I don't own Yugioh.
The second to last chapter!
::cries::
I can't believe it's almost finished!
But, all good things must have an ending…
Sorry it took so long, but as I was halfway through with the chapter, I ran into a stumbling block and had to figure out how to get around it. Took a while…
Oh, and on some of the names, I'm just going on what I gathered from the web and made up (like Bakura's real name). If I got Yami's Egyptian name wrong or if Bakura's real name is known and I got it wrong, I apologize.
Well, on with the second to last chapter!
Chapter 60
Ra opened its eyes and looked at the area, then focused on the two other Gods in front of it and hissed, "Obelisk! Osiris! What are you two doing here!?"
"I should be asking you the same question," Osiris growled.
"You were sealed," Obelisk rumbled, "Why are you here now?!"
"Why are any of us here?!" Ra snarled, "We were sealed away by the Creator!"
"A foolish Gaian summoned me," Obelisk seemed to smirk, "He actually thought that he could control my power."
"Your power? You were one of the reasons why we were sealed away by the Creator in the first place, you rock!" Osiris opened its mouth and a huge hurricane-like attack went flying into Obelisk, causing the creature to slide back and growl.
"You are as guilty as Obelisk is," Ra reminded the other one.
"As are you! It's your power that was called upon…!" Obelisk started.
"WHAT!?" Ra's bellow made fire erupt from the earth. "Obelisk! It was your power that was drawn upon! Anything based off Earth and Metal was your calling!"
"And you're innocent?!" Osiris shot back a burst of power, "Fire and Light are your calling!"
"Like you should talk!" Ra shot a burst of fire at the other dragon-like God, "Your calling was Wind and Water!! We were sealed because of the fools that called upon us for greedy purposes!"
"And you don't call our meeting here now greedy?" Osiris snarled.
"We were called here to a dead planet…we might as well finish it," Obelisk stated.
"You always want to destroy things!" Ra sent a fire blast at Obelisk, "The Creator hasn't ordered us to destroy it…!"
"Forget the Creator! The Creator sealed us away!" Obelisk easily took the attacks and slammed Ra back with some rock-like attack.
"Well, I know what I want to destroy," Osiris glared at the other two.
"Another reason we were sealed away. The Creator told us that, should we ever meet, we would fight. I suppose we have no choice," Ra glanced at the other two Gods, drawing up to its full height to prepare for battle.
"Now you're talking my language," Obelisk smashed its fists together.
Osiris roared and flew into the sky, "Prepare yourselves! For there can only be one winner!"
"Or none at all," Ra reasoned.
"Enough talk. Let's fight," Obelisk ended its speech with a blast of rocky power sent at both Gods.
The other two retaliated, then slashed at each other.
"Geez…Yami's heavier then I thought…" Daisuke grunted as he dragged the unconscious body of Yami back towards the barrier.
"Yugi's light…" Seto smirked, carrying the smaller boy.
"Oop…one of them's about to fire again! Let's hurry!" Daisuke yelped.
The two quickly dragged the two boys back to the barrier.
"Are they alright?" Anzu asked worriedly.
"They expended too much energy summoning the Gods," Shinbu explained, taking his son from Seto, "They'll probably be out for a while…"
"Then who's gonna control those huge things?!" Jou exclaimed, pointing frantically at the three Gods that created another explosion as they clashed.
"I'm afraid that nobody can control them," Shinbu shook his head, "They're Gods, Jounochi. Not even the most skilled Holy Spellcaster or Hell Spellcaster could control them."
"Hell Spellcaster?" Ryou, who had woken up sometime during the summoning, questioned.
"What Kodai was," Sugoroku stated.
Isis interrupted, "I'm afraid the barrier is not going to hold much longer…"
"The Underground!" Daisuke remembered, "We have to evacuate the Underground! Those three giants are shaking the earth beneath them! It'll cave in!"
