"Arise from Darkness"
By Heikou and Janime
Chapter Thirty-Four
Rewards and Punishment
"Sire, the traitor and princess managed to escape from our grasps," Zaloog explained.
"So I see. No matter, Bakura can be dealt with later but as for Meanae…" the king allowed a smirk to cross his face, "she has not completely escaped my grasp. Soon the gods will feel eternal torment as their precious daughters die." Taking a moment to laugh he commanded his army to continue the assault. "Go my Scorpions and kill any and all that stand in our way!"
-
"Cheri!"
"Mom!"
Rose was in tears when Kenji, Yami, and Mina arrived with her daughter. She embraced Cheri as tight as she could. Smiling her thanks at the trio she rested her hands over the shallow cuts on her upper arms. It was quick as they sealed over she did the same to her legs and helped her to stand. "How do you feel?"
"Like I woke up from one of the worse nightmares of my life," she said. But not all of it was that bad.
Seto wasted no time in going to his wife and kissing her hard and deep. He felt so happy to have her back in his arms he never wanted to let go. When they pulled back he held her face in both his hands, looking deep into her eyes. "I thought I had lost you," he whispered.
Cheri smiled and covered his hands with her own. "I'm back and I'm never leaving your side," she whispered back.
Bakura felt his heart breaking he turned away from the mushy scene. Was it actually worth it to lose the woman of his life twice? Sure it was great to have Cheri back but he wished just once she would look at him with those same loving eyes. He yelped when he felt a hand touch his raw wounds.
"Ow hey! I still have feeling in that part of my face!" he snapped.
"And here I thought you lost your voice," Arcaida smirked.
"You're lucky Rose likes you," he hissed.
"Bakura please," Ryou said from his side. "Face me." With a damn cloth he wiped away the rest of the blood that was still running from the wounds. "I'm still surprised he didn't take out your eye," he admitted softly.
"Because he thought that by ruining my good looks she wouldn't love me any more." It stung but he kept quiet under the gentle touch. "I'm just glad she's back."
Ryou didn't say anything but he knew he was still hurting.
"Okay sorry for running off like that but motherly instincts just kicked in," Rose laughed softly and knelt before the King of Thieves. Sighing deeply she reached up and gently rested her hand against his cheek. Concentrating she began to heal the wounds and stitch the skin together. "This guy knew what he was doing, I'm sorry but you're going to have scars no matter what I do."
"Figures. So much for my good looks," he smirked.
Rose looked deep into his eyes before turning to Ryou and Arcaida. "Could you two leave us alone for a bit?" she asked them. They looked at her but she wanted to talk with Bakura in private so they left. She was silent for a while as she continued to heal him. "So, you love my daughter as much as Seto if not more." It was a statement instead of a question.
"So what if I do?"
"She'll need you."
Bakura just snorted. "She has her husband," that word left a bad taste in his mouth, "why in hell would she still need me?"
"Manuel can still take control of Cheri," said Rose. "Do you want to see that happen?"
"No... I don't. So what do you I suggest I do?"
"Continue to be there for her." The glow faded away and she wiped her hand and his face clean of any blood. "Everything that's going on is still hard to grasp, but as I've told Cheri everything happens for a reason whether we understand it or not."
"I'm starting to believe that." He reached up and felt the thick scarring that now graced his right cheek. "There goes my good looks."
"Vanity will get you no where." Smiling at him she got up and left him to his thoughts. She headed inside and found her daughter and son-in-law in the doorway that led into the living room. She smiled at them. "I just came up to make sure you two were doing okay."
"I'm fine, mom. I'm really glad to be back with my family," Cheri smiled.
"You're not the only one," Arcaida said as he put his hand on Rose's shoulder.
Cheri's eyes widened and she pointed to her mother and the Dark Magician. "Should I ask now for you to tell me everything later?"
"Don't worry, I'll will."
"Rose!" Arcaida hissed.
"Not everything," she whispered back.
"You're right there, Mokuba," said Cheri.
"I agree," Seto grumbled.
"Mokuba?" the couple looked at them and then at the armor Seto was wearing.
"You two heard him?" Rose asked.
"Yeah. You mean you can't?" They shook their heads. "That's weird."
"I still can't get over how reckless he was," Seto sighed as he rested his hand on the dragon's head. "But as long as he's safe I have no reason to complain."
