Chapter Thirty-Seven
From where we stood in the shadows, we watched Marik's dark side approach Odion's bed. The eye shape was glowing on his forehead. He laughed softly to himself. Chills ran through my body and I tightened my grip on Bakura's hand. He pulled me closer to him.
"Odion, it's time to do what I should have done ages ago. In order for me to survive, you'll have to be sent to the shadows," Marik's dark side said.
Bakura's ring began to glow and I dug my fingernails into the palm of his hand. He only smirked and stepped forward. "I'm afraid I'll have to step in now," he said and Marik turned towards us.
"The spirit of the millennium ring," he commented, amused. He saw us holding hands and nodded at me. "Priestess," he said.
"Well, you're half right, but I've brought company with me this time," said Bakura, walking forward, still holding tightly to my hand. "The real Marik is here as well."
"It appears the essence of my weaker self has taken refuge within the body of Bakura," I heard the darker side of Marik think.
"I'm surprised you would support this, Priestess," he said aloud.
"I want my body back and I brought an old friend along to help me get it," said the real Marik. He spoke through Bakura, but you could almost hear the difference in his voice.
"He promised me the millennium rod if I can successfully do away with you," Bakura explained.
The darker Marik laughed. "Oh, that's right. You're the fool who's trying to collect the millennium items," he commented. "No wonder you want your little priestess tagging along everywhere with you."
"What does that mean?" I snapped, a surge of anger flowing through me.
"Only that your power is so tied to the millennium items and to the past that I suppose it makes sense," he commented.
"If you hand over the millennium rod, you won't force me to add you to my other collection - that is to say, my victims," said Bakura. His voice was so dark and threatening when speaking to Marik that I felt a hint of my old fear for him. I tried to let go of his hand, but he tightened his grip.
"My millennium rod can easily overpower your ring," the dark side of Marik sneered. "Well, try me." He held out his rod and Bakura was blasted backwards and against the wall. I was dragged back with him, my head hitting his chest. He wrapped his arms around me and a strange feeling went through my body, as if I were trapped, but within seconds it was gone. "I told you that you were no match for me. I'll finish you off once I'm finished with Odion," said the dark Marik.
I'd learned very early on that the powers of the millennium items very rarely affected me the way they were meant to. Where Bakura couldn't move because of the millennium rod, I could. I closed my eyes and focused on the energy I could feel in my entire body and being. I felt the millennium ring begin to burn where it was pressed against my back. I pushed the pain away and within seconds, Bakura could move again. I stepped away from him and I could sense the millennium ring was glowing. My own eyes were flooded with golden light as they began to glow along with the tattoo on my forearm.
The dark Marik, who had raised his rod above his head, preparing to use it against Odion, froze as a golden glow surrounded him. He couldn't move. "What is this? I can't move!" he cried out in surprise. He turned to look at us and I smiled.
The glow from the millennium ring, my eyes, and my tattoo faded.
"Do you know who I am?" I asked, my voice at the edge of a laugh. "We aren't afraid of you."
Bakura looked at me as if he were seeing me for the first time and smiled. "You are so sexy," he said. He turned back to Marik. "Now hand over the object," he said.
"No," said Marik. "It seems to me that the power of our items are equal and having your little priestess here is a rather unfair advantage, isn't it? Perhaps you'd like to duel me for the rights to the millennium rod. That is, if you can handle it."
"Why don't we raise the stakes?" asked Bakura, with a grin.
"Kura..." I whispered, worried.
"Don't worry about me, gorgeous," he said. "I will always come back for you."
I blinked and then, suddenly, we were on top of the blimp. The freezing wind whipped around me, my hair swirling around my face. I shivered in the cold. Bakura smiled and handed me his jacket. I smiled, gratefully, and put it on, secretly hating the feeling that he was looking out for me.
"Good to see you're comfortable, witch," the dark Marik sneered at me. His eyes shifted to Bakura. "The winning duelist will keep the millennium rod," he said. "The loser will be banished to the shadow realm."
"Draw your cards and let the shadow game begin," said Bakura, his eyes shining with excitement and confidence.
"Not again," I whispered. The shadow realm never failed to leave my body feeling chilled and my mind exhausted. I closed my eyes, willing the shadows away. Dreams and thoughts of the others on the blimp ran through my head.
"Are you ready?" asked the dark Marik. "The loser of this duel will pay the ultimate price."
Bakura chuckled.
"There will be no laughter once I've banished you to the shadow realm," said the dark Marik.
"You will be the one who is living in eternal darkness," said Bakura. "Wait and see."
The dark Marik smirked
"Kura, his winged dragon is powerful," I whispered.
"Listen to your priestess," said the dark Marik. "She would know, she was directly attacked."
"If you ever attack her again..." Bakura growled.
Marik just smiled darkly.