"Okay," Seto thought fast, "We'll have to split up. There are different entrances to the Underground. Get in through those and evacuate as many people as you can. If they don't want to come, don't hang around to convince them."
They nodded, flinching as the ground shifted under them again.
"Okay," Seto looked around at what he had to work with. Yugi, Yami, and Bakura are unconscious…not that I'd really trust Bakura. Though, he did help…no time for that. Let's see…Isis can't maintain a barrier forever…but maybe she can for just those three. Jou, Honda, Shinbu, and Yokan are injured…and Ryou isn't completely healed, too. Can't put the three kids in danger…
Another blast had a couple of them yelping.
"Listen up," Seto spoke, "Here's the plan. Isis will continue to create a barrier for Yugi, Yami, and Bakura. But the four of them need to get far away. Mokuba, Jade, and Malik…you three help to get the unconscious guys away while Isis maintains the barrier, then stay with them. And get them to the abandoned house we found when we first came here. Understood?"
"You can count on me, niisama!" Mokuba saluted.
"Right!" Jade nodded.
"Okay," Malik agreed.
Seto continued, "We'll pair up. Yokan, you and Ryou take the first Southern passage."
The two nodded.
"Daisuke and Anzu, take the second Southern passage."
Nods again.
"What's your name again?" Seto asked the woman kneeling over her son.
"Nagisa."
"Okay," Seto nodded, "Nagisa will go with Anzu to the third Southern passage."
"Right!" Anzu nodded determinedly. She glanced at Yugi. So much has happened…I can't let Yugi down now! Not after how hard he fought! How hard we all fought!
Seto continued, "Sugoroku, you'll go with Honda to the Western Passage." He eyed Honda for a moment, "I'm trusting you, here."
Honda nodded, "I'm on your side. Don't worry."
"I should hope I don't have to," Seto muttered, then spoke up again, "Daisuke and Jou, you two take the Northern passage."
"You got it, Seto!" Jou saluted playfully.
"Okay," Daisuke nodded.
Seto gave a curt nod, "And finally, Shinbu and myself will take the Eastern passage…"
"Wait just one moment, there!"
Seto blinked as an enraged girl stood up.
"What about me, huh?! I'm not just going to hang around here, you know!"
Seto and a couple others blinked.
"Let me help, too!" the teen continued.
"Um…who are you?" Seto frowned.
"Mai! MAI! Gawd, you people are so…"
"Okay," Seto interrupted, rolling his eyes, "Mai, you can go with Daisuke and Jou."
"Is that sarcasm I heard…?" Mai started.
"We don't have any time left," Seto glanced at the rampaging Gods, "At this rate, they'll be all over us. Everyone who's leaving the barrier, step to the outside. Isis, when I count to 'three', drop the barrier for one second."
"Woa!" Jou exclaimed, "Is that enough time for us to go…?"
"If you're in position and ready to run like you should be…," Seto stated, "…we don't have any time to spare. Everyone ready?"
Nods went up.
"Okay. On my count," Seto headed towards the edge of the barrier of light, "One…"
Everyone else scrambled to the edge.
"Two…"
A couple exchanged nervous looks, and others just gulped.
"THREE!"
Isis dropped the barrier, and the groups sprinted towards their designated area, trying to stay as far away from the rampaging Gods as possible. The barrier went back up in a second, and Isis kept the barrier up while Malik, Jade, and Mokuba helped to drag the three unconscious boys as far away from the battle as possible.
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"Hurry," Yokan insisted as the two ducked into the passage.
Ryou followed, frowning slightly as the earth crumbled around them. "The planet's dying…"
"It's been dying for quite some time," Yokan sighed, leading the two, "Though, I'm impressed that you have already been able to get in touch with the planet."
Ryou blushed a little and then sighed, "I finally find that I have more family…and then…"
"Don't give up," Yokan shook his head, "It may seem hopeless…but there has to be a way."
"A way for what!?" Ryou exclaimed, stopping, "Those three Gods are tearing the planet apart! The only way we got here was via the Millennium Items…and those disappeared as soon as we came!!"
