This story contains TRIGGER WARNINGS for rape, violence, blood, physical and emotional abuse, suicide (mentioned). READ AT YOUR OWN DISCRETION.

This warning applies to the story in general. NO SPECIFIC WARNINGS FOR INDIVIDUAL CHAPTERS WILL BE GIVEN!

Chapter 34

Yugi and Atem met in Asphaleia's granite entrance hall. Both were clad in similar leather armour, the major differences being Atem's nemes headdress and the wristband Yugi was wearing.

They hugged and Yugi soaked in the scent of pomegranates coming from Atem's hair and skin. He suppressed the thought of this being the last time.

Yugi was ready for this fight but still, his heart was thudding against his rib cage. They ended the embrace and turned to the others. Bakura, Kisara, Jou, and a dozen royal guards stood in the hall, armed and with stern expressions.

Atem gave a sign and they got into a formation. Atem was at the front. Yugi and Bakura stood in the second row and Jou and Kisara were behind them. The royal guards assembled in lines to their left and right. A servant handed Yugi and Atem their weapons.

Yugi attached a quiver to his belt. First he hung his bow around his torso, then his spear with a strap. Lastly, he took a shield into his left hand.

Atem took a deep breath and straightened his posture. It was never more important to appear as a strong leader than right before a battle. Luckily, Atem was blessed with a commanding and majestic aura. Only Yugi knew about the cracks in it, knew that despite his outward confidence, Atem too was scared.

Atem nodded at another servant. Four women pulled open the doors to the forecourt. It was packed with soldiers in square formations, every one of them wearing a red sash. A path in front of them lead to the main gate where five horses were waiting.

They started walking. Their footsteps were one of the few sounds. The sun stung Yugi's skin as soon as they stepped into the light. It had to be the hottest day of the season yet. The sun had risen not long ago and yet it was already as hot as it was at noon on other days.

The five mounted their horses. Atem made his white mare take a step forward. The soldiers' eyes were on him.

"Soldiers of Egypt, today we face our hardest battle yet!" Atem said, his voice deep and loud. "You have already done the impossible and chased away the vast majority of Atlanteans! Today we shall free the last of your brothers and sisters from tyranny! Sekhmet's spirit lives in the heart of each and every one of you, granting you strength and courage! Feel that spirit as you fight, as you kill, as you free Tamiat from its oppressors! FOR EGYPT!"

The soldiers cheered and chanted Atem and Sekhmet's names. The gates opened and Yugi and the others turned their horses around. Atem spurred his mare and everyone followed him.

It was so hot it was hard to breathe. Yugi was already drenched in sweat, like everyone else. Most of the trees, bushes, and flowers they passed were brown and wilted. The Nile was lower than it had ever been and some branches were dried out entirely.

When they passed a sign that pointed into the direction of what used to be Sobek's Bridge, Yugi knew they were close. His wet hands clenched his reins.

Tamiat's sector walls came into view and Yugi's pulse quickened. A woman with a tattooed arm rode closer to Atem.

"Me and the other spies examined the area. They're prepared. There are traps everywhere," she said.

"I see. Thank you," Atem said and she galloped away. They rode a little longer until Atem raised a hand and the entire army's regular footsteps stopped. The wall was still far away. The road before it was scattered with caltrops – small spiked objects that would be more than painful to step on. There were also pieces of wooden fencing that would force the formations to break up to get past them. The third obstacle were suspiciously dark spots on the ground. He had no doubt they were camouflaged pitfalls.

They dismounted and some cadets led their horses away. Atem nodded at Bakura who then sounded a horn three times. The sound repeated from other directions behind them. Yugi held his spear and shield in his hands. Blood was rushing through his veins and he did feel as if Sekhmet was granting him extra strength.

Atem gave a battle cry, a sound that echoed through the entire army, and everyone threw themselves into battle.

Yugi and the others were at the front at first but they fell back soon. The royal guards helped them avoid any obstacle. Everywhere Yugi looked soldiers screamed as they stepped on a caltrop or fell into one of the traps where spikes and shards awaited them.

