This has been edited to the best of my ability.

Warnings: M. M/M Yaoi. Mpreg. Supernatural themes. Language. Violence. Adult themes. Character death. The plot is mine.

Chapter: 25: Covens and Cave.

Marik hadn't gotten very far when pops of explosions like fireworks and the ground under him rumbled. All those around him looked about in alarm muttering to each other and those with wings took the air. Marik watched them all turn facing the same direction. His heart pounding in his chest and with a few strong beats of his wings to get him off the ground he joined those high above him. He just passed the tops of the buildings when darkness rolled towards him like a furious storm. Marik placed up his shield as darkness and the strong gust of chilly wild wind caught in his wings and flung him into a building.

Panicked screams erupted throughout Arkham City and within moments the city was consumed in darkness. "Bakura," Marik muttered as he pushed off the building once the wind had become eerily still and swiftly headed back to the Coven.

The area lit up with colourful flashes of what resembled lightening followed by the pops of explosions. The closer Marik got he could hear screams of pain, war cries and explosions of energy became sharper and clearer. He sped up, searching the Coven's yard for Bakura, though couldn't help being focused on the bodies that littered the ground.

The Witches, Warlocks and their Familiars that were still alive had Bakura and Shada almost backed up at the Coven doors. Bakura's tendrils were snagging anything close by and dragging their captives back through the portals in which they were summoned from and instantly another would take its place.

Bakura stood his ground raising up shields of darkness against the spells the Witches and Warlocks threw at him, while he used his swords to fright off the Familiars that leapt up the stairs brandishing their claws and fangs for the kill.

"Bakura!" Shada called out as he was dragged down the stairs by two dark Familiars on four legs and he was rushed by the Witches and Warlocks that dog-piled on him. Shada's arms clutched his daggers tightly as he swung wildly and swiftly stabbed and slashed at his attackers.

Marik drew his weapons and landed in the mud that made him slide on his feet to a stop on the edge of the fray, drawing some of the group onto to him. Marik let out an angry roar of bared fangs, flexed wings, clutching both his weapons in each hand and his shield summoned to protect his back as he charged forward.

Marik clashed with a small group almost instantly. He stabbed a Witch through her open mouth before she could cast a spell. He yanked his blade free and spun himself to dodge the fangs and claws of the Familiars that lunged at him and at the same time he sliced into their bodies with deadly skilled accuracy and all three Familiars were dead before their bodies slid to a stop. "Bastard!" A powerful spell hit his shield with enough force that it knocked him off his feet, shattered his shield and he hit the soft wet ground face first. "You'll pay for that!" An angry hate filled snarled came from behind him before Marik could even move, he screamed out in agony as his insides felt as though they were burning and all his limbs being slowly pulled from their sockets. Marik writhed on the ground, clutching at his body. "I'll make it-" the words were cut off by a startled yelp and the pain vanished as if it had never been there.

Marik saw his attacker's frightened face and heard his last second terrified scream as he was yanked violently through a portal that closed over. Marik glanced around and he had never seen so many of Bakura's tendrils at once. "Enough!" Bakura yelled stepping casually down the steps.

The Witches, Warlocks and Familiars backed away as more portals opened and tendrils rose from the ground like a mass thick forest. Ishizu's small army turned on the tendrils casting useless spells as they were swiftly snatched up and pulled their captives through individual portals and closed over once again by solid ground as if they had never been there.

An older Warlock stood his ground defending the few of his brethren. His eyes glowed white the rocks and dirt float around him as the tendrils struggled to even get close to him. "You will not get away with this!" Bakura's tendrils were torn apart like paper and vanished in puffs of smoke. "Murders." He snarled at them, the energy in the air crackled around him making Marik's skin goosebump and the hair on the back of his neck stand on end.

This Warlock had some serious powers, Marik glanced at Bakura, who looked amused and intrigued as only one other was able to get herself out of his bizarre tendrils. Bakura with a smirk raised more of those tendrils. The Warlock blocked them all with just a swift wave of his hand and they all dissolved like dark mist and took a step forward. "The Blackwood Coven sentience you to die for your crimes committed here, surrender quietly and mercy maybe shown upon you." Bakura's grin only widened at his words.

"We didn't do this!" Shada called out and he was thrown into the air and landed some feet away. The Warlock swung his hand palm facing Bakura who was also thrown backwards onto the steps of the Coven.