"Ah…" Yokan smiled a bit, "…so you all found the truth in them, eh?"
"The…what?!"
"Those items originated in Gaia," Yokan continued through the passage, "They were created long ago, as means to contain power. They were used as amplifiers, if you wish to call them that."
"Amplifiers?"
"Yes," Yokan nodded, sidestepping a bit of collapsed earth, "Used to increase the power of Holy Spellcasters, as well as the other classes."
"There were others?"
Yokan nodded, "Of course. Healers, for one. A trained Holy Healer, with the power of one of the Millennium Items, could bring someone back from the brink of death."
Ryou blinked in shock, then shook his head, "But……how did they end up on Earth?"
"Their powers were being abused," Yokan sighed, using his staff to create a light when they headed into a dark portion of the tunnel, "The Council decided that, for the greater good, they would be thrown down to Earth. After all…nobody on Earth could use magic. They wouldn't be able to draw out the power of the amplifiers."
"But they did," Ryou interjected, "The Shadow Games…"
Yokan nodded grimly, "Yes…we heard of that. It started with a man named Pegasus, who dug up the items in an archeological dig in Egypt…"
Ryou's eyes widened, "I've heard of him…! We had to face him…!"
Yokan continued, "No…that wasn't the Pegasus that found the items. It was probably a descendant of the Pegasus that actually found them."
"So…they were passed on to future generations? But what happened back then?"
Yokan nodded, "We aren't quite sure how he was able to unlock the items. But perhaps it wasn't completely him. The Pharaoh at the time, Atemu, heard of this and ordered the items to be brought over to him. Somehow, he was able to unlock the items completely, and discovered the Shadow Games…a forbidden practice that was part of the reason why the items were discarded from Gaia in the first place."
Ryou frowned, "But…how did Atemu figure out how to unlock the power if he was just an Earthling?"
Yokan smirked a bit, "Ah…it was a shock to us as well. Why could somebody from Earth figure out what the items were used for and even recreate the Shadow Games and bring them to Earth? Then, we realized it. The Pharaoh, Atemu, was originally from Gaia, himself."
"What?!"
Yokan nodded, "Yes. He had been banished as a teenager for practicing the Shadow Games. He had no memories of his life on Gaia, but somehow, the items unlocked the memories. He ruled over Egypt with the power of the Shadow Games…but that didn't last."
"What happened?"
"He had a change of heart," Yokan stated, "when he saw his royal court and other people abusing the power of the Games and using them for evil. Like raiding, stealing, and murdering without cause. He used all his power to seal all the evil-doers into some of the items and cast them all over the Earth. Doing this, however, drained him of his powers, and he, too, was sealed inside one of the items."
Ryou listened avidly as they reached the passage that would lead them to the Underground. He stopped and turned to his uncle, "But…who…?"
"Haven't you figured it out, yet?" Yokan smiled a little, "His name on Gaia was Ryuushin."
"Ryuushin…where've I heard that before…?" Ryou frowned, wracking his memory. Everything that had happened was almost like a fairy tale to him…and a blur. It happened so fast and so intensely, that he had trouble remembering. He frowned. Then, he blinked, "Wait…Bakura was sealed into the Ring…!"
Yokan nodded, "Yes…the Tomb Raider, who used the Shadow Games for evil, had been one of those to be sealed inside one of the items. Though, it wasn't Bakura who sealed the powers away."
"What…what was his name? His real name?" Ryou asked, "Bakura's, I mean."
"Nomu," Yokan responded, "Why do you ask?"
Ryou shrugged, wincing and rubbing his shoulder, "Nothing…"
Yokan shook his head with a small smile.
Ryou was silent as they plodded on, then stopped again, "The Pharaoh…the one that sealed the items away…"
"Yes," Yokan noted the light of realization in his nephew's eyes, "It was the one that you call now call 'Yami'."
