The Shadow Sands

by Yami-AJ Yu-Yu-InuCaptor

Ancient Egypt,Atem the pharaoh Bakura the thief, their paths will never cross…unless the things Bakura wants the most are in the hands of a pointyhaired ruler, and the shadows draw near…. The downward spiral begins

5. Perfect Prey

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Yami AJ::sitting in white space: I sold our furniture and sets so I could have the set and electricity for one more chapter :sniffs: After this, we'll be off to find jobs.

All: :sniff loudly and sob:

Yami AJ: My ramblings shall be short today as I promised I would list everyone's Kas. Why is everyone so sad? They know the plot-line, that's why. DISCLAIMER TIME!

Senna and Ari: :bow: Yami AJ does not own Yu-Gi-Oh – King of Games

Rhea and Haktep::bow: She does however own the inhabitants of the bar.

Shila and Shefnu::sigh: And this story-

Yami AJ: WHICH IS WEIRD AND PATHETIC! :sniffs and joins Thoth in lying on the floor:

Shila and Shefnu: The plot and all the other stuff she does own.

Fasen and Kana: Enjoy! :bow:

Ash: There is a large chance there will be no dumb ramblings at the beginning of the next chapter, the end of this chapter and the end of the next chapter. Please know that Yami AJ will put up her thanks to her reviewers who she values very much. :bows:

Yami AJ: I am giving warnings for this chapter and the next.

If you like the OC's or actual character then leave….NO DON'T LEAVE JUST IGNORE ALL THE REALLY BAD PARTS. And if you are made slightly uncomfortable by this chapter (although it isn't that graphic or bad in my opinion) you will not like the next chapter. As usual; WARNING: LANGUAGE, BLOOD, VIOLENCE, GORE (mild or heavy depending on your tolerance) and sadness for the next chappieU.U…….

Bakura: The disclaimer given applies to the next chapter if none is given.

Rayeel and Renora: Thank you.

Asami and Sen: We love reviewers :wave posters with hearts:

Ari: Sen and Asami drawing hearts and saying the word love….the end is near….

Yami AJ: You better cherish your time with the OC's you don't know how much they're going to get beaten up…. Oh yes, there shall be flashbacks, you'll know when one's in progress. 'Remember your 4thbirthday when the clown said……'…like that. These flashbacks will explain a few things, such as how all the members of the bar got to be with each other.

Some of you might be wondering 'Hmmm, has Yami-AJ actually seen all of Yu-Gi-Oh including memory saga?' Well the answer is yes. I do know what happens in Yu-Gi-Oh and I have seen the original Japanese episodes, so when I watch YGO on KidsWB and I see how they've chopped it up, it annoys me. Oh, I should take this time to tell you that in later Chapters the Shadows Sands will become Spoiler central, so if you don't want to know what happens in YGO-Memory Saga before its shown in your country, you might have to ignore a ton of stuff…or just about everything. But until then….Blah.

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MOST OF THE CARD IS INFO TAKEN FROM 'YU-GI-OH: RESHEF OF DESTRUCTION (for the GBA)'. The other info is from my own Yu-Gi-Oh card collection, and random websites. If you see any mistakes you are free to complain.

Format is: NAME: Inner Ka (inner Ka's Type and Summon) ATK/DEF
Favourite Ka Monster (favourite monster's Type and Summon)ATK/DEF
Favourite monster types

Ari: Black Luster Soldier (Warrior, Divine) ATK 3000 DEF 2500.
Buster Blader (Warrior. Earth) ATK 2600 DEF 2300.
Spell-caster, Warrior, Dark, Dragon, Fire.

Sen: Magician of Black Chaos (Spell-caster, Divine) ATK 2800 DEF 2600.

Dimensional Warrior (Warrior, Dreams) ATK 1200 DEF 1000.

Dark, Light, Spell-Caster, Warrior, Dragon.

Fasen: Mirage Knight(Warrior, Dreams) ATK 2800 DEF 2000.

Maha Vialo (Spell-Caster, Light) ATK 1550 DEF 1400.

Light, Spell-Caster, Dark, Dreams, Dragon.

Shila: Dark Elf (Spell-Caster, Dark) ATK 2000 DEF 800.

Cyber Harpie (Winged-Beast, Wind) ATK 1800 DEF 1300.

Wind, Warrior, Winged-Beast, Dark, Dragon.

Oberon: Jack's Knight (Warrior, Light) ATK 1900 DEF 1000.

Harpie's Brothers (Winged-Beast, Wind) ATK 1800 DEF 600.

Wind, Winged-Beast, Warrior, Dragon, Forest.

Shefnu: Gearfried the Iron Knight (Warrior, Earth) ATK 1800 DEF 1600.

Flame Swordsman (Warrior, Fire) ATK 1800 DEF 1600.

Fire, Warrior, Earth, Dragon, Wind.

Haktep: Vampire Lord (Zombie, Fiend) ATK 2000 DEF 1500.

Neo the Magic Swordsman (Spell-caster, Earth) ATK 1700 DEF 1000.

Spell-Caster, Warrior, Dark, Dragon, Fiend.

Kana: Duname Dark Witch (Fairy, Light) ATK 1800 DEF 1050.

Shining Friendship (Fairy, Light) ATK 1300 DEF 1100.

Spell-Caster, Light, Fairy, Dragon, Wind.

Senna: Mystical Sands(Rock, Dark) ATK 2100 DEF 1700.

Serpent Night Dragon (Dragon, Divine) ATK 2350 DEF 2400.

Fire, Dragon, Dark, Spell-Caster, Dreams.

Rhea: Thunder Nyan Nyan (Thunder, Light) ATK 1900 DEF 800.

Warrior of Tradition (Warrior, Dark) ATK 1900 DEF 800.

Dark, Warrior, Thunder, Wind, Dragon.

Rayeel: Deepsea Warrior (Warrior, Water) ATK 1600 DEF 1800.

Kaiser Seahorse (Sea-Serpent, Water) ATK 1700 DEF 1650.

Water, Forest, Warrior, Dark, Wind.

(Ok, Asami's inner Ka is made up of her spirit and the spirits of her sisters, that is one reason why Wingweaver is so powerful. Her original Ka – before the abduction and such- was the Witch of the Black Forest (Spell-Caster, Dark) ATK 1100 DEF 1200. But I'm putting more current information.)

Asami: Wingweaver (Fairy, Light) ATK DEF.

Fairy's Gift (Spell-Caster, Forest) ATK 1400 DEF 1000.

Dark, Zombie, Spell-Caster, Fairy, Dreams.

(Because they can not summon properly, their inner Ka's are unknown. )

Thoth: UNKNOWN

Silent Magician (LV.5) ATK DEF

Spell-Caster, Dark, Dragon, Fire, Warrior.

Renora: UNKNOWN

Tiny Guardian (Warrior, Light) ATK 1400 DEF 1800

Warrior, Forest, Spell-Caster, Fairy, Wind.

Bakura: UNKNOWN
Gemini Elf (Spell-Caster, Light) ATK 1900 DEF 900

Zombie, Dark, Fiend, Spell-Caster, Dragon.

