Yeah yeah, this is way overdue. *grumble* I don't even have any wit left in my brain to think of some excuse for the lateness, so you'll have to live with it. *sigh* Who knew IB was so hard?
Second last chapter, on top of an epilogue. After this I can get to my other fics...
New One-shot up: A Hero's Regret. If you like Harry Potter and support the Harry/Hermione shipping, go read it.
What the heck, go read it anyway.
Sorry this chapter is kinda short - well more so than the others. It's just planned that way
The OOC'ness of Ryou in this story will later on be explained - in the next chappie or the epilogue...
~*~
Scrolls of the Past
By Phire Phoenix Chan
Chapter Sixteen
Uncovering the dirt
~*~
Yugi stopped talking abruptly as Ryou approached. He watched the white-haired boy with a strange fear in his eyes. Zuzumea snapped her head around so fast that she almost cricked her neck. The smirk on his face was all too pronounced and even Zuzumea, who had not been aware of the last few day's happenings, was apprehensive as he came closer.
"This is just like Asophyre and Yami, isn't it?" Ryou whispered softly. "Short-lived romance indeed" His cold eyes fixated on Yugi for a full minute, hatred coursing through them, before he turned to Zuzumea. The latter recoiled, for she recognized that which Ryou spoke of.
"Zuzumea, come with me." He implored, his eyes dancing with eagerness. "Leave this unworthy fool. Short-lived romance - do not forget. With me, we could have a glorious future. We would not be destiny-bound by the curse, and you would not have to suffer under the spell that the pharaoh has invoked on you."
Zuzumea stared at him with a mixture of distrust and disgust. When she opened her mouth, her voice was rich with venom. "Do not speak as though you knew what is going on. It is your Yami who broke mine heart three thousand years ago, and you shall have to live with the consequences. History may repeat itself, but destiny does not change." She took a breath and continued, hissing. "Don't you ever dare to accuse Yugi again. I am not under a spell. I have never been, nor will I ever be. Yugi is far beyond that, and it is in fact your Yami who has placed a spell upon us three thousand years ago."
"A well deserved spell." Ryou sneered. Yugi watched the interaction with surprise. He quietly shut off the outside world and called out to his Yami. /What are they talking about?/ From within his heart, he heard a weary sigh. /Little Yugi/ The mature voice told him, /I shall explain when we get home. For it is a lengthy tale and best not spoken in public./ His voice trailed off, and it appeared to Yugi as though there was a trace of sadness in it. Who could possibly hurt Yami?
Zuzumea had been walking forward quietly without Yugi noticing. Now that he looked up again, he saw that his - uh - girlfriend was directly facing Ryou. Her back was turned to him, but there was a sort of tenseness about her muscles that foretold of withheld anger. Yugi would not want to be Bakura at that moment. He hadn't truly seen Zuzumea in action yet, but he feared it all the same. "I challenge you to say that again." She snapped. Ryou had looked affronted that she would take Yugi's side, but now he bore down upon her smugly.
"A Well deserved spell." He repeated, louder, his voice ringing. Yugi was just about to demand to know what was going on when two things happened simultaneously. First, his Yami sent out a warning signal so strong it made him stagger, and second, Zuzumea had slapped Ryou round the face.
"I will have you know that any unfounded attacks and accusations on mine and Yugi's behalf will be taken very seriously." Those words were not menacing in themselves, but coming from an angry Zuzumea's mouth, they were enough to make anyone shudder. Ryou glared and pointed the palm of his hand towards Zuzumea. The latter smirked haughtily. Ryou was attempting to find out just what sort of a 'love-spell' Yugi had placed her under. He would be sorely disappointed to find none of its kind upon her aura. As annoying as her Yami could be, she did have her uses...
"Go on, I dare you."
"Zuzumea, what - " Yugi started, but she held up a hand to silence him. Instead, she watched as a shadow flitted across Ryou's eyes and Bakura momentarily took over.
"Brave words, miss. If Ryou had been foolhardy enough to prolong the examination spell, then you no doubt would've repelled him without a second thought. And yet, as such, it is my justified belief that Yami, in ancient times, stole Asophyre from me. Perhaps you, as her hikari, would be willing to back me up?" Bakura said silkily. "Oh, silly me, where are my manners?" He waved his hand, watching as a blue glow appeared. A silver strand of light sifted from his body and into the blue glow, which morphed into a second Bakura - the Yami. Zuzmea growled under her breath. She clutched her pen and willed her Yami to appear.
A blinding flash of light later, Asophyre, as well as an enraged Yami, had joined the conversation.
"Bastard!" Asophyre cried the same moment Yami yelled "Take those words back!" Asophyre's face was flushed red with anger; her bangs obscuring her pitch-black eyes. Her fists were clenched tight, and the golden bracelets jingled in an eery rhythm. Though Yami's words had been slightly more conventional, he looked no better than his fiancee. Indigo eyes clashed with grey in a meeting of titans.
Bakura's smile grew even bigger, if possible, and he mock bowed to both of them. "Pharaoh, Queen, it is an honour."