"Spry for an old bastard," Bakura growled a twitch of his wings and he was instantly on his feet as the Warlock continued forward. Marik with both curved swords in his hands flew at the Warlock in one bound, summoning his shield that stopped the Warlock's burst of energy and swung his weapon and the Warlock vanished. "Marik!" Bakura called out in warning and it was too late as the Warlock appeared behind him and hit Marik in the back with enough force to knock him down face first into the mud.

"You are not toying with a novice here Demon," The Warlock snarled as Marik was struck painfully once more in the back and he screamed out as he felt that energy tear into his wings, clothing and skin, the second hit of energy felt as though it struck bone. "He will be the message to Ishizu that she can no longer send her minions to kill Covens. Blackwood will no longer tolerate it." He placed his foot onto Marik's back and pressed down hard.

"Get off him!" Bakura moved forward his form changing, his skin turned pure white, his hands and part of his arms lengthened and turned black up to the elbow were it faded into white, his eyes completely black as ink and complete with horns. The area grew darker and colder that it started to snow and the ground iced up.

"I'll send you-" Bakura had snagged the Warlock's wrist and his other claw right to Warlock's neck and squeezed as he lifted him up off the ground.

"Stop!" Shada called out rushing forward. The Warlock gave Bakura an eerie grin as his head fell back as far as Bakura's large black claws would allow and both of them stilled.

"Don't touch them!" Marik shouted at Shada as he pulled himself out from under the Warlock's now dangling feet.

"Anzu is of the Blackwood Coven," Shada said as he knelt down beside Marik and helped him to his feet. "You are going to need a Healer," Shada hissed indicating that his back looked as bad as it felt.

The Warlock let out a groan as he slipped from Bakura's gasp and fell limp to the ground panting hard as his body twitched. Bakura turned from him and gently pulled Marik to him. "Let me see," He asked and Marik turned about and he heard a low angry growl rumble from Bakura and snarled. "I should rip your throat out for this Warlock." Marik flinched at the slight touch of Bakura's fingers and as a coolness engulfed his back he groaned in relief as the pain eased almost completely.

"What did you do to him?" Marik asked turning slightly to look at him.

"He tried to invade my mind," Bakura shrugged seemingly unaffected by what had happened.

"What have you done?" Shada knelt down beside the Warlock relieved that he was still breathing. "Blackwood is Anzu's Coven!" Shada angrily shouted at them.

"It's not like they announced themselves before they attacked," Bakura raised an eyebrow as he watched the Warlock come to and slowly sat up with Shada's help.

"All that you have been through." The Warlock ran a muddy shaky hand through his hair as he stared up at them. "Blackwood Coven doors are open to you and will offer full support to anything you need." Bakura moved forward and held his hand out in offering to help the Warlock off the ground and onto his feet.

"You can offer such a thing?" Bakura asked as he stepped back to Marik.

"I am Mazaki Head of the Blackwood Coven."

"You're Anzu's father!" Shada said not taking his eyes off the Warlock, Marik and Bakura had gathered that by the name, however, since Anzu never spoke of her parents it was unclear if he was working for the Witch or not.

"I do apologies for my rash actions in attacking you. However, with Ishizu running rampant and unchecked in both this Realm and the Human one it's hard to find those not doing her bidding. Which leads to the question, why are you here?"

"We had a lead that Ishizu was here," Marik informed him, not yet convinced enough to let his guard down completely.

"Are you hunting her or looking to join?" Mazaki's eyes narrowed slightly.

"Kill her," Bakura spoke up.

"She stole my mate," Marik's grip on his weapons tightened. "I want him back."

"And the three of you are going to attempt that on your own?" The Warlock looked them over.

"Have been facing her in battle for centuries without help." However, to Marik it felt more like a life time of doing battle against Ishizu and walking away with nothing more than injuries.

"It's not like any Coven has ever stepped up to take care of one of their own that's gone rogue." Bakura snarled taking offense by his comment and lack of action in taking responsibility for one of their own, leaving it all to them to keep her in check.

"I'm surprised you have been fighting her for so long and have survived." His eyes drifted to the house behind them a look of sadness passing over his face for a second. "We are now taking action in putting a stop to her waywardness. Too many of our Covens have fallen to her unnecessary cruelty and slaughter."

"Now you're taking action, so gracious of you!" Bakura snipped sarcastically.

"All Covens are now issued to capture her on sight." Mazaki informed them.

"Capture her?!" Bakura growled as he stepped forward fists clutched tightly at his side. "She needs to die not be held prisoner. Did you see nothing I showed you?"

