A/N
Hello! My first fanfiction here! Just a few quick things before we begin. First of all, author's notes will be at the beginning of the chapters, unless you guys message me and tell me that you guys would prefer them at the end of the chapter. I will try to keep them brief. Second, This chapter is basically an introductory to the story. It may be skipped. Also, I warn you that this chapter contains a lot of dialogue. It was unavoidable, and I am sorry. Future chapters should not contain as much dialogue and not be as awkwardly written. Lastly, please read and review. Thanks!
Prologue
He felt something. After not feeling anything for years, he actually felt something. Warmth flooded through him… Blood! His blood was flowing! However, he still could not move. Wow, big surprise. I mean, it's not as if I was dead or anything, he thought. Wait! He just thought! What in Ra's name is going on?
"Bakura, quick! Wake up! We don't have much time," urged the voice of a young woman. Bakura's eyes shot open immediately. Covering every inch of the walls, hieroglyphics painted the tomb in which he stood. Of course, this was not just any tomb. He owned this tomb, and he was not alone. Right in front of him, the spirit that he knew as Change of Heart floated, illuminating the room with a faint glow. Long and flowing, her robe nearly touched the ground. Blue eyes bore into his seal brown ones, showing her anxiety. And although Bakura understood that she was worried, he wanted answers now.
"I will give you about five seconds to explain what is going on before I send your pitiful soul to the Shadow Realm," growled the recently living Brit. "The clock is ticking. I want to know how, as well as why I am alive. When the pharaoh and his idiotic fan club went back in time, they reduced my past self to dust before destroying the ring, and thus myself. Why have you brought me back?"
"I'm here to give you a second chance," she answered. Bakura scoffed.
"I've already had one of those. And if you do not remember why I was dead in the first place, I kind of blew it." Her eyes narrowed. After going through the trouble of breaking countless rules to bring him back to life, this is how he repays her? By mouthing off? Frustrated, she already regretted her actions.
"Then it's a third chance," corrected the spirit. "Now, shut up and listen!" Bakura sighed, crossing his arms and shifting his weight. "Good. While your were… away… the shadows have been moving, gathering. It's a sign – a bad sign. We spirits can sense that something is very wrong, especially because of where they are surrounding. They're –"
"Let me guess, they are all circling Domino City, Japan. Or, more specifically, they are approaching Yugi and company," interjected Bakura. He was growing tired of this.
"Yes. And because of the situation with Ryou, the end might very well be near unless we do something drastic," she explained, floating a little closer to him. Out of everything she said, one name peaked his interest.
"Wait, Ryou? What does Ryou have to do with any of this?"
"For the shadows, Ryou is a tempting target. Not only are the shadows familiar with Ryou, but the child is also vulnerable and has no protector."
"… Why are you telling me this?" Bakura questioned. Change of Heart clenched her fists by her sides. From annoyed to determined, her expressions changed rapidly.
"You must stop whatever is going on," stated the spirit. This surprised Bakura. What had he ever done to make anyone believe he would ever help someone other than himself? Besides, he did come very close to destroying the world all by himself. Was there not anyone more qualified? One in particular came to mind.
"What of the pharaoh? Why not bring him back instead of me? I mean, bringing him back does not run the risk of the world ending," he pointed out. Change of Heart sighed.
"Well, for one thing, someone already has," she clarified. Clenching his teeth, Bakura uncrossed his arms.
"I knew it! That little brat Yugi could not stand being by himself, so someone had no choice but to bring that sick pedophile back from the dead," fumed the thief. "And Ryou has been alone for years, yet they still ignore the child! My gosh! They are all hypocrites, the lot of them!" The spirit stared blankly at him.
"… Okay… I didn't know that you felt so strongly about that…" she mumbled. "Anyways, we don't think that even the pharaoh himself is powerful enough to stop this on his own. Plus, no one knows the shadows quite like you." Bakura smirked. As big of a nag as this spirit may be, she did have a point.
"That is flattering and all, however…" he paused, "you still have not answered all of my questions. What is it exactly that you expect me to do?"
"You need to stop them. I want you to find out how they are gaining power and put an end to it. But, there's a catch."
"Oh? Do enlighten me."
"I revived you by the power of a few other spirits and myself. But in order for you to return to the world of the living to stop the shadows, you must sacrifice a dark park of your soul. Your personality should remain, but lacking a certain… well, we're not sure what exactly. All we know is that the part of your soul being sacrificed is not necessary." He had to sacrifice a dark part of his soul? Did that mean that he would not be evil anymore? Like that was ever going to happen. After evil consumed him long ago, Bakura did not believe that he could ever be good again.
"Is that all?" he queried.
"No, there's just one more thing: in order for the other spirits to help, they all demanded that you must protect Ryou for the rest of your life on Earth, or until the child dies a natural death. Meaning, if you harm of kill Ryou yourself – or someone else does – you will immediately be put back into the tomb that I just removed you from." Bakura's jaw dropped. Not only did he have to save the world that slaughtered everyone in his village, but he also had to protect Ryou, who was one of the weakest, most fragile people in the entire universe? The child – quite literally – would not even hurt a fly!
"Why on Earth should I help you?" spat Bakura. Angry, his eyes narrowed. "It is not like I actually care what happens to the world, and I was actually getting used to being dead. Give me one good reason why I should even consider helping you."
"If you don't help, the other spirits will torture you for all eternity, and Ryou will surely die." Although he hated everyone, Ryou was a slight exception. Bakura did not want the child to die, but 'like' was a little bit too strong of a word. At the same time, though, Bakura felt as if he owed the child. He did torture Ryou. He did posses the child. And that time when he stabbed Ryou's arm…
Bakura snapped out of his musings when a loud crash erupted from the other side of a door at the end of the dark hallway. Louder and louder, more bangs soon followed. Change of Heart, whirling around, faced the door. Her face paled as Bakura quickly realized that something was amiss.
"Oh no, our time is up," her voice wavered. "Bakura! Your final decision must be made now!" As the ruckus grew in viciousness, they heard voices. They were all saying the same thing: kill the thief. Meanwhile, Bakura could not make up his mind. What should he do? Should he help his enemies and risk dying again, as well as his soul changing? Or should he let them burn, causing himself to be tortured and Ryou to die? Worn form years of neglect, the door began to crumble under the forces pounding away at it from the other side.
"I… I…" Bakura searched for the answer, yet there was not one to be found. No matter how hard he thought, he did not know what to do.
"Bakura, hurry! They're almost through!" she shouted as a large chunk of the door fell. The voices now cried in unison to end the thief's life. What should I do? I cannot just go and freely help my enemies, but I do not feel like being tortured, either, his mind screamed. I can't decide!
"I… I agree!" exclaimed Bakura. "I will help!" The spirit rushed over to him.
"Great! Now, quickly, close your eyes!"
"W-wait, why—"
"Kill them!" The screeching of a large, dark figure commanding his accomplices to end the lives of the thief and the card's spirit cut Bakura off short. They had almost completely destroyed the door.
"Just do it!" Change of Heart pleaded. Without further question, Bakura shut his eyes. As soon as he did, all sound faded into nothingness while he felt a peculiar sensation he could only describe as magic.