Sorry about the lag... it took a lot to clean up this chapter into something that I would consider presentable. I will however be updating again within the next 24 hours as an apology. It's been a hectic two weeks.

Chapter 11

Yugi glanced around the room, and noted that it was virtually identical to his. On the bed lay Bakura who was pretty much dead to the world. Yugi stepped over to where the thief lay. He held back a laugh when he saw the man's face. Even in his sleep Bakura still had a frown on his face.

Yugi frowned, trying to figure out the best way to wake Bakura without getting himself injured. The thief was definitely the type to stab first and ask questions later. As he was debating this, a hand shot out and pinned him to the bed. A knife dangled over his face with Bakura smirking overhead. He raised it high and Yugi felt himself freeze in fear and surprise. The thief cackled as he swung down. Yugi shut his eyes as the knife halted a hair's breadth away from his face. When no blow came, Yugi cracked open one eye and then the other, to meet Bakura's annoyed eyes. They stared at each other for a moment, before Bakura tossed aside the knife.

"Leave," Bakura said. He released Yugi's arms.

"Not until I find out why you have been avoiding me lately."

"Well, you'll have to leave here without answers then," Bakura said. "And I have not been avoiding you."

With that, he picked Yugi up and tossed him none too gently out in the hall. As he sat up and rubbed his back, Bakura slammed his door. Yugi sighed, annoyed as he heard the door lock once more.

"It's not like I can't get through that," Yugi said aloud to no one in particular.

He picked himself up and dusted off his clothes. With determination, he sent his shadow magic into the lock, forcing it to release its hold on the frame. Yugi pushed open the door, only to find Bakura's glaring face on the other side.

"What do you want?" the thief snarled at him.

"To understand," Yugi said simply. "You're mad at me about something. What did I do?"

"You should know."

"How could I possibly know if you don't tell me?" Yugi said exasperated.

The thief was silent for a moment. Yugi felt his heart speed up a little as the other took a step forward right into Yugi's personal space.

"The Pharaoh has no right, you know," Bakura said quietly. Yugi felt several butterflies flutter in his stomach as the thief stepped closer. "After all, you were mine first."

"B-Bakura?" Yugi said.

The thief took another step forward with a strange look on his face. Yugi backed right up until he hit a wall. Bakura's hand shot out and smacked beside Yugi's head. Yugi tried to shuffle sideways in response, but Bakura's other hand was immediately there to stop him.

"Yes. How dare he...," Bakura muttered.

Yugi opened his mouth to protest that he wasn't his, only to have nothing come out. The strange glint in Bakura's eyes seemed to intensify. Yugi stared right back up at him, confused. The thief's lips twitched upwards into a smirk. He grabbed Yugi's chin and forced him to look straight into his eyes. Yugi barely had time to wonder what Bakura was doing before he found himself pulling the thief forward into a kiss.

Bakura's body froze in surprise and Yugi pulled away quickly. "Bakura I-"

The thief shoved him. Yugi fell and felt his head crack against the wall. His vision swam and he slowly felt around to the back of his head. It came away wet. Even in the dark he knew that it was blood.

Bakura hurried back into his room and slammed the door shut. Yugi sighed. It seemed that he wasn't the only one that found his own actions unexpected. His uninjured hand moved to his lips of its own accord and brushed against his mouth. Despite all the confusion swirling around in his veins, he couldn't help but notice that the thief's lips had been much softer than he had imagined.

The next day the thief gave no indication of what had happened the night before and continued to ignore him as usual. Yugi was for once fine with this as he had no intention of talking to the other after what had happened. He had decided that he just wanted them to be friends.

'The Pharaoh has no right.' Yugi didn't really know what had got into Bakura. What had Yugi done to make him so mad? More importantly what had gotten into him that had made him kiss the thief?

"Okay, so maybe I know the answer to the last question."

"Yugi?" He let out an unmanly yelp and turned to see Mana staring at him with curiosity.

"Are you okay?"

Yugi sighed. "I'm fine."

"Really?"

"No," Yugi said. "Bakura just won't talk to me. He wouldn't even reply when I told him that I had finally summoned my Ka!"

"Oh what is it?" Mana asked eagerly.

Yugi sighed and with a flick of his shadow magic, Kuriboh appeared at his side.

"It's so cute!" Mana stepped forward and hugged it. Kuriboh chirped in glee as she squeezed it to her chest.

"W-wait Mana! Don't -"

A sound like that of a small explosion echoed through the air. Kuribohs appeared all over the place and floated off trying to explore the palace.

"Hug him too hard," Yugi finished.

He flushed as Bakura himself walked by.

