Chapter Text

Pharaoh of Egypt, this shadow game will end with your forfeit.

"This is an outrage! I know I had all the paperwork in order. I confirmed with them three times after making the appointment and now they say their guide can't make it and they can't get another until next week, and our flight home leaves in three days. It's like they don't care about their own history!" Yugi's grandfather stormed out of the Ministry of Culture building, Yugi in tow.

"I know these bureaucrat types," he continued, "I've been working around them for decades. They'll take any excuse to avoid visiting a tomb. It's all superstitious nonsense. We historians try our best to find out what we can everywhere else but that's where the frontier is. Burial rites were very important to the Egyptians and tomb carvings still contain the most reliable histories of individual pharaohs. I was going to surprise you but this wasn't going to be just any expedition: I found the tomb of the nameless pharaoh. That's where we were going."

Yugi's eyes widened. It was all his grandfather could talk about for the last few months: the pharaoh most famously unknown to history. For some reason his name wasn't recorded anywhere. The only references to him called him either Nameless Pharaoh or Pharaoh of Shadows. There were actually many records from that time but they were very inconsistent and had a lot of stories that were clearly propaganda on one side or another of a conflict that happened during his rule. "I'm sorry we won't get to see it but if you know where it is you can just see it again the next time you get a chance, right?"

The old man smirked. "Who said we're not going to see it? I'm not going home empty-handed. Even if I can't officially prove my results I can still learn the truth and then unofficially hypothesize something that just happens to turn out to be right. It works better than you'd expect. People still remember Democritus for guessing the existence of atoms even though he didn't have much real evidence for it at the time. We still need a guide of course. The Egyptians are a little touchy about good maps of the Valley of Kings. I know where it is relative to a few other well-known tombs. It won't be an official visit but I know a few...unofficial contacts who would be willing to make the journey for the right price. No time like the present. Let's go back to the hotel. I'll make the calls there."

"Why do you need a guide if you know where it is?"

"I know it's near a few other tombs that only the Egyptian government officially knows about. The guide will lead us there."

They were to meet the guide the next day at a local coffee house. Yugi and his grandfather arrived at the agreed-upon time, made an order, then left. A minute later, a young woman followed them out. She was a little older than Yugi, but it was hard to tell exactly. She wore a white cloak with a hood effective for keeping sand and sun out of the eyes. It was hard to see it clearly but she wore a pale gold necklace with some kind of ornamental design in the front. Her eyes were shut but she seemed to have no trouble knowing where to walk.

She approached Yugi's grandfather. "Do you have the time?"

"I know the time but I do not have it," he replied automatically.

"Then the time is now. You have the payment."

"Yes, here you are. As promised." He fished out his wallet and handed her a handful of bills.

She took them and without looking. "And the rest?"

"I don't know what you mean. This is the amount we agreed on."

"This is the amount to lead one person. You didn't mention him. More risk of customers talking means higher costs on our end."

"Fine, fine. It's always something with your little association. Here's twice the amount. That should more than cover it."

She carried the money to a car and gave the money to an associate within. She really was walking with her eyes closed. Was she blind? Why send a blind girl as a navigator? "This way."

Yugi was about to ask but his grandfather gave him a look that seemed to say we have a guide, don't rock the boat. It was a very precise look. They followed in silence. It was a very long walk but they both managed to keep up with the guide. Solomon Moto was very healthy for his age. After a few hours they arrived at a small pyramid that looked to Yugi just like the dozens of others they had passed on the way.

"This is the place. We uncovered the entrance for you but did not enter. This is as far as I will lead you. I'm sure you won't have trouble finding your way back."

"Just head East, I know. Thank you for your service." Yugi's grandfather started walking toward the hole near the base of the pyramid.

Yugi was about to follow, but the guide stopped him and turned to the historian. "You know the rules, but I want to make sure your grandson does as well."

"Fine, fine. Talk to him all you want. I'm too old to wait around for all this nonsense." He switched his flashlight on and entered the tomb, leaving the two of them alone.

There was a long pause. "So what are the rules?"

"You would do well to believe whatever you see in there, even if it is impossible. Be careful."

Yugi blinked. "That's it?" There was no answer. "Why do you keep your eyes closed all the time?"

"Because I don't need to open them."

He should have known she'd just say something creepy. Grandpa trusted her to lead them to the right place. That would have to be enough. Yugi entered the tomb.