At first, the group was trying to make their way straight towards the main gate but they ended up steering further and further to the right. On top of the walls at least a hundred archers appeared, getting ready to shoot.

"Shields!" several people called and everyone who had one raised it. A barrage of arrows rained down on them. Lots of soldiers were hit and knocked to the ground. Yugi felt something bounce off his shield twice.

Right in front of the walls several lines of Atlanteans were waiting. They too gave their battle cries and the two armies clashed. Despite the protection of the royal guards, Yugi was constantly swinging his spear and blocking attacks with his shield.

Kisara was moving fast like a cheetah, throwing her knives at enemies' throats and chests, then quickly retrieving them. Jou's guard was almost impenetrable, even for the strongest soldiers. Sometimes he let it down to perform a move that was rather risky but his luck protected him. Bakura fought viciously like a wolf, his mace killing one Atlantean after another. Atem was the most protected of the group but he faced every enemy without hesitation.

The first Egyptians reached the walls. Some of them had been carrying ladders, which they now leaned against their obstacle. Not far from Yugi and the others four soldiers were setting up one of these ladders.

When they reached it, Bakura was the first one to climb it, followed by Atem and Yugi. Just as Yugi was about to reach the top, the ladder wobbled and was about to collapse. Yugi clung to the edge of the wall right before it broke down. He looked to the ground. Jou and Kisara were fighting more Atlanteans. One of them must have cut the ladder.

"Come on!" Atem said and grabbed Yugi's arm. He pulled Yugi on safe ground but they had no time to take a break. Here too battles were being fought, resulting in every sound Yugi could hear being screams, clashing metal, or curses.

Yugi pulled out his spear, Atem his sword, Bakura his mace. They fought anyone who got in their way, protected each other, and headed towards the main gate to their left.

The way into the gatehouse was blocked by a wooden door. Yugi tried to open it but it was locked.

"Watch my back!" Yugi said to Atem and Bakura, then dropped his spear for the axe of a dead soldier. He chopped at the door over and over until the hole was almost big enough to climb through.

The door burst open and Yugi leaped to the left. An Atlantean shot outside with a sword and a battle cry. He ran towards Bakura who had just smashed the head of another soldier. Bakura swung his mace at the Atlantean's face. He was hurled to the side, his head bleeding.

More Atlanteans poured out of the gatehouse. Yugi picked up his spear and sliced at the face of a soldier who tried to attack him with a hatchet. During the fights Yugi received several wounds at his upper arms and thighs but in the rush of battle he hardly felt the pain. While the three held their ground, it was a lot harder now that they were without the protection of the royal guards.

Eventually, Yugi, Atem, and Bakura made their way inside the gatehouse, panting. Only four more soldiers were still here. One of them was a tall and broad-shouldered brute in armour that protected his entire body, except for his neck and face. He swung his bludgeon and all Yugi could do was dodge. Instead of Yugi, the brute hit the bannister behind him and tore a hole into it. Atem tried to block his next attack his with his sword but the brute pushed him back.

The bannister enclosed the platform they were currently on to their left and right. It was a long way down. Yugi had an idea. While Atem was still fighting the brute, Yugi grabbed a handful of saw dust from a sack next to a shelf.

He flung a small jar from a table at the brute's helm to get his attention. Yugi threw the saw dust right in his eyes and the brute covered his face. Yugi took his spear, held it at one and pointed the other at Atem.

"Grab it!" Yugi said and Atem obeyed. They hurried towards the brute and used the spear to push him off the platform before he knew what happened. His scream ended when he hit the ground with a thud.

"You two go to the gate! I got this!" Bakura said as he was parrying the blows of the only two other soldiers who were still able to fight.

Yugi and Atem followed the staircase to the bottom of the gatehouse. There were two stone gates and the sounds of battle on one side made it obvious which one they had to open first. Yugi and Atem approached it.

