Sorry to have kept everyone waiting regarding Marik's absence from the story. He will be waking up in the next chapter. Thanks for your patience!
Also, I'm backpedalling on my previous decision and will be adding the POV to each chapter title.
I will be taking a break from writing fanfiction for a few weeks, just until I get caught up on my studies. Clinical placement is over till next month, and in the meantime, incoming piles of papers and exams, yaaaaaay.
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Our newest additions have been welcome indeed…well, mostly, anyway. Really, I should have expected little else.
Ryou has barely changed since I saw him last, always such a sweet young man. He seems to have captured the hearts of everyone within our ranks, and has been working closely with the priests so he can further understand the extent of his new magical abilities. I was informed about the passing of his sister, Amane, and Ryou's recovery from the trauma of her death triggering his newfound strength. I never met Amane, but I heard much about her in the times I rode with Bakura, and I am sad for them that she is gone from this world.
As for Bakura, he isn't taking his lover's deteriorating condition very well. It has been a week since the group arrived in Kul Elna, and Marik has shown no improvement. Bakura has become increasingly nervous and jumpy, so we've all just taken to leaving him alone for the time being. Isis has tried everything she knows, but it seems that for the moment, Marik must remain bound by the Pendant's mysterious powers.
Kek, the one who looks like Marik – I thought they were brothers, but apparently not, and Kek is reluctant to explain – is surprisingly shy and withdrawn considering his appearance. If anything, I had expected him to be more boisterous and intimidating than Bakura, but for the most part, he remains by Ryou's side, saying little and interacting even less. He is prone to temper, and doesn't appear to be the most stable mentally, but a soft word from Ryou, and he calms down almost straight away. It's very impressive, to say the least.
I can forget these negatives, however, because they make up for everything through their sheer raw power. I've watched them during sparring sessions and magic casting; they're incredibly capable, just as I knew they would be. Bakura and Otogi train together like they were made for each other, and both Ryou and Kek weave spells I never knew existed.
So, after some deliberation, I came to a decision with Seto and Kisara. It's about time our new recruits were put to the test. Bakura might be handier with a blade than I am, but this is one area I'm certain the grouchy mercenary will never surpass me in, and certainly not Kisara.
"How much fucking further?" said grouchy mercenary yells at my back.
"Not far now!" I call over my shoulder. "I trust you can hold on for another five minutes?"
"Fuck you, Atem!"
Saddled and mounted, myself, Yugi, Kisara, Ryou and Bakura ride through the wastelands to the training spot we reserve for higher-levelled summoning and magical practice. Kek has opted to remain behind, saying he would rather watch over Marik for the time being and get some archery practice in.
It's been nice to chat with Kisara without Seto glaring at me like a jealous puppy. I love my cousins, but Seto loves to impose royal standards and protocols on me, and doesn't half get annoyed when I fling them aside to mingle and get myself involved like any other person. I am any other person right now, and I don't think he realises that, or wants to. Kisara, though…she's been by my side a long time, and I love her like a sister. When she came to us as a child, she was half-starved and near death, and Seto and I took her on ourselves. She's fiercely loyal beneath that shy exterior, and would rather die than do anything to endanger us or our cause.
Upon reaching the training area, we dismount and tether the horses, and Yugi sees to giving them some food while Kisara talks quietly with Ryou and Bakura. I hang back, watching Yugi fuss over Ryou's horse, Amie. He catches me staring and flashes me a smile. "Feeling alright, love?" he asks quietly.
"Of course, aibou," I reply, smiling back. I jerk my thumb back over my shoulder, towards Ryou and Bakura. "Do you think they will have any luck with this?"
"Oh, yeah," Yugi nods, "especially Ryou, if his heka levels are anything to go by. I've got high hopes for Bakura as well." Stepping away from the horses, he lights a cigarette and leans back against a jagged outcrop of rock. My nose wrinkles a little in distaste, but I know better than to chastise Yugi for smoking. Given everything he has been through, the torture and the slavery at Zorc's hands, I can begrudge him the tobacco. It could be much worse, and I'm just glad he made it out in one piece. If this is what it takes for his mind to heal, then so be it.
