Pharaess Cleopatra: Me again! Sorry about the sad and messed up chapter, but I'm a very sick and twisted person, therefore, I like things that are dark and hellish, and I will wear that like a badge, by the way. Anyway, here's the next chapter and I hope you enjoy! Till then!
Chapter 9: Burning Rage
"Son of a Slifer!" Yami cursed as he slammed his fist into a nearby wall, nearly creating a hole in it due to the amount of force.
"Yami, please calm down." Yusei tried to reason. "Violence will not get you anywhere, and it sure as hell will not bring Yugi back, as much as I dread admitting this..."
"I know..." Yami said in a shaky voice, those hot tears sliding down his face. His body trembled, anger, rage, and pain making his blood boil, sending his emotions on a roller coaster and his heart in a dark hole that seem inescapable. "However, I vowed to protect Yugi, to never let anyone steal him away so easily, and yet, I could not even accomplish that... I was a fool to have let that slip by so easily... I was a fool for not fighting for him!" He slammed his fist into the wall again.
"I realize that you are upset, but we will get him back, that I can assure you of, however, as much as I dread saying this, for this only causes me pain as well, we will have to wait until the designated date, or until we can formulate a plot to return Yugi."
Yami clenched his fists as he trembled violently, his rage wanting to take control, but he suppressed his urges. "How can I possibly sit by and do nothing? How can I wait like this so patiently when he is being put through hell?" He lifted his gaze to Yusei's, whose eyes widened a bit at seeing the tears staining Yami's face, the pain and agony swirling in those crimson hues. "I have already lost one very important person in my life, and nearly another too... I cannot lose him as well... Please, help me, Yusei... I do not wish to lose him..."
It was then Yusei began to understand. "You love him, don't you, Yami?" He asked sadly.
The prince's eyes went wide for a long moment before he lowered his gaze, gritting his teeth. Did he love Yugi? He was always so kind and caring, never arguing over an order he was given, getting the job done right the first time, and always having that radiant smile on his beautiful face day after day – it was as if his past hadn't bothered him anymore, all because Yami had tried to erase it, to ease that pain he had suffered through for far too long. He couldn't deny what his heart truly wanted, though he thought it best to keep it hidden, afraid of what might happen if he had told Yugi his true feelings. However, now that he was gone, back to that torturous place to live in that hell once more, those feelings began to surface, and now he felt like a fool for not tell him when he had the chance. And now, because he kept those feelings hidden, Yugi is gone, and getting ready to suffer once again. Yami blamed himself, though it wasn't really his fault to begin with. He wanted – no, needed Yugi back. He had to return him home so he could protect him this time – to hold him tightly in his arms, to never let him go, to kiss him lovingly, to whisper sweet nothings into his ear when he needed comforting, and to love him like he so truly deserves. Yami could no longer deny that burning need in his soul, and he was going to get Yugi back, because he loved him, more than he could ever love a person.
"Yes, I do..." Yami finally answered. "I cannot let him die before I have had the chance to tell him... I must bring him home..."
Yusei gave a gentle smile. "There he is..."
"Huh?" Yami lifted his teary gaze again to see that smile Yusei held. "What do you mean?"
"I thought the Yami I knew was gone, taken over by blind rage and agonizing sorrow, but I've found him, the man who wants to fight for what he believes in instead of for simply self-gain..." He said. "We shall get to work on forming a plan of action to return Yugi back to you, my dear friend."
Yami gave a grateful smile. "Thank you, Yusei..."
"I will not let you suffer, Yami, not when there is still a chance to save him."
The prince lifted a hand and swiped the tears from his face, regaining himself. "Mana, please escort Yusei to Atlas Kingdom so that he may retrieve anything he needs. We shall then begin our plot to return what is most dear to me..."
"Yes, sir." She bowed before exiting the room with Yusei following close behind.
Once the two were gone, the prince making sure he was now alone, Yami slowly trudged over to his sister's bedside, seating himself in the nearby chair as he gently grasped her hand in his own. However, this suddenly triggered something as a jolt of lightning ran through Yami's head. He remembered being in a similar situation on the day his mother had passed away. He could now remember it so clearly, and it only reminded him of something precious he had already lost when he was younger, whereas he couldn't lose Yugi too, not when there was still a chance to save him.
-Flashback-
Yami was ten years old, sleeping soundly in his bedroom when a very loud bag startled him awake. He bolted upright with a short gasp as he began to pant softly, waiting a few long minutes until another loud bang rang in his ears. The boy slid out of bed and crept up to his door, slowly turning the knob as he peeked through the small crack he made. Carefully pulling his door open further, Yami silently slipped out of his bedroom and into the long, dark hallway, making his footsteps as quiet as he possibly could while he walked. But suddenly, the boy felt a slight tug on the hem of his night shirt, causing Yami to turn as he saw his little sister, Hikari. She was in her nightgown, a stuffed panda bear in the bed of her elbow with her hand up to her mouth, the other still grasping onto her brother's shirt lightly.
"Big brother, I heard a loud noise and it startled me..." She said in her small, innocent voice.
Yami turned, Hikari releasing his shirt as he grasped her smaller hand in his own. "Come on, let's go tell father."