It was bolted by a large wooden beam. At its ends two chains were attached, linked to a device that made it possible to pull the beam up from the ground. All Yugi and Atem had to do was pull on the chains to the gate's left and right.

They did just that and despite the beam being heavy they managed to slowly lift it. But then the weight Yugi had to deal with suddenly became twice as heavy and the chain slid out of his hands. The beam crashed back into its previous position. Yugi looked to his right and saw why.

The brute had gotten back up. He had grabbed Atem's neck from behind, choking him. Yugi took out his bow and an arrow. He aimed at the brute's unprotected neck – and hit it. The arrow pierced right through his throat. He was knocked to the ground, choking.

Atem fell to his knees. Yugi ran towards him and placed a hand on his back.

"Are you all right?" he asked.

"Yeah." Atem coughed. "Now, let's open this gate."

The second attempt was successful. Once they had pulled the beam high enough, they attached the chains to hooks at the wall. Each of the double doors had a few metal rings with ropes tied around them. Yugi and Atem pulled on two ropes, opening the gatehouse just a bit and letting more light inside. Their arms were aching by the time the left wing was wide enough for Egyptian soldiers to rush inside by the dozen. Yugi and Atem led them in opening the other gate as well.

Bakura shouted from above, telling the soldiers to come upstairs and help their comrades on top of the wall. Meanwhile, Yugi and Atem made their way through the second gate. There were stables and carts filled with crates but no traps like on the other side.

Yugi and Atem headed for the stables and sat down on a small bench. Both were panting, their lungs burning.

"None of them had bombs," Atem said.

"Otogi must be up to something," Yugi said. They cleaned and bandaged each other's wounds and took big gulps of their waterskins. After a while, both heard steps and grabbed their weapons – but it turned out the steps belonged to Jou and Kisara. Yugi hugged them both, only now realising how much of his body had been tensed up because he had been worried about them.

A little later, Bakura joined them too, just like the royal guards from before. Half of Bakura's face was covered in blood but he assured them the wound on his temple wasn't as bad as it looked. Kisara still managed to convince him to let her clean it.

"The wall is as good as taken over," the leader of the royal guard said. "Any Atlantean who can is fleeing. We also noticed some warriors who wore a blue sash but looked nothing like Atlanteans nor did they speak their language. The former Lord Otogi must have hired mercenaries for reinforcements."

"That's … interesting. Either way, when we're ready we should start freeing the villages next. The Royal Ornament will tell you where to go," Atem said and Yugi stepped forward. He explained the routes ahead and where the armies should split up. The leader nodded and had no objections.

They left the stables with each one horse in tow. Most squads of soldiers had regrouped, their uniforms now splattered with blood. Yugi, Atem, and the others were right at the front as they marched along the main road, the steady sound of the soldiers' steps right behind them.

Soon a group of mud brick houses of many sizes came into view – the first village. Lines of Atlanteans had assembled right in front of it, shields, swords, and other weapons in their hands. Wrath seared through Yugi.

The Atlanteans hadn't only killed Egyptian soldiers. They had terrorised and stolen from ordinary people who had nothing to do with the war. Now it was time to pay them back.

Atem raised his sword and they charged into battle. Yugi spurred his horse, his spear in one hand. The closer they came the more Atlanteans realised how outnumbered they were. They fled or at least they tried to.

The Egyptians separated but Yugi, Jou, and Kisara stayed together in a group. They chased the Atlanteans along the village's widest street and into the arms of Egyptian soldiers. Kisara threw all her knives and after a while had to jump off her horse to retrieve them. Jou too leapt to the ground to protect an Egyptian soldier. Yugi dismounted as well and sliced at any Atlantean he found.

They were winning. Yugi impaled, slashed, killed. It was as if a frenzy had taken him over. Excitement rushed through Yugi's veins, irresistible like a drug. He relished the sweet feeling of vengeance, of dominance over those who had tormented his home for so long. It was time for them to get back all the pain and fear they had spread, tenfold!

Yugi disarmed another Atlantean and drew back his spear. The soldier fell on his knees, his arms crossed in front of his face.

