She was hovering in a dark void. Green light had erupted all around her, but she felt no strength to move. All she could feel was a blank sort of despair – this was what she deserved, after all she had done.
"Pharaoh! I won't let this happen to you!"
That sounded like…
She felt hands shoving her forward and looked back. "Yugi? No!" Her voice was much deeper and more masculine, but it was still hers… somehow. She spun. "What are you doing here?"
Yugi had a sad smile on his face. "It only needs one of us, so I'm letting the Seal take me instead."
He faded from view.
"No! YUGI!"
She had never felt so devastated. It felt as if her heart had been torn out, leaving nothing but an empty shell.
She felt so hollow.
Her eyes slid open. A large stone temple greeted her gaze, the walls covered with small squares. A few of them had images of people inside them.
"Master?"
A tear slid down her cheek. Not again… I… She trembled.
"It is all right. You're safe."
That voice… She turned her head. She was lying on an altar, and Rafael was standing nearby. But there was another man, one getting to his feet. He was clad in white robes and had long white hair and mismatched eyes. Hanging from his neck was a turquoise stone, like the one that hung from Rafael's, only this one was large and smooth and bore a six-pointed star.
"Please," She croaked weakly. "Not again."
"'Again'?" He queried with a raised eyebrow. "Pray, tell me what I did the first time."
She stared at him.
"What's she talking about, Master?" Rafael asked, glancing up.
He didn't answer – he just kept his mismatched eyes on Kyo.
Her mind finally started to process the scene, and she blinked. What… The dream faded, and reason took over. The last thing she remembered was…
Dark Magician? She sat up, and he burst into view beside her.
"I am here." He said, raising his staff and standing beside her protectively.
"Damn." Rafael muttered. "She's wiped out, and she just summons him like it was nothing." He looked over at Dartz. "I thought the Dark Magician only served the Pharaoh."
"She is the Pharaoh." Dartz said quietly. "Or rather, his reincarnation."
"What do you mean?"
"Kyo," Dartz said gently, not answering. "Summoning a monster is not a good idea at the moment. You are safe here, and you need to take it easy. You can't if you support him."
The magician's eyes narrowed, and he stepped a little closer to Kyo, a little more between them.
Dartz looked up at him. "I swear to you, I have every intention of keeping your mistress safe." He promised.
"That I highly doubt." He didn't move.
Kyo braced herself, but she was starting to pant with the effort. The room was starting to tilt, and she shook her head, trying to clear it.
"Kyo, please," Dartz said a little more urgently, "Release him."
She swallowed. Dark Magician… She didn't want to let go. She had no idea where she was, and the evil was all around her.
She swayed, and the magician tensed, flickering a little.
No!
"Master–" His voice was filled with worry. He looked back at the other two, then spun his staff, gearing up to cast a spell.
"Damn." Dartz cursed. He snapped his hand up. "I can't let you do that."
Kyo gasped in shock. A green seal erupted around the Dark Magician, and he was halted in his tracks. She lost her connection to him, and he blazed suddenly with power, trying to break free.
"No! Dark Magician!" She reached out, but the seal brightened, becoming a beam of white-green light that flew up and spiraled around to strike one of the empty squares on the wall.
And then he was gone.
"What did you do?!" She shouted. "Give him back!"
"I will, but first you need to listen." Dartz said, turning back to her.
She glared at him for a moment, then looked around. The temple was vast, with braziers lit all along the chamber. She had no idea where she was; this looked ancient, and she was certain there wasn't anything like this anywhere near Kaibaland, school, or Seto's mansion. Which meant she had no idea where she was or how to get back. And that meant she was their prisoner.
Something caught her eye. The square was no longer empty; there was an image carved in it, one that looked suspiciously like the Dark Magician. Somehow, Dartz had transferred the magician to the square… and again, she had no idea how to free him, which meant she needed them to do it for her.
And she was pretty sure they wouldn't do it if she tried to demand it of them. She was in no position to do anything except comply and hope for the best, really.
So what do I have in play? She wondered, looking back at them. I was able to summon Dark Magician. Could I summon another monster?
