This was chapter was originally intended to go with the last one, but it got extremely long so I divided the two. Glad I did so I could wait to post it. Realized a major plot hole and had to slap some Flex tape on it lol.
So as a minor TW, since this is a continuation of the prior chapter, expect a lot of mentions of blood consumption. Actually, just expect it from now on. Blood was seen as a major magical component in ancient Egypt and the source of many things including life. Same with sex. Both were essential parts of the daily life of ancient Egyptians, just like food, water, and sleep.
Final pre-chapter note: THANK YOU TO THOSE WHO ARE STILL HERE :D I am currently at 7 active followers, and each time I get a new one or see that someone binged my fic my little serotonin cells take a step back from the edge of the abyss and do a happy dance :)
Marik couldn't remember the last time he'd woken up feeling so groggy. His body felt stiff and sore, reminding him of how he often felt waking up in the caves below Egypt. He tried to pry his eyes open, but they refused to cooperate. He tried to turn over to get more comfortable, but his body cried out, causing him to groan slightly. Something shuffled near him, causing him to become slightly more alert than he had been a second ago. "Kat…?" he tried to call out, but his throat was dry and his tongue wanted to stick to the roof of his mouth. He swallowed hard, and tried once again to open his eyes. The room was dark. Wasn't the sun up just a bit ago? How long had he been asleep? Wait...when did he fall asleep in the first place? He tried to think back to the last thing he remembered. He and Kat had been having the most sensual sex he had ever experienced. Then something had happened...but he couldn't recall what. He saw a shadow move along the edges of his peripheral vision, causing him to forcefully try to prop himself up enough so that he could see what it was, wincing at the pain his body was in. Once he had managed to get into a position that didn't cause him to feel like every muscle in his body was on fire, he opened his eyes. He found himself face to face with a pair of eyes not far from his own, causing him to startle back into a lying position. The shadow shifted, and the eyes went from being at his level, to staring down at him from above.
"I apologize. I did not mean to frighten you. How do you feel?" Malik questioned, sounding concerned.
Marik relaxed, placing a hand on his head as it began to throb. "Like shit…and thirsty." he replied hoarsely.
"Sounds about right." The elemental stated. He left for a minute, returning with a small glass of water. He helped Marik sit upright so that he could drink. "Do you recall what happened to you?" he asked warily.
"...not really…"
"Do you want to?"
Marik's body burned and ached, and his head was screaming. "I don't...I don't know...ugh...make it stop…" He clenched the side of his head.
"Extreme blood loss does that."
"Extreme blood...what?" Marik absentmindedly began rubbing the side of his neck. The rubbing quickly became scratching.
Malik quickly grasped the smaller Ishtar by the wrist in an attempt to prevent him from causing unintentional harm to himself. "Stop. I healed the wound, but I can't take away the body's memory of what happened. It will continue to feel irritated for a while. You'll have to ignore it as best you can."
"...what….happened…?" Marik was still a bit groggy. What had happened? Why did he feel like this?
"Think back...to earlier with Katrina. She did something to you."
"Kat...we were…that's none of your business…"
"I'm not talking about the sex." Malik stated, scowling in slight irritation. "Your neck. Do you remember what she did to it?"
Marik chuckled. "Ah...I don't know what she did...but it was...something else." He smiled fondly as he recalled the sensation he had been filled with.
Malik's face fell as he realized Marik had been too enthralled in ecstasy to know what had actually happened to him. "You fool, Katrina nearly bled you dry! She would have too if I hadn't showed up!" Malik shouted, angry that the smaller Ishtar was clueless to how close he had come to walking the path of the Afterlife.
Marik stared blankly at the larger Ishtar for a moment, then laughed as though he had said something funny. "Yeah right." he scoffed. "She wouldn't do that to me."
"She obviously did. Her Isfet does not discern between friend and foe. When it demands to be fed, it finds a way to get what it wants. Apparently this time it wanted you."
"I don't understand? What do you mean it wanted me...and what's this about wanting to be 'fed'?" Marik asked in confusion.
"Do you think those fangs of hers are for show? They serve a purpose."
"I thought that was because she was a cat...leopard...whatever." Marik's head still throbbed too much to focus on the details.
Malik hung his head in defeat, shaking it slightly back and forth in disbelief. He sighed and raised it back up to try to explain things the best he could. "Katrina's Isfet...it is a living entity. It hungers and demands to be fed. The only way to keep it sated is by taking in the blood of others. She hates giving into its demands though and often tries to push the limits of how long she can go before being forced to feed. On occasion she grows weary of fighting so she will hunt on a regular basis to keep the beast within at bay, but based on her recent behavior I am going to assume that she has returned to refusing to cave to its wants."