"Bastard," Asophyre said again, this time in a whisper. Zuzumea glanced sideways curiously and was surprised to find a tear shining on her Yami's cheek. Bakura's eyes widened at the same sight, yet this was the only indication that he, indeed, had even noticed the fact. He had lifted his head haughtily and was fingering a strand of his white hair. A smug quality hung around his features as he pretended, very successfully, not to care.
"You chose that path." Asophyre declared quietly. "You chose it. You had everything. But you chose to leave it behind for the satirical group of morons called Danger of the Desert."
"Do NOT insult my accomplishment!" He yelled angrily. Ryou glanced at him, startled. His Yami, however angry he may be, would not display it publicly. A sign of weakness, Bakura always called it. So for him to be so phased, it must have been a very deep insult indeed. He contemplated Asophyre thoughtfully. This girl meant more to both of them than either of them let on.
"Heartthrob" Ryou whispered bitterly under his breath. No one seemed to have heard him.
"You're the one who threw it away, Ryou Bakura." Asophyre ploughed on, venom rich in her melodical voice. "You chose it." Yami stepped forward and put a protective arm around his fiancee. The latter snuggled into his chest, and the two of them glared at Bakura, who, by now, was shaking with anger.
"Too late." Asohpyre hissed softly.
Bakura let out a roar like a wounded animal that scared a flock of birds out of a nearby tree. People walking in the park glanced around anxiously, before speeding up their step. Bakura glanced back at his hikari, who nodded determinedly and walked forwards until the two halves were side by side. Bakura slowly raised a shaking hand and pointed it at Yami, his eyes narrowed into furious slits.
"I challenge you to a battle of the souls. A shadow game. A millennium fight. Whatever you want to call it." Bakura snapped shortly. "More importantly, a battle to the death." Ryou nodded, trying to give his Yami support. Yami started to nod, but a firm voice interrupted.
"No you are NOT." Asophyre cried. Yugi and Zuzumea clasped hands and locked each other's eyes in their glances before turning back to the challenging pair.
"No, you're not. If you challenge Yami..." Yugi began bravely, looking up at the boy he thought was his friend. A glint of steel winked his eyes. Steel determination.
"You challenge all four of us." Zuzumea and Asophyre supplied in unison. Yami stroked Asophyre's silky black hair and glanced back at the pair.
"I think I speak for the four of use when I say - we accept"
"Fine, just fine." Bakura sneered, even though Ryou looked slightly worried at the prospect of combatting two more opponents. "If I kill you, I get your Millennium Puzzle, and Asophyre. The same goes for Ryou and Zuzumea."
The latter was about to protest at being raffled off as a prize when her Yami gave her a mental prod. Asophyre took the parole after a flitted glance towards Yami.
"We agree to your sadistical terms. However, we will prevail."
"Oooh, big words!" Bakura laughed infuriatingly, pretending to quaver. Before any of them could respond, he had beckoned to Ryou and turned his back on them. "Tomorrow, same time, same place." He paused in his step. "Don't be late." he chuckled.
"We won't." Zuzumea mumbled at his retreating backside. "We won't.
~*"That was great!" Sorella's mom exclaimed, hand in hand with her youngest daughter. "The best fun I've had in years." She smiled at her husband affectionately and fingered the silver bracelet adorning her wrist. Sorella squeezed her mother's hand reassuringly, eyes twinklying mischievously.
"The best fun you've had since Asophyre was born, eh?" She asked, laughter evident in her voice. Her father stifled a snicker and winked at her, being the first to come round. Mrs. Emika started to nod fervently before catching on to the 'true' meaning of the question. She slapped Sorella's hand lightly, grinning widely. Her father, now that the danger was over, joined in openly.
"I do NOT mean that Asi's absence is the reason for my happiness and you know it!" She accused smilingly, using Asophyre's nickname. She tried to muster up a stern face but failed miserably, sending Sorella into a fit of giggles once more. After a minute more of the valiant attempt, the older couple joined their daughter.
"The Festival was stupendous." She sighed, after she'd sufficiently calmed down to talk. "I'd forgotten just how great it was. I can't wait to tell Asi all about what we've done. And I want to know how far they are concerning the defeat of the horrid rebel group." Her face suddenly turned stony. "Threatening the safety of our co untry, honestly. I would've thought better of Bakura, of all people"
Sorella's heart gave a guilty leap. Bakura had not told her the details, btu she had an idea that the fight was to take place that weekend - the reason she had shipped her family to her mom's hometown, quite a distance away, in such haste. But she hadn't been able to enjoy the harvest festival in all its splendor, for she wondered steadily what was happening with Bakura and her sis.
The chattering trio stpped dead in their tracks, aghast at the sight before them. A shushed silence fell over them as they took in the scene in front of them. The Sorella gave an ear-piercing scream and sprinted towards the town centre, where, by the looks of it, the whole town was assembled. The couple followed, albeit slightly slower, shivering with foreboding and apprehension.