Yami AJ: Now, there may be a few more Ka's posted in later chapters once things are explained in this chapter. Happy reading! Don't hate me just because this chapter sucks! I LIED! THIS CHAP IS LONG AS WELL, SIMPLY BECAUSE THE FLASHBACKS HAD TO EXPLAIN, EVEN IF IN LITTLE DETAIL, HOW THEY ALL CAME TOGETHER! YOU ARE FREE TO FLAME ME…..Ok, please don't flame…they really hurt….even if I am a pyro…

Enjoy!

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Perfect Prey

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Three days…

Two days since the rain began….

That is how long they had been gone according to those of the palace…

Words had been useless the previous night, their strained attempts at their saviors defense utterly useless as they were dragged away to be treated. No one had expected Seth to knock out a guards tooth as he blocked the future priest's way to the motionless body of Thoth; no one had expected Karim and Shada to tackle the commanding officer of the squad that proceeded to bring the thieves to the holding cells; no one had expected Mahado and Mana to threaten magic upon the guard that carelessly held Shila's limp body; no one had expected Isis to be dragged into the sick bay in a screaming rage, swearing that they would their hearts would be eaten in the afterlife; and no one had expected Atem to break down in the main hall and cry miserably, his tears cutting a line down the dust and dirt still on his bruised, cut and bloody face. He screamed in pain and frustration, pounding his fists into the floor until he was dragged away, his screams echoing down the halls.

Mahado opened a heavy eye looked around his room. A single standing lamp burned beside his dressing table, but the room was still predominantly dark. The flame danced as he sat up, body sore and uncooperative. His arms were bandaged up to the shoulder, cloth visibly white indicating he had not bled that much. A small scratch on his chest was stitched closed, and the scratches covering his legs had dabbed in ointment and wrapped thickly. He swung his legs over the side of his bed, and put a foot down on the floor. His ankle screamed under his weight and he fell to the ground, biting his lip in pain as his back began to throb.

The magician pulled himself up and ignored the pain, glancing at the sky, its colour telling him that it was quite a while past sunset. It was slightly cold and it was drizzling outside. He pressed his ear against his door and strained to hear what went on in the hall.

"Pharaoh is already busy and angry, Shade," a girl whispered frantically.

"He must treat them," a male replied firmly. They're gonna die if they are not attended to….especially the youngest boy."

"Have any of them woken up yet?"

"The girl….the younger one….they hit her and she was out again….."

Mahado bit his lip as their voices become distant before vanishing completely. He rested his forehead against the door, eyes focusing on his hand. He moved it from side to side and waved to himself….

"Can you promise a one?"

"Thoth can promise a one…….Thoth promises'…"

The words played over and over in his head and he knew what he had to do. He limped over to his drawer and put on a shirt the same colour as his brown kilt. He picked up the heaviest book he could find, fixed his bed and crept to the door. He listened and waited until not a single voice could be heard, before opening and closing the door noiselessly and slipping into the passage. Lamps that ran along both sides had been lit, small flames providing the perfect amount of light for the narrow space.

"Hurry up!" a deep voice ordered from around the corner. "It's our turn to play with the brats!" Mahado looked for a place to hide, eyes growing to enormous proportions as he stuffed himself into a space behind a lamp.

"Ow," voices squeaked from behind him, the guards walking briskly past them. Mahado waited until all was clear before sliding from the indent in the wall. The magician sweatdropped as Mana fell to the floor, Atem stepping out after her. Mahado looked at his prince's face; his eyes were puffy and slightly red, his lips cracking and dry.

"What are you doing out here?" Mahado asked. Mana stood up slowly, picking up a thick book that had fallen beside her. Above her left eye had been stitched and her right cheek was covered with a piece of gauze. Atem's chin had been badly cut and was also covered in gauze, like Mana and Mahado, his arms and legs bandaged.

"We're going on a mission," Mana said taking an exaggerated step forward. "A mission to save our saviors!"

"If we're going to help them," a voice said in an annoyed tone. "Let's hurry up and help….before I change my mind." The trio looked at Seth, the blue-eyed teenager limping over to them in silence.

"Guards are on rotations," Karim said coming up behind them. "If we want to help them, now would be a good time."

"Even so," Shada added. "There is no guarantee that we won't be spotted…."

"So what if we are?" Isis asked loudly, slipping out from behind another lamp. "Just let them try and take us!" Karim slapped a hand over Isis' mouth, her power rants getting louder by the second.

Seth looked at everyone. "It's like some boring uniform," he said, pointing out the fact that they all wore dark brown kilts and short-sleeved shirts and had bandaged legs and arms. They nodded.

"What's with the books?" Shada asked, pointing to the large objects held by Mana, Mahado, Seth, Karim and Isis.

"I thought it would be used as some sort of defense," Mana said.

"Or as something to knock guards out," Isis continued. Seth, Karim and Mahado nodded in agreement.

"Prince," Mahado whispered as everyone else stalked around a corner. Atem looked at him with sad eyes and a creased brow. "This is not your fault," he said, placing a hand on Atem's shoulder.

Atem looked at the floor. "Then why…….." Atem whispered. "Then why does it feel like it is?"

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As usual Ari and Sen failed to fail, their seemingly boundless sources information deciding once again not to let them down. Haktep would have joined in the explanation of how time had passed so quickly…he would if he had been sitting in his usual seat which a sniffing Rhea currently occupied; Asami also would have joined if she had not collapsed in a physically and mentally battered heap as soon as they dragged themselves back to the bar. Ari's usually enthusiastic voice came out as a dead whisper as he told the others that the hourglass held by Asami's 'father' could determine how fast time went on the outside or how slow it went on the inside.

That piece of information no longer held the interest of any of member of the shattered group. Rayeel had his wrists tied to his ankles, preventing him from doing the rash things he wanted so badly to do; Shefnu's had not stopped clutching Shila's bed sheets as he sat behind the counter on the floor; Rhea stared at the table as if it had taken Haktep from her and refused to give him back; Kana's eyes were blank as she stared off into space folding a scrap of parchment repeatedly into a perfect square; Senna was on her bed, pillow dampened by the tears she had not let anyone see fall…

Bakura lay on the bed that he often had to share with Thoth when nearly everyone slept in the den. He hugged the brown rabbit that Thoth hugged every night. He felt broken as he laid in the dark, wounds not the cause of his pain. He refused to cry; he refused to be weaker…The thief sat up slowly, the staffed animal clutched firmly in his hand.

Bakura felt the empty space and clutched the sheets.

"I hate having to share a bed with you," Bakura mumbled over breakfast as he lay on the table.

"Thoth didn't mean to hit you…he must have had a nightmare or something," Thoth apologized from the floor, getting up and rushing off the wash his hands for no reason. "Fasen will clear up the mess he made in the room very soon."

Fasen sweatdropped. Bakura slapped his forehead. "Just forget it!"

He wished to be hit in the face. ….

He remembered being hauled into the bar on the back of the blue haired one that had fully healed him; he remembered everyone taking up their own little positions in the bar; he remembered Rayeel shouting before he was overpowered and tied up; he remembered the look on Fasen's face when he placed Malik onto the floor…

That night he would have chosen Shefnu as the most damaged looking; puffy eyes, shed tear and stifled sobs had made him the example of desperation and depression. Kana and Rhea had attempted to look strong, stopping the flow of tears nearly as soon as it started. Rayeel had sniffed from his dark corner, not bothering to continue protest.