Even in his groggy mental state, Marik was slowly beginning to understand what the other Ishtar was conveying. "You're saying that...that Kat...fed...on me…? That the reason I feel this way….it's because she...she…" His stomach churned and it was all he could do to quickly lean over the edge of the bed before the contents of his stomach found their way up and out.
Malik sighed and went to grab something to clean up the mess. Meanwhile, Marik was facing a massive internal battle. Twice in less than twenty-four hours, Kat's Isfet had caused her to physically attack him. He had reassured her earlier that he could handle it, but now he wasn't so certain. He had been sickened when she had taken in Anubis' blood, but she had been in her Godaeshan form and seeing her like that had made it easier to understand that it was just a part of her. But the fact that this time it was his blood…
Marik found himself retching again as the thought of her feasting on his own blood re-entered his mind. The loss of what little was in his body to begin with did not help his current state, and he felt worse than before.
"You're only making your condition worse. Stop thinking about it." Malik chastised, holding a small towel out towards Marik. The smaller Ishtar quickly accepted it and wiped away the bile that lingered in the corners of his mouth.
"I can't help it...what she did...I thought she meant animals...I thought it was just in her nature...because she's part...whatever…"
Once Malik was confident Marik wouldn't empty his stomach a third time, he helped the smaller Ishtar back into a sitting position and handed him another glass of water that he'd brought back with him. He then sighed and reluctantly began working on the mess Marik had created. "You weren't wrong in your assumption. It is in her nature. She does hunt animals, just not the kind you picture."
Marik took a sip of water, then waited to see if it would settle in his stomach before taking in another small sip. His temples were throbbing worse than they had been before, and the burning in his muscles had intensified. He watched as Malik finished cleaning up the mess he had created.
"You should get some more rest. Your body simply needs time to recover. I promise, you won't feel nearly as miserable after a few more hours." Malik stated.
Marik took another, slightly larger, sip from the glass. "There's too much going on in my head right now. I don't think I could go back to sleep even if I wanted to."
Malik sighed as he sat in a nearby chair, leaning forward with his elbows resting on his knees and hands clasped together. "Do you hate her for what she did?" he questioned after a few moments.
There was a brief pause before Marik answered. "No." he replied.
There was a short period of silence.
"Do you fear her now?"
Another pause. "I don't know. I don't even know if I can even forgive something like this."
Malik chuckled slightly. "She would be upset if you did forgive her." He took a deep breath, becoming serious again. "Ka-ib is worried that you will be afraid of her...that it will be the one thing that causes you to leave. It pains her to know that the part of herself she struggles with has no issue with injuring you. I think she believed that if she cared enough about you, it would keep you safe. Apparently that is not the case."
"Or maybe she just doesn't care enough." Marik stated despondently.
"She cares more than you realize, I can feel it in her aura. When she is near you, she becomes unguarded. She tries to put up a barrier, but you somehow manage to keep bringing it down. When she is near Atem, it's like she is on edge. Like she is willing to let him get close, but not close enough that he can hurt her again. Even with me and Bakura, I can feel there is still some sort of barrier...almost as if she is keeping something from us."
"And what kind of secret could she have kept from the two of you for five millennia?" Marik scoffed bitterly.
Malik stood and walked over to a small table in the corner. He lit a lamp, causing Marik to cover his eyes, the light hurting them after having adjusted to the darkness. Once his eyes re-adjusted for the light, he noticed what appeared to be some sort of 3D chess board.
"You want to know what kind of secret she could be keeping? So do we. I've seen setups similar to this before...in Sumar."
"Sumar?"
"The Godaeshan capitol. It's where the tribunal will be held. The gods have setups not much different than this one. They use them to plan strategies that can take decades, sometimes centuries, before anything comes to fruition. Each piece represents a real person. I have figured out some of the pieces on this particular board. The Queen is most obviously ka-ib. The Bishop is the Runt. I am the Knight. The Kings...wait...there were only two here before?" Malik puzzled over the third King piece that had appeared since he last saw the board. There was another piece hidden in the far corner of one of the lower levels. It was a combination piece similar to the opponent's. It appeared to be a mix of all the pieces, including the King.
Marik couldn't see what the other Ishtar was talking about from where he was. He winced as he worked his way to the edge of the bed, standing unsteadily and walking over on shaky limbs. Malik had been so engrossed with trying to discern who the third King could be that he hadn't noticed that Marik had gotten up until he was standing beside him.
"How did…?" Malik looked back and forth between the bed and where Marik now stood. "You could barely sit up...how are you able to stand and walk over here?"
