PirateKing81: OMG yes! Even though we discussed this already at a previous time! lol

Hhmm decisions, decisions, decisions

Alara: What're you trying to figure out?

Something to work somethings out...don't worry I'll tell everyone later. So while I continue to scramble on writing to keep ahead I'll leave this chapter here for you to read!

Kiyomi: Feriua does not own any Yu-Gi-Oh characters. All rights belong to their rightful owners. Feriua does own her original characters and plot.

~Chapter 49: The Curse's End~

"Alright now that we're home why don't you explain what exactly you were talking about," Yugi said as he made himself comfortable.

"Well you know how when we first met I told you that I was home schooled since my parents' were always moving around," Alara began.

"Yea," both of the boys said.

"Well I actually did attend a public school in Egypt while my parents took some down time, and didn't do any explorations for about a year. If I hadn't been caught up in that accident where I lost everyone I probably would've continued attending that school, because I liked it a lot and made tons of friends. On this day five years ago when I was fourteen, almost fifteen, I should have been killed in a giant crash, but out of everyone that died I was the only one to live." The boys' eyes widened as they looked at each other before turning back towards her.

"Which is why you're so upset about today, your friends were killed," Atem realized as Alara nodded feeling new tears spring to life.

"We were just leaving the school to go on a small field trip to a nearby dig site."

~~Flashback: 5 years ago~~

"Come on Alara come sit with me on the bus," a girl with short sandy blonde said.

"Alright," Alara smiled as she followed her towards the back. She looked around as everyone else loaded the bus, and some of her closest friends sat in the seats around her.

"So is this a site your parents have worked on?" a girl with deep green hair asked.

"They've visited it before, but never actually worked it."

"You know it's a shame that Haruka couldn't join us. I know that she would be probably just as excited as the rest of us. Except maybe for you Alara, I mean you get to see this kind of stuff all the time."

"I do, but I still love the Ancient Egyptian history. It's weird, but I almost feel as if it calls out to me sometimes like I have a deeper connection to it."

"That is weird, but I think it would be so cool," the blonder girl sighed dreamily. "To think that maybe in a past life you could have been a beautiful princess and was in love with a handsome prince who was to become a pharaoh. Oh wait maybe I could have been that girl in my past."

"That would be cool I think, but I'm really nothing special so I would probably be nothing more than a servant. Also like you mentioned, Kanni, I wish Haruka could come with us. Although she hasn't been feeling well the past couple of days I know it's better for her to stay home and rest until she feels better." All the girls agreed with her as they gave a silent wish that she would get better soon.

"Alright everyone settle down we're about to leave," the teacher called out happily at the front of the bus. "It's about a thirty minute drive to the site so it won't take too long to get there." She sat down as the bus roared to life, and within a few minutes they were leaving the school parking lot. Laughter and talking immediately filled the air of the bus as it made its way towards the highway. The bus driver glanced into the rearview mirror as the happy and excited atmosphere made him smile.

"Oh Alara don't look, but your secret admirer is looking this way," Kanni teased.

"What're you talking about?" Alara questioned with a tilt of her head. She looked just a few seats ahead of them on the other side to see a boy with shaggy silver hair that faded into medium blue at the tips looking directly at her. When their eyes locked he nodded in greeting as one corner of his mouth pulled up into a half smile. She nodded her head back as she felt her face began to burn brightly.

"You really need to talk to him," another girl encouraged. "You two would be so cute together!"

"I don't know I really like Taka as friend, but I don't think he likes me like that."

"Oh quite being so modest. We see him always staring at you in class," Kanni smiled.

"Hey Taka," a boy said as he nudged the silver haired boy grabbing his attention.

"What?" Taka questioned looking at him.

"Dude I kept telling you to go and talk to her. Your constantly staring at her day in and day out it's obvious that you like her."

"I don't know I bet she wouldn't give me a chance."

"It doesn't hurt to ever try anyways. Besides what's got you so hooked on her anyways? I mean I don't deny she's really cute, but the way you look at her is so different."

