Yami looked at his new bride and son. Tears welled up in his eyes and he
turned away. He began to walk away from them, but was caught by Seto.
"Yami, come, now that you are married, there is something I need to show
you at the temple."
Yami nodded, willing to do whatever Seto said, slowly dying inside.
Seto led him out to the temple, where Bakura waited, Yugi in his grasp. Yami's eyes widened. "Yugi...are you going to hurt Yugi?"
Bakura threw Yugi at Yami. "I'd worry more about yourself, Pharaoh Yami." He smiled and left temporarily.
Yami fell to his knees and pulled Yugi close. "What's going on?!" he demanded to know.
Seto closed the door and walked back, stopping in front of him. "Now that we have the heir all taken care of, Yami, we have some business to take care of." He lifted up Yami's God Puzzle and ripped it from his neck.
Yami moaned. "Seto, what's going on?" he looked up at him with eyes full of tears.
Yugi looked up from crying into Yami's chest. "They're going to kill you, Yami. So they can acquire the power of the gods."
Yami stared at Seto, shocked. "Seto...my friend..."
"Friend?!" Seto kicked Yami in the chest. "You have no idea!" He knocked Yugi away and began tearing off Yami's clothes. "Friend, huh?" Seto pressed into Yami.
Yami sobbed loudly. "Please stop, Seto...please...Seto..."
Yugi watched Seto rape Yami in horror. "Stop!" he cried, trying in vain to pull Seto off Yami.
Bakura returned and threw Katsuya at them. Seto looked up from Yami. "Bakura, what's he doing here?" he asked, gasping.
"He is the Master."
Seto's eyes widened. "No, no! We can't. Not him..."
Katsuya looked down at the ground. "I'm going to be sacrificed?" He looked up at Seto, eyes full of agony.
Seto looked around at the faces he was hurting. Closing his eyes and pulling from Yami, however, he joined Bakura. "I will tell you all more on the way. But right now, we have to get going."
Yami pulled Yugi close to him, crying in Yugi's shoulder.
Bakura leaned into Seto. "What's wrong with him?"
"I think he's going mad," Seto whispered back before walking over to them and pulling Yami up. Bakura did the same with Katsuya. Yugi followed them into another room in the temple. Seto threw Yami onto an alter and pulled out a sharp knife. With a look of extreme apathy on his face, Seto began slicing Yami's clothes off. Once Yami was completely nacked, Seto pulled out a scroll and opened it. Into Yami's soft, tan skin, he began to carve hieroglyphs.
Yami's eyes closed tight, his breathing beginning to sound like soft sobs. But he lay still, never trying to fight it. Tears and blood ran like small rivers across his skin. Everyone quietly watched, even Bakura, slightly disturbed himself. But not Seto. His skin was covered with many of the same scars as he dug deeper into Yami's chest. Yami stirred, opening his eyes. "I'm a sacrifice?" he whispered.
"I suppose you could say that, Yami."
"Seto..."
"Yes?"
"I..."
"Yes?"
Yami closed his eyes again and whispered, "I haven't even held him yet."
"What?" Seto stopped and asked confused.
"He doesn't even have a name...my son..." He opened his eyes and stared into Seto's deep blue eyes. "Take care of him," he whispered. "Please, Seto."
Seto nodded and began to carve again, his hands slightly trembling. Yugi rushed up to them and watched, eyes wide. "Priest?" he whispered.
Seto turned Yami over, exposing his back, continuing to carve.
Bakura took Yugi by the shoulder and began to pull off his clothes. "Come on, my king."
Seto whirled around. "Don't! Don't you dare touch him!"
"Why not?"
"You can't hurt him!"
"Why not?"
Seto was at a loss of words then, and stayed quiet.
Yami crawled up on his elbows. "What are you talking about?" he asked in a strangled whisper.
Bakura used this opportunity to pull Yugi onto a bed. Yugi screamed as Bakura thrust into him.
Yami jumped up, causing the blade to stab him in the back. He sucked in a hard breath. "Seto...Seto, stop him. Please. Don't hurt Yugi."
Seto pushed Yami down, grinding his face into the stone alter. "Worry about yourself," he whispered.
