Pretty long wait huh? Yup, I'm annoying.... Well, I ain't gonna yack on like I usually do, read away!
Response To Reviews: Una1: Hey Una! Thanks for the Christmas greeting through e-mail, Merry Christmas to you too! Heehee, ya liked it that much huh? Glad to hear! Sorry the update took so long, but better late then never, right? Thanks for the review!
Sorceress Vanessa: Don't worry SV, then wont all die. I did that once and was never happy with myself for it -sweatdrop- Besides, ya think I'd kill off Ryoura already? You're nuts! -glomps Ryoura-
Haven't heard from yaz in ages, writers block or just-don't-feel-like-writin'? That's what I've been for the past... MONTH?! I better try gettin' meself into gear... Glad yaz liked the chappy SV! Hope this one entertains, though I'm sure it's not that good... Enjoy all the same!
YumeTakato: Sorry for the long wait... Hope it's half as good as ya hope.
bookdragon: Updatin' is kinda one of me weak points lately, huh? -sweatdrop- Heehee, sounds like yaz liked it XD Hope yaz enjoy this chappy too!
Yami Silverdramon: Evil is my middle name... MWHAHAHAHA! ... Actually my middle name is Helen, but Evil sounds more... me XD Enjoy the chappy, ENJOY IT I SAY!
Chicary: Really? You liked that part? I thought it was a cool idea, but I didn't write it well -sweatdrop- Glad yaz liked it though! Thanks for the review and enjoy!
Wings Of A Phoenix: Believe me you'll be praying for the end soon... -points to the 'Warning'- heehee... um... enjoy?
padfootgrl126: Glad ya think that way, but I'll never like me stuff. The one thing I did like was the last chappy I had written for this, and that got DELETED! ... Actually, after that got deleted I stopped writing so often... meh, enjoy the chappy!
Ashla: Greetings sister! Greeting YamaSue! Is DeathRinger nearby? Yes? Then I shall run. Enjoy the chap- AH! -runs away from DeathRinger- EVIL!
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!
"This is talking"
'These are thoughts'
Joe coughed heavily, tears of pain streaming down his face as he struggled to breathe, only succeeding to swallow a small amount of blood. Nothing felt broken (yet), but he knew Kage was only toying with him, and they real torture would begin soon if Steve's plan didn't work.
Ilia had tried to help him, but Kage had practically brushed her aside with one attack, pinning her to the wall. Magical shackles clamped around her ankles and wrists, holding her to the wall. Kage had never had so much fun. But there was one thing bothering him. His magic was much weaker then it had been a few minutes ago, when he had been defending himself from the monsters. At first he narrowed it down to too much use of magic, but now he was having second thoughts.
Then it hit him. Taking his gaze away from Joe and looking down, his eyes widened. Where was the Millennium Ring?
His Millennium Eye glowed powerfully and swept through the mind of the blond before him, searching through his memories. It only took a few seconds to find what he was looking for. An image from Joe's memories materialised in his mind, showing when Steve had latched his arms around Kage's shoulders. He watched in shock as the boys left hand grabbed the rope of the Millennium Ring while, as he was blasted away by Kage's magic, the right hand with the dagger cut through the rope without problem.
The brat had taken the Ring without him even realising it! But... what had he done with it? Allowing Joe to crumple to the ground, Kage spun around, then froze.
Bakura stood before him, a blade of emerald green, fiery magic in his right hand - the Millennium Sabre. The light from the blade cast eerie shadows along the tomb-robbers angered features, eye's glowing slightly, also. Taking one step back he raised the blade beside him, holding the hilt with both hands with the point towards Kage. Narrowing his eyes in rage and hate, which now replaced what would have been a sadistic grin millennia ago, his voice hissed, venomous as ever, "May Ammet devour what little heart you have..." 1 He dove forward at Kage, attempting a quick kill with a direct strike through the heart. Unfortunately, Kage summoned a shield just in time. Though it drove through the shield, his assault was slowed enough for Kage to dodge.
"That's rich, coming from a tomb-robber," Kage retorted, summoning a Blade Knight beside him.
"Are you afraid to fight me yourself?" Bakura hissed, readying his sword as the Monster drew it's own. "Do you always hide behind your monsters, coward?"
Kage shrugged with a smirk. "Call me what you will, tomb-robber, I don't respond to imature taunting tactics."
