Jaazi: Wow, I haven't updated this one for over a month…oops?
KK: We'd like to thank all those who reviewed and ask for you all to forgive us for this delayed update! Kalimoto, Yami Kkwy, Bakura'sLoyalServant, Inuyashas' Plaything, DreamCherry66, An Angel w/Broken Wings, HappyDevil, LivingImpared, Frogger666, Kenmeishouri, Lady11Occult, DemonChildssister, Ani-chan24, LunaBakura-chan, Ying Jagansama, Kikyo's Killer, Kingleby, ShadowDancer, Spidy007, Beetelgirl, Hikari of the Moon, Snowy Leapardess.
Disclaimer: So far, DJ has been unsuccessful in stealing the rights to Yugioh from Kazuki Takahashi. Some thief she turned out to be (pouts)
Previously
The three ghostly Lights felt so much more lonesome than they should've. They all felt an ominous dread settle at the pit of their stomachs. They all knew that matters were going to get much worse before they got better.
Chapter Twenty-One: Pain and Confusion
Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Won't-Die, was fretting in the Gryffindor dormitory. He was fretting for many reasons. First of all, the world's impending doom was looming over his head (again). Second of all, he and the others still haven't figured out how the Lights supposedly 'died.' And thirdly, his school rival since First Year had just snogged him not too long ago. Actually, it was about a week ago and he was still doing his best to avoid the Slytherin Prince.
His nerves couldn't handle much more stress. He and Hermione have been scouring the library every night and they still had nothing. He had no clue what he was going to do once he found out how to bring the Lights back to their Darks and he was torn between wanting to flee into Draco's warm embrace or run as fast as he could the opposite direction.
He was startled out of his depressing musings when someone entered the dormitory. Glancing at the doorway, he was met with a pair of dulled amethyst eyes. The owner of said eyes gave him a small smile.
"Sorry, Harry. I didn't mean to startle you," Yugi apologized softly. He walked over timidly and settled down near Harry.
"Oh, it's alright, Yugi. How have you been holding up?" Harry asked, just as softly. Yugi's eyes gleamed with a small flicker of hope.
"It's been easier to cope once you let me read that journal. There's still hope that I can see my brothers again," Yugi smiled, "Though I still don't understand why Yami wasn't allowed to read it."
"Well," Harry said sheepishly, ruffling his black hair slightly, "We can't let that information leak into Voldemort's inner circle. I'm sorry to say that Yami…" Harry trailed off nervously.
"Isn't that stable? I guess you're right. He's not himself, he's…I don't know…I think I'm losing him," Yugi replied worriedly. Harry's brow furrowed.
"I know, I know. I'm really sorry. I'm putting in all I can but I don't seem to be getting anywhere," Harry said desperately.
Yugi's wide eyes watched the dark-haired boy. He hadn't meant to sound…accusatory. He didn't blame Harry for anything. How could anyone expect a sixteen year old boy to solve the world's problems?
As he watched Harry, he noticed how haggard the boy looked. He had dark bags under his eyes, while his eyes looked bloodshot beneath those wire-rimmed glasses. He also looked paler than usual.
"Harry, I don't blame you for anything, you know that, right?" Yugi informed him shyly. Based on the shocked expression on Harry's face, he didn't know.
"It's not your fault and I don't expect you to solve this problem immediately or at all, really. You shouldn't have to," Yugi continued, comfortingly rubbing the tired boy's back.
"There's no one else…" Harry protested. He vaguely realized that this was the same argument he'd used with Draco. Yugi sighed.
"That's why I came up here. You're emotions are wearing the both of us out," Yugi chuckled. Harry blushed.
"S-sorry," he stammered. Yugi smiled and shook his head.
"No need to apologize. I wanted to help you," Yugi said.
The two stayed in silence for a few minutes. Harry really needed to vent to someone but he felt too guilty to do that to Yugi. Yugi had been through so much already, he didn't want to burden him anymore.
"You really like him, don't you?" Yugi asked suddenly, breaking the silence.
"N-no! Why would I like Draco of all people?" Harry protested quickly. Yugi beamed.
"I never said anything about Draco, but I guess this just proves me right," Yugi said playfully. His mood lifting once he found he could actually help someone ease their pain. Harry shot him a half-hearted glare.
"I really shouldn't, he's a Malfoy, after all," Harry murmured, even though he knew he was making up excuses. Excuses that he didn't even believe in himself.
"Oh, yeah, I agree," Yugi replied, playing along, "Because even though he comforts you whenever he can, offers you a relief from stress, and aids you with what he can, he's still a Malfoy, therefore undeserving of affection."
"Now, wait, I never said--" Harry started, but Yugi continued as if he had said nothing.