Mazaki raised his hands as if to ease Bakura's anger. "We must find a way to kill her even if it means she is imprisoned until we find a way to do so."

"Would you be willing to help us?" Marik asked stepping forward as his weapons vanished. He didn't know how much more of the horrors left in Ishizu's wake that they occasionally stumbled upon, nothing compared to anything like what that Witch did to those she captured and sacrificed for the sake of a spell or gaining more power. They couldn't keep going like they had been. Marik with each passing battle against Ishizu felt as though they were losing and she was getting stronger and that Ishizu would eventually pick them off one at a time.

"Working with Demons?" It came out as a subtle scoff.

"Go fuck yourself!" Marik snapped completely livid. "The Witch has always been your problem and you did nothing and let it fall-"

"Marik," Bakura cut him off with a gentle squeezed and tug on his arm. "We don't need the help of a decrepit worn out Warlock." Marik didn't move, they needed help weather either of them wanted to admit it or not.

"If I agree to a partnership you must give me your word that you will not use what knowledge you gain against us once Ishizu is gone." Mazaki stepped forward.

"You have-"

"Swear your oath as Peacekeepers," Mazaki cut in before Marik could finish and it took him a moment to work out how the Warlock knew what they had once been.

"What of your oath Warlock?" Bakura shot back.

"You have it," Mazaki took a few moments to recite the Caster's oath.

Marik raised an eyebrow when the Warlock was done, had no one ever told Mazaki that they were just words. Did anyone really stick to their oaths or even knew what one is? It seemed that honor and oaths had died out a long time ago.

"Do you really want to work with them?" Bakura asked.

"Yeah," Marik nodded and the look Bakura gave him spoke volumes that if the Blackwood Coven betrayed them he would simply wipe them out oath or not. Bakura recited the Peacekeeper's oath. Marik twitched, it had been so long since he had heard it.

Once Bakura was done the Warlock demanded one more thing from them. "Now if you would please bring back my brethren as a show of good faith and a start to an honest partnership." Marik despite all the battles they had been in he had never once seen his lover bring anyone back before.

"Done," Bakura said and portals were opening up all around them and closing just as quickly leaving Witches, Warlocks and their Familiars on the ground unmoving though alive.

"Thank you," Mazaki's smile was tight.

"It's a onetime deal for our partnership," Bakura said as his form once again changed to his normal Demonic form Marik was more used to, of pale skin, crimson eyes, the darkness and cold slowly vanished.

Touzoku easily caught Atem in his claw and held his unconscious body close, protecting him from the flames that were quickly engulfing the meal hall at an alarming rate. The guards blocked off at the entrance by the Dragon fire and had no other means of getting into the large room.

Touzoku used his hind legs and tail and pulled himself back out through the hole in the side of the Castle and clung to its outer walls for a moment, his chest swelled with air and white fire burbled and flowed like liquid lava into the meal hall insuring that his fire wouldn't be extinguished so easily and hoped that it would spread throughout the Castle and burn until nothing remained. He took to the sky with a victory roar that turned into a thunderous rumble that could be heard from miles away and swiftly headed in the direction of the estate.

Touzoku had just reached the forest and the Castle was nothing more than an orange glow in the far distance, when guards from the Castle had given chase. The gullible fools would become his next meal. "Your head will be ours Dragon!" They were closer than he thought as a Demon had ported himself right in front him, perfectly lined up with his head and Touzoku captured him within his jaws. The Demon screamed as fangs pierced his armour and flesh. Touzoku flew higher vanishing into the clouds and dropped the now dead Demon's crumbled body.

A large group of Demons flew after him. Touzoku banked right around them and came up from behind slamming his body into the bulk of the group sending five plummeting to the ground far blew and snatching a few Demon's up in his claws and jaw and vanished once more into the clouds. Touzoku crushed and tore and ate pieces of them before dropping the bodies to disappear through clouds as they fell.

Drawing in his breath as he flew over them, releasing a thunderous avalanche of flames which engulfed those unable to escape fast enough. "Bastard!" They gave chase, porting themselves to keep up and no longer giving Touzoku room to use the clouds as cover.

"Haven't had a Dragon hunt since the Annihilation!" Touzoku snarled at his words as his fire burbled in his chest and a puff of dark smoke left his nostrils. "Took down at least a hundred of your kind in the first eight months." He laughed. Dragon Slayers were so few now, however those few carried the weapons and skills that could kill him, the others seemed to be common Castle guards that might have come along for the thrill of the hunt.

