Chapter 9

Deadly Sanctuary

The air suddenly stunk of rubber and sand. The infant looked taller by the bedside then Hilary saw in her dreams. It was more gruesome looking then before. Yugi and Hilary stared at their son as he stood there, his maroon hair glowing bright red like the sun. His eyes were so demonic; it was unsure whether this child was really a demon or a god. The infant was now the shape of a 3 year old; standing on its feet, naked covered in blood, and had long thick needles sticking out of each side of his body and head. His feet were covered in needles, his eyes and cheeks and top of his head, his chest and arms and stomach. He looked like the African children suffering a disease with a bluntly stomach sticking out and ribs far more foretelling then ever.

For a moment, the child stood, then, Yugi didn't see, but Sandalphon flew towards Yugi and grabbed his neck. It all happened so fast to Hilary, but Yugi then was flown right against the wall as Sandalphon choked him, his strength was far more stronger then a 3 year old as he raised Yugi up against the wall. His needles piercing through Yugi's skin and face. Hilary threw a lamp at Sandalphon's head, but shattered from the thick needles sticking out; those things were a weapon and a shield to him.

Okay fine then! You want them off? I'll take them off!

And so Hilary jumped off out of the bed and stoops in and grabbed on of Sandalphon's needles that was sticking out of his head. Only it was stuck in there pretty tight.

Sandalphon screamed as he felt the pressure point of the pulling hit him hard. But as the pain lingered and Hilary held on to the needle, Sandalphon walked away as Hilary pulled him away, the rusty needles was out of Yugi and Sandalphon let go of his neck.

Sandalphon screamed as he curled into a ball when Hilary finally too out a needle.

Hilary felt horrible of what she had done, but Sandalphon stopped screaming once the blood that covered on him slowly vanished. Then Sandalphon started to grow larger from his shape as he kept himself curled like a ball. Yugi went a little closer but kept his space in case Sandalphon attacked again.

Sandalphon stood up in front of Hilary as her expression changed to shock. Sandalphon was taller then her, at least an inch taller, His eyes were still red but calmer and obscure. His maroon hair turned to bright red as he stood standing naked in front of Hilary, Sandalphon was in the form of fourteen year old, him as 14 years old.

"Don't worry Mom; father won't kill us that easily." He said smiling warmly.

"N-no!" Hilary screamed out, "He didn't kill us! Sandalphon please stop this!"

Yugi was shocked to see the form he took, He wanted to tackle him down but hearing the Sandalphon just said, Yugi was sure to regret everything in his actions and past. What could be so less of anything then to face the fact it was really you who killed them both just because of a lie.

And now 5,000 years later comes back to haunt you and kill you themselves.

"Listen to me Sandalphon, the Pharaoh didn't kill us, didn't kill you, didn't put needles inside of you, he really didn't! It was all a misunderstanding! A different person who tortured you! So it's okay"—"No it's not!" Sandalphon interrupted screaming.

"Father killed us both, how could you say it's okay?! I thought you would understand! I thought if I had a body you wouldn't forget me so," Sandalphon tiered, "But I was wrong, He brainwashed you!"

He turned to Yugi and pointed at him, "You took out her own brain and picked at it like you did with me! But no more," Sudden fangs grew from the front of Sandalphon's teeth as he grunted his teeth together, 'You will die and parish in the land of the Dead so Osiris himself will laugh and put you into misery!"

Then Sandalphon became enraged by black shadows closing in on him and suddenly sunk down from the floor and vanished.

Hilary and Yugi looked at one another not sure on what to do. Hilary held the needle that she pulled out the back of Sandalphon's head. Ad Yugi was about to go up to her and hug her out of relief, Hilary stopped him pointing the needle at him like a sword, the tip stopping at the very point of his neck.

"I don't think I have a choice now, I have to fight him." She said and put down the needle, dropping it making a low clank as it hit the ground.

"You can't fight him Yugi, no Atem."

Yugi looked astonished at the way she spoke his old name. She said it so cleanly and confident like she did before5, 000 years ago. She said it just like the time Atem felt mischievous enough to ask her to have a proper man to man fight with swords. Though he was clearly insane asking a woman, she's much stronger then him by power and strength. She held numbers of strength in her far stronger then Zeus' son Hercules could ever have in him. One of the reasons why Zeus' disliked Arianna, she had more glorifying powers then the other god's and goddess' but did nothing with them except create a lonely nymph into a human boy where he cherished his life as a philosopher until old age took his life.