"More like he's the one protecting you," the mage smirked.
"Cheri, I know you don't want to hear this but, Manuel isn't going to give up so easily," Rose said with some concern.
"I know mom. But I'm not giving in without a fight. I honestly thought he had changed, that he cared about me... but he was just using me and I can never forgive him for that." She tried not to let it show but it still hurt how she was used then discarded like a toy. "I'm starting to wonder if he really cared about us in the first place."
-
"Yami, are you okay?" Yugi asked.
The Pharaoh looked at his hikari for a moment before nodding. "I'll be alright," he said, "my mind is just…"
The Puzzle bearer looked at him for a moment before an eerie sound, like shattering glass screamed across the lawn. Looking up, they saw the rest of Tea's barrier crumble and vanish.
"He has arrived," Keriam and Malik said.
Both sides of the fighting stopped, pulling back to their respectful sides when the barrier fell but now they watched as the gang's true enemy stepped forward. Cheri looked out and she quickly covered the gasp that escaped. He was just as she drew him back in Egypt but more sinister and evil looking. He held no weapons visible and the Scorpion Clan stood at his sides.
"Did you honestly think your barriers could stop me?" he asked them. "I have been waiting a very long time to extract my revenge and I will not be denied."
Yami frowned as he stepped forward. "Black Scorpion King... You were exiled by the gods themselves for your actions. What makes you think we'll let you win this fight so easily?" he asked him loudly.
He laughed and stepped forward. "My daughter."
"You gave up your rights on her years ago!" Rose yelled at him.
"As long as the blood of the scorpion runs in her veins I have every right to do as I please. It was her blood that freed my from my prison, and it will be by her hands that will have the gods reeling in eternal pain." Smirking he lifted his hand, palm facing up and slowly began to close it into a tight fist. Cheri didn't realize it but slowly the scorpion tattoo upon her own arm began to grow darker as her eyes became glassy. No one noticed as her hand reached behind her back, pulled a small blade from her belt free but they did turn when they heard a piercing screen as the weapon found its mark.
"ISHIZU!" Marik screamed. He watched in horror as his sister slumped forward into Rashid's arms, the knife in the middle of her back, and then she collapsed to the ground.
Rashid had managed to take Layla into his arms as his wife fell, and now all he could do was look at his wife's lifeless body before him. The ground beneath his feet began to crack. He knelt beside Ishizu, shifting his daughter to hold her in the crook of one arm as he gathered his wife to him with the other.
Marik started to run to them as the dust flew around the small family but three people held him back. "Let go of me!" he screamed.
"They're gone!" Joey yelled.
"NO!"
"Getting yourself killed won't bring them back!" Duke shouted at the hysterical Egyptian.
"Marik!" Yami grabbed his hair, forcing the platinum blonde to look at him. "They're gone. Let it go."
The king laughed at their struggles, pleased with it. Motioning to the other Scorpions he waved his arm forward. "Make them all suffer as I have," he ordered.
"Shit, Marik you can grieve later but move so you can continue living!" Bakura yelled as he shoved him out of the way. Where he stood a dagger was in its place. Taking his own dagger into hand the former King of Thieves met the leader of the assassins head on.
Together Gorg and Chick warped the very earth, causing it to shake and rumble beneath their feet but it also cracked under the impact. Arcaida and Kenji threw up a barrier which halted the attacks but they couldn't hold it forever. "I'll try to draw them away!" the crimson mage said as he took to the air. Leveling an attack at the largest of the Scorpions he was now trying to draw him further away from the group.
Tea sent several of the jackal-like creatures from the Army of Anubis over the fence. She quickly turned at the sound of footsteps to her right, and swallowed hard. "Cheri…"
The other girl had no reaction to her name.
"Cheri, please, I don't want to fight you." Tea reached out to her Sister.
Malik and Keriam appeared, floating in the sky above them. "It begins," they said and Malik held up a Trap Card. "Pyramid of Light."
Tea shielded her eyes from the bright flash, and when she recovered, the Daughter of Osiris watched as a crystal pyramid enclosed around her and Cheri, blocking them from the rest of the battle.
"No! No please don't do this!" she begged, hitting the side of the pyramid but she had no choice. The dagger that was aimed for his head scratched the side, causing sparks to fly but still the possessed girl tried attacking her. Tea couldn't bring herself to hurt her sister even in this condition but that didn't mean she could let her do this. "Dark magic attack!"