Tables lay overturned, garbage and goods alike, strewn all over the ground. Broken weapons, helmets, shields, bows, arrows and quivers cluttered the dusty road. Dark spots of what looked suspiciously like blood stained the normally sandy street - and upon closer inspection, they could be discerned on the walls, as well. Paths had been cleared in the dirt, as though someone had been dragging something heavy.
A temporary, wooden platform had been raised in the middle of the town square to hold the gallow. What seemed like the town's entire population was crowded around it, staring up at the group of people as though enraptured. Sorella wormed her way through to the very front, newly formed tears blurring her vision. Her parents stood anxiously at the back, straining to to see.
Asophyre and Yami were standing side by side, and in Yami's case, looking furious. Phire was seated on Asophyre's left shoulder, trilling softly, and Mitsuro was flying just above the pair, as though protecting them. Four guards each flanked the Pharaoh and his soon to be queen. A straggly group of about a dozen people were kneeling, held in that position by the guards. Some of them appeared injured as they emitted winces everytime their position shifted. One boy in particular at the front of the group seemed the be struggling to escape the tight hold the soldiers had on him. When he proved unsuccessful, he glared up at the couple towering above him. Yami met his gaze head-on, although Asophyre averted her eyes. Something glimmered on her face.
"Ryou Bakura!" Yami called, spitting out the name as though it was something unpleasant. Sorella cringed, and for the first time, noticed the tight bindings on Bakura's hands and feet. A length of rope was deriving from the knot on his hands, the other end of which a soldier was holding tightly as he prodded Bakura upward. The crowd booed to see the young boy standing proudly, as though it were he, not Yami, who owned the land. Asophyre had now taken to talking softly to Phire, and her hand had slipped out of Yami's to stroke the phoenix.
"Malik Ishtar!" The blond boy beside Bakura whom Sorella did not realise rode as well. She could see him snapping at the guard watching over him. The guard gave him a sour smile, as though he knew something. The girl standing beside Sorella shifted restedly, and the latter saw that her entre face, save for her dark, melancholy eyes, were covered by a head-dress and a face mask. She wore a non-descript white robe, and the hands protruding from the sleeves shook slightly.
Sorella focused her attention back at the two boys facing her sister and her fiance. Bakura looked defiant, while the one by name of Malik looked worried. Bakura glanced over and both of them started muttering under their breaths.
"You are charged with the crime of..." Yami's strong voice listed the numerous reasons for which Bakura and Malik would be executed, but Sorella paid him no heed and instead trained or eyes on Bakura, whispering very fast, very quietly. She willed him to look at her, for any indication of what has truly happened, for Asophyre's eyes were cast down and not ready to meet anyone yet.
As the sentences of Malik, Bakura were pronounced, the crowd broke into jeers. Objects of various size and value were thrown onto the platform, one of them narrowly missing Bakura's face. Malik cringed, but Bakura himself stood tall and proud, as if he didn't care for a thing in the world. Sorella gave a quiet sob. If Asophyre would've married Yami, then she, Sorella, could've easily won Bakura over. Now that wish is no more.
As the masked executioner prodded Bakura towards the rope, he resisted, and turned instead to Yami.
"My best wishes to you and your queen." He said silkily. The onwatchers became very quiet as all eyes fixed on the white-haired boy.
"Mine also." Malik cut in, with a cocky grin.
"May your romance..." Bakura continued loftily. "My your romance always be short-lived. May you suffer forever more. May you be torn from each other the moment you attain happiness. May your posterity, may your reincarnations, may your incarnations and may your souls be restless for the curse of Vengeance, for I will get my revenge." His voice had been rising steadily and now it rang strongly across the town square. Sorella staredat him in horror. The curse of Vengeance is one of the strongest in existence. It let you do whatever you please to a subject, but the action is delayed, and in turn the curse will consume your heart. You will be devoid of all emotions up and including the point when the curse is completed. And by then, your heart will be so rusty that it will break, taking you into oblivion.
Did Bakura know all this when he performed it?
The executioner pushed Bakura forward with a rough shove, and this seemed to wake the crowd up as they started screaming and stomping their feet. Sorella saw Asophyre tug Yami's arm, and then whispered urgently in his ear. The latter stepped forward to intercept the noose.
"Worthy cause deserves worthy punishment, Bakura." He snapped at the boy standing in front of him, a boy barely younger than he was. "Clever idea indeed, pity it won't work. What if we sealed your soul away? For a soul remains in death, and a soul is what keeps the curse alive, is it not?"
Sorella gasped openly. To seal a soul away is the ultimate punishment. It would mean to be in limbo forever. No resting in peace. Whatever the state of the soul as it went in, so it remained for all eternity. No healing, no hurting. A fate worse than hell.
Bakura, however, didn't even flinch. He stared right back at those dark indigo eyes and spat two words through the gaps of his teeth, as though they were an unpleasant taste in his mouth.
"Try me."
Yami turned away from him and snapped his fingers. Two of the soldiers jumped down from the platform and the crowd parted to give them a wide berth. They reached the edge of the town square where six horses were tied. Jumping on two of them, they galloped off towards the palace. Sorella looked after them wonderingly, but the lady beside her seemed to know what was going on, for her shoulders sagged and her head hung, exposing a bit of lush, black hair.