Bakura growled and raised his blade, eyes now glowing faint red colour with his green blade glowed bright, showing his increase in anger. He made short work of Blade Knight, but another monster quickly took it's place. Then another, and another, until Kage summon five at once.
"Let's see how you handle these..." Kage muttered, grinning. There was no way Bakura would be able to fight them all off as easily as the first, they were much stronger, faster and smarter.
"You're... you're a.. a c-coward..."
Kage looked lazily back at Joe's crumpled form, raising an eyebrow as the boy coughed up another large amount of blood. Glancing sideways, he noticed Steve was over with Ilia, trying to find a way to pry the exhausted girl free from the magic that bound her to the wall. Turning his attention back to the blond, he smiled sinisterly. "You should know when you hold your tongue boy..." A narrow wave of magic shot from the Millennium Eye and struck Joe in the chest, causing him to cry out and cough up even more blood, tears of pain mixing with the red liquid on the floor.
"You're just lucky I don't have time for you right now, I have a job to finish." Kage smirked and turned away from Joe, walking calmly over to where Ryoura lay, struggling to breathe, though he still lay unconscious. Kage stood next to the boy and smirked down at him, shaking his head. "Poor Ryoura..." he muttered in a mocking tone, reaching down and catching the front of his shirt, lifting him up and causing his breaths to shorten.
Steve tried desperately to help, but with a simple wave of his hand he was shackled to the wall next to Ilia, only with much tighter shackles. "Bakura!" Steve called, hoping to catch the tomb-robber's attention.
"Save your breath..." Kage muttered, raising his hand towards his dagger lying on the floor a few feet away. The blade hovered up then back to his hand. He turned looked down at Ryoura and narrowed his eyes. "No more games, this ends now." He drew back his dagger and dove it to Ryoura's heart.
A bright white arrow shot the dagger in his hand mere millimetres from Ryoura's chest, knocking the blade out of his hand and sending it flying threw the air momentarily before it exploded into glowing dust, then faded away. Shocked Kage looked to his right, only to see a white, glowing form of Yugi Mouto, with a bow in pointing in Kage's direction. The spirits angered expression softened as his eyes looked over Kage's shoulder. With a playful, unsettling smirk, he lowered his bow an faded to a completely white light, darting up and out of the room in the blink of an eye.
"This makes no sense... How is the Puzzle still working when Yujhi's gone and no spirit inhabits it? The items only respond to the soul of the owner, why should the Millennium Puzzle act any different?" He sighed and stood up. "There's something messed up here, but sense I can't find out, I'll just eliminate the wall between me and the item. He looked back at his own monsters and smirked. No monsters, no game."
The Dark Magician Girl looked up and narrowed her eyes at Mark. She knew what he was up to, but what could she do about it? Yujhi was gone and only the mysterious power hidden in the Millennium Puzzle was keeping them there. "We need help..." "Seiyaryu go!" Mark point towards Yujhi's monsters. The large, dinosaur-like dragon reared back and released a river of white flames, which made very quick work of Yujhi's Flame Swordsman. The rest of the monsters leapt back, dodging the onslaught of attacks that followed.
"Mark stop!" The Dark Magician Girl yelled, leaping away from one of the attacks while holding Yujhi carefully in her arms. "This isn't part of the game!"
"Who cares. The games over; I've won!" Mark exclaimed before ordering his Sword Hunter to join the battle. The warior had a hard time trying to get any of the monsters, but with the help of Seiyaryu he quickly destroyed Harpies Brother, despite the fly monsters extreme speed. "So much for your friends, now only you and your pet lizard remain..."
The five of Mark's stronger monsters quickly circled the two remaining monsters, each one prepared to attack with great accuracy. Mark smirked at raised his hand, ready to give the order to attack. "It's over..."
Looking back over his shoulder, Kage realised what Yugi had been smiling about. Bakura stood six feet behind Kage, head lowered so his fringe covered his eyes. The blade by his side was still glowing, but only a faint green colour. Save for that, he looked perfectly fine. "Did those monsters do anything to him?"
