Author's Notes: I know that someone else owns the ankh, but I'm altering that bit of info. Also, I don't know if the "Winged Sorceress" is an actual card, but it is in my world.
Chapter 3
"Bakura?" Yugi called into the darkness. His voice sounded weak, even to him. Whatever he had landed on, a point had pierced his shoulder, and he could feel blood trickling down his arm. Worse than that, he had no idea where he was, except underground. And if he had to face someone like the Paradox brothers again- Yugi shivered at the thought.
"Hello?" a voice suddenly called out. It was definitely female, but Yugi didn't recognize it. Perhaps other duelists were trapped down here?
"Over here!" he managed to call out, trying to see who it was. A lamp-like glow began moving towards him, illuminating small sections of the large cave they were in. "Who's there?"
"A friend, Yugi Mutou," the girl replied, now standing at the edge of his vision. She knelt down to examine his shoulder, frowning when she saw the damage.
"How did you know my name?"
"That's not important right now, but getting you out of here is. I just need a little help." She touched the glowing pendant at her neck, and Yugi saw it was a large ankh.
"Is that a Millennium item?" he asked, watching a smile form on her lips. She moved the point of the ankh into a circular space in the eye of the Millennium Puzzle. With a quick twist, he heard a click, and then a beam of light came from the Puzzle. The light formed into a human shape, and then Yami, the Spirit of the Puzzle, stood before them. Yugi saw that he was holding his shoulder, but a smile was on his face.
"Are you all right, Yugi?" he asked, kneeling beside him.
"I guess so." The he tuned back to the mysterious girl. "How did you do that?" Yami now focused his attention on the stranger, and gasped when he saw the Millennium Ankh around her neck.
"It couldn't be," he whispered. But the light from the Ankh slowly illuminated her face, and there could no mistaking the red and purple eyes. "Niahla, it is you."
"It's been a long time, Yami."
"I have missed you."
"As I've missed you, dear brother."
"Brother?" Yugi asked, more than a bit confused. A bolt of pain stabbed through his shoulder, and he saw Yami wince and grab the same spot.
"It's a very long story," the Spirit explained, patting Yugi's other shoulder. "For now, we need to get you and Bakura out of here."
"But I haven't seen him," Yugi noted, staring at them.
"Is Bakura the one with the Millennium Ring?" Niahla asked.
"Yes, that's right. The two of us fell down here, but I haven't seen him since," Yugi explained.
"Niahla, why don't you search for Bakura while I help Yugi," Yami proposed.
"Of course. Only, my name isn't Niahla anymore. Call me Amber, at least for this century." She smiled at him, eyes twinkling in the light from her Ankh.
"Amber, the fiery one. It suits you. Very well, Amber." When his sister left, Yami turned his full attention to Yugi. The Millennium Puzzle copy he wore around his own neck began glowing, lighting up the small area even more than the Ankh had. Twisted metal beams lay scattered on the ground, chunks of glass and strands of wire mixed in. Yugi's shoulder had been impaled by a thin piece of metal, and the wound was still oozing blood. It wouldn't be too much trouble to pull the metal out, but it was not going to feel pleasant. Yami knelt down and touched the jagged piece.
"Will this hurt? Yugi asked, trying not to move.
"Probably." The Spirit then mentally berated himself. He was used to being blunt, especially when dueling. Hiding behind words was the coward's way, and Pharaoh Amun-Yami had never been a coward. But Yugi wasn't an enemy, nor was he an annoying vizier. He was a friend and partner in this time, and he owed it to the boy to be a bit gentler. "Yugi, how about if I start explaining things, to take your mind off your shoulder? I'll tell you all about where I and my sister come from."
"That sounds like a good idea."
"Very well. A little over five thousand years ago, the kingdom of Egypt began taking part in Shadow Games. Creatures from the Shadow Realm would challenge the mortals, and if you won, great wealth and power could be yours. But if you lost, your soul belonged to the Shadow Fiends. Well, the Pharaohs of Egypt also played these games, to achieve greater power over the mortal realm. One such Pharaoh was named Amun-Yami, and he was a champion player among the mortals."