Mana looked at him for a second and then turned to Yugi. "What's got you so sad?"

Yugi sighed. "Oh nothing. Just a bit of a headache."

Yugi reached up and rubbed the bump that had resulted from his fall against the wall with a wince. He'd bathed right after it had stopped bleeding, but it had left his temples pounding. Mana stared at him. Or to be more specific where Yugi's hand was.

"How did you hit your head?"

Yugi opened his mouth to tell her that he had fallen out of bed and hit his head on the wall, but instead found himself telling her the whole truth. She crouched there, a frown replacing her usual smile as he recanted the entire story to her.

"So you ended up kissing him? And then he shoved you into a wall?" Mana said blankly.

"I'm sure that it was an accident," Yugi said.

"You like him, don't you," It was more of a statement than anything.

"M-maybe. I don't know," Yugi hugged his knees to his chest. "It's just every time that I have seen him lately, I feel nauseous and I feel more awkward than usual talking to him."

"You do then," she said. "I can't say that I approve."

"What? Why?"

"He shoved you into a wall, Yugi. You've also mentioned that he has tried to kill you how many times?"

"It's not like his heart was in it," Yugi murmured. "I've seen him when he is. He's very thorough."

"Just be careful, okay? If he hurts you, I will put him out of commission myself," she said.

Yugi smiled. "Thanks, Mana. But I'm also worried about him," Yugi continued. "He's been too calm lately. I think that he's somehow bottling it up. He's almost always angry and I just see him sitting there calmly at meals with a blank look on his face."

You don't have to worry about that at least," Mana replied. "He's been working us all really hard and seems to enjoy tormenting us."

"Still," Yugi said. "He enjoyed tormenting me and was still his irascible self."

"... Maybe he spent only a little bit of his temper on you but now that he has a bunch of us as his students he spends a little of it on all of us so that at the end of the day he's calm?"

Yugi stared at the wall. "I hope so."

Mana got up and offered a hand to Yugi. He took it and allowed her to pull him to his feet. "In any case, we should probably get going."

The morning dawned bright and clear. Flowers swayed gently in the breeze thanks to the storm last night. Yugi stepped outside, amazed at what the rainstorms had brought.

"Lovely, isn't it?"

Yugi let out a shriek of surprise and turned to see Atem standing there.

"Y-yes, it is," he said weakly. "I can't help but think that it is the calm before the storm though."

"It is," Atem replied. "Scouts have spotted Akhenaden headed this way. He should be here by sunset. I'm giving everyone the day off. So if you have something that you want to do, now would be the time to do it."

Yugi's mind flashed to the stone tablet that had brought him here in the first place. He knew that it was time. "Thanks, Atem. Have you seen Bakura anywhere?"

"No, I haven't, Yugi," Atem replied. "Why?"

"He and I had an argument and I haven't been able to take him aside for a talk."

"I wish I could help you look for him, but I don't have time right now."

"That's alright. I understand. I'll try to find him before the battle starts," Yugi took off running towards the castle.

"Make sure that you get some rest at least, Yugi," Atem called. "This isn't going to be over quickly."

"I will," Yugi didn't even bother to pause.

As he raced through the halls, he could feel the atmosphere of unease seeping into the corners of the palace. Everywhere, people were talking about the upcoming battle. Yugi brushed past the small healer's ward that he had been brought to when he had broken his wrist. It was not so small anymore. The place was already full of beds, with narrow aisles in between them. He noted that men and women were setting up cots in the halls and his blood ran cold. This... was really happening wasn't it? When he had agreed to help Atem if he was still in Egypt at the time that their final doom fell upon them, he had never really expected to be see this day.

"Yugi?" Yugi yelped in surprise.

He turned to find Mana standing there. Her usual smile had been replaced by a grimace and she just looked tired overall. Yugi couldn't help but wonder if he looked just as worn out. "Sorry. I'm a little jumpy. I guess you heard...?"

"Yeah. I'm going to go find Mahado," she declared. "Are you coming?"

Yugi shook his head. "I have to find Bakura. I don't want us to go into this without at least having made things right between us."

"I'm sorry Yugi, but Bakura took off this morning with one of the final scouting parties. He won't be back until just before the battle begins," Mana replied.

"Damn it," Yugi swore, surprising himself. He didn't swear that often.

Mana looked at him in surprise. "Well you can always wait for him. There are a few guards' posts along the wall. You can always ask to go up there."

"I'll see you later then?" Yugi said.

"Of course," Mana said. Then she stepped forward and threw her arms around him. "Just in case something happens."

Yugi felt his lips quirk into a smile, summoning up confidence that he didn't really feel. "Don't worry. I think that we have a good chance of winning this thing."