"Is that so Pharaoh Atem?" Arianna once said a she looked at the Pharaoh with a smile full of goodness.

Atem actually came to her in person to ask for a little sword match, an Egyptian Sword vs. a Roman sword. It was the most unique and interesting moment of the palace could ever see.

But before the fight Arianna pointed to him and said, "I will fight Atem, but on one condition, fight me no less of a woman, but as your strong opponent."

Her Roman men from the buckhound snickered and grinned as they knew what to expect of this fight. Once their swords wavered in the air, the fight was on.

In the end the fight ended in a tie but Atem remembered well of the way she said his name. How she said was full of compassion and love. A secret kind that only those two know. And now here she is again saying the same thing like she did before.

Yugi looked at her stunned and noticed how Hilary's eyes started to change color from brown to clear piercing red. Hilary was growing more and more into the Arianna she was 5,000 years ago, she was growing into the adulthood of a woman.

"Hilary," Yugi said almost sounding desperate, "I know what you're thinking, but no matter what you say, I'll stay by your side."

Hilary sighed and said, "Even if I killed you, you wouldn't stop being by my side." She said putting both her hands on each side of his face. She looked straight into his eyes and asked, "Would you kill me then?"

Atem didn't answer such a thing though, and Arianna didn't really expect an answer.

The memory faded as Yugi stood up to put both his hands locked on Hilary's shoulders, her face facing him into his eyes.

"Say it again." He said, "Say my name again like you did before."

Hilary became confused, and her red piercing eyes suddenly faded into her normal chocolate brown.

"Your name? You mean Yugi?" She said unsure.

The moment when Hilary was serious and was starting back to come to her old self suddenly faded and the cute young Hilary came into the scene then. But beyond that, Hilary was right. She had to fight Sandalphon, and stop whatever he's going to do. Yugi had luck or the Egyptian gods by his side for this long, but now that his life is in real danger, he wasn't sure what was scarier, having old enemies from his past 5,000 years ago come to haunt him down, or having his own unborn child's soul come to kill him? Never mind the fact he's a dad.

Sandalphon twitched as he sat down under the cold roof of an old abandoned bar underneath an Italian restaurant. He sat on the dusty and torn couch that was located in the back of small bar as private rooms for special guests back in the old days. The place had 1930's concealment written all over it. It was dark and no electricity, the only light that came in was the lighting flashes from the rainy storm. Cobwebs lingered from hanging lamps and lanterns decorated near the bar and nice chair and ping ball table. A small fireplace covered of ash inside by now, the ceiling was old 1930's pressed like decorated carpet of strange designs from certain tiles. And the place has been abandoned for so long, no one expects a child like him to be there.

A black snake slithered around Sandalphon's neck as the snake switched sides for its head to bob and look around. Its black beady eyes were as dark and its scales, and it was obviously sure that this snake Sandalphon held by its head with his tip finger was a very poisonous one, something that came from Egypt.

Sandalphon closed his eyes and went asleep sitting up as the snake slowly bobbed its head from side to side. There Sandalphon's mind wondered off. He imagined a nice warm and welcoming sun ray that warmed his back; there a nice long hands and fingers picked him up as he smiled from under his arms. He was just a baby in this dream, and Arianna, her skin glowing like gold was smiling, and she held him up to her face stroking by how soft and warm their skin were, and giving butterfly kisses that tickled him and made him smile and laugh.

The dream went on as he saw himself grown a little taller then what he was as a baby, he felt like he was only six or seven years old, he was running around a small French country side courtyard, Hilary came out with a scooter and she waved at him to come to her. Sandalphon ran to her skipping and feeling silly, there her bended down to look at him as he put his hands on the handle of the scooter and looked at her as well both smiling. He leaned his chin on top of his hands that held onto the handle of the scooter.

Let's go on a ride! Hilary said.

Sandalphon took the scooter and slid off, behind him Hilary ran in her heels as she laughed and begged him to wait so she could get on her bike. There they strolled off into the Venus-like city like they were in Italy, passing the town streets of men and woman from bakery shops and clothes stores, hat stores and treat and snack stores. Children came out playing as well, on bikes her unicycles, small girls played chase as they ran while skipping rope.

