Disclaimer: Do I still need these seven chapters in? I don't own anything.

Author's Note: ...yes, I know. It's been ages. I've likely lost most of my readership. But. I don't really like leaving things unfinished, so here's a fresh chapter. I plan on wrapping this up in one or two more chapters, if I can maintain my inspiration. And if I get a suitable amount of reviews, of course. I hope you enjoy!

For some reason, the lack of decay surprised Shizuka immensely. She'd half-expected the labyrinth – whatever it was – and its environs to be as broken down and ancient as the cave path they'd taken to reach there.

Instead, the grass was almost unnaturally green, reminiscent of an emerald, or perhaps that vile liquid her mother had once made her take when she'd been ill. Wildflowers dotted the green with splashes of equally vibrant color, as if a distracted artist had absently flicked his brush, splashing paint everywhere.

She even thought she spotted a bunny, but she could have been mistaken.

The labyrinth itself seemed massive, the walls so high she couldn't even see the tops, and though it was pock-marked here and there, it was otherwise smooth and pristine. It would be impossible, she noted, to climb them and enter that way. Instead, a cobble-stoned path led from the cave's exit to the labyrinth's entrance, the door closed tight to them. It didn't really look like it encased any sort of maze; instead, Shizuka imagined it as housing a gigantic open field, or perhaps just untilled dirt, the unused space completely useless and nothing at all like what she'd dreamt of.

She was wrong, of course, but it comforted her a little, knowing she could still fall into a daydream if only for a few moments.

The entity tested the door behind them, but it would not open again. Shizuka idly wondered if it had immediately locked as well, but considering her ignorance surrounding this whole ordeal, she didn't even know how to check. With the memories of her dream still so fresh now, and his ominous words, Shizuka wasn't sure she wanted to do anything that would bring attention to herself, as speaking inevitably would. So she simply stood where he'd left her, examining their surroundings and trying to determine just how big those walls were.

It was better than anything else her mind attempted to dwell on, anyway.

A flicker of motion caught her attention and her head snapped to the side, eyes seeking out the distraction. Nothing moved, not even a breeze disturbing the blades of grass, and Shizuka wondered if she'd imagined things. After all, she couldn't even recall now the last time she'd snatched much sleep, let alone had a bite to eat. She was surprised she was still standing, though that might have been at least partially out of fear that Bakura would simply drag or carry her the rest of the way, and make her regret it.

Then something caught her gaze again and she turned, her eyes scanning the landscape. Teasing wisps brushed against her skin, but the grass was still, so it couldn't have been any sort of wind. It certainly felt like it, though, and brought with it a sweet scent of spring. It tempted her, luring her away from the path and towards a nearby copse of trees, becoming suddenly curious as to what the blossoms smelled like. Perhaps that was the scent carried by the breeze that didn't disturb the grass – blossoms as pretty as those back home, and maybe even succulent fruits just waiting to be picked and eaten. She could lay down, too, on the soft grass, lean against the trunk of the tree, and close her eyes…

So caught was she that she nearly stepped off the path, but a sudden strong grip kept her in place. Startled, she looked over at Bakura, her eyes a little wide.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," he chided very softly, though his gaze seemed more interested in their surroundings than in her. It gave her a chill. Was he worried?

"What?"

"Don't you hear it? The siren song?" His voice was mocking now, teasing her lack of understanding, deliberately making it seem as if they were trapped in one of her storybooks. He no longer looked quite so concerned, if he even had been to begin with. "Calling for you?"

Numbly, Shizuka nodded, not even caring that she was playing his game. She'd stopped caring a while ago, she realized; a girl could only take so much torture and abuse before her mind and body simply began sheltering her from any further damage. There was still willpower left in her, still a shred of courage kept tucked away, perhaps even a slight glimmer of hope – after all, the only body she'd seen had been her brother's, and even that might have been a mirage; everyone could still be alive for all she knew; she repeated it to herself enough that she was almost beginning to believe it – but there was no outward indication of the remainder of her internal strength.

It was safer that way. Besides, from what she could glean, she was better off throwing in her lot with this other personality than with whatever Malik had become. If she went off on her own, she would inevitably run into him – though now that they were here, wherever here was, she might encounter something even worse, but her mind skittered away from that – and she'd be right back at the beginning, screaming and crying and begging and wishing she were dead.

Bakura glanced back at the door behind them, and then, as if deciding they had time for some play, pointed to the clump of trees she'd so wanted to visit only scant seconds ago.

"They are predators."

Shizuka blinked, then shook her head a little disbelievingly. Trees? Predators? Preposterous. It wasn't as if they could move or anything.

It wasn't as if people could reach through walls, either, or bodies could turn to dust, or some hidden power within her body could open doors. And it wasn't as if they'd entered a completely alien landscape, through means which she couldn't explain if she tried, as if all laws were cracked and bleeding and anything was possible.