"And now, we wait." Yami smirked, quite uncharacteristically. Asophyre had taken to examining the ground again. The wooden boards must've been terribly interesting.
By this time Sorella's parents had fought their way to the front of the group. They tried, in vain, to get Sorella to speak. But the latter was ignoring her surroundings and did not respond. Bakura looked up and caught her eye. Her throat went dry. She whiped her tears away and gave him a weak, apologetic smile. Bakura looked surprised at first, but then returned it half heartedly. He seemed almost regretful, but Sorella was sure she'd imagined it, for the next moment, all she saw in his eyes were the hardened look of a boy who'd fought in the real world.
The sound of hooves reached their ears. The crowd turned as one to see the two soldiers returning, one of them carrying a box carefully under his arm. The other was gripping the reigns with one hand and holding his unsheathed sword in the other, as though protecting his companion. When they reached the platform, both of them jumped off and the soldier carrying the box kneeled in front of Yami, presenting it. Yami dismissed him casually.
He opened the box and held it up for them to see. In it lay nine golden items, each of them engraved with the eye of Osiris (?). There was an actual eye itself, a triangular pendant, a ring-shaped pendant, a necklace, a rod the shape of an axe, a key, a balance, a pen and a mirror. Yami balanced the box in one hand and with the other, took out the ring shaped pendant and the necklace. Then he closed the case again and set it carefully down on the ground, by his feet. Asophyre had taken to staring at the ring, now, instead.
"My father made these nine items. Millennium items, he called them, for they would contain souls for millennia after millennia, so long as they were not disturbed. Strong magic flows within the gold I hold, for they must be enough to contain a human spirit." This explanation was as much to Asophyre as it was to the general public, neither of whom had ever seen the items before. He glared at Bakura.
"Fitting end, don't you think? Trapped for eternity."
And the crowd watched, transfixed, as Yami began to chant under his breath. His voice was quite transformed by the second stanza, and it seemed to Sorella as though there were two more Yamis chanting in different tones, creating layers. Green light began to envelop Bakura and Malik, rendering the latter into a state of panic. Their shoulders sagged, their eyes dropped, and their struggles became weaker while the green aura was siphoned off more and more into the two seperate items. As their limp bodies hit the board, the crowd roared its approval.
Three more thuds, however, quickly quieted them down. Asophyre, Yami, as well as the girl standing beside Sorella were all lying in a state of unconsciousness, much like Bakura and Malik, their souls driven from their bodies. The case had been knocked open by some unseen force, and all nine millennium items were levitated into the air. They glowed crimson for a split second, before with a spectacular light show, they soared in different directions, not to be seen until three thousand years later.
***
Yami?
Asophyre, love, is that you?
Yami. What happened?
*Somewhere, faintly, high cruel laughter sounded*
Bakura?
Yes, my pharaoh.
What have you done???
A precaution.
Bakura knew you were going to seal his soul away, so in addition to the curse he wreaked upon the two of you, he set a repelling spell. Any curse you did to him, you would inflict upon yourself, Asophyre, as well as five other chosen ones.
Too right you are, Malik.
But why hurt five others?
For I wish them to be reincarnated with me.
Ryou, you've changed.
Do NOT call me Ryou! That's the name of a wimp.
You've truly changed.
So what if I have? I do not see how it's any of your business.
I could've found sisterly love in a corner of my heart for you, but you've changed.
Do you think I would've truly been satisfied with a corner of your heart?
...
Eternity, Pharaoh. Think about it. You've got all eternity.
Pharaohs are reincarnated.
Ah, but Bakura's repelling spell took care of that as well. If you're reincarnated, so're the rest of us.
Why do we not sense any of the other souls you've dragged into your scheme?
Their minds are weak, they cannot establish soul links. Even with us, it is with difficulty. You have but a moment before your mind is truly exhausted. Our time is almost up, and then it's all the rest we want until our dear Pharaoh reincarnates.
Well said, Malik.
Asophyre, dear.
Yes, Yami?
When we are born into a new life...
Yes?
Promise me you'll be my queen once more.
Yes, Yami.
Did you not hear my curse? Even if Asophyre is reunited with Yami, the romance will be short lived. It will be cut off by another tragedy, such as this one. That's the beauty of it.
And do you not know, Bakura, the price that this curse has on you?
I do, and I do not wish to care.
Then you willingly give up your heart for contempt against myself and Asophyre?
I do.
Malik, and you follow him freely?
I do. Bakura is the reason I lived past my 16th year, he has my complete loyalty.
You are a fool. As are you, Bakura.
Let him be, dear. I promise to be your queen.
Thank you.
*~
You guys got what happened, right?
I don't want to give the feeling that Asophyre is sort of using Yami as a rebound. She's just saying that if Bakura had stayed, she would've never met Yami. In her eyes, if she could have either, she would choose Yami, as demonstrated through her Hikari, who, when presented with the choice, went for the same boy.
