Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, and all people, places, and events from the original Yu-Gi-Oh! were written and are the rightful property of Kazuki Takahashi (as it should be; if any of us fan fiction writers get our little hands on it... well, then it wouldn't be Yu-Gi-Oh!).
Author's Note: Yes! I got some very excited feedback, even if there was less than I would have expected (only six reviews… where are you, people? I have UPDATED!). But for those of you who did review last chapter, the many of you answered with a lot of anxiousness for the next chapter!
Yes, Anzu is back, but when will we see her make a reappearance? This chapter? Read and find out!
#2 Author's Note: All thoughts are in italics.
Revival of the Heart
By: Angel's Nocturne
Chapter 55: Lurking in the Shadows….
Samira sat on her throne, immersed in the dark throne room as shadows swirled around her like loyal pet snakes. They coiled and slithered, like soft veils that cloaked the air. Samira's blood-red lips curved into a devious smirk as she hummed a laugh to herself.
"He is coming" she whispered calmly to the air, as though speaking to someone. "He has not lost his touch—his strength to save his friends has already done away with my servants. He arrives soon."
The air hissed, as though it were a person, coaxing her to speak more. She chuckled as her lips met her glass goblet, and red liquid poured from it inside her mouth. She sipped it, enjoying the lingering bitterness on her tongue as she licked her lips clean.
"You will need to be ready, my slave. When he comes to destroy your Queen, you must attack when I command it. It is your duty to your Mistress." She elegantly turned her head to her right, and gazed with crimson eyes to a shadowy form that stood beside her throne.
"I understand" a monotonous voice said, sucked of life and will. Samira smirked, obviously pleased.
"I know. I have made you that way, after all." She took another sip of the scarlet drink, before gesturing her free hand in the air, and having her eyes glow bright ruby. Without warning, torches were a lit, and the throne room was flooded with light—the shadows fled instantly, seeking darkness from this holy luminescence. It revealed a room made from the sands of Egypt, and it resembled any normal throne room: pillars in two adjacent lines running down either side of the long hall-like chamber, hieroglyphs decorating the walls, torches pinned to allow light, and shadows danced with the flickering of the many flames. On both the left and right side of the throne were two enormous golden bowls that held within them two roaring bonfires that made the room seem as though it was on fire. It smelt of musk and ancient times, and the air tasted of dust it was so old. Silence was befitting of the chamber, until Samira began to cackle lightly—then her voice echoed through the room like an empty cavern, haunting the air with its eerie sound. She smiled, showing off her pearly white teeth.
"We can't let you and the Pharaoh play in the dark" she said malignantly, gazing at the fresh torches as they crackled with fire. She looked in front of her, her eyes distant as she tried to focus on something unseen. When her gaze became unclouded, she grinned.
"Yes, he is almost here…" she mused, before gazing at the servant who stood at her side obediently. "Are you ready to play, my puppet?"
The shadow emerged into the light from its original position, amethyst eyes narrowed with malice.
"Yes."
---
With a solid kick in the stomach, the last soldier fell to the sandy floor as Atemu gazed upon him harshly. He was out cold before Atemu could even hit him.
"It was for your own good" he said quietly, his sultry voice turning out to be very bitter now as he sauntered over the many bodies that lay unconscious on the ground. He had not been merciful—not that he felt any mercy was needed for these servants as he had slaughtered them all with much ease.
His memories of being a warrior prince failed him not, as his basic instincts took hold of him once the battle began. He had picked a weak target—the man had been trembling as soon as the fighting commenced, and was very easy to take out as he punched him in the stomach and kicked him once he was hunched over. He grabbed his weapon—which had been a spear of sorts—and went to work the second the others pounced upon him.
None of them appeared to be well trained—their funeral, as Atemu managed to stab them or hit them over the heads with lightening speed. Some did not even have the courage to fight—those who tried to run Atemu used his Shadow Magic on, speeding up with unnatural swiftness to stand before them as he smirked and made the finishing blow. He watched as their eyes would roll back and their tongues would dangle from their open mouths—out of fear they passed out and Atemu threw those ones to the side.
It had been him and the one who addressed him earlier—the man who he assumed to be the leader as he had announced the challenge—that fought with the most vigor and bloodlust. He had been a quick one, yes, but not as quick as Atemu. He met the same fate as the others, as he now lay on the floor beside the rest of his fallen troop. Atemu looked at them with a hint of pity, but that was quelled when he remembered what their mistress had done to his friends.