They all looked hurt but they did not hold a candle to the three of the brothers four. Ari was not the second oldest in the bar, but was second in command none the less, giving himself the task of figuring out some sort of plan. He had stalked off to the boy's room, not closing the door completely. Bakura gazed through the small space between the door and its frame, watching as the redhead unrolled maps and other scrolls, kneeling on the floor next to them. He leant over the sheets, slightly tangled hair hiding his face before his hands balled into fists and he sat back on his knees. He was still for a moment before his hands came to his face, covering his watering eyes. His body quivered slightly as he sobbed in silence, stopping abruptly and savagely wiping his tears away as if everything was their fault. Sen had drifted away from everyone sitting in the upstairs bedroom. Bakura crept up after him stopping himself before he knocked on the door. The brunette had sat on the floor with his knees pulled to his chest, crying silently as he whispered a plea of forgiveness. The white haired thief had backed away, Sen's verbal self abuse beginning to hurt him as much as Sen wanted to hurt himself. Fasen had probably looked the worst as he lay by the door, hand reaching out to the wood as he smiled and insisted that the others would be back at any moment…any moment.

And now, the next night, Bakura felt strange as he sat alone in the quiet darkness, finally putting his shoes back on and climbing into the bar. Everyone stood in the main bar, sheathing weapons and strapping on armor.

Ari looked over at Bakura, nose and mouth covered with a dark, metal mask that was dotted with small holes. Everyone was dressed the same in black, knee long kilts, black long-sleeved shirts, boots, gold bands clasped from wrist to elbow and ankle to knee, metal masks, and their signature cloaks, the only item of clothing they wore that wasn't black.

Senna threw Bakura his mask, the thief catching it expertly. "Suit up Bakura," Ari said quickly, strapping a sheath to his back. "We're leaving."

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"How many are there?" a guard grunted as he rounded a corner.

"Enough to have some fun with," another guard replied with a crooked grin. Seth stood in the middle of the hall the guards bowing automatically. "Excuse us."

"No," Seth replied. They looked abashed.

"We have some very important stuff to get to and you should be asleep." Seth raised an eyebrow.

"So should you." The idiotic pair stood momentarily confused before they were knocked to the ground.

"Priest Sethhhh," the guard groaned. Everyone hit him again the one on the floor instantly motionless.

"I think we might have used excessive force…" Atem mumbled as they dragged the bodies behind a statue, a red lump already rising on one of the guard's head's.

"He deserved it," Mana said as they tip-toed around another corner, following Isis' hand signals.

The group climbed down the stairs onto the ground floor and dashing into an empty passage. "We should put the lights out," Karim said, pointing to the newly lit torches. They nodded, taking handfuls of sand from the urns in the passage to extinguish the flames. The darkness was almost constricting, the seven pressing themselves along the walls of the corridor and entering a state of silence. Atem looked at how shiny everyone's eyes had become in the dark, gazing so intently at the glint of Isis' eyes that he walked into Mana.

"Sorry Mana," he whispered, voice hardly audible over the strengthening rain.

"It's ok, Ouji-sama," she answered quickly as they paused for Isis and Mahado to check the next corridor.

"To get to the holding cells we must go right and go outside," Mahado explained on his return.

"But the right is swarming with guards," Isis added. "If we go to the left we can reach the cells...but…."

"But what?" Shada questioned.

"We will have to pass through the main courtyard which is currently occupied by Shimon." Atem swallowed hard. Shimon; the man who saw everything; noticed every move you made, paid unnatural attention to detail, had better sight than all of them put together, could probably smell them from a mile away…there was no hope.

"I choose the right," Seth said blankly. "We have more chance of passing a room of guards than Shimon."

"Yeah," everyone said with a sigh.

"But we need a distraction," Atem pointed out. "They won't just let us slip by." Everyone slowly turned to Mana, the magician in training backing up slightly.

"Why are you all looking at me?" she squeaked.

"Who's more distracting than you Mana?" Atem and Mahado asked.

"WHAT'S THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN!" she roared. Atem and Mahado shrunk away.

"You are best at getting people's attention," Isis said.

Mana sighed. "Fine…Mahado-sama has to come with me." Mahado groaned.

They stuck their heads out, looking up and down once again before they dashed to the end of the passage and turned sharply, stopping at the first doorway. Isis peered around the doorway at the twenty or so guards congregated in their small room lit with two lone lamps, and containing a shelf two rectangular tables and some chairs. Seth looked disgusted as they chugged down what he knew must be heavy beer, laughing loudly and teetering on their stools.

"They look half drunk, this might be easier than expected," Seth commented. Mana and Mahado looked at each other quickly before limping into the room, its occupants instantly quiet.

"Good evening gentlemen," Mahado said as Mana curtsied with a wide grin.

One of the senior guards stood up shakily. "Same to you young priest Mahado and his magic apprentice, Mana," he said, voice steady with much effort. "Aren't you ill from your encounter with those vicious thieves?"

Mana's fist tightened. "Yes. But we would like to thank you for our rescue by giving you a short show," she said, voice dripping with false delight. Several guards cheered, Mahado and Mana taking two stools and standing on them, having to struggle due to their injuries. The guards gathered around the pair like moths drawn to the firelight, waiting expectantly. "Please put out the back lamp." Instructions were followed, the only source of light now behind the magicians.

Mahado stretched his fake smile, conjuring three balls of light for himself and Mana. He began to juggle, Mana swallowing hard since she could not do the same. She laughed nervously, throwing the other balls into her teacher's luminous loop. The guards clapped and cheered as the balls changed colour and Mahado threw them back to Mana, the spell caster slamming each sphere into the ground. The room filled with thick purple smoke the others taking their queue and crossing the room, totally unnoticed. The guards let out 'oohs' and 'ahhhhs' as the smoke cleared, the entertaining pair standing in the opposite doorway and bowing swiftly.

The rain had intensified, pounding mercilessly against the muddy ground in sheets. Thunder rumbled and Mana wondered if the weather had grown worse just for them. Lightning flashed as if to say 'yes'

"That was great," Atem complemented them as slid along the outside wall.

"We should have you for parties," Seth added with a smirk. Mahado sweatdropped and mumbled thanks to Atem.

Atem wheezed, head spinning as Isis pointed the small structure ahead. It was not very big for the simple reason that it was only meant to cover the stairs that led underground. A rectangle of light lit up the ground outside the doorway, the prince holding the wall for support as Seth sprinted over to it.

"Prince?" Isis said looking past Mana at the young ruler.

Mana's eyes grew wide as she looked at the dark patch on Atem's shirt. "You're bleeding," she gasped.

"I can still come…." Atem insisted. Isis held up the bottom of his shirt, looking at the long cut on his stomach; it was not mortally dangerous at the moment but movement might have caused it to grow in size.

"I can heal it, run ahead," Mahado said. Isis and Mana nodded reluctantly.

Atem was still as Mahado healed the cut completely. "When did you become such a good healer?"

"Since I needed to be one." The two joined the others than stood behind the far wall of the cell entrance.

"W-what are we g-going to do once we g-get down there?" Atem asked as he held himself in the downpour.

Mahado's hair had quickly become plastered to his head and shoulders as he stared upwards to the heavens. "I don't know prince," he answered closing his eyes.

Atem looked to Isis; she shivered, she wiped her hair out of her face but she gave no confidence filled reply….no luster laden answer. He looked to Karim and Shada and Mana and wanted them to say something….anything….even something stupid and nearly impossible. Atem waited for someone to save him from the sudden feeling of doubt.

