Thanks to everyone who has reviewed!!
Chapter dedication: To barrie18 who gave me a wonderful idea for Atsu and Seto!! Thank You!!
Chapter Nine
The yami's finally neared the end of the unnaturally long cemetery and they noticed that the once thick fog was now a light mist covering the ground. Yami said noting as he gave a huff and continued the task of trying to wipe the blood from under his nose only spreading it across his cheek in the process. Bakura could only chuckle as he watched the monarch, who was not so regal looking at the moment.
Yami turned narrow eyes at the Tomb Robber and gave an irritated sigh. "Shut up, Bakura."
Bakura continued to laugh knowing that the Pharaoh couldn't threaten to send him to the Shadow Realm since they were already in the hellish place.
Malik sighed as he and the others had now stopped walking. He looked at the other two yami's and even though the sight of the Pharaoh having a problem getting the blood off was comical, now was not the time to make light of any situation.
He stepped closer to Yami and Bakura and placed his hands in his pockets. "Maybe we should split up?"
"Are you crazy?" Bakura asked as he arched an eyebrow now directing his attention away from the Pharaoh.
Malik looked at Bakura with expressionless lavender eyes as he saw the Tomb Robber shrug. He left himself wide open for any smart ass comment the thief had.
"Wait…yeah you are, but splitting up is the stupidest idea you have ever had." Bakura sat down on one of the many grave stones.
"Oh and what did you have in mind. I am open to any suggestions?" Malik said sarcastically as he crossed his arms over his chest narrowing his lavender eyes.
Before Bakura could open his mouth, Yami turned to the albino cutting off any other comments. "Actually Tomb Robber it is not a bad idea."
"What! Pharaoh I thought you had more sense than that!" Bakura looked at the former monarch with wide chocolate eyes.
"I know it may be very dangerous, but I fear at this rate we may never save Seto." Yami said as he sat on the grave stone beside of Bakura.
Malik looked at the two and then walked to stand in front of them. "Well then it is settled we split up."
Bakura shot him a glare.
Malik shrugged. "Hey, Yami said it wouldn't be a bad idea and he IS the Pharaoh."
"Fine, but I still think it is a stupid idea." Bakura sighed as he stood up.
"Alright just be careful Atsu is not someone to take lightly." Yami said as he stood.
Malik smiled an evil smile followed by Bakura giving his own sinister smile. "Neither are we." They said in unison.
Yami smiled as all three branched off in different directions.
--
Seto awoke and found that his hands had been freed from the shackles that had held them. He rubbed his wrists as he looked around the room. He was still in the same dungeon he was in earlier. He sighed as he had hoped that Yami had come for him and released him from this hell.
"Yami." Seto whispered as he lowered his head. Tears began to fall only to be wiped feverishly away. He growled in frustration at this sign of weakness. He was disgusted with himself. Not just for depending on someone else, but crying. He was crying over someone he could hardly remember.
Seto was drawn form his despair as he heard a door open. He looked up and saw Atsu standing in the doorway looking at him with a smile on his face. "Hello, my Priest."
Seto said nothing as he looked up at the man before him. He was too weak to move or even try and defend himself. That is if he did want to defend himself. He watched with wary sapphire eyes as the man walked forward and kneeled before him.
Atsu leaned closer and to his surprise found Seto leaning into him as if welcoming the contact.
With a breath that sent shivers down his spine Atsu whispered in Seto's ear. "Have you decided who it is your love will be given too?"
Seto was taken aback as he thought of what the man had just said. He couldn't believe that he was even being asked this question. With a cracked voice he whispered even though he wondered why he was saying this name at all. How could he love someone who he had almost completely forgotten? "Yami."
Atsu pulled back and whispered. "You still think he will come for you?"
Seto looked into deep plum eyes and found they shown a small hint of hurt in them. He turned away not able to look at the man that seemed so familiar to him, but didn't know why. He closed his sapphire eyes and bowed his head. His mind was racing, trying to understand what was happening to him.
"Well my Priest, do you think he will come for you?" Atsu gave a small smile realizing that Seto was beginning to break.