She nodded before the elder sibling gently pulled her along. "Stay quiet... I am not sure if there is someone else here..." He whispered, Hikari nodding again.
"Ahhhhhhhhh!"
The two gasped. "That scream sounded like mother!" Yami exclaimed.
"Mother!" Hikari cried before her brother started running down the halls, dragging the smaller girl behind him.
However, when they reached the bedroom, they were faced with a sight that was everything but pleasant. There on the bed, the queen lay, a dagger having been jabbed into her chest. She was struggling to remove the blade from within her, meaning it must have barely missed her heart, but she was still losing a lot of blood, her life fading away rapidly. The king quickly ran past his children and over to his wife as he gasped at the sight before reaching over, gently grasping the handle of the blade in her chest. Gazing over to his queen, she gave him an affirmative nod for him to remove the dagger, but as soon as he began to pull on it, his wife let out an ear piercing scream of sheer agony.
"Mother!" Hikari cried again, tears beginning to stream down her small face.
When the dagger was finally removed, the king set it aside as both Yami and Hikari ran over to their mother's bedside, the boy releasing his sister's hand only to quickly grasp onto his mother's instead. "Mother!" He cried out.
She was in agonizing pain, that much was clear, but even so, she still gave everyone next to her a weak smile. "My husband...I am sorry it has to end this way, but—"
"Nonsense! You will be alright!" He tried to argue, but he was merely denying the inevitable.
"Please understand, my love, but I'm afraid I will not make it... I am losing far too much blood; it is already too late to save me, my dear..."
Tears began to form in the king's eyes for he knew that his wife was right, but he would not allow those shining tears to fall, not in front of his children. The queen then gazed over to a sobbing Hikari, smiling gently at the tearful girl. "Hikari, my sweet little princess, please do not cry..."
"But you are hurt, Mother!"
"Your mother will not be hurting for much longer..."
Hikari gasped as more tears began to stain her face. "No! You cannot leave, Mother! You just can't! Please do not leave!"
"My sweet girl, please forgive me, but I must... I do not wish to leave you in such a manner, but I'm afraid that I am fading away far too quickly..." She then turned her gaze over to Yami, hot tears brimming his crimson eyes as the queen smiled weakly, using the last bit of strength she had to place her other hand against her son's cheek, who leaned into her tender touch. "My son, please do not shed tears... I need for you to be strong for your father and your younger sister... I am truly sorry that I cannot watch as you grow up to become king or to see you be married, but please know I will always be with you in your heart. Please protect Hikari and keep your loved ones ever so close to your heart, my beloved... Promise me, Yami, that you will protect your sister and keep your loved ones dear to you..."
He gave a nod. "I promise, Mother..." Yami said, the tears now sliding down his face.
The queen slowly lowered her hand away from Yami's face, laying it over her stomach as she gazed back at her family around her, giving a very weak smile. "Please take great care of one another... I love you all...so very...much..." Her vision became cloudy as her eyes slid closed, the grip on Yami's hand suddenly loosening while a small and gentle smiled graced her face, as if she were at peace even in death...
"Mother..." Hikari sobbed as she hugged her mother tightly, sobbing into his shoulder softly. "Mother! Why!? Why, Mother!?"
Yami gently rubbed his sister's back, tears still sliding down his face. "Mother..."
The king came up and knelt down, wrapping his arms around his son and sobbing daughter as those tears finally slipped out of his eyes and down his face. After a few long minutes, the family just holding each other, Hikari had finally calmed down enough to where she stopped sobbing as the king slowly stood up, telling his children to go back to bed so that he could move their mother's body. Yami led Hikari to her room, but as he reached for the door handle, his sister gripped into his shirt, tucking her into his side before lifting her gaze up to his with large, tear-filled eyes, looking as if she were a lost puppy searching for a home...
"P-please don't leave m-me along, big b-brother..." She hiccupped. "C-can I p-please sleep with y-you t-tonight? P-please, b-brother?"
Yami hugged the trembling girl tightly before lifting her up into his arms, carrying his younger sibling to his bedroom. After he laid her down in the large bed, the boy crawled in next to his sister as he pulled her into his chest after covering them with the blankets. Hikari snuggled into Yami's chest as she sniffed before hiccupping softly, causing her brother to draw her in closer as he began to gently rub her back as some way to comfort her.
"M-Mother... I m-miss her alr-ready..." Hikari hiccupped again.
"I miss her too, Hikari, but we cannot change what has happened tonight... We will be alright, I promise..."
-Flashback End-
Tears slid down Yami's face, rage and sorrow burning in his crimson eyes that seemed to glow with anger and a hint of sadness. He gently set his sister's hand down and gave a chaste, but tender kiss upon her forehead before he exited the room, heading down the halls to inform Seto what all has happened, though word most likely would've gotten to him by now, though he'd tell him in person regardless so that they may begin to devise a plan to return Yugi back to where he belongs: with Yami in this castle, treated as family and not a lowly slave. Yami had already lost his mother and was too late to save her when he was young, and he almost lost his beloved sister as well, but he will not lose Yugi too, not this time, especially not to someone as evil and heartless as Dartz was. There was no way in hell Yami would let this go unscathed. Yami was determined to get his precious Yugi back no matter what the cost may be, even if he has to take a few lives of those who dare to stand in his way...