Seth crossed his arms in a very Seth-like fashion and turned to walk to the entrance. "That's a useless question," he said sharply. "It's obvious what we do." The others looked at him, surprised when he looked over his shoulder at them with a raised eyebrow. "It's obvious we go in there and get them out. Sometimes I wonder about you." He turned away and took a step forward, the other smiling to each other. Atem smiled to Seth's back.

In that moment, Seth had been his savior.

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Security around the palace walls had been increased but it did not matter in the least. The rain raged on, its continuous pounding, and the veil of night, perfect tools for trained thieves. Bakura had stopped shivering a long time ago, taking shallow breaths through his mask as he waited to go through the wall with the help of Sen's Dimensional Warrior.

"Bakura," Sen called, pointing to the rip in thin air where he would pass through. The thief pulled himself through the silvery slash, stepping into the palace grounds beside Fasen. Sen followed seconds later, the line disappearing with a hiss.

"Two entrances to the holding cells," Asami explained once the black clad group as clustered together under a tree. Ari summoned an orb of light, illuminating the ice incased map in Asami's gloved hands. She pointed to two places.

"This one is outside and has a single tunnel leading down to the cells," Kana said pointing to a small square. "But on the first floor there is another entrance which goes to another wider passage, with other small storage chambers, that leads to the cells also."

"Which way are we going?" Shefnu questioned. Asami turned over the cold slab, the others squinting as Rhea pointed to an indent in the wall.

"This is the opening of the passage," she explained. "The passage is not mapped and neither are the chambers. All we know is it goes to the cells."

"What if we become outnumbered by guards and must resort to….to….." Rayeel began.

"If you have to kill them, then kill them," Kana said fiercely. The past few days had brought out all the anger that Kana never showed; all the hostility that people didn't know existed within her.

"I must agree," Fasen said softly, his voice hard to hear over the rain. "If there is no other way to survive then do what you must…"

"Cloaks off," Ari said. They nodded, pulling off their soaking cloaks, attempting to wring them and stuffing them into the bags they carried. Everyone stood still and silent for a moment, Ari opening his arms and looking at them all. Normally this would have felt silly, something they would joke about….but not tonight. They all came together and hugged as if it was something they needed to do; something that they wouldn't survive without. Normally Bakura would have squirmed away, but tonight he held on as tightly as possible, feeling suddenly distant as they separated.

"Everyone check your bags," Fasen said quickly. They felt around in their bags pulling out something wrapped in a dark leaf. "Open it." They unwrapped their leaves and each stared at a honey cake, a honey smiley face on each one. They lowered their masks and ate in two bites looking at a slightly smiling Fasen. There was another hug around Fasen. "You're welcome."

"If we are separated, which we won't be, there will be a signal….you will know it when you see it," Ari said after replacing his mask just as the others had done. "Good luck…." Dia Danks opened on the last word and they dashed through the dark to their destination…all but two.

Bakura looked back at the summoner that held his collar. "Bakura….I need to talk to you," Sen said softly. He reached into his bag and pulled out a Dia Dank. "Take it."

"But I can't sum-" Bakura began.

"Not yet. Summoning is very strange…even when you think you can't do it, you can," he said, pushing the object onto Bakura's arm. "I think you can summon you just need the right force behind it….apparently Thoth's force is anger or perhaps fear…."

"What is your force?"

Sen looked into the distance. "I no longer need a starting force…after a while you simply need the will to summon…"

"What if I can't summon when you need me…I'll be useless. An unwanted burden that si-"

Sen poked Bakura in the forehead and the younger one knew that beneath the mask the green eyed one was smiling. "You are never useless or unwanted Bakura. You're family…"

Bakura didn't growl as Sen ruffled his pony-tailed, white hair, causing it to stick up even more. He thought of Shila and how she had once said people don't really remember things from when they were really young, then looked at his friend's long blue ponytail and remembered the first sentence ever said about him.

"Look at his beautiful eyes Bakura," Saiori said, peering at one of the four boys chained to a stake in the ground. She tugged at her aunt's sleeve. "He's so pretty….they're all so pretty…how can they treat them like that?" Saiori asked loudly, gazing at her aunt in confusion. "Come and see them!"

Their aunt sighed, shifting a tiny Bakura to her other hip. She was still young, only twenty four, with shoulder long, glossy black hair, bangs that framed her pretty face, and grey eyes. Her dress was an off white and fell to her shin, top and bottom separated by a black belt. She pushed barefoot through the crowd that had assembled around the caravan that evening, the trader pointing to some of his new cargo that took the form of a group of children.

Four boys were chained to a stake in the ground, each with brilliant green eyes that stood out against their dirty skin. Their hair was coated in dust and their clothes were torn, and each of them shivered in the night air.

"HOW OLD ARE THEY?" someone shouted from the mass of people.

"WHAT GENDER ARE THEY!" another hollered.

"ARE THEY MUTE?" a man asked.

"Calm down, calm down," the trader said, raising his torch holding hand. "They are all male." There were several murmurs since not one had hair that did not pass mid-back. "They are six or seven…give or take…..and no they are not mute. They can read and write!" Several pleased nods from potential buyers. He gestured to the pendants around their necks that each bore a single, green stoned pendant. "They come with the gold on them!"

'WHAT ELSE CAN THEY DO?"

"They can all use a bow and arrow! They can juggle!" A few claps and murmurs.

"Aunt Neffffffffffffffffffffffff," Saiori whined. Nefra looked down at her niece. "They're only children!" She nodded, looking past Saiori at the boy that was closest to them. His dark, wavy bangs were long and nearly covered his sad looking eyes, his hair so long that it pooled around him as he knelt on the ground. His tresses were so dirty it was hard to tell what colour they were.

"The price is negotiable!"

"What's your name?" Saiori asked. None of them responded, instantly looking at the ground as she spoke to them. She crossed her arms angrily. "Hey! I'm talking to you!"

"They won't answer you little miss," the trader said with a grin as offers of gold poured in. "They're trained not to speak."

"Trained?" Nefra said harshly. "These are children not dogs you pig!"

"They are slaves lady. They're there to serve so there is no difference."

"Hey!" Saiori said angrily. "That's not true!"

The trader looked at the girl before him, quickly becoming annoyed. "Unless you're buying, take you big mouthed brat and go!" Nefra growled angrily, beginning a loud argument with the big-headed merchant. Bakura giggled. Saiori crept back to the children that were now being poked and examined by those who thought them good merchandise. She looked at them closely, noticing how the two at the front looked the same, and the two at the back looked the same.

"Oh twins!" a lady squealed. "Very rare! And they're actually nice looking……"

"Pssssss," Saiori hissed. "What's your name?" she asked once again.

"My name is Sen…." He answered slowly.

"Are they your brothers?" He nodded, shivering as someone ran their fingers through his hair. The one beside him had straighter hair that fell to his waist. He smiled at her and turned away. She squeezed through two hairy legs and knelt beside them. The ones at the back both had straight hair, the one on the left having it to his mid-back while the one to the right had it in a ponytail that reached his knees when he stood. "What's your name?" she asked the one who had smiled.

"Touya…." He said softly.

"That's a weird name," Saiori said blankly. He gave a small laugh and Saiori could tell that he didn't laugh very often. "And you?" she asked the one on the left.

