"Stand back!" Bakura ordered in his usual regal manner while motioning a threatening hand to add to the effect.
Zorgi and Reyna both took a step backwards at Bakura's aggravated expression. Zorgi glanced briefly at his female friend and noticed a suspicious lack of her usual stoic frown. 'Hmpf!' Zorgi thought in amusement 'Guess now that she's met somebody who really is hard-cored, she's not that tough, huh…?' Zorgi grinned contently.
"What are you going to do, Bakura?" Zorgi impatiently asked.
"You'll see…" the man answered mysteriously. Then, he bent back towards the door and ran his hands over its lean surface, as though searching for something in particular.
Reyna, on the other hand, was too preoccupied staring at Bakura's impressive form. Her eyes had become half-lidded, and she seemed to be in a state of daydreaming as she stared at the man's long black mane, wondering if it really was as soft as it looked. Since Bakura had turned his back on her and was apparently preparing to do something to the door which would get them out of there, Reyna unconsciously stretched her hand, as if to touch Bakura's lovely skin, not really registering what she was doing.
A sudden hiss was heard out of the blue, and Reyna nearly jumped out of her skin. Immediately, she abandoned her attempt to touch the handsome man and turned in alert towards the direction of the sound.
She bit back a scream.
Shit.
Marik…
Marik's snake, rather…It was glaring at her right now, bending over Marik's robe-covered shoulder precariously, ready to pounce on her at any moment, Its mouth was wide open, granting her a full display of its two long, probably poisonous teeth, which sank softly in its wobbly flesh. And look…how strange…it had purple eyes.
More like lavender, actually. If a crystal the color of lavender existed, those eyes would be it. And what a great contrast they made to the snake's golden glowing skin…
She was harshly brought back to reality when another hiss echoed around her. Though Marik's disgusting face was hidden by the hood, Reyna knew it would probably be glaring at her, if it had eyes.
Suddenly, she felt something cold penetrate her senses, and a dead feeling of dread entered her mind. The thing was touching her. Marik's hand, which was clad by her own gloves, had tightened painfully around the wrist of her left hand- the hand that was slightly stretched towards Bakura's form.
The zombie pulled her hand away, its vice-like grip on her hand never faltering.
"Ah-ah…you're…you're hurting me…" she sniveled pathetically, not remembering the fact that the creature could not understand her, no matter what she said. The snake hissed louder, making Zorgi and Bakura finally turn their way. Reyna was entranced, looking into those somewhat eerie, overall creepy crystal eyes, with black slits as their chaotic pupils.
And finally, she got the message.
'Stay away from him.'
As Reyna meekly nodded to the scrutinizing lavender eyes, Zorgi came rushing next to her, taking hold of Marik's forearm with a disgusted face and trying to pry it off Reyna.
"Klamdaare Mariku...?" (Is something wrong, Mariku?) Bakura demanded in definite alert, as he abandoned his task with the door and approached the commotion.
At his approach, the snake's eyes finally left Reyna and turned towards him, definitely taking on a different shade. Immediately, as though one with the animal's conscience, Marik let go of the girl's hand in disinterest and walked past her towards Bakura idly, as though nothing had happened whatsoever.
As the hooded and faceless corpse moved away from her, she saw that cursed snake look at her with its pointed glare for one last time, before it slithered around Marik's body and never turned back again. Bakura stretched his hand for the zombie, and Marik immediately took it, following the other back to the door.
Reyna tried to avoid Zorgi' s curious gaze and reverted her eyes to her bruised hand. What was that all about, anyway?
"Bakura, you better be careful! When you open that door, a hundred and more guards will come rushing in!" Zorgi warned, cautiously observing Bakura's mannerisms at touching the door. Marik was nearby, quiet as always, watching…
"Do not hesitate, mortal." Bakura answered in a bored fashion "You will not die."
Zorgi smirked a little and rubbed the back of his head with one hand "Well, yes…I was a bit worried about that, actually…"
Bakura turned and looked at him in disapproval of his goofy manners, then turned back to the door.
A click was heard, making Bakura grin. The lock was free.