I leave Yugi to it, and approach our companions. Bakura glares at me the whole time, but Ryou just clasps his hands and waits expectantly. "Sit down," I tell both of them, and they do so. Kisara and I sit opposite them, Yugi observing from the back. "We're going to try and teach you how to summon ka," I explain. "Not everyone can do it, but I'm sure both of you will be able to pull it off with relative ease."
"Why now?" Bakura asks, folding his arms over his chest. "We've worked together before. Why not years ago?"
"I'm afraid I didn't have faith in your abilities back then, Bakura," I reply gravely. A flicker of affront crosses his face, but he just scowls and says nothing back. "What I mean to say is," I continue, "summoning your ka can be dangerous if you overdo it, and especially if you are injured. You must remember, in those years we fought alongside each other, you were a reckless fighter, and I feared if I showed you how to harness your ka, you would kill yourself in the attempt."
"Pffft! You sure do think highly of yourself, don't you? The mighty prince with more power than anyone else."
"Bakura," Kisara says gently, "our life force, or ba, in combination with our reserves of magic energy, or heka, is the drive behind being able to summon ka. It isn't a case of simply being unable to call them forth if we lack full power. Rather, we could call upon our ka at any time, but the power they expend means that we must be excellent judges of our limits. If we are injured, and call forth our ka, the resulting drain could be fatal. This is why it isn't taught lightly."
After a moment, Bakura nods in understanding. Yugi joins us, squatting down beside me with an arm resting over his knees, the other holding out his half-smoked cigarette to Bakura, who takes it with a smirk and brings it to his lips, inhaling. "It isn't all doom and gloom, though!" Yugi says brightly. "You've seen my Kuriboh. He's a tiny little thing, and hardly takes anything from me to summon. Atem and Kisara, their ka are massive, and require huge amounts of ba to call forth. It's all a case of knowing what you're capable of, and being able to recognise when it might be too dangerous to try."
"So, smaller ka demand less ba?" Ryou asks.
"That is often the case," Kisara replies, "but not always. For example, Mana and Mahad both command human-sized ka. However, Mahad's requires much more ba to summon, despite there being little difference in size. Again, knowing your limits is of vital importance."
"And you think we'll be able to do this?" Ryou's eyes are wide with concern. "It sounds dangerous."
"Don't worry," I reassure him. "This is as good a time as any to try. We'll cut the process off immediately if we sense you're in danger."
Ryou and Bakura look at each other and exchange knowing nods after some deliberation. "Alright, let's do it," Bakura grins, flicking the remains of his cigarette away.
"Fantastic," Kisara beams. "Well, shall we begin? We will need to hold your hands…Ryou, may I?"
Ryou holds his hands out easily enough, but Bakura growls deep in his throat and edges back, jamming his own hands between his knees. I can't help but laugh at how childish he is. "Come now, Bakura," I purr, winking at him, "I can assure you my hands are lovely and soft. You're missing out by not touching them."
"I'm sure there are others here who would be dying to caress your perfect palms right now," Bakura replies, smooth and cold as ice. Yugi raises an eyebrow at him in response, while I try my hardest to keep my expression nonplussed. At a sharp word from Ryou in their native tongue, Bakura sighs and extends his hands out, allowing me to take them. Just to annoy him further, I run my thumbs over the backs of his hands, and the resulting glare is worthy of its own gilded photo frame.
"Close your eyes…" Kisara murmurs, "and focus on our ba…can you feel it? The connection may be weak now, but keep focusing, and you will find it, and feel it strengthening…"
"I can feel it," Ryou whispers. "Wow…"
"Yep, I've got it," Bakura agrees.
"Good. Now…try to find that same connection within yourself. It may not feel much like ours, but now you have felt another's life energy, you should be able to locate your own, and it will guide you to your ka. When you find it, we will examine its strength."
Kisara's voice is hypnotising. I've only ever heard her take charge of this ritual once before, and everybody came out of it so relaxed it was a wonder she didn't put them all to sleep. I watch Bakura intently as his scowl smooths out in response to her gentle guidance, and gradually, I feel his ba begin to ebb and flow, rising and falling like waves on the coastline. Uncertainty radiates from him, but he keeps his eyes closed and he breathes deeply, remaining calmer than I've ever seen him. At the point I feel him find a good grasp on his ba, he squeezes my hands at the same time. "Well done, Bakura," I smile. "I'll take a look at it now, and see what I can find…"
Yugi shuffles closer and places a hand atop mine as I send out a tendril of my own ba, feeling out for Bakura's. Bakura jerks slightly and growls, clearly displeased by the invasion and being able to feel Yugi's energy too, but he doesn't pull away, nor does he open his eyes. "Easy, aibou," I murmur. "Don't spook him."