"Me?" he asked doubtfully. "My name is Fasen…." She looked to the pony tailed one, and asked his name. He did not reply.

"Fine then." She stuck out her tongue, pouting when he smirked and did the same. She giggled and stood up, brushing dust off her knees.

"My name is Ari…." He said, eye twitching as a woman undid the strip of cloth in his hair and redid it in a bow.

"Doesn't he look darling!" she said. Saiori looked at the woman and knew she was a stranger to the village, probably passerby.

"No he doesn't! He's a boy! Not a straw doll!" Ari smiled.

"DON'T BE RUDE BRAT!" the merchant shouted, smacking Ari in the back of the head with a piece of wood. Ari's head flew forward and hit the stake, Saiori watching a drop of blood dot the ground. Fasen shuffled over to him on his knees, Ari mumbling something before he kneeled and rested his head on his knees.

Nefra stormed over to the merchant and punched him in the jaw. "I'M BUYING THEM!" she shouted, throwing a pouch to the ground before him. He looked at her with his mouth open, not shifting his gaze as he fingered through the bag's expensive contents. Other villagers protested, while some walked away and said nothing.

"SOLD! To the bitch with gold," the dealer growled. The four boys stared at Nefra wide-eyed as Saiori jumped around enthusiastically. Nefra looked at Bakura with a doubtful smile.

"What did Aunty Nefra just do Baku?" she asked the toddler. Bakura giggled some more before stuffing his thumb into his mouth and sucking it intently.

"Look," the merchant said, handing her round-top a basket. "This comes with them."

"Huh?"

"You have four boys now…you can have another." Nefra raised an eyebrow, watching as the four were unshackled and pushed forward. They were all thin and bruised, their wrists red from where the shackles and cut into their skin, they had no shoes and were filthy. She put the basket down the children staring at it intently.

"My name is Nefra," she said extending her hand. They jerked away. Sen fell forward as the merchant slapped him across the back.

"OBEY YOUR OWNER!" he barked.

"Please forgive me master," he begged, kneeling before Nefra.

"Hey! STAY THE HELL OUT OF THIS JACK ASS!" Nefra shouted, waving her middle finger. "THEY'RE NOT YOURS ANYMORE SO SHUT THE HELL UP!" Bakura stared. "Shit! I mean…….Baku never heard those words...noooo, cause those are bad words!"

"Shame on you," Saiori mumbled. Nefra sweatdropped.

She bent over and stroked Sen's head. "It's ok….." They looked at her as if she would turn on them at any moment, pull out a stick and beat them with it. "Come on…you look like you need to eat…"She turned to the merchant. "Hey," she called.

"What!" he barked.

"The only bitches around here are your mother and your wife!" The merchant's jaw dropped.

"AUNT NEF!" Saiori shouted.

"Score!"

Saiori grabbed Touya's hand and pulled him along, the brothers forming a human chain. "What's with the hands?" Saiori asked. Touya nodded.

"It's so people can't separate us…" he said quietly. Saiori pushed her head near to his mouth.

"For Ra's sake! How do you expect me to hear when all you do is whisper?" All the brothers looked at her doubtfully.

"They're probably not used to speaking at normal volume," a basket holding Nefra said as Bakura looked over her shoulder at the dirty new additions to their group.

"You're really dirty……you smell kind of funky."

"Really? We never noticed," Ari mumbled sarcastically, before Fasen elbowed him in the ribs.

"Behave," Fasen, Sen and Touya said sharply.

"Meanies."

"You and I will be good friends Ari," Saiori declared as they walked past more houses. "At least you say what you want to. I think we can all be friends….unless you all suck!"

"SAIORI!" Nefra snapped.

"Sorry…"

They stopped in front of a small house, those who were going to or coming from the caravans still bustling around. "Can someone-"Sen had already knocked on the door twice and stepped back before Nefra finished. "…get the door…"

The door opened to reveal a man of only twenty five, standing in a brown kilt. He was slightly taller than Nefra and had messy black hair that was cut at the nape of his neck, and a wild fringe that nearly completely covered his right eye. His grey eyes widened as his sister, his nephew and his niece entered along with four dirty boys.

"Huh?" he grunted. "Hey look, four random kids that I've never seen before! This is my lucky day!"

"Tumatetnon," Nefra growled.

"Who are they?"

"They're ours." Silence.

Saiori gave a large, cheesy grin. "Ta da!" she said, pointing to them. "Aunty Nef had to buy them, they were being treated really badly, and they smell!" Silence. 'Come one Uncle Tuma! You'll love them!"

"This is Ari and Fasen, Touya and Sen," Nefra said, pointing them out once she had put the basket on the table.

"Two sets of twins…how rare…." Tumatetnon shrugged. "Hello little men, my name in Tumatetnon……I'm Saiori's and Bakura's uncle." They bowed in unison.

"Good to meet you," they said.

Saiori, Nefra and Tumatetnon stared. "Freaky," they mumbled.

Nefra looked at her brother. "I'm going to put Bakura to bed. Start to clean them up, won't you," she said. "Saiori get ready for bed."

"I don't want to go to sleep yet! We don't know each other enough yet!" she moaned, shouting as her uncle put her over his shoulder and carried her away.

"Be right back," he called.

Nefra looked down as she felt something pull at her sleeve. "I'll get something for you guys to eat in just a minute," she said, looking down at the four.

"Thank you so much," Fasen whispered.

"Thank you," Ari said again.

The four latched onto her hugging her tightly. He rubbed each of their heads. "Thank you for being so nice before you sell us again…." Touya said.

"Hey!" Nefra said quickly. "I'm not selling you back out. You're going to be part of this family now." They stared at her is disbelief and hugged her tighter. "We haven't got a big house….."

"It's perfect!" they said in unison.

"Stop speaking all at the same time, it's creepy…" They giggled. "Go into that room, I'll buy you guys some clothes tomorrow so you can wear some of Saiori's stuff tonight. Go find something that fits." They nodded and all but one limped over to the room. Nefra put Bakura down one the table and rubbed his head. "Aunty Nef is crazy Baku…" Her eyes drifted to the basket. "What's this again? Clothes? Soap? Food?"

"No," Sen said softly from beside her.

"Then what is it little man?" Sen stared at the basket as Bakura leaned into it, giggling even more. "You're really happy today…"

"Well…." Sen stood up and pushed the top of the basket back and Nefra screamed. Everyone rushed back in. Tumatetnon gazed into the basket with wide eyes.

"COOL!" Saiori exclaimed. "ANOTHER BABY! ARE THERE MORE!"

"Ummm…." Nefra looked at Sen and fell flat on her face.

Tumatetnon picked up the baby. "Well your hair is short…." he whispered, smiling as the child held his finger. "Oh my……"

"WHAT!" Saiori screamed, voice loud in her excitement.

"Looks like you're the odd one out…."

"Hey Sen. Are there any more baskets?" Sen sweatdropped. " I KNOW THAT'S A YES!"

"Let's go Bakura," Sen whispered. Bakura nodded and sprinted off after Sen, two glimmering, satisfied eyes watching patiently from the shadows.

……………………………………………………………………

The passage was near empty as rotations took place, the seven having the time to hide behind a large pot or slink behind a pillar as guards passed by. They had gone down twenty or so steps to enter the main tunnel in which they now walked. They squeezed out from behind pillars after a guard meandered by and took his time to round the one and only corner they had encountered.