"I almost forgot," he said. "You have the dueling experience of my weaker self to call upon."
"That is correct and since you learned everything you know about dueling from him, I know your dueling strategy inside and out," said Bakura grinning.
"Those two are in for quite a surprise," thought the darker Marik.
"Priestess, you are not to interfere with anything that goes on here tonight," he threatened. "If you even try, I will make you pay."
"I won't interfere..." I said. "But be careful who you threaten."
"She isn't going to get in the way of anything," said Bakura. "And don't think I'm unaware of the Egyptian God card you now hold."
"Just because that fool, Marik, is dueling on your side doesn't mean you will be able to escape the fury of Ra," said the dark Marik, confidently. "When I'm through with you two, you're both certain to end up in the dark."
"Before we start, there's someone here who'd like to have a few words with you, face-to-face," said Bakura.
"Make it fast," the dark Marik snapped.
"I will get my body back from you because destiny is on my side," said the real Marik through Bakura. It made me shudder thinking of how easy it had been for him to take control when he was in my mind.
"Sorry, but I've taken over your destiny now," said the dark Marik. "And with it, I plan to claim the power of the Pharaoh for myself while you two fools wallow in the shadows. I am the real you and soon you'll be nothing but a forgotten memory in the sands of time." He laughed.
"It appears there are secrets that Marik has kept from me," Bakura thought. "Now if he wants my help it will cost him dearly."
"Just stand back and do as I say," the real Marik said to Bakura.
"Silence!" Bakura ordered, angrily. "There's business to discuss first. I will help you to reclaim your body, but I have a price."
"Very well, then," said the real Marik, sounding impatient. "You win the duel and I'll give you the millennium rod."
"Sorry, Marik. That's our old deal. Now I need more," said Bakura, with the smallest smile. "I hadn't heard of you seeking the power of the Pharaoh. Is there a magic stronger than the millennium items that you haven't told me about? I want to know what secrets you're keeping from me, Marik. Tell me everything and we have a deal."
"If we win, I'll tell you all," Marik agreed.
"Then we have deal," said Bakura. "Let's begin. I don't trust you, but this time I know you need me."
"Then let's duel," said the real Marik.
"You heard your better half, you fiend," Bakura said to the darker Marik. "Now prepare for a one-way trip to the shadow realm."
I squeezed my eyes shut and felt the darkness rush past me. But when I saw Bakura fade into the shadows, I couldn't help it. With a deep feeling of uncertainty, I stepped inside.
"So nice of you to join us," said the dark Marik. "Prepare for a battle like no other. In this duel, the eternal darkness of the shadow realm will slowly devour the loser as his life points diminish."
"What do you mean?" asked Bakura.
"Just wait and see," said the dark Marik.
Both drew their first cards. Bakura played a card face down and summoned a goblin zombie in attack mode. Marik played a card face down as well and summoned a monster called Drelago. When he attacked, Bakura activated his trap card and Marik automatically lost five hundred life points. But Marik activated remove trap and destroyed Bakura's trap card.
Bakura only smiled. "It'll take more than a magic card to defeat me," he said, confidently.
"I have no doubt," said the dark Marik, with a smirk.
I let out a cry of surprise.
Bakura's monster had been sent to the graveyard and, as his life points were lowered, his arm began to fade. Worry gnawed at my stomach.
"Kura!" I cried out before I could stop myself. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I felt the millennium puzzle light up and images of Yugi's dream flashed through my mind. I pushed the dream away from my mind and forced myself to focus on the duel.
Bakura drew his next card. He argued with Marik for a moment and then placed two cards face down. He also summoned a monster in defense mode. Dark Marik drew a card and activated a magic card that made both of them draw until they both held six cards. Bakura activated a card called multiple destruction. It caused both players to discard their hands and draw five new cards. The only down side was the Bakura lost one hundred life points for each card they discarded. I grimaced at part of his other arm began to fade. Dark Marik played a face down card.
Once again, Yugi's dream and my first memory of Shadi tugged at my mind. With a frown of annoyance, I tried to push it away. I needed to focus. The Pharaoh could wait for now.
"Shadi hasn't given up yet. That's why he appeared to us on the blimp with Olive," I heard Yugi say.
I shook my head. "Stop it," I murmured.
Bakura drew another card. He sacrificed his monster and summoned a card called puppet master. For one thousand life points, Bakura was able to bring three monsters back from the graveyard. More of his body faded. It was all I could do to keep myself from panicking. Bakura activated a magic card and used it to force dark Marik to draw the winged dragon of Ra. He was planning on claiming it for himself. Bakura activated his face down card - a magic card called exchange. Bakura took the winged dragon of Ra and Marik took Bakura's monster reborn card.
"Don't get excited just yet. You're forgetting that you can't control the winged dragon's power," said dark Marik.