~~~
Yami and Katsuya laid against the ground, blood dripping down their skin, nearly passed out.
Bakura finished up and threw Yugi with them. He joined Seto who was reading more scrolls. "We have to go to the Sphinx now. Take them with us."
"We have to take the Eye out." Bakura handed him a blade.
Seto looked at Bakura cool and collected. He took the blade in his hand and pushed Bakura against the wall. With one quick motion, Bakura's eye socket was sliced open and the God Eye was laying, dripping with blood, on the ground. Bakura fell to his knees, groaning. Seto bent in and picked up the small trinket, throwing it in a small satchel with the other God Items. He started out of the temple. "Come on," he said over his shoulder.
Katsuya was the first to stir, trying to stand up several times, but falling each time. Finally, someone pulled him up as he fell. He looked up in the soft violet eyes of Yugi, who was pulling him up. Feeling a sudden burst of energy, he pulled Yami up, supporting him on one shoulder. Yugi pocked at Bakura, not getting very close to him, trying to wake him.
~~~
Yami and Katsuya constantly moaned on the way to the Sphinx, sand getting into their cuts. They were covered only by their own blood, their clothes having been tossed aside and their hair cut off to the scalp. Seto led them on, Yugi a few short steps behind him, eyes to the ground. Bakura brought up the rear, the sand irritating his wound as well.
Seto stopped. They had reached the Sphinx. Actually, a small limestone alter before the Sphinx. Seto began to read out loud from it, his hand running over the characters as he spoke. "I walk with four legs in the morning, two in midday, and three at dusk. What am I?" He turned to look at Katsuya. Katsuya noticed this and stepped forward lightly. Seto grabbed him gently by the hand and led him close to the alter. "Answer it," he whispered into his ear.
Katsuya nodded and fell to his knees before the alter. He placed his forehead against the warm sand-brick, the same brilliant light that gave him the mark, shooting out from his body.
The alter glowed then broke into a million pieces, crumbling to the ground. The two paws of the Sphinx lifted up, reveling two more doors besides the one on his chest. Three keys lay on the top of the pile of broken brick.
"Pick one," Seto insisted, kicking at Katsuya.
Katsuya looked the keys over then stood up, not touching any of them. He grabbed the God Key from Seto's satchel and walked over to the middle door, turning it. It opened, the God Key evaporating into the air. Seto's eyes widen as he followed him inside. Bakura dragged Yami along, constantly running his hand over his empty eye socket to wipe the blood off. Yugi followed closely after them, eyes to the ground.
Once inside, they were confronted with a large stone labyrinth. Only Seto seemed amazed by it, the rest all subdued by their pain. He turned to Katsuya, but stepped back, taken aback. Katsuya's wounds had stopped bleeding, but let out a bright light. His eyes stayed closed, but he moved with ease, as if able to see perfectly. He waved his hand in the air and pulled a robe from nowhere, throwing it around his shoulders, blocking the light. The robe itself was an amazing chaos of colors, some Seto had never even seen before. His golden hair and robe fluttered by some unfelt breeze. He turned to Seto, eyes still shut tight, taking the satchel from his hands.
"Who-who... Who are you?" Seto whispered.
"I am Ra," a voice from deep inside Katsuya spoke. He regarded Seto, as if examining him, though he continued to keep his eyes closed. "Is knowledge this important?" he whispered so only Seto could hear. He walked past Seto, slowly, to where Bakura held Yami. He touched Bakura's eyes socket, almost amused. He then turned to Yami and blindly stared at him for several minutes, until Yami looked up at him, a defeated look in his eye. "My son," he said softly, taking Yami's bloody face in his hand.
"R-Ra...?" Yami whispered, then fell to his knees, coughing up blood.
Ra joined Yami on the ground, bringing him into his arms. Yami sobbed into his father's arms, his wounds scaring before Seto's eyes. "Shhh..." he comforted Yami. "Yami...my son... You expected the opposition to come from an enemy, didn't you?"
Yami looked up at Ra, eyes full of tears.
Ra wiped Yami's eyes, smiling at him. "You expected it from someone like Bakura, yes? You had no idea your own friend, your own lover, would do this to you did you?"
"Ra...please...stop him..."