When Yugi reached the end of the stairs he got a strange feeling like he wasn't where he was. When he turned around he found a solid wall behind him. He started to panic then took a deep breath. Step one, calm down. Step two, state the problem. I need to find the exit back. He aimed his flashlight around the room. There was a pedestal with something on it, but no entrances or exits. This was clearly impossible. He must be confused. Walls didn't just appear, and if one had fallen it would have made a loud noise. Yugi snapped his fingers. His ears still seemed to be working. Maybe he passed out? That still didn't explain how he got here. If he was in the same room, why did the exit disappear? If he passed out and somehow fell into another room, how did he get in if there wasn't an entrance? Maybe there's some sort of optical illusion and he just couldn't see the exit from here. Yes, that made sense. Yugi carried his flashlight around the room, stepping lightly just in case there were any loose stones. After intently examining each wall, there were plenty of pictures and hieroglyphics but no exits, just as it seemed.

That left the pedestal in the middle. It couldn't possibly have anything to do with the current situation but there wasn't much else to do but investigate it. It held a golden three-sided pyramid. The top of the pyramid had a circular loop interlocked with a long golden chain. The sides each contained an ornate golden eye. Why wasn't there any dust? If it were a real artifact it would be ancient. As crazy as it sounded, somebody must have put it here recently. Maybe it did have something to do with the current situation. Yugi picked it up.

"Hero, monster, or fool?"

Yugi was so startled by the voice he dropped what he was holding. "Excuse me?"

"There are three types of people in the world. Heroes, monsters, and fools. Which are you?"

Where was this voice coming from? Something about it seemed to evade all definitions of volume and direction. Second, who talks like that?

"Um, I don't know about all that. I'm Yugi Moto. I'm here with my grandfather on an expedition but I got lost. Who are you?"

"I suppose we'll find out which you are in time. I have been called many things but most of the roles I once played have passed on. You may call that which is left of me Yami. Pharaoh was once me. Welcome to my tomb."

Yugi considered just playing along but that girl had warned him...there was no harm in asking. "Why should I believe you?"

"Because it is true."

"I don't know that. You could be lying."

"I do not lie. It is beneath me."

Maybe if he temporarily assumed part of it was true for contradiction. "What if you're someone else? If you're not you maybe lying isn't beneath you."

"Believe what you want. There are more important things to discuss."

Yugi paused. "You know how to get out of here?"

"I do, but first I would like to discuss the Millennium Puzzle."

"What's that?"

"The item you just dropped."

"How is that a puzzle? It's just an object."

The voice paused. "In time you may find out. I challenge you to a shadow game. If you can make it through the challenges I designed to test the next wielder of the Puzzle I will lead you out of the tomb. If not, I will destroy you and take the Puzzle back."

"I'm sorry, I still don't believe any of this. I'm trying not to be rude but this is clearly nonsense. Are you going to help me get out or not?"

"I suppose it is not to surprising that such things would eventually be forgotten, even as legends. If you need proof, try to call the Puzzle to your hand without picking it up. Do be careful with the chain. It is not as durable as the Puzzle."

Yugi sighed. Whoever this was wasn't going to let go. There was no cost in trying. He reached his hand out and pulled...then flinched at the weight of the golden pyramid appearing in his hand so suddenly. It fell to the floor again. Yugi was stunned. There were only two possibilities. Either he had spontaneously gone completely insane for no reason, or he'd just made the biggest discovery since, well, since this thing was forgotten. After experimentally dropping it and teleporting it back to himself a few times, he picked it up and walked to the nearest wall. He hit the wall with the point of the Puzzle, chipping loose a small chunk of stone. It was certainly a lot harder than gold ought to be. Maybe whatever was protecting this thing made it effectively the hardest substance in the universe, if the part about it being invincible was true. There had to be important scientific and industrial applications but now wasn't the time. But how did it work - not the time. Later.

"What's to stop me from carving my way out with this?"

"What would stop the tomb from caving in on you if you did?"

Fair point. And what about the Pharaoh? Ghosts are real? Not the time. First I have to get out.

"I guess I don't have a choice. I'll play your game."

"Then let the shadow game begin."

After another long walk, Ishizu Ishtar returned to the car waiting for her and got in.

Her brother looked up from his book. "It's done?"

"It's done."

"That makes all seven."

"All of them are in place."

"Will it be enough?"

"Yes."