Not even caring to warn or prepare the others for what he was about to do, Bakura slowly pushed the door open, being careful not to make a single sound throughout the whole process. Too bad that this didn't prevent forty inquisitive pairs of guards' eyes from spotting him.
"Oh shit" Zorgi had the wit to say, as the four of them and the guards simply looked at each other, dumbly. Predictably, Bakura didn't seem at all perturbed. He seemed to be enjoying himself immensely, actually.
"GET THEEEM!" a roar was heard from somewhere in the back, by whom Zorgi assumed was the general. Bakura's grin grew impossibly wider as he saw the dozens of guards run towards him in attack.
And then, things started happening a bit too fast for any normal human being to follow. One minute Bakura was there, and the other he wasn't. Zorgi finally understood- the unnatural agility and speed Bakura had was part of his weird powers.
And now part of those powers was at full display, shining bright as Bakura's body was seen swooshing around in a vortex of what looked awfully like red sand.
Blood splattered in the narrow corridor walls as the massacre begun. Although Bakura didn't kill when he wasn't threatened and didn't attack when he wasn't attacked, he seemed to be a true lover of carnage where he could find it.
He killed his victims in imaginative ways, slaughtering them with his bare hands, proving to the world how monstrous and not really human he was. He was no mere mortal- a wolf amongst sheep…For lack of any better term, Bakura seemed overall angry, and ready to kill and destroy whatever threatened him, even remotely so. Something terrible must have happened to him in his life, in order to make him so…heartless.
But then again, he wasn't really heartless- no, not really. The way he spoke to that walking Marik zombie proved otherwise. That Marik woman must have been the greatest love Bakura had experienced in his life…
When enough foolhardy men had died, the other guards finally took the hint and started to retreat, probably believing that if they came back reinforced, they would manage to bring an immortal down. No, wait… Two. Two immortals.
When Bakura had finally managed to make most guards retreat, he turned towards his companions.
"Keep Marik safe!" he ordered harshly, his eyes showing off the level of protectiveness he felt about his friend. Unfortunately, however, since Bakura had turned his back to the fight, he never got a chance to see the remaining guard trying to sneak up on him from behind.
With lightning speed, Marik pulled off the glove on his right hand, revealing his skeletal palm. And then, with one stark, swift, powerful strike, the zombie had pierced Bakura's attacker through the abdomen, plunging its entire forearm in the man's chest and forcing it to come out of his back.. The man gasped in shock with a look of sheer terror as he managed to take a good look at his murderer before he died. His murderer's face…was…
As Marik pulled his now red-painted skeleton away from the body, it came out with a rather important component of the poor man's system- his heart.
The guard would not be getting up. And as Zorgi and Reyna took some time to realize just how lucky they were to have relatively good relations with the two ancients, Bakura threw a rare gaze at Marik, dark and heavy with raw emotion that only a lover could interpret.
Marik had saved Bakura in an explosive torrent. Now that Marik's fierce, blind worry for his lover's well-being was placated, the zombie bent over the body of his victim and scrutinized it. Slowly, the zombie took hold of the white mask that the guard wore and pulled it off his face.
When Marik stood up again, his face was covered by a white mask.
'Well, at least she had the decency to spare us the sight of her face' Reyna begrudgingly thought, thinking of Marik as Bakura's ancient girlfriend.
Bakura grinned meaningfully at Marik's actions.
"Come, quickly!" He told the others, and motioned for them to move "Shiarahna mni, Mariku!" (Stay close to me, Marik!) he told his friend, and offered his hand particularly for the other to take. The immortals chose to be eccentric yet again and act like humans. Though they didn't really need to hurry, since they weren't even remotely afraid of their bloodthirsty persecutors, Bakura and Marik chose to make a run for it.
In fact, both of them seemed to act like normal people, apart from their occasional display of supernatural power and the disgusting appearances.
Thus, the group of four ran down the shallow crypt as fast as they could, with sounds of feet hitting the stone floor, or, in Marik's case, bones rattling noisily, echoing all around them.
"Mariku is weak! He is not yet at his full strength! We need some place to stay until we can find the glyphs!" Bakura shouted over their clashing feet, making Zorgi nod fleetingly at his statement and shout back.
"Yes, but Reyna and I haven't finished our mission yet! We can't go back to headquarters underground! We have to stay undetected here, on the surface of the planet!" Zorgi finished.
