Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ †Lunar Shadows† [Chapter 01] | pharaoh atem story ❯ Chapter 01: The Golden Hummingbird ( Chapter 1 )

Disclaimer: I do not own, nor will ever own, Yu-Gi-Oh! and all that is included in the Yu-Gi-Oh! series and any other Yu-Gi-Oh! productions. I do not own anything of or relating to Yu-Gi-Oh! I do, however, own this story and all the original characters (OC) in it as well as anything that may not be or pertaining to the Yu-Gi-Oh! series. Thank you and enjoy.


Chapter 1: The Golden Hummingbird

Sand...

It was everywhere as someone’s hand grasped it like a child gripping a blanket, the small minerals trickling out of the hand that once grabbed them. The hills shined like gold against the sun which beat down from the cloudless blue sky, it had no recollection of rain. Violet eyes stared up at this endless sea of space as if it was calling to them. As hair fluttered in the breeze, you could see the array of color; a sea of ebony and rivers of gold all surround by the rich red of clay. How could one so small live in a world so large? These words passed through the mind of the Prince of Egypt as he watched the sand disappear from his hand, it was as if time stood still.

Sun beating down and the wind at bay, he heard the sound that was once at lay. Horses hooves galloped down the cobblestone road laced with the dust of sand. It was one of his father’s trusted council members coming to inform the Pharaoh of the battle. As the Prince wiped the sweat from his brow, he stood up from his kneeling position and left the courtyard for which was soon to be very busy with his tutor in tow. He wanted nothing to do with this war but it was soon to be inherited and he dreaded the thought. His tutor started talking about the war but he wasn’t very interested. Sighing, he walked through the palace with walls made of rich marble. The ‘click clack’ of the Prince’s sandals could be heard as he walked down the masonry floor but, unbeknownst to the Prince, there was another person’s sandals being heard as well.

“Prince!”

It was all he could hear as he suddenly fell to the ground with a thud. When he opened his eyes he was welcomed with almond eyes and cocoa hair. It was one of his best friends, Mana, sitting on him in her tan dress. She immediately jumped off of the Prince, apologizing over and over again, continuously bowing and apologizing. The Prince just stood up and dusted his white linen robe and purple tunic off. With a cheesy smile, he waved his hands telling her repeatedly that it was alright. She hugged him dramatically all while the Prince’s tutor was very dazed and confused.

“Prince! I was looking all over for you!” Mana starts with a determined look in her eye. “There just so happens to be a parade going on right now and we’re not there!”

Dragging him across the stone floor, the Prince had no time to get a word in before Mana started running in the other direction. And before the Prince knew it, he was already back where he started and his journey stalled by the very people he didn’t want to see. It was High Priest Aknadin with his father Pharaoh Aknamkanon, as well as the other servants and guards. The High Priest was dressed in a slightly tan linen robe with a golden belt and headdress, his Millennium Eye sparkled as the sun caught its reflection. His father, however, was dressed in a long white linen robe with a purple tunic embroidered with gold and around his neck was the Millennium Puzzle. When they saw him coming in their direction they automatically stopped what they were talking about to greet the Prince. Mana immediately hid behind the Prince, making sure to keep her arms in tight as to not be seen. The Prince bowed slightly with his arm across his chest as a motion of respect and the Pharaoh nodded, giving him approval to approach. As they conversed about the Prince and where he was heading, Mana popped out from behind the Prince. She exclaimed that she would protect the Prince at the cost of her own life!

Although Mana begged and pleaded with the Pharaoh it was still not enough to convince him that they would be alright without an escort. Along with Mahad, soldiers were also added to the Prince’s party. As much as he hated it, Mana hated it more and she made it clear. It wasn’t so much of a problem having Mahad around but with the guards too? They cause so much attention! But not to worry, Mana was secretly devising a plan. As she inwardly rubbed her hands together with a snicker, she quickly grabbed three dark cloaks that could come in handy later. Handing one to the Prince and Mahad, she quickly slipped them each a note that would explain her plan of escape.

“Prince,
When we get to the city follow me when the guards aren’t looking and we’ll start having some real fun.
Mana ^-^V”

It was all the letter said which left him confused, but he went along with it anyways. A smile graced the Prince’s face a he started to reminisce about all the previous plans that Mana had devised before; all failing. He hoped that this one might actually work. When they left the courtyard they were quickly blinded by the light of the sun. The Prince quickly covered his eyes but continued to walk with everyone. He squinted his eyes, trying to adjust to the light. And as his amethyst orbs started to regain their former sight, an image of the great city of Memphis appeared in his vision. Buildings made from the red clay of the Nile towered over him as if they were gods themselves. They glimmered against the rays of the sun, shining as if they had jewels embroidered into them. You could hear the sounds of sellers and buyers coming from the market place and the sounds of horns, harps, drums, and tambourines coming from just down the road. The smell of meat cooking filled the nostrils of the Prince and the people around him, it was intoxicating him with a rich temptation that was almost too unbearable to ignore. He could feel the slight touch of a breeze wrapping its arms around him in a blanket of comfort as eyes turned towards him.

The sounds and smells became louder as they grew nearer, it was time for Mana’s plan to unfold. Mana pulled her hood up and as she did Mahad and the Prince took notice, both pulling up their hoods as well. Slowly, Mana started to trail behind, the Prince and Mahad doing the same as well. And then quickly without notice, she took off running! The Prince and Mahad didn’t know what to do so they followed quickly after her, the guards quickly realizing that all three of them were gone. They immediately started searching for the Prince as well as Mahad and Mana, but much to their dismay they would already be at the parade.