"Mercy! Please!" he said, crying. Yugi hesitated. But why? No matter how pathetic they behaved, the Atlanteans didn't deserve to be spared, not after what they had done. Yet, it was as if Yugi's arm was frozen and he just couldn't deliver the last blow.

Yugi grabbed the soldier's wrist and pushed him to another group of Egyptian soldiers.

"To the other prisoners with him!" Yugi said and didn't give the man another glance. He looked around at all the puddles of blood and dozens of corpses, most of which had a blue sash. Atlanteans were screaming in terror as Egyptians stabbed, cut off body parts, and found other ways to agonise them. Yugi knew the Atlanteans had done the same and worse. But whatever had possessed him a moment ago was gone. Now all he saw was even more violence and pain.

"No! Please!"

The desperate plea came from another Atlantean. He was lying on the ground, Bakura standing right beside him. He swung his mace at the Atlantean's head over and over, teeth, blood, and other liquids spilling everywhere. Yugi rushed towards Bakura and grabbed his arm.

"Leave me!"

"Save your hatred for Kek! For now, we take prisoners!" Yugi said. Bakura glared at him, his chest heaving. Yugi didn't blink.

"Fine!" Bakura said, freed himself, and stomped away.

The battle didn't last much longer. Yugi stopped a few more people from torturing Atlanteans, even though they probably didn't deserve to be saved. Only once the surviving Atlanteans were being rounded up, Yugi noticed that nearly every house in the village had its doors and windows barricaded.

"Free the villagers!" Atem commanded, apparently noticing the same as Yugi. "But be careful!"

Yugi and Atem ran towards the nearest house and knocked on the door.

"Don't be afraid! The Atlanteans are beaten and we're here to save you!" Yugi said before he and Atem began to rip off the slats. Nervous voices sounded from behind the door before it slowly opened. The imprisoned villagers hurried to their windows, peeking out from behind slits and pointing.

Yugi and Atem freed a second house, then a third and a fourth. By then, more and more people stepped outside, knives and other makeshift weapons clutched in their hands. After Yugi and Atem had removed the slats from the fifth house the door burst open and two kids shot outside. The boy and the girl with curly hair wrapped their arms around Yugi's waist.

"We knew you'd save us, Yugi!" the boy said and his sister added:

"We believed in you and we were right!"

They sobbed. Yugi patted their heads, overwhelmed.

"Shh. It's all right. We're here now. You have an older sister, don't you? Where is she?" he asked and the children winced, then looked down.

"The Atlanteans, they…" the boy almost whispered. "One day they came and pulled a bag over her head and…"

Despite the heat, it was as if Yugi's entire body froze. The shock melted a moment later, replaced by more hate for the Atlanteans. He clenched his fists.

"We will get her back. I promise," Yugi said before he joined Atem, Jou, Kisara, Bakura, and the other royal guards.

"We're done here. The Atlanteans are either dead or captured," Bakura said with clear disgust for the last word.

"Then let's move on," Yugi said and everyone mounted their horses. The commoners encouraged them to drive out every last Atlantean as they rode away, their horses whirling up clouds of dust.

In other villages it was the same fight. The Atlanteans were outnumbered and surrendered quickly. The villagers were freed and thanked Atem and Yugi on their knees.

The further they travelled the quicker those battles were over. Soon Yugi and Atem could trot along the main rode as soldiers swarmed out left and right to liberate the commoners. The people hurried to the main road to get a glimpse of Yugi and Atem, pointing and gasping.

"That's him! That's the Pharaoh!"

"And Yugi!"

"They're here to save us!"

But there was one thing that they called over and over, shaking and with tears streaming down their cheeks:

"We knew you'd come, Yugi! We knew!"

Most of the commoners were emaciated, their faces gaunt. Some walked on crutches or held dead children in their arms. Even from afar Yugi could tell from the look in their eyes that they had gone through a lot of pain. They had endured months of occupation, terror, and humiliation. Yugi had never imagined that on every day, after every time the Atlanteans had stolen from them, raped and degraded them, they had huddled together, telling themselves over and over:

"It's all right. Yugi will come. Yugi will free us."