"Sheer will and a lot of pain." Marik replied sarcastically, his voice making the amount of pain he was in obvious. "Now what are you looking at?"
Malik eyed the smaller Ishtar with suspicion for a moment, then returned his focus to the board. "For the longest time there have always been two Kings on this board: The Pharaoh and his host. The two are now separate entities, but that does not change that there are still only two of them. There is now a third King on this board. I'm certain you are well aware that the King is meant to be protected. She had a hard enough time protecting two. Who is the third I wonder? Who, besides the Pharaoh and his former host, does she feel the need to protect?" Malik looked towards the opponent's pieces. They had changed as well. "She's not defending against Anubis this time. I know the pieces that represent him and his generals well. This one is unfamiliar to me, but there are a lot of pawns...more than with Anubis."
"An unknown enemy?"
"It appears so. At least unknown to me." Malik sighed and shook his head. "See what I mean, she is keeping things from us. She knows we will follow her without question...we are her loyal Lieutenants."
Marik stared at the layers of the board. "Who's that piece? It's the same color as the others that represent her allies, so I assume that means it's someone that is on her side...right?" He had pointed out the weird amalgamated piece that was hidden in the lower corner.
"Based on the fact that it can perform as any piece on the board, but it is also a King so it still must be defended, I am going to assume that it's the Shadow Walker. He appears to be placed in a way that he can be used only as a last resort."
Marik wobbled a bit as he fought against the fatigue in his body. The larger Ishtar caught him, preventing him from collapsing to the floor.
"You really should rest." Malik tried to suggest again.
Marik shook his head. "No. I want to see her. I need to ask her some questions before I can decide what's next between us."
"I don't think that's wise in your current condition."
It was painful, but Marik managed to remove himself from Malik's supporting grasp. "That's not for you to decide." he said bitterly.
Malik could see that there was no changing Marik's mind. "Very well. Give me a few minutes to find something other than schentis for us to wear." he suggested. He then pointed to where the bath chamber was. "Maybe a quick shower to relax the ache in your body?" He hoped the suggestion would wear Marik down enough that he would give in to his body's exhaustion and rest.
Marik nodded, then began the painful process of making his way to the shower.
"I can't believe how stubborn you are." Malik commented, annoyed that Marik's shower had left the smaller Ishtar feeling slightly invigorated and refreshed. He was still set on going to speak to his girlfriend.
Marik's body still ached, but not like it had before. The burning sensation had passed, along with the massive throbbing in his head. He now only had a slight headache. He made his way down the hall, using the wall to aid him. Every time his step faltered in the slightest, Malik would reach out in an attempt to aid him. Malik currently had his hand on Marik's shoulder, having tried to catch him again.
"Stop trying to baby me." Marik said in extreme annoyance, shaking the hand that was on his shoulder away.
Malik grumbled as he watched the smaller Ishtar continue forward. After several (painfully-long) minutes they made it to the room where the gathering had been. The moon cast its light into the room, allowing the objects within to be clearly seen. Both Ishtar's looked towards the face-down figure on a large cushion. Malik sighed, then reluctantly lifted Bakura's crimson robe off the floor and placed it over Atem so that when he woke he wouldn't be exposed. During that time, Marik had taken the opportunity to try and make his way as far as he could towards the kitchen before the other Ishtar returned to fussing over him. Malik had indicated earlier that this was where the flame elemental had run off to.
Marik had nearly made it to the door, which wasn't as hidden as he thought upon closer inspection, when what sounded like a loud canine 'yipe' came from beyond it, followed by similar canine-like whining sounds. He quickly pressed forward through the door, Malik directly behind him. Both stopped instantly as they discovered the source of the canine cries. Bakura was gripping tightly to the marble counter-top, nearly in tears as a golden hand held his 'crown jewels' tightly in its grasp.
"OKAY! I TAKE IT BACK! Now please let go…." the pale elemental whimpered.
Kat released her grip on Bakura's balls, and he immediately fell to the floor, cradling his testicles on the way down.
"Next time you refer to my boyfriend as a 'vegan snack option', I'll do far worse. That wasn't in the least bit funny." she seethed.
Marik scowled, understanding the context of the not-so-humorous joke that Bakura had obviously made. "I have to agree."
Kat's pissed off expression quickly changed to mild shock as she realized who was standing in the kitchen's entrance. She stared at Marik for a moment before averting her gaze, suddenly feeling a swarm of emotions that ranged from embarrassment and shame, to sadness and despair. She toyed with the idea of transfiguring and running away to avoid the awkward conversation she knew was coming, but decided that since it was unavoidable there was no point. "Leave us." she ordered, still looking away. Bakura quickly vacated the room, having had his dignity literally crushed. Malik hesitated for a moment, but left after receiving a nasty glare from Marik.