Bakura's grip tightened on his blade and the green flames burned a bright, blood red. Looking up, his normally deep brown eyes had turned a murderous red colour, standing out in his pale features. Raising his blade, he hissed, eye's narrowing and voice loud. "No one hurts my hikari and LIVES!" With one quick swipe of his Millennium Sabre, he tore viciously through Kage's left side, up his back and drove the blade through his stomach, narrowly but skillfully missing Ryoura, all in a single second.
Pulling the blade out, Bakura skidded forward and caught Ryoura's limp form in one arm when Kage's grip dropped. "Ryoura?" he shook the teen lightly, the red in his eyes vanishing instantly at the sight of his hikari so weak. Kage collapsed to his knees in front of him, then to his side, but Bakura paid no attention. The man had died before the second Bakura landed an attack.
The magic holding Steve to the wall let go and he stumbled slightly to the side. When Ilia's disappeared, she yelped and fell down on top of Steve. "Sorry!" she apologized, jumping off him and kneeling next to him, to exhausted to stand. He attention left Steve once he nodded in response and turned to that of her father lying on the floor, pools of blood spilt around it. Steve looked up, also, and frowned. "Ilia..." he looked over at the girl next to him and placed a hand on her shoulder in an attempt to comfort her. Her response came as a complete surprise to him.
"He had it coming..." Ilia spat bitterly, turning her head away to stare at the floor. She smiled weakly at Steve to reassure him, then made her way over to Joe. "Hey, you ok?"
Joe coughed heavily and gritted his teeth. "Never felt better..." he moaned.
"Ryoura, come on..." Bakura whispered. He narrowed his eyes when he got no response, dropping to his knees and sitting the teen down in front of him. Ryoura limply leaned his head against his yami's shoulder, features relaxed but breathing far to slow for Bakura's liking. Hovering one hand a few centimetres over the wound on Ryoura's chest and placing the other on the boy forehead, a soft green glow surrounded him and his hikari. "Don't you dare give up on me..." Bakura whispered, focussing all his energy into sharing his life force and healing Ryoura's injury.
"Is he going to be ok?"
Bakura cast a short glance to the side, simply shaking his head in response to Steve's question. "I wish I knew... but if he goes so do I."
Steve shifted slightly (with Joe's arm around his shoulders and Steve being used as the main support for his injured friend, it was hard to keep balance) and frowned. Turning his head to his to his left he looked to Ilia for answers, but she couldn't say anything to ease his anxiety. It was all up to destiny now.
Mark turned around to face the distant voice, but was blinded as a bright force broke through the barrier of the Shadow Realm and a beam of white light shot past him, hitting the floor next to the Dark Magician Girl and forming into shape. Mark's eyes widened when the light dimmed, leaving the spirit of the Millennium Puzzle standing in front of him. "What the... how did you get back?"
"Yujhi!" Yugi turned and darted over to his other half, tearing him from the Magician's arms and kneeling to the floor, the lifeless boys body lying across his lap. He shook the younger boy lightly, but there was no response. "Yujhi wake up... wake up!" he yelled, tears brimming in his eyes. Still no response.
"Yugi..." the Dark Magician Girl frowned, tightening her grip on her staff and biting her lip. "I'm sorry..."
"No... this isn't happening," Yugi muttered, shaking Yujhi again, "Yujhi, please, wake up! Wake up!" His voice was slightly hoarse, his breaths heavy as he attempted to wake his other half. Swallowing hard, he hugged the boy to his chest and buried his face in Yujhi's hair.
Mark narrowed his eyes in annoyance. He was fed up of waiting to get his prize, and he didn't want to wait any longer. "Seiyaryu get them!" Mark ordered, and the dragon obeyed, taking a deep breath and releasing a stream of white flames, aimed straight at Yugi and Yujhi.
The Dark Magician Girl's eyes grew wide and she cried out in warning, "Yugi!"
Yugi's angry eyes snapped open and narrowed at the oncoming flames. Laying his hikari down quickly but carefully, he rose to his feet and raised his left hand above his head, as if reaching for something. Throwing his head back, a white, blinding glow surrounded him once again, he cried to the sky. "Dragons of Light and Destruction, I summon you!"
Ilia, who had been watching closely, narrowed her eyes at the spot where the beams disappeared with confusion. "...to the Shadow Realm...?" she whispered curiously.
Bakura's body relaxed and the green light around him vanished. Breathing heavily, he looked down at the boy in his arms. If Bakura was alive, then the spell had been a success, but then why was Ryoura still unconscious? Placing a hand on the teens shoulder he shook him lightly. "Ryoura...?"