He gulped at the thought but it also filled him with determination. Yugi wanted to be their guardian, wanted to fulfil all their hopes of someone ending the nightmare Otogi had forced them to go through. Otogi…

Yugi's anger for him grew and turned into hate, hotter than the scorching rays of the sun. Otogi had inflicted so many scars on his own people, the heart of Tamiat. They'd forever be haunted because of Otogi's selfishness.

In the distance, Tamiat's city walls came into view and with it the blurred outline of the tower Tamiat was known for. The tower, which was part of Otogi's mansion, its throne hall. Was that where Otogi was waiting, clinging to the throne he had no right to sit on? Yugi was more than ready to face him and to finally put an end to the reign that had plunged Tamiat into this tragedy.

"Be careful," Atem said, riding next to him. Only now Yugi noticed how much his body had tensed up. "Your hatred is justified but he still has those bombs. Keep a cool head and you'll be able to talk him into surrendering."

Yugi took a deep breath of the hot, thick air. He knew Atem was right. If he really wanted to help Tamiat, he had to control his emotions now.

"I'll do all I can to de-escalate the whole thing." He hesitated before he added: "It's time now, isn't it?"

Yugi could see the fear of loss in Atem's eyes and he felt it in his own chest. They had already told each other last night what they felt for each other, hoping it'd make the separation today easier. It didn't.

"I'll see you later then," Atem said, trying to sound as if he had no doubt about it. Yugi forced a smile.

"Alive and well."

Before his courage could leave him, Yugi gave Jou and Kisara behind them a sign. The three split from the group and left the main road for a small and empty one. They galloped until the city walls were close. Yugi, Kisara, and Jou dismounted and sneaked through a small forest.

They reached a small, well-camouflaged door, the same one they had passed through whenever they had brought medicine to Tamiat. There were only small windows in the wall but they were big enough for the plan.

Yugi pulled a bomb from a pouch around his hips. They were only smoke bombs since the other ones had been used up in the battle for Asphaleia. Yugi stuck the bomb to an arrow and aimed at one of the small windows, just far away enough from the door. Kisara lit it with two flints and Yugi let go of the bowstring.

The arrow found its way inside the wall. Smoke emerged from the window, doors smashed, and people shouted:

"What happened?!"

"They're here! Get ready!"

"Shit, we're dead!"

While the guards inside panicked and hurried to different sections of the wall, Jou rushed towards it. He searched for the hidden switch to open the door from outside and this time he found it.

Yugi, Kisara, and Jou dashed inside. The door on the other side was locked but Jou knew which key to grab from the dozens of hooks to their right. A moment later they entered the city.

They ran into the closest alley and followed its path until they stopped in a nook and hid behind a couple of barrels. Only now Yugi noticed that his pulse was racing. The three gave each other nervous smiles and took a moment to catch their breath.

Just like in the villages every window and door was barricaded. Except for a few barking dogs in the distance, everything was quiet like in a tomb. It made a shiver crawl down Yugi's spine.

The three sneaked around the alleys, utterly conscious of the sounds of their footsteps. They had every reason to be careful. Atlanteans seemed to patrol nearly every street and Yugi, Jou, and Kisara had to change their route many times so they wouldn't be caught. Constantly having to hide, they were unable to make their way north, towards Otogi's mansion.

"Damn these soldiers," Jou whispered as they had to hide behind some stacked crates. "Besides, what do you suppose these are?"

Jou pointed at the ropes right above them. While all the windows were barricaded, the Atlanteans had left just enough space for at least one rope to go between the slats. The ropes led from one house to another and through them every building was connected like in a spider web. Even from afar Yugi noticed that the ropes were doused in something that smelt sharp and was slightly nauseating.

"Probably nothing good," Kisara said. "But we can't find out unless we want to get caught."