The blast of magic hit the assassin in the chest, pushing her back to hit the opposite side of the prison she slid to the ground. The front of her clothes were burnt and her scarf was singed. She didn't appear to be conscious.
The young spellcaster was hesitant, worried that she had killed her sister and best friend she moved closer until she was kneeling before her. Setting her specter down she reached out to lightly touch her shoulder. "Cheri?" She fell back with a cry as the blade drew blood on her upper arm.
-
Gone. They were gone.
Marik stared at the crater, silent tears running down his face. He barely registered the voices talking around him.
Thomas walked over to the hole and looked down into the depths of the horrid grave. He started to move back when something golden sparkled on the other side of the crater caught his eye.
"Maude," he said, pointing across.
The Witch held out her hand and the object floated to them. Thomas caught it, eyes widening. "Ishizu wore this," he whispered.
"The Millennium Necklace," she said softly. "It has the power to foresee the future."
"Does that mean she knew what was gonna happen? Why didn't she move out of the way?"
"Even with the future seen it cannot be changed."
"Then what's the use of knowing what's gonna happen?"
Sampson looked over his shoulder. "Perhaps it is time for another pair of eyes to see," said the tiger.
Thomas looked towards the small group. He quickly ran over to them, and held out the ancient relic to Marik. For a moment, Marik was tempted to smack the redhead's hand away. That thing he had caused nothing but trouble since the day it and the other six were created.
"I think... your sister wanted you to have it..." he said softly, still holding it out. "You know more about these things than I do... and you can protect everyone else better."
The blonde looked at him, wanting to tell him what hell the world went through because of the damn item but not all of his family was gone. He took the necklace into his hand and with slightly trembling fingers, placed it around his neck. Taking a deep breathe he wiped the tears away. "I don't care what I have to do but I will bring them back," he said sternly.
The other duelist wanted to protest saying nothing could bring them back but he just nodded his head. "Let's show this king that we're no push-overs."
"The hell!" Bakura shouted. "Cheri!"
Everyone looked at the Pyramid of Light, eyes widening at Cheri and Tea fighting. Yugi and Seto were pounding on the glass-like surface; Seto even using the powers of the White Dragon but to no avail. Keriam and Malik just looked on.
"Oh shit…" Duke said.
"Tea!" Thomas shouted; everyone ran towards the Pyramid.
Hear me now, thief.-
Bakura stopped short. -How did you…-
Get rid of the priest,- the Black Scorpion continued, -and maybe I'll consider sparing your miserable life.-
And Cheri?- Bakura asked.
Do what you want with her; she served my purpose.-
Bakura looked at Seto, then back at Cheri. Gritting his teeth he said a prayer of forgiveness he tackled the priest to the ground.
"Get the hell off!" the former High Priest yelled, punching him in the jaw. "What is your problem!"
"You're my problem! Once and for all I'm going to get what I want and you are not going to stop me!" Pulling out his dagger he charged at him and soon the two were engaged in a fight to the death.
"Bakura! Seto!" Yami was about to run over and stop them but a sudden cry from his light made him stop.
It hurt. Whatever the pain in her chest was, it hurt beyond anything she ever imagined.
"Cheri…?"
The Daughter of Anubis opened her eyes, staring at the blade that was now pierced through her chest, while her own dagger was embedded in her Sister's. Cheri looked at her right arm, and the scorpion image faded away.
Tears ran from her eyes as she looked at the Daughter of Osiris. "I'm sorry, Tea…"
"Me too…" Tea smiled at her Sister.
Their hands released their weapons and both fell to the ground.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Yugi screamed.
The Pyramid of Light shattered. Shoving Bakura away, Seto raced towards his wife as Yugi went to Tea, both men cradling their loves in their arms.
Keriam and Malik floated to the ground. Tears split over Keriam's cheeks despite her emotionless expression.
Ryou looked at them, remembering the vision the Daughter of Isis showed him. "Keriam, Malik," he whispered.
Joey and Marik looked towards them. The last Sister of the Moon's tears then became small rivulets of blood.
"Oh no," Joey said. "Keriam!" He ran towards her with Marik right next to him.
"Come on!" Ryou shouted at Duke and Thomas, and they followed.