"Holy shit!" Reyna suddenly shouted, as she reflexively reached for her Razor Gun and hit a guard that was seen approaching between the eyes.
"Ouch." Zorgi commented "that's gotta hurt!"
"They're back! Come on, run faster!" Reyna urged, as she and Zorgi took off without second thought. Bakura, however stayed back and eyed Marik wearily. The robed figure was slightly bent in fatigue- he wasn't powerful enough yet, even physical exertion tired him…
"Shinra kreihat hubana…vadaat ptaI?" (It's close now…can you make it?) he asked in obvious worry, as he eyed the cloaked figure in comprehension. Marik's hooded head was seen nodding quickly, as he took hold of Bakura's hand with his own and urged the handsome man forward by taking a few steps.
"Yaha" (Good) Bakura simply said, as he took off right behind Marik, quickly catching up with the others.
"This is it, guys! The exit!" Zorgi exclaimed, as he pointed to what seemed like an arched stone at the end of the twisted corridor. "Push!" he ordered, and both he and Reyna pushed the gate open, earning a full view of the nightly starry sky.
"Elktra…Frangi cosuhaa…" (Beautiful…it's been so long…) Bakura murmured lightly, as Marik nodded at his words, the glowing snake slowly slipping from one body to the other via their adjoined hands.
"C'mon! No time for stargazing!" Zorgi reprimanded as he tugged on Bakura's hand, urging him forward "More guards are probably coming! We have to get away from here!"
Bakura nodded and quickly moved forward, pulling Marik with him.
"No! This way!" Reyna whispered as she moved around stealthily, her Razor Gun resting in her hand. She pointed towards a suspicious looking dark alcove at the base of what looked like an innocent mountain.
"Come on! Stay in the shadows!" Zorgi urged as he ducked and crawled towards the obvious hideout. Reyna followed his lead, and Bakura abode with the situation, dragging Marik along with him.
Once they were close enough for Zorgi to consider it safe standing up and walking out of the shadows, Reyna placed her gun back in its holster and sighed in relief. "Well, that was a close one." She commented lamely, while following Zorgi towards the alcove.
"Definitely. A bit too close, if y' ask me…' Zorgi' s voice trailed on as he continued his rant. Bakura and Marik lingered a bit, although they knew it was safer to follow the others…they weren't afraid for their lives, however…they were immortal now.
"Fajaat nushte raal…" (We'd better go inside…) Bakura needlessly reminded, as he watched Marik's expressionless white mask of a face. "Shimta ujur asu…" (Let's prepare for our search…)
At this, Marik nodded, and the two finally followed Zorgi and Reyna towards the dark alcove, around a labyrinth of dark, rocky corridors, down a few trapdoors and underground, into a small hideout, with a homey feeling about it that neither ancient had experienced in a long time.
"Well' Reyna started, blushing a bit and making Zorgi smirk "Since we don't have too much space…uh…well, we only have three small rooms, actually, so…I guess I'll, uh, just sleep in Zorgi's room, then…"
Although Reyna had a feeling Bakura and this Marik zombie-chick were more than just good friends, Reyna doubted Bakura would care to share a bed with his beloved right now, in the state she was in. In fact…that thought was downright disturbing…
"Oh, come on…don't try to hide it! I know you've been dying to sleep next to this sinfully hot booty for some time now!" Zorgi teased mercilessly, rubbing the wound in. He knew that there was someone else Reyna would be dying to share a bed with, but he dared not mention it, since he valued his life.
"In your dreams, playboy…" Reyna distastefully spat.
"Sorry, Reyna, but I'm not really into the Egyptology freak kind of chicks…" Zorgi commented idly, earning a glare from Reyna and a frown from Bakura. Marik was just expressionless, the only indication that he was even alive was his snake curling up around his shoulders.
"Wha! Why you little…!"Reyna barked, then ran after Zorgi to their room and chased him around, shouting the whole time. Bakura grinned slightly and turned towards Marik, taking the other's hand in his own and leading him towards one of the remaining rooms.