"I hope so," Mana said and let him go. "See you later."

"I'll count on that," Yugi watched her run off.

Yugi walked along the wall on the inside of the garden. He wouldn't have found it if he hadn't been running his hand along the wall. His shadow magic ended up tripping the sensor and a wall panel slid open to reveal a staircase that wound up the inside of the wall. He peaked around the corner.

"Hello?" he called up and waited for an answer.

"Who's there?" A man called back.

"Is there any way I can stand watch with you?"

"That's against regulations."

"Please!"

"Sorry kid, we're all just as anxious as you. Go make sure that you are prepared for what you will face ahead."

Yugi twitched at the kid comment and then sighed. "Thanks anyway."

Yugi decided to take Atem's advice and headed back to his room for a nap, but quickly found himself staring at the ceiling as the day began to pass too quickly yet at the same time far too slowly for his tastes. The tension around the castle and from himself made it impossible to sleep.

Finally it was late afternoon. Yugi got up off his bed and began to get ready. He hesitated when his hand brushed over the handle of the sword leaning against the wall. Should he bring it? Yugi didn't even know how to use thing past the knowledge that it was better to dodge an attack than parry it and which end he was supposed to hold. On the other hand, if there was a situation where he wouldn't be able to use his shadow magic, it would be useful to have at least something to defend himself with. He strapped it to his waist and put on his sandals. Yugi straightened his ensemble and double checked to make sure that his sword would stay where it was supposed to be. He was ready.

Yugi poked at the food on his plate, not quite sure what to do with it. He had been hungry when he had begun his journey towards the kitchen, but now he just felt sick. His stomach rolled as he tore off a piece of bread and stuck it in his mouth. It went down like sandpaper. Knowing that he would need his strength, Yugi forced his meal down one bite after another and headed outside.

People were already milling about in front of the castle. He glanced around wildly, eyes searching out for a flash of white hair, only to remain disappointed. Finally at the calls of the soldiers, everyone began to line up. Yugi was pulled to the third line from the front by a burly looking soldier. He was pushed forward and ended up right beside the people who he had trained with.

The woman beside him gave him a nervous smile when he looked at her, and he felt as if his face would creak when he returned it.

Yugi shifted impatiently. One of the things that they didn't really recount in many of the manga and novels that he had read as a teenager was how much waiting there was until the battle actually started. It was shortly before sun down when a shadow was spotted on the horizon. Cries when up in the crowd and Yugi joined in eagerly. It was the last scouting party. For not the first time, Yugi cursed his short stature. Even if the people of Egypt were shorter than the average was in his time, he was still shorter than at least half of them.

Another shout went up. This time it was because of a second, much larger shadow had encompassed the first. Yugi squeezed his eyes closed at the knowledge and took a deep, calming breath. He glanced to the woman beside him only to see his own fear staring back.

"I can see how scared you are right now," Atem said. It was clear that he had amplified his voice with a spell. Immediately, everyone's attention was turned towards him. "I can't blame you for that. Instead I ask you to close your eyes and remember who you are fighting for. Your brothers, sisters, parents, homes and country all are depending on you now. We shall not falter in face of this adversity, but instead go forward as our parents and grandparents did. Onto victory!"

The army roared its approval. Yugi jumped up in order to spot the scouting party. Instead his veins turned to ice. While he could tell the difference between them and the army behind them, Yugi couldn't help but wonder how Akhenaden had amassed one so quickly. His knees began to tremble, as if they were trying to coax the rest of his body to flee and save himself.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath as the scouting party finally made it to the front lines. He could feel his hands beginning to shake and he turned his head away to the side.

"Bakura?"

The thief turned and looked at him. A feral grin encompassed his features. "I'm going to finally be able to get my revenge. Isn't that great, Yugi?"

Yugi flinched at the manic edge of his voice. "Yes, it is. I've got to tell you something. I was going to tell you earlier today, but you weren't here-"

And suddenly they were charging. Bakura let out a yell of his own as they began to rush forward, Diabound took to the skies. Yugi closed his eyes and a moment later Kuriboh joined him.

"That puffball? You have got to be kidding me," Bakura laughed when he spotted it.

"Oh shut up," Yugi huffed. He was too happy to have the thief talking to him again to protest that the man had not acknowledged what he wanted to say. Instead he shot Bakura a smile and then focused on the battle ahead of them.

There was a grand pause before the two armies clashed and suddenly there was blood everywhere. Overhead in the skies, Ka shot down attacks on the opposing army as a dark cloud that had nothing to do with the setting sun began to spread across the sky. A man rushed at him. Yugi dodged his frantically swinging sword and brought him down with a flash of shadow magic. He didn't have time to even pause as another took his place.