Tristen looked up from where he was kneeling next to Yugi and Tea. Something moved just inside his line of vision atop the mansion, and it was preparing to jump down on the two Guardians.
"JOEY! MARIK! LOOK OUT!"
His warning came too late. Nightmare Scorpion landed in the two boys' path. Before the blondes could react, the insect Duel Monster sent two of its tails through Joey and Marik upper bodies.
Blood spurted from their mouths as they reflexively grabbed the tails impaling them. Nightmare Scorpion pulled its tails out so fast, its victims jerked off the ground before collapsing, and the Duel Monster ran off.
Yami, Ryou, Duke, and Thomas raced over to them.
"Oh gods!" Ryou cried.
"Hang on!" Duke searched through his quickly, trying to find a Healing Card.
Joey's grip on the Dice Master's vest lessened and his hand fell to the ground.
"Ph… pharaoh…" Marik rasped out. He pulled the Millennium Necklace off and dropped it before Yami. "Sa… ave… th… them…" The Egyptian's eyes closed and he was still.
"Joey… Marik…" Thomas whispered.
Serenity burst into tears. "Big Brother!" she cried as she and Mina ran over. The younger Wheeler dropped beside her older sibling; heart-wrenching sobs erupted from her as she clung to Joey.
"Marik..." For once since last he remembered the former pharaoh felt completely helpless and utterly lost.
Bakura stayed where he stood, the voices all running together in his head. He used me and I fell for it... he thought to himself bitterly. The sound of Rose crying for her lost child made him feel the more guiltier.
The Scorpion King laughed as he walked up the sidewalk. The Nightmare Scorpion chittered as it scuttled towards him then followed as an obedient pet. "Very well, Thief! Since my daughter had already outlived her usefulness she is yours. Now that the gods are so weak with their grief all that is left to do is take care of you meddling fools." Smirking the medallion around his neck glowed and covered his body.
Through the tears the grieving duelists and monsters watched as his body grew larger but his skin also began to split open to reveal gleaming black scales. He fell as his lower body began changing as from his hands two massively huge pinchers formed. Laughing he pushed himself up and revealed that his body was that of a massive scorpion with a large tail. The pinchers clicked as he moved towards them, fangs peeking from his mouth. "I shall devour you all, starting with you... pharaoh."
Yami glared at the creature.
"But before that," he snapped his claw.
Bakura grunted at the pain in his upper right arm. The scorpion tattoo came to life, ripping its way out from under the skin. The tail rose up, aiming to kill its host.
A bolt of white lightning shot out and hit the scorpion, sending the charred creature across the lawn. Bakura grabbed his singed arm and looked at Kaiba.
"If anyone is going to kill you thief," he said, "it will be me!" Seto looked over at the remaining members of the Scorpion Clan, now released from their king's magic.
"Is this what you fought for?" he demanded, gathering Cheri more securely into his arms and stood up. "Is this worth serving a madman!"
"Madman, am I?" the Black Scorpion asked with a chuckle. "We'll see how you react when the gods betray you!"
"Meanae…" Cliff stared at his sister then spun to the king. "We all served you faithfully and without question! How could you do this to her!"
The Black Scorpion narrowed his eyes. "Who do you think was the one who betrayed me to Anubis? Meanae cast her lot in with that treacherous bitch that I married! "
"Meskhenet," said Rose. "Don't you ever speak of her like that!"
"So, you remember your sister."
"I remember she went willingly because Anubis asked her to go. I pleaded with her not to go but she said she had to go. You were once a great warrior but all that power went to your head! You killed innocents lives, people who shouldn't have died filled the Judgment Hall the gods couldn't stand for it." She closed her eyes tightly as bitter tears rolled down her face. "When I met you I knew, I knew that was something familiar about you but it wasn't until much later I realized why. I thought you had changed… but you'll never change. You're nothing but a backstabbing traitor who should have stayed dead!"
The giant scorpion snarled and faster than anyone could see, ran at her, his pinchers holding her up by the throat in the air.
"Rose!" Arcaida yelled.
"Such a pity you were reborn as such a weak mortal. They have such short lives and are so easy to kill," he said quietly, the pinchers tightening around her throat, causing a ring of blood to form. "A pity you won't see me rise as the king of mortals and gods."