"They attract their prey just as you felt, just as I feel right now. But once you're close…" He suddenly tugged her against his body, laughing as her startled cry, arm slipping around her waist to hold her still despite the pleasantness he felt at her wiggling. "I think you get the picture."

"What are they?"

The entity shrugged, gradually loosening his grip and letting her go, though he absently pressed an almost delighted kiss to her lips; they were almost there, after all, almost to their mutual goal. Well, his goal likely didn't coincide perfectly to hers; he had a feeling she just wanted to survive, whereas he desired the power, whether it sucked out her soul or not.

"A being of this world," he said simply. It was the same as the Darkness, in his mind; there were creatures who belonged here, whereas they were only intruders, and even now, their presence was likely being announced, alerting the horrors that might even put to shame the ones he'd brought back from the shadows.

Not that he was worried, of course. They would encounter nothing he couldn't handle, if the books he'd read could be trusted. Nonetheless, since he attempted to plan for every outcome, he was fully prepared to handle threats that might seem, at first, to be beyond his means.

Shizuka, of course, was completely oblivious to this, and considering her safety was entirely dependent on Bakura, she wasn't very comforted by his presence any longer. Her mind was already conjuring horrors worse than anything Bakura had teased her with on their short journey, the images sticking in her mind even though she knew he'd only told her to watch her squirm. He wasn't exactly very kind.

"Come," he said briskly, no longer wishing to dally. There was a tension in the air, and he didn't like it. "Time for you to open the labyrinth."

"How do I do that?"

It was vaguely reminiscent of her balking at the door exiting the cave, which already seemed like it had occurred years ago rather than scant minutes. But Shizuka's sense of time was off, and she didn't even care if she was being difficult and obtuse. She just did not understand how this power of hers worked, or what it really was, or why Bakura seemed to assume she could just wave a hand and do whatever it was he wanted her to do.

Clearly not in the mood to indulge her, Bakura simply dragged her down the path, ignoring the way she occasionally slipped or tripped and nearly plummeted to the ground. He easily kept her upright, only grunting occasionally at the delay, and she had the feeling that if she tested him, he might just let her collapse and hurt herself. However, it was difficult, as best, to walk on injured feet, so it wasn't as if she were doing it on purpose.

The path appeared deceptively short. Shizuka tried to keep track of the amount of time in her head by counting the seconds, but she quickly began overlapping numbers and then gave up entirely. The sun, strangely dim in the sky as if it were covered by clouds they could not see, moved perceptibly by the time they stood before the entrance.

The door was not unlike the previous one, only this one was in far better shape. It contained the same markings, the same sign with different obscure lettering, and it began to pulse when they approached, matching her heartbeat. Oddly enough, the pendant against her skin began to warm as well, almost searing her skin.

Bakura was watching her expectantly, even let go of her arm, but she simply stood there, staring. There was a power that emanated from the door, a strange watchfulness that had her squinting as if seeking eyes sprouting from the polished wood. It was the same as the previous door, and yet immensely different.

She didn't want to open it.

"What are you waiting for?"

Shizuka ignored him, tried to ignore the trembling in her body, the way sweat beaded on her forehead as she continued to stare at the door. She didn't even blink, unable to tear her gaze away, and the warmth her body absorbed from the necklace only grew more intense, but it wasn't painful. Instead, she embraced it, finding it was comforting as her brother's arms, wrapping her tight and slipping inside every nook and cranny in her body, filling her entirely.

Only briefly was she able to pull her gaze away, to glance down at her arm, and she felt downright surprised that she wasn't glowing.

"Shizuka…" The entity was growing impatient, an edge of a growl to his tone.

"I don't want to go in there."

He snatched at her arm again, shaking her roughly. "Open it."

Her trembling grew stronger. "There's…something bad in there…"

That gave him pause, and then he laughed, his head tilting back slightly. "Of course there is," he said in a mockingly reassuring voice. "But it's not as bad as Me. In fact, it's what we're seeking."

It was an inanimate malevolence, one that didn't sleep, didn't pause, didn't give up. Now that it knew they were there, it was almost as if it was inviting them inside, welcoming them with open arms.

Welcoming her.

Come to us, daughter, a voice whispered in her ear, ghosting away as soon as her mind comprehended the words.

Shizuka gave a start, managing to jerk out of Bakura's grip. "What? Who said that?"

The entity stared at her as if she were daft.

You belong here. Your destiny is here. Come. Join us.

The power she could feel in the door now suffused her body, drawn out by the pulsating warmth, pushed into sentience by the steady pounding of her heart. She could feel it crackling between her fingertips, though there was no physical manifestation of it; the air remained clear, dry, still.