Seto looked up at Atsu his heart breaking as he answered. "I don't know."
"You know Seto; you just can not admit it." Atsu's smile widened as he saw confusion lace beautiful sapphire.
"You know that Atemu or Yami as you call him is not coming for you." Atsu bent to both knees as he took Seto's hands in his. "You know that he never loved you and that is why he is not here now."
Seto's eyes widened as he felt the final barrier break as he began to shake. He didn't even protest when Atsu pulled him closer. He pulled Seto's head down onto his chest and ran his hands through chestnut locks trying to calm him down.
"Hush, my love. We will make him pay for lying to you and deserting you." Atsu smirked as he rested his head on Seto's taking in the sweet smell of his cologne.
--
Yugi got up and walked over to the wall and looked at the picture of him and Yami. Yami was standing with his arm draped around Yugi's shoulder and a wide smile on his lips. He had his arm around Yami's waist and also had a huge smile on his face. They were so happy that day. For that was the day Yami returned from the underworld with a body of his own.
He looked at the picture below it and laughed a little. It was of him tackling Yami while he was reading. He had never seen Yami's eyes that big. What wasn't caught on camera though was the tickling match after words. Yami had pinned him to the ground and he thought for sure he was going to soil himself.
"Umm, Yugi?" Mokuba walked up behind him.
"Yeah." Yugi never removed his eyes from the pictures as he answered the young Kaiba.
"Do you think that they are all right? I mean it has been a long time."
"They are fine. Yami wouldn't let anything happen." Yugi turned as he smiled.
"Yeah…I guess you're right. I…I'm just worried about Seto." Mokuba said as his shoulders sagged and walked off to go and watched Jou and Ryou who were sitting at the kitchen table dueling.
Anzu walked up to Yugi after Mokuba left. She looked down at the young man that he had become. He had grown a lot since the first day they met. Not just physically, but mentally as well. She couldn't hold it back any longer. She had to voice her concern as Mokuba had. "Yugi, they should have been back by now."
Yugi looked up at her and saw the worried look on her face.
"I know, but I have faith in Yami." He gave a small sad smile.
Anzu said nothing as she looked down at her friend. She too had faith in the monarch, but couldn't help but feel that he was in way over his head. From what Isis had said and the vision they had witnessed in the museum proved that Atsu would do whatever he could to destroy the former Pharaoh.
She sighed as she looked down at Yugi who had now turned his back to her looking at the pictures lining the wall. She slowly turned and went to join Mokuba and the rest in the kitchen leaving Yugi alone in his thoughts.
'Yami, I am so worried about you. You promised you would come back with everyone else.' He said to himself as tears quietly ran from his amethyst eyes.
--
Malik walked through the vast fog, but came to a halt when he heard laughter. It sounded as though it was coming from all around him. He turned and looked in every direction, but saw nothing, but the dead terrain of the hellish land.
"Who's there?!" He yelled.
He waited, listening for any sign that someone or something was around. The only thing that answered was a dead silence. There was no sound; he could only hear his heart beat thudding in his ears as his pulse began to race.
"Show Yourself!" He tried for an answer one more time.
He then felt as though every hair on his body was standing on end and a chill ran down his spine at the thought of something behind him. He turned around and deep lavender met dark plum.
"Atsu." He breathed.
"So you do remember me Tomb Keeper. Well, at least you know of me thanks to your ancestors." Atsu smirked.
Without wasting any time Malik grabbed Atsu by the shirt and held him up. "Where is Kaiba?!"
"I did not know you cared so much for the priest. That and you are getting along with my brother so well." Atsu's smirk broadened.
"I have come to terms with my evil past, but I don't need to explain them to you." Malik hissed as he threw Atsu hard up against one of the many rocks that lined the terrain.
Atsu sat up and felt a warm liquid running down the back of his neck. He placed a hand behind his head and brought it too his face as he saw the scarlet covering his fingers. This only angered him more as he looked at the platinum blonde before him.
"You think you can defeat me! Seth's Sennen Item is useless to you!" Atsu yelled as he noticed the Sennen Rod hanging from his belt.