The healer struggled but it was no use so she spat in his face. "I would sooner die then bow down to you," she said angrily.
"Then give Meskhenet my regards!"
Rose's eyes widen as the claws closed tightly around her neck, feeling pain she closed her eyes and kicked him as hard. Luck or not her heel smashed his nose in, breaking it which caused him to drop her. It was quiet funny but the king didn't find it amusing. With a shout of anger his tail lifted up, the tip poised it came down as fast as lightly heading straight for her heart…
… and broke through the armor, piercing through skin and bone. Arcaida didn't utter a cry even as the tail was removed but gasped for air. His staff lay beside them and his hat had fallen off but still, despite the pain he was feeling he managed to look at the woman he loved.
Rose could feel more tears falling but she didn't care. "Why did you… Are you crazy?" she asked.
"Heh… they say, people do crazy things… when they're in love…" he answered and his eyes close, his body going limp.
"No… No!" the nurse scream as she held him as tight as she could, wrapping her wings around him as well. "I won't let you die on me!" she sobbed as she struggled to keep his heart beating, trying to keep him alive.
-
Cheri knew she was dead. Her heart had ceased to beat and her skin was cold. But she wasn't afraid. She deserved to die. She had taken so many lives, even her own Sister she shouldn't be allowed to live. Hugging her knees to her chest she cried over the lives she had taken.
"I'm sorry… I'm so damn sorry… why couldn't I fight him? Why did I let him use me like a damn puppet?" she asked herself.
"Cheri?"
She looked up at the speaker. "Tea!" Jumping to her feet, she ran to her Sister and they hugged each other.
"Where are we?" the blue-eyed girl asked, looking at their surroundings.
The walls and pillars resembled the temples of Ancient Egypt. The torches were lit, but the flames were blue and purple.
"I think we're in the Hall of Judgment…" Cheri said.
"We are?" Tea looked around and remembered the painting she saw at the museum once. "This place is creepier in real life than in the painting."
"I'm sorry for dragging you here..." the brown-eyed girl said. "I never wanted to hurt you."
"It's okay. I knew it was coming and I was scared but it wasn't your fault. Everything will be okay."
"I wish I could believe that..."
"Do not lose faith, my Daughters."
"Mother Isis!" the girls exclaimed as the goddess stepped out from the shadows; both girls bowed.
"Forgive me, Mother," said Cheri.
Isis gently placed her hands on the girl's shoulders. "You hold no blame. Come, there is something you must see."
The two Sisters followed Isis into another room. In the center was a large swirling mist; which grew denser and then revealed the events happening at the Kaiba estate.
Cheri shook her head. "Oh no…"
"Keriam…" Tea whispered.
The sound of a heartbeat echoed across the lawn. Ryou looked up from Joey and Marik's bodies. He saw Keriam on her knees hugging Malik tightly. Tears of blood steamed down both their faces and a light pulsed from both in time with the heartbeat.
Ryou quickly jumped to his feet and raced towards them.
He had to get to them.
He had to.
Suddenly a light so pure and brighter than the sun enveloped Keriam and Malik. The orb then shot upwards high above the mansion. Everyone still on the ground, save the Black Scorpion, shielded their eyes.
The Black Scorpion started to laugh. "At last! The Heart of Amun-Ra is whole again!"
"What did he just say!" Tea yelped.
"The Heart of Amun-Ra…" Cheri repeated.
"When Set killed Osiris," Isis began, "Ra was stricken with grief that he resigned to the heavens, and left the mortals to their own fate. After Horus and I resurrected Osiris, Ra then rejoiced. However, the anguish he felt when Osiris died would not leave him so he split his heart in two. The half that held his joy and peace was given to his Daughter so that it would be protected."
"'She who has suffered'," said Tea. "And the half that held Ra's grief…"
"Became the Heart of the Shadow Realm," Cheri finished.
"Yes. The Keeper of the Book of Dead was told what would happen but it is too late," the goddess said sadly.
"What can we do to save them?" Tea asked. "We can't lose them."
"Please Mother Isis, I'll do anything but I can't bear to see any more lives be lost because of him," Cheri pleaded.
"I'm afraid that you cannot do anything here," the goddess smiled sadly. "It is now up to the one you and your Sisters had chosen."
Cheri blinked. "What?"
"Who are you talking about?" Tea asked.
