A Rose for the Souls of the Innocent

Prologue:

The First Steps of a Marathon

Ryou raises his hand, preparing to shatter Jounouchi's Duel Monster body with a magical attack. At the last possible moment, he looks up, snowy lock falling away from the deep chocolate orbs, and it is only then that I notice the crystalline tears trekking slowly down his cheeks. I feel a swift pang of guilt for putting him through this, but it is unavoidably if I am to win this duel. And this duel had become more than a game, much is on the line. Perhaps even my own life. For whatever it is worth.

"Katsuya Jounouchi, please forgive me."

An instant later, the black rippling energy pours forth out of his palm, cackling a burning path towards the stricken blonde.

The explosive, deadly bolt hits him square in the quest, and without a sound, his body breaks into the thousands of pieces that had been Anzu's fate. In that single instant, Jounouchi is no more. His soul rests with his friend's in the graveyard. I sigh to myself. More killing, more death, even if they will be resurrected when I achieve my goal.

Honda stares in shock at the spot his best friend had last stood. Slowly he turns his gaze to Ryou, and then to me. I cannot accurately describe to you what that look was to me. I cannot sufficiently explain the tremendous horror he conveyed in the one glance, for it was then that he decided that I had no soul. It was then he that he decided I was truly a monster; a living, breathing vampire, right out of the movies. There are simply no words in my language, or any other, I'm sure, that I could use to tell you what a mother-fucking, heartless bastard he made me feel like.

But I cannot dwell on the details, not when I am so close to winning the match. I look away from Honda, the only Duel Monster on the Pharaoh's field now.

"Lady of Faith," it is a difficult task to keep my voice from breaking, but somehow I manage.

Show no feeling… no emotion at all. Keep the mask.

"Attack the Cyber Commander."

Honda does not struggle as he leaves the field. He does not cry out as Anzu had done. But now I wish that he had. Anything would have been better than that steady look. That horrible look. That look that will haunt me forever.

Slowly the boy fades from sight, and Yuugiou's field is left completely empty. It is his turn now, I can do no more.

I look at him and tell him so, but he is not worried about the duel right now.

"You really are a monster," he says, voice calm, as if he were commenting on the clouds in the sky. "To do such terrible things to innocents, and all for power. You really are a monster."

"Enough!" I snap, "It is your turn! Unless you wish to forfeit the game. In which case the victory is mine."

"No, I will go."

Without further comment, he lays down a single card in face-down defense the monster zone, and looks back at me. "Your move."

I stare at the card, pushing all other thoughts from my mind, save those of the game. That card could not be a strong one, else he would play it in attack mode. That must mean it is weak. Weak enough for the Lady of Faith to destroy? Because if it is, I will use the Black Magician to end the duel. I decide to take the chance.

"Lady of Faith, attack the face-down card."

She moves forward, the same serene expression on her cold face. Outstretching her hands, a light cloud moves toward the card. When it reaches the hidden monster, a trilling is heard, and the Kuriboh pops up, looking surprised, before it explodes: the Pharaoh's last defenses.

I chuckle to myself. "Now Ryou, end the duel for me--Attack his life points directly!"

He looks up at me once, but he seems to be too far to care now. Nodding slightly, he raises his hand, once again summoning the dark powers of the Black Magician. Dark light gathers on his outstretched palm, and in a flash, races towards the Yami.

In envelops him, draining him of the rest of his life points. He bares the attack without complaint, only keeping those crimson eyes locked on my own.

When the last of his life points are gone, wasted by the ravages of the attack, he bows his head, not in pain, but defeat.

"You have won, Bakura's Yami, but I can assure you, you will not triumph. I was given the task of guarding the Sennen Items, and guard them I will, no matter if I hid inside the Sennen Puzzle, or lurk in the Shadow Realm, I will keep you from the Sennen Magic!"

"Enough, Pharaoh!" I snarl, left in a foul mood from the duel, "Give me the Puzzle, or I will take it myself!"

With obvious regret and reluctance, Yuugiou removes the golden pyramid from around his neck and hands it to me. "You may have won for now, but remember, I will be back, and then you will receive your just punishment!"

"Fine, fine. Whatever you say." I snatch the Puzzle eagerly from his hands. At last it is mine. At long, long last. It feels cool in my hands, and it chinks hollowly as I lift it around my own next.

"Now, Pharaoh, I ban you to the Shadow Realm!"

Laughing to myself, I bring Ryou and myself back to Duelist Kingdom. As trees replace the eerie shadows around me, I feel those crimson eyes still on me, silently accusing. But it does not matter anymore. For these are only the first steps of a marathon…

There… It's still TBC, but now the prologue is OVER! Yeah! Please review, and I shall write more!