"Amun-Yami? Was that you?"
"Yes, I was Pharaoh of Egypt at one time. Until my own quest for power ended up destroying the person closest to me."
"Your sister?"
"Yes. We were born as twins, quite rare in those times, and were taught how to play the Shadow Games by the high priests. I excelled in the games, easily beating my teachers within a matter of months. But Niahla- Amber, was a bit slower. She cared more for the monsters than winning the duels, always making sure none of her creatures were destroyed. But that of course, could not be avoided. As Pharaoh, I was given the exclusive right to call on the Dark Magician, the same card you favor so much, Yugi. He was my guardian throughout all my duels. His partner was the Winged Sorceress, assigned to the female closest to the Pharaoh. I had no desire to marry so young, and so my sister was guarded by the Sorceress. But, one day, she got involved in a duel against a strong Shadow Fiend. Her monsters were being decimated, and she was left defenseless. So she called on the Winged Sorceress to aid her, and her guardian stood ready to fight." Here Yami broke off, preparing Yugi so he could pull the metal free of his shoulder.
"What happened next?" Yugi wondered, more out of curiosity than to keep his mind off the pain.
"The Shadow Fiend attacked the Winged Sorceress with a Plague Dragon. Its attacks leave the opponent with only a minimal amount of life left, no matter how strong the monster it's attacking. The Winged Sorceress would not survive another attack, and my sister could not bear the thought of losing her trusted guardian. She also knew that this was her last monster, and the Shadow Fiend would win her soul if she lost. So, she did the one thing that would save both her soul and her friend." Without warning, Yami pulled the piece of metal through Yugi's shoulder, which brought a cry of pain to the smaller boy's lips. The two sat quietly for a few moments, Yugi holding tightly onto the Spirit as he rode out the waves of pain. Yami pulled him into his lap, smoothing out his hair in a way that made the skin on Yugi's neck prickle.
"What did she do?" Yugi finally whispered, feeling that the worst was over.
"She used a Fusion spell and combined herself with the Winged Sorceress. Along with the spell Renewing Water, she was able to heal herself and win the fight. Only, after the fight was over, the two didn't separate. The priests told me that it was because two different realms were at work, and the fusion looked to be permanent. I didn't want to accept it, and I blamed everyone for what had happened to my sister, including her. But it did no good, because she stayed the way she is, in the form you saw. And because I was too wrapped up in my selfishness, she pulled away from the mortal realm, staying longer and longer in the Shadow Realm. At least the monsters there made her feel welcome, unlike her own brother. Soon after that I ordered the Shadow Games stopped, and arranged for the Millennium items to be created. But in my hurry to seal away all that had altered my life, I missed a few points to the rituals. When the Millennium Ankh was created, it was meant to be for the woman who would be born again as a part of my sister's soul. Only, there wasn't enough left of my sister's soul to be reborn, and she was sealed inside the Ankh as half human, half monster, never to be anything else. Soon after, my soul was sealed into the Puzzle, to help the reborn part of my soul on its journey. And that is where you come in, Yugi."
"So I am a part of your soul?"
"We are part of each other, connected by mind and soul for the rest of this lifetime. What we are to do was not revealed to me before my sealing."
"Well, I suppose we'll have to figure it out together." Yugi smiled softly, gazing into the purple eyes that so eerily resembled his own. It was no wonder Yami looked almost exactly like him, if they really were part of the same soul. The smaller boy snuggled in closer, feeling safe and secure in the arms of the former Pharaoh.
Amber searched the darkness for any sign of the white-haired boy she'd seen with Yugi. The metal beams gleamed harshly in the light of her Ankh, casting menacing shadows on the stone walls. A shiver crawled up her spine as she reached out with her mind, using the Ankh's powers to locate the Millennium Ring. There it was, only a few feet into the metal graveyard! Stepping carefully, the dark-haired girl swung the Ankh left and right, hoping to see a golden gleam to show her the way. "Bakura!" she called, trying not to be too loud. 'The walls might be unstable and collapse if I call too loudly,' she told herself. She'd been in one too many ancient ruins not to be wary of collapse.