"I don't know what it is, but I just feel really drawn to her. There's something deeper and more special about her that just keeps pulling me towards her. I feel as if there's something magical about her that nobody knows about or can really see except me." The other boy stared at him before letting out a chuckle.

"Dude if I didn't already know I would say you've fallen hard and fast for someone you don't even really know or have talked to that much."

"That's the thing is I feel as if I know her so well, but I know that's not possible. That's why I just wish I understood why I feel like I keep getting pulled towards her."

The sound of screeching tires echoed out as the conversations in the bus stopped immediately as everyone looked forward. Panic and fear began to spread to everyone as they saw a semi ahead of them swerving between lanes trying to get back under control. The only car that sat between them and the semi began to slow trying to predict where they were going so that they could avoid them. But the next second the semi overcorrected causing the trailer to begin tipping. Even though they tried to turn back to push it back the trailer was too far over, and fell over pulling the cab on its side with it as it began to slide across the ground.

"EVERYONE HANG ON!" the bus driver yelled back as he slammed on the brakes as the car in front of him did the same. The bus began to swerve as it lost its traction on the road, and screams filled the air from the children. They felt the bus begin to tip before the driver turned towards the other side to prevent it from falling over completely. It touched back down before leaning towards that side, but the driver tried to pull it back once again. This time he over turned the wheel as it leaned back towards the other side, and began to fall over.

Everything turned to slow motion for Alara as she saw some of her classmates began to fly into the air. Her friends around her held onto each other as tears ran down their faces, and everyone's screams rang in her ears. She blinked as everything seemed to return to normal as a crushing blow hit her from behind sending her flying into her friends, and slamming them into the other side of the bus. Breaking glass and the sound of metal tearing and sliding across the ground could be heard before the bus slammed into the semi before finally coming to a stop

Alara forced her eyes open as she tried to push herself up, but every inch of her body scream out in pain. She let out a cry full of pain before forcing herself not to move an inch so not to do any other damage. As the pain subsided just barely enough she tried looking around, but it was hard to see past the red tint in her vision. Finally she was starting to get them to focus as she looked around to see her classmates lying around her unmoving and silent. Distant sirens could be heard approaching as she also picked out the roar of fire, and shouts of people calling out for anyone to respond.

"Help…" Alara tried to choke out, but no sound came. Her eyes shifted down to the person next to her, and she could just barely make out the familiar features of Kanni. "K-Kanni…" The girl didn't move or respond as her lifeless eyes continued to stare outwards into the world. "K-K-Kanni…" Paying no attention to her own injuries, but only wanting to see her friend respond she tried to reach out to her. Her arm didn't respond as another wave of pain washed over her making her black out briefly.

The sirens were now nearby as people's shouts could be heard just outside the bus. The creaking and shifting of metal could be heard as people began to try, and open one of the doors into the bus. Alara began to try to pull herself out so she could be found, but as every muscle tensed up the pain that followed was so unbearable she blacked out immediately.

"HERE I THINK SHE'S STILL ALIVE!" a shout filled the air. Alara felt the weight that had previously been on top of her shift relieving only a small part of the pain. She tried to open her eyes to see if any of her friends were okay, but she could only see silhouettes of people before the darkness pulled her back in. "She's losing a lot of blood she needs to be rushed to the hospital immediately!"

The entire trip Alara kept fading in and out of consciousness as she heard the people scrambling to try and save her life. She heard what they were doing, but there was so much pain everywhere she couldn't even feel what they were doing to her. They kept trying to stop the bleeding as they began to give her fluids, but her thoughts kept drifting back to all of her friends that were lying around her.

"We're about a minute out call ahead and make sure they're ready to do a blood transfusion on her." Alara faded back out, but when she came back all she could see was a flurry of movement around her. She watched everything through half lidded eyes as bandages covered in blood were thrown away and new ones took their place. Various kinds of machines were being hooked up to her as she had a very sleepy feeling wash over her. It was different from when she was passing out earlier, and it felt very comforting as it seemed like relief from all this pain was just inches away from her.