Yugi and Jou had to agree and they resumed their way. All the patrols made them steer further and further west, towards the temple district with dozens of large buildings dedicated to different deities. It was the only part of the city that was free from any ropes.

They sneaked through more alleys and ended up in the garden of Hapi's temple. They hid between some bushes and a wall. Again, Yugi had to wipe his forehead. He had hoped that the sea would cool the city with a salty breeze but apparently even the wind held its breath today.

"Dammit, how are we supposed to-" Jou began but stopped when they heard someone coming. All three ducked their heads. Three men came out of the main building and entered the garden. Their leader was muscular, blond, and he wore a bandana on his head. He was followed by two others, shorter and slimmer in their physique. Their skin was darker than that of the Atlanteans. They approached a mud brick shed and the leader kicked the door open.

"I knew you were hiding around here," he said. Yugi craned his neck but the two henchmen blocked his view.

"No! No, please!" a female voice said, close to tears. Already Yugi was overwhelmed by the urge to protect.

"We're bored, honey. You know it'll be worse if you resist so be a good girl."

The woman pleaded them to stop but the men forced their way into the shed. Yugi turned to Jou and Kisara who had their weapons ready and seemed to wait for Yugi's command. Yugi took his spear in his hands and he could feel his heartbeat quicken. He clicked his tongue and all three rushed towards the shed.

Inside, the woman was lying on her back, the henchmen pinning her arms to the ground. The leader was kneeling between her legs, pushing up her dress. The terrified expression of the woman was enough to enrage Yugi, almost like earlier in the village.

The three men stared at Yugi, Kisara, and Jou. One henchman opened his mouth but Kisara threw a knife at his neck before he could make a sound. The other henchman jumped but Jou already cut his throat with his sword. Meanwhile, Yugi had stabbed the leader right through his stomach. Yugi looked him right in his wide eyes, feeling no empathy for him.

It took Yugi a few more blows to kill him. Once it was done, the shed was splattered with blood and all three were dead. A sob made Yugi turn his head. The woman – young and with a long braid – was cowering in a corner, a hand pressed against her mouth.

"Th-Thank you…!" she said, then burst into tears. Kisara knelt down next to her and the woman cried in her arms. Only now Yugi noticed her clothes and amulets that marked her as a priestess. After a short while, she added: "Y-Yugi…? Is that you…?"

"Yes, it's me. Are you all right?"

"I am now. Thank you so much…! First the Atlanteans, now these mercenaries too… They've been doing this all the time since the rebellion. We're all hurting and starving and… But we knew you'd come, Yugi. We always knew."

A weak smile played about her lips. Yugi felt a sting in his chest but at the same time he wanted nothing more than to prove everyone who had believed in him right. His posture straightened.

"I'm here and this nightmare is about to end. The Pharaoh is on his way with his forces. Our goal right now is to get to Otogi's mansion but the Atlanteans patrol all the streets. Do you know another way?" he asked and the priestess thought about it for a moment.

"You could take the sewers. It will be unpleasant but there will be no soldiers."

"That's all that matters."

The priestess brought them to a small building and even from afar Yugi could smell that they were the latrines. She led them downstairs where the stench intensified, even more so when she opened the door to the sewers with a key from her pocket.

"Where are the other priests?" Jou asked while the priestess lit a torch on the wall, then handed it to Yugi.

"They all forced us into a small building outside the temple district. We have no idea why. But I could flee because I knew…" She stopped herself. "It doesn't matter. Good luck to all of you. I know the gods will be on your side."

"Thank you. And please take care of yourself. Things might get even uglier," Yugi said.

They entered the sewers and the priestess shut the door behind them.

All three covered their mouths and noses the entire time. The brown stream in the middle was framed by a thin stone path on each side. They walked as closely to the wall as possible and skipped puddles of liquids they chose to not further inspect.

Luckily, the signs on the walls let them know in which neighbourhood they were. That way they were able to navigate past the shipyards, the Red Lily, and the marketplace.