Ra shook his head. "I'm afraid that now that he has called upon me, I can not go until it is completed." He ran his strong, gentle hand along Yami's chin, standing up.
Seto grabbed Katsuya; he grabbed Ra; pulling him against him. "Lead us through the labyrinth!" he insisted.
Ra turned back to Seto. "Yes, Master." He placed his hand along Seto's face, regarding him carefully.
"Why don't you look at me?!" Seto screamed. "Have respect!"
Ra laughed, amused. "You, you have respect." He pushed Seto down in the bowing position. "I am Ra, the supreme god."
"No!" Seto screamed. "You are Katsuya!" He jumped up, knocking Ra unbalanced. "I am your High Priest!"
Ra laughed from where he sat sprawled out on the floor. Yami rushed to help him but backed off when he looked up into Seto's eyes, shamefully.
Ra pushed Seto against the wall. "I am your god!" He reached back and smacked Seto hard. "Unless you want the light of a thousands suns to blind you, you won't make me open my eyes!"
Seto knocked Ra off him. "Get us through this maze!" he screamed in rage.
Ra pulled out the God Eye. He whipped the blood off it and held it at arm length. It lit up and Ra began to walk into the maze. Seto followed him close behind. Yami picked up Yugi, having gain strength, and held him close as he began to follow. Bakura grimaced, his arm completely stained with his blood that kept flowing from his eye. He stumbled after them, beginning to feel light-headed. "S-Seto...Seto!" He fell against a wall and slide down, moaning.
Seto turned around and regarded Bakura with disgust. "You worthless..." He turned back around. "Leave him. We don't need him." He started to walk again, but Ra pushed him aside, turning to Bakura.
Yugi slide down from Yami's grasp and rushed to Bakura. "Bakura, Bakura...Ekaw pu! Ekaw pu! Esaelp! Esa--" he gasped as Bakura stirred. He grabbed Bakura and held him tight. "Please," he whispered. "Wake up..."
Ra joined them on the floor, running his hand along Bakura's body. He forced Bakura's head up. Blood and tears fell along Bakura's face, staining his cheeks. Ra smiled and ran his two fingers over the wound, healing it. He took Bakura's hand and pulled him up. Bakura knocked him off and joined Seto. Ra shook his head and helped Yugi up. He led him over to Yami, placing Yugi's hand in Yami's. He nodded, as if to approve.
Yami made a move towards him, then stepped back. "I..."
Ra took him by the other hand. "Yes?"
"Will you look after my son? Please?"
Ra nodded and smiled sadly. "I promise."
Bakura grabbed Ra by the arm, pulling him along. "Get us through this maze!"
Ra turned to look back at Yami and Yugi, smiling. He turned back to Seto and Bakura. "I will lead you, my masters."
~~~
As they reached the end of the labyrinth, the Eye dissolved in Ra's hand. He fell back as they approached the end and another alter. Bakura's glance froze Seto temporally. Bakura pushed past him. "Try to desert me? Think I'm worthless?" He placed his hands on the alter, bent over, reading it. He glanced up, looking at the God Scale. He gasped in shock, surprised. He backed up into Seto.
"What does it say?"
Bakura whirled around, taking a few steps back. "It's the weighing. The weighing of the heart. If we don't pass, it ends now."
"Then," Seto spoke softly. "Then we need someone pure of heart." He turned to look at Yami and Yugi. He pushed past Ra and grabbed Yugi by the hand, pulling him along.
Yugi looked up at Seto, scared. "Priest?"
Seto ran his hand over Yugi's bare chest, quietly whispering a spell. Yugi gasped, then fell against Seto. Seto held something in his hands and dumped it into the God Scale. He smiled as he watched them balance out. Like the others before it, the Scale disappeared and another door opened. Seto led them through it to a large room filled mostly by a magnificent alter. A few scattered torches lit up as Ra entered the room.
Yami rushed to where Yugi had collapsed and held him close. "No..." he whispered. "NO!" he screamed, breaking down into sobs. "You killed him!" he screamed accusations at Seto. Seto turned back to look at them, confused. It struck him. He had. He had allowed the boy to die to reach his ultimate goal for the pursuit of knowledge. He didn't allow it...he caused it. He stared at Yami holding Yugi's lifeless body close. "Please!" Yami begged, sobbing. "Don't leave me!" He gasped as Yugi's spirit become visible, lifting up from his body. He briefly took Yami's hand, leading him along, then let go of him, giggling as he disappeared. Yami sat back, a stunned look on his face.