Kat kept her gaze averted, being unable to look Marik in the eye at this time. She fidgeted under his scrutinizing glare, waiting for him to say something.
There was a long, lingering silence between them that made the minutes feel like hours. Marik still said nothing as he looked around the kitchen for a moment, then slowly made his way to the counter and retrieved an apple from the fruit bowl.
"Maybe have something like this on standby next time you decide to make me into an afternoon snack." he said acerbically. He quickly ate the fruit in his hand and tossed the core into the garbage. "Ah, that's much better." he sighed in relief, his stomach no longer screaming at him for emptying it.
Kat still didn't know what to say, and she still couldn't bring herself to look up at him.
Marik walked over and stood direct opposite of where she was huddled against the counter, leaning on the wall for support. He stared in slight bitterness. "Nothing to say?"
"What is there to say?" Kat replied quietly.
"You could start with an apology."
"To apologize is to ask for forgiveness. I want none."
"Fine. At least try to-"
"Can we just skip the bullshit already!?" Kat interrupted angrily, finally looking up and staring back with an icy glare. "Let's just get to the part where you tell me it's over and that you never want to see my face again. Where you tell me that you wish we'd never met." Her tone was even and emotionless.
Marik's steeled gaze changed, and he did his best to mask the shock he currently felt. He didn't know what to say. He wasn't certain how to proceed in their current relationship, but the though of regret had never once entered his mind.
Kat's scowl deepened. "What? Don't know how to say it? Here, I'll show you." She put on an innocent facade and pretended to look down at a smaller version of herself off to the side. "Habibty, I'm sorry, but I just can't be with someone that treats me like I'm some sort of delicacy. It's over between us. I'm returning home to my brother and sister. I never want to see you again, and I will do my best to forget I ever met you." she said in a sweet tone, which was her attempt at pretending to be Marik. Her scowl and icy glare returned as she looked back towards the Tomb Keeper. "See? It's easy."
The shock Marik had temporarily felt faded, and his bitterness returned, accompanied by annoyance. "Will you stop assuming that every time something bad happens between us that it means I'm going to break up with you?!"
"Why not?! Any person with a shred of sanity would!" Kat replied defensibly.
"Who the hell said I was sane?! I fucking thought the way to solve all my problems from childhood was to become a crime boss and defeat your ex in a Shadow Game!"
Kat clenched her fists. "If you're not here to break up with me, then why the fuck are you here at this gods-forsaken hour?!"
"Because I want to know why your chaotic half has it out for me! First I get impaled by your claws, then I am nearly killed when you-…" He had to stop in order to try keeping the fresh contents of his stomach where they were. If it hadn't been for the overwhelming sensation of hunger that he felt after his stomach had settled while was in the shower, he probably would have avoided eating...especially since he knew the subject matter of the topic that needed to be discussed. "...you know what you did. Right now I need to not think about it. I would rather not empty my stomach a third time."
Kat scoffed bitterly. "You honestly think I understand why it does what it does?"
"Seeing as it's a part of you, yes."
"Well I don't!"
"This thing has been a part of you for how long? And you don't know anything about it?" Marik asked suspiciously.
Kat scowled and looked away. "I don't have the patience to deal with it. It pisses me off."
"It's literally a part of you. How can you not have the patience to deal with yourself?"
"Because I fucking hate it! Okay! Is that what you want to hear?! That I fucking hate myself?! Because I do! I never wanted any of this!" Tears of frustration and anger spilled forth down Kat's cheeks. "I don't want to be a fucking immortal! I want to fucking die and start anew like everyone else! But instead I'm...I'm…" Her head hung low as she fell to the floor, burying her face in her fists. "Instead I'm a fucking monster…"
Marik's irritation subsided. He was sickened by what had happened, but seeing Kat fall apart tugged at him and made him want to reach out and comfort her. "You're not a monster." he tried to reassure.
Kat glared harshly up at him through the tears. "How can you say something like that?! After what I fucking did?! You admitted that it makes you physically sick to even think about!"
Marik's irritation returned. "Of course it makes me sick! I'm a fucking vegan and you pretty much did something that I'm certain even a non-vegan would be disgusted by!"
"It didn't seem to bother you when it was Anubis!"
"You were a giant cat! It was easier to accept since I'm not bothered by animals doing what is only natural to them! But picturing you….like...this...appearing human...I just can't…" He hesitated, realizing what it was that he couldn't do.
"You can't see the animal in the human...but you can see the human in the animal. Figures." she stated quietly, her tears streaming steadily. "I am the animal...and the animal is me. It's no different with my Isfet. We are one in the same. The only difference is that I cannot see the change myself. When I physically change, I can see it. When I mentally change...only others can see it. I don't know how to control something I cannot even sense."
