(God… for awhile there, I forgot I wrote fanfics. n0n;; Seriously. Been super busy. Since OM states came around, I've been so busy, I got a C+ in History. o.o; Heh. Well, it's 4th Term, OM is over, and now I can FINALLY finish off this fic. FINALLY. –Glee- Yippee! Just in case you forgot what happened before, Yami saw Teana AND Aklia, and Asenath is being all "Omfg! I can't tell you anything!" So… yarr. Have fun, kiddies.)

Light the Flame

Chapter Eighteen

Amazing Grace

She opened her eyes. Sun streamed from her balcony, warming over her entire cold, numb body. She felt small and insufficient. She felt like the warmth given to her so graciously wasn't meant for her. She felt as if it were provoking her to welcome this day.

She didn't want to get up. She rolled over onto her side, clutching her blankets in her hands. She closed her eyes and tried to bury herself into her sheets.

But, after awhile, the heat became unbearable, and Asenath had to give herself over to the morning light.

She pulled herself up and looked at herself in the mirror. She placed her hands on her face and stared at her reflection.

"…Please, Ra," she whispered in a salty voice, "… please don't let this be. Please, oh Gods please… why do I have to do this?" Her fingers graced the sheer surface and touched the reflective glass. It was cool underneath her fingers.

The light shone through the lace curtains. They reflected off her limestone walls, causing the black and green ink painted over them to shimmer. It raced through her room, leaving red trails in the air.

Asenath found a ray of light encircling her body. She could feel it on her back. She turned around and stared at the light.

She ran to the balcony. She thrust back the curtains and leaned on the rail, her hair falling in sheaves of black waves over her shoulders and around her head. It was her black halo.

Her white robe laid heavily on her body and draped over the rail, billowing like clouds. She wet her lips and closed her eyes as she bowed to the sun.

"My dear Ra…" she whispered, sliding down the rail, her hair encamping her, "…forgive me."


Yami felt sick. His stomach was doing hundreds upon hundreds of flips inside him, making his throat tingle and his head throb. His skin was pale and clammy, and it took all his strength to just stand.

It was an omen.

"This is… Whoa," Seto said, stopping at the doorway to his room. "My gods… Yami? Are… are you alright?" Yami was sitting on his bed still, head in his hands, nearly shivering. Concerned, Seto walked over, crouching next to him.

"Y-Yami? What happened to you?" Seto asked. Yami lifted his head. Seto stared at the face that was looking at him.

He was completely pale. His skin was almost ashen white, with sweat leaking down it. His eyes were red and he had his arms wrapped around his stomach so protectively, he seemed about to crush his small frame.

"…Seto," he said, slowly, "I feel like… I don't even know."

"Well, you look dead," Seto said, "If that's any compensation."

"It isn't." Seto cocked his head.

"Well, uhh… I can go and get Ma—" Seto stopped short as Yami's hand shot out from where he had it tucked around his ribcage, and grabbed the front of his tunic.

"It's… a sign," he said. He looked up at Seto with wide eyes. "It's an omen."

"What?" Seto said. "An omen?"

"Something bad is about to happen," Yami said. "I can feel it. Or more like… Asenath can feel it. This isn't completely me." Seto stared at Yami. He knew that brothers and sisters, often where magic is involved, develop strange abilities between families, but…

"You know I have a… link of sorts with Asenath," Yami said slowly. "There's something… something weird about that link, Seto. Something even I don't understand about it. But I do know this; there is something wrong. And if anyone knows, it's Asenath."


"Hush hush, you," Maia said, stroking Angel's muzzle. "All you normally do is overreact. And look what you did – you've gotten all of the horses into it, you crazy steed." Angel looked at Maia with round amber eyes as he pulled on the reigns she was tying up.

"No. Whatever you're always excited about must have leaked out somewhere; nearly all the wildlife around here has been acting out all morning. The other horses, the birds, the other farm animals…" Maia trailed off in thought. Animals don't do things like this… "…I suppose that's all your fault as well?" Angel whinnied and tugged harder on his leather reigns. "Ugh, Angel, I don't see why Pharaoh puts up with you. Honestly! You've always been uncontrollable; I don't see why he thinks you're so beautiful." Angel just grunted and continued his tug-of-war with the reigns. Maia sighed and picked up a bale of hay and tossed it into his pen. She then picked up the vase she had been carrying and dumped water into his trough.

"There. Maybe that will catch your attention for awhile." She sighed and held the vase in her arms, resting it on her side. She placed a hand on her stomach and moved it around, slightly massaging her stomach.

"Well, right now you're being a good boy…" she trailed off, lost in thought. She thought about the small form inside of her; was it possible that she was pregnant again? She wouldn't know for awhile, but the possibility lingered over her. She had felt strange, unstable, even. The same way she had felt at the beginning of her pregnancy with Misora.

Maia stared up at the sky. Although it was bright and cloudless, it seemed dark, almost.