"Honestly, he's a Malfoy. It doesn't matter how he is as an actual person, the fact that his surname has a bad past eradicates any good qualities that he might possess," Yugi said cheerfully, "Seriously, it's not as if he is kind, or gentle, or remotely handsome in any way or form."
"Hey! Draco is very handsome and he does have a heart. He is a good person! You shouldn't judge…oh, you're enjoying this, aren't you?" Harry responded to Yugi's smug smile. Yugi nodded.
"That issue's settled, so I expect you to tell him exactly how you feel by tomorrow evening," Yugi stated pleasantly, slipping off of the bed, "I'm sure that after that, Draco can help you sort out the rest. Oh, and if you haven't talked to him by then, I'll tell Hermione and Pansy about it and you know they won't be anywhere near as pleasant as I am."
"Thanks, Yugi," Harry chuckled. Yugi beamed.
"No problem. Besides, it helps me feel better to know that I can help ease some pain. Nobody deserves to hurt so much," Yugi said with a sad smile before slipping into his own bed.
"I'm going to bed early, if you don't mind," Yugi said pleasantly, closing the curtains around his bed, "'night, Harry."
"'Night, Yugi. I've got to go talk to someone, so I won't be around to disturb your rest," Harry said, already heading towards the doorway. If the drapes hadn't been drawn shut, Harry would've seen Yugi's knowing smile.
Three incorporeal Lights sat at separate sides of the room. None of them spoke a word. None of them even glanced at the other. If someone had walked into the room in that moment, they would've felt an oppressing sadness attempt to suffocate and smother any glimmer of life and hope there was.
Each Light had lost the glow of life and joy that made them what they were. Three pairs of eyes were empty and dead, dried tears having left salty trails on their translucent skin. Their entire countenance screamed guilt, anguish, and defeat.
That was the sight Voldemort walked in to see. Thin, cold lips formed a cruel smirk that showed sharpened teeth as vicious looking as their owner. Cold red eyes that shone with hatred and sadistic pleasure instead of life watched the three mournful Lights.
"How doessss it feel, preciousss Lightss? How doess it feel to know that your loved oness are trapped in darknesss because of you? They are in pain and you three are completely helplesss to ease their pain?" Voldemort hissed. Three gazes never wavered from where they were staring desolately off into space, tears spilling forth anew.
"You don't even have a body of your own anymore. Because of your ignorance and trussst, you've lost your bodiesss leaving your beloved Darksss to get sssswallowed up by their poisoned magic," Voldemort laughed maliciously.
He trailed long, cold fingers right through the spirit nearest him to prove his point. He failed to notice that his black cloak snagged ever so slightly on the bracelet of the white-haired boy before sliding off. The boy didn't even lift his gaze from the floor.
Voldemort walked up to a blonde-haired boy. He knuckles made the mocking gesture of brushing against a tear-stained cheek. He frowned.
"I was very disappointed. Even the most fiery one broke so quickly," Voldemort said. He glanced up at the one farthest away from him.
"I'm surprised you lasted so long, but now you're as broken as these two," he stated with a smile, "What I find most curious is…how you are all able to shed tears even without a body…No matter. My time to finally reclaim my pedestal that the boy had taken from is at hand. Soon I'll have no need for you three or the last one. Then, you will all meet your actual death."
With that said, the snake-faced man left. The three spirits said nothing, moved not at all. The vile snake-man's words were taken to heart. Their minds were plagued by a single guilt ridden thought.
"What have I done?"
Yami paced the darkened hallways in the dungeons. His entire body was trembling violently; it was surprising he could remain standing, much less walking around. His crimson eyes were wide and had a frenzied gleam in them. His skin was moist and he seemed to be suffering from a fever. His irises kept trying to flash a sickly yellow but were frantically kept at bay.
Yami's breath came in shallow gasps. It was so dark, so cold. He felt as if he was being suffocated by the lack of light. The cold would be intolerable if it hadn't been for the random flashes of searing heat. He still hadn't decided which was worse: the searing heat or the piercing cold.
"Yugi," he mumbled to himself. The darkness enshrouding him laughed. His shadow flickered and not because of the wavering flame on the torch.
"Little Light, Little Light, where could our Little Light be?" Mallos whispered tauntingly in a singsong voice.
"Poor Little Candlelight flickering, struggling against the four big bad shadows. The shadows are strong, oh so strong, poor Little Candlelight will be smothered, just like the others," Mallos continued. Yami clenched his fists, hunching his shoulders in a defensive position as he kept walking.
"Yugi, Yugi, I have to…to see Yugi," Yami muttered, screwing his eyes shut at the intruding voice.
"Yes, Little Candlelight will help unless the desperate shadow stifles it. How sad would the desperate shadow be once the Little Candlelight is gone?" Mallos wondered gleefully. Yami's steps hurried.