Bakura quickly became separated from Yugi and raced to the very front of the battle. He drew his sword and slashed through the nearest man. The stench of death hung in the air along with the sounds of battle. A sick giddiness began to roll through his body as he cut down man after man, while Diabound cut down the Ka in the sky with his spiral shock wave. Deep down though, he had to wonder. Why hadn't Akhenaden/Zorc stolen the rest of the Items? There was no way that he would be able to summon the ultimate evil without all of them.

Bakura began to fight in earnest now, determined to reach the man himself before he could carry out whatever plan that he had up his sleeve. Just because Akhenaden was crazy, didn't mean that Zorc was. It was clear that the presence of the other army was no more than to weaken Egypt's forces so that he could take the capital. Bakura would love to see the Pharaoh lose his precious home, but right now was the time to worry about the one responsible for slaughtering his village.

Yugi glanced around frantically and almost subconsciously summoned his shadow magic to block an attack coming at his side. The force of the attack sent him stumbling and he tripped backwards over a corpse. Yugi panicked and sprang to his feet before his foe could finish him off. He sent his magic ahead of him and the man groaned as it penetrated his body where Yugi knew it would split open all of his major arteries and veins.

He turned and drew his sword, aware that if he kept using shadow magic so generously, he would soon be dead from exhaustion. Yugi flinched as he saw the woman that had been standing by him earlier shriek and fall to the ground as her Ka was cut down. Yugi let out a cry of his own and grimly pressed on.

How long had the battle lasted now. Minutes, hours, days? It felt like an unending monotony of sheer horror in Yugi's eyes. Kuriboh huddled close to his master, not really being needed yet. He took a step back and bumped into a body. He whirled around and almost stabbed Atem.

"S-sorry!" Yugi shouted.

Atem waved his forgiveness and together they began to battle their way up to the front, the battle lines having long since fallen to disarray. Yugi lost his sword somewhere along the lines and fell to using just his shadow magic as a defence. Behind him Kuriboh chirped.

Atem and Yugi finally made their way to where Akhenaden was standing. He cackled madly as the battle raged around him. They stopped, unsure how to engage the crazed man with four Millennium Items. Yugi glanced to the side and saw that the three remaining priests were nearby fighting off more men as well as the multitudes of Ka floating in the air. He suddenly had a very bad feeling about this.

A white blur rushed past him and with a rustle of wind, Diabound swooped overhead. Bakura roared as he charged down the slight incline towards Akhenaden. The man paid no mention, but just continued laughing as a contingent of men cut the enraged thief off.

"I was always bitter," the man started as he headed towards Atem. "After all, why should Akhnamkhanen have been the one to get the throne? He may have been the older brother, but I was clearly the wiser choice. He was foolish, always wanting to believe in the good of people. Well look around you and see what his beliefs lead us too! I may be too old to take the throne, but my son, will be the perfect man to follow in my footsteps."

Akhenaden stopped a few metres before them. "How foolish of you to fall into my trap, right after my stupid brother."

The former priest opened his hand. The Millennium Items in his possession began to glow. To Atem's surprise, the Millennium Puzzle on his chest began to glow. Yugi turned and watched as Isis' necklace and the Millennium ring both began to glow as well. Atem took a step towards him, but it was already too late. The light the Millennium items flew towards his hand and was absorbed. Atem fell to one knee, clutching his chest, the Millennium Puzzle now nothing more than a useless weight. Yugi glanced at the sky and saw a few other Ka that he knew were controlled by the other priests fall as well.

Akhenaden dashed forward in an attempt to grab the puzzle off of Atem. Yugi stood in front of him and glared, knowing that his magic was no match for the possessed man. Akhenaden read Yugi's weakness in his movements and sent a wave of shadows coursing towards him. Yugi threw up a shield of his own, but had the air knocked out of his lungs as the concussion hit his chest. He flew through the air, hitting the ground and rolling for a few feet before he came to a stop.

Yugi wheezed in a desperate attempt to get air to come into his lungs. Coughing he turned his head towards where Atem was just rising to his feet. Akhenaden tore the Puzzle away from him, causing Atem to choke.

"This is where your life ends, Pharaoh. I'm going to finish you the same way you have finished so many criminals in the past," the former priest said. There was a triumphant smile on his face. "With you out of the way, Seto will be King."

Yugi finally got enough air into his lungs to force his body up into a sitting position.

He opened his mouth. "Kuriboh!"

... Just as Akhenaden shouted "Mind Crush!"

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