"WE'RE LOSING HER GET THE DEFIBRILLATOR!" Alara's eyes closed as she let out a breath, and all of her pain vanished but she felt a strange pull on her mind. She opened her eyes and she could clearly see, but the scene in front of her caused tears to spring to life. She could see herself on the bed with bandages covering most of her body while the various deep cuts were still being attended to. A small nearby table had a pan where nurses were still pulling glass, and pieces of shrapnel from her body. A woman rushed in with a cart towards the doctor by her head, and he immediately pulled two paddles from it. The nursed turned it on as he placed a gel on the paddles before putting them up against her sides.

"Doctor we're going on ten seconds with no beat!"

"I know everyone step back! CLEAR!" Everyone with hands on her took a step back, and he hit a switch as a jolt made her body jump. Alara felt herself pulled back towards her body, and the pain washed over her again. It was only a few seconds until she felt her pounding heart stop again, and she was back watching outside her body. "We'll give a few seconds." The seconds seemed to drag on as they watched the monitor hoping it would start up on its own.

"Fifteen seconds we need to do it again."

"I know turn it up." Another jolt was sent through her body as she was pulled back again, and this time her heart beat for longer before it stopped again. Once back outside her body Alara shook her head as she watched them waiting once again.

"Please don't force yourself to keep me alive if I can't survive," Alara whispered even though she knew no one could hear her.

"Twenty seconds if she doesn't pull through this one there'll be nothing we could do. We would've tried our best."

"I won't let her die that easily now turn it up again." Everything slowed down as he pressed the paddles to her sides, and sent the current passing through her body. Suddenly she felt a pain shoot through her chest as she grew confused that she hadn't felt that the previous two times. A bright light flashed to her left as she turns towards it, and wondered if this was her calling to pass on.

"My dear child," a deep voice rumbled from the light. "It is not your time to pass on and join your past. You have a duty to uphold, and a predetermined destiny that you must face."

"Who are you? What're you talking about?" Alara questioned.

"We've saved your life, and broken the disaster of the past. Now reawaken to walk the path to the light." Alara felt a pull again as the light faded, and she closed her eyes only to crack them open to see the doctors and nurses around her.

"Her heartbeats are returning to normal and strengthening. I think we got her back. Welcome back Alara we're going to take good care of you I just need you to rest up. Alright let's finish stopping the bleeding so we can get more blood transfused back into her." She watched as he injected something into her fluid bag, and she immediately began to feel sleepy. As her eyes slid shut she looked at the end of her bed to see someone staring at her that looked almost identical to herself. As everything faded to black someone walked through the other person and they disappeared instantly.

"Will she make a full recovery?" came a hushed voice drawing Alara out of her slumber.

"Most likely with time she should make a full recovery, but there might be some mental scarring if she remembers anything from the crash."

"What do you mean?" asked a deep voice.

"The paramedics said when she was pulled her from a wreckage a number of her classmates were already dead so if she saw that, that could be part of it. Also they said it could have just been coincidence or maybe even an act of the Gods, but a number of her classmates were actually surrounding her body with a few on top of her. By the way they saw it, it also seemed like they could have possibly been protecting her somehow, but it again it just could have been how everything landed it's hard to say."

"Oh my…..did…did anyone else survive?"

"No one else made it out alive. We had a few that came to us in a similar state like her, but we couldn't pull them through it."

"What about the other car and the semi driver?"

"They didn't make it either. Your daughter is very lucky to be alive, and I believe she must have someone watching over her."

"Mom…Dad…" Alara was just barely able to choke out in a whisper as she opened her eyes to see her parents standing in the doorway with the doctor.

"Alara my baby," Nashira cried as she rushed to her side followed by her husband. "We were so afraid we thought we lost you."

"Alara it's good to see you awake. I was afraid I was going to lose you a couple of times, but you were strong enough to pull through. Do you remember what happened?"