"You believe he is your Guardian," Isis looked at her, "but you had prophesized about him. In truth, you each gave a young child a piece of your souls so that he could command the three Egyptian Gods."
Cheri and Tea quickly turned back to the mist. "Yami!"
-
Ryou skidded on his knees over to Rose and Arcaida. With the healing card already in his hand, the Book Keeper used it on the Dark Magician.
Rose watched as the skin came together, little by little when it healed all that was left was the punctured hole in his armor. for a moment nothing happened but he stirred and opened his eyes. with their help Arcaida sat up and looked at them with uncertainly.
"You two saved me? Why?" he asked.
"Because you're our friend," the Keeper told him.
"And I love you," Rose said with a smile. "I don't want to lose you..."
"How touching," the Black Scorpion sneered. "Too bad you won't live to see how long it will last, nor the world in which I shall create. The Heart of Ra is mine!" A card appeared in his claw. "The Seal of Orichalcos!" he shouted, holding it above his head. "With this, all the powers of Ra will be mine!"
The card flashed, and a blue ring with an odd shaped six-pointed star surrounded the Heart of Ra. It started to shrink, closing around the bright orb. But just as the inner ring of the seal reached the heart, it stopped, and then exploded.
"No!" the deformed man shouted in disbelief. It's impossible! The Seal of Orichalcos has the power to contain whatever it captures!
"You're a fool, Manuel," Rose said; her ex-husband glared at her. "Did you honestly believe that Ra would create something that would imprison himself or his children?"
"Silence!" he aimed to hit her with his arm but rose took to the sky and Arcaida, making sure he had a firm grip on Ryou, quickly jumped to the side. "I will have Ra's powers!"
"No you will not!" Yami roared as loud as he could. A wind began to pick up, ruffling everyone's clothing wildly and the sennen eye of the millennium items appeared on his brow. "I gave up my life to protect the world from your kind of evil and I would do so again. The gods stripped your of everything, you are nothing. So help me we will beat you and make sure you stay dead once and for all!"
The giant scorpion looked at him and laughed. "You think you can defeat me? You, a pharaoh with no memory! You don't even know your true name and you call me nothing?" His lips pulled back into a feral grin as his tail lifted up and headed straight for his heart. "Rest in peace, Nameless Pharaoh!"
"My name is Atemu," Yami said with deadly calm.
Cliff jumped and grabbed the Scorpion's tail, causing the poisoned end to miss its target. Chick and Gorg ran in, pummeling their former king.
"Now they're helping us?" Thomas asked sarcastically. "Their timing sucks."
"Look at their tattoos," said Duke. "They cut them."
"The Black Scorpion no longer has control over them," Bakura said.
Yami quickly faced Thomas and grabbed the redhead's arm. "Swear to me, no matter what, you will protect Tea."
Thomas blinked. "What are you-"
"Swear it!"
Confused, Thomas nodded. "I swear it."
Yami released him and pulled out the Curse of Dragon Card. The golden beast appeared, and the Pharaoh climbed on its back. "Fly!"
With a loud screech, Curse of Dragon took to the sky, flying up towards the Heart of Amun-Ra.
Yami!-
Forgive me, aibou. I must do this. I'm the only one who can.-
Yugi stammered, -But… but… we need you!-
Yami blocked off the link with Yugi just as Curse of Dragon flew above the Heart, circling slowly. Standing on the Dragon's back, Yami took a deep breath and jumped, falling towards the Heart of Amun-Ra.
-
"Holy Osiris…" Tea whispered as Yami disappeared into the light.
"Be careful, that's your Father's name," said Cheri as she also watched with wide eyes.
"And what would you be saying?"
"Words that would make Bakura blush."
-
Warmth. Solitude. No pain.
No feeling.
Yami looked around, his eyes finally landing on something crystal-shaped and growing brightly. He moved towards it when the emotions reached him.
"I know you two are upset," he said, "so am I."
Wanting to be left alone. So easy.
"Yes, it does seem the easy way. But the easy way is not always the best. You know this."
Frustration. Leave.
"No."
Anger.
"You can get mad at me all you want. I am not leaving without both of you."
Why care.
"Because you're my friends. You mean so much to me, just as the others do. Not all is lost."
Joey.
Marik.
"You have the power of the highest god inside yourselves."
Hope.
"Never lose that." Yami held out his hands. "There is always hope."