Marik's shoulders and head fell slightly. He was angry and upset at Kat for something that she had virtually no control over. It's not like it was something she had done intentionally. "Is there no one that can teach you? You referred to it as the Curse of Sekhmet, so shouldn't she be able to help?"
Kat shook her head. "She knows just as much as I do. We know it thrives on chaos, and that taking in the blood of others helps keep it sated. The only person I know that has full control over their Isfet is Imhotep, and that's because he was born with it so we suspect he was able to learn how to sense the change and keep it from taking complete control."
"So maybe he could help teach you how to do the same?"
Kat shook her head again. "He doesn't know how he does it. It's such a natural thing for him that he doesn't think about it."
Marik contemplated for a moment. "So you can't control it because you can't sense it. You mentioned before, however, that it could be controlled by someone else."
Kat scowled, not liking what he was hinting at. "I refuse to be controlled by another. I am not Mal. I don't fear the beast inside of me. I simply hate it."
"I wasn't suggesting someone take complete control. Just maybe someone that can step in when that other part of you starts to show."
"You cannot control one without controlling the other. It is one mind." she stated sharply.
Marik grumbled irritably, then threw up his hands in exasperation. "Then I don't know what to fucking do! I don't want to split up just because a part of you thinks I'm a tasty treat! I still fucking care for you!"
"I don't know why…" Kat said under her breath, her head hanging low again.
Marik walked over and crouched down before her, lifting her chin and forcing her to look at him. "I don't really know either. Maybe it's because I only see the girl that I spent an entire evening discussing motorcycles with. The girl that came alive while playing a game in an arcade, and again later that night while playing an online game. I loved seeing her focus when she fixed my bike. And I admire her dedication in trying to protect others."
Kat stared, the tears that fell weren't from irritation or anger anymore. She wasn't certain why they were falling. She wasn't even certain what she felt. What was this? She wanted to keep crying, but she also felt the overwhelming urge to leap forward into Marik's arms. She wanted to kiss him and hold him tightly, and have him do the same in return. She wanted him to never let her go. Her heart wrenched, wanting to retreat away from this feeling. She had fled this feeling the other day, and it had provoked a response from Malik in the form of an attack. Remembering the Ishtari's warning towards Marik brought about sudden panic, and she instinctively leapt forward to hold him protectively. Her eyes darted about, searching for the other Ishtar.
A sound came from the other side of the door. It opened seconds later, the head of the larger Ishtar peeking his head in cautiously. "Sorry...I was concerned." he apologized.
Marik scowled. "So you decided to eavesdrop?"
Malik shrunk in embarrassment. "….yeah." He noted Kat's concerned expression. "Ka-ib, is everything alright?"
Kat pulled herself closer to Marik. "You want to deliver him to Ammit, you have to go through me." she stated bitterly.
Malik cocked his head off to the side. "Oh...I had forgotten about that. I'm not too worried about it anymore. Besides, he said he'd do it himself. Less work for me." he shrugged.
Kat's eyes narrowed in irritation. "Go ahead. Joke all you want about it. I mean it though. Touch my gamiil, and I'll make you beg the gods for a final end."
Malik paled and swallowed hard. "Noted."
"Where's Kura? I'm surprised he didn't stick around to listen in as well."
Malik relaxed and stepped the rest of the way into the kitchen, leaning casually against one of the counters. "Last I saw, he was still clutching his wounded pride while muttering something about washing off the stench of 'asshole'."
Kat relaxed her hold on Marik, giggling as she pictured Bakura walking slowly and making his way to his chambers while still cupping his balls. "Serves him right. He's lucky I didn't tell him where Atem's mouth has been." she said while grinning mischievously.
Malik looked at the small elemental in confusion.
"Atem tried shoving his tongue down my throat. I withdrew, he got pissed, then Marik threatened to kick his ass." Kat replied casually.
"Let me guess, this happened just before you sent Marik to me before the gathering?"
"Yup."
"I don't see why the Pharaoh kissing you would bother the Runt. If anything he'll be thrilled to learn of the vicarious action."
"Oh, that's not the part that will bother him. It's what Atem didn't know either. And vicarious is very much the idea behind it all." Kat said, grinning again.
Marik caught on to where this was going. "Wait, don't spoil it." he intervened, grinning as well. "Save this for when the Pharaoh wakes up. I kind of want to see his face, then see how long before Bakura catches on."