Seto ripped his glance off of Yami and looked around him. Ra stood there, placing the God Necklace around his neck. He then pulled the God Ring out and walked over to Bakura. "What is it that brought you to this point?"
"I wanted to see my king restored to his throne," he whispered.
"But what happened? You sacrificed his life for this goal. You killed all of your king's opposition, your king himself included. What's left, Bakura?"
Bakura didn't speak, slowly coming to the realization of his actions.
"The search," Ra answered for him. "And that's all you'll have, forever. The search of what's left." A blinding light and Bakura's body laid limp on the ground, the God Ring gone.
Ra walked over slowly to Yami, falling to his knees in front of the young god-king. "Yami... You have lost your love. Your sanity. Your life has fallen apart and it's all you seem to be able to do to keep your life in order. You need Yugi. And I promise you will be rejoined with him. For he," he said, pulling the God Puzzle out, "is the one who will put the pieces together." Another blinding light and Yami laid life-less, the Puzzle gone now, too.
Ra turned back to Seto, clutching the last God Item, the Rod. He slowly walked over to Seto. "You didn't learn," he stated softly. "After what your higher had gone through trying to summon my power, you didn't stop yourself. You had to know. So tell me, High priest Seto: was the knowledge worth it?" he gestured around him to the bodies littered around the room.
"Always!" Seto screamed, then fell to his knees, sobbing.
"You're a broken man. And you choose to hurt people; you even seek to control them. It is this reason you are alone and will continue to be alone. These things are terrible for any man to remember," he said, beginning to pull Seto's memories into the God Rod.
Seto stared at Ra. "Please," he whispered, forgetting things by the second. He pulled him by the hand. "Let me say goodbye to Katsuya. Please."
Ra smiled and took Seto's into his arms. "I am still Katsuya," he whispered before Seto forgot everything. He opened his eyes to regard the young man, the blinding light and heat killing them both.
Yami nodded, willing to do whatever Seto said, slowly dying inside.
Seto led him out to the temple, where Bakura waited, Yugi in his grasp. Yami's eyes widened. "Yugi...are you going to hurt Yugi?"
Bakura threw Yugi at Yami. "I'd worry more about yourself, Pharaoh Yami." He smiled and left temporarily.
Yami fell to his knees and pulled Yugi close. "What's going on?!" he demanded to know.
Seto closed the door and walked back, stopping in front of him. "Now that we have the heir all taken care of, Yami, we have some business to take care of." He lifted up Yami's God Puzzle and ripped it from his neck.
Yami moaned. "Seto, what's going on?" he looked up at him with eyes full of tears.
Yugi looked up from crying into Yami's chest. "They're going to kill you, Yami. So they can acquire the power of the gods."
Yami stared at Seto, shocked. "Seto...my friend..."
"Friend?!" Seto kicked Yami in the chest. "You have no idea!" He knocked Yugi away and began tearing off Yami's clothes. "Friend, huh?" Seto pressed into Yami.
Yami sobbed loudly. "Please stop, Seto...please...Seto..."
Yugi watched Seto rape Yami in horror. "Stop!" he cried, trying in vain to pull Seto off Yami.
Bakura returned and threw Katsuya at them. Seto looked up from Yami. "Bakura, what's he doing here?" he asked, gasping.
"He is the Master."
Seto's eyes widened. "No, no! We can't. Not him..."
Katsuya looked down at the ground. "I'm going to be sacrificed?" He looked up at Seto, eyes full of agony.
Seto looked around at the faces he was hurting. Closing his eyes and pulling from Yami, however, he joined Bakura. "I will tell you all more on the way. But right now, we have to get going."
Yami pulled Yugi close to him, crying in Yugi's shoulder.
Bakura leaned into Seto. "What's wrong with him?"
