Hello everyone! Now the story really is coming to a close… these may be the final few chapters… sobs I can't take it! Runs out of the room Wait, what room? I'm typing on a computer… well I would run out if I could… now, on to the next chapter!

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POV Seto

I was quietly standing at the corner of the room, where I could see Tamara angrily yelling at Bakura. The shadows were licking at my heels, and they sent a tingling sensation down my back. Drops of sweat were slowly falling down my face, and they were falling into my eyes, stinging them with their saltiness. I wiped my brow with my sleeve, and I focused on Tamara. She looked angry enough to burst… Am I really going to take this innocent girl's soul to bring back Kisara? I have to… it's the only way…

"You… why are you doing this? Seto is doing this for Kisara, but you are doing it for your own selfish reason. Is this how you get what you want? By hurting others? Is it?"

I heard Tamara yell angrily at Bakura. Bakura certainly was doing it for his own selfish reasons… power, the power of a pharaoh. He planned to destroy Atem… and take the throne… I was also doing this for my own selfish reason… for Kisara… I'm just as dirty as he is… I'm no better than him if I stoop down to his level. Am I willing to destroy Atem's love with Tamara… for my love with Kisara?

'Seto' a soft, feminine voice echoed in my mind. 'Seto. Are you going to destroy young love… for your own?'

Was I? Was I going to take her mind, body, and soul, and destroy Atem?

'Kisara…' I thought to myself, 'What should I do? I need you… I can't live without you by my side.'

'Kisara is with you, Seto,' the feminine voice said to me, 'Although she isn't materially by your side, she will always be watching over you. Seto. You've been manipulated and lied to. What would Kisara think… if she found out you ruined your cousin…'

My tears were now mingling with the sweat, and wee slowly falling from my face. Let them fall… let them fall…

'for her?'

I stood in the corner, quietly, confused, unable to think straight. I watched as Bakura lied, cheated, and manipulated Tamara.

'As he did to me…' I thought to my self. Then, all of the confusion and chaos bottled up inside of me… were replaced with anger at Bakura.

'You will be with Kisara again…' the voice said quietly, 'You just have to survive a lifetime without her. Remember, Seto, your love for her is eternal. Don't let Bakura mislead you, for if he does… you may see Kisara one more time… but for the afterlife… you will never see her for the rest of eternity.'

It suddenly dawned to me what the voice meant. If I destroy both Atem's and Tamara's life… I will see Kisara alive once more. But what if she found out what I have done? She may never forgive me… But if I wait for the day I die… without wronging my cousin… I will see Kisara… in the afterlife…

I gazed at the Blue Eyes White Dragon woven onto my robe's arm.

'Wait for me Kisara… wait for me…' I thought to myself quietly, tears flowing down my face, falling off my wet face and staining my clothes.

'I will Seto… and welcome you with open arms.'

POV Atem

Tamara stopped as soon as I called her name. Her hand remained in midair, only a handbreadth from Bakura's. Tamara, with one last breath, fell to the floor, weak, and unable to move. This sight angered me greatly; Tamara was near death, and there was nothing I could do, because now, I was in enemy territory. Bakura, realizing that I had come, withdrew his hand and smirked. His face showed amusement but is eyes… they only showed greed and gleamed with triumph.

"I suppose you came to say farewell to Tamara?" Bakura laughed derisively, shadows surrounding him as if to protect him. The black and purple flames enveloped his figure, forming an aura around him. His eyes became sullen, showing no light, as shadows danced around him. His voice changed, and he looked possessed, as shadows overtook his mind and body, as well as his soul.

"Do you really think you can defeat me?" Bakura said in his new voice. "The shadows contain all power; light is no match for it. No matter what you do, you will lose Tamara."

I narrowed my eyes and glared at him. I was sweating all over, and I didn't know what to do. I unsheathed my gleaming sword, its tip sharper then any knife. I gripped my weapon, ready for his attack. Instead of heading towards me, Bakura started to move towards Tamara. The flames that were licking at her body disappeared, and Bakura kneeled beside her. My eyes opened wide with realization at what he was going to do. He was going to with draw her soul from her body.

As Bakura was chanting in our ancient language, Tamara's soul was being withdrawn from her mouth. A gaseous vapor was rising from out of her mouth, and as it became clearer, it was taking shape of her features. Aiming my sword at Bakura's back so it would pierce his evil heart, I charged towards him. I only had one chance to do this… I ran at full speed, my clothes feeling like they would be torn off my back, I thrust my sword. The sword pierced the aura, but I had to push with all my might. Bakura, eyes smaller, hair flying wildly, realizing I had attacked him, bellowed, and then slapped me with all his might. I flew to the other side of the tomb, my back forcefully hitting the wall, my sword landing in a pool of shadows a few feet away. Tamara's soul being with drawn back into the body, so I didn't have to worry about her…

I scrambled towards the sword, attempting to retrieve it, but the pain that I should have experienced a second ago struck. Pain shot up through my back, and reached my arms and legs. I was nearly paralyzed, barely able to move. I fell to the ground, pain still burning my whole body. I reached for the sword… but I was too late. The pool of blackness sucked the sword into it, and the sword then appeared in Bakura's hand.

"You attempted to kill me with this sword…? I think not. It will take more than just a measly sword to get through this aura." Bakura said, smirking.