"A s-semi flipped…" Alara started as scenes of the crash flashed in front of her eyes again. "The bus d-driver lost control…and we f-flipped too…"

"Okay good don't force yourself to talk too much. You need to do nothing, but rest so you can start healing up. I'll leave you all for some alone time." Night soon fell and Alara's parents left for the night, but promised to return first thing in the morning. She was fast asleep when she heard someone calling her name.

"Alara…..Alara wake up…" Her eyes slowly cracked open, and shifted towards the person on her right.

"That's not possibly," Alara whispered as tears began to form when she recognized the person. "I know what I saw you can't be standing her."

"I know," Kanni smiled sadly. "I only stopped by to say goodbye before I moved on with everyone else." Alara looked around as her classmates began to appear one by one around her.

"I don't understand how I can see all of you. Did you all really…?"

"Yes," Kanni answered. "We were all killed, but you survived. Please live on for all of us, and be strong as you face your destiny."

"What're you talking about I don't understand! I never been able to see ghosts or spirits so why now? What's this destiny I've heard twice now?"

"You can see us, because you're even more special than what anyone could have believed. As for your destiny you shall see in time." Everyone said their good bye to her before disappearing with a flash of light until Alara was the only one left in the room.

~~End Flashback~~

"That was the first time I started to actually see spirits. As time passed I learned that I could put that wall up that blocked me from seeing them except for the extremely powerful ones, like Atem, and sometimes evil spirits. I stayed in the hospital for a week until I had recovered enough to be put on bed rest at home. Even though I was bound to a wheelchair at the time I went to every one of my classmates, the teacher's, and bus driver's funerals. Over the course of about six months I visited the hospital at least once a month to check I was healing alright, physical therapy to make sure I would walk okay, and a few visits to a psychologist to make sure there was no permanent mental damage from what happened.

"While Kanni's last words have always hung with me I promised that I would live by her words. I would live on for all of them and those I love dearly, and be strong for others and myself as I pushed myself to not be held down by what happened. There was of course a small amount of mental scarring because of what happened. I feel as if it was unfair for me to live and I should have died along with them, but yet that was when I was reborn and my life saved when Yugi solved the puzzle. I would be letting them down so I pushed myself all the time to make them, my parents, and my loved ones around me proud and to protect them the best I could.

"Although because I was afraid of having people ripped away from me again when I was well enough to return to school I asked my mom if I could be homeschooled again. Of course I didn't lose everyone because Haruka was still alive since she was too sick to go with us. When I did make the decision to return to a public school here that last year I did so thinking I wouldn't make any friends to protect myself. I kept a positive outlook though so I didn't seem cold and distant from everyone. But I couldn't help the warm and loving atmosphere at Domino, and the warm welcoming that Yugi and the gang gave me. It felt good to have friends that I cared for some much again that I couldn't help it, but I felt as if all of my classmates approved of you so I kept with it. Now I have such an unbreakable bond with you guys I wouldn't change the world for anything different. Besides how could I stay away from such amazing and loving people." Alara took a deep breath as she wiped the tears from her eyes before looking up at the tearful faces of Atem, Yugi, and Solomon.

"By the Gods I never knew," Solomon whispered. "Your parents never said anything."

"I asked them not to talking about it at all so it would help me heal and move on. I never did stop thinking about everyone during my time of healing. I think their love for me helped me to heal faster, and push through everyday knowing that it would hopefully get better and easier." Alara let out a huff of air as she felt arms wrap around her tightly into a crushing hug.

"To think I saved the life of another person, and then I would get the chance to meet that person is the best thing I can think of right now. I get to now call that person my best friend and sister, and I wouldn't have it anything other way," Yugi whispered as new tears of happiness fell from his eyes. Alara's heart leaped with joy as she wrapped her arms around him, and her own tears of happiness began to fall.

"The fact I got to meet the both of you because of Yugi solving the puzzle is one of the best things I've got to do," Atem said as he joined them in the hug.