"That's so strange," she muttered, staring high.


Asenath was ravaging her room, throwing things into a bag. She could only bring so many things; she was afraid of the state of the place when she returned. She only put her most cherished items in, her heart twanging every moment.

"Only a few more hours…" she whispered, looking out the shaded window. "… hours…"

"ASENATH!" a rough voice said behind her. She spun around, her hair flying into her face, stinging her eyes. She had already been crying, her makeup all smudged; this gave her an excuse. The voice had come from none other than… Yami.

"Asenath, you… Are you okay?" he asked, staring at her with concern. She wiped her eyes and gave a playful smile.

"You scared me… and when I turned around, my hair stung my eyes, so…" she looked up at him. Yami just stared at her, and then shook his head.

"Nevermind that. Asenath, you have the answers that I need."

"What answers?" she said casually, folding something and putting it into the bag.

"Don't play dumb with me, Asenath. I know you have answers to my questions. You've seen every single thing that's ever happened in this palace beforehand in your dreams; something's gonna happen, isn't it? Isn't it, Asenath? And for some reason, you refuse to tell me. Why?" Asenath, her back still partially to him, just shook her head. She bit her lower lip to keep from crying.

"I-I can't say anything, even if I did have the 'answer's you were looking for," she said sullenly, in a soft voice.

"Don't be coy with me, Asenath! Listen to me!" Yami demanded. He grabbed onto Asenath's arm firmly. "I know you know! I'm Pharaoh; I have-to-know!"

"I can't tell you, for the last Goddamned time!" Asenath said in a shrill voice.

"Why? Because of some 'promise' you were born into?" Yami countered. "How conceited. You don't even know all of your responsibilities! How hard could it be to tell me something you've probably know for years?"

"It's not that easy!" she said, but her voice was still choked. They were both about to reach their limit.

"Asenath, this isn't a funny matter. I need to know what's going to happen, because it's the same thing you were crying over three years ago! I'm not stupid!"

"I KNOW!" Asenath cried, spinning around, looking distraught. Yami fell silent. "I know I did see it three years ago, I do know what's going to happen, and it's not that simple, Atemu! I can't just tell you! There are rules! If I were to tell you, now, do you know what would happen! This entire city would… Oh, I don't know, burst into flames by the wrath of the gods!" She grabbed onto him, shaking, staring into his face. Her tears were sliding down her face, clean and clear, since she'd cried all her makeup off.

"If I could go back, and change time, I would make it so this future would never happen," she said, her voice breaking. "B-but I can't. I-I already sa-saved you once. I can't d-do it twice." She bowed her head, her tears dripping like icing down her face and onto the floor.

Yami stared at her. He couldn't believe what he had just done. He had just yelled at her. He never yells at Asenath.

He placed his hand on the back of her head, over her hair.

"Shh, Asenath, calm yourself. I didn't know; I'm sorry." Asenath shook her head, to his surprise.

"No… I can't do this anymore. I'm leaving now." She looked up at him, and gripped the sides of his face. She pulled him to her, and kissed his forehead gently, like she always did when they were younger.

"I'm… I…." she stared at him, her breath full and gasping. She put her hands on his face, and just shook her head, smiling and crying at the same time.

"…I can't do it. Not anymore." With that, she grabbed her bag and pushed by him, breaking into a run in the hallway. Yami ran out of the room after her, calling her name.

"Asenath! ASENATH! COME BACK!" But she didn't listen. She pushed past people, priests and guards, and ran around, through the courtyard, tripped, and fell.

She put her hands over her face, sobbing into them, shaking and gasping for breath.

"Did you hear me!" she cried, as if addressing someone. "Did you hear me, Osiris! I don't want to do this anymore!" She slammed her fists onto the ground, sliding her body down with it. Her hair was askew, her face was dirty and she could barely breathe. She had slammed her fists so hard they were numb, with blood escaping from her smallest fingers and the sides of her hands.

"Dear God," she said, in the middle of gasps, "why did you do this to me? What did I do to deserve this punishment? All I can do is sit back and watch…" she rolled onto her back, gasping heavily. She felt tired all of a sudden…

Her vision blurred. She was tired now, oh so tired. She could hear people running to her, and saw the guards above her, right before everything went dark.


Asenath was pissed off. Her hands, now bandaged, made it harder for her to make her escape. She was barely conscious and already planning a new escape route.

Now, if I can get out the window… my bag is still down there… I can grab Angel and leave after nightfall—

"Ahh, Lady Asenath. You're awake," a voice said from somewhere above her. Her eyes came back into focus as she saw the person above her. Mahaado, the Ring hanging around his neck, was pressing something cold and damp against her head. She moaned and tried to sit up.

"Whoa there, Asenath. You really worked yourself out there. You're completely drained."

"N-no…" Asenath said, sitting up. She winced as her head pounded. "I-I was supposed to leave to get Teana tonight…"

"Well, as much as it pains me to say this, you're going to have to wait at least a few days before leaving."

