Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ The Love of a Priestess ❯ The Ancient Memory ( Chapter 5 )

The Pharaoh closed his eyes; as he did so, the darkness lightened and dispersed slightly. By the time his eyes had reopened, the darkness was gone and replaced by the memory.

It was, indeed, a strange memory.

The Pharaoh and a Priest-the High Priest, from his garments-were playing an ancient game of Duel Monsters. They were in a temple like the one I'd seen the young woman in. I could hear, in the background, screams and cries. Without seeing or really hearing, I could sense the blood and violence and disorder that surrounded this duel. Both the High Priest and the Pharaoh had locked themselves away from the rest of the world, leaving it in chaos. They were completely focused on their duel. One at a time, they each summoned forth their monsters. I watched the High Priest call upon the Blue Eyes, White Dragon, and the Pharaoh summon his professed favorite, the Dark Magician. They stood opposite each other, man and Monster together, the fate of the world resting on their shoulders.

~~~~~

I blinked and shook my head to clear away the memory. The Pharaoh stood nearby, closer than I had thought. He reached out and put a firm hand on my shoulder, as if to steady himself.

"Can you tell me what it means?" he asked breathlessly. Conjuring the memory for me to see must have taken some effort, I realized.

I shook my head. "I know only bits and pieces. This is only the second memory I have extracted from you. When I gather enough memories for the course of Time to become clear, I will tell you," I promised. "Please, try not to exert yourself any more on my behalf. If I am meant to see the memory, I will."

"Very well," he nodded. "I understand some, but not all. I know that was an ancient version of Duel Monsters, and I know we were playing a dangerous game-a game in which the loser lost everything and was sent to the Shadow Realm. I know that I was playing the High Priest, and that he looks very much like a… friend of Yugi's."

"You seem reluctant to refer to him as a friend. Who is he?"

"His name is Seto Kaiba. He is… not like the others. He is cold and aloof, surrounded by money and power. I don't understand Kaiba. I cannot read him. But I know it must be very lonely, with no friends and not the faith to gain any."

~~~~~

I wished to meet this Seto Kaiba. Surely he, too, would have memories like the Pharaoh, if he were indeed the one in the memory.

I wondered what item he could possess. I knew the location of four of the seven. It seemed I had stumbled upon the fifth.

As I lay on my bed, waiting for sleep to finally claim me, I remembered the presence of the Pharaoh, and the way he had laid his hand on my shoulder. It was a pleasant feeling.