"I got another grandson and a granddaughter out of it," Solomon added tearfully as he joined them.

"But I'm not really your granddaughter," Alara laughed.

"I don't care I still consider you one just like how Atem isn't technically one either." As everyone calmed down from the emotional story, and slowly started to separate and dry their tears something occurred to Yugi.

"Wait so technically you saw Lanea while you were in the hospital," Yugi pointed out.

"Yea I guess I did, and that would have been the first time I saw her. The next time would have been the paintings of her, but I never really put two and two together then. Of course I didn't get to actually see and speak to her until she was strong enough manifest herself fully right before we went to Egypt." With a deep sigh Alara closed her eyes as a thought occurred to her.

"You know I've always felt like I was to blame for everyone's deaths, but I see I technically played no real part in it. But in a way I kind of did, because that was when I was supposed to die just like all of the past lives have. Yet I'll still keep fighting strong to keep their memory alive and so that their deaths were not in vain. They were just caught up in an accident should have only taken me, but took other innocent lives. Sadly that kind of reminds me of Eliana's memory…"

Alara grew confused as she heard no sound or response from either boy or Solomon. She opened her eyes and immediately saw the reason. She was no longer sitting in the living room, but stood in a dark area with only a small light in the distance. The area was deathly silently as she moved towards the light feeling almost as if she had been in this place before. She stopped as figure appeared out of the dark, and felt relieved to see a familiar face.

"Lanea," she smiled.

"I'm so proud," Lanea nodded. "Without even really thinking about it you were able to locate a chakra gate on your own."

"Seriously that's what this is? But I didn't mediate or anything."

"I don't think you need to mediate every time to find it. I think you figuring out the source of it was enough for it to reveal itself to you. All you need to do now is step into the light, and open the pool like you did with the first one."

"I can do that," Alara said as she jogged towards the light and stepped into it. A small pond appeared in front of her, and she knelt next to it to see what was playing in its waters. The exact story that she had just retold of the crash was playing, and she closed her eyes taking a deep breath to keep herself calm. She dove her hand into the water as pillar of light shot into the air, and sounds of the memory began to play around her.

"I can't control what has happened, and those who were innocent that were caught up in what was supposed to be my death. While I miss them dearly and they are always in my thoughts I shall never forget them or the unintentional sacrifice they made. Their strength and courage now runs through me as I walk the destiny that was truly set for me. I accept the deaths of my friends." The sounds died away as the memory within the water faded away, and began to pulse with shades of silver and gold once again. A wind whipped up knocking Alara back much harder than the first time. "Ow that was way stronger than last time. That makes me wonder if this had a stronger influence over the balance than the last one. Only one way to find out!"

Alara jumped up and dashed into the light. It was quiet for just a few seconds before familiar voices started to reach her ears. When she opened her eyes she saw that just about everything was out of place within the living room. Papers covered the floor that were originally on the coffee table, various items had been knocked over but luckily nothing looked broken, and she saw the two boys and Solomon moving about as they picked the items up.

"Seriously what caused that wind to just blow through out of nowhere," Yugi grumbled as he set the decorations back up on the shelf in front of him.

"I don't know she was just talking, and then suddenly just stopped," Atem sighed. "Of course every time she passes out like this something happens outside as she experiences something within."

"Do you think another one of her past lives is talking to her?" Solomon questioned.

"I doubt it. Last time there were hints that showed up just before; but that I know of I didn't see anything out of the normal nor has she mentioned anything."

"Well maybe this time there were no hints or something that happened when she was at home. I mean see was at home all day yesterday, and didn't talk to anyone that I know of," Yugi said as he moved to the next shelf. Alara quietly chuckled to herself that they hadn't noticed she was listening to everything they were saying. "What do you think that was about? I mean didn't you try to talk to her a couple times Atem, but you never got any kind of answer."