The golden snake rolled lazily over Bakura's shoulders, reaching his waist and caressing what skin it could find. Bakura opened the door to a room and led Marik inside. He left the door half open and reached a hand to slowly stroke Marik's white mask, as if caressing the other's cheek.
"Suhtra nma, Mariku…gypta ha koraa" (Get some sleep, Mariku…tomorrow we shall find your glyphs…)
Marik nodded slowly, his demeanor looking skeptical.
"Raishea har" (For sure) Bakura added rigidly, making Marik raise his head and nod vibrantly in an obviously renewed spirit.
And with those last words, Bakura gave a last caress on his lover's gloved hand and took slow steps to leave the room. Soon, when he had come out, only to find himself standing alone in the small lounge, he finally allowed his own nervousness to catch up with him…
Marik would find his glyphs, right? He would come back to normal…right? These doubts that plagued him were too much for Bakura…And the need…the need was overwhelming, stronger than any other time, demanding release immediately. His skin cried for the feel of his lover's touch, the endless plains of soft mocha…he needed to look into those eyes again…those crystal amethyst eyes…
To feel that familiar silken hair card between his fingers once more, to stroke and coax and caress…oh, how he needed Marik…the fleeting touches were never enough- he needed it all…That was the most important thing now…He couldn't care less if the world was being burnt to the ground by this so-called 'Fuhrer'…all he wanted was Marik. Real, alive Marik…
These two kids, Zorgi and Reyna…Bakura had heard them. They apparently didn't trust him, but Bakura couldn't care less at the moment. He just needed their help to find Marik's glyphs, and then he had no further use for them…
Marik…
Marik…
Bakura closed his eyes as he recalled an old, familiar tune. Oriental bells clang sluggishly, as a girl sang…and that beautiful body…oh, that heavenly creature, sent directly from hell to bring him to sin. Snakes swarmed around taut muscles and golden chains clang melodically…just for him…just for him…Crystal eyes watched him in a haunting gaze and rich, wet lips spoke his name in that slow, sensual manner…calling him, beckoning him…
Not being able to manage the pressure any longer, Bakura jumped up to his feet. For lack of knowing what to do to vent out his frustration, he approached Marik's ajar door. When his inquisitive red eyes narrowed to look inside the room he gasped.
There was the thin creature, looking more miserable and small and lonely than he had ever seen before. Sitting quietly with its knees drawn to its chest and none of its morbid parts showing, the zombie seemed to be reflecting.
Only the abrupt creak of the door alerted Marik to Bakura's presence.
The black haired man slowly walked towards his ancient lover and sat on the bed when he was close enough. He didn't gaze at Marik…he was just idly staring at the ground, thinking.
"Suura kuyut?" (Can 't sleep?) Bakura asked sympathetically, earning a small nod from Marik's part.
"Mni kaat" (Me neither) he added as an afterthought, and turned his thoughtful gaze at Marik. The white mask stared back at him.
And then, all of a sudden, Bakura reached at his black tunic and took out something…something red.
"Tralta…omfi naaha" (Here you go…It's as beautiful as you…) Bakura lovingly whispered, as he slowly gave the rose to Marik's numb-looking hand. The golden snake turned a melancholic, saddened gaze to the rose now in Marik's hand.
And then, to Bakura's utter astonishment, Marik threw the flower away.
Bakura's red eyes widened in unexpressed despair. That was the first time Marik ever did that to a present of his. Needless to say Bakura constantly ravished Marik with every kind of gift he could find. And Marik had always been loving and…and…soft…and beautiful…
"Hapho ishta?" (Is something wrong?) Bakura questioned in alert, trying to keep the panic from rising in his voice. Did this mean Marik did not love him anymore? No…No… that couldn't be…that was crazy…
Bakura reached Marik's hand and took it firmly in his own two, holding it as if it was a thread holding him to life.
"Ihart Ishta?" (What's wrong?) Bakura worriedly asked, his red eyes unguarded, revealing more emotions than he would like to possess.
But Marik pulled his hand away from Bakura's and stood up stubbornly, his snake rolling up on his shoulder. He walked firmly on the side of the room, towards the small window and next to a mirror. Bakura stood up after him, and came to stand close behind him. Carefully, he touched Marik's shoulder blade- the only thing that was left of his shoulder.
