Disclaimer: I do not own Yugioh or any of the characters used in this story, or I wouldn't be writing fan fiction!!

The Beginning of the End

Chapter 2- Bewilderment

Darkness was all that Bakura could see, all he could feel, all he could taste. Velvet black corrupted his mind for hours until he thought he could stand it no more, but still it prevailed. Suspended in the darkness he fell into brooding, angry thoughts. Plans to destroy Seto and Marik for the pain they had caused him, but the thoughts were hollow. Though he hated to admit it, Bakura was frightened of this never ending black, and wanted desperately to get out and walk free again. Little did he know, though he suspected, Bakura would not be free for a very, very long time.


Marik chewed his nails nervously, hiding in the shadows of the room his Master called the Lab. Seto glanced at him occasionally and Marik snapped his hands by his sides whenever he did, though he almost wished him to see his reluctance and stop the experiment. As much as his mentor denied it, Seto loved Marik like the son that had been taken from him. Apparently he had a lot of love to give, though perhaps he should share some with the people he was entrusted with rather than smothering Marik with it all. Seto sighed as he shot another glance at his student, deep in his own thoughts and gnawing enthusiastically at his fingertips.

"What is the problem, Marik?" he asked, absently smoothing the sheet over Bakura's unconscious body.

"This isn't right, Seto." Marik replied simply. Seto raised a questioning brow. Marik sighed. "How can you do this to a man who has tried so hard to be accepted back into the temple? He has done you no wrong..."

"But he tried. That's all that matters." Seto interrupted, turning to his small table and rummaging through the scrolls to find what he wanted.

"He trusted me not to tell you, Seto. And he was once your friend. I remember that you were inseparable. But he TRUSTED me, Master, and I betrayed him." Marik went back to chewing his nails. "It's just not right, is all I'm saying." Seto paused in his search to throw a sideways glance at Marik.

"Yes." He said. Marik looked up and cocked his head to one side, questioningly. "Yes, you did betray him. And you must be punished for that crime." Marik's eyes widened in fear. Seto's punishments were legendary. "But for now, you must help me. You condemn a man to death and you must do all you can to speed his release." Seto drew out a large flat box and set it on the floor before Marik.

"What does it have in it, Master?" Seto did not answer, but opened the lid to reveal the six remaining Millennium Items. Marik held the seventh as a token of his authority in the temple, and Seto owned the sacred rod of Ra. But the remaining Items had been the objects of Bakura's interest for a long time and had been the prize for all his careful planning.

"It's all depending on your assistance, Marik" Bakura had told him that night three weeks ago. "Come to me when it's safe. Don't let me down, friend."

Marik cursed under his breath. What was his master planning?

"Choose one, Marik" Seto said quietly.

"I already have one, Master. I have no need for another." Seto laughed quietly.

"Not for you, fool. Just pick one and hurry. My patience grows thin." Marik glanced over the sacred objects, hand hovering hesitantly over one, then another, until finally he chose the large golden ring with the pyramid symbol inside and five spikes dangling around the edges. He could have sworn his hand had been drawn to it, but didn't remember that it had been this particular Item that Bakura had been seeking until he had handed it to Seto. Then he stood back to watch his masters plan come into action.

"Marik, do me a favour. Come here" Seto beckoned. Marik didn't like the glint in his mentor's eye, but came obediently up to Seto's elbow.

"Yes Master?"

"I told you that you would be punished for your betrayal," Seto growled in Marik's face and grabbed him roughly by the scruff of his neck. He drew the boy closer and continued. "And you will be. This procedure requires two sacrifices, and guess what? You will be one of them."

"You trapped me!" Marik howled, realising that Seto had planned this all along.

"Correct, little boy. You will be linked to the Rod that you hold so dearly, and Bakura will be trapped in the Ring that he lusted for. A shame, really, that you had to speak with him at all. You could have been a good priest." Seto laughed cruelly and tightened his grip on Marik's neck. "Though of course I couldn't allow you to be better than me." Marik almost cried out as Seto's short nails dug into his tender skin and watched in horror as a small glass filled with purple liquid was raised to his lips.

"Why, Master...?"

"Goodbye, little Marik." Seto forced the liquid down his throat and Marik's vision clouded grey before the darkness completely consumed him.