A/N: Here is the next chapter, folks. I hope I didn't make it like I was abandoning this. It will be quite slow, but I think I will be able to finish it. I'm having a little trouble with the ending, but I'm sure I can figure it out...eventually. Just pray that I have an idea of what I am doing with this.

Disclaimer: I did not, do not, and will never own Yugioh. This story is written for entertainment and I make no money from it.

Chapter 10: Yugi's Misery

Yugi was the first one to leave the dining room. Seto made a move to follow. She paused to glance at him.

"Stay." One simple command and she was gone.

Bakura and Marik looked worriedly at the doorway where the young girl had been moments ago. Yugi was a bit...emotionally unstable. They could only hope she wasn't losing control over her power again. The last time it happened, well, it wasn't exactly pleasant. It was practically their fault, really.

Flashback:

They were having a visit to the human world, as usual, with them chatting excitedly by her side, their wings hidden by her magic as black tattoos on their backs.

"Say, Yugi?" Marik suddenly spoke up, breaking the silence.

"Yes, Marik, is something the matter?" Yugi had answered absentmindedly as she examined a strange metal object.

"Well, Bakura and I have been hearing from the Hikaris about a truce between your creator and mine in the ancient times..." At that, Yugi had visibly tensed, her body gone tense. The look in her eyes screamed danger. She stared at him as if to say 'I'm going to skin you alive right now'. Both of them saw the look and gulped. They took a step back as her aura blackened and flared aggressively. Yugi sneered at them

"Truce?" She hissed, her eyes the color of liquid amber. "It was that truce that completely screwed up my life? The truce that left me wretched and miserable like this?" Shadow tendrils erupted from her body like giant black serpents, devouring everything in their paths. Their writhed and twisted around, their shrieks were horrible, like the sound of clawing on a chalkboard. The ground started shaking violently and Bakura and Marik desperately clung to each other as they fell on their butts to the floor.

The Hikari's eyes suddenly cleared and widened as she backed away in fear and tripped over something. She clamped her hands over her ears, looking confused and frightened. Marik hesitantly reached out to her. "Yugi?"

Before anyone could blink, she had slapped his hand and scrambled away towards the exit, only pausing to glance at them once before leaving them to wonder among the ruins of the buildings.

End flashback.

The whole place was greatly damaged after that. Bakura and Marik had thought after the whole ordeal, Yugi would never talk to them again. Nonetheless, she had returned to tend to their injuries. Yugi had explained to them that the "country" was Japan, a place with quite a lot of disasters, so the people would not be suspicious. At least, not too much. Humans had become so much more intelligent than they used to be. That thing they called "science" and "technology" seemed quite a little too lethal to their liking.

Anyway, the point was, like Seto, Yugi hated people digging up her past. Bakura and Marik had learnt that simple fact from their first month with her. Moreover, she hated the mentions of Zorc and Horakhty. They had concluded that the creators had something to do with her past somehow. It all made sense. Yugi's power and wisdom must have come from somewhere. But just what had the sworn enemies done to bring about such deep hatred and resentment in Yugi? And how exactly is she related to them? She had said their peace treaty had destroyed her, but didn't go into details. There was so much about her and what she had revealed so far that they didn't understand. Damn, now they were getting a fucking headache. It was all her fault.

The Hikaris knew something, Bakura was sure of it. He had heard of their rumors about "The Union of Light and Dark". Light and Dark, Horakhty and Zorc, no doubt. He and Marik had tried to listen for more, but apparently, the Hikarian Council had been very keen on keeping their secrets from being exposed. They had gone through any length to achieve it, even if it meant murder. Such nobility. Bakura wondered just what had caused such big changes in them. They have gotten more evil since the first war.

Yugi was an enigma, one that one answer only led to another question. And Marik was sure he could try to solve the puzzle that was Yugi the hikari until he perishes and still wouldn't be able to figure her out. He wasn't a patient person, nor was Bakura one. Additionally, he couldn't possibly understand another like Seto. All he had known about in his childhood was how to survive. Kill or be killed. Eat or get eaten. It was much more simple than what he had to face now. He had considered quitting, but the torment in Yugi's eyes was heartbreaking. Yes he had a heart, only when his loved ones were concerned. And for fuck's sake yes, he could love. He just didn't show it. Anyway, since neither Bakura nor he was any good, they had chosen a stupider, more direct approach.

Asking Yugi was the best they could do, even though she had clearly warned them against it. Being the idiots they were, Bakura and Marik have mustered all of their courage to ask her one simple question.

"Why do you hate the creators so much, Yugi?" She looked away distantly.

