The last few rays of sunlight slowly disappeared behind the horizon. The storm had been building for days now. The sky looked like thousands of grey boulders rolling together. The clouds were so dense they sagged low on the desert hills. Atemu wanted it to rain. He wanted the weight of the sky to fall in and wash away his misdeeds but the sky stubbornly refused. He stood in the throne room looking out over his city.

"Yugi," He said aloud. The word echoed down the empty hall. He wondered what his son was doing now. Did he feel scared or lonely? The thought of Bakura hurting Yugi made him feel sick.

"What have I done?" He asked his echoing voice. What was he to do? He was responsible for so many lives, Yugi's seemed a fair price to pay. But it wasn't fair. He knew Isis was right. Yugi needed him but it was more than that, he needed Yugi too.

"But I can't! How can I call myself Pharaoh if my son's life is more important than my kingdom?" He whispered.

He slid down the wall. The cold stone cooled his back. Why didn't it rain? He wanted it to rain so badly.

"I've failed him."

Yugi was sick of being tired up. His wrists were raw from where he had been pulling and his arms ached. Besides from that he hadn't eaten since breakfast and his stomach was in knots. The two men who were his guards, Tut and Bennu, he had worked out, were scoffing down a ravenous feast behind him. The sun had gone down and all Yugi could see now was the glow of campfires. He thought back to his dream. When he saw her face he knew this vision was his mother's. Had she lived a life like his? One of pain and suffering? He didn't care about anything anymore. He was done caring. His life was built on so many mistrusts. Perhaps he didn't want to be rescued at all. He pulled hard on his restraints in frustration and started to cry. His sobs caught the attention of Tut and Bennu, who had finished eating and had settled down to play a game of Senet.

"Hey Bennu, you think we should see if he is ok?" Tut pulled his thick body off the ground and made his way over to Yugi. He put a giant hand on Yugi's shoulder and shook him vigorously.

"We not sposed to talk to him, boss said."

Tut shook Yugi again, causing his body to turn over. Yugi stared up into Tut's face slightly startled. He gave him a big toothless grin back.

"Sweetie?" He produced a big bag of black squares.

Yugi shook his head.

"Come on all kids love sweeties!" Tut proceeded to shovel the packet contents into his mouth. Splinters of chocolate ricocheted off his few teeth. Yugi smiled slightly.

"Tut! Get away from him! Bakura is coming" Bennu snapped. Tut bowed his head. He retreated like a disobedient dog.

"Sorry." He mumbled.

Yugi heard the familiar voice off in the distance and then felt his body being lifted off the ground. He took another glance at Tut, who was gently untying his bonds.

He took Yugi's shoulders in his hands and lead him down to the end of the camp site and pointed to an open tent. "In there." He said and moved clumsily back to his post.

Yugi shuddered in the dark. The tent felt bare, like it belonged to the shell of a person, someone half living. There were plain bed sheets, a table, gleaming with knives and a worn chair, devoid of any colour and expression. The air was filled with dust and smoke, the kind that was thick and congesting. Bakura stood in the gloom, inhaling on a blackened cigar. Yugi stood on guard, feeling like the man would pounce at any minute.

"Yugi, we finally get to chat" The thief grinned between puffs.

"Who are you?" Yugi said, trying to make himself sound tough but finding it hard to muster the energy. Bakura only laughed. "My dear boy, hasn't you half wit father ever told you how you how he abandoned you?"

"I know you stole me!" Yugi breathed, his eyes fixed to Bakura's.

Bakura laughed again. " Stole you! So the Pharaoh has told you of me." This seemed to satisfy the thief. "It's just such a pity he would lie to his own flesh and blood."

"He doesn't lie!" Yugi rasped back.

Bakura sneered, "I bet your daddy never told you how he left you to die in desert."

'No' Yugi thought, 'no he wouldn't do that!'

"Do you really think he's coming for you?" Bakura said, puffing smoke in Yugi's direction and stepping closer. His devious face now exposed by the moon light. Yugi was unsure of what to say. His throat was dry and he was angry at how much he was trembling.

"I don't know." He finally said.

Bakura paused, surprised by the answer, " The Pharaoh is nothing but a coward. He's too scared to save you." He moved even closer, snuffing out his cigar in the sand.

"Why is he scared?"

Bakura's eyes narrowed, "Don't you know?"

Yugi shook his head. He stared suspiciously a Yugi for a moment before his fiendish grin returned. "You've got the greatest power in all of Egypt; even more than the Pharaoh himself. That's why he's afraid."

"H-how do you know that?" Yugi asked in fascination, not taking his eyes of the thief.

"I've seen your mother's power for myself."

Yugi heart pounded at the mention of his mother.

"Did...did you know my mother?"

Bakura nodded at him, his tone suddenly changing, "Your mother saved me from death," He said. "I was badly injured and she healed me."

Yugi was too in awe to notice the thief picking up one of the knives on the table and concealing it under his robes.

"She did? How?"

"She touched me Yugi, it was like being pulled out of my skin and then, my wounds were gone" Yugi felt a swell of pride as he thought of his mother as a saviour.

"Did...did she save lots of people?"

"She did, but then she married the Pharaoh and people started hurting her, just like you."

Just like me? Yugi repeated the phrase his mind. Suddenly he felt a rush of pain wash over him and he thought of all the people who had hurt him. There was Seba, the boys in his hut, Takuya, the guard who beat him at the palace, the villagers who wanted him dead and now even his father was turning on him.

"He doesn't want to help you Yugi, he's scared of your power, just like he was scared of your mother." Bakura said, "But I can help you. I can help you get revenge, all you have to do is trust me."