Shadows of the Blue Moon
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By Darkness-Fire
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Chapter Nine: The Price to Pay
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Rivals turn into allies, and then into enemies. Betrayal and murder are around every corner, and the past of 3000 years is in disarray as an evil spirit seeks to destroy all that there is. Thing is, will the rivals learn to trust again after a round of treachery by the Pharaoh?
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Darkness-Fire:
Haha. New summary as I was getting quite sick of the old one. *points upwards*
Shadow:
She's in a good mood today, and decided to come back to this neglected muse to start another chapter of SotBM. She passed her History test this time round, by the way.
Darkness-Fire:
Sorry to keep you all waiting! ^^U And now, the review responses!
Nickoru – I think I'm making all of you hate Yami. Haha! ^^U *gives Yami no Bakura plushie*
Rach – Uh… it's a figure of speech, Rach. *gives blue eyes white dragon plushie* Now you have three of them!
Akiko-Saulii – I really dunno how he does that. *whispers to Malik: How do you do that? Malik: ^^U *shrugs** Sorry if the last chapter was confusing. I guess I was partly disoriented cause of the camp. I was sun-burnt and my skin was peeling after a few days… . *gives Malik plushie*
Shaedowe – Well… melodramatic-ness is sometimes needed for you to imagine the scene more clearly in your mind… ^^ *gives Seto plushie*
Trueyamigirlfriend - ^^U. Poor Kaiba. Glad you liked the voodoo doll! *gives another one for enemies*
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Disclaimer: Do you see Yami ever losing a game against Bakura? No? Then it doesn't belong to me.
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Bakura was led out onto the large palace grounds, where all the people of Egypt could see him clearly, and they cheered rapturously as he heard that arrogant brat Yami's voice announce to them that he was about to be rid of once and for all.
His heart was thumping madly in his chest. Of course, he could summon Diabound to take care of it all, but his spirit creature was still weak, and certainly he didn't want to get impaled by multiple arrows if he had tried to escape.
Violet eyes scanned the crowd discreetly for any sign of tell-tale blond and silver hair. Instead, the clustering mass of black jostled, staring back at him. He looked up, farther into the distance. There were two black specks, coming ever nearer and nearer.
He turned away dejectedly.
Wait. Two black specks? He snapped his head back up, early knocking into the sabre that his executioner held above his head.
And he let a familiar smirk creep back on his face.
~~~
Drums boomed imperiously, the drumbeats getting faster and faster every second, getting louder and louder, nearer and nearer. Malik was sure that his own heart was still beating erratically according to the beats.
He urged the chestnut stallion on faster, until the only sound he could hear was the hot desert wind whistling in his ears and the feverish pounding of hooves on the fine sand beneath him.
"Sef!" he called on his spirit creature, and the flaming griffin appeared, flying alongside him in a swirl of red and orange, the temperature rising a dozen degrees in a split instant. Its great head reared regally, screeching in defiance. It had recovered well during the time they had spent in the dungeons, thanks to Mana's help.
Next to him, Kira summoned her own creature, and soon the sleek silver fox streaked ahead of them, its only tail billowing out into nine exact replicas of lashing fire. Malik smirked, his lavender eyes narrowing in eager anticipation of what would happen.
Our dear 'ally' is about to find out what happens to traitors…
~~~
Yami sat, in his high throne, surrounded by his six High Priests, three on either side of him.
He watched in morbid fascination as the burly executioner raised the large sabre above Bakura's head, about to hack down severely on the silver-haired tomb robber.
Seto's blue eyes, shadowed heavily by chestnut locks, glinted mysteriously. He held the Millennium Rod behind his back, and started murmuring an incantation under his breath, whispering words that were carried on the wind, the ancient scrolls of lost Hieroglyphics issuing quietly out of his lips.
The golden item glowed bluish silver, and all the archers stationed around the execution site froze, their once attentive eyes now glazed and unfocused.
He gave a half-smile, as the scene below them erupted.
