Kitty: Hi guys. (cries) I'm SO sorry I haven't been updating!

Yugi: Well, now you are.

Kitty: Thank God.

Lina: R&R!

Chapter 33: Alla Luce de Sole

Five Minutes Later

POV: Marik

I felt myself wake up...

I slowly opened my eyes. My vision was blurry, but I could see the Pharaoh across the way from me, and next to him in chains was little Yugi, and he screamed in pain as part of his leg faded into the darkness.

I looked to the side of me to see my Yami laughing evilly beside me.

"Impressive, Pharaoh," he hissed, "But don't you see that it is our weaker selves who end up suffering? You may defeat me, but you'll have to give up my weaker self's life in order to do so!"

"No!" Yami whispered, his eyes on me.

I realized what must be happening: Malik and the Pharaoh were dueling for the world here. If my Yami wins, then the world will be destroyed and Yugi will be sent to the Shadow Realm (and since Yugi's the Pharaoh's host, Yami will go with him). But if the Pharaoh triumphs, I'll be gone...

I closed my eyes...no wait, eye, the other piece of my face had already been given to the darkness.

I'd be a sacrifice to ensure all was right...and I'm glad. I'll never be able to hurt anyone else again...and maybe the Pharaoh will forgive me for my sins if I died in his service.

POV: Kara

My eyes swerved around the dueling arena, and immediately narrowed. Now is the time I must step in.

"Malik!" I called out.

Everyone turned to look at me as I approached the arena.

Malik smirked. "What is it, malaika? Anxious to see my Hikari disappear?"

I glared. "No...actually I'm anxious to watch you get your ass kicked...and to see Marik make a miraculous escape from your control."

Malik laughed. "Your Necklace cannot defeat the Shadows! A Shadow Game will not end until its over and the terms have been met! You should know that by now."

"The terms were not in writing," I smirked, "So I can always manipulate them to suit my ends like you have before."

POV: Kaiba

Takara raised her hand so that her palm was facing "the real Marik." Almost immediately, her hand began to glow a green color.

My eyes widened. That's magic...but where have I seen that magic before? For that matter, when have I seen magic to begin with?

"Tomb Keeper Magic?!" Malik realized.

"Khayer!" Kara screamed.

The green magic went around her, and she vanished.

"She's gone!" Serenity said in horror.

"No, she's not," I heard Ishizu whisper.

Suddenly, Kara appeared next to Malik...in Marik's place under the chains.

"KARA!" Wheeler shouted.

"HOW CAN THIS BE?" Malik roared.

I looked where Takara had stood to see Marik on the ground. He winced as he got up and opened his eyes.

POV: Marik

What happened...?

I blinked, and everything came into focus.

"Marik!"

I turned to see Ishizu, and she gave me a hug of relief.

I stared. "Sister...?"

I whirled around to look at the arena. "KARA!"

Kara looked at me with sad, love-filled eyes. "Hello, Marik."

My eyes widened. Kara had used the "Switch" spell to switch her and my positions...so that she'd lose her soul if the Pharaoh won.

"KARA, GET DOWN FROM THERE!" I shouted, "KARA!"

As long as Kara didn't put all of her energy into the enchantment, she could be put back into her old position and I'd go back to the chains...but if she did and the Pharaoh won...I'll lose her and the twins for good...

Kara looked away from me, but instead looked at my Yami. "You're not getting rid of your Hikari that easily."

Malik looked furious. "You little bitch! I could've given you anything, and you throw it away on a pathetic weakling like my other self!"

"Better to save Marik and die myself," I hissed, "Then to live as property to a heartless bastard and to have my twins live the same way after me!"

Malik growled, before his hands glowed with purple magic. "Aawayer!"

The magic shot toward Kara, and slammed into her. Her scream echoed around the dueling arena.

"KARA!" Joey and Yami shouted together.

"STOP IT!" I yelled, "LEAVE HER ALONE!"

Malik smirked at me before the magic zoomed back to his hands. I watched my girlfriend wince and struggle to stay in the chains as she tried to recover from the "Pain" enchantment.