But the voices continued, each one unique and yet, Shizuka somehow knew they erupted from the same host, the same center of being.

We have been waiting for so long…

Without knowing what she was doing, Shizuka reached out, her fingers brushing the dark wood, and the door silently opened.

The sun was well below the horizon by the time two more figures emerged from the cave, curiously examining their surroundings and immediately drawn towards the looming walls of the labyrinth. It was glowing, providing its own form of illumination, bathing the surrounding countryside in a strangely bland glow, as if the light sucked the life out of everything around it.

"Well, well, well," he murmured, his hand snaking around Isis' waist as she tried to move away from him. "Oi, don't stray."

"They went in there," she said unnecessarily, pointing towards the still-open door of the Labyrinth. It surprised her that they had been so sloppy, Bakura in particular, but at the moment, it aided her. The sooner she could get to the girl, the safer the world would be.

"I know." His attention strayed elsewhere, however, narrowed eyes staring at a darkened form hunkered down in the grass, the light bending around it strangely. A soft, inhuman snarl tore from his throat and his shoulders stiffened in anticipation of a fight that never came.

Whatever the shadow was, it retreated, slinking away in a gait that just wasn't normal. It didn't bother him, of course, but Isis whimpered very softly, which attracted his attention.

"Frightened, nee-san?" he asked, laughing in delight. "Don't worry. I'm here to protect you."

Any sarcastic comment Isis might have muttered was swallowed and choked down by her sense of self-preservation. The disgust she felt at his touch, however, exhibited itself in her slight struggle as his hand lowered, caressing her hip in a familiar way that made her want to sick up.

"So ungrateful," he murmured, then laughed again, amusing himself. His empty eyes assessed Isis for a few moments, taking in the defiance still burning in her gaze, the stiff set to her back, and his free hand idly stroked the Rod at his belt. He genuinely hoped he wouldn't have to chastise her further before he reached his goal, since he actually liked having her around. She was so convenient, a nice warm body to touch, to cut, to bleed, to feel writhing beneath him in pain and horror…

But he would have to exert his dominance again, that much was certain, and it wasn't as if he disliked doing so.

His hand snapped up, grasping a handful of fine black hair and yanking painfully, a few strands coming loose and fluttering to the ground. "Oi, nee-san, you aren't…thinking nasty thoughts about your dear sibling, are you?" His laughing grew more hitched as he leaned in, inches away from her wide eyes, inhaling her fear and determination.

Oh, he so loved having her around. It might even be a disappointment, finally watching the life spill out of her, but it was a necessary loss. After all, everything had to die, and he had to watch it, glean every bit of pleasure out of it before he was consumed as well. And so long as that pest was alive and refused to properly die – which, given the right circumstances, could be a quite enjoyable trait to play with – he would never acquire all of the Items, nor would he be able to open that final Door and achieve the power he desired.

And Isis was his little Key, even though she couldn't actually open anything. Perhaps she was more of a Guide.

Yes, he liked that title. Isis was his little Guide.

Tightening his grip on her hair, he forced her to face the labyrinth and shoved hard enough to land her face down on the cobblestones. Any bruising or bleeding was only an additional treat to him; he truly couldn't care less about her physical state so long as she was still capable of fulfilling her purpose. Afterwards, he would use her as he wished, and then dispose of her, as sad as it would make him.

Not that he was even capable of sadness, but it was close enough.

"Lead the way, dear nee-san, since you claim to know so much." Despite his apparent need for his little Guide, her purpose could be fulfilled by simply dying in his stead. After all, there were traps in the labyrinth, he was sure, and he didn't wish to trigger them himself. It made him almost wish he'd kept more of those annoying children alive to use as cannon fodder, especially that blonde twit whose sister was the one he ultimately sought. He would have been infinitely useful, but the Darkness had gotten carried away in his bloodlust.

He wouldn't make the same mistake again, of course, but if Isis happened to fall to circumstances outside of his control…

All right, he could make do without his Guide. He preferred not to, but loss was a fact of life that he readily embraced, and if she fell, he would adapt. He always adapted.

"Get up."

Isis managed to push herself to her feet, glancing down at the tear in her dress and the blood staining it. She managed to ignore the stinging on her chin where she'd struck the ground, and approached the entrance with her head high, ignoring the telltale trickle down her skin. She had to get through this ordeal, at least long enough to eliminate the girl. Then she could die, knowing the world was safe.

The marks on the walls were guides, or so Bakura claimed, leading them deeper into the heart of the maze. For her part, Shizuka was fully lost, having no idea where the entrance was or where they were in relation to it, and any thoughts of escape were finally and cruelly destroyed. If they got separated, or she ran off, she would never make it out of there. She would find herself wandering forever…

"I need to rest," she said softly, her voice almost too quiet for Bakura to hear. It was impossible to tell time within the walls – there was apparently a ceiling up there somewhere, blocking out the sun – but Shizuka knew it had been too long since she'd slept.