"Over here," a faint voice drifted up. Turning in the direction of the voice, Amber increased the brightness of the Ankh, lighting up a circle five feet around. Lying only a foot in front of her lay the object of her search, who blinked at the sudden brightness. He was lying on a pile of wires, and a few had scratched his face, the small cuts still bleeding. But the worst part was that a metal beam was lying across his midsection, preventing him from moving. Slight twinges ran through the rest of his body, and Amber knew he was in bad shape.
"Bakura, hang on. I'll get you out."
"Who are you?" he whispered, staring up at her with wide brown eyes. Fear and pain shown brightly in them.
"That's not important right now. I'm a friend, and that's all you need to know." Amber braced her shoulder against the beam, pushing at it with all her might. But even with the strength she'd received from the Winged Sorceress, the beam refused to budge. Then she spied the Ring, lying just above where the beam had fallen. But the Spirit inside hadn't been there last she'd checked, so would it be there now? It didn't matter, she needed help to free Bakura. Kneeling down quickly, Amber began to insert the point of the Ankh into the eye of the Ring. Bakura grabbed her hand with speed she didn't think he had, and she looked up at him.
"Please don't. Don't release him," he pleaded, voice a mere whisper now.
"The Spirit of the Ring? Why shouldn't I release him?"
"Because he's evil. You don't know what he's done; what he's made me do…"
"Does he have a name?" Amber asked, taking his hand in hers. It was icy-cold, and she knew he was in shock. She didn't have much time to get him out of there.
"When he's not calling himself Bakura? He does have a name. A very ancient one. Te'Osiri, I think." Amber paled at the mention of the name. It was a name she had not heard in over five thousand years. Te'Osiri, or Te'Os had been a thief caught stealing palace treasures. Both she and Yami had seen him imprisoned, but he had vowed revenge on the twins for what he saw as an injustice. Surely, that couldn't be the same man? But as she looked, Amber saw the similarities between Bakura and Te'Os. The thief had been a bit more smug, with dark circles beneath his eyes, the hair not as clean. But this boy in front of her could be none other than the reincarnated piece of Te'Os' soul, sealed away inside the Millennium Ring for centuries.
"I see. Well, I think I'll just leave him locked up a bit longer. But we still need to get you out of here," she said, thinking for a moment. 'Yami,' she called out with her mind, knowing any Spirit of the Items would be able to hear her. 'Yami, I need your help to free Bakura. I'm not strong enough.'
'We're coming, Amber,' came the reply. A few minutes later Yami and Yugi appeared, the latter holding his injured arm. Bakura's eyes nearly popped out of his head when he saw the two duelists.
"But how-"
"Shh, later," Amber told him, pressing a gentle finger to his lips. "Yami, on the count of three we'll push. Yugi, can you pull Bakura to the side?"
"I can try."
"All right, on the count of three. One… Two… Three!" Using all the strength they had, the twins strained against the metal beam, hearing it creak as it moved inch by inch. Bakura cried out in pain, and Yugi moved in and pulled him free.
"Amber, let it go," Yami said as they jumped back and watched the beam crash to the ground.
"All right, now we just have to get out of this cave."
"Amber, I don't think that'll be too easy," Yugi spoke up. "We don't know if there's a way out of here, and I don't think Bakura can walk." He glanced down at his friend, who was lying motionless on the ground, chest heaving in an effort to breathe. Yugi wasn't a doctor, but he was betting that Bakura was hurt pretty badly.
"I'll get you guys out," Amber told them.
"But how?" Then, in the light from the Puzzles and Ankh, Amber stretched what Yugi had thought was a black cape. Her leathery wings extended five feet in each direction, and she had to move so they wouldn't hit into any of the metal and wires around them. She flapped them a few times, lifting a few feet off the ground.