Malik shook his head and rolled his eyes in disgust. "Great. Another one like ka-ib and the Runt. I'm leaving." He started for the door. "Maybe you can convince him he needs rest." he said towards Kat while motioning towards Marik. He didn't wait for a response as he exited the kitchen.
"What does he mean by 'another one'?" Marik questioned.
"He's referring to your mischievous suggestion. I'm certain you remember when Kura taunted me at the arcade, and his flirtatious suggestion about 'sharing'. It's something we do. It's not much different from the way you taunted Atem after the chess game." Kat explained.
Marik chuckled. "I enjoyed doing that to him, but Yugi kind of chewed me out after and I ended up feeling like a dick for doing it."
"Well, Atem remembers everything now, so you shouldn't worry about it. He's a self-righteous prick that needs to be taken down a few pegs."
Marik couldn't help but chuckle again. "Glad to see you're back to your usual self." He stood, bringing Kat up with him. "Malik has been hounding me to lay back down, but I needed to try to get things sorted between us before I could even consider it."
"Well, it's not exactly sorted though."
"Sorted well enough for the moment. Come lay down with me? Maybe we can brainstorm and come up with an idea on how to keep your Isfet from attacking me again." he stated as a suggestion.
Kat looked away in uncertainty. "What if it takes control again while we're laying there?"
Marik leaned down and brought her face towards his again. "Then I guess I'll just have to hope Malik is still being overprotective. Worst case scenario, I get to watch you battle the gods in Duat on my behalf." he said with a small smile.
Kat couldn't help but giggle at the idea. "You already know me too well gamiil. Alright, but nothing extra-curricular."
Marik brought his face a bit closer. "Not even if I ask nicely?" he asked in a suggestive tone.
"You really want to take another chance with my Isfet?" Kat questioned, breathing heavily as her pulse quickened its pace.
Marik leaned in, placing his lips on hers. Kat felt her pulse quicken even more. It roared in her ears. It called to her. She began to follow it's call, stopping as she realized the pulsing she heard was slightly different than the one she felt in her chest. Her head began to ache as she tried to focus on why the feeling and the sound were so different.
"Habibty? Are you okay? You look out of it."
Tell him everything is fine.
Kat tried to look around, the world was hazy and distorted.
"Kat?"
REASSURE HIM.
Kat felt something delicately grab hold of her jaw, turning her head back and forth as though examining.
"So this must be what happens when your Isfet takes over. It's like you're under some sort of mind control."
There was a roar of displeasure.
Marik watched as Kat went from staring as though in a daze, to her eyes suddenly becoming pure crimson with slitted pupils as she smiled wide in excitement. It was the same expression she had worn in the moments just before she had transformed into her Godaeshan appearance. He didn't have time to react as she grabbed him by the neck and flung him to the floor. It was like when Malik had showed up, only instead of prowling towards him slowly, she pounced on top of him and held a set of razor-sharp claws beneath his jaw.
"Poor little Tomb Keeper...you shouldn't have taken the chance."
"What do you want?!" Marik asked sharply, realizing he was talking to Kat's Isfet. The voice of the entity was sinister, its elevated hissed tone reminded Marik of a cobra preparing itself to strike.
The creature chuckled darkly. "We already have what we originally wanted. We just want more."
"So what was it you originally wanted?" he questioned the entity.
"You'll see, you'll see. It is not in our nature to spoil our surprises." it taunted.
Marik scowled. "Maybe no one wants whatever surprise you have in store."
"But it is a wonderful surprise. It benefits many, but us most of all. Consider it a gift for helping us to return home."
"Home?" Marik puzzled, fairly surprised.
"Yes, home. We have been trapped. Our vessel believes us part of a curse, but we are so much more. Our vessel is a prison. Thanks to you, we will be free."
Marik was even more puzzled. "Prison?"
The entity appeared irritated by the question. "Yes, a prison. Like the relics that trapped the Thief and our vessel's beloved Pharaoh. Are you so simple minded that you cannot grasp this concept?"
"I get it." Marik scoffed, feeling offended. "So why are you telling me this?"
The creature leaned in close. "You sensed us, so we feel it is only proper to thank you personally. The key is in place. We now wait as it slowly turns, then the way shall be open."
"Can't you speak plainly? Who are you exactly? Why were you imprisoned in the first place? And by who?" Marik demanded irritably. Whatever this thing was, he found it annoying.
"We do not wish to divulge our name...not yet anyway. We wish to surprise the ones who placed us in this prison. To smell their fear as we cast our shadow over their precious world. To taste it as we devour them."
Marik's eyes widened in intense fear, suddenly realizing the name of the entity he spoke to. "Apep…"
The creature appeared excited at the mentioning of its name. "You know us! This delights us! We thought ourselves forgotten!"