The dragon inside crooned proudly.
~~~
First, an arrow shot directly at the executioner's fat hand, causing his grip to falter and knock the sabre out of his hand. The wound immediately turned a deadly purplish-black, as the heavily built man dropped to the ground, howling miserably.
Yami shot up immediately from his throne, surprised.
Next, an enormous creature emerged out from Bakura, still looking battered, but strong enough to ward off any blows. It gave a howl, and severing the bonds that held his master, backhanded the helpless executioner forcefully across the palace grounds.
A stream of fire bombarded the scene, sending the screaming Egyptians into complete confusion, scattering out from the scene of mayhem. The archers were motionless, seemingly frozen.
The Pharaoh turned expectantly to his equally disoriented Priests and demanded an explanation. But they could give none. Seto kept his mouth firmly shut.
In a split second, two figures on horses entered the execution grounds, and Yami recognized them for who they were immediately.
Malik. And Kira.
Who in the name of Ra set them free? Yami thought frantically.
Kira immediately hoisted her friend up on the mount, and with a swift kick at the black mare's flank, turned a full half-circle on the spot and gestured to Malik to follow after her.
Yami flickered his gaze over to where one of the archers stood. There, beside the motionless soldier, stood a tall imposing blond spirit. Marik!
Marik snatched the bow from the man beside him, and drew back the bowstring, forming four arrows with his Shadow Magic as he did so. Incompetent fools, he cursed inwardly. I can't count on the Pharaoh to do the dirty work for me anymore. I'll have to take matters into my hands. He aimed, and released them.
~~~
There was a scream.
The first arrow struck Malik in the shoulder. The next struck his spirit creature, as Sef shrieked in anger. The next struck the bow. The last struck the faithful stallion, caused it to rear up in pain and buck the blond teenager onto the sands. It itself fell with a loud thud, the wound in its flank spreading deadly tendrils of Shadows, wrapping themselves around the flailing horse in a case of darkness. The bow diminished, and so did the stallion, uttering its last neigh which echoed round the dunes.
Bakura slid down from the mare hurriedly, helping his fallen comrade up behind Kira, who looked too shocked for words. Threads of midnight had already begun their dance of black, weaving Malik's arm into night.
"Leave! Leave and take Malik away from here!"
"But what about you?"
"I'll be alright! Now go!!"
Kira nodded, and quickly steered her horse away.
Bakura whirled around to face the triumphant figure on the walls. He watched as Marik threw away the weapon he had used to fire. He watched, until he was sure his friends had left an adequate distance between themselves and him.
Sef had stayed behind to help him, though its strength was fast diminishing. The darkness had already devoured its left wing, now it could not fly. With a roar, it unleashed raw fury towards Marik through a ball of flame.
Marik deflected the blow with a casual flick of his hand, letting the Shadows form a solid shield around him. Sef had to leap swiftly aside to avoid itself getting hit by its own attack. Bakura looked up, gritting his teeth. But Marik had gone, leaving only the remnants of his high laughter to invade his ears.
Now both wings of Sef had gone, encased in molten Shadows.
Yami and his Priests had come out to receive him with their own spirit creatures.
"Damn."
~~~
The mare tripped, sending its riders toppling over her head to come tumbling to a stop in the sand. Ignoring the pain in her ankle, she crept over the Malik, who laid face-down on the golden sands. She turned him over to face her, and saw that he was slick with sweat.
The Shadows had already rendered his right arm and upper torso useless.
"Malik… hang in there."
"I can't. Marik used a spell to seal the Shadows into my blood… I'll be gone, any time… soon," gasped Malik, as he fought for air.
"No!!"
"Tell Bakura, that… if he doesn't finish off Marik, I'll see to it that he regrets it…" Malik said, managing a hoarse laugh. "I guess, it's… back to the real world… for me."
"Don't leave now…" Kira said, her voice breaking.
"See you later… little sister…"
Then he dissolved into nothing.