"I think he's going mad," Seto whispered back before walking over to them and pulling Yami up. Bakura did the same with Katsuya. Yugi followed them into another room in the temple. Seto threw Yami onto an alter and pulled out a sharp knife. With a look of extreme apathy on his face, Seto began slicing Yami's clothes off. Once Yami was completely nacked, Seto pulled out a scroll and opened it. Into Yami's soft, tan skin, he began to carve hieroglyphs.
Yami's eyes closed tight, his breathing beginning to sound like soft sobs. But he lay still, never trying to fight it. Tears and blood ran like small rivers across his skin. Everyone quietly watched, even Bakura, slightly disturbed himself. But not Seto. His skin was covered with many of the same scars as he dug deeper into Yami's chest. Yami stirred, opening his eyes. "I'm a sacrifice?" he whispered.
"I suppose you could say that, Yami."
"Seto..."
"Yes?"
"I..."
"Yes?"
Yami closed his eyes again and whispered, "I haven't even held him yet."
"What?" Seto stopped and asked confused.
"He doesn't even have a name...my son..." He opened his eyes and stared into Seto's deep blue eyes. "Take care of him," he whispered. "Please, Seto."
Seto nodded and began to carve again, his hands slightly trembling. Yugi rushed up to them and watched, eyes wide. "Priest?" he whispered.
Seto turned Yami over, exposing his back, continuing to carve.
Bakura took Yugi by the shoulder and began to pull off his clothes. "Come on, my king."
Seto whirled around. "Don't! Don't you dare touch him!"
"Why not?"
"You can't hurt him!"
"Why not?"
Seto was at a loss of words then, and stayed quiet.
Yami crawled up on his elbows. "What are you talking about?" he asked in a strangled whisper.
Bakura used this opportunity to pull Yugi onto a bed. Yugi screamed as Bakura thrust into him.
Yami jumped up, causing the blade to stab him in the back. He sucked in a hard breath. "Seto...Seto, stop him. Please. Don't hurt Yugi."
Seto pushed Yami down, grinding his face into the stone alter. "Worry about yourself," he whispered.
~~~
Yami and Katsuya laid against the ground, blood dripping down their skin, nearly passed out.
Bakura finished up and threw Yugi with them. He joined Seto who was reading more scrolls. "We have to go to the Sphinx now. Take them with us."
"We have to take the Eye out." Bakura handed him a blade.
Seto looked at Bakura cool and collected. He took the blade in his hand and pushed Bakura against the wall. With one quick motion, Bakura's eye socket was sliced open and the God Eye was laying, dripping with blood, on the ground. Bakura fell to his knees, groaning. Seto bent in and picked up the small trinket, throwing it in a small satchel with the other God Items. He started out of the temple. "Come on," he said over his shoulder.
Katsuya was the first to stir, trying to stand up several times, but falling each time. Finally, someone pulled him up as he fell. He looked up in the soft violet eyes of Yugi, who was pulling him up. Feeling a sudden burst of energy, he pulled Yami up, supporting him on one shoulder. Yugi pocked at Bakura, not getting very close to him, trying to wake him.
~~~
Yami and Katsuya constantly moaned on the way to the Sphinx, sand getting into their cuts. They were covered only by their own blood, their clothes having been tossed aside and their hair cut off to the scalp. Seto led them on, Yugi a few short steps behind him, eyes to the ground. Bakura brought up the rear, the sand irritating his wound as well.
Seto stopped. They had reached the Sphinx. Actually, a small limestone alter before the Sphinx. Seto began to read out loud from it, his hand running over the characters as he spoke. "I walk with four legs in the morning, two in midday, and three at dusk. What am I?" He turned to look at Katsuya. Katsuya noticed this and stepped forward lightly. Seto grabbed him gently by the hand and led him close to the alter. "Answer it," he whispered into his ear.
Katsuya nodded and fell to his knees before the alter. He placed his forehead against the warm sand-brick, the same brilliant light that gave him the mark, shooting out from his body.
The alter glowed then broke into a million pieces, crumbling to the ground. The two paws of the Sphinx lifted up, reveling two more doors besides the one on his chest. Three keys lay on the top of the pile of broken brick.
"Pick one," Seto insisted, kicking at Katsuya.
