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1/26/04
Normal Writing: Common Time
Italic Writing: Dream/memory.
(………) Yami thinking
/………/ Hikari thinking
'………' Normal thought
"………" Normal speech
(A/N:………) Author's Note
Chapter Eighteen
Everyone had offered to help look for Bakura, to provide the necessary help in searching, with Yami, Yugi, and Ryou ready to use Shadow magic if needed.
Hopefully they wouldn't have too.
Bakura was either running large in the city or back at home.
Ryou couldn't contact him through the link, though, so he was probably still mad. Which meant he was still running amok in the city.
Hopefully they could reason with him before he did anything that would prove disastrous.
- - - - - - - - - - - -
Something was wrong.
His Ring of Wisdom was not operating at its fullest.
Something was blocking him, trying to restrain him.
The Pharaoh and his priests, probably. Well, Bakura will deal with them all eventually. He will kill them like he killed the past Ring bearer.
Ah, what a pleasure that was. The fool was locked in the tomb with Bakura, and he had foolishly tried to fight him.
He had lost his life.
He had lost his Ring.
And now Bakura was more powerful than ever, finally able to use the Shadow Magic against that despicable Pharaoh.
He could finally end his madness and take revenge for the lost souls of Kuru Eruna.
- - - - - - - - - - - -
"There! Bakura's over there by that warehouse!" Ryou shouted, pointing towards one of the old storage buildings. He was using his Ring, locking onto his yami. While he wasn't as skilled as Bakura at doing this, he could locate something if the need was desperate enough.
This seemed to be one of those moments.
Without hesitation, Ryou ran inside.
The others followed him.
- - - - - - - - - - - --
The Pharaoh and his priests were getting closer.
He felt them.
He had taunted them, making sure they could follow him to this deserted ruin that was the Kuru Eruna temple.
Or had been.
He will kill them here.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Ryou paused at the door.
Bakura was standing in full view, staring at nothing, eyes blazing with the blackness of the Shadow Realm, but glazed over as if he was sleeping.
Hands twitching with every beat of his heart, his breathing was harsh and shallow, sweat shone on his skin and he turned his unfathomable eyes onto the group that had intruded onto him.
- - - - - - - - -
They will finally die.
They will pay for Bakura's lost life.
For Mariku, his only true friend.
For his family, friends, and his own morals and views.
And he will finally be at peace.
- - - - - - - - -
They were trying to talk to him.
He didn't hear a word.
He snarled wordlessly, locked in the memory of his ending.
His final battle.
- - - - -- - - - - - - -
They used their powers against him.
Combined, the six Millennium Items overthrew his single one.
He screamed in final fury as he found himself thrust back, crashing against the wall.
- - - - - - - - -
Yami and Bakura threw Shadow Magic at each other, and Yami was surprised to find himself hard pressed. Though the Puzzle was stronger than the Ring, Bakura's anger fueled his power.
Bakura threw all his energy into one last attack.
- - - - - - - - -
"You need to go."
Malik and Marik looked up from their Duel.
"What?" Malik asked, staring at his sister.
"You need to go. Bakura needs you." Isis repeated.
She hustled them out, telling them they will know where to go.
And so they went.
- - - - - -
Bakura had forced all of them to the ground.
Yami, Tristan, and Duke were thrown against the wall, and Yugi, Ryou, and Joey were tossed easily to the floor by the sheer power of the last strike.
"What's the matter with him?" Ryou cried, trying to access the mind-link but unable to get through the pulsing Shadows that were there.
"I don't know what's happening!" Yami shouted back, his Puzzle trying and failing to block Bakura's attacks.
"BAKURA!" Ryou shouted, struggling to his feet.
Bakura's attacks slowed slightly, swirling easily and waiting for the command to go again.
He was listening.
"Bakura, please, don't do this! We understand your past now, we can help you with it!" Ryou pleaded, moving slowly towards his other half.
Bakura blinked his black, cold eyes and stared at Ryou.
"It's Ryou, you're hikari. You're light. Feel me through the link. Through the Ring. Through your soul. We're bonded, remember? You can't kill me." Ryou said, moving until he was only three feet away from his crazed yami.
Bakura was still lost in memories, but Ryou did get through.
- - - - - - - - - - -
The guards were after him.
He couldn't get away.
The Pharaoh and his priests were coming.
What could Bakura do?
"BAKURA!"
Ryou? It was his light!
- - - - - - - - - - -
"Ryou, get away from him!" Yami shouted, running towards Ryou.
Bakura's eyes narrowed.
NO! Not RYOU!"
Bakura snarled, grabbing Ryou and causing the smaller boy to yelp in shock and fear.
Bakura pulled his light, his beloved light, behind him, shielding him with his body and all of his power.
Ryou, meanwhile, was in a state of shock.
Bakura had recognized him, but had failed to recognize anyone else.
Now what were they going to do? Ryou wasn't strong enough to evade Bakura, and he was sure his yami would do all in his power to protect Ryou and keep him away from his friends, even if he had to seal Ryou into the Ring to do it. He's done it before.
How were they going to help Bakura?
- - - - - - - - - - - -
Malik and Marik raced towards the warehouse, following Isis's directions.
In Marik's pocket was the silver scarab he had stolen from Yugi's grandfather.
- -- - - - - - - - - - -
(End Chapter)
Sorry for the short chapter! But better some than none! Thanks to all reviewers! This story is getting close to the end!