Two hands, a woman's and a child's, reached out from the crystal of light.
He reached out and took them both in his own, holding them tightly. Pulling gently he pulled out a young boy around 12 years old and a young woman. Lavender and greens eyes looked into his crimson gaze he smiled and pulled them into an almost lovingly embrace. They hesitated but soon returned the embrace, clinging to him tightly.
"I'm scared," Malik whispered.
"So am I but we can do this, together," Yami said.
"But Joey and Marik... they're gone..." Keriam said softly.
"We'll find a way to bring them and everyone else back." He looked at them and smiled. "Let's go back. No matter what we will always be there for you and always will."
Malik looked at him. "You're not coming with us, are you?"
Yami closed his eyes and shook his head. "No, my time is over now. I remember my name… Atemu. I had to save you two… before I go." As he finished speaking, the pharaoh's hands became translucent and intangible.
"Yami…" Keriam whispered. "Pharaoh Atemu."
"I believe in you," he said and vanished.
-
The Heart of Amun-Ra flashed, temporarily blinding everyone. As the light faded to somewhat bearable, Keriam floated to the ground with Malik in her arms. Though they still had the markings on their skin, the two were no longer wearing the strange robes; instead, Keriam was as the Wingweaver and Malik was in his regular clothes.
Keriam walked over to Joey and Marik. She and Malik looked at them briefly, and held out their hands. Duke, Thomas, and Ryou moved away as a golden surrounded the two deceased boys. They watched as their death wounds healed and the blood disappeared. Then slowly, Joey and Marik opened their eyes.
"Dude, are we alive?" Joey asked, eyes darting around.
Marik put his hand where the stinger had gone through his chest. "If we're not, this is a very odd afterlife."
Keriam turned and walked towards Tea and Cheri.
-
"Whoa…" Cheri whistled.
"You're not kidding," said Tea.
"It is time for you to go back," said Isis.
"Mother Isis," Tea looked at the goddess, "is there a way for us to fix what has been done?"
"The same way you protected Egypt."
"But we died then."
"I guess this means there's no other way," said Cheri.
"We'll give it our all," Tea said softly.
Isis smiled and embraced her daughters tightly. "I love you all so much as do your fathers," she told them and stepped back as they began to face from her sight
-
Keriam pulled out a card from her deck and held it up. "Monster Reborn!" she called out. The card glowed a soft blue color and seemed to rain down upon the fallen girls. When the glow faded nothing happened but their chests began to rise and fall. Seto and Yugi watched as their eyes opened and they sat up.
"I never want to go through that again," Cheri said as Seto helped her to her feet.
"Same here," Tea added as she stood.
Keriam smiled and opened her mouth to say something but the sound of something heavy hitting the ground drew their attention to the fight. Gorg was prying himself from the fence surrounding the property as Chick sailed through the air. Cliff was holding on good and strong but it didn't last as a sudden lurch send him flying into Don Zaloog.
"No! You all will pay for this!" he roared and went to attack the nearest person-Mina and her Watapon, Sugar. Her arrows were no match for his armor-like skin but he stopped and turned to his daughter.
"This ends today, daddy," she said bitterly. Touching the tattoo is began to glow and spread to every part of her body. Everyone watched as she doubled over but stared in alarm when a tail erupted from the base of her spine. A scorpion tail.
"Cheri!" Seto and Bakura yelled and made to run to her but stopped when she told them to stop.
"I have to do this, on my own!" she said, gritting her teeth together. Her body grew, swelling in some part that with a kind of howling scream fell from her lips. At once her entire uniform turned to shreds and her body went into a serious transformation, the winds from earlier picking up and blinding everyone for a moment but when it died down they were met with a terrible sight.
Cheri hissed for breathe as she stood straight, looking just like the Black Scorpion King if slightly smaller. She was lightly covered in blood from where her skin had been ripped but she was alive. Her uniform lay in shreds on he ground but she still wore the Necklace of Bastet around her neck but her eyes were outlined in thick kohl. Looking at her father she snarled like an enraged animal.
What's this? Her eyes, they aren't human! he thought to himself. Those are the eyes of a jackal… those are the eyes of Anubis!
