Hi all my faithful fans!! I truly appreciate all the support while writing this. I never expected it to go so far or to receive the follow it has, you all have encouraged me greatly with my writing. Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU. Loanshark, Mom-mi-oh, Lightkeeper, Butterflyguitar, all. It took so long because I had to rewrite it 3 times to get it just right. I hope you enjoy, read and leave me lots of reviews!! Love to all and happy holidays.
Disclaimer: YGO is fun to play with but I put it back when I'm done.
Chapter 15: Endings
Yami perceived the escalation of energy just seconds before the blast. The smell of burning flesh roused him. Pushing through the blazing pain, he raised his head and attempted to focus.
A motionless, dark mass lay near his feet. The robe all but concealed the still form. Only the displaced hood exposed the identity of the body. Cassandra.
Rage rose in his chest. No more, he thought, I cannot lose her again.
The familiar power flamed, but this time he did not fight the excruciating flood. He allowed it to engulf him completely and gestured. The spellbinding circle shattered like brittle parchment. The Greek guards stood back.
"Now is the time for reckoning, Heisien." The Shadow Priest smiled.
"You are too late," he hissed, "with these two souls, the kingdom and the world is reborn!" He raised both hands in the air and in one motion struck the two stunned guards with his beams of light. Relieved of their souls, the men sank down to the stone floor. Their spirit essence flew to Heisien. He joined them to the cloud that now formed between his hands. A swirling ball of energy flashed a display of raw might and filled the span between his outreached arms. He hurled the sphere before him with a wicked cackle.
The air appeared to separate from itself, reveling a vast darkness. "Om Fali Qunuki," Heisien chanted. The rip increased, now the size of a doorway. Black oozed from the jagged orifice. The temperature dropped. Then the beasts appeared. Those small enough to fit, scrambled through the gateway. Some flew, others crawled or slunk, moving so quickly it was impossible to number them. They raced through the arena in search of fresh prey. What remained of the audience scattered.
Yami felt his skin grow cold, his hands numb. The energy consumed his flesh, he felt his soul weakening, slipping into oblivion. The more solid the doorway became the less corporal he became. My pride, I've damned us all with my foolish pride. Because I could not accept defeat, now the world is cursed.
The Shadow Realm had been opened.
XXXXXXXXXXX
I couldn't believe my eyes; the arena had transformed. The walls, once white and smooth, were now infected with murky darkness and jagged. The air itself felt heavy and unnatural, a haze hung everywhere. Hundreds of creatures scurried under foot, teeth bared looking for fresh meat. I struggled to my feet, weight pressed upon me. I wondered if it was some side effect of Heisien's attack. Difficult to move—to breathe even. I found Yami stalking the High Priest, still haloed in a brilliant white light, free from the shackles, he prepared to attack. My guards lay lifeless on the floor just beyond-- brave men-- they did not deserve their fate. I swore silently no more would suffer at the High Priest's hand and approached Yami as quickly as my limbs would allow.
He did not see me until I was right next to him. Relief filled his face, "Cassandra."
"Yami." I reached to embrace him, but could not, my arms passed right through him. "What is wrong with you?"
"I joined with the power in an attempt to stop, this atrocity, but I was too late."
"No. There is still hope. Just trust me." It was like our code; he smiled his small smile and gave me a short nod. "Let's end it then, for good or ill."
I stripped the useless cloak to revel myself, "Hello Heisien, miss me?" I disturbed his chant, and he turned to face me.
"You again? How many times do I have to kill you...no matter, in moments all the power will be mine, and the entire world will bend to my will."
"You are a two bit street magician and that is all you will ever be."
"Stupid girl, I am the ultimate power, do you not see how I remake the world in my image. All will bow to me."
"Make me, I dare you."
I felt Yami's cool touch on my arm, little more than a brush of air, but I knew it was a caution. "You are directly in the way, I will allow no harm to come to you."
"Yami, please, I know what I'm doing. Follow me, be ready," I whispered to him. Yami stood behind me. The Priest let loose an intense blaze of fire directly at me, I cringed. The puzzle absorbed most of the beam, but the impact pushed Yami and me toward the crevice behind us. "Now use your power, Yami."
I braced myself as the white lightening shot though me into the puzzle. The intense beam shook the evil High Priest and he, for the first time looked worried. "Again." The fire seared though every cell of my body, I suddenly could not feel the ground beneath my feet. Heisien was covered in the fiery light and his legs shook. "Again." My heartbeat slowed, and my breath was labored, the blood retreated from my fingers and toes, I leaned heavily backward, my knees weakening. A dense, muscular chest supported my back. He is returning, I sighed, good. I felt lighter with each second.