And as for the millennium pen and mirror...well, you'll see :P I made them up, as you have probably guessed
Second last chapter, on top of an epilogue. After this I can get to my other fics...
New One-shot up: A Hero's Regret. If you like Harry Potter and support the Harry/Hermione shipping, go read it.
What the heck, go read it anyway.
Sorry this chapter is kinda short - well more so than the others. It's just planned that way
The OOC'ness of Ryou in this story will later on be explained - in the next chappie or the epilogue...
~*~
Scrolls of the Past
By Phire Phoenix Chan
Chapter Sixteen
Uncovering the dirt
~*~
Yugi stopped talking abruptly as Ryou approached. He watched the white-haired boy with a strange fear in his eyes. Zuzumea snapped her head around so fast that she almost cricked her neck. The smirk on his face was all too pronounced and even Zuzumea, who had not been aware of the last few day's happenings, was apprehensive as he came closer.
"This is just like Asophyre and Yami, isn't it?" Ryou whispered softly. "Short-lived romance indeed" His cold eyes fixated on Yugi for a full minute, hatred coursing through them, before he turned to Zuzumea. The latter recoiled, for she recognized that which Ryou spoke of.
"Zuzumea, come with me." He implored, his eyes dancing with eagerness. "Leave this unworthy fool. Short-lived romance - do not forget. With me, we could have a glorious future. We would not be destiny-bound by the curse, and you would not have to suffer under the spell that the pharaoh has invoked on you."
Zuzumea stared at him with a mixture of distrust and disgust. When she opened her mouth, her voice was rich with venom. "Do not speak as though you knew what is going on. It is your Yami who broke mine heart three thousand years ago, and you shall have to live with the consequences. History may repeat itself, but destiny does not change." She took a breath and continued, hissing. "Don't you ever dare to accuse Yugi again. I am not under a spell. I have never been, nor will I ever be. Yugi is far beyond that, and it is in fact your Yami who has placed a spell upon us three thousand years ago."
"A well deserved spell." Ryou sneered. Yugi watched the interaction with surprise. He quietly shut off the outside world and called out to his Yami. /What are they talking about?/ From within his heart, he heard a weary sigh. /Little Yugi/ The mature voice told him, /I shall explain when we get home. For it is a lengthy tale and best not spoken in public./ His voice trailed off, and it appeared to Yugi as though there was a trace of sadness in it. Who could possibly hurt Yami?
Zuzumea had been walking forward quietly without Yugi noticing. Now that he looked up again, he saw that his - uh - girlfriend was directly facing Ryou. Her back was turned to him, but there was a sort of tenseness about her muscles that foretold of withheld anger. Yugi would not want to be Bakura at that moment. He hadn't truly seen Zuzumea in action yet, but he feared it all the same. "I challenge you to say that again." She snapped. Ryou had looked affronted that she would take Yugi's side, but now he bore down upon her smugly.
"A Well deserved spell." He repeated, louder, his voice ringing. Yugi was just about to demand to know what was going on when two things happened simultaneously. First, his Yami sent out a warning signal so strong it made him stagger, and second, Zuzumea had slapped Ryou round the face.
"I will have you know that any unfounded attacks and accusations on mine and Yugi's behalf will be taken very seriously." Those words were not menacing in themselves, but coming from an angry Zuzumea's mouth, they were enough to make anyone shudder. Ryou glared and pointed the palm of his hand towards Zuzumea. The latter smirked haughtily. Ryou was attempting to find out just what sort of a 'love-spell' Yugi had placed her under. He would be sorely disappointed to find none of its kind upon her aura. As annoying as her Yami could be, she did have her uses...
"Go on, I dare you."
"Zuzumea, what - " Yugi started, but she held up a hand to silence him. Instead, she watched as a shadow flitted across Ryou's eyes and Bakura momentarily took over.
"Brave words, miss. If Ryou had been foolhardy enough to prolong the examination spell, then you no doubt would've repelled him without a second thought. And yet, as such, it is my justified belief that Yami, in ancient times, stole Asophyre from me. Perhaps you, as her hikari, would be willing to back me up?" Bakura said silkily. "Oh, silly me, where are my manners?" He waved his hand, watching as a blue glow appeared. A silver strand of light sifted from his body and into the blue glow, which morphed into a second Bakura - the Yami. Zuzmea growled under her breath. She clutched her pen and willed her Yami to appear.
A blinding flash of light later, Asophyre, as well as an enraged Yami, had joined the conversation.
"Bastard!" Asophyre cried the same moment Yami yelled "Take those words back!" Asophyre's face was flushed red with anger; her bangs obscuring her pitch-black eyes. Her fists were clenched tight, and the golden bracelets jingled in an eery rhythm. Though Yami's words had been slightly more conventional, he looked no better than his fiancee. Indigo eyes clashed with grey in a meeting of titans.
Bakura's smile grew even bigger, if possible, and he mock bowed to both of them. "Pharaoh, Queen, it is an honour."