It was a wonderful paradise as they both strolled on feeling the wind comb through there hair, and having her by his side, a world of just a mother and son living happily together, a world that didn't have Him in it.

Sandalphon opened his eyes, crying. He had this sudden thought about his father. Even if he was born, he would be laid and left aside, a baby crying for attention, for hunger, for love, for warmth, everything a baby needed since it couldn't do it by itself. Baby's a fragile creatures, bones are strong because they aren't fully function, but skin so soft and nice, teeth not grown, but smile still satisfying. What type of person couldn't take a child like him to give him what he only wanted?

Do you love me dad?

Dad, why don't you hold me in your arms like Mommy does?

Dad, why don't you say I love you to me?

Dad, why can't you watch me do these amazing things I learned?

Watch me Dad! Watch me run fast!

Yugi screamed as he saw Sandalphon's crying eyes in his mind.

Te next morning was a Sunday. Yugi had a rough morning getting up; Sandalphon's crying eyes was tattooed in his brain somehow. He couldn't let go of the past like he did back in Domino City, back where the real Yugi was in control of his body and still alive, back then The Pharaoh didn't remember anything at all, not until a brush of memory swept by him after Yugi's death. Under the covers, Yugi watched Hilary get dressed; putting on a nice blue dress she hadn't worn for awhile. Yugi thought of how white and blue always looked good on her. And only certain pinks were the best for her.

"Yugi, are you awake?" Hilary asked.

Yugi took off the covers, "Yes, unfortunately I couldn't sleep well."

Hilary pulling down the stylish ruffles on the ends of her dress went to the bed to sit next to him.

: Why couldn't you sleep?" she asked.

"I saw Sandalphon in my dreams," Yugi said depressed, and he expected Hilary to be silent of that answer.

"I have to know how to defeat him without killing him," Hilary mumbled.

Yugi took his head up and looked at her, "Without killing him?" He asked.

"Back then, I told you shouldn't have feelings of someone like me because of how I thought of myself as a monster. Back then all I did was fight by the Roman Emperor's side, and all I could have seen myself as a goddess of destruction, and picking up a sword was nothing but a job, but now I'm afraid, I think there's another way of defeating him, but all I can do is think of cutting off his own head…" Hilary wondered off, she felt she was mostly talking to herself then to Yugi.

Yugi thought to himself as he remembered well of how violent Arianna was even if she was a gentle lover. Hilary was right, and he had a feeling that she would change her ways, and somehow what made Arianna was just Arianna, while Hilary was becoming a Hilary who she always was, even if she was growing to look like her Arianna self 5,000 years ago.

"Hey! I almost forgot!" Hilary remembered.

She got off the bed and went to a gym bag she kept next to her side of a desk she got herself when doing her homework and moved in with Yugi. She brought the gym bag with her as she sat in bed and went searching in the big bag. She stuck her head in and then grabbed out a white stuffed bunny that wore a pink cape over it. The long ears stuck out form the hood that went over the rabbit and its eyes were shiny blue with a pink nose. The rabbit was clean and freshly white like she just bought it.

"Remember him?" Hilary asked Yugi giving him the stuffed rabbit.

"Yes I do," He said laughing relaxed. "I gave this to you, I remembered you didn't have such gifts given to you, or anything to sleep with, just books and report cards."

"My very first gift from you," Hilary said, "I hid it from mom but now that she's gone in rehab she would never find it and throw it away, because she thinks it would interfere with my work."

"I remember that, I told you to hide it carefully from your mother, and you sure hid it well, he still looks clean and new the day I bought him."

Yugi gave to rabbit to Hilary as she put it in her arms and hugged it stroking its face against hers.

Here Hilary, I want you to have this, Yugi said, bending down in front of the eight year old Hilary giving her the white rabbit.

Hilary looked at it as if she had never seen something like it before, a gift from Yugi, and a beautiful gift for her to hug and think of wonderful and safe things.

Holds it and he can grant you wishes and help you relax, Yugi explained.

Hilary went red after that, her big chocolate eyes were full of tears and she walked slowly up to him, still bending down, she went up to kiss him on the cheek. She felt an angel from heaven gave her a golden apple of happiness. It was all she felt when she held the bunny.