"Sorry. Just curious. I've not seen you do this before."
Together, we feel out Bakura's ba, and it doesn't take us long to grasp it gently, to let ourselves be guided towards the spirit within Bakura's body. I gasp at its purity, an almost holy light shining from within every mortal fibre of the man's being. The sheer power I can feel from it is almost overwhelming, and I have to grip Bakura's hands tighter to anchor myself, lest my own ba detach. "It's…it's extremely powerful," I whisper, "but I can tell you will be able to summon your ka with no trouble. Bakura…look deep in your heart, and tell me the name that comes to you. That is your ka."
Bakura's lips lift in a satisfied smile, and he breathes one word –
"Diabound…"
Instantly, I feel the drop in Bakura's ba, but his hands are still, his heart remains steady. His eyes open and he looks to the sky, his smile devolving back into his regular smirk. "Well, hello there, big guy."
Holy mother of Osiris.
Floating above us is a humanoid figure resembling a naga, at least four times the size of a regular person and almost completely white, a testament to the purity I felt within Bakura. A horn adorns its brow, and feathery protrusions sprout from its back, leading round to a densely muscled torso terminating in a serpentine tail. It appears frightening and beautiful and majestic all at the same time, and it takes me a few moments to realise we're all still holding each other's' hands, but Bakura pulls his away and stands so he can hold them out to Diabound.
Descending to the ground, Diabound extends its own hands, and when their fingers touch, Bakura laughs, a light, lilting cadence of melody that rips away his tough exterior, and we see, truly, for the first time, the bare bones of the young man before us, just as vulnerable and in pursuit of peace as any one of us.
A soft cry to our left draws us away from Diabound, to look at Ryou and Kisara. Despite the sun beating down on us, Ryou's face is almost sickly in its pallor, and Kisara doesn't look far off either. His ka has been summoned, and it's unlike anything I have ever seen. Tall and willowy, with deep blue skin, almost elven in appearance…but there's a demonic aura surrounding it. She holds something in her arms resembling a broken doll, and when she shifts it to her hip, we can see the flesh of her abdomen is falling away, revealing blackened bones underneath.
"What…what the fuck is that?!" Bakura splutters. "What fucking demon shit did you just spawn, Ryou?"
To our surprise, the colour quickly returns to Ryou's cheeks, and he giggles. Kisara gapes at him, open-mouthed in shock, and Yugi grabs hold of my arm, blinking rapidly. "This is Necrofear," Ryou tells us. "She looks pretty creepy, huh?"
Creepy, uh…isn't a strong enough word here…
"I can't believe it," Kisara murmurs. "The dark presence that resonated from Ryou's ka was immense, and yet, there is no evil in the boy's heart. How he has summoned a malevolent ka is beyond me…"
Ryou shrugs. "I'll explain everything later, but it does make sense, believe me."
Diabound and Necrofear exchange glances, and then, completely shocking us all, they raise hands to each other, bumping fists. The apprehension on Bakura's face melts away to sheer glee, and he grabs Ryou in a headlock, knuckling his brow. Ryou bats at him feebly, but he doesn't really look too bothered by the rough display of affection. "Well done, guys!" Yugi cheers. "That was absolutely amazing! I'm really glad I came along to see you in action."
"Yes," Kisara agrees, gliding to my side and taking my other arm, "and now…I believe it's time to see just what their ka can do."
Bakura lets go of Ryou and raises an eyebrow. "Sparring time?"
"Sparring time," I nod.
"Oh, fuck yes. Get that dragon out of you, Atem, and let's go at it."
"Oh, Bakura," I laugh, "I'm not the only one who controls dragons around here." Patting the hand Kisara has on my arm, I continue, "I hope you're ready to witness the power that had Seto himself on his knees."
