Saryoku: Why don't you get on with the story?

Me: I've got to do the disclaimer first.

Saryoku: Hurry up and torture Yami.

Me: I will if you shut up!

Saryoku: I'll say it for you!!!!! KP DOES NOT OWN YU-GI-OH. If she did then I wouldn't have to go a crappy school and do crappy exams on crappy things that you'll never use in real life.

Me: If you'd let me take over in lessons you wouldn't be so bored. Your behaviour has gotten me more detentions this year than ever before.

Saryoku: That teacher deserved to have a bottle thrown at them. It was easy to manipulate Scott's mind into wanting to throw the bottle.

Me: We won't go into that. On with the story.

Saryoku: (evil glint in eye) Yes, on with the torture (rubs hands together).

-

The giant golden dragon roars and lashes its tail as it looks down at the blonde-haired woman chained to the stone tablet and the boy that is trying to save her. I know that I have to do something. I can't just let Mai and Joey be attacked by the Winged Dragon of Ra. I am one of very few people who can survive a direct blast, and they aren't. I can hear Yugi telling me not to do anything foolish, not to risk my own life, but I have to save his friends, my friends.

I pull myself up onto the arena and run in front of them as Ra releases his power. I spread my arms and take the blast in my chest.

The pain. I have never felt so much pain. And Yugi feels it as well. It will kill him. I have to let go of his body and release myself to the shadows. If I am gone then Marik will no longer be able to take my power and my friends will be safe.

The darkness surrounds me. The pain dissipates as quickly as it came and I know that Yugi no longer feels it either. But I can now feel another sensation passing over me. My hikari is panicking as he realizes that I am no longer there. His grief is unbearable. I have to return.

I try to reach him. We have been separated by Shadows before and I have always been able to return. The pain will no longer be there and neither will the sadness. But the Shadows reach out and pull me back. My separation from Yugi has distracted Marik from his taking of Mai's mind. The Shadows that he called upon to take Mai's soul are hungry and they need a soul to feed off of.

I need to return. Marik will destroy them if I don't. The Shadows are pulling me back, slowing draining my strength. I feel new pain as Marik tortures Yugi, even though Yugi doesn't know what is going on. He is as confused as Marik about why I am not with him.

I will not let the darkness take me. Marik is determined to get my power that is held in the Puzzle, one way or another. If he continues this then Yugi will be devoured by the shadows. He can't go into a Shadow Game alone. The duel against Pegasus nearly killed him, and Pegasus' powers were weak compared to Marik's.

Marik is challenging him. Challenging me. I have to get back. I have to protect Yugi from the power of the Shadows. He is ready to accept the duel. He will never back down. Someone stop him from destroying himself.

Thank Ra for Kaiba and his rules. He has stopped them from dueling. I have time to return now that Yugi is out of danger. My time is almost up though. My strength is almost exhausted. I have to pass on what little power I have left to protect Yugi from Marik.

My strength is gone. I can do nothing now except myself get swallowed by the darkness. One good thing that has come from this is that Marik forgot about Mai. Her mind is safe from the Shadows. I fall back and let the darkness surround me, powerless in the Shadows.

"Wake up Yami!"

"Yugi?"

"Who else would be in your Soul Room at 3am complaining about the noise?"

"What noise?"

"You were screaming! Nightmare?"

"You could say that!"

"I'm going back to sleep. If you can't sleep quietly you may as well do part of my History project. It's on Ancient Egypt!"

I look at the small figure stumbling sleepily back to his soul room. I hadn't meant to wake him, but I had. I know I won't be able to sleep anymore tonight so I take control of Yugi's body and reach towards the History workbook on the small desk. I smile as I look at the cover. Yugi has decorated it with pictures of the Millenium items around the edge, but the centre of the book has a picture of the two of us together.

-

Saryoku: That wasn't fair. I thought you were going to destroy that stupid Pharaoh forever.

Me: This is a Nightmares series. No-one will die or be destroyed permanently. I'm not that cruel.

Saryoku: Like I said, not fair. Will anyone paying attention to this please review and tell KP where she's gone wrong with not destroying the Pharaoh.

Me: Shut it Sar or I'll tell everyone your secret.

Saryoku: Shutting up now. (draws zip shut over her mouth)