"I don't want to hate them, Bakura, Marik. It was not my choice." She replied after a moment. Bakura and Marik stared at her. What did she mean by that? Was she implying that someone forced her to hate them? Could anyone do something as to invoking hatred in an unwilling person? Or maybe she wanted to see the good in them, but her past experience had stated otherwise?

"Something like that. The problem is, I cannot be unwilling, as I am not my own person." Normally, they would protest to her invading the privacy of their thoughts, but back then, Bakura and Marik couldn't bring themselves to. It was so much for them to digest. At that point, Yugi's face had darkened and her eyes glazed over with unshed tears. Grief and sorrow were evident in those beautiful but deadly, now a blackish purple orbs. It was the first and last time they had been able to see through her powerful, indifferent facade. Yugi was but a shattered girl, troubled and forever haunted by the ghosts of her shadowy, and undoubtedly tragic past. Yugi shook her head and shadows rose from the ground, much like the tendrils she always produced when pissed off. They wrapped around her body in a chilling black cocoon and forming themselves into a pitch black dress with knee-high slit, black lace sleeves, black and dark crimson high heels, thick black cloak with a huge ruby clasp and blood-red lacing. She looked like someone even Death would run from.

"Don't ever ask me about them again." She growled and strode towards them, letting her eerie, ghostly aura caress their faces as a warning. The feeling made their hair stand on end and their skin crawled with anxiety. A white flame sprung up from the ground and in a flash, the Hikari was gone, leaving the river bank where they had been standing a faint smell of daphne and fresh fallen rain.

The garden, Yugi decided, was nicer and more lively than any other in Arthlennia, not even Pegasus'. It was an enormous place with different sections and gravel pathways and granite stepping stones. The air was heavy with the scent of lunare , infernita, shinohana, and many other special flowers of Ullennia that she had always known by heart. On her left was a large pool of lava and demon-like creatures gathering round as if to guard their home. 'Murro', she thought, the fiends of the blazing flame. They were tempered creatures of extraordinary power and preferred violence over anything else. Small as they may be, only slightly bigger than most dwarfs, not many had had the desire to provoke them, lest they get a fist-shaped hole in their head. Their name did not mean "punch" for nothing.

Dark beauty bloomed from all corners of the garden as she stepped further into the fragrant space, fueled by the sheer power of their "mother". Flowers slowly opened their hard, crystalline petals and trees rustled in a silent welcome as she passed by. She could literally hear them squeal in delight.

Yugi walked around aimlessly as her thoughts consumed her. It has been millions of years since she was born into this world. She felt empty and confused. What was she going to do? All these years, she had been wandering round without a destination. She had nothing, not even a purpose in life. And then, she had seen them in her usual visions. Two lonely boys experiencing pain and loss, struggling to survive in a world where they were nothing more than pathetic, despicable thief and street rat. A jaded, bitter and resentful boy who had had his brother killed before his own eyes and longed for revenge on his bastard of a father. All destined for greatness, but it was not so that Yugi decided to guide them through hardships. The boys had reminded the amethyst-eyed ancient lady of herself when she was first born. They all had gone through something similar. Yugi understood their pains better than anyone else, for she knew the background of every of Eternia's people, thoroughly.

Yugi paused as she looked at a flower in a black onyx vase sitting on a marble blood fountain. She recognized the plant. "Immortalibus," Yugi whispered. She had named it in Latin, a popular language in the mortal world. When she first came to earth, the amethyst-eyed girl had found their different languages quite fascinating and intriguing. In fact, most plants were named in human's languages because of that reason. Infernita, for example, came from the word inferno in English, and shinohana, meaning "flower of death" from Japanese, her favorite. Even the name Murro was from Portuguese.

Either way, she couldn't help but admire her own handicraft. The flower was created when she was bored out of her mind and had nothing to do. It was supposed to be meaningless entertainment and nothing more. Yet, she had found herself putting her best efforts into it, crafting it with all her mind.

So here it stood, the flower of immortality in all of its glory, glowing bright red and gold under the dark sky of Ullennia, the kingdom where she had accidentally dropped it on a scout. The flower was a strange one with the two most opposing colors, pure white and pitch black. Somehow, though, they clicked as they joined together to make a delicate but stunning combination. The flower looked more radiant than ever. The yamis had quickly found out about the ability to extend one's lifespan with its heavenly sap. Little did they know was that the plant was intent to do more than just that. Its name said it all.

