Karthasis

Author's Note: This story contains references to suicide, so if you can't handle the concept, don't read. It also contains spoilers for Yu-Gi-Oh R. So if you don't want to know ahead of time what happened in the manga, also don't read. Otherwise, enjoy the story and R&R.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to or of the Yu-Gi-Oh Series.

Summary:

In the final hours before her death, Tilla Mook mulls over her accursed life.

…

Lost…That was what she was. Eternally trapped within a maze of her own creation, she now understood everything. The reality was obvious and unkind: The only hope that awaited her at the end of her trials was failure.

Better to die than to continue living an unrewarding existence…A frivolous, scathing existence. How she longed to awaken, to have the comfort of knowing that it was all a dream. How she wished to escape her fate, but neither of the notions offered her the solace she sought.

Her current state of mind was not unlike that of her childhood. When she was young, everyone avoided her. She had no friends, and was treated badly by her abusive parents. She was always alone with no place to go. It was no surprise that solidarity led her down a dangerous path. She had met all sorts of shady characters in her lifetime. Thieves, hustlers, gamblers, addicts…She had grown up learning the "trade," breaking into homes, running numbers, and selling stolen goods on the black market.

It was a night in November that she came to realize her mistake. Foolish, she had been. Awaiting the arrival of her "buddies," a can of beer did little to calm her aching muscles. The wind that blew through the cemetery was like a knife against her body…Yes, the cool metal that she could feel above her wrists presently.

It was cold at that time as well. She remembered. Her hands were turning blue. Desire for warmth overcame her that moment, and she reached into her jacket pocket, searching for the pack of cigarettes that was always conveniently tucked in a pocket. Upon its removal, she flipped it open and pulled out a smoke. She quickly returned the pack to her pocket before putting the cigarette to her lips and lighting it. Barely through her first drag, she heard footsteps. They became louder each passing second, signalling the impending arrival of her acquaintances.

She dropped her cigarette, stepping on it to snuff out the glowing ash. In her slightly inebriated state, things seemed cloudy. Indeed, she should have cautioned herself as she wobbled towards the blurs ahead of her, for she almost tripped on a tombstone.

"Dammit, I am so wasted."

Before she could even react, a blow to the back of her head had rendered her unconscious.

When she finally awoke hours later, her "buddies" had long made off with the money made from their latest heist, which she had kept hidden for a month, as she was the only one of them that was not listed in police records. Suspicions would not have fallen on her as a result.

Ever since that day, she had taught herself to trust no one. She could only rely on herself. Whenever her bosses were ready to close deals, she would take the riches and run, often adopting a new identity each time. She knew it was pointless though. No matter where she went, they would not be far behind.

Then she gave up, sick and tired of running. Her capture imminent, she returned to the cemetery at which she had been so harshly betrayed. For hours she sat atop the disturbed earth, under the pouring rain, and reminisced about the past. Crushed by sadness and curled in a ball, the voice in her head that urged her forward seemed distant and unappealing. Then it became more demanding and impossible to deny.

She was so absorbed in her thoughts that she did not hear the approaching mobsters, each brandishing a bladed weapon or handgun. Some cracked their knuckles in delight as they approached the drenched and seemingly defenceless woman.

As one of the thug's took hold of her shoulder, fingers pressing hook-like into her collarbone, an anguished howl came from within her. The fear that never left since her adolescence resurfaced in her mind. It was the fear that she would be unable to overcome her attackers…

With a blank expression on her face, she murmured, "Papa."

The thug sneered and cocked his gun. "Time for bed baby."

She shielded her ears as a piercing bang rang through the air.

The rain continued to pour, and the blood slid from her clothing and cheeks. She stood, a pang of disbelief striking her. She wept, frightened and confused, as she looked upon the dispatched group of criminals.

Several minutes passed, and only her cries echoed through the graves.

"What will you do now?" A man emerged from behind a rotted tree, throwing his firearm aside and offering her shelter under his umbrella. "Where will you go from here?"

"Y-You did this…But why?"

The man made comical gestures with both hands, keeping a firm grasp of his umbrella as he did so. "Why? Don't you want to live, girl?"

As he stepped out under the moonlight, his appearance became clearer. He wore a crimson-coloured suit, and had snow-white hair tied back in a ponytail.

She reflected on his question, and then answered with a stubborn certainty in her voice, "No. I want to die! I don't want to run anymore! So pick up that gun and finish your work!" She pointed at his discarded weapon.

"My, my, quite the devil child, aren't you?" he laughed.

She spat. "Who are you? What do you want with me?"

He calmly introduced himself, disregarding the woman's glare. "I am Tenma Yakou, protégé of Pegasus J. Crawford."

"The head of Industrial Illusions Corporation?"

"Yes, and you are quite a fortunate young lady. You see, I require a group of people to help me carry out a little project."

"What project is that?"

"All will be revealed soon, I assure you. Please, come with me." He began walking away without her approval.

"Pernicious shmuck."

That is all she could recall. She hated herself for trying to remember, for it only caused her more pain, but she wanted to have something to take with her to her death. Then an idea came to her.

"I had the honour of playing against the Duel King. That's something."

She mouthed his name, but no words came from her throat.

"Mutou Yugi."

She mouthed his name again.

"You took everything from me. I should despise you with every last bit of my being, yet I don't…Is that the effect you have on people, Mr. Duel King? You cheated me out of ten-thousand dollars, and I still cannot find it in my heart to even curse you."

The images of the heated battle arose from her tattered psyche, a patchwork of memories.

"Welcome to my duel field, Mutou Yugi. You've kept my master waiting for quite some time."

"Your master?"

"Yes…The immortal lord that sleeps within my deck." She presented her duel disk. "Once you are defeated, my master will revel in the stripping of your life, one drop of blood at a time."