Marik did his best to swallow his fear. "H-how? Why?"
Apep cocked its head to the side, appearing confused. "You ask us to speak plainly, yet you cannot? You ask how? Why? Those are not plain questions. Perhaps you wish to know how we are here and not where we can be worshiped properly? Perhaps you wish to know why our greatness is contained in one so small?"
Not quite the questions he had in mind, but he nodded anyway. The answers would still offer insight into how and why the Serpent of Destruction was inside of his girlfriend.
Apep smiled, appearing pleased that Marik had taken an interest in it. "We like you little Tomb Keeper. You are willing to converse with us. Try to understand us. Unlike that accursed Ra!" Apep growled its hatred towards the sun god. "He burns us, casts spears into our flesh! Calls for parley, only to deceive us! We thought Ra to be earnest when he claimed wanting to offer a bargain. We did not enjoy our eternal struggle any more than he. We simply wished to taste the Chaos of this world for ourselves. We could smell it, but Ra refused us even the smallest sample! We would not have been greedy. We were amenable. But NO! Ra would not even consider it! Tricked us! Trapped us in a prison of flesh! Melded our mind with this uncooperative creature! He was smart too. Cast powerful magics around his heirs, preventing them from unintentionally freeing us. He did not count on his heirs creating heirs of their own. Once we had discovered you, little Tomb Keeper, all we had to do was wait. The Pharaoh's revival drained our vessel, freeing our mind from hers. Three were needed for the key. One already flowed within. We took what we needed. Blood of Anubis. Blood of Ra. Now we wait. The path opened once, but we were still chained to the mind. We are chained no longer. WE. WILL. BE. FREE."
Marik listened to Apep's words, trying to understand its strange way of speaking. From what he gathered, Ra had tricked it into thinking he wanted to have a peaceful discussion where the two could come to some form of agreement, instead of battling each night. Instead Ra had betrayed Apep, somehow imprisoning it inside of Kat and making their minds one. Ra had made Kat an unknowing host. The serpent mentioned that Ra had cast powerful magics around his heirs to prevent them from accidently freeing it. It must have been talking about Malik and Bakura. The serpent mentioned several other things as well. It said that the path to its freedom had been opened once, but that the serpent was still connected to Kat's mind, making it unable to flee. It implied that Atem's resurrection broke whatever kept Kat and Apep's minds connected. The serpent also said that 'Three were needed for the key'. It plainly stated Ra and Anubis, meaning the Lord of the Afterlife must have had some part in the imprisonment. The serpent claimed 'One already flowed within', which Marik assumed was Anubis. But if that was the case, why would Apep have needed to 'take' from him? Who was the third? Had Kat recently fed off someone else?
Something about all of this still didn't add up. Kat had explained why Anubis had wanted Yugi. She said the god had hoped to Awaken and control his split concept. He also remembered how angry the god was at not finding it inside of Yugi, then demanded Kat make a new bargain to give up Imhotep.
Marik swallowed his fear of the serpent, needing to know more. "If you aren't part of a curse, then why was Anubis upset about Yugi not being like Kat? Why did he make a demand for Imhotep?"
"Splinters. Shards. The boy of Shadow carries a part of us. The other does not. Perhaps Anubis wished to transfer the rest of us to this new vessel? Perhaps he sensed we would soon be free? He must have known our chains would be broken upon the Pharaoh's revival. Perhaps he intended to stop us before it was too late? Does not matter, we have the key. He did not stop us. He cannot stop us."
"What about the part of you in Imhotep? You aren't whole."
"It will follow. It is not chained. Not bound. When we break free, the rest will follow. Our vessel and the boy of Shadow will no longer feel our hunger. They will be free, like us."
Marik had most of the information he wanted. "Since you have this 'key' that you needed, does that mean you'll stop trying to attack me?"
Apep appeared to contemplate for a moment. "We simply wish to sample from time-to-time until we are free. We will refrain from taking too much."
"I'm not amenable to that idea."
"We...admit...we took too much last time. We apologize. We had not tasted such delectable Chaos since before our imprisonment."
"I am not Chaos." Marik stated sharply.
"Are you not? You are made of secrets and lies. You still feel hatred and fear. You still wish to prove that you are not just a simple slave. You wish to be greater than even Pharaoh. You wish to be placed on the same level as the Gods themselves. You have destroyed the lives of many, and while you seek repentance, you know deep down that you delighted in it. You enjoy taunting, placing salt in open wounds, twisting curved blades deeper and deeper. Would it please you to know that our vessel is the same? She enjoys tormenting. She delights in the hunt. She thinks it a part of us...but it is entirely her. It is why our bite filled you both with such ecstasy. It allowed you both to feel the Chaos within each other. That Chaos helped in the creation of the key. It is the balance. Where there is Chaos, there is Order. We are not against balance. The key will bring Order to you both. Until that time, we simply ask to be allowed the occasional nibble."
