeared from nowhere left. Plus a large pool of blood which was likely human.

"Outward tracks lead to thicket over there." the Nubian tracker said as he pointed towards the thorn-walled hillside.

Sethos looked towards the hill. "Leave it. We return to the palace. I will discuss this matter with pharaoh himself. If I must, I will bring an entire regiment back and deal with this beast and humans." Sethos replied as he turned his horse back towards the palace. He had learned well. Do not jump forward into something that cannot be explained, something unknown. Find out all that can be found first and always have backup.

to be continued...