"I don't think so, Card Professor!" He deployed his own disk.

"Then let's begin. I'll go first!" She drew a card from her deck and added it to her hand. "I'll set one card face-down, and then I'll summon Blood Sucker in attack position."

Her invoked creature appeared from the ground. The fanged beast had a slouched posture, long tongue, and leathery wings sprouting from its arms.

"Turn end," she announced.

Her opponent did not waste any time.

"My turn, draw!"

She eyed him carefully. Although there was no change in her expression, nervousness had gripped her.

"I summon Magnet Warrior β!

The tiny soldier was called forth in a flash of lightning, accompanied by a whirling gravitational force.

"Magnet Warrior β, attack her monster!"

The warrior obeyed, hovering for several moments over the demonic spawn before zapping it across the chest with a magnetized punch.

Yugi was surprised to see that his opponent's calm demeanour had not faltered.

"So that attack was really-"

"So you've noticed, huh?" she interrupted him mid-sentence. "I activate the trap card, Thirst for Blood! This card can only be activated when one of my monsters is destroyed, and it allows me to special summon Vampire Lady from my deck."

A dark shadow erupted from her deck, taking the form of a bat before landing in front of its mistress. The animal's body contorted and twisted until it had transformed into a beautiful undead queen.

"At the risk of taking damage, you went to all this trouble just to call upon this monster. Does it have something to do with this so-called "master" of yours?" Yugi set another two cards face-down before ending his turn.

"How observant of you."

Yugi smiled. "Let me see the sleeping king of your deck."

Her face mirrored his, a smile crossing her lips. "As you wish."

"Why do I call him my master? Did he save me during times of torment, or was it something else that justified such a formality? From the deepest depths, when I was doomed to ruin, I saw him…I looked past Yakou, and saw him there. My one chance of salvation, and I embraced it. Now the debt must be repaid."

"I sacrifice Vampire Lady to summon-"

An air of unrest filled the room as she shouted his name.

"Curse of Vampire!"

The armoured revenant threw back its cape in its advent, locking its sights on Yugi.

"Curse of Vampire, attack with Nail Fang Blow!"

With incredible speed, the vampire jetted forward towards Yugi's Magnet Warrior, thrusting its extended nails down in an overhead swipe.

Yugi coughed on the smoke of the resulting explosion, his monster fading away in two clean-cut pieces.

"So this is your master," Yugi began.

"That's correct. Curse of Vampire is the mightiest creature of the night that will put an end to you once and for all. Of course, that is why he is the Immortal Ruler."

"We'll see about that. Trap card, Rope of Soul!"

"Rope of Soul?"

"Rope of Soul is activated when one of my monsters is destroyed as a result of battle. Due to its effect, a monster of level four is special summoned from my deck. I choose to summon Magnet Warrior γ!"

Another soldier took battle stance in the spot where Yugi's previous servant had been.

"It's my turn again, draw! I'll play Mystical Beast – Gazelle in attack position!"

The horned beast growled as it appeared to the right of Magnet Warrior γ.

"Next I'll activate the magic card, Union Attack! This card unites my two monsters, giving them the ability to attack as one! Go, Double Impact!"

Both of Yugi's monsters charged his opponent's Curse of Vampire, tearing a huge hole through the undead lord's stomach.

"Resurrection," she said grimly.

The vanquished vampire rose once more from her duel disk, sinking his fangs into her neck.

As she recovered from the bite, she could hear the gasps from Yugi and his friends.

"This is the regenerative ability that my master possesses. By drinking my blood, he prolongs his life and gains five-hundred additional attack points." She rubbed the part of her neck where his teeth had entered.

"I guess it's my turn then, draw. During this battle phase, I'll take your life away by force! Magic card, Demonic Eye of Coercion! This card can be activated when a vampire is face-up on the field. Your monsters must be switched to defence position."

She laughed as his creatures knelt, almost grovelling at her feet.

"Then my vampire may attack directly. Sharp Nail Blade!"

Getting up close, the dark king slashed Yugi twice with his claws.

"This is the end, Mutou Yugi!"

Yugi held his sides, trying to maintain balance.

"Still alive, ne? But it doesn't matter. If you do not manage to summon a monster, during the next turn, Curse of Vampire will take you down!"

Her challenger drew from his deck, revealing his new warrior.

"By sacrificing Magnet Warrior γ and Mystical Beast – Gazelle, I invoke the draconic Buster Blader!"

The knight stood taller than both competitors, a great sword studded with gold clutched between its hands.

She could not keep herself from cracking up. "Even though that monster is stronger than Curse of Vampire, my master will regenerate himself! Don't you get it?"

Yugi closed his eyes. "I get it. That's why I activate my set card, Magic Transfer."

Shock engulfed her as her deathless idol took a defensive stance.

"Magic Transfer copies the effects of another magic card. I select your Demonic Eye of Coercion, so that my Buster Blader may attack you directly."

She was stunned. "What?"

The warrior approached her, lifting its blade high.

"No…This can't be happening!"

She screamed.

"It did…and now it's like this."

Sitting in the corner of a dark alleyway riddled with garbage, Tilla Mook positioned the knife above her hand.

"Just like back then."

She let the edge descend.

The cold knife like shattered glass on her wrists. Blood thick with despair…

…

On the border of a different realm
Underneath skies that never quell
The raging sensations that never die
The darkness, so sublime
Wait here, listen to the silence
Nothingness roams

Crossing the invisible line into hellfire
Here life drips freely from the veins

Stoke the misguided soul
Let it burn in you
Branded within you forever
The sadistic pain

Waiting among the dead
Waiting for something that is not known
Waiting for redemption

Haunting eyes

…

-Owari-