"But I can," said the real Marik, his image appearing beside Bakura in the shadows. "The winged dragon of Ra can be controlled by anyone who can read the inscriptions."
"Look who's back," dark Marik taunted. "Looks like the spirit of the millennium ring isn't duelist enough to handle me without running to his little friend for help..."
"Don't push me," Bakura growled.
"You'll need more than that weaklings health to defeat me," said dark Marik.
"We'll see about that," said Bakura. "Remember, my partner knows everything you do. After all, he is your other half."
"Bakura," I whispered.
He flashed a confident smile in my direction, but I wasn't soothed.
Dark Marik drew a card. He played a magic card that forced all monsters to wait one turn before attacking. Bakura then sacrificed his three monsters to summon the winged dragon of Ra. Marik activated a card that raised his life points. Ra was left with no attack points. I felt a deep sense of familiarity and fear when I saw the winged dragon of Ra. Even though I recognized Ra from whatever lifetime I didn't remember, there was fear from my last encounter with the God monster. For the first time since the duel had begun, Bakura looked worried. Then he looked angry.
Dark Marik drew another card and attacked Bakura's puppet master. Even more of Bakura disappeared and even though I knew what was going to happen, as I always did, I refused to believe it. Bakura sacrificed the winged dragon of Ra to summon a stronger monster. Dark Marik smiled. Bakura sacrificed three monsters from his graveyard to summon his monster called dark necrofear. He then sacrificed eight hundred life points to bring back another monster from the graveyard. Marik snapped at him to be more careful with their life points.
"What are you talking about, you parasite?" Bakura snarled, and the two began to argue.
It was dark Marik's turn and he drew another card. He thought for a moment and then smiled confidently.
I felt two familiar presences and instinctively glanced behind me.
"...a shadow duel," Yugi's voice floated strangely through my mind. "I'll bet Bakura's in there dueling Marik..."
"Bakura's in there...?" I heard Tea ask.
I felt the millennium puzzle and Yami told Tea to leave.
She refused.
I wish they would both go away so I could focus.
Dark Marik activated monster reborn and he brought back the winged dragon of Ra. Bakura cried out as it left his deck, which caused me to cry out involuntarily. With a grin, Marik used an ability of the winged dragon called secret attack. With that power, Ra was able to attack right away. I frowned as dark Marik began to fade. His life points were given to the winged dragon to gain power. Dark Marik kept only one life point and he was merged with the winged dragon of Ra.
"This can't be happening to me," said Bakura.
The winged dragon attacked.
All of Bakura's monsters were destroyed. The real Marik disappeared and with a feeling like I was being punched in the stomach, I felt his spirit thrown back into my mind. I stumbled a little. I wanted to do something, but I felt like I couldn't move.
"Get ready to enter the darkness at the hands of Ra," dark Marik said to Bakura.
"Haven't you realized I am the darkness?" asked Bakura, with a grin.
"What's that supposed to mean?" asked dark Marik.
Bakura smiled and began to disappear. "It's quite simple," he said. "I can't be destroyed. You haven't seen the last of me." Before he was gone, he glanced back and me and said, dangerously, "Don't worry, my dear, I will always come back for you."
And then, he was gone and the millennium ring fell to the ground.
"Listen to me, Olive," real Marik demanded inside my mind. Dark Marik walked forward and picked up the millennium ring. "You're my last hope. A part of me still exists within you."
"MARIK!" I heard a loud voice cry.
Dark Marik and I both turned to see Yami.
"So, how long have you been here?" asked dark Marik.
"What have you done with Bakura?" Yami demanded.
"Bring him back, you fucking freak!" I spat.
"I don't know who you're talking about," said dark Marik, smugly. "If you mean the spirit of the millennium ring, you tell me where one goes after losing a shadow game."
"No!" I cried out.
"Don't be so surprised, Pharaoh. It won't be long before you join him in the shadow realm," he smiled and nodded at me. "Wonderful to see you again, priestess."
I vanished and reappeared in Ishizu's room and faded into the back of my mind so that Marik had control. I didn't want to be conscious anyway. See Bakura disappear made me feel weak and confused.
"Olive?" she asked, sitting up. "Is everything alright?"
"It's me. Your brother," Marik spoke through my voice.
"Marik?" she gasped. "Can it be?"
"It is," said Marik. "And I need your help."
"Is the Priestess alright?" asked Ishizu.
"She is," said Marik. "She is only...tired. But she has agreed to help me."
"What can I help you with?" she asked me. "I will do anything to help you, brother. And I will always serve my priestess."
"Come," Marik said, holding my hand out to Ishizu and then turning to walk down the hall. And somehow I knew, we were going to hide Odion to keep him safe. We finished just before the dark side of Marik entered the room and I disappeared. I reappeared in Bakura's room and buried my face in his pillow and inhaled deeply. I wanted to cry, but I couldn't. I needed to stay strong.