That night she remembered falling asleep with it and in the middle the night she woke up and went to the guest bedroom where Yugi slept. Whatever feelings that passed her eight year old mind, she felt like a familiar emotion came depriving her sadness and solitude. She crawled into bed next to Yugi and with bunny she held in her arms, she went and laid down under his arms, and without noticing as he slept, Yugi wrapped his arms around Hilary driving her closer to his chest as he moved in his sleep.

The memory faded as Hilary leaned to lay her head on Yugi's shoulder, there he remembered the first gift he ever gave Hilary wasn't the stuffed animal, but his mother's comb 5,000 years ago. The only thing he had of his deceased mother, and he gave it to Arianna, there he came to her crossing the pond of water, watching her strip off her clothes for a morning bath, before she could take off her dress, Arianna noticed Atem walking towards her, in the water, her expression stunned by his expression he held on his face.

He gave her the comb sitting right next to her. And there they had there private moment, where no one caught them, where no one could see them, where no one could find their forbidden secret. Water was all that calmed them, water was all they laid in to create Sandalphon, and water would drift away like ripples in the stream, like memories drifting off into a past that seemed to come back again haunt the memories of Hilary and Yugi together.

A few days later and finally Tyson was out of the hospital. Yugi and Hilary were there to join the group with Tyson. Ray and Kai seemed to be gleefully calm when Hilary came. Kenny and Max were happy to see Hilary once again, and they noticed how curly and wavy Hilary's long hair has gotten to be. But they didn't ask her.

Tyson was on crunches where he practiced trying to walk in them.

"Man! How can these handicap people walk like this, I might as well have no legs!"

Tyson complained.

"The only reason you have crunches is because you can't walk with the pain that was shot under your armpit, I heard they did a lot of stitching and surgery to help those wounds heal." Ray said.

"Tyson, You should be careful now, especially since once we get to Tyson's place, I have to tell you guys something." Hilary said.

Everyone turned to look at her. There Uh-Oh's expressions had written "Shadow Games" "Marik" or "Amazon fights" with beyblading crazy shadow games and maybe Egyptian history with a nameless Pharaoh and Roman Goddess.

They were picked up by Max's dad who helped Tyson with the crunches and let him inside of the Dojo. Hilary and Yugi followed the boys inside and once they sat in the main room where all the stuff happens, they all sat in a circle, starring at Hilary and waiting for the right moment to grown, scowl, or what they should be doing is freaking out and holding WTF expressions on their face.

Hilary sighed and took a deep breath, as she did; they all prayed it was something normal or special, not a sign of unfortunate events.

"Something bad has happened, and as much as you guys are great, I don't want you in this situation with me, I'm just going to tell you so it might explain why I might be gone a few days or so, or you won't see me around the school I go to at Yugi's place or see me at all whatsoever."

She took a moment to pause and to not look at their faces. "The truth is, my son from 5,000 years ago is stalking Yugi and trying to kill him! And you guys need to know because I felt leaving friends out is just what makes me more of a liar then what I hid from you ever since I was eight! And I'm sorry that I didn't tell you or lied or whatever, but please, as friends I don't want you getting hurt so please stay out of this! Please!" She begged in all one breath.

They all looked at one another except Yugi who grinned and put his head down trying not to smile. He thought what Hilary did was the cutest thing.

"Wait what?" Tyson said baffled and somewhat lost.

"You have a son?" Ray asked.

"Someone is trying to kill Yugi?" Max asked.

"Since when did you lie to us?" Kenny asked.

"How the hell do you have a son!?" Tyson yelled across from her.

Everyone stared at Tyson when he yelled something Ray already said. That question seemed to be the only thing bothering Tyson.

"You weren't there because you were busy battling Mar," Kai explained, all of them went to stare at him when his silence broke. "Ray, you were with me when she said it, Marik made a trap for Yugi and Hilary was somehow controlled, but once she broke through she told Yugi, it was loud enough for us to here."

"W-wait a minute! You guys heard that!?" Hilary gasped embarrassed.

"Loud and clear," Kai admitted confidently.

"But when did you have a son? Was it five thousand years ago?" Tyson asked.

