Me: well, another chapter of Kept has gone by...when I started this, I only expected it to be a one-shot, maybe even two chapters, but now I have the plotline written for about three more chapters (at least) to come! ^^ Yay, I'm so happy! Some of the people who made the continuation of this ficcie possible:

VampssAmby10210: ^^ hee hee, well, I'm writing more... *shifty eyes* probably not as soon as you wanted though... -_-;; oh well. An update's an update, right? Right??

Dark Peridot: yay! You're my most faithful and supporting reviewer I have! You've even reviewed my first fic from the beginning. *huggles* ^^

Carmen5: yup! This update's also dedicated to you! *ducks flying pan* even though I'm a little late! ^^;; Gomen...

Me: thanks to ALL my reviewers, I'm not sure I got all you people, 'cause I may have deleted a few reviews from my e-mail inbox by mistake... pwease don't kill me if you were one of them! Everyone really encourages me from just deleting the story in exasperation! ^^ Luv y'all!

'Leanne: well, I'm glad you updated, anyway. This'll explain the deeper, not so obvious details not really mentioned in the earlier chapters. Example, this will be in Yuugi's perspective, but in reader's P.O.V. for the first part, and what Yami said that had every reviewer concerned with last chappie will also be answered...hopefully...

Disclaimer: oh, by the way... Erin-chan doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh!...or any of it's characters...or the computer on which she types these strange stories on...or-

Me: ^^;; shut up, will you? I know that I at least own my yami...

'Leanne: what?! No way! *goes to sulk*

Me: and Mae Shinu...

Shinu: *also goes to sulk*

Me: and Kyokae...

Kyokae: *joins 'Leanne and Shinu*

Me: ...and the plotline. Okay? *looks around* huh? Where did everyone go??

*

Yuugi awoke covered in a cold sweat. Shooting up, he noticed that he was huffing rather violently, and tried to calm down. "Why...why do those dreams persist on haunting me? Why now...after Ryou's disappearance..." Shaking his head he tried to go back to his more troubled sleep.

Instead of insomnia, he had developed terrible nightmares, or as the elders would have called them, visions. Ones filled with demons and death. "Oh, Ryou. When will you come back to us?"

*5:23, sunrise*

Malik sat on the edge of his windowsill staring at the beautiful pallet of colours lain before him. Not a soul in Heaven had a better view then him and his friends, whom's numbers had decreased by one within the past week. He, who of late, had been taking many things for granted lately. His mind had bigger things on it.

Looking over his shoulder, the sandy-haired angel saw one of his friends flying towards him, their tri-coloured hair whipping in the wind. "Hey, Yuugi!" Malik decided to meet the young boy halfway. Upon coming closer, he could see the tiny beads of sweat on his friend's brow. Coming closer and running his hand along the surface had revealed to the boy that Yuugi had gotten one of the 'dreams' last night.

Sighing, Malik wished that everything could just become normal again. Ryou would come back; they wouldn't have been too upset to miss their exams that were rescheduled out of pity. "He meant everything to you, didn't he? You've become anorexic, having constant nightmares...look at you!" Malik backed up, tracing the frail figure of the tenshi in front of him with his hands.

Yuugi looked at Malik's tear filled eyes. "I...I know, Malik! But, I just can't get him off my mind... All these premonitions," He paused with that for a second. "And there's nothing I can do!! I feel so helpless; like I betrayed him, or something...Something terrible has happened to him! I just know it! We have to go and save him!"

The older angel's eyes widened slightly at his last comment. "But, Yuugi! You know what would happen to anyone who deliberately left! It's probably one of the reasons he couldn't came back!"

"And you think I care, Malik!?" There were tears lining the younger one's sunken cheeks. "You knew I cared for him, but did you know how much?! How much it hurt when he dove into those clouds, knowing the consequences?!" Yuugi was trembling with desperation and fear. "I...have to save him, no matter what may come my way, for good or ill. Don't you understand?! I loved him, Malik!"

Malik looked in shock at his familiar. He had...loved him? Why didn't he say anything to any of his friends about this? Gathering up all his boldness, he finally agreed to the young one's pleas. "All right, Yuugi... We'll go after Ryou. You, Jonouchi, and me. We will save him." He wrapped his toned arms around the tenshi's waist. "We will," he whispered softly into his ear.

Unlinking their bodies, the tanned one hovered in the air, limbs spread apart by about half a metre. He was summoning his ka and spiritual energy. Ryou may have been a cleric and Yuugi telepathic, but Malik was, without a doubt, a sage. Head snapping back, he was covered in a blinding magenta light. As this was what happened when Malik's ka took physical form. Suddenly, his arms shot forward to surround a glowing sphere of light emerging from his bare chest, whose brightness rivalled even the ethereal light that had coated his body.