Yugi stood before all his monsters, head lowered and arms hanging limply by his sides. Raising his head slowly, his eyes locked with Mark's. The hatred bore into him like a knife. "You killed him..."
Mark stood up, posture tense but confident. "He lost the Shadow Game. It wasn't my fault he-"
"You killed him..." Yugi whispered harshly, shoulders and fists shaking as he tried to contain his rage. "And you cheated..." a cold scowl spread across Yugi's features, his eyes narrowed in hate.
"N-no I didn't, he-"
"The game was unfair and set up... And you know what? The Shadow Realm doesn't forgive cheaters, Ishtar."
Covering his mouth with both hands, he looked down and spotted a shackle around his ankle was conected to a chain made into a giant rock. He tried tugging lightly, but it didn't budge. Taking his hands from his mouth he gripped the chain and pulled hard, but the jerky movement only served to let him lose a small amount of oxygen. He couldn't escape!
A chuckle surrounded him, one he did not recognise. Echoing through his mind, the voice taunted "Having a nice swim?" the man chuckled again. "It's about time I fed my revenge, Bakura..."
The scenery around him changed dramatically, water disappearing and allowing him to land on a black, marble floor. The black, purple and red swirls of the Shadow Realm surrounded him, while silence filled the air. The almost peaceful silence was broken, suddenly, by a cry of pain and heartbreak. Spinning around, Ryoura froze at the sight of his other half, kneeling on the floor, with blood splashed and smeared all over his shirt and pants. His hands were clenched into his fists, blood of the mysterious victim covering his palms, shaking from either fear or shock. "B-Bakura?" Ryoura stuttered, but he made no response.
Bakura shook his head and shut his eye's tight. "How...?" he whispered shakily, falling forward to his hands a knees. "How could this happen...?"
"Bakura?" Ryoura called again, but as he did the image of Bakura broke into many tiny fragments and dissappeared. Looking around, Ryoura spotted Yugi standing a little further away with his back to Ryoura. He was very tempted to call the spirit, but he saw no point. Obviously, no one could hear him.
Yugi crossed his right arm across his chest them swung it right, a shining, silver sword appearing in his hand. He sliced through the air a few times, as if practising, fighting in patterns as though against invisible warriors, before pausing, sword held horizontally above his head, eyes shut as silent tears rolled down his face. "I'm sorry..." he whispered, tightening his grip on the hilt. Slicing downwards, he seemed to cut a hole in the Shadow Realm; a blinding light erupting in the midnight setting. Shielding his eyes, he suddenly became aware that voices were calling him.
"Ryoura...?"
He knew that voice. "Bakura...?" his voice was hoarse and he hurt all over. Forcing his eyes open, he found his vision much more blurred then before. "At least I'm not under water..." he thought, taking a few deep breaths to try and wake himself. It took him a minute or two to realise where he was. Looking up he was surprised to see Bakura looking at him with deep concern in his eyes.
"Are you ok?" Bakura asked.
"I think so..." Ryoura tried to raise a hand to press against the side of his pounding head, but his strength was completely gone. As his memory began to return, he remembered Kage and began to panic. "What happened, where is he?"
"Calm down Ryoura, he's gone." Bakura hugged the panicking teen slightly as he spoke. "You don't have to worry about him ever again."
Ryoura looked up at Bakura with confusion. He hadn't paid attention the drops of blood on his other half's shirt before, but now they sparked his attention. Looking sideways, his eyes grew wide at the sight of the dead man lying so nearby. Though horrified at the sight, he was overcome by relief. Sighing heavily and leaning into Bakura again, he whispered, "Thank you..."
Bakura smiled at Ryoura as the teens eyes drifted closed, falling almost instantly into a deep slumber. Looking around, his expression became more serious, remembering the spirit of the Puzzle that had helped them earlier. "Where's Yugi?"
"He... He left." Steve said simply, as if just realising the spirits absence himself, "I don't know where too."
"I do." Ilia stated, looking towards the door. "To fight my brother... come on, we've got to hurry!"
Mark's eyes grew wide as all three Blue Eyes White Dragons roared loudly and released there attacks. He instinctually raised his arms up to protect himself, his scream of agony breaking threw the dead silence of the Shadow Realm. He was going to be banished here, forever!