"Actually he never was born, I was executed with guilt because I couldn't tell Yugi that I was pregnant with his child for three months, and when I was killed, the baby died with it, only before I was buried in the desert, one of the Priests who followed the Pharaoh cut my stomach and took the fetus, it was separated from me." Hilary explained with a less confident tone.

The fact she explained such a horrible event that happened, she knew what their faces would turn out to say. And they all were probably still confused over these past few months that she's this Roman Goddess.

"So you didn't just kill Hilary when she was Arianna, but you killed your own child!?" Tyson yelled across pointing at Yugi.

Yugi made a face of shocked and then guilt.

"It wasn't his fault Tyson!" Hilary argued, "Back then, he was a young Pharaoh and many people would deceive such people like Pharaohs because their kingdom and country rests on their shoulders every day and night! It wasn't his fault!"

Hilary's back up stunned Yugi, deep down it was true she never hated him, even if she was to be executed, she hold no emotionless or even a face of betrayal and decisiveness in her. Instead it was guilt because she carried the air to nest generation of the follower of Egypt and because she knew it was the end for both of them to be together.

Arianna was strong willed, she had the power to put down his priests and goes to him and confesses her feelings, but she didn't, instead she acted more human then ever! Or was the goddess becoming human..?

Tyson kept his cool, realizing on what he said was far more crushing then e should have. In real life, Yugi was a wise and awesome person, the things he's done to help Tyson defeat Mar and deal with something far more dangerous then ever, he knew Yugi was strong and a really good person, but the fact he has true love and compassion for Hilary just makes him envy Yugi.

"But wait a minute; you said he never made it out in this world, meaning he never even made a breath right?" Kenny asked.

"Actually it wasn't even done processing, Babies when inside a mother's body take full of nine months to process and be fully extended into a child, my baby was only three months old." Hilary explained to him.

Max looked down at his feet since he sat cress cross next to Kenny. He gulped from imagining such an event to happen. Thinking that child didn't even look like a child yet, it was still a small fetus.

"But then how is it that he's stalking Yugi, is he some ghost?" Kenny asked.

"I don't even think it was even a person Kenny," Ray stepped in, "I mean if it was only three months old, it probably wasn't even in the form of a baby, so how it is that he can stalk Yugi when he probably never had a soul?"

"But he does have a soul, and some how he is housing a body that is somehow making him visible as a person. Some how he can find me through Hilary, so that means wherever she is, he's close, but the fact he wants to kill me, I don't know how he's going to plot his revenge." Yugi said.

"This is insane!" Kenny panicked, "How can we defeat him? He probably won't beyblade or does any of these shadow games! That means he's looking for homicide or even manslaughter!"

"Kenny stop panicking!" Hilary yelled out loud.

All of them became silent, one thing that hasn't made Hilary change was that her loud voice kept everyone in the room quiet, meaning they were reaching to a point she would explode.

"Listen Guys! I'm telling you all this because I don't want you being part of any of it, if I didn't tell you, you guys would go on a crazy investigation finding out and ending up your lives in danger! I can't have that! I don't want you guys getting hurt because of me, not anymore!" Hilary emotionally explained, from yelling to the very end of murmuring in guilt.

There was a moment of silence as each boy understood her pain, and the fact realizing this girl they see isn't really human at all.

"But what about friends?" Max asked. "What about sticking together, and working as a team? Whatever happened to that?"

"Those were human ways, I mean, they were the days where we could handle them as being humans, but the fact I'm facing something not even close to that, this adventure isn't something I want you guys to come along as, I mean, it's just.." Hilary was having trouble saying it, she started crying and she knew how embarrassing that felt in front of no one but boys staring at you and having concern faces.

"People have died for me 5,000 years ago, and I've caused so much death to so many people, I haven't even realized it until now. When I was just Arianna, I was the Deadly Sanctuary, I was everything a man desired, a child to want of a mother, and a woman to envy and hate. I was a sanctuary to them, but a very dangerous sanctuary, a Deadly Sanctuary where you automatically put your life on the line because of me."

"My father, my real father, Zeus was a whore, my brothers and sisters were vain and conceited gods and goddesses, and I felt I was the only one who could see something was wrong with how clean and beautiful Mt. Olympus and the gods these human worshippers worshipped." Hilary's voice suddenly changed from a girl's high and sweet to low and romantic as a woman would sound. Her eyes suddenly changed to piercing red, and all the boys in the room realized that Hilary was suddenly Arianna. Yugi was the only one who wasn't surprised.