But the plant was never completed. She lost it. Now that Yugi had the chance to finish what she started, she found herself unable to. Everyone had to die at some point and it would be unnatural to go against it. She didn't want anyone to regret their decision. Yugi was immortal, and yet her life wasn't worth living at all. Would she be able to condemn another to a fate like hers? Absolutely not. She strove to face it everyday, always anxious, always having to scan her surroundings in fear, always trying to contact her parents in vain. Perhaps death was not a really bad option, after all.

But what about Bakura and Marik? She wondered. Seto may be able to get over it and live on with Kisara, but the two of them, no matter what they said for themselves, they were mentally weaker and needed her guidance more. Even Ryou and Marik weren't enough. With that in mind, she couldn't bear the thought of leaving them behind. Yugi had become more and more attached to them over the years. It was dangerous, Yugi knew, but she couldn't help it. She cared for them, and for the first time in her long, exhausting, immortal life, the feeling was mutual.

Yugi snorted and moved away from the fountain disdainfully. Even though the trio has been with her for a long time, Yami had been the one to affect her the most. She could not understand. No, she didn't want to understand. The mere idea was terrifying.

Every time the king was around, her heartbeat quickened and her body went rigid. She was drawn to his voice. The connection was undeniable. Damn it, she only rescued him, nothing more. She hadn't planned for butterflies fluttering in her stomach whenever they were close. The worst thing? She had no control over it.

But Yami had been so kind to her. Yes, she saved his life, so what? It had taken more than that to convince Seto, the morons and the other yamis that she meant no harm. But the king was young and naive and unexperienced. He had taken up his responsibilities for only one or two years back. It was only fair.

Yugi resumed her stroll, all the while sighing to herself.

The center of the garden was a huge, crystal clear lake hidden from view by thick layers of trees. Yugi bent down on her knees and took a quick glance at her reflection. It wasn't what she wanted to see, rather, what she expected to see.

"Lost in hopes and dreams again?"

Yugi spun around to see the familiar face of the lady reflected in the water just a few moments ago.

"What do you want?" Yugi said with gritted teeth. The newcomer had her eyes closed, as she always did, but it wasn't like she couldn't see without them.

"How rude. Is this how you usually treat your guests, my dear? I have been meaning to see you for a while now. Don't you miss me, too?" The lady said with a smile, not seeming a little bit offended. She looked so beautiful and gorgeous in her ivory-colored dress and gold lacing. Her pale skin and rosy lips only added to her grace. She had her long black curls down, framing her heart-shaped face and letting the rest fall perfectly down her back. Her smile was so lovely one would never be able to see the monster inside her heart. The lady was a master of manipulations and disguise. Yugi turned her attention back to the lake and sat down, her feet dipped in the cool, soothing water.

"Why would you want to see me?" Yugi's voice was but a whisper now. She didn't want to see the other here. She'd had enough nightmares to last a lifetime.

"Why...my awakening, of course!" The lady stated in a cheerful tone that made Yugi's eye twitch in unconcealed annoyance. "I am keeping you company. You seem lonely. After all, it's going to be your last years, or months, on this plane, and I just wanted to help you get comfortable." The thought struck hard as lightning, but Yugi forced herself to calm down and keep on her mask of indifference. She could not afford to show her weakness, especially to one as her intruder. The other could use every single of that against her.

"Then your going is pointless. Just fuck off and leave me be." Now that would be preferable, if only the other would give up that easily.

"Language, dear." The lady chastised. "It's been a long time since we last met. Can't we sit down and talk like civilized, well-mannered people?"

"I would, but I'm afraid my past experience won't allow that." Yugi replied with a biting tone. The lady gave what Yugi was sure was a fake sigh of hurt.

"If I do leave now, will you be more friendly next time?"

"If there will be a next time, no."

"I sincerely hope you know what you are doing, Yugi." The lady emphasized the name with a mocking tone before her voice turned deadly. "Do not provoke the wrong people. I will be lenient this time, but you will do good to remember that I could crush you under my feet with ease..."

"Then why don't you?" Yugi snapped back. The lady smirked, her face was looking more like her real nature than ever right then. Her power, destructive, malicious and sinister brushed against Yugi's body in a gentle caress. The amethyst-eyed hikari shivered in fear and despair and hopelessness. She tilted her head to the side as she examined the young girl in front of her like a curious cat.

"Because you amuse me." In a flash, the lady was gone, leaving Yugi curled up in a tight ball on the ground with unstoppable diamond-like tears flowing from the corner of her eyes.

A/N: So what do you guys think? Sorry for the long wait. As you can see, this is quite a long chapter, the longest I've ever written, actually. Okay, so we finally got to meet our antagonist. How do you like it? Stay tune for the next chapter.

Read & Review please.