Author's note: Okay, so this is not the longest chapter ever. In fact, it's rather short, but there will be more eventful ones coming soon in the future. Merry Christmas everyone and a Happy New Year!

Warnings: None

Disclaimer: I do not own the sandbox. I just jump the fence to play in it.

Come I beckon to you,

Come I dare you to look in my eyes,

There is beauty in hell,

There is beauty in darkness I swear to you

(With Yami and Ivan)

"Well it all started when I was three years old, in Moscow Russia," Ivan leaned against the wall, staring out into the distance with solemn eyes. "I lived with my parents in the Nome in Russia, where I was trained long and hard as a magician."

Yami nodded, still looking interested. "And your parents, what were they like?"

"My father was close friends with the Chief lector, Vladimir. I never saw a whole lot of him because he was always with him or using his magic somewhere. My mother, was cold," Ivan said bitterly at the thought of his mother. "She never held me, never comforted me when I cried or was scared, she just had no paternal instincts. Some people don't I guess."

"Then why did they have you?"

"To keep their lineage alive, why else?" Ivan let out a laugh. "But anyways, the Nome in Russia is a lot stricter than the one here in Egypt. They're more military like; always ready for battle. Or for when the Pharaoh returned to this world."

"I thought the Tomb Keepers were waiting for me," Yami began with confusion in his voice. "There were others?"

"Oh yes, all the magicians have been waiting for you. The Russians were no exception," he let out a rueful grin. "My parents and teachers always trained me to know that and to always be ready so I could serve you. But to tell you the truth, all I wanted to do as a kid was be a doctor. When I told my elders, they were furious. They accused me of being disloyal to you and threatened to have me killed."

"That's harsh. No one should threaten a child like that!"

"Yes, well, they did. And I learned to give up childish ambitions," Ivan stepped away from the doorframe. "Well, there you go. That's my story. Not a whole lot to tell, but oh well."

Yami just shook his head. "But what about your parents? Are they dead, or?"

"They're dead. The Russian Nome was doing some shady things and apparently the others didn't like that. So in the dead of night, the Egyptian Nome headed over and killed most of the people there. I was spared, along with a few other people, but a lot of the survivors either ran off or killed themselves."

"That's…horrible!"

"Eh, that's life."

The Egyptian Pharaoh smiled sympathetically. "Well, thank you for sharing that with me, Ivan. Even if the House did something terrible to your people, at least you maintained a good moral. I'm glad that you're here to help us in the fight.

The Pharaoh didn't even notice the cruel smirk that had twisted the child's lips.


(With Tenionia and Elecktra)

"It's been a while since I've physically used a body."

Tenionia walked on uneven legs, the wind blowing harshly against her body. Elecktra apparated next to her, giving a reassuring smile. "You're doing fine, Mistress," she assured. "You'll get used to it."

"I hope so."

Elecktra looked around, noticing that they were standing in the middle of the desert. There were small animals popping out of the ground, looking at her body curiously before hissing and running away. Cacti lined the ground, standing a few feet away from each other, but Elecktra knew from experience that it was bad to touch them.

"Elecktra, what are you doing out here?"

She and Mistress both jumped, not expecting to hear Celcia's voice. The young woman walked quietly up to them, a white linen shawl wrapped around her pale arms. Her dark blue orbs stared curiously at them, eyebrow raised in question. "Elecktra, is that you?"

"Tenionia, actually," Mistress smiled hesitantly. "Elecktra is in spirit form nearby."

"Ah. Well, what are you doing out here?"

Tenionia's smile fell and she looked around hesitantly. "We're waiting for Zireria. I thought that maybe I could talk her out of this, then perhaps-"

"You know she is beyond reasoning with."

Her eyes dropped down, not meeting Celcia's. "Is it such a crime to want to see my sister? I know she has done terrible things, but…she is my sister."

Celcia shook her head. "No, I don't think so. But won't she try and kill you?"

"She might, but something tells me she won't. At least, not now."

The three of them waited for a few minutes, letting a comfortable silence fall between them. Elecktra looked around, noticing a small pool of water that lay nearby. The water's color reminded her of Anzu and a dull ache filled her. Biting her lip, it took all her will to not think about what had happened to her friend.

"Don't worry; we'll get her back," Tenionia reassured, earning a strange look from Celcia. "And maybe if she will permit me, I can cleanse her mind of the whole thing."

"But she's asleep right now, isn't she?"

"I'm not so sure about that."

They both turned to Celcia, the other woman narrowing her eyes in concern. "Earlier this afternoon, I felt something. I'm not sure what it was, but I could sense it was evil. And since Astraia's domain is basically over evil spirits, I would assume she would have started stirring."

"But Zireria wants to access Astraia's powers without waking her up," Tenionia argued. "Unless she could find a way to access the power even if she did wake up."

"How right you are, my dear little sister."

The three of them felt the hairs on the back of their necks rise, the temperature around them beginning to lower. Zireria only stood a few feet away, her eyes smiling cruelly down at them. "Hello sister, Elecktra, and Celcia."

Celcia growled. "What do you want?"

"Only to talk to my sister, you little whore."

Teniona glared harshly at her. "Zireria, that's enough! Your business is with me, not with her," she gathered magic into her hands. "How have you been treating Anzu's body?"

"Oh, this little body I've required?" the Dark Queen spun around once, letting her black dress brush the dust. "I don't misuse my things, sister."

"Anzu is not a thing!" Elecktra snapped. "She's a human being!"

Zireria merely shrugged. "I don't really care, little magician," she placed her hands on her hips. "And no matter what you try, I'm not leaving this body. I've never had this much power; not even when I was in my old body. Can you believe that this little girl had all this power in her and never even knew about it?"

Tenionia shook her head. "Zireria, Anzu's power isn't yours. How do you expect to control it when even she can't control it?"

"Well it's not like I've had any access to it," she miffed, looking to the sky in irritation. "Her brother's stupid soul refuses to leave."

Elecktra gasped. "Akio is still alive?"

"Is that his name?" Zireria rolled her eyes. "That's not what he's told me. The one time I talked to him, he said his name was Savan and he only went by Akio to protect his identity from my followers."

"So Savan was reincarnated as well," Celcia mused. "And it appears he is preventing Astraia from awakening."

"So that Zireria won't have any knowledge to it," Tenionia glared at her sister. "What are you planning?"

Zireria only threw her head back, laughing cruelly. "Wouldn't you like to know?" she sneered. "But I will tell you one thing before I depart."

"And what's that?"

"That I will remove that brat's soul and then take my vessel's power."

Elecktra flew forward, hissing in rage. "Don't you dare!" she practically screamed. "Leave her alone! Leave them both alone!"

Zireria only smiled, placing her hand forward and shoving her back with a wave of dark energy. Tenionia caught her, her violet eyes clashing with her sister's black eyes. "I won't allow you to hurt my friends! Do you hear me?"

"I hear you," Zireria said, the smile widening. "But it's too late. Preparations for his removal from my body have already begun. And there is nothing you can do about it, little sister."

"No!"

"Good bye. The next time we meet each other," the Queen's smile grew wider and wider, to the point where Elecktra thought it might fall off or freeze to her face. "I will kill you."


Well, Zireria is very hell bent on killing everyone. Well review please! The song was Distant traces of beauty by Adrisaurus.