Katsuya looked the keys over then stood up, not touching any of them. He grabbed the God Key from Seto's satchel and walked over to the middle door, turning it. It opened, the God Key evaporating into the air. Seto's eyes widen as he followed him inside. Bakura dragged Yami along, constantly running his hand over his empty eye socket to wipe the blood off. Yugi followed closely after them, eyes to the ground.
Once inside, they were confronted with a large stone labyrinth. Only Seto seemed amazed by it, the rest all subdued by their pain. He turned to Katsuya, but stepped back, taken aback. Katsuya's wounds had stopped bleeding, but let out a bright light. His eyes stayed closed, but he moved with ease, as if able to see perfectly. He waved his hand in the air and pulled a robe from nowhere, throwing it around his shoulders, blocking the light. The robe itself was an amazing chaos of colors, some Seto had never even seen before. His golden hair and robe fluttered by some unfelt breeze. He turned to Seto, eyes still shut tight, taking the satchel from his hands.
"Who-who... Who are you?" Seto whispered.
"I am Ra," a voice from deep inside Katsuya spoke. He regarded Seto, as if examining him, though he continued to keep his eyes closed. "Is knowledge this important?" he whispered so only Seto could hear. He walked past Seto, slowly, to where Bakura held Yami. He touched Bakura's eyes socket, almost amused. He then turned to Yami and blindly stared at him for several minutes, until Yami looked up at him, a defeated look in his eye. "My son," he said softly, taking Yami's bloody face in his hand.
"R-Ra...?" Yami whispered, then fell to his knees, coughing up blood.
Ra joined Yami on the ground, bringing him into his arms. Yami sobbed into his father's arms, his wounds scaring before Seto's eyes. "Shhh..." he comforted Yami. "Yami...my son... You expected the opposition to come from an enemy, didn't you?"
Yami looked up at Ra, eyes full of tears.
Ra wiped Yami's eyes, smiling at him. "You expected it from someone like Bakura, yes? You had no idea your own friend, your own lover, would do this to you did you?"
"Ra...please...stop him..."
Ra shook his head. "I'm afraid that now that he has called upon me, I can not go until it is completed." He ran his strong, gentle hand along Yami's chin, standing up.
Seto grabbed Katsuya; he grabbed Ra; pulling him against him. "Lead us through the labyrinth!" he insisted.
Ra turned back to Seto. "Yes, Master." He placed his hand along Seto's face, regarding him carefully.
"Why don't you look at me?!" Seto screamed. "Have respect!"
Ra laughed, amused. "You, you have respect." He pushed Seto down in the bowing position. "I am Ra, the supreme god."
"No!" Seto screamed. "You are Katsuya!" He jumped up, knocking Ra unbalanced. "I am your High Priest!"
Ra laughed from where he sat sprawled out on the floor. Yami rushed to help him but backed off when he looked up into Seto's eyes, shamefully.
Ra pushed Seto against the wall. "I am your god!" He reached back and smacked Seto hard. "Unless you want the light of a thousands suns to blind you, you won't make me open my eyes!"
Seto knocked Ra off him. "Get us through this maze!" he screamed in rage.
Ra pulled out the God Eye. He whipped the blood off it and held it at arm length. It lit up and Ra began to walk into the maze. Seto followed him close behind. Yami picked up Yugi, having gain strength, and held him close as he began to follow. Bakura grimaced, his arm completely stained with his blood that kept flowing from his eye. He stumbled after them, beginning to feel light-headed. "S-Seto...Seto!" He fell against a wall and slide down, moaning.
Seto turned around and regarded Bakura with disgust. "You worthless..." He turned back around. "Leave him. We don't need him." He started to walk again, but Ra pushed him aside, turning to Bakura.
Yugi slide down from Yami's grasp and rushed to Bakura. "Bakura, Bakura...Ekaw pu! Ekaw pu! Esaelp! Esa--" he gasped as Bakura stirred. He grabbed Bakura and held him tight. "Please," he whispered. "Wake up..."
Ra joined them on the floor, running his hand along Bakura's body. He forced Bakura's head up. Blood and tears fell along Bakura's face, staining his cheeks. Ra smiled and ran his two fingers over the wound, healing it. He took Bakura's hand and pulled him up. Bakura knocked him off and joined Seto. Ra shook his head and helped Yugi up. He led him over to Yami, placing Yugi's hand in Yami's. He nodded, as if to approve.