"In fact, I think I'll kill you with your own sword. Pitiful. The pharaoh of all Egypt killed by his own weapon. I think when I am pharaoh, I will have the greatest poet write an epic about how a commoner rose to be pharaoh of all Egypt… and how the former was destroyed." Bakura said tauntingly, his eyes glazed with triumph.

Bakura stepped forward, raising my shining blade. The blood red ruby at the handle glinted in what light there was, the blade's metal shining. Its point could easily pierce human flesh, so there was no reason to fear that it would be hard to kill me. I prayed silently to Ra, but I knew that there was little I could do in a situation like this. I lowered my head so Bakura could easily behead me, praying and praying that Tamara would survive.

'Oh Ra,' I prayed, tears falling from my face into the inky blackness, 'since you could not spare me, please spare Tamara… she has a whole life ahead of her… please… let her be spared…'

I kept my head down so Bakura wouldn't see me crying. Bakura then, with no mercy, assaulted my bare neck with my gleaming blade. I closed my eyes, and waited for the instant pain to commence.

I felt no pain, and instead, I heard a strident screech. I looked up, and found that the blade hadn't hit me at all. The blade was floating above our heads, and returned to my fist. I didn't understand at all, but I gripped my blade, and then looking up, with a smirk on my wet face, I said triumphantly, "It looks like your luck just ran out, Bakura."

Bakura tensed and said, "The blade is of no use to you. It can't even pierce my aura, much less attack me."

I then heard chanting in the ancient language. I closed my eyes and tried to recognize the voice. I glanced quickly at the corner behind Bakura, and I saw Seto chanting an ancient ritual. I raised my head, and then, I managed to raise my whole body from the ground. My whole body was wet from the effort, but I suddenly felt a surge of power. I was regaining the ability to move my body. When I was at the height of power, I smirked triumphantly once more, while Seto chanting hymns in the corner, my blade became ablaze. I then realized what I must do. Bakura was backing away from me, horrified that his plan was falling to pieces. Bakura, hearing Seto's chanting turned around and spat, "You! You traitor!"

Seto remained his serene composure coolly said, "You were the traitor. You manipulated, lied, cheated, and stole. Now, it is time to get what you deserve. Now Atem!"

Bakura quickly turned around, and I struck the blazing blade through his heart. I plunged with all my might, and the blade went through smoothly. It pierced the aura, and then penetrated his soft milky white skin. When I felt I made it through his skin, I pushed even harder. The blade then cut through his heart. It was a sickening feeling, and blood gushed out, splattering my clothes. When I felt that I had fully destroyed the evil Bakura, I pulled out the shining blade. The whole sword now was the same color as the ruby at the handle. Bakura, with his eyes wide open, managed to gasp, "I will be back. For my revenge… when your future child reaches the age of 14, I swear I will be back… I will return!"

After his last gasp, all the shadows that had been protecting him broke into millions of smaller pieces like shattered glass. The shadows withdrew, and disappeared. Everything in the tomb was back to normal… well, almost.

I ran to Tamara at the other side of the room and I hugged her. Seto walked over and kneeled beside me.

"Is she going to be alright?" I asked Seto anxiously.

"I think she's fine. But first, I need to ask your forgiveness… I'm truly sorry…" Seto said apologetically, his voice trailing off.

I smiled and said, "After saving mine and Tamara's life? I'll say we're even. But where's Jou and the rest of the guards…?"

Just as I said that, Jou ran in, sweating more than I was.

"Atem…! Thank Ra! Get away from that traitor!" Jou said, glaring at Seto.

"Relax, I know. Bakura's dead, and Seto saved my life." I explained, trying to calm him down.

"What about Tamara…?" Jou asked, concerned at her state.

"I think I can wake her up. Of course, we need to get her to the infirmary as soon as possible." Seto said seriously.

I nodded my head in agreement and asked Jou, " Joey, could you please retrieve the guards while we take Tamara back to the palace?"

Jou nodded his head and said, "Right. I'll report back as soon as possible."

Seto heaved Tamara onto my back, so I could carry her to the palace. We rode on the black Arabian horse I had come with, which was surprisingly calm. As soon as we arrived to the palace, I ordered a servant to carry the near-dead Tamara to the infirmary, to Isis.

"Please, Isis, help her recover soon. Seto, I believe you said you had a way to wake her up…?" I asked Seto questioningly.

Seto nodded and said, "I will have the herbal potion ready by tomorrow morning. Sleep well, Atem."

I nodded my head and returned the greeting.

"Sleep well, cousin."

POV Isis

I watched over the sleeping girl, as she rustled in the bed uncomfortably. You have done the right thing, my child… you just needed a little guidance. All of you… Atem, Seto… Tamara… you have all done the right thing. I took hold of the gleaming golden Millennium Necklace. With this precious item, I have guided you… now it is time to be let out on your own. I know, dear child, when you wake up tomorrow… you will be greeted by Atem's open arms. Seto will look mournfully at the two loving couple… Atem will confess her love for her… She will admit her love for him. It all fits perfectly like a story. But danger lies in the happy couple's path… just as Bakura swore, he will rise again, more powerful than before. I am wary of the future… now it is time to release these two from their cages. The choices they make now… will affect their future. As for Kisara… she will be greeting Seto when the time comes.

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Ok… end of chapter 9. Now there is only one more chapter left… I don't think I can take this…I'm so sad… yet happy that I have completed my first fic… I thank all the reviewers… you will all be recognized in the next chapter. Until next chapter…