"I don't need that to destroy you!" Malik yelled as he ran full speed and punched Atsu in the jaw sending him to the ground.
Atsu sat up as and rubbed his jaw lightly as he looked up at Malik. "Well I see you haven't lost your touch, but neither have I."
A mist of black and purple started to swirl around him. Malik growled knowing that while the shadows were protecting him, there was no way he could lay a hand on the traitor before him.
Unless….
"The shadows bow to me and do my bidding!" Atsu said as he held his hand out toward Malik.
Malik pulled the Sennen Rod from his belt and pointed it toward Atsu as a smirk played on his face. "We will see who is able to control the shadows."
"Now Tomb Keeper it is time you pay for your actions!" Atsu yelled as the mist shot toward Malik slithering like a snake.
Malik lifted the Sennen Rod and with a flash of golden light the mist that was nearing him and the mist protecting Atsu had now dispersed. He smiled as he unsheathed the hidden dagger that was in the Sennen Item. He started to Advance toward Atsu when he noticed a shadow begin to encircle him.
Atsu laughed as he stood and walked toward the now defenseless man. "Were you never taught to keep you eyes on the enemy at all times."
"W-what is this!?" Malik gasped as he felt the mist getting tighter by the second.
Atsu stepped closer taking the Sennen rod from Malik's grasp raising his head with the once hidden blade. He didn't push hard enough to break the skin, but Malik knew that if he wanted he could slit his throat and in mere minutes he would bleed out.
He would greatly accept his demise, for he had failed. Once again he failed the Pharaoh that his family was supposed to protect. He grit his teeth, for he would not cry out. He would take whatever fate had in store for him with dignity and not give Atsu the satisfaction of him begging for his life.
"I once admired you when you were out to destroy my brother. You were evil and deceitful, but you have changed since Atemu banished you." Atsu sneered as he dug the blade deeper in Malik's neck causing blood to trickle from the wound.
"You went back to Egypt and repented your ways to the great gods Horus and Herete. You turned soft and began to cherish all the good Atemu had done." Atsu's eyes narrowed farther till they were mere slits. "You and that Tomb Robber are a disappointment and soon he will be mine as well."
Malik spat in Atsu's face as his lavender eyes narrowed and lips curled onto a smirk. Atsu dug the blade deeper as he drug it across the Egyptians tan neck drawing a thin line of blood.
He withdrew the blade and watched as the shadows constricted even more causing the blonde to gasp for air. It was a pity that he had other plans for the Tomb Keeper, it would have been enjoyable to watch him fight for every breath until he finally succumbed to his death.
"I will turn your mind back to darkness once again and you will be as you were before Atemu corrupted your mind." Atsu said as he looked at the struggling form before him.
"I…will never…go against…my…Pharaoh again." Malik gasped out as he struggled to breathe.
"I will see that you do." Atsu smirked.
"I am sorry, I have failed you my Pharaoh." Malik said before darkness overwhelmed him.
--
Marik gasped as he sat straight up and got a far off look in his eyes. He started to sweat and his sister looked at him and her cobalt eyes widened as she saw him starting to struggle for every breath.
"Marik are you okay?" Ishizu asked as she placed a hand on his shoulder.
He never answered her and remained sitting with a distant look in his eyes as his breathing became labored.
"Marik!?" Ishizu shook him a little, but still there was no change.
Anzu heard the commotion and came running into the room. It seemed that everything had taken a turn for the worse. She looked at the panic on Ishizu's face and yelled. "Yugi! Guys! Something is wrong with Marik!"
Everyone came running into the room and Yugi got in front of Marik and grabbed both shoulders.
"Marik snap out of it!" Yugi shook him slightly.
Malik's eyes slowly slid closed and Ishizu started to panic as she stood and placed her hand around her Sennen Tauk.
Everyone watched as a small gold light erupted, but as soon as it had appeared it was gone. Her eyes snapped open as she looked at the group of people that were in the room. "I…It's not working. I can not read anything."
While Yugi was looking at Ishizu wondering what was going on and what she was trying to do he felt a hard push. "What the…Jou!"