Bakura sighed, as he tried to express himself, watching the snake look at him in sad misery. He had a faint idea what this was all about…
"Nanda koera hruma kai suhu haayat moja kua nar" (I wish I'd been born a writer's child so I could write like you) Bakura suddenly admitted "Huui narma sugta mah…ranma" (Then we'd be able to communicate…at least)
Marik was unmoving, neither he nor his snake making any kind of indication that they were listening. Bakura knew they were, though.
"Makta sayahat Mariku" (I still love you Mariku) Bakura finally confessed, feeling as if he was doing this for the first time, all over again "Yahhu kana sayahat" (I love every part of you…) he finished.
Bakura was surprised to say the least, when he felt something strong grab his shoulder and turn him around, pinning him to the wall. And then, at lightning speed, Marik's ominous form was towering over him, the masked face mere inches from his. Bakura froze, his eyes wide and haunted, as Mari's snake glared at him in the most accusing manner he had ever seen.
And then, Marik did the unthinkable. He reached up with his hand and undid the fastens of his mask, letting it fall to the ground, and reveal to Bakura the full, up-close view of his grotesque, rotting, hole-eyed, bug-induced face.
But it seemed the restrained expression of disgust on Bakura's face was not enough. As if to prove his point further, Marik leaned even closer, bringing his smelly, overall nauseating face impossibly close to Bakura's, and causing the man's control to crack. Bakura cowered away, trying to pull his face as far from the disgusting image as possible, more from reflex than from logical thinking.
And finally, Bakura understood Marik's point. As the accusing eyes of the snake watched him eerily, Bakura saw Marik's message.
"Do you still love every part of me?"
With the speed of lightening, Marik let go of the one he loved and turned around in record speed. His bony knuckled fist came in contact with the mirror, colliding with the glass and making it shatter in one sparkling mess.
The zombie covered its face with both hands, refusing to look at its reflection, even at the small image reflected by the remaining broken mirror shards.
Bakura smiled a little and came close to Marik from the back. He placed a hand on the other's shoulder and whispered soft words of comfort that had always worked.
And then, an idea came to mind, and he knew Marik would cheer up, if only for a little while.
With one hand Bakura held Marik's shoulder, and with the other he touched the remaining mirror shards, A faint glow covered the glass, pulling Marik's attention and making him stare at the reflection inside it.
Shining lavender eyes were smiling back at him, outlined immaculately by the familiar kohl design. His own blonde hair fell gracefully around his face, framing it. It looked so unbelievably real that he moved a hand to touch it, only to find it was not there. Looking briefly at his hand, he saw its bony, pathetic state, but looking back at the mirror, he saw it as soft skinned and clean-nailed as he remembered.
He looked again at his face in the mirror, the gorgeous face many a woman in Egypt had fallen a victim of.
And as he saw the smiling red-eyed face next to his, which was now resting softly of his right shoulder, his fake reflection's lips broke into a bright smile, indicating he really was smiling on the inside, even if his skinless face could not show it.
Bakura and he, just as he remembered…Young, robust and beautiful…
And although he knew he could not speak, his lipless mouth made an attempt to spell a single word, only to be seen in his reflection for what it really was, a call of his lover's name. Bakura smiled wider when he saw it.
But just as the magic had come, just as easily it was gone, and the mirror stopped glowing and showed Marik for what he really was. A corpse. A stinky, dingy, filthy corpse.
And he hated it.
Just as unbidden came the voice of reassurance, followed by a sweet gesture. Bakura gave him the red rose in a renewed attempt to cheer him up. Marik bent down, took his mask and covered his face again, before he took the rose from Bakura's hand and brought it to his nose, pretending he could smell it and nodding in approval. Bakura smiled gladly, now feeling once again sure of himself.
Seeing his lover's true face had awoken pumping desires inside him, and now the need was growing in record highs, pulling more and more of his consciousness in its rapture. Blindly, he grabbed Marik's hand for some sort of reassurance.
Marik clasped both gloved hands over Bakura's, his glowing snake slipping lethargically towards the other's body.
"Shum haoru kaana, Mariku…mikaana kura dante" (I'll find those symbols for you, Mariku…if it's the last thing I do)