He held no regrets against his actions.
He kept the spear he had used as his weapon as he made his way through the mob of bodies to where Yugi's Duel Disk still hung from the rope and peg attached to the wall. It reminded him of when Malik had used Bandit Keith as a mind slave, and had pegged the Millennium Puzzle's chain to the Duel Arena so that it would not be removed. Atemu shook away the memory—there were more important things to worry about now.
Carefully, he hooked the rope that held the Duel Disk in place with the spear and gently removed it from the wooden hanger. He brought it down so that he held it, feeling the contours of the plastic as he placed it on his arm. The Disk lit up as Atemu removed the deck from its slot, and looked at the Dark Magician card, a distant gaze in his purple eyes.
Mahado… he thought, thinking of the Afterlife, and how they were all still there—his family and friends of Ancient Egypt. When this was all over, would he return to them? Would he die again, and have his spirit recalled to the desert land of his past, away from his friends who now waited for his arrival here?
His heart was torn—a part of him hoped that he would go back, as he hadn't even been with his older clan for more than a week (though time was relevant in the spirit world). He wanted to recall all of his memories, he wanted to relive the life that he had been deprived of. But the other part… he knew in his heart where that part lived. It was with his friends here in modern time… Yugi, Joey, Tristan, Anzu… and this was a place that he didn't want to leave behind. He even had his own body now; he wouldn't be restrained to the Puzzle anymore!
But… was that all too good to be true?
He shook his head, blonde bangs swinging lightly as he forced away such inquiries. He still has Samira to deal with.
Samira…. He thought the word with utter disgust. For what you have done to my friends… you shall not be spared any mercy.
Placing the deck back in its holder, he set off to the stairs that led to the next room in a determined stride. His air was thick with thoughts of vengeance and a readiness to take action. For Yugi, for Anzu, for everyone whose fate hung in the balance.
He walked into the next room, which was as black and empty as the last had been. A twilight radiance engulfed it, allowing Atemu to see into the next room, and head for it. He remembered what the bird creature that had been his transportation had said about the palace being a magical labyrinth of sorts—if Samira willed it he could be lost in here forever. But Atemu could sense her magic, in a room that was not too far away, and he strived to get there before he could be lost in the endless dark.
There were torches on the walls, but none of them were lit. Everything was silent, as his shoes sounded against the cold stone floor with a resonance that rang in his ears. One room after the next, all appearing the same… and all filled with the same endless shadows that were suffocating to behold.
He thought of what he would do when he got to Samira… perhaps a duel, with live monsters that would bite her and pull off her limbs. Surely she would lose, and with it, a penalty game. That he could guarantee her—one where she will be placed with ruthless pain that would sear her bones to dust. He smirked as he thought of her bloodcurdling screams, and how he would watch as her blood leaked from her wounds and covered her like spilled wine… how her eyes would glaze over as they were eaten by vultures from the Shadow Realm, how darkness would surround her mangled form and eat her soul alive….
Darkness, darkness all around… thriving, beating, living: darkness. Longing for its power, and oh how he would be her master of torture, show her no pity as he himself cackled when she fell into the abyss, when he would send her into endless nightmare—
Atemu stopped suddenly, and cradled his head in his hands. What was he thinking—such dark and evil thoughts were not something he should take pleasure in. Why did these dark desires flood through his mind so easily?
Atemu remembered feeling this way before… in his distant memories of the modern day, when he first possessed Yugi's body. That was before they were connected, before he and his host were combined as one… before he was influenced by Yugi's light soul.
That's it…, he thought in realization. Without Yugi's pure soul to guide me, my natural darkness is gripping my instincts, just like when I first overshadowed Yugi. And this shadowed palace isn't exactly helping. He peered around the dark room with a loathing. Was Samira doing this intentionally, forcing him to soak in the shadows so as to let them guide his heart?
Atemu looked forward—ahead of him were double doors that looked as though made of black iron. Upon closer inspection, they were made of solid shadows, living breathing shadows that, when Atemu extended a hand to touch them, shivered and moved under his skin. Atemu closed his eyes and focused upon the dark barrier, using what he had left of his Shadow Magic to allow himself through. The Eye of Ra appeared on his forehead, as he concentrated on the doorway.
Let me through…. He placed his hand on the shadowed door, then the other, and with a sudden force he pushed his body into it. The Eye of Ra glowed like a star in the blackest of midnight as he sent all of his power into the door, and with it the shadows liquefied, and he slipped through it as though there was nothing there to begin with.