For all her magnificent strength, Kisara required a lot of training to be able to control when her ka emerged. When she first came to the palace, she was a fragile thing, and stayed away from anything that might cause her any exertion. It wasn't until adulthood, years after the demons came, that we first saw her ka. She was ill, and had passed out from exhaustion. Seeing that enormous creature was terrifying, to say the least, because none of us knew where it had come from, but once brought round, Kisara was able to explain to us that it was hers; she had avoided civilisation for years as best she could, because she was afraid of her power, and suppressed it as much as she could, so much so, that it only appeared if she was unconscious.
It took a few years, but after some tutelage under Mahad and Seto, she was able to actively control and summon by herself. I think…she was happier by that point as well, having married Seto. I'm convinced it helped her stabilise.
She used to be so scared of her potential, but looking at her now…it's hard to believe she is the same timid little girl who came to us so many years ago.
"I call upon thee, denizen of the skies!" Kisara calls. Her arms are spread out as if she could fly, her face upturned to the whispers of cloud. "Heed my call, unfurl thine wings, and come unto me in my time of need! I summon thee, white dragon, Azrael!"
My turn. "I call upon thee, celestial master! Descend from stars above to mortal plain, and come unto me in my time of need! I summon thee, Osiris, lord of the skies!"
In all honesty, the fancy words are unnecessary once you are trained enough in the art of summoning your ka, but it will help Ryou and Bakura to get a grasp of what they can use to concentrate on the task at hand. Bakura has seen my ka in the past, but Ryou hasn't, and he looks on in awe at the undulating, serpentine form of Osiris, his scarlet hue a dramatic contrast to Kisara's silver-white dragon, though both are equally as impressive, of course. Diabound and Necrofear inspect Osiris as if curious, though it's difficult to tell from their faces. "Well, I'll be damned," Ryou whispers. "Who could have ever imagined such power in this world?"
"Better get used to it," Bakura chuckles, "I'm sure there's more where this came from."
Kisara laughs at his words, and directs Azrael to the ground. "Are you ready?" Both brothers nod their assent. "Try to guide your ka with your thoughts," she explains. "They should respond to your desires. Remember, the summoning itself was strenuous, so try not to over-exert yourself at this stage. Management of your powers will come with time."
"Ha, you doubt our abilities," Bakura purrs, patting Diabound's side.
"Don't get over your head, Tou," chides Ryou, but he's smiling. "Alright, Kisara, Atem! Let's do it!"
"Good luck!" Yugi calls.
"Osiris, go!"
"Azrael, show them what you're made of!"
"Alright, Diabound! Let's go!"
"Necrofear! I'm counting on you!"
Osiris and Diabound clash together in a blow so mighty, I swear the very earth shakes, and Osiris gives a roar of displeasure. Yugi trembles visibly at that, gazing up into the sky as they dance around each other. Osiris' roar was what had fully alerted him to the storming of Zorc's palace last year, and even now, even though he knows he is safe with me, the sound can make him nervous, dragging him back to his days in the dungeons. I would comfort him, but alas…I know he won't let me, not with anybody else around.
Necrofear remains on the ground, her movements deceptively graceful, drawing Azrael closer. She dodges every blast from Azrael's maw, and then, with a lazy flick of the wrist, surrounds him with a ghostly aura, pinning Azrael in place. Kisara gasps, clutching at her chest, and Ryou rushes over, grabbing at her shoulders. "What did I do?" he cries. "How do I stop it?"
"It's okay," she murmurs weakly, "don't worry…just…hold on a moment…" She lifts a hand, and Azrael breaks free of the shadowy chains binding him, allowing Kisara to stand tall and strong again.
Our ka batter away at each other for what feels like hours, but after Necrofear's surprising display of strength over Azrael, we take it a little easier. Soon Ryou and Bakura are directing Necrofear and Diabound with ease, hardly even needing to move now; both sat down long ago, only directing their ka with the odd twitch in their hands or face indicating their intentions. Eventually, it's Yugi who calls time-out. "You're going to be exhausted after all that," he scolds, but he grins madly at the same time. "That was amazing, though. I'm so impressed. Seriously, good job!"
"Thanks," Ryou smiles bashfully.
"Did you expect anything else?" Bakura interjects, rolling his eyes.
"Oh, sod off with that big head of yours," Yugi replies sharply. Bakura sticks his tongue out in response. "Anyway, let's head back, alright?" Yugi continues. "Kisara, would you report back to Seto on what happened here today?"