"Bastard," Asophyre said again, this time in a whisper. Zuzumea glanced sideways curiously and was surprised to find a tear shining on her Yami's cheek. Bakura's eyes widened at the same sight, yet this was the only indication that he, indeed, had even noticed the fact. He had lifted his head haughtily and was fingering a strand of his white hair. A smug quality hung around his features as he pretended, very successfully, not to care.
"You chose that path." Asophyre declared quietly. "You chose it. You had everything. But you chose to leave it behind for the satirical group of morons called Danger of the Desert."
"Do NOT insult my accomplishment!" He yelled angrily. Ryou glanced at him, startled. His Yami, however angry he may be, would not display it publicly. A sign of weakness, Bakura always called it. So for him to be so phased, it must have been a very deep insult indeed. He contemplated Asophyre thoughtfully. This girl meant more to both of them than either of them let on.
"Heartthrob" Ryou whispered bitterly under his breath. No one seemed to have heard him.
"You're the one who threw it away, Ryou Bakura." Asophyre ploughed on, venom rich in her melodical voice. "You chose it." Yami stepped forward and put a protective arm around his fiancee. The latter snuggled into his chest, and the two of them glared at Bakura, who, by now, was shaking with anger.
"Too late." Asohpyre hissed softly.
Bakura let out a roar like a wounded animal that scared a flock of birds out of a nearby tree. People walking in the park glanced around anxiously, before speeding up their step. Bakura glanced back at his hikari, who nodded determinedly and walked forwards until the two halves were side by side. Bakura slowly raised a shaking hand and pointed it at Yami, his eyes narrowed into furious slits.
"I challenge you to a battle of the souls. A shadow game. A millennium fight. Whatever you want to call it." Bakura snapped shortly. "More importantly, a battle to the death." Ryou nodded, trying to give his Yami support. Yami started to nod, but a firm voice interrupted.
"No you are NOT." Asophyre cried. Yugi and Zuzumea clasped hands and locked each other's eyes in their glances before turning back to the challenging pair.
"No, you're not. If you challenge Yami..." Yugi began bravely, looking up at the boy he thought was his friend. A glint of steel winked his eyes. Steel determination.
"You challenge all four of us." Zuzumea and Asophyre supplied in unison. Yami stroked Asophyre's silky black hair and glanced back at the pair.
"I think I speak for the four of use when I say - we accept"
"Fine, just fine." Bakura sneered, even though Ryou looked slightly worried at the prospect of combatting two more opponents. "If I kill you, I get your Millennium Puzzle, and Asophyre. The same goes for Ryou and Zuzumea."
The latter was about to protest at being raffled off as a prize when her Yami gave her a mental prod. Asophyre took the parole after a flitted glance towards Yami.
"We agree to your sadistical terms. However, we will prevail."
"Oooh, big words!" Bakura laughed infuriatingly, pretending to quaver. Before any of them could respond, he had beckoned to Ryou and turned his back on them. "Tomorrow, same time, same place." He paused in his step. "Don't be late." he chuckled.
"We won't." Zuzumea mumbled at his retreating backside. "We won't.
~*"That was great!" Sorella's mom exclaimed, hand in hand with her youngest daughter. "The best fun I've had in years." She smiled at her husband affectionately and fingered the silver bracelet adorning her wrist. Sorella squeezed her mother's hand reassuringly, eyes twinklying mischievously.
"The best fun you've had since Asophyre was born, eh?" She asked, laughter evident in her voice. Her father stifled a snicker and winked at her, being the first to come round. Mrs. Emika started to nod fervently before catching on to the 'true' meaning of the question. She slapped Sorella's hand lightly, grinning widely. Her father, now that the danger was over, joined in openly.
"I do NOT mean that Asi's absence is the reason for my happiness and you know it!" She accused smilingly, using Asophyre's nickname. She tried to muster up a stern face but failed miserably, sending Sorella into a fit of giggles once more. After a minute more of the valiant attempt, the older couple joined their daughter.
"The Festival was stupendous." She sighed, after she'd sufficiently calmed down to talk. "I'd forgotten just how great it was. I can't wait to tell Asi all about what we've done. And I want to know how far they are concerning the defeat of the horrid rebel group." Her face suddenly turned stony. "Threatening the safety of our co untry, honestly. I would've thought better of Bakura, of all people"
Sorella's heart gave a guilty leap. Bakura had not told her the details, btu she had an idea that the fight was to take place that weekend - the reason she had shipped her family to her mom's hometown, quite a distance away, in such haste. But she hadn't been able to enjoy the harvest festival in all its splendor, for she wondered steadily what was happening with Bakura and her sis.
The chattering trio stpped dead in their tracks, aghast at the sight before them. A shushed silence fell over them as they took in the scene in front of them. The Sorella gave an ear-piercing scream and sprinted towards the town centre, where, by the looks of it, the whole town was assembled. The couple followed, albeit slightly slower, shivering with foreboding and apprehension.
Tables lay overturned, garbage and goods alike, strewn all over the ground. Broken weapons, helmets, shields, bows, arrows and quivers cluttered the dusty road. Dark spots of what looked suspiciously like blood stained the normally sandy street - and upon closer inspection, they could be discerned on the walls, as well. Paths had been cleared in the dirt, as though someone had been dragging something heavy.