A Demon ported himself right under him and Touzoku felt the blade scrape and spark off his scales as the Demon stabbed uselessly at his belly. Touzoku hit the Demon hard enough with his tail that it knocked most of his armour off as he spiraled in a dead fall.

A Demon ported himself directly in front of Touzoku holding out his hand and an instant flash of bright light blinded him. "Take him down while he can't see!" He breathed his fire in all directions until a bola wrapped about his snout effectively closing it tight. He was then attacked all at once.

Touzoku let out a muffled roar at the first strike of blade that hit the bone of his wing only to be pulled out then hit once more in the same spot. The second from a Demon on his back that plunged his weapon to the hilt between his shoulder blades. The Demon at his wing chopped at it like it was a log of wood. His wings faulted in jerky movements. He swiftly threw himself into multiple barrel rolls and leveled himself out. "I killed a hundred of your kind, I know all your tricks Beast!" The Demon laughed still on his back as he drove the sword into a new spot on his back.

Touzoku tucked in his wings and let gravity pull him down in a dead fall towards the ground. It was a risk, knowing the Demon would let go at the last possible moment and he may not be able to pull out of his fall, let alone avoid an inevitable painful beating from the trees if he managed to level out and land. He had to get the Demon off his back.

He rushed the forest tree tops at a frightening speed and spread his wings out wide for a second to slow his descent a little and tucked them in. The trees whipped, snapped and broke off as he plagued through the forest. He took the hits as his body slammed into trees like a pinball and hit the ground hard in a slide throwing up snow and dirt. "Was it worth all that?" The Demon taunted with a laugh as the sounds of trees falling over or wood snapping echoed around them.

Touzoku laid there for a moment in the snow panting through the pain that throbbed through his body. He used his claw to try to get his mouth free for he was going to eat every one of them slowly. His sight was coming back though still blurry. "I will make it quick, don't like a creature to suffer." Touzoku saw the six shadowy figures land around their leader. "As for your friend, he can make me a lot of gold in Senbu."

Atem! Touzoku realized that his claw was open and empty.

"They have to face their crime for killing Ella!"

"They can't get away with it!"

"You can't make a decision like that on your own!"

"Quiet!" The Demon snapped at his seemingly disapproving group. "Ella's dead, nothing we can do about it. We get enough gold for Dragon parts to retire for the rest of our lives. His friend is an added bonus."

Touzoku's growled as he slowly rose up. "Ella betrayed her King." Atem landed on his feet before him. "Her punishment was just." The Demons lowered their weapons.

"Lord Yami," the Demon only gave a slight bow of his head as his intent to still kill them showed in his expression in his stance and the way he gripped his sword, his eyes narrowed and darted back and forth between Atem and Touzoku. "The law is all Dragons are to die." The Demon pointing his weapon at Atem. "Either way we are going to take that Dragon's head and any parts we deem valuable, so step aside."

"The Dragon is mine," Atem wings flexed as his foot slid back crouching slightly as he summoned his weapons. Touzoku broke the bola's chain with his claws and let out a furious roar that made the ground tremble.

"Kill them both!" He gave the order and the six Demons charged forward. Atem moved so fast they couldn't do anything until he came to stop at the leader's side. The Demon gasped and hunched over slightly his dagger dropping to the ground as he reached up using both hands grab at Atem's hand who had driven his sword to the hilt in his chest. His eyes wide as blood dribbled from his mouth and his breath came out in choked gasps.

"I don't like repeating myself," Atem growled low next to his ear. "Almost as much as I hate Dragon killers." Atem yanked his sword from the Demon's chest swiftly enough that blood from the blade splattered on the snowy ground behind him.

Touzoku darted forward snagging two of the Demon's up with his jaws and claws. Atem once again with such speed came to stop some feet away and the other two Demons slowed down to stop as blood soaked the front of their clothes and they fell to the ground holding their necks. The only one left turned and fled. Atem threw his sword and it spun in the air and embedded hilt deep in the Demon's back and he fell to the ground.

"That will not be the last of Ella's followers." Atem's weapon vanished as he turned about making sure none of their attackers were moving or getting up before his attention settled on Touzoku. "We have to leave before more show up." He stumbled on his feet and pressed a hand to one side of his head and closed his eyes for a moment and reopened them as he spoke. "Don't suppose you have a safe place? I'm not a Healer but I have patched up a wounded Dragon before." Atem's frown deepened as he glanced at the blood running down Touzoku's sides and pooling in the snow at his feet. "You are quiet injured."