"Of course," she nods. She looks a little paler than usual, but doesn't complain, nor does she accept Yugi's help as she clambers back onto her horse. I guess she will always be a little more fragile than the rest of us.
"I'll take Kek off Marik-watch," Ryou offers to Bakura, but he shakes his head. "Oh? You're not too tired?"
"I'm fine," he insists. "I'll sit with him for a while. I…haven't seen him today."
My heart gives a small squeeze of sympathy for my old word-warring partner. Today has been a helpful distraction for him, I'm sure, but as soon as we get back to Kul Elna, he will withdraw into himself and remain by Marik's side, silent and grieving. While I don't understand what he's going through, I know how much this is hurting him. He can't mope forever, though…I need to think of a way to keep him active, if he's going to be a part of our movement…
The trip back is relatively quiet. Ryou and Bakura discuss their new-found summoning abilities for some of the journey, but Bakura gradually becomes more and more clipped in his responses, till Ryou knows he doesn't want to talk anymore. As soon as we return to Kul Elna and put the horses in the stables, he makes off for the medical tent to see Marik. Ryou follows him, presumably to fetch Kek after Bakura relieves him. "Poor boy," Kisara says sadly, shaking her head, silvery locks waving back and forth. "This must be very hard on him. I pray Marik recovers soon."
"I wish we knew what was wrong with him," Yugi murmurs. "None of us have ever seen anything like this before. What if he never wakes up?"
"Don't say that," I scold softly. "There is hope. The more Items we gain possession of, the more knowledge we will have. I have faith we will restore Marik to his former self before long. He just has to hang on a little longer."
"I hope you're right, Atem."
"Me too, aibou…"
Kisara departs soon after, to report to Seto and, no doubt, lie down and rest. I feel like doing the same thing, in all honesty. Yugi wasn't wrong, we're all exhausted. The walk back to my quarters is slow, with much yawning and rubbing of eyes, and Yugi seems to think little of accompanying me inside. "That took so much more out of me than I thought it would," I admit as I flop down on my bed. "Did I underestimate Ryou and Bakura?"
"Maybe a little," Yugi calls from the ensuite. I can hear water running faintly under the sounds of him clattering around. "Don't worry about it, though. You're all still alive, and they did really well, don't you think?"
I start unbuckling the scant pieces of armour I chose to throw on today. "Oh, yes," I agree, throwing my golden circlet to the mattress before tugging off my bracers, "it was beautiful to see. Are you drawing a bath, aibou?"
"You were soaked in sweat by the time you guys finished, Atem. Yes, I'm drawing a bath."
"I could have done that myself."
"Shut up and get your armour off, will you? I've been longing to stick my hands in your hair since this morning."
That makes me laugh. "Are you getting in with me?"
"Does the sun rise in the east?"
"Easy, aibou," I chuckle. With all my armour off, I pile it carefully into a chest at the foot of the bed, and shrug out of my damp, sticky undergarments, throwing them aside.
"Hmmm…water's being temperamental again. It's running cold."
"That's to be expected. This place was half-ruined when we came here, after all. I'll heat it up with heka in a moment."
"Thanks, love."
Once I hear the taps stop running, I haul myself up from the bed and cross the room to the ensuite. Yugi is sitting on the side of the tub, having removed his own clothing, smiling up at me as I approach. I peck his lips lightly as I stick my hand into the freezing water and let heka flow through my fingers, heating the water and swirling it around. "In you get, aibou," I smile. Yugi giggles and hops in, tugging on my hands to bring me in with him.
Mmm…oh, this is good…the temperature is perfect, and Yugi's arms encircling me from behind feel heavenly. He presses kisses to my shoulder blades and nuzzles me, and in this moment, I wouldn't ever want to be anywhere else.
"I think Bakura is onto us," I murmur, and Yugi's kisses cease immediately. I feel him sigh against my skin. "Sorry, aibou. You must have noticed as well."
"…Yeah," he replies softly.
"I know this is difficult for you, Yugi. I understand how hard it must be to let anyone see you in a potential position of favouritism – "
"I told you, I'm not worried about myself, it's you."
"Why?"
"I just...I'm scared nobody would take you seriously if they knew..."