“Alright guys, here we are! And we don’t have the guards babysitting us!” Mana exclaimed, muffling her giggle with her hand. She couldn’t believe that they actually got away. “Now we might actually have some fun!”

“That won’t matter once we return.” Mahad stated, his arms crossed.

Mana’s mood immediately fell and she started mumbling that Mahad always has to be the bringer of bad news. The Prince could only chuckle at the sight of his friends acting so animated.

Everyone was wearing masks or veils. The veils shimmered with flecks of silver and gold and the embroidery on the bands looked as if they were done by professionals. And the masks were made out of an expensive white clay with intricate gold and silver designs painted on them. Some were beautiful and others were terrifying, the performers were portraying the prophecy that had been told for centuries. It was a story of good and evil, a story of love and betrayal, of a King who would one day rule Egypt and a Tyrant who would unlock a great darkness. But there’s more to the story, a rare flower that would bring prosperity and peace to the Land that only the King would be able to find. But that’s not all, the Tyrant is also able to find this rare flower; the fate of the world rests in their hands.

Fire exploded in front of the Prince, the air was filled with music as day soon turned to night. Performers, magicians, and dancers were all parading around the center of the city, celebrating the moon and it’s prophecy. Mana began to join in, grabbing three masks that were meant for her, Mahad, and the Prince. Her mask was both as blue as the sky and as dark as the night, the silver matters of stars and the moon could be seen on one side while the gold of the sun was painted on the other. Mahad’s mask was a delicate violet with an array of dark purple rays protruding from the top left of the mask. And the Prince, he didn’t know what to think of the mask Mana picked for him for it didn’t look like the rest. It covered his whole face and it was made of porcelain, it had golden vines and leaves painted all over it in some sort of design, the pattern was so foreign.

Laughter...

He could of sworn he heard it! The Prince looked around frantically for where the laughter came from. It was so eerie, like a child’s laugh but it sounded as if it was other worldly. It sounded pure. He looked to his right and caught a small glimpse of a shadow that didn’t come to see the parade nor came with the parade, a joker. Mana and Mahad looked to be having a good time enjoying themselves, he decided not to bother them with this matter. So he took off towards the alley where he saw the shadow of the little girl who laughed a laugh so pure.

Twists and turns, the girl was leading him through a maze of secrets and the answers he was looking for would be at the end. A flash of light and then darkness, a golden hummingbird was floating in the air in front of the Prince. Everything that was once surrounding him had vanished and all that was left was ruins, sand, and the golden hummingbird; even the little girl had vanished. He reached out towards the bird but it only flew away, he started chasing it. Leading him into the desert, it was more barren than the city. But what was that in the distance? An oasis? A single ripple in a calm sea, it was as if this was the only place where life might still exist. Then it disappeared and the Prince was where he was before he started this chase, the parade. His friends were still enjoying themselves in the crowd just as he had left them. It was so strange, it was as if he had never left. Mahad took notice of the Prince’s dumbfounded look.

“What is the matter, my Prince?” He asked, concern evident in his voice. All the while Mana is dancing with the fire jugglers.

“Oh, it’s nothing.” He waved it off with a smile.

“Come on you guys!” Mana waved at Mahad and the Prince, ushering them to join her.

The Prince smiled and decided to think nothing of it for the moment, right now he was enjoying the company of his friends and that’s all that matter. As the night grew and the stars began to twinkle out of their hidden resting places, the three “juveniles” decided that it was just about time to start heading back to the palace. But when they got there, they were welcomed with angry eyes and bittersweet judgement. Immediately the Prince headed to his room after a long lecture about how the future pharaoh cannot be parading around the city like a mere commoner. That only went in one ear and out the other, the Prince didn’t care if he acted like a commoner. In fact, the Prince wished he was a commoner, having so much pressure on his shoulders really took it out of him.

Upon entering his room, he found that it was kept just the way he left it. Made of stone, the room was quite large and in the center of it was his luxurious bed. The bed had white linen sheets and drapery, golden vases were place throughout his room some with plants and others without. There was a dark mahogany truck by the wall and candles lit up the entire room with the rich scent of cinnamon. Rugs from Persia and Malaysia were on the ground, the patterns resembling the battles of previous kings winning in battle. But one in particular stuck out to him, it was a Persian rug and it had the story of the Moon on it. Preferably, the Prince had the servants hang it on the wall for him to look at, it intrigued him ever since the day he bought it from a mysterious merchant.

The Prince walked through his room all the way to his balcony hidden by translucent drapes. Everything was beginning to change, the air was more crisp and cool and the stars were peaking out of their resting places. He pushed back the drapes and immediately felt the change as he entered the night. Placing his hands on the stone railing, the Prince looked down at the quiet city and then back up at the sky where he started the day. The thoughts he pushed aside earlier now returned when his gaze drifted to the ominous glow of the moon, it was as if the moon was calling to him.

Atem...

His eyes widened, he could have sworn he heard someone call his name! The rustling of the drapes stirred him and brought him out of his daze as did the footsteps getting closer and closer to him.

“My Prince.” It was Mahad, he knelt down and placed his right arm across his chest. “The Pharaoh wishes you a good night.”

Atem nodded his head, “Thank you, tell my father that I wish him a good night as well.”

“Yes, your highness.”

With that, Mahad disappeared and Prince Atem returned his gaze to the moon. He didn’t know why he had seen these things and if they were a telling of the future but what he did know was this, it had something to do with him. And whatever it was, it had something to do with a golden hummingbird and that little girl.


Me: And with that I leave you hanging. I hope you have enjoyed the first chapter of my story and will continue to read on. Thank you.