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Anzu and Nagisa walked along in silence for a while.
"It has been a while since I've traversed these passages," Nagisa smiled sadly, then looked at Anzu, "You are friends with my son?"
Anzu snapped out of her thoughts and nodded with a slight blush, "Yea. We've been friends since we were kids."
"How has he been?" Nagisa asked anxiously.
Anzu hesitated, "Well……he was…his foster parents weren't that nice to him. He was shy and scared when I first met him. Some bigger kids were picking on him…I don't like to see anyone bullied. So I stopped them. We became friends afterwards. Best friends. He always knew how to cheer me up. What he lacked in physical strength, Yugi always made up for in the strength of his heart."
"You call him 'Yugi'…why is that?" Nagisa asked.
"Oh…that's his name on Earth," Anzu responded, "Yugi. Even though I know his real name…it still seems strange to call him 'Tenko' when I've been calling him 'Yugi' for years."
"I suppose that would be somewhat strange…which does he prefer?" Nagisa asked.
Anzu shrugged, "I think he likes them both…though, he's probably more used to 'Yugi'. You'll have to ask him."
They lapsed into silence once more.
Anzu spoke again, "Um…I heard from Mokuba that you were sealed in some giant crystal in a cavern that was full of plant life. How is that?"
Nagisa smiled, "Ah…well, when the war started and both my husband and my son disappeared, I remembered a legend."
"Legend?"
"Yes. One about three Gods that were sealed away. Once they were free of their bonds, they would fight with each other, and eventually destroy one another, causing the planet to break apart."
Anzu's eyes were wide, "Then…the Gods fighting up there are…"
"There wasn't any choice," Nagisa shook her head, "Once Obelisk was free…it was lucky that the boy was able to free me from the crystal."
"Why were you in the crystal?"
"I went down to the Secret Garden," Nagisa explained, "the place where that boy and the young girl found me. That's where I had hidden the sealed forms of Osiris and Ra. Obelisk had been missing since the war started, so I was determined to at least keep those two safe. The goal of the Kurayami had to do with finding the three sealed Gods. So, I cast a spell on the room, and myself, pocketing the God cards. The spell put me into what you would call suspended animation. And the only thing that would be able to wake me or crack through the crystal is a pure heart who can hear the melody that the crystal puts out."
"Melody……the song? The song that some of the group heard when we reached Gaia, you mean?" Anzu realized.
Nagisa nodded, "Yes. The overall meaning is 'till we meet again'. When somebody who can hear the song comes and frees me, that means that it is time for something big to happen…it is the Twilight of Gaia."
"The Twilight of Gaia?"
Nagisa nodded, "In other words, it means that Obelisk has been freed, and the other two Gods are needed to stop his mad destruction. However, the three are destined to fight to their deaths, and ultimately will also destroy the planet itself."
"But…what can we do?" Anzu asked desperately.
"Isis knows of the legend," Nagisa stated, "And she knows of another legend that is supposed to be able to save both Gaia and Earth."
"Wait…what does Earth have to do with it?"
"Well…when Gaia collapses, it will endanger the people of Earth to eternal darkness and eventually, the planet will cease to exist as well, sucked into the maw of chaos."
Anzu could only stare in horror. "No…it can't be…isn't there a way to stop it?!"
Nagisa sighed, "Yes……but the conditions for stopping them will be hard to meet. Not to mention that it's a long shot in its own."
Anzu was stunned, then shook her head, "We can't give up……we've come this far. So much has happened……the battles, the truces, the adventure…we can't back down now. I refuse to think that it's going to end like that!" tears ran down her face, and she quickly wiped them away. "We've all come so far……we're not going to stop now."
Nagisa smiled. "I agree. And by the way…I'm curious as to the way you were looking at my son earlier. It looked almost like………hmm…is it true that you perhaps have a crush on him?"
"EH!?" Anzu turned bright red.