She doubted it. She had sensed his spirit in the card; she didn't even really know how she had summoned him. The only other card she could sense was the Egyptian God card, and she knew for a fact that that one would only do more harm than good at the moment.
But Dad said I could use it as a last resort. She thought. So, I have it in my hand. As long as I play my cards right, I might not have to rely on it. Especially since summoning it might kill me. But I can still use it if necessary.
So, for now…
She shifted. "Okay, I'm listening." She said quietly.
He relaxed and gave her a smile. "Excellent. We have not been properly introduced." He bowed. "I am Dartz, Lord of Atlantis."
"Atlantis?" Kyo frowned. "Like the sunken city Atlantis?"
"Yes, in fact." He said, amused.
"How?" She asked, surprised.
"That would be quite a long tale," He shook his head. "And we have more pressing matters." He glanced around. "Rafael told me he explained the basics of what happened to your father."
She nodded.
Dartz's expression clouded a little. "I am sorry for what happened. We were not prepared for the Phantom's chaos." He looked up. "And now, the Egyptian Gods have joined the fray. However, I fear that they will only be corrupted by the Phantom's power."
"Rafael said you were having visions about them." Kyo recalled.
"Yes," Dartz inclined his head. "Visions that have not abated, which means the threat of these mutated versions still looms over us all." He folded his arms. "Seto Kaiba can handle the card he currently possesses. I would inform him of the danger, but he is not a particularly… open-minded individual." He said with delicacy.
Kyo gave him a wry look. No kidding.
"However, you cannot wield the card you hold, and the Egyptian God you possess nearly devoured you." He held out his hand. "I know this is much to ask, given how little you know of me, but I ask you to trust me and allow me to seal it away."
Kyo stiffened.
"My dear Kyo, if I were an enemy, I would have simply taken the cards. I've done it before." Dartz said quietly. "But I want you to trust me. We're on the same side."
"Tell me about the Orichalcos." Kyo countered. "What makes it so evil, and if it's so evil, why are you using it? What happened last time, and why…" She trailed off. She had been planning to ask another question, but it was based off a dream. Her gaze drifted away to the wall, to one of the empty slots. Why does this place feel so familiar… and so terrifying?
"We don't really have that kind of time…" Dartz started, and she switched back to glaring at him.
"Come on, Kyo. We're the good guys." Rafael said. "Just ask Eatos."
The guardian appeared beside him, and Kyo had to admit it looked rather pure to have agreed to ally with something evil.
"Give me back my Dark Magician." She returned, looking back at Dartz. "Free him first."
He hesitated. "On the condition you do not summon him." He said. "You are weak enough as it is. If he had not cut your consciousness, the Egyptian God would have devoured you and escaped."
"'Escaped'?" She asked, distracted.
"Used your body as a vessel. It is currently residing within a card, if you hadn't noticed." Dartz said dryly. "Not a lot of… mobility in a card."
Her eyes narrowed. "Not a lot of mobility in a stone carving, either. Give Dark Magician back."
Dartz heaved a sigh and turned, lifting his hand.
The carving in the box faded, and she felt the Dark Magician connect with her again.
Dark Magician! She gasped in relief.
"Master," He responded instantly, reappearing beside her. "Are you all right?"
"She's fine," Dartz replied flatly. "She promised not to summon you."
The magician blinked, then threw Dartz a faint smirk as he stepped up to protect her.
He did say– She stopped. "Wait, you can hear him?"
"Of course, child." Dartz said lightly. "Seeing spirits is but the first step. You can hear the Dark Magician because you are so closely bonded to him, but learning to hear all spirits is another step." He folded his arms. "Though it seems you have grown reckless in your youth."
She did feel a bit dizzy again. Dark Magician… She said silently, and he looked back at her.
"Master?" He looked worried.
I'll… I… I think I'm… okay, for the moment. She said at last.
He hesitated, but nodded. "As you wish, Master. I will always be here, should you need me."
Thank you. She let go, and he vanished. She let out a breath and rubbed her head, feeling as if she hadn't slept in days.
"The Egyptian God," Dartz pressed, stepping forward and holding out his hand again.