Only once they got close to the mansion they realised they yet had to come up with a plan to get out of the sewers. They'd have to check every possible exit, hoping that one of them would be easy to bust open. They didn't expect to find one of the mansion's doors wide open.

Yugi extinguished the torch by throwing it into the stinking stream. All three carefully walked through the door. Yugi let a hand run over it.

"Scratch marks…?" he whispered. An unlit torch lay on the floor, next to a bracelet. Jou picked it up with wide eyes.

"That's Shizuka's…!" he said.

"It looks like there was some confrontation… Do you think Shizuka tried to flee?" Kisara suggested.
"What if she's…?" Jou said, his face turning pale.

"There's no blood. I'm sure she's still alive," Yugi said, hoping he was right. Jou nodded.

They left the servants' latrines and sneaked around the gardens. Like in Asphaleia, a part of Yugi wanted nothing more than to take in the fact that he was back home. It seemed like not much had changed, except that the gardens looked as if no one had taken care of them in weeks. He recognised the pavilions, benches, ponds he used to come by every day. In the distance he even spotted the whore house, the place where he and Kisara had lived. He also noticed the paths that curled their way to a gate. Behind it, a staircase led to the beach, right below the cliff the mansion was built on.

They ended up hiding behind a sphinx statue in the forecourt in front of the main house's entrance. Yugi looked up at it with its three storeys, several balconies, and the tower that protruded from it in its very back. Surely, from up there it was possible to see Atem's army approach.

"I see no guards," Kisara said, checking every direction.

"It's strange. Just like these ropes," Jou said and pointed at them. They seemed to connect all the different houses of the mansion with each other. The ropes also ran along the wall that enclosed the entire estate.

"Either way… Otogi has to know he's not safe so keep your weapons ready," Yugi said and took his spear. They all inhaled the salty air a few more times. The sea was roaring in the distance, an oddly peaceful sound on a day of war. Yugi pretended to check his spear one more time before he said: "Let's get this done."

They approached the main entrance and slid through a gap between the double doors. The hallway inside was long with a high ceiling and shiny marble tiles. The statues of gods to the left and right were hung in ropes too but there was a difference: Near their heads, wrapped up in more ropes, were crates. Yugi would have inspected the contents if they hadn't been so high up.

No one seemed to be there. They walked almost silently. At every archway to the sides they were especially careful and prepared to fend off any attack. None came.

They reached the doors to the throne hall, which was inside the tower. Yugi felt that Otogi was in there. And now they'd face each other one last time.

Yugi wasn't scared of Otogi. Not anymore.

Considering how hot it was, a part of Yugi wanted to believe that all of this was nothing but a fever dream. But he knew the heat, the door in front of him, the thudding of his heart were real. He looked at his golden wristband.

For Tamiat, he reminded himself before pushing the doors open with Jou and Kisara.

It was like Yugi had expected. Otogi was sitting on his throne. Kek – armed with his hatchet – stood to his right among a couple of Atlanteans. Two of them were holding a tied up and gagged Lord Seto. He and Kisara exchanged a short look.

To Yugi's left was the wall that had Tamiat's entire history carved into it. In front of it was a large cage, filled with over two dozen people. Among them were Anzu, Honda, Mai, Shizuka (with a bleeding lip), Ryou, Hanasaki, Asa, Neema, and Kashto. Despite also being tied up and gagged, their faces lit up with hope when they saw Yugi. Mai blew Jou a kiss.

Yugi looked at Otogi. He was even thinner than many villagers. His bones seemed to be covered by only a layer of skin with hardly any flesh or muscles. The rings under his eyes were darker than they had ever been. He wore the complementary wristband to Yugi's. He was playing with a pair of iron handcuffs.

"So… You came," he said. His voice was still the same and yet somehow different.

"Yes," Yugi said and paused. The long windows behind him let in a salty breeze. "The Egyptian forces have broken through the sector wall. It's only a matter of time until they're here. I'm giving you one last chance to surrender."

Otogi laughed. It wasn't the charming chuckle from the past. It was desperate, almost unhinged.