"No…" Asenath could not be here when it happened. "I-it's vital I leave tonight."

"Not in your condition. You stay put." Mahaado stood to get more medicine to mix, leaving Asenath sitting up in her bed. She glanced around, breathing heavy.

No, this wasn't supposed to happen! I'm supposed to be leaving now! She closed her eyes tightly and focused.

I've never done it successfully… but… If I really concentrate…

Mahaado, his back turned to his patient, stood up straight, mixing in a small bowl.

"If you hold still and take this, you may be up by tomorrow," he said, as a sudden wind blew over him. He stopped, confused. The curtains were drawn, weren't they? Why was wind coming through so easily?

"Asenath, did you—" he stopped and stared.

The bed was empty.


"C'mon, Angel, don't be a wuss," Asenath said, pulling the horse along. Angel refused to cooperate, instead whinnying and pulling against Asenath.

"Angel, if you don't help me, I'll take another horse," she said, frowning at the animal. Angel just grunted in reply.

It was night. Asenath couldn't believe how fast her last day here had gone. Probably because she was out for most of it…

She hopped onto Angel's back, and pulled the reigns. In a few moments, she would be out of the city… forever.

"Let's go, Ang—"

"Asenath!" Asenath looked up to the pathway to the palace. Seto was there, leaning on the edge, grinning at her.

"What do you want? I'm about to leave!" she called back. Seto chuckled. Asenath's eyes widened as she saw what he was wearing.

"I came to say goodbye, of course," he replied, hopping down onto the level ground. He walked over to Angel and put a hand on his nose. "Well, hello, Angel. Are you going with Asenath?"

"Of course he is, fool," Asenath said, stroking the back of his neck. Seto petted his neck as well.

"Take care, Asenath. It's dangerous out there," he warned. Asenath smiled.

"Oh, I know…" Asenath stared into the starry sky. She had focused her energy, and had healed herself enough so she could at least ride one night.

"Well… You better head off, then, if you want to return within the week," Seto said, smiling. He took her hand in his, and kissed it lightly. Asenath blushed and took her hand, nodded to him, and grabbed Angel's reigns.

"When will you be back?" Seto asked. Asenath had to stop herself before she burst out crying once more.

Not for a long time, she thought, but she said instead, "…Soon. I hope." Seto smiled.

"That's good… I'll be here, waiting," he said, a slight chuckle to his voice. Asenath nodded.

"See you," she said, settling herself on Angel's back. She held the reigns and whipped them against Angel's flesh.

"C'mon, let's go, Angel!" she cried, and Angel whinnied, then took off, pounding the stone beneath his feet.

Seto watched her roar away into the night. He leaned against the wall and just stared at the decreasing forms of Angel and Asenath.

Seto put his hands behind his head and stared at the sky.

"I wonder why she was so scared," he said, before retreating back into the palace. Someone was calling his name.

Asenath rode on, leaving the boundaries of the city. She kept riding blindly, her heart pounding heavily with every passing second. She eventually reached a point in the distance, where she could see the city. She pulled Angel to a stop, feeling her strength giving out.

"I'm glad I went back for this medicine," she said to herself, pouring some into her mouth. She swallowed, gagged, and then put the small container back into her bag. She stared off, the city blurring into one giant mass of light in her tearing eyes.

"Well… this is it, Angel," she said, stroking his neck. "This is it… What I saw… so many years ago…" Her hair blew with the wind, and she closed her eyes and leaned on Angel's neck, Angel sitting down on the ground.

"I love you… Atemu," she whispered, before her descent to sleep.

I'll be just fine, pretending I'm not. I'm far too lonely, and it's all that I've got…


Blargh. xD Okai then. Err… that's the end. Horrible, isn't it? Sorry about that. Well, technically, this isn't the end. There's another chapter, an epilogue of sorts. Woohoo. Sorry I've been dead for so long, so many things going on… Spring Break just came, and what with colorguard and weddings and… random get-togethers… I managed to produce this. Nyar. n.n;; Sorry it sucks so bad, argh. Well, anyway, the point is, there you have it. As you prolly guessed, the next morn is when Bakura arrives. YAY. –Cough- anyshoe. This coming weekend is AB05! (Anime Boston 2005, hehe) and Friday I'm going as Asenath, and then Saturday and Sunday as Bakura. Imma be at the photoshoot on Sunday for Yuugiou, too, so maybe I'll see ya there!

Ehh… Wow. This story has taken me over a year to write. Woohoo. I'll be kinda glad and kinda sad when it ends. Glad that I don't have to write it anymore; sad that it's over. Well, all great things must come to an end, ne? –Sigh- Well… anyway.

Thanks so much, and wait for the Epilogue! Find out what happened to Asenath after she left. Last Chapter: "Epilogue; Ending."

Oh yeah, I don't own All That I've Got, by The Used. That's what the last line comes from, yo.

Shibby-One