"You have outlived the prime of your life… the scales have been over tipped…" the scorpion girl hissed as she took deep breaths. "Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to let the blood of a scorpion mix with the blood of a god and goddess!" With unknown speed she lunged at the king. Her claws drew a blood gash across his chest as her tail aimed for his head but only managed to graze his cheek when he jumped to the side.
Everyone watched as father and daughter battled. Both delivering hits to the other, until the Black Scorpion went to strike Cheri; she dodged and her tail went through his chest. An unearthly howl bellowed across the grounds even as Cheri removed her tail and he crashed to the lawn.
"Now you know what Joey and Marik felt!" she hissed. "You called me your daughter, you said you loved me. What you did love was the power I held for your petty needs." As Cheri spoke, her body started to revert back to her human self and the outfit of Performance of Sword appeared on her.
A blackish mist left her body; rising up it took shape of a scorpion and then dissipated.
"The part of me that was your daughter is gone. I am no longer a Scorpion."
Shadi walked up besides Cheri and gave her the Millennium Scales.
Taking the item from the former keeper she held it out. The scales began to glow even as Shadi dropped a feather into one of the plates. It didn't take long as the empty plate fell almost immediately done. "You are found guilty for your past sins against the gods, your former kingdom, and the gods. This time you won't escape," Cheri said coldly. "You had a second chance at life but you wasted it on revenge." As she spoke a crack appeared behind him, growing wider to let a dark shadow crawl out.
"You think you can stop me!" he roared and made to attack them but something held him back. Turning his eyes widen. "I-It can't be!"
Ammit growled, tightening his jaws over the scorpion tail he began to pull, dragging the cursed king back into the crack in the earth. Of course Manuel struggled, trying to break free but the half lion, half crocodile creature held on strong. He tried to kill it with his pinchers but it only angered the guardian beast. The deeper it bit the more blackish-red blood fell and coated the ground.
The female warrior took a deep breathe and stepped towards him, holding the scales tightly. "There's a saying I never understood until now, 'Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me.' See you in hell," she said coldly.
He growled staring at her angrily. "You won, but I can still have my revenge on Anubis by dragging you to hell with me!" Reaching out with his claw he grabbed her by the throat like he did to Rose. The bladed cuff served it from his arm in a swift move but he grabbed her wrist with his other pincher. At that moment Ammit jumped into the crack in the earth, dragging the scorpion with him who dragged Cheri as well.
"NNOOOO!" came the collected scream. The scales hit the ground with a clink and the ground came together as if it had never been split open. All that reminded was the turned up dirt and twitching claw. The Army of the Dead howled and turned into ashes that blew away in the wind. The crack where they came from also came together as one.
Authors' Notes:
Heikou: Bye bye daddy! (waves happily)
Janime: Have I mentioned how crazy you are?
Heikou: Hey I'm not the one that killed the hottie pharaoh!
Janime: He was already dead.
Heikou: (blinks) Well you know what I mean >
Janime: I will confess that I am a sadistic author.
Marik: Yes, you are! I thought you loved us!
Janime: Of course I love you guys.
Joey: You killed us both!
Janime: I brought you back to life, didn't I?
Heikou: She has you two there.
Joey & Marik: But she killed us!
Heikou: (whispers) Are you sure you want them still alive?
Janime: Trust me, I have me reasons for keeping them around.
Heikou: Hentai.
Janime: Like you don't think the same way about Mr. CEO and King of Thieves.
Heikou: I'm not saying.
Kaiba: She doesn't have to say.
Bakura: True. However, Janime, I am agreeing with what you said earlier. You are a sadistic writer.
Janime: This from the one who ripped the Millennium Eye from Pegasus's socket.
Bakura: You make it sound like I did something bad.
Janime: (rolls eyes)
Heikou: Okay, you four, get back in the fic.
Boys: (grumble back leave)
Janime: I'm gonna miss them.
Heikou: You and me both. Hey you think the reviewers are gonna kill us?
Janime: If they do then they'll never see the end.
Heikou: True dat.
Janime: Alrighty then! Back to the chapter. Three members of the Ishtar family are dead.
Heikou: I am going to hurt you for that.
Janime: Hello! Power of the gods! Cheri's free but has now been dragged into the Underworld by her father.
Heikou: And what about Yami? He remembered his name and has now vanished. Our apologies to those who have been spoiled.
Janime: One more chapter and then the Epilogue!
Heikou: And boy are you all in for a big surprise!