Atemu charged through to the other side, and instantly covered his eyes—this room was filled with light, and lots of it. Slowly his vision began to adjust to the many torches a lit in what appeared to be a large hall, with two rows of pillars lining the center walkway and sand-stone walls gracing either end. He squinted, still barely able to see as he was just in a realm of shadows only seconds before. He waited as his pupils changed to accept all the light, and once they did he looked in front of him to see the one person of whom he knew was a demon.
Samira, he thought threateningly. That must be her. The woman who sat comfortably in the throne at the other end of the room smirked as her name was spoken. She was young, around his age, with sun-kissed skin and long, flowing ebony locks tipped with scarlet. She wore a black leather corset that fit snug around her waist, which covered her torso as she wore a fish-net sleeveless shirt underneath. A silken black skirt surrounded her lower half like a bed of shadows, appearing smooth as firelight reflected over its shimmering fabric. Steel-toed black boots were crossed over one another as the woman let her head sit on an arm propped up on her throne's armrest, cocked to the side in nonchalant amusement. Her stunning garnet eyes watched him like a cat, as the prey walked up to her from the far end of the room.
"Ah, you have arrived…" she said, grinning as she twirled a lock of her hair in her finders. "It's about time." Atemu's eyes narrowed.
"So you are Samira" he said flatly. She looked at him with amused crimson eyes, and chuckled.
"Yes, if introductions are that important to you" she replied, straightening herself in the chair so that she now sat up properly, though there was still an air of casualness to her that made Atemu feel rigid and overly-formal. Still, an elegance held her stance to near angelic-perfection. "And you are Pharaoh Atemu. It's a pleasure… at least for me."
Atemu ignored the small-talk—he tried to cut straight to what he had come here for.
"Samira, what you are doing has got to stop" he announced, continuing his walk towards the throne. "You have hurt the souls of my friends and have brought evil upon this Earth for your own selfish reasons. I have come here to stop you."
Samira giggled like a school girl. "Figures, you'd get straight down to business. Not even some small talk about the lovely weather?" She grinned, showing off some especially sharp teeth. "But I admire your vigor. So, what is it that you desire?"
"You know what, I don't have to explain" Atemu countered. "Return my friends to me and cease your evil plans, Samira" His voice was a low growl as he approached her. He stopped when he was just before the raised dais from which her ornate throne stood atop, the stairs leading up to it right before his feet. He looked up at her with much hatred and determination, but was only met with a sarcastic laugh.
"Is that what you want, my Pharaoh? For me to release your friends?" she said mockingly, receiving a glare that could kill a thousand men with one glance, it was so venomous. "I'm afraid I cannot promise you that yet. With me taking over the world and all, that would be a matter to discuss after-the-fact, wouldn't you say?" Atemu bared his teeth, not at all pleased.
"I refuse to play your games, Samira! Where are Yugi and your other prisoners!" he commanded. The room was silent for a moment, before the quiet was broken by Samira chuckling, then cackling, letting her laughter echo through the room as it vibrated endlessly against the walls. Atemu stood still, his gaze intense as he waited for her to answer.
She looked at him with half-lidded eyes, as she brushed a hand through her ebony hair.
"Oh, Atemu…" she crooned. "But I thought you loved games…."
"I just want my friends back, safe and sound… and I will fight for them if I have to!" Atemu, in an abrupt motion, brought his left arm forward, displaying Yugi's Duel Disk as it hummed to live expectantly. "Now tell me where they are!" Samira cocked an eyebrow, amused, before she regarded him again with subtle interest.
"Ah, so you are willing to fight, then, are you?" she sneered, obviously taking great pleasure in mocking him so. She seemed quite unafraid of his daunting presence, as he was now becoming angered by her casual personality. She grinned, revealing glistening teeth as she sighed contently. "Very well… but as you know, a ruler, does not fight a battle, they have others do it for them…."
"Quit stalling, Samira! I came here to defeat you, not more of your servants!" Atemu insisted. He could feel his darkness, that was once tamed by Yugi's heart, ache to see her screaming in pain—it filled him with the desire to summon his monsters now and silence this witch before she could ridicule him further. Samira chuckled at his impatience.
"Of course, I understand that" she said with feigned empathy. "But what fun would it be to have the final battle so soon? I have been waiting for you for a while now—let us extend these precious moments, a little longer…." She gestured to her right, and with a wave of her hand a shadow launched itself down from the ceiling. It stood from its crouched position from the landing, and hid behind the shadow of the throne obediently. Samira smirked at Atemu.