"There aren't enough corners down here," Mana complained, their footsteps sounding loud in the almost perfect silence. "It's hard to hide."

"It's to make it easier to get prisoners if they escape. If there are fewer corners then there are less places for them to hide and they are easier to notice," Seth said, slowing as their path led to a single room.

"What's that room?" Atem asked quickly.

"Weapons and armor are kept in there," Isis answered. They all exchanged looks. "We'll ignore that room completely."

It was hard to follow the request as they made their way through the heavily lit space. They walls were lined with spears of all lengths and tips, bows of all different sizes and mounted shelves that were piled with swords of all types. The room was larger than they thought, having enough space to house six tables, three on each side of the room. The tables were covered in knives, pieces of armor, coils of rope and other random paraphernalia. Countless quivers hung from pegs along the shelves, arrows filling them to maximum capacity. Atem's eyes drifted to the brutal looking, jagged hooks on the edge of the table and he instinctively picked a few up.

"What are you doing?" Mahado hissed.

Atem put the hooks under the table one by one and covered them with rope. "Those don't look like anything that one should be use on another human," Atem said with a saddened expression.

"It's unfortunate that all people don't think like you," Shada whispered. Atem bit his lip and trailed after Mahado, Mana saying that they resembled mice, scampering from one darkened place to another. Seth lingered in the room for a few seconds more, taking something and joining the back of the line. The passage grew slightly wider and another corner came into view.

"Too bad that girl didn't wake up….." a crooked toothed man said with a smile, hand firmly around his spear.

"Yeah….might have been some potential in her if you know what I mean," another one said. They laughed as if they had told some hilarious joke instead of spewing words that only displayed their ignorance.

Mahado's fist tightened as Atem seethed silently beside him. Mana sniffed, closing her eyes tightly for a brief moment before the one of the guards yelped.

"You are disgusting!" a man shouted. Those behind the columns, who were able to, peered carefully at the owner of the voice. The guards who had previously spoken did not look that old, anywhere between twenty five and thirty, with nothing too special about them. The new arrival was clearly younger. He could not have been too much older than them, perhaps eighteen or nineteen. He looked slightly taller than Seth, with sharp hazel eyes and light brown hair, with a sharp fringe combed neatly to the right his hair fanning out at the nape of his neck. He was leanly muscled unlike the guards before him with huge chests and arms.

"Can't you have a little fun Shadenkan?"

"Fun? You're pathetic. She's only a child." He looked at them angrily.

"Child? She looked a lot older than six to me. Why are you concerned? You didn't even see her."

The younger guard pushed past them roughly. 'She's sixteen you bastards."

They were silent, the bandaged ones becoming annoyed as the guards simply stood there. Isis jumped from behind her pillar, swinging her book swiftly.

"OWWWWW!" the guards screamed, holding his head.

"Shoot….." Isis mumbled, backing up slightly. Seth appeared behind the confused looking guards hitting each of them only once to silence them. "Where'd that come from?" Isis questioned, pointing to the Dia Dank on Seth's arm.

"There were a few hidden in that room," Seth said.

"Hidden? When did you have time to find it?" Karim asked as they moved the bodies out of view.

"It strapped to the underside of a table top, I guess it was good that dropped my book."

"What are the guards doing with Dia Danks since they claim they can not summon?" Mahado said, voice tinged with doubt.

"What are we going to do when the guards wake up if they remember it was us who knocked them out?" Atem sighed. Everyone sweatdropped, only now realizing that the guards would eventually wake up. "They might not remember…." They all mumbled.

"What are we doing standing in the middle of the hall?" Mana said. They sweatdropped again and moved on, slowing down once voices got louder and more abundant. Atem found himself sweating as Seth said the next corner would surely be the last before the cells.

He reached out and held Mahado's sleeve. "I…I don't…." Atem began, looking for words to explain his confusion and other mixed emotions. "What if we can't help?"

"If we can't help we'll keep trying anyway," Mahado said.

……………………………………………………………………

"There is a disturbance on the outer wall," Asami said to the room full of drunken guards, a small light glowing on the tip of Fasen's gloved finger. "You will go and investigate this disturbance, not coming back until you have found the white ball." The guards nodded slowly, eyes blank and mouths agape.

"You may leave," Fasen whispered, the light going out. The guards stood up and filed out of the room, their voices returning seconds later.

"Where are we going?" a guards asked scratching his head as he followed the ones before him.

"Disturbance on the outer wall," someone mumbled behind him.

"Oh…oh yeah."

Bakura sat in the corner as the others whispered to each other. The floor was cold but he ignored it holding another piece of chilly metal in his hands. He pulled his black glove off with his teeth and ran his fingers over the mask with ties of crimson.

Ari looked at the mask and the one who held it, his chest tightening painfully. He felt as if he had let more than two people down.

Fasen placed a hand on his brother's shoulder and looked at him, assuring smile concealed. "You haven't let anyone down," Fasen whispered. Ari looked at the floor wondering how his siblings could always tell what he was thinking.

"Not Thoth, not Bakura," Sen continued. "Not Shila or Haktep, nor Renora or Oberon…"

"And definitely not Touya or Saiori." Ari didn't answer, simply nodding as the others pointed out the passage on another map. He looked to his left as Bakura walked towards him.

"You don't know how to let people down," Bakura whispered. "Maybe that's your problem. You haven't let me down, and you never let Thoth down….and Shila, Shila would forgive you even if you did let her down."

"We're going to….work," Nefra said, attempting to explain why she was not taking them with her for the first time since she had obtained them. She looked at Ari with a sigh.

"May I ask your profession?" Touya questioned.

Saiori's jaw dropped as her little brother was placed on her back in a carrying pouch. She walked to Touya and tapped his head. "Village of Kuruelna…" Touya stared.

"The village of treasure hunters," Ari said.

"You mean thieves," Touya corrected him.

" 'Treasure hunters' sounds better." Nefra stopped packing their bags and realized something.

"How old are you boys?" Nefra questioned.

"Nearly seven," they said in unison.

"WHAT?" Tumatetnon yelled, shuffling into the room. "You're only SIX!"

"You sound so intelligent, we presumed you were….older," Nefra mumbled. "So you're only Saiori's age…."Nefra abandoned the subject that her brother had suddenly become interested in. "Where did your brothers get to?"

"I'm not sure," Touya said. " Fasen and Sen said they wanted to buy you something…." Ari slapped Touya.

"IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A SURPRISE!" Ari yelled angrily. Nefra sweatdropped.

"You boys don't need to get me anything…….where'd you get the money?" Nefra questioned.

"I stole it," Ari said calmly. "Not from a nice person like you Lady Nefra."

"From this mean, fat man that smells like wet cat," Touya explained.

"And he was ugly," Saiori added.

"SAIORI!" Nefra hissed. "What kind of example are you setting!"

"They already know how to do it well….they're really good climbers. They can even climb with Nayami on their back." Nefra slapped her head.

"Find the others and make your way to Shila's house." Nefra kissed Ari, Saiori, Bakura and Touya on the forehead. "Here honey," she said handing Touya a cloak after Sen.

"Thank you Lady Nefra," he said, covering himself quickly. "I don't need my oddness showing."

