Let the games begin...I own nothing.

Chapter 11

Shadow Game

Atem followed Bakura back to the front room. Fluoresce lights flickered brightly to life above them, illuminating the dirty room. Atem's eyes traveled to the corner where the terrain board was set up. He gasped and moved around Bakura, his hand outstretched.

Anzu sat on one end of the table, her head hung. Her hair acted like a curtain, blocking her face from view.

"Anzu!" Atem cried and began to run towards her.

She looked up weakly. Seeing Atem caused her eyes to light up in encouragement and she flexed her arms, trying to loosen her ropes.

"Stop, Pharaoh!" Bakura yelled. Atem skidded to a stop and turned his torso to face Bakura. "Go to her and I shall send her to the Shadow Realm."

Atem's hands fisted and he turned to fully face Bakura. Anzu's struggling stopped.

"Very good, Pharaoh. Now, allow me to explain the rules." Bakura leisurely walked around Atem to join Anzu at the board. Atem's narrowed eyes followed Bakura. Anzu leaned slightly away from him as he stood by her side. He paid her no mind. "We will choose one game piece each and duel them. As you only have one piece, you will have to use it over and over. We will take turns rolling die and who ever has the higher number, wins the due. The first player with five loses looses."

Atem approached the table slowly. He placed Mana's figure on his side of the terrain. "Are those all the rules?"

Bakura shook his head. "No." He backhanded the expensive looking laptop sitting atop the terrain. It crashed to the ground loudly, exploding into various pieces. Anzu winced. "We will not be using technology to tell us the outcomes. We are both smart enough to read die. Also," he smirked. "When you loose a duel, there will be repercussions."

"What kind of repercussions?" Atem asked. His gaze flickered to Anzu briefly before turning back to Bakura.

Bakura shook his head, smirking. "If I told you, it would take away all of the fun." He tossed Atem two red dice with black spots. Atem caught them gracefully in one hand. "Visitors first. Game start." Bakura placed his first piece on his side of the board. Anzu recognized it as Suzuki Eiko.

Atem clutched the dice tightly in his hand, the blunt edges pressing into his flesh. He flicked his wrist and released the dice, never taking his eyes off of Bakura. As the dice slowed their wild dance, all three participants stared down at them. Bakura appeared calm. Anzu's heart beat rapidly. A bead of sweat form on Atem's forehead. The dice stopped. He had rolled a five.

Bakura snatched the dice up. "No guarantee of winning there." He said as he dropped the dice on the board.

Atem watched the spinning dice intently. Bakura was right. Five and six would not guarantee him anything. Anything higher than five would guarantee a loose. Anything higher than six would guarantee a win. For the most part, anyway.

Bakura's dice made their final moves. Bakura grinned. He had rolled a six. "I rolled the higher number. That is one strike against you."

Atem reached out to snatch the dice when unimaginable pain flared throughout his body. He cried out in pain and dropped to his knees, holding his head. It felt as if his flesh was being torn from his muscles. And his muscles from his bones. That his entire body was being ripped apart all the way down to the microscopic level.

Anzu screamed shrilly and struggled hard in her chair, causing it to wobble. The four legs banged against the metal floor, adding to the noise. "Atem! Atem! Bakura, stop! You're hurting him!" Tears formed on her thick lashes.

"That is the whole idea." Bakura replied smoothly.

And suddenly, the pain was gone. Atem panted hard on the ground. Well, he now knew what the repercussions were. He glared at Bakura through his blonde fringe as he stood slowly, giving no sign to how badly that had weakened him. He would make Bakura feel that pain and much more.

Atem grabbed the dice and flicked them back down to the table. This time, they stopped on seven. It gave him little hope. Bakura made his roll. A six.

Atem grinned victoriously. "One to one, Bakura."

Bakura was unaffected. "Do not sound so confident."

This time, it was Anzu's turn to scream out. She thrashed in her bounds and tossed her head back, tears falling from the corner her eyes to the ground. Atem snarled, his hands fisting again.

"Leave her alone! She is not apart of this Shadow Game" He screamed at Bakura.

Bakura shrugged. "Indeed she is. I simply chose Anzu to take my corollaries for me. You will suffer one way or another, Pharaoh."

Anzu's screams died away. She sobbed quietly beside Bakura. He removed his piece from the field and placed another one in its place. Anzu barely took notice of it being Arakaki Hanako.

Atem reluctantly reclaimed the dice. His hand shook slightly as he dropped them. His heart pounded as he rolled a nine. Bakura lost another piece as he rolled a five. Anzu's song of terror rang throughout the building.

X

Yuugi-tachi slowed their pace when they heard a scream rip through the morning air. They were still half a block away from the warehouse. A shiver ran down all their spines.

"That…sounded like Anzu…" Jonouchi whispered.

Miho moved closer to Honda, whimpering. Sweat formed on Yuugi's brow. He pushed Jonouchi aside and took off sprinting towards the warehouse. The others followed quickly.

X

Atem felt both relaxed and nervous as he rolled a five. He was relaxed because Anzu would most likely not be attacked this turn. He was nervous because if he lost this turn, he and Bakura would be tied.

Bakura rolled an eight. Atem gripped the table harshly to remain standing, his knuckles going white. He bit his lip to hold back his cry of pain. Blood trickled from his injured orifice.

"The score is two-to-two." Bakura said sociably, as if he were merely commenting on the weather.

Anzu watched with wide, terror filled eyes. "Atemu…"

The spell passed and Atem snatched the dice. He threw them down forcibly. He felt conflicted as he rolled a ten. His gaze cut to Anzu. She returned his horrified stare.