"Give it up!" Malik snapped, "Just surrender your hold on my Hikari's position, and you'll live!"

"Never!" Kara hissed, "My boyfriend has suffered enough because of you, and I'm not necessary to anyone but to you as your slut!"

Malik shook his head, and raised his magic-filled hand again. "Aawayer!"

Kara was ready, though. "Miraya!"

A green force field appeared, making the "Pain" spell bounce right off and back at Malik, who gritted his teeth to stop himself from screaming.

"Nice one, Kara!" Tea said.

I sighed in relief. Thank goodness Kara is alright...

But when I looked at Malik, my relief disappeared. His eyes were burning with fury and hatred.

"You were right for once, Kara," Malik whispered, "You aren't good for anything but as a whore...and since you won't have me, I think it's time for you to say goodbye."

His hand rose, and the purple magic became darker than before, as if his fury was combining with his strength as he chanted, "Maawitoo!"

Kara tried to summon her "Mirror" charm, but Malik's spell shot right through it, hitting Kara like an arrow on a target.

"KARA!" I screamed, before I felt myself drift back to where Kara had been.

POV: Yami

Kara vanished from the arena, and the Shadow-Realm-half-stolen Marik appeared in her place.

I turned around to see Kara on the ground...and she wasn't moving.

"Kara!"

Joey bent down next to Kara and brought her into his lap, slapping her face lightly.

"Kara, wake up," he whispered, "Kara!"

I saw a tear go down Marik's single cheek, and Ishizu bow her head, but I didn't get it. Was Kara hurt more than she looked?

Mokuba ran over to Kara and Joey and felt her pulse.

His young eyes widened in horror. "She doesn't have a pulse!"

I froze, and my other friends gasped.

No...

This can't be...

Kara's...dead?

Malik laughed insanely. "Let the duel continue, Pharaoh...if you dare to stand against my God Slime!"

My eyes narrowed as I looked upon that...I couldn't even call him a man, he was more like a bloodthirsty, heartless monster.

"You will pay for this, Malik!" I hissed, "Kara's sacrifice was for your Hikari and the rest of us, and after this, I cannot let you succeed with your evil plan!"

Malik laughed again. "Give me your best shot, Pharaoh! I'm waiting."

I looked at the cards in my hand, and then at his God Slime.

There must be some way to destroy it before he used it and the rest of his monsters to summon the Winged Dragon of Ra...

But I couldn't see one.

At The Rozene House

POV: Roth

I opened the door to the house and walked inside. I shut it behind me as my wife Heidi came over to me.

"Any sign of her?" she asked.

I hung up my coat, shaking my head. "I've looked everywhere...where could Kara be?"

"Don't worry, Roth," Heidi pecked my cheek, "I've already alerted the Police. They'll find her."

I nodded, but in reality, I had barely heard her.

This is all my fault...if I had only watched Kara more closely...and maybe spent more time with her...then maybe she wouldn't have run off...

Could she have gone after Marik?

I sighed. "I'm going to bed."

"I'll stay by the phone in case they call," Heidi comforted me as I climbed up the stairs to our bedroom.

I lay down on my bed and looked up at the ceiling. Oh, Kara...

((Flashback, Ten Years Ago))

"Roth?" my little sister whispered.

"I thought I should visit and make sure Mom and Dad are treating you well," I told her with a smile.

I hugged her.

"If Mommy and Daddy catch you, you'll be in big trouble," Kara said with worry, "They were really mad."

"Don't worry," I whispered as I stroked her hair, "They won't catch me...oh, by the way, I've got a present for you."

"A present?" Kara asked eagerly, "Ooh, what is it? What is it?"

I smiled as I took out the booster deck I'd bought her. "It's a Duel Monsters deck. Remember the Shadow Games Mom and Dad mentioned? This is a modern version of that!"

"Wow," Kara looked through the cards, "They're all so pretty..."

"Just don't let Mom see them, okay?"