He changed to his Human form the sword in his back fell away and stumbled on his feet a little. "Touzoku?" Atem breathed and before Touzoku could say anything Atem rushed him causing them both to stumble backwards as Atem wrapped his arms about his neck and sunk in completely against him, buried his face in the crook of Touzoku's neck. "I thought I had lost you."

"Lost each other for a time," Touzoku muttered as Atem pulled back enough to look up at him his eyes damp and that deep frown still in place. Atem reached up and with gentle fingers touched the end of the scar on Touzoku's cheek. Touzoku knew that he didn't look the same as when they had been together last. No more was he that young restless, carefree whelp all lanky limbs sneaking his way into Atem's bedchamber in the middle of the night. "We need to go." Touzoku muttered.

Atem helped by taking some of Touzoku's weight with his arm slung over his shoulders and lent in against his side. "I can port us out of here," and with that they vanished.

They had found a cave that would be their temporary haven to rest and be out of the storm that blew in and time he heal his wounds and make sure they weren't followed. Touzoku started a fire from the sticks Atem had collected and shifted to his Dragon form allowing Atem to use his sword to cauterize the wounds and after he pack mushed up herbs into the openings. Once Atem was done and the bleeding stopped Touzoku shifted forms once again.

"How long?" Atem stared up at him. His Demon had also changed, wherever he had been he had shed that fledgling body for an adult one, though well-toned and lithe and somewhat taller then he remembered, his wings, his horns larger and fuller.

"You have been gone a long time," Touzoku cupped Atem's face and drew him in closer and stroked his cheek with his thumb. He couldn't believe his mate was still alive and had found him. "Four hundred years." Tears roll unchecked, washing a path to Atem's chin. Atem melted against him, his body shook with deep heaving sobs that racked through him. Touzoku held him just as tightly as tears of his own filled his eyes. Touzoku buried his face into Atem's hair taking in the scent with notes of white flowers and leather he had long forgotten and burned that scent to memory.

They held onto each other until Atem's uncontrolled sobs had died down to soft sniffles. Atem finally pulled back enough for Touzoku to wipe at his tears and his Demon nuzzled into his hand holding it and pressing more firmly to his face. "You look good," Atem's voice croaked with a smile. It all felt like some part of an almost forgotten dream as Atem lent in, his fingertips gently touching each side of Touzoku's jaw to guide his head down and kissed him that was mixed with their tears.

It was a rush of emotions that he had kept bottled up and never wanted to feel again or imprisoned in the dark deep reaches of his heart and mind had all blossomed at once like a flower. Touzoku pulled Atem in tighter against him, deepened the kiss and Atem wrapping both arms about his neck with just as much eagerness and want.

The kiss slowly ended though didn't lose the heat of wanting it to be so much more as Atem pulled back and pressed his forehead against Touzoku's, breathing heavily with cheeks flushed. "Where have you been all this time?" he couldn't help but ask.

"Waiting for you," Atem frowned at him. "We were meting up to mate and Ella attacked us. Everything was burning. You burnt me."

Touzoku frowned the nightmare from that night had never stopped plaguing him despite his efforts of shoving the sounds of his mate's pained scream and the smell of his burning flesh to the deepest darkest recesses of his mind. "There were so many of them and what they were going to do to you… I did the only thing I could to stop them." He ran his hand up Atem's arm wondering how he had smooth skin rather than healed melted flesh, however he was thankful that such a reminder wouldn't be rubbed in his face whenever they would be together. "My intentions have never been to hurt you."

"I know and I had not meant it to be an accusation," Atem took in a deep breath and let it out as he wrapped his arms about himself and taking comfort as Touzoku moved closer that their bodies were almost flush against each other. "Four hundred years, Touzoku. Where have I been if not here in what only seems like hours since I saw you last?"

"Ella," Touzoku growled the name as if it should be enough of an explanation. "I don't know what she did. You and her were standing in that field one moment and gone the next right before my eyes. It was like you had completely vanished. I searched for you, dug into the forbidden arts, conjured creatures until there was nothing left of the Realm to search."

"I'm here now and not planning on going anywhere without you." Atem unfolded his arms and closed that few inches between them and Touzoku pulled him against him. "Mate me." As soon as the words left his lips Atem was on his back beside the fire with Touzoku leaning over him.

TBC

Reviews are appreciated.