The Pharaoh sits upon the stairs of his puzzle. He has his elbow rests on his knee as his hand supports his chin. Yugi was deep into his deck, putting every card and ever strategy they learned together and putting it into the deck that he was going to use to defeat Atem at his own game.

To give the boy time to prep his deck, he locked himself into his own mind, deep inside the puzzle until he was done.

This meant to things for both men. That, if Atem would lose, they would be separated for the second time and that would be both of their own right of passages.

Before, when Yugi and him were separated by force, there was no other choice to have. Yugi had to stand on his own feet. Now would truly test if Yugi had what it takes to be on his own now.

This meant one other thing as well, That Atem could be reunited with those who passed years ago, except one person.

Yugi wouldn't go with him. He would be stuck in this time.

Atem stands and starts to walk, passing the many doors in this realm. Each one holding a memory of his past. Everything had come back, his family, his life, his name, And his star-crossed lover.

He leans against a wall and slides down, guilt and anger taking over. He throws his first to the stone floor as he can feel his eyes well up.

'How I could I have done that. Knowing his state and the burden he had, I left. Sealing myself away. Leaving him to raise a child on his own.' He puts his hand to his forehead as his thoughts keep beating into mind, tearing him down, and tearing him apart. 'I abandoned him in his time of need, along with my son.'

Then there was a sense of realization, like a glass shattering in his mind. He could hear Yugi.

'You didn't do anything wrong. You did what needed to be done, and I would never hold that against you.'

Atem smiles to himself as he stands to his feet. Yugi wasn't disgusted with his actions, and it seemed Yugi knew more about their rare gift, and he seemed to understand as to why the events had taken place.

It was in that moment he knew why.

The gods have seen everything leading to the events of Zorc. Man's Darkness, anger, hatred can't be fully stopped, only quelled. The gods had made it known that Atem would meet Yugi and that relationship would form into something more.

They made sure that Yugi would end up in Egypt, and saw his unfortunate incidents as a way to weave himself into the heart of the Pharaoh. As a being of pure light, he couldn't befall to man's darkness and he would follow out the light of the Gods.

Of course Yugi would need to be resurrected into the future to complete the puzzle, since he was the one who smashed it in the first place. He was the only one who knew where each piece would go.

And their own child was a gift of the Gods and a child of both men and the gods to be sure that Egypt had an heir to continue, and that Yugi would be able to return to this world again.

Yugi's ability to return again.

This was what everything was leading up to. Since Atem had to leave his partner so abruptly, this was both their chances to see if they learned from one another and prove they were ready to be on their own.

This Yugi was truly his one love from a past and their relation wasn't over after this duel. The gods had made it known. Atem would be reborn onto this world to join Yugi again. They were now star-crossed lovers that the gods had molded to protect the past… and the future.

Atem stands straight as he crosses his arms, smirking. Their journey together, after this duel, wasn't going to be end, but a beginning to something new.

Maybe a chance to actually spend a lifetime together, if the Gods allowed his to return.

He could plead his case to the divines. They created the two as lovers after all.

~XxX~

And it's over. This was great and I had fun. Always remember to leave a review.