The priest retaliated with another weaker discharge. The puzzle burned deeply into my flesh, but the defense held. Yami placed his hands on each of my arms to keep me standing. "You can't take much more of this."
"Neither can he."
Heisien's laughter rang out. "You think I am beaten, fools. Seto, call the dragon."
From the lower platform the tall Egyptian appeared and in his hoarse voice he spoke the words that sent chills down my spine. "Blue-Eyes White Dragon!" The only dragon I had seen had nearly destroyed the palace and me.
The monster rose above us in silver white glory, a vengeful archangel, and roared its fury to the sky. Yami pushed me behind him and created a wall of white energy. The dragon drew in its breath and dissolved it in one short pulse of light. Yami's breath came in short gasps; I doubted his ability to stop another such blast.
"Seto! Evil Vizier, still trying to rule the world?"
His brow furrowed, but he quickly hid his confusion and replied, "Escaped the dungeon? Clever. "
"Oh, you'll find I am full of surprises."
His eyebrows rose at that. "Well you had your chance at glory, now you will die with that pathetic excuse for a King."
"Have you taken a look around? Is this the world you want, filled with monsters and gloom? Condemned to a life filled with pain, alone. I'd rather die. Don't do this Seto." He did not reply. His face remained impassive.
"What are you waiting for, finish them!" Any pretense of meekness gone from the High Priest as he commanded the vizier. Seto looked sharply at Heisien.
"I do not take orders, Priest."
"KILL THEM!" The High Priest shrieked, the Eye of Horus glowed weakly on his forehead.
"Blue-Eyes, white lightening attack!" The smile on Heisien's face never wavered as the skin melted to reveal the skeleton beneath. The corpse fell, dissolving into dust as it descended.
Silence filled the room, and then Yami spoke. "Seto, You are exiled from Egypt. I grant you your life, for what you have done. Do not return for if we meet again…"
"I want nothing from you. If that lunatic had provided me with the army he promised, I would be commanding you now, and someday, believe me, I will." A sideways smile, and I could swear he winked before he jumped on the back of his dragon and disappeared into the outer darkness.
Yami looked after him, frowning, sadness in his eyes. "There is much to be done."
"First the gate." I took the leather necklace bearing the pyramid off and placed it around Yami's neck, "this is for you. You are going to need it." My hands rested on his chest, now complete again. "You have to use me, to close the door. I'm the key."
"The door can only be closed by great sacrifice, blood, and spirit," Yami muttered under his breath. "I can not let you do this. I broke the rules for my own gain, now I must pay the price."
I smiled weakly, "You can't. I don't have the power, you do." I reached forward and kissed his honey lips, melting into him, our souls uniting in one last embrace. It was natural and real, and I would have done anything for this moment to continue. But it ended, as did the kiss. I stepped back into the gateway.
"I do not think I can do this. You have only just returned to me, my Cassandra." He pressed his lips together tightly, and balled his hands.
"You must," I didn't know what would happen. I could die, or be banished forever to the realm of shadow, or worse. But I had to try to seal this evil away. Images of Ma'Kat, my courageous Greek guards, the adorable Egyptian family in the marketplace, even the cool eyed Seto-- drove me. They deserved a chance.
"I will fulfill my duty. But I promise you, I will find you again." His eyes shone with bridled emotion.
My heart swelled into my throat and tears welled from the depths of my soul. "I'll never forget all you have given me. You believed in me when no one else did, you always believed in me."
He raised his hands vertically to shoulder level, and met mine palm to palm. Our fingers entwined. He closed his damp eyes, threw his head back and screamed. The puzzled glowed again, fire leapt and raced over me, my borrowed body glowed in response, awareness grew light, disappeared, floated up…up…ever up.
The sunlight through the lace curtains warmed my face. Must have fallen asleep. My checks were hot and wet, my nose ran. I tried to shake the feelings, just a dream. The details already faded in my mind, but the feeling of great loss remained. I stumbled toward the bathroom, and in my haste I bumped into the door with a thud.
"Tea? Are you finally up?" My mother called from downstairs, must have gotten home while I slept.
"Yeah, mom." I yelled back, walking more slowly. Tear filled violet eyes; I wanted to draw them, so the memory would not fade. So beautiful.
"Your friend Yugi, called. He said he had something important to show you." That was odd. Yugi hardly ever called, he was usually so quiet.
I splashed cold water on my face cooling my flushed cheeks. "Did he say what?"
"A puzzle, I think." Mom replied, as I looked up into the mirror to find the faint imprint of a triangle on my chest. I fingered it until it disappeared as the voice echoed in my head, "I will find you again."
THE END