Return of the Kings

Chapter 27

"Gently. Gently." Yugi ordered nervously as the wooden crate was lowered off the truck onto a large flat trolley. Once it was down safely he and one other climbed ontop of it to release the pullies and straps, giving out instructions to many other people.

Atem watched nearby, trying his hardest to keep calm so Yugi would not be distracted. He was excited, nervous and antsy. Inside that box would be his sarcophagus and inside that his 3000 year old body. For him, being alive wasn't all that long ago but for his body it had been 3000 years since he had inhabited it. He remembered the replica and Yugi had said it was perfect... meaning more or less inside that box was the same image he had seen a few days ago.

As he watched Yugi giving his commands with such confidence he felt stronger; he didn't seem nervous at all, not even when they had been waiting for the truck to arrive. He knew what he was doing... it surprised him how much more independent he had become but in a way he missed when the roles were reversed. Before he was always the calm one, the one needing to ground Yugi... but now he felt strangely vulnerable. It was strange but he knew before long his nerves would be settled.

"Okay, take it to storage E-P 1. I'll be there soon." Yugi ordered as he got his phone out.

"Guys. It's here. Half an hour? See you soon." He said before pocketing his phone again.

"Half an hour?" Atem asked him.

"They'll be here in about half an hour. Truck should be gone by then. Don't worry I won't do anything yet. You okay?"

"Nervous but yes."

He could feel Yugi reaching out to him and smiled weakly. He was truly grateful for everything Yugi was doing, he just couldnt shake his nerves. He was comfortable like this but unsure of what his own body would be like. He wanted this, he didn't want to back out now but his mind was racing too quick for his own liking.

"Everything will be fine. I've got you no matter what happens." Yugi said comfortingly as they walked.

He followed the boys pushing the trolly into storage E-P 1: a sizeable storage room that looked more like a warehouse than a room. All manner of Egyptian statues, paintings, artifacts, clothing... anything old that could be found in a museum that was Egyptian was within this room, including some things he had seen before such as Tutankhamun's throne and Ramesis's weapons. The name of the room must have stood for Egyptian but he couldn't figure out what the P stood for... Pushing it from his mind he continued to float behind Yugi as the men wheeled the trolly to a large vacant area towards the middle of the room.

"Alright here is fine. Gently now when it comes off the bed. Can we get rope underneath to lower the impact?" Yugi ordered again.

Immediately they worked together to lower the box down upon the concrete and wheeled the trolly away.

"Alright, crowbar."

Together Yugi and 2 others now armed with crowbars set to dismantling the wooden box to reveal the golden sarcophagus inside. Its colours were bright, the carvings intricate in every detail, it's shine was gloriously hypnotising - this was his sarcophagus. It was beautiful. He had never actually seen his sarcophagus before but he knew when the Kings died they were given every bit of care as they did in life, if not more. He died so young and so soon after coronation that he was just thankful he had a tomb, let alone a sarcophagus so splendidly crafted. King Seto truly lived with honor and respect. How he wished his modern day counterpart had been more like him.

Yugi walked around the sarcophagus like a predator around prey, examining it closely before coming full circle and nodding approvingly.

"Alright, lets open it up."