When the two separated, Malik heaved over, apparently exhausted. The sphere had started to grow to about twice the size of its owner, taking on the shape of a golden dragon. Its wings were forged of the beautiful metal, though it could manage to hover in the magikal air without much trouble. The talons could easily have been a meter long each, giving it a lethal appearance while its beak and head were delicately carved diehard silver.

"Tepemkau*...collect Jonouchi Katsuya, will you? We need him here." The metallic dragon nodded subtly and took off due North, the canyon region of Heaven. Malik turned to Yuugi; looking in disbelief at him.

"You called Tepemkau just to get Jonouchi?!"

Malik looked sheepishly at the violet-eyed boy. "Well, we would have needed him anyway. Might as well get him now while I still can replenish my energy freely." He shrugged. "Oh well."

Yuugi rolled his eyes. "I guess..." Surveying the area, he got just a bit anxious. "How long will it take Tepemkau to get him?"

Malik raised an eyebrow and answered coolly, "Well, considering he just took off, and the canyon is approximately an hour away from here, I think we have a bit of time."

*

The dark stood up and proceeded to bind his capture with energy ropes. They couldn't be broken with what was left of the boy's remaining life power. He smirked. This is one of the things Yami worked best with. Raw fear. Imbedded within a soul, it could be manipulated so easily. Ryou himself had brought up the illusion of him being ripped of his purity. But, as he had decided, it worked much better for him, anyway. The angel thought he could no longer give himself to his lover, while making it just that much easier for Yami to seal him away, for now anyway. He would eventually notice that not all of his energy would drain.

It would take a while, yes. But this was an incredibly complicated enchantment, and had to be preformed flawlessly. He scowled. If Nahkti somehow managed to ruin it, Yami's everlasting life leading the undead would be all over for him.

"He won't get the chance. I've seen to it." The vampire evaporated into the darkness and left the light there, bound to the floor; unconscious from loss of energy. "I will see to it." This particular spell took five years to complete, and it would not be shattered like a porcelain doll.

*

Nahkti stopped his reckless chase, something was terribly wrong. His skin was itching, like something had crawled into it. All of a sudden, he threw his hands around his neck and dropped to his knees; breath was near impossible. Some unseen force was forcing its way around and closing off the windpipe, and slowing pushing itself in through the minute pores in Nahkti's skin.

"Gyah!" He..couldn't think...the pain, it was..tremendous. Crushing his eyelids shut, the demon tried to remember what kind of spell this was. Defiantly one from an immortal. No simple affixed soul could accomplish this. Sorcery was strongest among sages and vampires, in return for feeding off the living. Though the sage's powers came without a price.

Craning his neck and ripping the invisible hands off him, Nahkti flexed his wings and crouched down, blending in with the ground itself. It was probably a substitution spirit enchantment or fusion kind of thing. Rolling his shoulders, Nahkti reverted his eyes to slits, spying out the aura of the spell's creator. To the left, a mob of demons, just younglings though. At the right, another appeared, currently occupied with his prey. No one behind or above. Where could they have gone?!

Standing up, he changed back. Shaking his head at his slowness, he shouted into the night, "Kyokae! Show yourself to me! I know where you're hiding and do not wish to play games with you. Come out from your plane*!" Tensing his muscles as a light breeze swept by, he waited.

From above the crumpled ruin of a building, a blinding flash seared across the sky. The middle began to glow black and soon the cosmic being began to emerge. The fine, platinum circlet that held her fiery red hair still was embedded with onyx and aligned with pearl, and the flowing kimono that adorned her figure looked to be made of silk. Raising her arms, Kyokae swept away the light with a flick of her wrists. One foot was entwined with a thin strip of liquid silver hanging from the hem of the sash.

"I am here, Nahkti-ahmose-kha'y-bakura. What is it you desire from me?" Her melodic voice filled all those who chose to be seduced by her beauty.

The demon scowled. "You know exactly what I want, Kyokae. You lent your powers to Yami, the leader of the undead, to seek revenge on me. Why?!" He thrust his fists subconsciously beside him.

She looked at Nahkti in confusion. "That is what I do. I do not ask questions, demon. Why do you ask me this?"

Nahkti shook with anger. "Because." He stared at the ground as the last tear fell. "He took my lover."

*

Me: ending it there so I can post it tonight...gomen, minna! The 'plane' I was referring to was her own kind of dimension. Not an airplane. ^^;; Tepemkau merely means 'best of souls'. Bit OOC for Malik, but whatever...

Kyokae: *starry-eyed* Wow! What a description of me! My compliments to the author!

Nahkti: *scowls* could be nicer to me...stupid Erin-chan...

Ryou: *sweatdrops* well, Yuugi has a few things to say, anyway...I'm gunna go now. *drags Nahkti off*

Me: nooo! My bishis! Don't leave me here alone with my insane muses and yami!

'Leanne: humph. No respect...no respect at all...

Shinu: *sweatdrops* R/R, minna-san! ^^// See yah next chappie!