"YOU'RE NOT ODD!" Tuma called from the other room. Touya smiled as Nefra handed them their bags, and the bags of their missing siblings and a baby porting Saiori, sending them on their way.

They walked side-by-side in the late afternoon sun, a cool breeze already blowing up dust. They walked through stalled streets until they found a short pair standing in front of a booth.

"Thank you," the pair said, one stuffing the newly acquired object into their long hooded cloak.

"Let's go," Saiori said, calling out to them. They joined the group, Ari and Touya greeting the covered baby on Fasen's back. "We have to stay with my friend until Aunty Nef and Uncle Tuma come home…" She held a note in her hands, Sen asking what it said. 'I don't know, I can't read that high yet."

"Can I see it?" Ari asked. Saiori gave him the paper. "Please watch over Saiori and Bakura for a few days. She will tell you of the new arrivals. Many thanks. Greetings to your wife and Shila. Love Nefra."

They had heard of Shila many times before as Saiori talked about her all the time; they were best friends. In the two weeks since they had lived with Saiori, they had found out many things such as; her mother and father were dead, Bakura was her only sibling, she loved cats and had only one named Sekhet, she knew how to effectively use curse words and she loved honey. Saiori had also learnt that the brothers could use magic, steal, do acrobatics, juggle, use knives, bows and arrows, and swords effectively and cook.

The village of Kuruelna was a good walk away from any other town, Saiori saying that few people actually knew its exact location and that it was hidden by hills and other gifts of nature. They followed Saiori quietly as houses dwindled until they were all left in their wake, trekking across the sparsely vegetated ground as the sky began its descent into darkness. They did not make conversation as the village shrunk behind them and the wind grew slightly colder.

"Saiori," Fasen said.

"Yeah," she answered.

"How did your mother die?" Sen and Touya looked at him viciously.

"She died a few weeks after Bakura was born…she had something wrong with her chest and she was coughing up blood." Crickets began to chirp. "Where are you from?" No answer. "Are you telling me you don't know where you're from?"

"Egypt?" they said doubtfully in unison.

"You are hopeless." They continued walking; stopping once they reached a well. "We can get a ride to Shila's house from here."

"Are you sure?" Sen asked, looking at all animals and people gathered around the stone structure.

"Of course!" Saiori said fiercely. She pushed past people, a goat bleating as it was hit by the six year old. "There!" The others rushed after her, spewing apologies to those they ran into. Saiori had stopped next to a large, horse-driven cart, looking at Fasen with a bored face when he arrived. "Tired?"

"I'm not used to running around with a baby on my back," Fasen panted. The brothers mumbled to each other, placing their youngest sibling on Ari's back.

"Oh look," Saiori said, pointing to a figure that came towards them. They automatically clustered together as a broad shouldered man came striding towards them. He stopped and looked them, dark brown eyes shinning happily. He wore a white kilt with a bark brown belt and cloth shoes. He had leather wristbands and a leather headband that kept his chin long, black hair from his face. Perhaps he was thirty or maybe a bit older, but the corners of his eyes had 'crows feet' wrinkles that made him look weathered and wise.

"Little Miss Saiori," he said, his voice deep and rolling. "A little Mr. Bakura." Saiori turned to show the sleeping form on her back. "And who might these young ladies be?"

Fasen, Sen and Touya: X.X :fall on faces:

"I'm a boy," Ari snapped.

"Just kidding. Just kidding!"

"That's not funny Uncle Phon," Saiori said blankly. The man laughed. "We need a ride to Shila's house."

"You want a ride to your cousin's house huh? Fine, just wait a few minutes while I find Shade." Saiori nodded, the man leaving after helping them into the cart.

"Shila is your cousin?" Ari asked, baby cradled in his arms. Saiori nodded.

"Uh huh. But it's a distant relation; she's my cousin many times removed," she explained. "Uncle Phon is my uncle many times removed as well."

"Am I your cousin many times removed also?" a boy asked, climbing into the front of the cart. His hair was light brown, short and spiky, fanning out slightly at the nape of his neck. His eyes were bright and hazel and he scanned them all doubtfully. His tan dress was divided by a brown belt, his sandals and wristbands the same colour.

"Shade, this is Sen," she said pointing them out. "And Ari, Fasen, Touya an-"

"Saiori, where did your uncle and aunt get to?" Phon asked.

"Work." The man laughed loudly, climbing into the cart and setting off. "Where did these young men come from?" Saiori explained. "That Nefra is one crazy woman….Five boys, that's a hassle." Those in the back seat looked at each other but said nothing. They made idle conversation, no one bringing up the subject of the cloaks.

"You shouldn't be walking to the well alone," Phon said, the horses trotting at a steady pace. "These are very dangerous times." Shadenkan nodded.

"Yes, there are more and more rumors of vicious thieves," he said.

"The Pharaoh is wise and will help us but we must be on our guard in these troubled times. His guard is powerful and will surely save the day!"

"You just say that because you're part of the guards and you need to sound good, father." Phon mumbled.

"When I was eight I didn't talk so much Shadenkan."

"Because you didn't have anything good to say!"

"I'LL THROW YOU OUT OF THIS CART!"

"No you won't," Saiori mumbled.

"Throw!" Bakura repeated. They did not speak until they reached Shila house, the one's who were new to the family staring at the structure doubtfully. "Shila!"

The house was surrounded by a high wall, two spear holding, muscled men standing on either side of the entrance. The house was white and tan; large, with two stories, a small pond and garden, with many servants rushing about. The large entrance hall looked the size of Saiori's whole house.

"She's a noble?" the four brothers in the back seat asked in surprise. Shadenkan nodded.

They climbed out and stood beside the cart, Shadenkan rushing up to the entrance. "Hey beefy and biggy," he said with a grin. The men smiled, indicating that these names were normal.

Phon followed his son, Saiori holding the hand of one brother to get the others to come along. "Miss Saiori," the men said. "Young Mr. Bakura." They stared at the ones who the young girl had locked arms with but said nothing.

"Bakura!" a girl screamed, rushing towards them with open arms. She ran towards them, rounding a servant and jumping over a basket, eyes shining with joy. Saiori opened her arms, sweatdropping as she was totally ignored. The girl stopped fussing over Bakura just long enough to stare at the others. Her long, dark hair was in a simple ponytail tied with a small violet ribbon the same colour as her silk belt. Her dress was lavender and her sandals were black leather. "Hello," she greeted the five new children, still paying no heed to a fuming Saiori as she extended her small hand. "My name is Shila. Good to meet you." They stared at her hand as if it were something fascinating, actually gazing at it from different angles. She sweatdropped, Saiori shaking her head doubtfully.

"Fasen," Fasen introduced himself, smiling back cheerfully. Sen and Touya did the name, Ari crossing his arms.

Shila snorted. "Big head," she mumbled, sticking out her tongue. Ari stuck his tongue out, the pair looking very stupid.

"Shila, it's time for supper," a woman called. She came out dressed in plain clothing.

"One more minute please," Shila pleaded. The woman nodded, greeting the others before leaving.

"I've given your uncle the note….he's very excited to meet the four of you," Phon said.

"Five of us," Ari corrected him.

"sorry. It's just that your little brother is very quiet." They exchanged looks and shrugged. "I'll be back in a few days to pick up Shadenkan, I'll take you home then…I'm going now." Shadenkan waved to his father, waving until he trotted out of sight.