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It had taken some time, but the large group of people finally met back at the house where they had first come. Malik was using his own power to help Isis reinforce the barrier that surrounded the house, shielding them from the devastating attacks that caused the very planet to be torn apart.
Little by little, the rescue groups had emerged from the Underground with people following them, helping the injured and protecting them as best as they could from the battle on their way.
Though they were quite far from the actual battle, it felt like the battle was encompassing the entire planet.
"In a way, it is," Isis explained when Mokuba asked, "The Gods each control two of the six elements…Nothing (light and dark), Metal, Fire, Wind, Water, and Earth. The battle is actually a battle of the planet itself."
Mokuba frowned, then smiled when Seto came into the barrier, followed by Sugoroku and the rest of his group. The last group to come in. "Niisama!"
Seto smiled tiredly, "I'm glad to see you're okay, Mokuba."
"Well, everyone's here," Shinbu looked around.
"Now what?" Anzu asked anxiously, "We can't let both planets be destroyed!"
Some of the others who hadn't heard the story looked confused.
Isis stood up, "There is a way…but it is most likely impossible."
"If there's one thing I've learned," Anzu looked at her with determination glinting in her eyes, "on this journey, it's that there's always hope, even when it seems that hope has been lost." She glanced briefly at the unconscious figures of Yugi and Yami, "They've taught me that."
Some of the others smiled, and agreed (loudly, in Jou's case).
"Alright," Isis nodded, "I will tell of the thing that can happen. It is said that it must be done as soon as the Gods destroy each other. Too soon, and Earth will be caught up in the battle. Too late, and it will be for naught. But the legends and myths say that when the Gods destroy each other, Gaia and Earth will form a link. That link will allow the two planets to merge into one."
They stared in shock.
Isis continued, "In order to actually merge the two planets into one, it will take two people. One from Earth, and one from Gaia. They must be of the same season, and same blood."
"Same blood?" Jou blinked.
"Blood type," Seto responded.
Isis nodded. "And, they must be naught but children. So says the legend."
"When you say 'children', you mean…us?" Honda asked.
"No," Isis shook her head, "Young children, it applies to."
"Then…the only young child here from Earth is…"
"…Mokuba."
The ground shook and a flash of light tore apart some of the surrounding buildings. The ones inside the barrier flinched on instinct, and calmed down when it passed.
"Me?" Mokuba's eyes were wide. He looked around, then narrowed his eyes in determination and nodded, "Okay! What do I hafta do?"
"First, we must find the 'other'," Isis stated, "And we don't have much time…"
"I'm the same age as Mokuba," Malik stated.
Isis held her hand over Malik, then Mokuba, her hand glowing. She shook her head, her expression turning grave, "No…they have different blood types."
"This can take forever! There are tons of kids here!" Jou was close to panic.
Mai whacked him over the head, "Calm down, moron! Panicking never solves anything!!"
Jou rubbed his head, sending a pout-glare at Mai.
Jade looked around. She had been quiet since she heard of her father's death, and hadn't spoken to anyone or even responded. Finally, she stepped forward, "Scan me."
"Jade…?" Mokuba blinked.
Isis nodded as another ripple from the battle sent a shockwave that nearly destroyed the barrier.
"Damn," Seto muttered, looking over and getting up after they were all knocked off their feet, "Nothing's going to last much longer."
Isis scanned Jade.
They waited in tense silence.
"It may work," Isis finally stated. She interrupted the cheering, "We need to start the ritual now. Seto is right…there isn't much time."
"What do we need to do?" Mokuba asked.
"First," Isis looked around, "We need the elements. Something of water, wind, fire, and earth." She frowned, "We also need a magic circle."
"Something of the elements…? How do we do that?" Jou asked.
"Summon?" Anzu asked.
Isis shook her head. "No…an object."
"Like this," Shinbu held up a rock, "From the earth."
They nodded and went about searching the area as Nagisa drew the magic circle in the ground with Holy magic.
Isis directed them to put the items they found on the correct corners.