"Alright, bro!" she replied with a loyal grin.

"Maybe one day I can show you the over-world, and you'll be able to duel people all the time," I said as I kissed her forehead.

"With other kids?" Kara asked, sounding nervous, "Wouldn't that be against the rules?"

"In the over-world, there aren't rules about class and status," I told her, "At least most of the time there aren't...but you can play with anyone you want, and it won't matter!"

"I wanna go up there now!"

"Not now," I whispered, "It's not safe now. But I promise, one day I will bring you up to the over-world...but you gotta stay close to me, you hear?"

"I will, I promise," Kara said sweetly.

(((End)))

I wish she actually had...

I sighed.

Kara, where could you be...?

"She is not far."

My head shot up to see someone in the doorway.

He wore a turban and gold earrings, and I found it hard to make eye contact with him: his blue eyes were so blank and expressionless that it was almost unnerving.

"Who...who are you?" I asked, "How did you get in?"

"How I got in is not necessary at this time," the man replied, "As for who I am, my name is Shadi."

I stared at him. "Well...may I ask what you want with me?"

"A struggle in destiny that has begun," Shadi said quietly, "And you aught to be there, being of Tomb Keeper blood."

I didn't even ask how he knew this stuff about me, but instead said, "I am not a Tomb Keeper any longer, so I doubt that very highly."

"Even so, I would assume you'd want to be there for your sister," Shadi whispered.

"KARA?" I jumped up from the bed, "WHERE IS SHE? IS SHE ALRIGHT?"

"She is with the Pharaoh, as should you," Shadi replied calmly.

My eyes narrowed. "There is no Pharaoh! Egypt had Pharaohs, and those were all myths and stuff."

"They were not myths," Shadi said, "The Pharaoh has awaken, and he must save the world from an evil threat once again...and I think you should be there."

I snorted. "I am not interested in watching a duel, I just want my sister to come home!"

"The Pharaoh, his friends and your sister are all in grave danger," Shadi said quietly, "If you want Kara alive, then you aught to go there."

I stared at him, before finally sighing. "Fine. How do I get there?"

"Take this."

A large golden ankh on a chain appeared in Shadi's hand.

"The Millennium Key?" I whispered as I took it from him, "But that's not possible...!"

"Anything is possible for the Guardian of the Millennium Items," Shadi replied, "And now...you must take my Key and use it to unlock the Shadow Realm. When you do, you will find Kara and her friends."

I looked down at the Key in my hand, before putting around my neck.

"I'll do it," I whispered, "Key, take me to my sister!"

The Millennium Key shone bright light, and I felt myself vanish from the room.

'Qui c'è il buio fuori di me

ed anche un pò dentro di me...

che assurdità questa città senza persone!

Io non so spiegar neanche come

ma non è questa la mia dimensione,

e la mia mente non è mai in pace,

è sempre altrove.

Tu dove sei? La tua voce dov'è?

Senza di te, senza il tuo aiuto

che sarà di me?'

-Josh Groban, 'All Luce de Sole'

Kitty: (crying) Sorry I haven't updated for so long, guys!

Lina: Oh, and here's the English translation for the song:

'Darkness lies outside me here,

And a bit inside as well...

How absurd is this desert city!

I can't even explain how,

But this is NOT my dimension,

And my mind never gets comfort,

It is always somewhere else.

But you... where are you? Where's your voice?

What about me if I don't have you,

If I don't get your help?'

Kitty: (sighs) Josh, you're such a romantic guy!

Yugi: (frowns) What about me?

Kitty: (glomps Yugi) You're still my boyfriend, aren't you? And I'm not sharing my bed with Josh Groban, am I?

Yugi: (grins)

Lina: (sweatdrop)

Kitty: Um... guys, I'm really, really sorry, but I feel too tired to do the reviews. I've had some really late nights thanks to school and other things, so pleeeeeeaaaassseeeee forgive me... (tears form in her eyes)

Lina: But we'll do the reviews next time, we promise!

Kitty: (sniff) R&R!