"No, Yugi's not leaving. Yugi is in the Gryffindor tower, he's still here. He's not leaving me. He promised," Yami whispered hoarsely.
His fast walk was barely kept from progressing into a panicked run. Without even knowing it, his footsteps led him to the Gryffindor side of the school. He didn't realize it until he nearly ran over the Golden Boy.
"Yami?" Harry asked, startled. Yami gave him a furtive glance.
"Yami, are you alright? You don't look well. We should go to Madame Pomfrey," Harry said when he noticed Yami's gaunt appearance. Yami's shaking got worse.
"No! I-I need to see Yugi," Yami protested walking past Harry. Harry, though, grabbed him by his robe, preventing him from moving.
"I really think you should go see--" Harry started. He went silent when it got darker and the shadows around him enlarged. Yami's glare made everything all the more eerie.
"Or, you know, I could help take you to Yugi," Harry finished.
The shadows around them returned to normal and most of the darkness dissipated. Something akin to relief washed over Yami. He wilted slightly, now that he was assured that he would see his Light soon.
Yugi was sleeping peacefully when he felt himself suddenly thrown in a crushing embrace. He blearily opened his hazy amethyst eyes to see the quivering form of his Dark. That jolted him wide awake.
"Yami? Yami!" Yugi's words were muffled. His face was pressed against Yami's chest.
"Yugi, Yugi, Yugi," Yami whispered feverishly, franticly nuzzling his face into Yugi's soft hair. Yugi squeaked as Yami's hold on him tightened to an almost unbearable level.
"Yami, what's wrong? You're shaking. Are you hurt? Tell me so I can make you feel better," Yugi said worriedly. Yami murmured incoherently at his words before responding.
"Make it stop, Yugi. It's so cold a-and dark…and they won't stop talking to me. I-I can't make them leave me alone," Yami choked out through suppressed sobs, his body shaking more. Yugi wrapped his arms around his Dark.
"Who won't stop talking?" Yugi whispered softly.
"Them. The Darkness, all of them, even him. Especially him," Yami said brokenly.
"Hush, don't worry. I won't let them hurt you, I won't let you go," Yugi cooed, "I promise."
"Yugi, my Yugi," Yami murmured, "I'm sorry. I'm trying. I'm trying to be strong b-but I…"
"Shh," Yugi whispered.
He rubbed Yami's back soothingly. Before he knew it, Yami's fever lifted, his shivering stopped. He even managed to get Yami to fall asleep. Throughout it all, Yami's desperate, crushing grip on Yugi never loosened. He held him close, trying to absorb Yugi's wonderful warm light and keep the voices at bay.
In the DADA classroom, the voices that haunted Yami were planning. Three pairs of cold, cruel eyes watched the others calculatingly. The first to speak was Arcane.
"So he does feel it, our presence," Arcane spoke.
"Yes. I'm surprised, though, that he can hear us so clearly," Rafe added.
"All the easier for us to break his spirit and set Mallos free," Illyria said.
"We might not even have to get rid of his vessel's Light. How unfortunate," Rafe said maliciously.
"I was so looking forward to that, too," Arcane said mournfully.
"Despicable creatures, that's what they are! Damn those Lights. They have such power over us. We can't even kill them!" Rafe hissed angrily, his tanned fisted hand bursting in flame.
"Rafe, control yourself!" Illyria snapped. Rafe snarled at her.
"Shut up! We've waited long enough. We haven't been this close to freedom and destruction since Atlantis!" Rafe continued.
"Listen to Illyria, Rafe. We don't want others to find us out too soon. Like you said, we're so close. It would be a shame to lose now," Arcane said. Reluctantly, Rafe put out his flame, growling angrily all the while.
"Why are you so calm and patient all of a sudden?" Rafe inquired. Arcane shrugged.
"I don't want to blow our chances. Just think of it, all the mortals scurrying in all directions, the smell of fear so thick it suffocates. The screaming and pain, it will be glorious," Arcane said with a psychotic smile.
"And to be in our true forms again. To be able to cause pain with a single touch because of our true forms. Lightning, fire, shadow, claws and fangs…such ecstasy it will be," Illyria hummed with anticipation. Rafe smirked.
"Very well, I'll be a good boy…for now. We must bring Mallos back soon. I won't be able to wait much longer," Rafe complied.
TBC
Jaazi: This chapter was kind of short…sorry. I just wanted to post a chapter quickly.
DJ: I love the evil alter egos. They're so cool.
KK: Poor Yami! He's hurting!
Damian: I do hope you readers are kind enough to leave a review.
KK: That's what I'm supposed to say. REVIEW PLEASE!