"Pharaoh, I would like you to meet one of my more loyal slaves. I would give names, but… I doubt introductions will be needed in this case." She turned her head slightly to look at the shadowed figure. "Come forth, my puppet" she beckoned. And the person stepped into the light.
Atemu gasped—his heart suddenly skipped a beat as he failed to exhale out of shock. This couldn't be right, this couldn't be true… and yet, there was the proof, right in front of him, staring at him with the coldest of amethyst eyes.
Yugi glared at him from beside Samira's throne.
---
Bakura watched the desert landscape, feeling the air as it tensed with the oncoming battle. The jeeps were not that far away now—they were so close that he could now count how many people were in each vehicle, and he could see their gristly faces smirking at him from the distance. He scowled as he felt Ryou go rigid within him, as he also gazed at the sight before them.
We're toast, Ryou said, terrified. Bakura snorted at his yellow-bellied host.
Who said? The battle has yet to start, my yadonushi. Hope should not be lost to you just yet. He could have said the same to Ishizu and Odion, as they now stood behind him, guarding the entrance to the cavern where Anzu's body still slept. Odion held a large wrench in his hands and Ishizu stood by Anzu, staying close to the unconscious girl. He smirked as he felt their nervousness.
"This is it" he said, and the silence that hung over them was stifling. Odion nodded, feeling uncertain as he gazed at the men who approached them at neck-breaking speeds. Would Master Malik be with them? He shook his head at the thought. He would have to restrict the urge to think of the youth, as it would only hinder him in the fight. He gripped the wrench forcefully.
"I never thought I would see the day, when Tomb Keepers would fight beside the King of Thieves" he said gruffly. Bakura smiled at this and gazed at him, a distant look in his russet brown eyes.
"It will be a short-lived thing, that's for sure" Bakura replied, and then he turned his attention back to the jeeps that were now only a few seconds away from them. Rowdy banter and shouting thickened the air, as several soldiers looked upon the two men that guarded the entrance to a desert cavern.
Their next victims.
The jeeps skidded to a stop, the sand cushioning the tired underneath and slowing them down to a halt. Sand flew through the air behind them, showing where they had arrived from, and it dissipated into the Egyptian horizon as the sun just kissed the edge of the Earth. Engines were silenced, leaving only quiet turmoil as the two groups now stared each other down, waiting for the other to make the first move.
Finally, one of the soldiers—who appeared to be the leader of the group—expertly leapt out of one of the jeeps, and in the silence he trudged through the sand, a keen grin on his unshaven face as his chestnut locks were ruffled by the desert wind. He broke the calm as he spoke, his voice scratchy from too much shouting, as he gazed upon them with sharp emerald orbs.
"Well, lookie what we got here…" he said casually, his eyes narrowed as he watched them intently. "A few campers, stuck in the woods… car trouble, mates?"
Bakura growled a little. "Why yes," he said, trying to play along. So this was their game… it was time to see who struck first. "It was, actually. Care to help us with it, 'mate'?" The other man scowled a bit at the mockery.
"I ain't no mechanic" he replied sharply. "But, we could hook you fellas up, maybe take ya somewhere where you'll be looked after quite nicely…."
"Thanks, but no thanks" Bakura snapped. "The desert suits us fine." The leader smirked as he ran his fingers through his hair, as he chuckled to himself at Bakura's answer.
"That wasn't a question, mates. You're comin' with us." The rest of the soldiers shuffled out of the jeeps ominously, their presence looming over Bakura and Odion as they back up a little towards the inside of their hideout. Grins adorned the faces of the men, some of them patting their open palms with their weapons in anticipation. The leader stood at the front of the group, a menacing smile on his shadowed face. "Dead… or alive. It's your choice."
Bakura glanced at Odion, and the Tomb Keeper stared back. An unseen agreement went between them, as Bakura returned his gaze to the approaching servants and gave them a smirk that meant only one thing:
They weren't going down without a fight.
"Dead or alive, eh?" Bakura asked, an edge in his sarcastic voice. "Well, I don't know about going with you deadbeats, but when it comes to that question, I'll give you my answer….
"I think I'll stay alive."
That broke the air of waiting—without warning the two parties launched upon each other, and so the battle began.
---
Author's Note: Okay, so Anzu's not this chapter… I would have continued this one, but it would have been long… like seven thousand words or something. Better just split it and you guys can wait till next time.
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