Jou had pushed Yugi away and began to shake Marik harder. "Come on man wake the hell up!"
"Jou you're going to hurt him!" Anzu yelled as she grabbed him by the shoulders trying to pull him off.
Jou's attempts paid off as they heard a moan and Marik slowly opened clouded lavender eyes and looked at the group gathered in front of him. He looked into the worried faces and knew that what he was about to say would worry them more.
"Brother are you alright?" Ishizu asked as she sat down beside him and placed a gentle hand on his knee.
"No." Marik whispered as he looked down at his feet. "He…has him."
Everyone looked at one another until Jou spoke up. "Who has who?"
Marik swallowed hard and in a cracked, strained voice spoke. "Atsu has Malik."
"No…how do you know?" Yugi asked for he didn't believe his ears.
"I felt the fear and the last thing he said was I am sorry I failed you my Pharaoh." Marik looked at Yugi
"I hope Bakura and Yami are alright." Ryou said as he placed his hand to his mouth and started to bite his nails.
Everyone nodded as they looked somberly at the state Marik was in.
--
Yami looked around and watched as the fog slowly lifted from in front of him. A deep panic filled his mind as he looked around and found to his relief and dismay that he was completely alone.
He stood and looked down at his Sennen Puzzle. He ran his index finger over the eye in the middle tracing every detail. "You knew I would need you again. You are a gift and a curse."
His eyes narrowed as he placed his hand around it holding it so tightly that it dug deep into his palm causing blood to pour out around it and drip silently onto the ground.
He did not flinch as he continued to squeeze harder causing more blood to pour out of his open wounds. Fear was now clenching his heart and it was not from wondering what was lurking in the darkness with him, but the overwhelming darkness within himself. He could feel that madness was starting to settle deep into his thoughts as he watched the blood drip from his self inflicted wounds and mix with the dirt at his feet.
He lifted the Sennen Puzzle over his head and as it rested in his hands a sinister smile graced his lips. "This must be how you looked when you were brought into this world 3,000 years ago."
He watched as fresh blood dripped down the Eye of Horus in the center. "You were covered with the blood of innocents the day you were forged from the city of Kul Elna."
"I was innocent too, the day you took my life." Yami whispered as his eyes began to turn the color of night. "You were the reason I sealed my soul. You were the reason I had to leave the love of my life."
Yami's eyes were now almost completely onyx in color as he walked toward the edge of a steep cliff. "I have nothing left. You have taken everything away from me."
His eyes went from hard and angry to soft and serene as a peaceful unseen veil seemed to cover his body. Nothing seemed to matter any more as he looked down at the jagged rocks that lined the bottom of the ravine. It was then that he realized what he had to do.
He closed his eyes and started to fall forward ensuring his own demise when a harsh whisper seemed to pierce the darkness of his mind. 'Pharaoh, No!'
At the sound of that voice all of Yami's logic seemed to come rushing back at once. That familiar voice reminded him instantly of why he was here in this hell. It was a voice he knew all too well. He knew it 3,000 years ago and now in the present.
Yami dropped to his hands and knees as the Puzzle fell hard to the ground before him. His watched in horror as he waited for the item to shatter and once again trap his soul in the void of nothingness like it had so many millennia ago. He held his breath as it came to rest on the ground unharmed. With a sigh he bowed his head, grateful that at least at this second the gods were on his side.
Without giving it a second thought he reached out and grabbed the Sennen Puzzle and placed it around his neck as he sat up on his knees. He quickly regretted the movement as a wave of dizziness shot through his head. He closed his eyes and let in and out a few deep breathes as to regain his composure. He opened his eyes and slowly stood.
He remained standing still until the world around him let out a deafening rumble. He felt the violent tremor below his feet, but before he had time to react was heaved to the ground. He landed hard on the ground and felt a horrid pain as he slammed his head on one of the many rocks below him.
He tried to fight it, as his vision began to fade in and out, but his body had been through too much. His consciousness started to leave him as he cried out. "Ra... please...no!"
Then there was nothing but darkness.
To Be Continued……
Cliffie I know. I can't help it.
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