"I'll fly you out. After all, that's how I got down here."
Seto Kaiba had long since stopped running. No one was following him, and he didn't hear any voices in the woods. 'What happened to Pegasus' guards?' he asked himself. Then he remembered the dark shape that had made his escape possible. But what animals could be living on the island? Surely Pegasus wouldn't put his own men in mortal danger. 'Well, best not to dwell on it. But I will need to find Yugi and Bakura. Without them, I'll never get into the castle. And for them to trust me, I'll need to get their friends.' Kaiba grimaced at the thought of helping the others, especially that idiot Joey. But Yugi wouldn't trust him again after the guard-thing, so he needed a new plan.
"At least let the girls go," Joey could be heard saying. It had taken Kaiba only ten minutes at a brisk walk to find the clearing again. The two goons had guns pointed at the others, no expression on their faces.
"Sit down and shut up," #3 ordered, pointing the gun directly at Joey. Tristan pulled Joey back and made him sit down.
"Not now, man," he cautioned his friend. "We can't help Yugi and Bakura if we're swiss cheese."
"Fine," Joey said, clearly annoyed. All he knew was that his best friend was in trouble, and there was nothing he could do to help. Suddenly, a rustling in the bushes grabbed their attention, and the guards swung around to point their guns at the woods.
"Who's there?" #4 demanded, looking left and right. A moment later, Seto Kaiba stepped from the bushes, a smug look on his face.
"Kaiba?" Joey shouted in surprise.
"Hey, where are those other two kids?" #3 demanded, weapon aimed directly at Kaiba. The teen didn't even blink as he shrugged.
"How should I know? After some animal attacked your friends, they ran off."
"Animal? What the hell are you talking about?" #4 asked.
"I didn't stay to see what it was. It dropped from the trees and attacked our guards." Kaiba inclined his head at one of the guards, staring directly at Tristan.
'What's he up to?' the other boy wondered. Then he realized it. Kaiba was distracting the guards. "Joey," Tristan hissed.
"What?"
"You take the left, I've got the right."
"What are you- Oh…" Joey grinned broadly and chuckled. "Sure thing."
"One… Two…" Tristan began.
"Three!" Joey yelled, launching a punch at the one guard. The two goons turned around and caught both Joey and Tristan's fists square in the jaws. They crashed to the ground and lay still.
"Let's move!" Tristan said, grabbing Tea's hand and pulling her up. Joey took Mai, and the four of them followed Kaiba into the trees. After a few minutes of hard running, they stopped to catch their breath.
"All right Kaiba, start talking. Where's Yugi?" Joey demanded.
"And Bakura," Tea added.
"Is this the thanks I get for helping you losers ditch the goon squad?"
"Look, we appreciate the distraction, but we're worried about our friends," Tristan explained.
"That, and who know how many more gun-wielding buffoons Pegasus has sent after us," Mai pointed out.
"I'll show you the path your friends took, but you need to promise me something," Kaiba told them.
"I thought there'd be a price for helping us," Joey growled, glaring at the other duelist.
"I still need to get back into Pegasus' castle. And for that, I need Yugi and Bakura. You need to let me take them back."
"Over my dead-"
"Joey, stop," Mai told him, placing a firm hand on his shoulder. "Look Kaiba, you don't need to bring those two to Pegasus. We can get into the castle another way."
"Oh?" Mai smirked and held up her dueling glove, where ten star chips shone in the light.
"For some reason, all of us got our star chips back. We'll get into the castle through the duelists' door, just like last time."
"Wow Mai, that was pretty clever," Tea said. Mai smiled and fluffed out her hair.
"I'm more than just a pretty face, sweetie."
"All right Kaiba, there's the deal. Help us find Yugi, and we'll help you get back into the castle," Joey said.
"Fair enough. Follow me." With Kaiba leading the way, the five trooped into the forest, keeping their eyes open for their friends or more goons.
