Atem sat up breathing hard as he looked around the cavern. Seeing nothing he sagged back onto the bed of pillows and blankets. Something felt off though, he flicked his tongue out to smell the air. He sat up quickly and scanned the chamber again he saw his gold bands laying to one side but nothing else. Among the irony smell of blood, there were traces of a human. A human had gathered enough courage to venture into his chamber. He went to move but caught a glimpse of his torso and tail. Surprised by the bandages that covered his wounds he settled down again.

“A human did thisss?” Atem muttered looking at himself shocked. He had never experienced kindness from humans. If or when he did show himself the reactions he got where always fear. Atem shook his head lightly. That didn’t matter at the moment, he needed to get his crown back from Bakura and Aknadin. He sagged onto his bed, the only problem was he didn’t know how he was supposed to do that. They didn’t have the power the crown granted because they didn’t beat him fairly, but he couldn’t use it either. Knowing that was the only comfort he had. He closed his eyes, not knowing what time it was he didn’t want to venture up to the surface. He listened trying to discern what time it was. It didn’t help much since it was always quiet near the entrance to his lair. 

Sometime later he found himself starting to drift to sleep. He flicked the tip of his tail a bit trying to keep awake. A small squeak from the chamber’s entrance sparked his attention. Groggily he opened his eyes turning his head to look. He caught a glimpse of a human fleeing up one of the many ramps. Atem raised a delicate eyebrow giving a slight shrug closing his eyes again. It was still daylight there was no need for him to be awake.

He didn’t know how long he had slept for, but he felt gentle hands on his chest. Confused, he took a moment to think. He knew he was alone so who was touching him. He felt the hands move away from him. Atem quickly grabbed the being, immediately knowing it was human by how his hand encompassed their body. The human screamed which echoed around the chamber. Atem quickly and carefully put his thumb over the human’s mouth cringing at the volume. He opened his eyes to look at the human that invaded his chamber. What he saw surprised him. The human looked similar to him, the same tri-colored hair that stuck up in a star, the tips were violet rather than crimson, and the human didn’t have the three golden bangs that stuck up, but framed his face instead. The human’s skin was pale probably more than it should. Their eyes though demanded the most attention. They were a startling amethyst, bright like the gems Seto fed upon.

“I will move my thumb, do not ssscream,” Atem hissed narrowing his eyes. The human nodded vigorously. True to his nodding when Atem moved his thumb the human did not scream. “Now who are you to invade my chamber?” Atem questioned.

“I-I’m sorry! Everyone saw the blood, and- and thought something must have happened. We-we didn’t- I didn’t mean any harm. I only came- I only came down to clean the blood up at first. Then I- then I saw you lying here bleeding, and I knew you needed help. I-I didn’t think, I just acted. I only wanted to help you,” the human stuttered out fearfully. Atem raised an eyebrow curiously.

“You... a mere human? Wanted to help me? Why?” Atem questioned, studying the human in his grasp. Atem could see the fear the human was feeling he didn’t need to smell it.

“I don’t like to see anyone hurt,” the human said. Atem sat up and brought the human closer to his face. The human began to shake more. “Please don’t eat me.”

Atem chuckled. “You’re hardly worth a sssnack let alone a meal. However, I might have a tasssk for you.”

“A-a task?” The human gulped looking at the Snake God holding him. Atem set him down and shrank to a more human-size. 

“Yesss, follow me human,” Atem said moving off his bed to an archway that leads further into his lair. He moved quickly which from what he smelled and heard the human was having a hard time keeping up. Atem only paused a few times when he no longer smelled the human, but rather the musty air of the tunnels. “Keep up,” Atem hissed tapping the end of his tail on the stone floor. The human panted coming into view. Atem huffed and darted into the room he was waiting in front of. He looked through the stone shelves that held countless parchment rolls. The giant marble table which sat in the middle of the room Atem easily avoided as he looked for something. He only moved to the table once he found the parchment he was looking for. Atem grew to a size he could actually use the table properly before he unrolled the parchment and pinned the corners. The human looked at it curiously.

“Uhm, what did you need from me?” the human asked after looking at the parchment. Atem smirked motioning to the parchment, on the parchment was a map of the twelve domains plus one. 

“Do you really wisssh to help me? Or will you turn tail and run like many of your kind have?” Atem asked looking down at the human.

“I-I want to help, but what is it that you need help with?” he asked.

“Retrieving my crown from those who ssstole it,” Atem replied vaguely.

“Why me? I’m only a human?”

“I cannot bother the other Zodiacsss, now anssswer my quessstion!” Atem snapped making the human flinch.

“I-I’ll help,” he squeaked.

“Good. Now thisss map isss of the domainssss. To get to where my crown wasss taken we would first need to travel Sssouth Sssouth Wessst till we leave my domain. After that we head Wessst Sssouth Wesst,” Atem explained gently tracing his finger from the middle of his domain to the middle of the Rat domain.