"And why would I do that?! You'll sentence me to death, you and your precious customer! Would that turn him on? Is that why you're doing this?!"

"You can end this now without any more people suffering. How it got to this point was your own doing."

"Oh yes, how dare I want to rule over my own sector! I just wanted the best for Tamiat and you ruined it, Yugi!" Otogi spat but all his bitterness and hate bounced right off Yugi.

"No. You did."

"If you had obeyed me, if you had accepted that you need me like all of Tamiat, none of this would have happened! We're in this mess because you're too stupid to follow orders! Because you can't accept that you're good for nothing except getting laid! This is your fault, Yugi! IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT!"

He yelled it so loud some winced but Yugi wasn't one of them. Otogi was panting. To Yugi, he wasn't frightening anymore. He was pathetic.

"No," he said calmly. "It's not."

Yugi was surprised by himself. There was no need to explain or to raise his voice. He knew the truth. Otogi's words were no more threatening to him than a breeze was to a mountain. In a way, Yugi had never felt stronger and more stable than at this moment.

Otogi dropped the iron handcuffs and rose. Slightly shaking, he approached Yugi. Yugi's grip around his spear tightened. The closer Otogi came the clearer Yugi could see that his eyes were bloodshot. His lip quivered.

"I… I just wanted to sleep," he croaked. Tears rolled over his cheeks. "I just wanted my nightmares to end… I wanted Tamiat to be happy… I wanted us to be together, Yugi…"

Yugi wanted to reject these words as more lies. But he knew that this time there was truth in them. There had been a time when Otogi had actually cared about Tamiat and back then it had been a good place to live. It was here where Yugi had made friends, where he had found a new home, where he and Otogi had spent so many nights together. In his training Yugi had slept with many people but Otogi – his kisses, the way he had made Yugi laugh, finding new peaks of passion with him – had always been special.

"I wanted us to be together too," Yugi whispered.

"I didn't…" Otogi stepped forward but then he collapsed. Yugi dashed forward, trying to catch him. Otogi ended up on his knees, his arms wrapped around Yugi's waist. "I didn't want any of this… I swear…"

Otogi sobbed, his forehead pressed against Yugi's stomach. Yugi placed a hand on Otogi's black hair. He couldn't help it: He felt sorry for Otogi.

For a while Yugi patted Otogi's head, his heart aching for the potential happiness they had thrown away. Otogi squeezed him harder and Yugi dropped his spear. Yugi returned the hug, a hug that was different from any other they had ever shared.

"Y-Yugi…?" Otogi whispered.

"Yes…?"

It happened too quickly. Otogi shot up, made Yugi turn around, and pressed a knife against his throat. In the blink of an eye, all of Yugi's hatred for Otogi returned.

"I have a message for the Pharaoh," Otogi said to Jou and Kisara. They had their weapons ready. "If he wants to see his whore again, he has to come here himself. If the next person who enters this room isn't the Pharaoh, the whore dies. Understood?!"

Jou and Kisara gave Yugi an apologetic look.

"We don't have a choice, do we?!" Jou said and he and Kisara hurried the way they had come.

"Finally alone," Otogi whispered. Yugi tried to wriggle free but Otogi was stronger than he seemed.

"You piece of shit," Yugi hissed.

"Now, now, didn't I teach you not to use such ugly words?"

While Otogi led Yugi back to the throne, Kek picked up Yugi's spear and broke it in half. He also rid Yugi of his bow, quiver, and the pouches on his belt. His grin was even more malicious than usual. It was as if he was excited to torture someone in a new way.

Otogi took his seat on his cushioned throne and made Yugi sit down on his lap. The sensation made Yugi want to vomit. He wanted to slap himself for having had sympathy for Otogi a moment ago.

"Just like in old times, huh?" Otogi kissed Yugi's cheek. His minty perfume was still the same. "Don't worry, sweetheart. I haven't forgotten my promise. Just a little longer and I'll make it come true: Just me, you, and Tamiat. You'll see."