"Yugi," I cut in sharply, "I don't want to hide anymore." There's more authority in my voice than I feel comfortable using with Yugi, but I can't help myself. "My presence in this rebellion is not the be all and end all of the operation. Without me at the helm, there would still be you, Seto, Kisara, Mahad, Mana...and they are all people I have known and loved since my childhood. People can say what they will, I don't care. I know my closest friends will never abandon me for something as petty as loving you."
Yugi gives a little shiver against me. "I was a slave," he whispers. "I'm just a pathetic little boy who couldn't save himself. I'm useless."
How could I not have seen this before? Suddenly I realise what is making Yugi feel this way, and I spin around in his embrace, sending a cascade of water over the side of the tub. It soaks the floor, but I don't care; all that matters to me is Yugi as I cup his cheeks and kiss him, long and deep. He still trembles, but returns the kiss, sighing softly and letting his tongue brush against mine.
"You think you're unworthy of me," I whisper. It's a statement, not a question, and Yugi's eyes sparkle with tears as he nods. "Oh, Yugi..." I kiss him again and stroke his hair back from his face. "I am the one who is unworthy. Look at you! You are beautiful, wise, and intelligent beyond measure. The way you recovered from your time under Zorc was remarkable, and you threw yourself into the duties you took on with barely a backwards glance. What did I do when the darkness came? I ran, and ran, and I couldn't do anything for anybody."
"You were a child," Yugi sniffs.
"Aibou...you have become stronger in mind than many of the men I have had around me my whole life. I did not make you my second in command lightly. I did it because I knew you were the best person for the job, not because I was falling in love with you. I took you from that dungeon, but believe me when I say it was you that saved yourself. That sharp brain of yours is testament to that. So don't - " I kiss his lips again, "ever - " another kiss, "think...you...don't...deserve...me."
"Oh gods, Atem," Yugi chokes out. His hands curl into my hair, and he presses our foreheads together, shaking despite the heat of the water around us. "Oh gods, I've been such a fool. I've denied myself true happiness this whole time, and been selfish, and how I must have hurt you. I'm so sorry!"
"Hush now...it's okay," I reply gently. "Regardless, I will always love you." That makes him flash a watery smile. "And here you go...you've got your hands in my hair now, just as you wanted."
"Oh…so I do." The scared edge in Yugi's voice is beginning to retreat now as he calms down. "C-Can I…can I wash it for you?"
I nod and reach behind me for the tiny bottle of shampoo I've managed to save. We're going to have to send a caravan into Lux for supplies soon; most of us are running out of toiletries now and have been rationing the remaining stock, but it's been difficult to muster enough manpower for taking on jobs, as there have been so many demon attacks in the last few weeks. As a result, our funds are seriously lacking. It just hasn't been safe to leave us so unprotected, so we have just had to make do recently.
I swivel round again, and lean my head back. Yugi's fingers are gentle as he runs them through my hair, soaking each strand and lathering them up with sweet-smelling foam. "So…" I purr, closing my eyes and enjoying the sensations, "does this mean you would be more open to people knowing about us?"
Yugi's movements slow down a little as he thinks. "I'd…like to talk to my friends first," he replies hesitantly. "Jou, Anzu and Honda…they deserve to know first."
"Of course, aibou. Whatever makes you happy."
"You being happy makes me happy." Yugi presses a kiss to the side of my neck and begins rinsing the suds from my hair. "I suppose it's been long enough now, and if this is what it takes for us to be truly content and comfortable, then so be it. I don't want to be selfish anymore."
"Hmm, did you want me all for yourself?"
Yugi laughs lightly. "Maybe just a little."
"Oh, aibou. You always had me to yourself, regardless of secrecy." I turn round again, and pull Yugi into my lap. The tub isn't very big, so there's some knocking of knees as we adjust our positions. I end up with my head nestled on Yugi's chest, my hands wandering over his back as he nuzzles into my hair and sighs happily. "These days are dark, Yugi…and sometimes I wonder if we will ever see the light again. But with you by my side, battling through is just that little bit easier."
"You hopeless sap," Yugi giggles.
"Excuse me, you love my sappiness."
"Whatever you say, Highness."
"Now, now…you know what you calling me that does to me."
Yugi lifts my chin up, so I face him. His cheeks are a little flushed, a playful smile tugging at his lips. "What are you going to do about it, Highness?"
Oh, he knows what I'm going to do about it. Luckily for us, lube isn't something we've had to ration.