Bakura gently dropped the dice, a look of boredom on his pale face. He rolled an eleven. He yawned lightly. "Three-to-two."

This time, Atem only winced. If he focused on saving Anzu, the pain was not as bad. He just didn't need to dwell too much on it. As it passed, he whipped to face Anzu.

"Anzu! Next time, try to focus on something else! Think about dancing or your friends! Anything! Just do not focus on the pain!" He pleaded with his eyes.

Anzu sat still for a moment before her jaw set and determination reached her eyes. She nodded her head curtly once, her frizzed hair bouncing around her shoulders. "Don't worry about me. Concentrate on winning."

Bakura angrily chucked the dice at Atem. Atem caught them in his hand once more. "Talk to her again and you automatically loose the next round." He threatened.

Atem clenched his jaw and flicked the dice down, staring holes of hatred into Bakura. He landed a seven. Bakura swiftly grabbed them up and rolled. Atem raised a brow at his roll. Anzu's stomach tied itself in tight knots. Bakura has also rolled a seven.

"In this case we both loose." Bakura removed his Arakawa Emi piece and placed Ito Kimi in her position. "Both sides experience repercussions. The score is four-to-three. One more lose, and you loose, Pharaoh."

Atem winced again as pain shot through him. Anzu pinched her eyes shut and pulled into herself as much as she could as pain rocketed throughout her body. She whimpered loudly.

X

Miho watched as the three boys tried to pull the door open. They all grunted as they failed again. Miho pulled on her blue ponytail nervously.

"Miho hasn't heard anymore screaming…" She said softly.

The boys backed away from the door, their eyes moving around to spot another way in.

"The door won't budge. And the windows are too high up. Even for you guys." Yuugi said, despair filling his voice.

Jonouchi pushed up his blue jacket sleeves. "Let me try. Stand back!" The others moved away as Jonouchi approached the door and lifted up his leg. "Nyeh!" He yelled as his leg shot out and kicked against the door.

There was silence for a moment as the other's stared with wide eyes.

"Did he really…" Honda started.

"Kick a metal door?" Miho finished.

Yuugi nodded. "Looks like it."

Jonouchi's eyes widened as pain shot up his leg. He fell back and yelled out as he held his leg to his body. He rolled on the cement ground. Honda kneeled beside him.

"So, how'd that work out for you?" He asked, amusement in his eyes.

Jonouchi narrowed his eyes. "I would like ta see you try sumthin'."

Honda glanced over his shoulder at another warehouse. A garage door was located in the center of it. "I have an idea."

X

When the last wave faded, Atem picked up the dice, beads of sweat forming on his brow. 'This next roll could be the end.' He glanced at Anzu. Her face was sweaty and her frizzy, tangled hair stuck to her face. Her eyes were red and puffy. Her cheeks were cracked and red from the tears she had long since stopped shedding. She returned his gaze. He held back his gasp. She didn't stare back at him with the terror and worry he expected. Love and encouragement shown in her wet, sapphire eyes. She believed in him. She believed that he would get them both out of this with out any more harm.

Atem's hand tightened around the dice. 'I just have to put my faith in the dice. Anzu and Yuugi believe that I can stop Bakura. I have to believe that, too.' He narrowed his determined crimson eyes at Bakura as he released the dice. Bakura frowned at his roll. Anzu and Atem smiled triumphantly. He had rolled a ten.

"Do not look so smug, Pharaoh. You might have merely drawn the game out one more turn." Bakura said as he rolled the dice. He landed a five.

Anzu winced and whimpered as the pain attacked her. Bakura replaced his Ito Kimi piece with his last figure; Watase Chou. When Anzu's whimpering subsided, Atem reached for the dice. They all knew this would be the last roll.

"Bakura. I might have drawn out the game one more turn, but it shall be the last turn you shall posses the Millennium Ring in. Your sick and twisted game ends now." Atem dropped the die and the three watched attentively as they danced about the rough terrain. They slowed and stopped. Anzu's heart sank as Bakura laughed loudly and callously.

Atem's face gave away none of his emotions. It was a blank canvas. Even though he had just rolled a four.

Bakura held the dice in his hand. "You are right, Pharaoh. This is the last turn that I shall posses the Millennium Ring. After this, I shall own not just the ring, but the puzzle as well!"

Anzu watched in dread as Bakura dropped the dice. Atem remained emotionless. The dice began to slow their wild spinning.

X

Honda strapped a sleek black helmet to his head. The others watched with wry expressions as he started up the matching black motorcycle Honda had found inside the garage.

"Is this…smart?" Yuugi asked no one in particular.

Honda revved the engine. "Nope. Completely insane. But, we have to get that door somehow."

Jonouchi pointed at the bike. "And this is your grand idea?"

Honda flipped down the clear visor of his helmet. "It's better than kicking the door like a baka." Yuugi gripped Jonouchi's arm when he growled. "Now, move out of the way!"

The others followed his orders. "Good luck, Honda-kun!" Miho called.

Honda smiled at her briefly before turning and eyeing his target. He revved the engine one more time before releasing the clutch and rocketing across the parking lot towards the locked door separating them from the duel inside.

At this point, Honda, Yuugi, Jonouchi, and Miho's only purpose is comic relief. Wait...wasn't that their only point in YGO anyway? Well, except Yuugi. He sometimes served a purpose. Review please! Next update: The exciting conclusion to the Shadow Game.

~Azarath101