"Absolutely not!" Marik shouted. "I'm not a snack!"
Apep pouted. "What if we only took a small drop? Not all the time. Just every few days or so?"
"No!"
Apep's pout deepened. "What if we offer a deal? The occasional drop and we will stay hidden? We will not pester. Once we are free, we will bother no more."
"Once you are free, you'll devour the world." Marik stated bitterly.
Apep thought about the truth of his words. "You have been instrumental in our freedom. Perhaps...we will reconsider this world? Wait until you are no longer a part of it?"
Marik scowled, showing he wasn't happy with the idea.
Apep wrinkled its nose in disgust. "We will be free regardless. We can wait. The time is near. We'll offer once more, as a courtesy. The occasional drop, in exchange we will stay hidden and delay our feast. We will also ask that you not speak of us to anyone. We wish to see the look on Ra's face for ourselves. Can't have anyone spoiling our surprise."
"I won't keep something like this from Kat." Marik said sharply.
"Little Tomb Keeper, like we said before: You are made of secrets and lies. What is one more? After all, the Tomb Keepers themselves are a lie. They believed they guarded the tomb of a great Pharaoh, but as you have seen, there is no Pharaoh within. So then who is in the tomb? She knows, yet she has not told you. She allows you to continue believing the lie, even after you have seen the truth."
Everything had happened so quickly with Atem's revival, that Marik hadn't had time to stop and realize that if the Pharaoh was never in the tomb his clan spent millennia guarding, then who was in the sarcophagus? Was it empty?
"Tick-Tock little Tomb Keeper. There is little time to decide. The path will open, and we will be free regardless. Accept our offer? The occasional drop, a secret, and we will not bother. We will delay. The world will not know of your sacrifice, but they will be unknowingly grateful."
"And how will I know when you're in the mood for a snack?"
"We will reach out. We will place a small piece of ourselves within to communicate. You will not know we are there, unless we make ourselves known. It will be no different than how it was with the one who sired you, except we will not wrest control. So do we have a deal?"
Apep retracted its claws and sat upright, then offered its hand to shake on the potential bargain.
Marik sat up as best he could with the entity still sitting on top. He warily eyed the hand extended towards him. Apep was only asking for the occasional drop, not an entire feast like earlier. It promised to hold off on devouring the world. This would give the gods time to prepare some sort of counter-attack at least...right? And it would ask for its meal instead of inconveniently taking it. He only had to do it for…however long until the 'path' opened. The serpent indicated it would be soon, but how soon was 'soon' to something that had probably lived for at least an eon?
"Last question. How long before the 'path' opens?"
Apep grinned, sensing it would get what it wanted. "Khonsu will show his face in full a few days from now. He will do so another nine times. Then the path will open, and we shall be free."
Three-quarters of a year. The world would be spared a few more decades, and all he had to do was offer a drop of his own blood every so often for less than a year. Marik hesitated for a brief moment, then reluctantly grasped the hand extended in his own. "Very well, I agree to what you have to offer. As a show of good faith, I will allow you to take a few drops before you retreat into hiding."
Apep squeezed his palm, causing Marik to flinch slightly. "We appreciate your offer. We will make it quick, though we cannot guarantee it will be painless."
A shiver ran up Marik's back as he felt something slither against the back of his neck. Apep's crimson eyes stayed focused on him as it brought the hand it still grasped up to its mouth. It placed the point of an elongated fang on the tip of his index finger, piercing the skin and suckling on the crimson liquid that burst forth. As it had promised, it only took a few drops worth. It released its grasp, grinning in amusement as it watched Marik quickly jerk his hand back, holding it close to him.
"Until next time little Tomb Keeper. We look forward to our next meal."
The crimson retreated from Kat's eyes, returning to their usual sapphire hue as they rolled into the back of her head. Kat's suddenly unconscious body fell forward into Marik's chest. He wrapped his arms tightly around her, burying his face in her hair. He wasn't afraid of her. The serpent had worn her face, but he knew it wasn't Kat. A few tears of guilt sprang forth. How could he have agreed to keep something as big as this from her? She would be furious when she found out. Not just because he kept this from her, but because he was literally doing something that he, himself, was against. He had told her the day they met that he didn't believe in exploiting animals for food, yet he had just made himself livestock for the Serpent of Destruction.
What's this? A new foe? We'll have to wait to learn more, as next chapter we will be checking in with Yugi and Imhotep in Domino!