A rock for the earth.
A feather for the wind.
A seashell for the water.
A bit of charcoal for the fire.
"Stand in the center," Isis directed the two kids, and looked around, "Daisuke, lend me your knife."
Daisuke blinked but nodded, handing over the small knife.
Isis went over to the two kids, "I'm going to cut into each of your fingers. Not much, just enough to draw blood. Okay? All you two have to do is concentrate on Earth and Gaia becoming one when your fingers are joined. Mokuba concentrate mainly on Earth, and Jade concentrate mainly on Gaia. Understand? There's still a chance this won't work. Do you still want to do it?"
The two kids nodded.
The rest of the group nodded as well.
"The rest of you," Isis turned to everyone who was present and conscious, "You need to concentrate on the two becoming connected as well! Feel with your hearts!"
That statement left a few of the people confused.
"Believe in them!" Anzu translated, calling over the din of confusion, "Believe in the kids, and believe in everything! If you don't, it won't work!"
Some looked skeptical.
"You can't give up now!" Jou added, "If ya do, how can you expect ta say that you defended your home land?! Do some'n about it!"
"We've seen a lot up until now," Seto crossed his arms, "And you all have to understand that it's important to trust what we're saying."
"Do you want to live?" Mai shouted at them, "Or do you want to die?! If you want to die, then step out of this barrier! What do you think is holding this barrier together? Magic? Ha! Where do you think magic comes from!?"
"That's right! It comes from the heart!" Ryou added, glancing at the unconscious Bakura and then at the group of Gaians. He saw his mother, Maya, come up behind him and put a hand on his shoulder, and felt even more confident then he had in his entire life, and continued, "We have friends and family that we all value! You have to believe!"
"Stand up and be counted!" Honda pointed at them, "It's the only way!"
"Believe in us!" Jade pleaded. "For my father, and everyone else that fought!"
"For niisama, and Yugi-niichan, and everyone else that helped!" Mokuba agreed.
"You have to!" Malik grew determined as Yokan nodded behind him, "You have to believe!"
It was silent for a while as another shockwave hit the planet.
"We don't have much time," Ryou announced, "The planet is dying faster!"
"It's coming apart," Yokan felt it as well.
"Well?!" Jou looked at the Gaians, "What will it be?!"
Silence. Then…
"I believe!" Daisuke stood up.
"Me, too!"
"So do I!"
"Me, as well!"
The group smiled at each other. Jou let out a whoop as everyone closed their eyes.
Light could be seen surrounding them, and the group from Earth followed the example.
The barrier shattered, and wind batted at them. Yet, they remained firm.
There was a flash of light from the battle sight.
Isis cut into Mokuba and Jade's fingers, "Now…" she looked over at the battle site and then at the planet, closing her eyes until she felt it. "…it's now or never! Press your fingers together!"
Mokuba and Jade did so, then closed their eyes and concentrated on what they were told as Isis started chanting as the world seemed to collapse around them.
"You who is from earth, lend your powers
You who is from fire, lend your powers
You who is from water, lend your powers
You who is from wind, lend your powers
You who was borne from nothing, lend your powers
You who is from the darkness and from the light, lend your powers
Let the two who are joined by the red thread of fate and blood be tied together
Let the two who are joined by the power of the elements that makes up the fiber of your being be pulled together!
Let the two who are joined by the pact of love and light who were separate now become one!
RELEASE!!"
There was a brilliant flash of light that originated from the magic circle, and collected the light coming from the ones nearby. The light enveloped everything, until those that still had their eyes open had to force them shut.
The ground gave another shudder beneath them as the light spread.
Then, it all went to darkness.
THE END…?
Of course it's not the end! I'm not that sadistic that I'd end it like that!
Epilogue is next.
Thank you, everyone, who has stuck with the fic for this long. Even after it was removed from ff.n and I had to reload it. I hope this chapter was a good one, and the last chapter will be up as soon as I can get it up.