"There is no time." An impatience infused Bakura that Shizuka couldn't ever remember seeing in him, and he went so far as to shake her again, trying to bully her into complying. "We must keep moving."

"I can't…"

"We have no choice!" he all but shouted, dark eyes flashing with barely concealed anger. "Let me put this to you simply, little bird. We stop, you die."

That got her attention.

"Or haven't you been paying attention?" The menace to his tone, to every quiver in his body, frightened her into an adrenaline-produced awareness. Unable to tear her gaze away from him, she could only listen.

"We're being stalked. There are things in here that are just as terrible as the things outside these walls. There is no safety."

But Shizuka, despite her fear, was beginning to give up. What did she care if there was any safety left or not? After all, her fate was sealed, as far as she could see. Bakura claimed that he would see to it she was kept alive, if he could help it, but the recurring dream of hers proved otherwise. He would be unable to save her. She would scream, she would die, and he would then wield a power to hurt everyone she cared about who was still alive. Why shouldn't she just give up, right then and there?

He seemed to sense her thoughts and he snarled, shoving her against the stone wall hard enough to stun her. A knife was suddenly in his hands, pressing against the delicate skin of her throat, drawing a thin line of blood and threatening so much more.

"I will get you to that Door if I have to carry you." He was hissing now, a more controlled sound, voice pitched much lower. Even though he, too, had explosions, they were quickly overcome. "I'm not going to let you ruin My plans, girl."

Shizuka stared at him, a strange comprehension dawning in her eyes. Then she did one of the stupidest things in her life.

She spit in his face, the only defiance left to her.

The resulting blow to the side of her head knocked the breath out of her, and if it hadn't been for him holding her effectively pinned, she would have slumped right to the ground.

"Is that how you repay Me?" The anger was back, tightly controlled but threatening to break free, and for an instant, Shizuka thought he was going to plunge that knife straight into her belly. Instead, he wiped the hilt against his shirt, as if her blood made it unclean. "Is that how you show your appreciation for My keeping you alive? For rescuing you from Malik? If it weren't for Me, you'd be dead by now."

Shizuka almost would have preferred it. But now that she was staring death in the eyes, no matter how his countenance swam in her fading consciousness, she began to regret her actions. She was still human, and her most basic instinct was to survive, which began clawing its way to the surface again, berating her for acting like a stupid girl and trying to show that she still had a backbone.

Truth was, she needed him, which had somehow slipped her mind for those few seconds. Shizuka could easily blame it on exhaustion, but there was no point. The damage was done, and now she couldn't seem to cling to consciousness any longer.

Blackness surrounded her, chased by his cursing, and her body grew limp.

It wasn't hard to find them. They left a trail glaring enough that the Darkness likely could have found them had he been blindfolded and his ears been plugged. It took some of the fun out of it, of course, but by this point, he was well aware of the invisible eyes on him, the watching, the waiting, the sense that the very walls were alive.

The time for play was over. He had to retrieve the girl, locate the Door, and execute his plan as quickly as possible. This place left him on edge, and he didn't like it. It felt like he'd be attacked at any moment, and every delay was costly.

However, he hadn't been expecting to stumble upon them quite so quickly. He stopped so suddenly that Isis, trailing closely behind him, slammed into his back and cursed, and a brief tinge of amusement colored his surprise; he couldn't remember ever hearing her mutter a dirty word.

"Oi, thief!"

Bakura spun, letting the unconscious girl fall to the ground limply, his blade drawn and bloodied. "You," he snarled in response, his Ring immediately flaring to life.

The Darkness laughed. "Yes, me," he said mockingly as he grasped his Rod, immediately falling back on the Item he was most familiar with. The Puzzle, however, gave off its own glow, easily suppressing the others.

Bakura's stance was defensive, and he didn't even spare a glance behind him towards the girl he was clearly planning to protect. He likely was just waiting for an opening to whisk her away through the shadows as he had before, though the creature that had once been a part of Malik was a little uncertain whether the shadows even existed here. He hadn't once tried to summon them.

"So quick to fight," he said, shaking his head. "You will lose, thief. Hand over the girl, and my offer still stands."

Before Bakura could respond, likely with some quip or other that always failed to amuse the creature, Isis sprung into action. When she'd seen the girl initially, sprawled on the ground unmoving, her heart had been in her throat. Was she alive? Was she breathing?

Only disappointment bathed over her when she saw the redhead's chest rise and fall.

Had she more time, she could have put together a plan that would have kept herself and the girl alive through this ordeal. As it was, she had no choice. Without a word, not wanting to alert the others, she slipped a blade from the creature's back pocket and sprung towards the girl, with every intent to slit her throat.