"I have been given no more then a curse, back then I was troubled woman who gave in the thoughtful minds of human by being human, and I the only way to keep myself as a true goddess was being the Roman Emperor's right hand man and assassinated and did every dirty deed the mortal man wanted, but when I went to Egypt, I learned the secret to how to kill a god, and I was almost killed by it."

Arianna paused for a moment closing her eyes remembering the moving pictures of that event, "I fell in love with a human who was close to his chosen gods and was close enough to become a god himself, but instead I grew more human each day, and because of my selfishness and foolish ways, I was killed pregnant and in love. In the end, my love killed himself over me, and how could ever be cursed of anything more.

"I thought my curse was to spend my time being reincarnated and have tragic lives to every time until I got old, but I was wrong. I wanted to be human again, and for that to happen, I had to be reborn, starting over and finally have what I truly wanted."

Then Hilary's voice changed back to normal and her eyes went back to chocolate brown. "I just want to be free of no death, tragedy, angst or anything else, so please let me battle this fight on my own."

None of them said anything, they heard Arianna's original voice and just like Hilary's, her speech was emotionally amazing and wise. That was the voice she truly sounded like 5,000 years ago, and for a moment, they actually met the Hilary from 5,000 years ago.

They were the same thing, yet they only hold one difference, their age complex.

Tyson slammed his fist on the wooden floor. "Fine then! We get it! You can….fight by yourself!" Tyson angry tried to say.

Hilary was impressed, Tyson had no way of fighting back for once, and somehow it was making Tyson more mature.

"Thank you…" She said across from him.

The way she said it was out of relief, and when Tyson looked up at Hilary she was smiling, a real smile he hadn't seen in so long was right there infront of him. And if he could draw, he would paint that smile and hang up on the ceiling so every night he looked up and go to bed happy.

The talk was soon over, and since the conversation seemed to make the boys sink low in depression and worry, they all had no choice but to trust Hilary and Yugi, dealing this with themselves. Yugi went outside in the back yard where the boys every morning and day would practice beyblading, he stood in front of the bey disk waiting for Hilary to finish up her good byes to the only friends she could ever have. Tyson and, Ray, Max and Kenny left the room to secretly sulk someplace Hilary wouldn't find them, so they went in the kitchen where they sat watching the news and drinking tea with Tyson's grandfather. Kai still stayed in the room with Hilary.

Kai went to close the sliding door that led to the backyard.

"Kai, you know me, I'm stubborn, I have to do something about this, and you probably have better things to do, so don't worry," Hilary said thinking Kai was going to leave too.

"Yes, you are stubborn," Kai muttered.

Hilary looked at him bewildered, "But I'll be back soon, and besides you guys gotta practice! You know, be ready for some matches! And find out who those creepy Phsychicks are!" She encouraged.

"Why..?" he muttered, Kai started to slowly walk closer to Hilary, "Why is it you are poison to me?"

Hilary backed a few steps away, "What do you mean?" she said nervously.

Kai held out his arms then swiftly and fast, pushed Hilary towards the wall, holding her by her wrists, he took her mouth and shoved his lips on hers.

This kiss was obsession, furious, and painful. Almost to painful as he moved his head down to her neck, he smelled her and kissed her on the neck so rough, it was painful, smothering his face against her skin was so delicious, he felt not only powerful, but condemned as he realized he could care less of her being a goddess, but having her to himself. He obviously held this feeling inside him for very long, and he couldn't just wait any longer.

Hilary somehow, her eyes turning piercing red, had a bright painful light shining out of her shoving Kai out of the way and to the ground. Kai looked up astonished by the forceful impact that just came to him. He looked up at Hilary and noticed her hair was much more longer then before, completely curly with waves like on the ocean, her eyes bloody red and filled with ambitious torcher it was almost amazing but scary at the same time. But all Kai could do was smile delighted.

Hilary was in her old form of Arianna, and she walked passed Kai, opening the sliding door, and closing it behind her.

Hilary walked up to Yugi, shocked to find she was looking her old self again but in modern clothes. And she held a face that was completely emotionless.