Yami made a move towards him, then stepped back. "I..."
Ra took him by the other hand. "Yes?"
"Will you look after my son? Please?"
Ra nodded and smiled sadly. "I promise."
Bakura grabbed Ra by the arm, pulling him along. "Get us through this maze!"
Ra turned to look back at Yami and Yugi, smiling. He turned back to Seto and Bakura. "I will lead you, my masters."
~~~
As they reached the end of the labyrinth, the Eye dissolved in Ra's hand. He fell back as they approached the end and another alter. Bakura's glance froze Seto temporally. Bakura pushed past him. "Try to desert me? Think I'm worthless?" He placed his hands on the alter, bent over, reading it. He glanced up, looking at the God Scale. He gasped in shock, surprised. He backed up into Seto.
"What does it say?"
Bakura whirled around, taking a few steps back. "It's the weighing. The weighing of the heart. If we don't pass, it ends now."
"Then," Seto spoke softly. "Then we need someone pure of heart." He turned to look at Yami and Yugi. He pushed past Ra and grabbed Yugi by the hand, pulling him along.
Yugi looked up at Seto, scared. "Priest?"
Seto ran his hand over Yugi's bare chest, quietly whispering a spell. Yugi gasped, then fell against Seto. Seto held something in his hands and dumped it into the God Scale. He smiled as he watched them balance out. Like the others before it, the Scale disappeared and another door opened. Seto led them through it to a large room filled mostly by a magnificent alter. A few scattered torches lit up as Ra entered the room.
Yami rushed to where Yugi had collapsed and held him close. "No..." he whispered. "NO!" he screamed, breaking down into sobs. "You killed him!" he screamed accusations at Seto. Seto turned back to look at them, confused. It struck him. He had. He had allowed the boy to die to reach his ultimate goal for the pursuit of knowledge. He didn't allow it...he caused it. He stared at Yami holding Yugi's lifeless body close. "Please!" Yami begged, sobbing. "Don't leave me!" He gasped as Yugi's spirit become visible, lifting up from his body. He briefly took Yami's hand, leading him along, then let go of him, giggling as he disappeared. Yami sat back, a stunned look on his face.
Seto ripped his glance off of Yami and looked around him. Ra stood there, placing the God Necklace around his neck. He then pulled the God Ring out and walked over to Bakura. "What is it that brought you to this point?"
"I wanted to see my king restored to his throne," he whispered.
"But what happened? You sacrificed his life for this goal. You killed all of your king's opposition, your king himself included. What's left, Bakura?"
Bakura didn't speak, slowly coming to the realization of his actions.
"The search," Ra answered for him. "And that's all you'll have, forever. The search of what's left." A blinding light and Bakura's body laid limp on the ground, the God Ring gone.
Ra walked over slowly to Yami, falling to his knees in front of the young god-king. "Yami... You have lost your love. Your sanity. Your life has fallen apart and it's all you seem to be able to do to keep your life in order. You need Yugi. And I promise you will be rejoined with him. For he," he said, pulling the God Puzzle out, "is the one who will put the pieces together." Another blinding light and Yami laid life-less, the Puzzle gone now, too.
Ra turned back to Seto, clutching the last God Item, the Rod. He slowly walked over to Seto. "You didn't learn," he stated softly. "After what your higher had gone through trying to summon my power, you didn't stop yourself. You had to know. So tell me, High priest Seto: was the knowledge worth it?" he gestured around him to the bodies littered around the room.
"Always!" Seto screamed, then fell to his knees, sobbing.
"You're a broken man. And you choose to hurt people; you even seek to control them. It is this reason you are alone and will continue to be alone. These things are terrible for any man to remember," he said, beginning to pull Seto's memories into the God Rod.
Seto stared at Ra. "Please," he whispered, forgetting things by the second. He pulled him by the hand. "Let me say goodbye to Katsuya. Please."
Ra smiled and took Seto's into his arms. "I am still Katsuya," he whispered before Seto forgot everything. He opened his eyes to regard the young man, the blinding light and heat killing them both.