A temporary, wooden platform had been raised in the middle of the town square to hold the gallow. What seemed like the town's entire population was crowded around it, staring up at the group of people as though enraptured. Sorella wormed her way through to the very front, newly formed tears blurring her vision. Her parents stood anxiously at the back, straining to to see.
Asophyre and Yami were standing side by side, and in Yami's case, looking furious. Phire was seated on Asophyre's left shoulder, trilling softly, and Mitsuro was flying just above the pair, as though protecting them. Four guards each flanked the Pharaoh and his soon to be queen. A straggly group of about a dozen people were kneeling, held in that position by the guards. Some of them appeared injured as they emitted winces everytime their position shifted. One boy in particular at the front of the group seemed the be struggling to escape the tight hold the soldiers had on him. When he proved unsuccessful, he glared up at the couple towering above him. Yami met his gaze head-on, although Asophyre averted her eyes. Something glimmered on her face.
"Ryou Bakura!" Yami called, spitting out the name as though it was something unpleasant. Sorella cringed, and for the first time, noticed the tight bindings on Bakura's hands and feet. A length of rope was deriving from the knot on his hands, the other end of which a soldier was holding tightly as he prodded Bakura upward. The crowd booed to see the young boy standing proudly, as though it were he, not Yami, who owned the land. Asophyre had now taken to talking softly to Phire, and her hand had slipped out of Yami's to stroke the phoenix.
"Malik Ishtar!" The blond boy beside Bakura whom Sorella did not realise rode as well. She could see him snapping at the guard watching over him. The guard gave him a sour smile, as though he knew something. The girl standing beside Sorella shifted restedly, and the latter saw that her entre face, save for her dark, melancholy eyes, were covered by a head-dress and a face mask. She wore a non-descript white robe, and the hands protruding from the sleeves shook slightly.
Sorella focused her attention back at the two boys facing her sister and her fiance. Bakura looked defiant, while the one by name of Malik looked worried. Bakura glanced over and both of them started muttering under their breaths.
"You are charged with the crime of..." Yami's strong voice listed the numerous reasons for which Bakura and Malik would be executed, but Sorella paid him no heed and instead trained or eyes on Bakura, whispering very fast, very quietly. She willed him to look at her, for any indication of what has truly happened, for Asophyre's eyes were cast down and not ready to meet anyone yet.
As the sentences of Malik, Bakura were pronounced, the crowd broke into jeers. Objects of various size and value were thrown onto the platform, one of them narrowly missing Bakura's face. Malik cringed, but Bakura himself stood tall and proud, as if he didn't care for a thing in the world. Sorella gave a quiet sob. If Asophyre would've married Yami, then she, Sorella, could've easily won Bakura over. Now that wish is no more.
As the masked executioner prodded Bakura towards the rope, he resisted, and turned instead to Yami.
"My best wishes to you and your queen." He said silkily. The onwatchers became very quiet as all eyes fixed on the white-haired boy.
"Mine also." Malik cut in, with a cocky grin.
"May your romance..." Bakura continued loftily. "My your romance always be short-lived. May you suffer forever more. May you be torn from each other the moment you attain happiness. May your posterity, may your reincarnations, may your incarnations and may your souls be restless for the curse of Vengeance, for I will get my revenge." His voice had been rising steadily and now it rang strongly across the town square. Sorella staredat him in horror. The curse of Vengeance is one of the strongest in existence. It let you do whatever you please to a subject, but the action is delayed, and in turn the curse will consume your heart. You will be devoid of all emotions up and including the point when the curse is completed. And by then, your heart will be so rusty that it will break, taking you into oblivion.
Did Bakura know all this when he performed it?
The executioner pushed Bakura forward with a rough shove, and this seemed to wake the crowd up as they started screaming and stomping their feet. Sorella saw Asophyre tug Yami's arm, and then whispered urgently in his ear. The latter stepped forward to intercept the noose.
"Worthy cause deserves worthy punishment, Bakura." He snapped at the boy standing in front of him, a boy barely younger than he was. "Clever idea indeed, pity it won't work. What if we sealed your soul away? For a soul remains in death, and a soul is what keeps the curse alive, is it not?"
Sorella gasped openly. To seal a soul away is the ultimate punishment. It would mean to be in limbo forever. No resting in peace. Whatever the state of the soul as it went in, so it remained for all eternity. No healing, no hurting. A fate worse than hell.
Bakura, however, didn't even flinch. He stared right back at those dark indigo eyes and spat two words through the gaps of his teeth, as though they were an unpleasant taste in his mouth.
"Try me."
Yami turned away from him and snapped his fingers. Two of the soldiers jumped down from the platform and the crowd parted to give them a wide berth. They reached the edge of the town square where six horses were tied. Jumping on two of them, they galloped off towards the palace. Sorella looked after them wonderingly, but the lady beside her seemed to know what was going on, for her shoulders sagged and her head hung, exposing a bit of lush, black hair.