"Yea I did. Mentally she was blocking me out, and she wouldn't answer my texts or calls. Plus besides how she was acting earlier before she told us about the accident nothing felt off at all. I mean there are some things that have been off recently, but nothing too extreme."

"What do you mean off?"

"I don't know it's more of a feeling besides what I've kind of noticed. It just seems like she's not openly talking to me about everything like she really used to. She keeps her thoughts locked down a lot more and a lot tighter than before, and it's starting to really worry me. Is there really something so bad that she knows about and could be afraid to share?" Alara felt hurt sting her heart as she never really thought that he was picking up on all that so easily. She had tried to not think about it or let her emotions about everything come out around him so he didn't pick up on it. Apparently he was noticing a lot easier or she wasn't concealing everything as well as she thought. She looked over at Yugi and noticed the frozen and worried look on his face, and she figured he was thinking about the same thing. He knew the secret just like Solomon and the rest of the group did, but they had all promised not to say anything. She trusted they wouldn't say anything until it was all over, or she would say something when the time felt right.

"I don't know," Yugi sighed. "I've noticed it too, but of course we can't push her to talk to us if she doesn't want to."

"Does she not trust us?"

"I don't think it's that, because we know that she trusts us with her life. I think it might be more out of fear or having that unknown of what each day holds with all of this." Alara was done hearing this kind of talk so she took in a deep breathe, and began to gather enough energy to let a small flash of light to grab their attention. As the magic began to gather she started to stop it, but it kept building despite her attempts to stop it. With a confused look she tried again to stop it, and it cut off immediately.

'That was really weird, that's never happened before,' Alara whispered.

'That was strange indeed,' Lanea agreed. 'I didn't see anything different that you did that might have done it.'

'Odd well as long as something like that doesn't happen again or even worse I don't think I really care. I'll just write it off as one of the weird occurrences.' Alara slowly released the magic to create the flash of light, but controlled it carefully so too much didn't release at once creating something larger than what she wanted. All three of them turned as the light caught their eyes to see Alara looking back at them.

"Did I make a mess?" Alara asked jokingly as she looked around.

"Well kind of when this random gust of wind sprung up out of nowhere," Solomon nodded.

"Since you were talking and then you suddenly kind of passed out on us we figured you were behind it," Yugi said as he sat down.

"So what exactly happened this time?" Atem asked.

"Well I actually accidently found my way to another chakra gate. Which I think was being blocked by the fact that I never fully accepted the death of my friends," Alara smiled.

"Seriously?" Yugi smiled. "That's awesome! So that means you've opened two, and now we have to work on the last three."

"Well we already know one is blocked somehow by the past lives, and who knows what else has to happen before that presents itself to me. As for the other two I have no clue what I need to do for them."

"What a minute the last time this happened we saw a flash of those two colors, but we didn't see that this time," Atem pointed out.

"Maybe it actually happened when that wind kicked up, and we were a little bit distracted."

"He's got a point, because when I opened it a huge gust of wind showed up on my side. It ended up throwing me back because it was so strong," Alara said.

"I think you should probably let Kimi know," Solomon suggested.

"You're right I know she'll be happy to hear some good news."


Later that night Alara bolted awake in cold sweat as her eyes darted around wildly. Her mind was racing as it replayed the most recent vision in her dreams.

"No…no that can't happen….I…..."

"Alara calm down you know you can't get yourself worked up over these," Lanea said as she appeared.

"I know, but that…that was exactly like the most recent ones. Everything was so real I can't help to not think it will happen."

"If it does then if we can see it coming ahead of time then maybe we can prevent it. Besides that ended before we saw exactly what happened so we can't assume the worst."

"It's almost natural to with how everything is going."

"I know."

"Do you think we should fully begin to get those things ready now that we've seen more?"

"Absolutely and maybe if we're lucky something else will show up giving us a few more hints to push us in the right directions of our speculations."


Sorry for all the feels in this chapter. I know as I was first writing it I felt myself get pulled in a couple times, and it would bring a tear to my eye. Anyways until next week please favorite/follow/review!