She looked up at him, then turned her attention to the back of her mind and out to the shadow looming over her. Almighty one, She bowed her head and closed her eyes. What shall I do? Should I hand you over to him and let him seal you away? I am not worthy to hold you, but if the Phantom gets to you, it may seek to corrupt you and drain your power.
What should I do?
"Is she… communing with it?" She heard Rafael mutter.
There was silence.
NO.
The answer rumbled imperatively, and she flinched, ducking her head contritely.
WE WILL NOT BE SEALED.
She looked up. "It said–"
"I know what it said." Dartz snapped impatiently. "Ra, if you insist on this, you will bring ruin to us all."
THEN EARN THE RIGHT AND DUEL MY VESSEL.
Kyo started.
"This is pointless!" Dartz snapped. "She does not have the strength to wield you, and the Phantom will usurp your power!"
DUEL MY VESSEL. Ra repeated. I WIELD MYSELF.
Kyo's eyes widened. What did that mean?
"No!" Dartz shouted, but a second later she realized exactly what that meant.
The shadow became a burning, fiery presence, and she felt it begin to pour into her body. What– Dark Magician!
He appeared. He took in the scene and seized her, and a split second later they were in what looked like a series of interlocking passages. Fires were erupting all across the ground, and Kyo felt like she was burning from the inside.
"Master, did you summon it?" He asked as he lifted her into the air.
"No," She winced, clutching her head. "Dartz wanted to take it, and it didn't want to be sealed. It wanted to duel him–" She yelped, and a protective shield popped up around them like an iridescent bubble.
"Damn!" He retreated down a corridor and into another room, but the fire was everywhere, and it was spreading. "Please, hold on, Master." He pulled her into a corner and set up a stronger barricade. "We will have to ride it out."
"Dark Magician–" She winced and clutched her head.
"Be strong, Master." He implored. "I will not let it destroy you."
The fire had consumed every corner but the one Dark Magician had shielded. Inside, the temperature was high, but Kyo managed to stay conscious, and Dark Magician heroically kept the barrier strong.
It seemed like ages before it finally began to die down. A green light shot through the fire, and Dark Magician grunted. His shield flickered briefly, and Kyo caught a taste of the malevolent energy as it swept through, but it wasn't after them.
The fire blazed stronger and hotter, but the green energy was flooding the entire area, and slowly, it died down. Then, suddenly, the green energy was stronger, and it doused the fires in a wave of evil light.
Kyo looked up. "Is that…"
"The Seal of Orichalcos." Dark Magician said softly. "I have no fond memories of that magic."
"What… what happened last time?" She asked, but the world was fading. Dark Magician?
She felt so hollow. She couldn't bear it. She couldn't think straight. How could she have been so selfish?
Yugi…
She was lying on the ground.
"Kyo? Kyo, can you hear me?"
She stirred. Someone was picking her up; it was that voice again. "Give him back…" She mumbled, then opened her eyes.
"Kyo, wake up." Dartz murmured gently. "You're safe."
"What…" She looked around. They weren't in the temple anymore, but near a large fountain. The temple was behind them, and the skies were open. It looked like the ocean was spreading out all around them, but it also seemed a bit… disconnected, as if it didn't attach.
Or they were floating above it.
"What happened?" She asked.
"Ra took possession of your body, and we dueled." Dartz said. "He was stubborn, but in the end, I defeated him. He has been sealed away." He considered her. "The real question is how you were able to survive being possessed by an Egyptian God."
"Dark Magician…" She blinked and looked around for him, but he wasn't there. "He protected me." She mumbled. Dark Magician?
The answer was faint and muffled, and she got the feeling that she wasn't strong enough to summon him.
"I see. That's good news." Dartz inclined his head.
"Why…" She looked back at him. "I keep dreaming of… the Orichalcos, I think. Why?"
He put a hand on her shoulder. "You need to rest. Your body is weak, your soul overtaxed. I can explain everything once you've had time to recover. Rafael," He called.
Rafael was there a moment later.
"Would you take her back to the altar?" He requested.
"Of course, Master." He nodded and scooped her up.
"One more thing," Dartz arose fluidly beside them. "Would you mind telling me where you've hidden Slifer?"
His voice was so soft…
"My room," She mumbled, her eyes drifting shut. "Under my…"