"And now, we wait." Yami smirked, quite uncharacteristically. Asophyre had taken to examining the ground again. The wooden boards must've been terribly interesting.
By this time Sorella's parents had fought their way to the front of the group. They tried, in vain, to get Sorella to speak. But the latter was ignoring her surroundings and did not respond. Bakura looked up and caught her eye. Her throat went dry. She whiped her tears away and gave him a weak, apologetic smile. Bakura looked surprised at first, but then returned it half heartedly. He seemed almost regretful, but Sorella was sure she'd imagined it, for the next moment, all she saw in his eyes were the hardened look of a boy who'd fought in the real world.
The sound of hooves reached their ears. The crowd turned as one to see the two soldiers returning, one of them carrying a box carefully under his arm. The other was gripping the reigns with one hand and holding his unsheathed sword in the other, as though protecting his companion. When they reached the platform, both of them jumped off and the soldier carrying the box kneeled in front of Yami, presenting it. Yami dismissed him casually.
He opened the box and held it up for them to see. In it lay nine golden items, each of them engraved with the eye of Osiris (?). There was an actual eye itself, a triangular pendant, a ring-shaped pendant, a necklace, a rod the shape of an axe, a key, a balance, a pen and a mirror. Yami balanced the box in one hand and with the other, took out the ring shaped pendant and the necklace. Then he closed the case again and set it carefully down on the ground, by his feet. Asophyre had taken to staring at the ring, now, instead.
"My father made these nine items. Millennium items, he called them, for they would contain souls for millennia after millennia, so long as they were not disturbed. Strong magic flows within the gold I hold, for they must be enough to contain a human spirit." This explanation was as much to Asophyre as it was to the general public, neither of whom had ever seen the items before. He glared at Bakura.
"Fitting end, don't you think? Trapped for eternity."
And the crowd watched, transfixed, as Yami began to chant under his breath. His voice was quite transformed by the second stanza, and it seemed to Sorella as though there were two more Yamis chanting in different tones, creating layers. Green light began to envelop Bakura and Malik, rendering the latter into a state of panic. Their shoulders sagged, their eyes dropped, and their struggles became weaker while the green aura was siphoned off more and more into the two seperate items. As their limp bodies hit the board, the crowd roared its approval.
Three more thuds, however, quickly quieted them down. Asophyre, Yami, as well as the girl standing beside Sorella were all lying in a state of unconsciousness, much like Bakura and Malik, their souls driven from their bodies. The case had been knocked open by some unseen force, and all nine millennium items were levitated into the air. They glowed crimson for a split second, before with a spectacular light show, they soared in different directions, not to be seen until three thousand years later.
***
Yami?
Asophyre, love, is that you?
Yami. What happened?
*Somewhere, faintly, high cruel laughter sounded*
Bakura?
Yes, my pharaoh.
What have you done???
A precaution.
Bakura knew you were going to seal his soul away, so in addition to the curse he wreaked upon the two of you, he set a repelling spell. Any curse you did to him, you would inflict upon yourself, Asophyre, as well as five other chosen ones.
Too right you are, Malik.
But why hurt five others?
For I wish them to be reincarnated with me.
Ryou, you've changed.
Do NOT call me Ryou! That's the name of a wimp.
You've truly changed.
So what if I have? I do not see how it's any of your business.
I could've found sisterly love in a corner of my heart for you, but you've changed.
Do you think I would've truly been satisfied with a corner of your heart?
...
Eternity, Pharaoh. Think about it. You've got all eternity.
Pharaohs are reincarnated.
Ah, but Bakura's repelling spell took care of that as well. If you're reincarnated, so're the rest of us.
Why do we not sense any of the other souls you've dragged into your scheme?
Their minds are weak, they cannot establish soul links. Even with us, it is with difficulty. You have but a moment before your mind is truly exhausted. Our time is almost up, and then it's all the rest we want until our dear Pharaoh reincarnates.
Well said, Malik.
Asophyre, dear.
Yes, Yami?
When we are born into a new life...
Yes?
Promise me you'll be my queen once more.
Yes, Yami.
Did you not hear my curse? Even if Asophyre is reunited with Yami, the romance will be short lived. It will be cut off by another tragedy, such as this one. That's the beauty of it.
And do you not know, Bakura, the price that this curse has on you?
I do, and I do not wish to care.
Then you willingly give up your heart for contempt against myself and Asophyre?
I do.
Malik, and you follow him freely?
I do. Bakura is the reason I lived past my 16th year, he has my complete loyalty.
You are a fool. As are you, Bakura.
Let him be, dear. I promise to be your queen.
Thank you.
*~
You guys got what happened, right?
I don't want to give the feeling that Asophyre is sort of using Yami as a rebound. She's just saying that if Bakura had stayed, she would've never met Yami. In her eyes, if she could have either, she would choose Yami, as demonstrated through her Hikari, who, when presented with the choice, went for the same boy.
And as for the millennium pen and mirror...well, you'll see :P I made them up, as you have probably guessed