But all of a sudden someone called out, and the attacks ceased instantly. Collapsing to his knees, all went black as he fell to the ground.
She was surprised that, insteed of entering a battle-field, she was greeted with an almost deathly silence. Around the plain room, whisps of purple and red still fogged the area, and, though the room was abnormally warm, Ilia couldn't help but shiver. "Hello?" she called, looked around the room. It was impossible to see more then a few feet into the fog.
Bakura stepped into the room next, closely followed by Steve and Joe. Narrowing his eyes at the mist, Bakura walked further into the room with little hesitation. Ilia followed while Steve stayed with Joe, trying to keep the tomb-robber in her sights. He paused suddenly, causing her to bump into him and his hikari. "What's wrong?"
Bakura glance back at her, then lifted his foot and stepped over something, walking on. "Look's like your brother had a hard time in the game."
"What?" Ilia looked down and her eyes grew wide. Mark lay motionless on the floor, numerous burn marks all over his face and arms, and eyes shut tight in pain. "Mark!" She exclaimed in surprise, dropping to her knees beside him and shaking him lightly. Even if he was evil, he was still her little brother, and she cared deeply for him. Tears brimmed in her eyes as she looked down at her younger sibling, "You idiot..."
She almost jumped out of her skin when he coughed and opened his eyes. Blinking weakly a few times, his gaze finnally landed on her, "Ilia?"
"You're ok!" Ilia exclaimed, hugging her brother tightly. He only gave her a weak hug back, but she was happy for it. "I was so worried..." Then a thought struck her. "Did... did you win?"
Mark coughed and shook his head.
"Then how are you...?"
"Yugi." Mark responded simply. Releasing his grip on her, he lay back down on the floor and looked up at Ilia. "He... spared me. After everything I did, he called off his monsters attack and spared me..."
Ilia was shocked. She knew Yugi was a nice enough guy, but if she was in the same situation she may have let the person to the Shadow Realm. "Wow..." She had been told how forgiving and merciful Yugi was, but she had never really believed it. "So... everything's ok?" she asked. There was no answer. "Mark...?"
Bakura narrowed his eyes through the cloud and groaned, "Stupid fog always takes so long to clear when opened in a small area..." Looking back at Ryoura he frowned. The teen was uncomfortable in the area, even in his sleep. Subconsciously, he reached up and touched the Ring around Bakura's neck, drawn to it's magic. "Good idea..." Bakura mumbled with a smile. Concentrating his energy, he used the magic of the item to clear a five foot radius around him. "Yugi? Yujhi?" he called, but got no response. "Come on, the room's not THAT big..."
"B-Bakura?"
Bakura froze and looked to his left, just as Yugi stumbled towards him from the windowsill. "Yugi? What's wrong?"
Yugi looked like he could hold himself, but dropped to his knees all of a sudden. Surprised, Bakura knelt down in front of him. "Yugi? What is it?" he asked, placing his hand on one of the boy's shaking shoulder's.
Yugi looked up at Bakura, tears flowing from his large violet eyes, filled with such pain and hurt, Bakura's heart ached. "Yujhi's gone... he's gone forever..."
To Be Continued
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1 Egyptians believed that, if a person lived a sinful life, in death their heart would be weighed against the feather of Ma'at (Justice). If ones heart was evil, it would outway the feather and be eaten by the Swallowing Monster (Ammet). To Egyptians, their heart was their centre of being, so to have it eaten by the Ammet is the greatest dishonour, insult and fate; it was like everything they ever were was destroyed.
Oh God... can't believe I wrote that... Despressin' endin' huh...?
If it was the end that is! Epilogue comin' up and, as said at the top, one more story. Then it WILL be the end, promise yaz.
Ryoura: Then I'll be gone...
Wa! No! -glomps- I figure out somit else for you!
Ryoura: ??
... Anyway, hope you enjoyed the part everyone! See ya next time in the epilogue! Oh and Yujhi, you can stay with me and Ryoura now!
Ryoura: Yay! Company!
Yujhi: Lucky me...
I heard that!
Yujhi: I didn't say anything!
I heard your thoughts...
Yujhi: O.O; Help me...
heehee... welp, slán slán for now peeps, please drop in a review!
Bay Bay!
Bayleef