Her heartbeat pulsed in her head, hammering the inside of her skull, and she groaned as the pain pulled her from unconsciousness. Her face, so often praised for its beauty, was twisted in agony, lips drawn back into a snarl, as if tensing her muscles could cease the pounding between her ears. She curled up where she lay, aware of nothing but the cold around her that had her flesh breaking out into goosebumps – and the silence. No wind to stir her hair or clothes, to howl against the darkness; no sound other than that which she made, wincing upon the ground.
Where am I? The question pushed to the front of her mind. Against the pain that seemed to invade her every pore, she found she didn't much care where she was, but the answer felt important somehow. Taking a deep breath, she tried to ignore the pain as best she could long enough to open her eyes.
It wasn't exactly pure darkness, yet there was no light anywhere to illuminate it. Everywhere around her seemed cast in a violet hue, shadows shifting like waves in a slow tide. She couldn't tell where the ground ended and the ceiling began, if things like that even existed in this space.
She cringed again, words without sound stabbing themselves into her brain – she knew the name of this place, but it didn't come to her. As if it were screaming its name at her but she couldn't hear it. Where am I? The question burned in her throat, but she lacked the strength to voice it – or perhaps the courage, for she knew no answer would come.
"The Shadow Realm," a low voice said, startling her.
Mai nearly jumped in her skin, pushing herself up to sit and turning at the waist to find the source of the voice. Her eyes locked on a man, standing not far away – close enough, in fact, that she scooted back on instinct, for the moment she saw him she knew who he was. He was the clearest thing in her mind; perhaps the only thing in the world she could remember in full detail.
"Marik." His name fell from her lips in little more than a whisper.
One corner of his lips pulled up into a crooked grin. His arms were crossed over his chest, his indigo eyes narrowed and focused entirely on her. "That's the term you're looking for, my dear," he finished, stepping toward her with all the languid grace of a panther. "Sound familiar?"
Her mind processed everything far too slowly – she saw him coming closer, but could only move in slow motion. Retreating from him would be no easy task.
The Shadow Realm… That was it, yes – it did sound familiar. But how had he known?
He watched her thoughts flit upon her face, realization dawning over her features, and a low chuckle vibrated in his throat. "I'm surprised you have any trace of sanity left."
She grit her teeth. Everything that came out of his mouth was a riddle – it raised more questions that it answered. "Stop… talking," she managed to spit out.
This time he laughed out loud, dropping to squat beside her, elbows resting on his bent knees. "You're in no position to tell me what to do, my dear. Or have you forgotten your position?"
He was baiting her, she knew. But what did he mean? Forgotten?
There were so many gaps in her memories. For a moment, she averted her gaze from him, staring down at her hands, pressed against the ground to hold her upright in her weakened state. What did she remember? She remembered Marik… But how had they met?
They had been standing in the air… in an arena. That was it – the Battle City finals! She had been dueling him for a spot as a finalist… and lost. He'd played some card, and pinned her against a stone tablet, and his monsters had attacked her life points directly…
He'd beaten her. And then…
Her eyes rose to meet his, clarity shining in their violet depths. "You sent me here. To the Shadow Realm."
She saw him then in a new light. His eyes swam with malice, sadistic pleasure as he looked down at her, trapped within his darkness. Slowly, she looked down his bronze skin to the golden rod he held in a vice grip, adorned at the head with an eye. The simple sight of it slipped daggers between her ribs.
It was that… that thing. He'd used that rod to send her here, to mess with her head.
"Now you remember," he said, a belittling tone underlying his voice, as if speaking to a child. "And you know that your soul will be trapped here forever, as penalty for losing to me. No one is coming to save you."
Her brow furrowed, gaze lifting to meet his again in confusion. "What are you… talking about?" Her voice was hoarse, choked past her dry throat. "There's no one in my life… who would save me, anyway."
One brow lifted, as if surprised, before he laughed again, leaning back on his heels. "Ah, the mind is a weak thing, isn't it?"
She frowned, fingers curling into fists upon the ground. "Shut up!" she yelled. "Stop trying to confuse me!"
"Careful, my dear," he said, straightening his legs to stand, and his form blurred as he moved, her head suddenly feeling horribly heavy. "You don't want to waste the little energy you have left."
Her arms shook before giving out beneath her, and she grunted as her shoulder hit the ground, the rest of her body following unceremoniously behind. All she could do was watch as his form continued to blur, until there was nothing but the shadow, and the echoes of his laughter.