~~~
Sef fell awkwardly, uttering a last screech, as it was blasted into oblivion by Isis' spirit creature. It had sacrificed itself to save Bakura. Bakura panted, his shoulders slack. He closed his eyes in resignation.
When a spirit creature dissolves into nothing just like that, it means its master was no more in this world. One less ally. One less friend. Malik could do nothing to help them once he was back in reality.
Game over. Marik's voice cackled insanely inside his mind.
"Damn," Bakura cursed out loud. There was no chance in the underworld he would have the strength to defeat all seven creatures. Diabound was still too worn out for that.
"Why, Tomb Robber? Giving up already?" Yami sneered, his obelisk leering in the same manner at Bakura.
"I'll forfeit this match, Bel um Fal, but I will come back. For revenge." Bakura gestured simply, and rode on the muscled shoulder of Diabound, who immediately dived straight into the sands below. "The special ability of Diabound, Pharaoh! To weave its way into sand or stone!"
Yami aimed a last blow at the back of Diabound, but another force countered it. Burst Stream.
Yami rounded on his High Priest like an angry Sphinx. "Seto! What where you thinking, shielding the Tomb Robber?"
"There are other ways to deal with him, You Highness. Word will make it round that our Pharaoh killed his opponent while his back was turned. Now, that hardly sounds like a righteous move to make," said Seto coolly, the dragon facing the irritated Obelisk.
~~~
Malik landed on the floor in front of the Lost Memories of the Pharaoh, startling Ryou and Yugi, who were in deep conversation.
"Malik!!" The silver-haired Hikari exclaimed. "Where's Kira? Where's Bakura? Where's Yami?"
Malik got to his feet, and swayed to the side dangerously, struggling to keep himself upright. Yugi rushed over to help him, and the blond collapsed on the couch, massaging his throbbing temples.
"Marik shot me with Shadows. I couldn't shake the Ra-damned spell away, and I died in the Memory World."
"And the others?"
"Oh, okay, let's see. Bakura nearly got executed, now I don't know what's become of him, Kira's currently lost somewhere in the dunes, and guess whose fault is it? The almighty Pharaoh," at this he shot a venomous glance at Yugi, who immediately shrank back timidly.
"Malik, it's not his fault. Yami knocked him out," Ryou said quietly.
Malik's lavender eyes nearly popped out of his sockets. "The Pharaoh? Knock out his own Light?"
Yugi nodded sadly. "But he didn't mean to…"
"Hah," Malik scoffed. "Didn't mean to. Riiiight."
Then his vision swam in front of him, causing him to let out a soft groan.
"Don't strain yourself, Malik. You'd better get some rest," advised Ryou worriedly. With combined effort, he and Yugi dragged Malik up to his own room.
~~~
Mahaado waited impatiently as the preparations for the late Pharaoh were finished and he looked out onto the fading horizon. Come out now, Bakura… I know you're here.
Bakura and Kira looked out from behind a worn rock, surveying the scene as they watched the workers toil tirelessly in attempt to rebuild the tomb and put the late Pharaoh to his final rest.
"I will have to go alone."
"You know it's a trap…"
"That I know. But unless we kill the Dark Magician, the past won't be able to continue."
Giving Kira's hand a slight squeeze, he slipped away into the night.
"Bakura!"
~~~
Turning back to the scene before her, she saw Mahaado walk into the passage leading to Akunamukanon's tomb.
~~~
The moon was silenced by a blanket of darkness, as the stars were put out. The guards silently sealed the opening of the tomb.
Kira watched with bated breath, before letting out a sigh.
Inside, two spirit creatures clashed.
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To Be Continued:
Shadows of the Blue Moon
Chapter Ten: To Surrender
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What happens after Bakura's battle with Mahaado? What is the favour that Seto has asked of Bakura? Yami will make a final decision. Will he come to his senses or will he be led deeper into the trickery that is Marik?
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Darkness-Fire:
Read and review! Thankies!