"Who are these people?" a lady asked, stepping up beside Shila, arms crossed in an annoyed fashion. She looked at them with a raised eyebrow, brown eyes accentuated by blue eye shadow and black eye make-up. Her lips were painted a lovely shade of red like the pendant on the gold necklace around her neck. Her white dress was form fitting and came to her ankles, short sleeves stitched with red thread. Her violet belt was done up tight, showing off her perfect figure.

"Aunty Nefra bought them."

"So, she got herself some slaves?"

"They're not slaves," Saiori interrupted quickly. "They're part of our family now." The woman's lip twitched. Her eyes rested on the cloaked forms of Sen and Touya, then to the bundle now in Sen's arms.

"Come on," she said quickly. "Supper is ready."

Shila opened her mouth, the woman's sharp look keeping her silent. "Yes mother," Shila said with her head bowed.

"Saiori, and one of you boys…go and put your brothers in your room." Touya opened his mouth to say something but decided against it. She looked at Fasen's and Ari's red hair, eyebrows raised.

She walked away, Shila sulking in her wake as her ponytail swayed at her waist. "Sen," Shadenkan said quickly. "You can give your brother to one of the helpers…they'll take care of him." Sen clutched the sleeping child even tighter.

"I think I want our…" Sen began trailing off as if he had suddenly lost all sense. "What was I saying?"

"You were saying you wanted to stay with our brother," Touya said. Saiori looked at Fasen only getting a smile.

"They want to stay with their brother, so that's it," Saiori mumbled.

"What's your brothers' name, by the way?" Shila's cousin asked.

"His name I-"

"Time for supper!" Shila's mother called irritably, snapping at a servant as soon as she turned around. Shadenkan twitched as if the woman's voice was poison; his dislike for her was evident.

"Coming….." Shadenkan grumbled, as a servant scooped Bakura up and took him away.

"SUPPER!" she called again.

"Coming!" Shadenkan replied sweetly with a fake grin. "Silly hoe," he finished in an undertone, rolling his eyes at his aunt as he dragged Saiori behind him. The five siblings stood in silence as Saiori's laughter pierced the night.

"Your brother," a servant said, holding out her arms.

"We would be very happy if you could show us the room….we'll take her there," Sen said. Ari and Touya nodded, Fasen examining a flower.

"Very well young men; I will bring your dinner to you in there." They followed the servant into the open entrance hall, then up white steps, too busy ogling at the fineries of the house to notice when their guide had stopped. She let them into the room, departing once she ushered them inside. The room had two small windows on the wall opposite the door, held eight large, four-poster beds –four on each side of the room- about a foot away from each other, a three drawer cupboard and a fine, long mat in the aisle between the bed columns. Bakura lay sleeping on the second bed to the left. A pillow on either side of him to stop him from rolling on the floor. The four brothers did the same with their sleeping responsibility, then sat on the floor.

They sighed in unison, before looking at the room again; they had never been in a room this wonderful before…well a room that they were allowed to be in. Fasen smiled and stood up, throwing himself onto a bed. Ari and Touya climbed on another bed, jumping up and down, grinning as their long red hair hit them over and over. Sen held a pillow, squeezing it and poking it and hugging it to make sure it was real.

"Having fun?" a man asked from the doorway. Ari stopped jumping, Touya screaming before he fell onto the floor in a sad heap; Sen dropped the pillow, pulling his hood as far down as possible; Fasen rolled off the bed, groaning from the ground. The man who stood in the door way had a kind face with lovely grey eyes and a perfect nose. His hair was glossy and black and cut to his broad shoulders. He had on a few gold bangles on his arms and one at his left ankle. His tunic was perfectly white and divided by a red, beaded belt. His sandals were black and although Shila's mother was beautiful, it was obvious she got her good looks from this man; her father.

"Please offer us forgiveness," the four boys said, bowing low after making a straight line. He laughed as if they had told a joke.

"You're only children it's expected," he said, walking over to them and sitting on a bed before he extended his hand. "I'm Shila's father; my name is Kestal." They looked it his hand, each shaking it slowly. "Very nice gloves," he commented pointing to their hands. They gave quick thanks. " I get the impression that you're not used to conversation." No reply. He stood up, the four stepping back to allow him to pass them.

"Sen!" a small voice called. "RiRi!" Ari turned to the blue-haired figure that had just woken up, putting his finger to his lips. The child was silent.

"Is this your brother?" Kestal asked walking over the bed where the robed child sat. He picked the child up, pulling back the hood with a smile.

Touya covered his eyes, Fasen and Sen covered their mouths, Ari's hand stretched out vain. The four began blabbering all at once, pointing to Touya and Sen then touching their hair and pointing to their green eyes.

"And you see we all have green eyes-" Ari began.

"And you see s-" Sen half continued.

"We're all very n-" Fasen added.

"You understand?" Touya finished.

"You four boys all have long hair," Kestal said, finger combing the child's shoulder length locks. "Looks like you're the odd one out."

Touya, Sen, Fasen and Ari stared at the man. "What?" they blurted out.

"You five are a very nice addition to our family, Shila is already fond of you." he smiled. They continued to stare. "I'll have your supper bought up here for you." The youngest one in the room waved as he departed, happy as he waved back. n.n

"He didn't say anything," Fasen said, stupefied. O.O

"I know…" Sen mumbled. O.O

O.O "He's a good as Aunty Nefra and Uncle Tuma," Touya said, finally getting used to calling Nefra and Tumatetnon Aunty and Uncle.

"Yeah…" Ari said. "You know what?"

"What?" the others asked, wondering what other kind words their brother wanted to add.

"I found a dead dragonfly. ISN'T THAT COOL!"

……………………………………………………………………

This was one of the few occasions that Seth was wrong. The passage did not have only one end – the cells- but had one other tiny room that was used to store pots. It was in this room that they crowded, planning their next move by the light of a single orb.

"We could threaten them…." Mana suggested. Everyone gave her a blank stare.

"I'm sure they'd be terrified of us. Oh Ra help me! A group of injured, unarmed, teenagers that can only say they're going to tell on us!" Seth said dryly.

"But they must follow orders from Ouji-sama."

"They have higher orders from the Pharaoh." Mana was quiet.

"We can't knock them all out…." Isis mumbled. "If we can knock any out…they do have weapons after all…."

"Can't you just use magic to put them to sleep?" Karim asked Mahado.

"Only if you also wish to slumber," Mahado replied. "I can't control the targets or potency of my sleep spells…. You might all end up asleep for a maximum of two days."

"I guess that one's out."

"Seth has a Dia Dank, he had Mahado can summon a distraction…" Shada began. Isis cut him off with a sideways glare.

"They might think that the thieves did it…." she said. "They know that at least one of them can summon."

"What do you think we should do Ouji-sama?" Mana asked Atem. "Ouji-sama?" Atem was staring sadly into the dark.

"They'll come," he whispered. The others looked at him in confusion one word describing their expression 'HUH?'.

"Who?"

"Their family will come to save them…..they're too loyal to think of abandonment."

"But what if they're too injured to come?"

"Sen….he doesn't look like a person who can let a friend down."

Seth crossed his arms. "You know what this means," he mumbled.

"What?"

"It means you better hope that looks are not deceiving."

……………………………………………………………………

Asami would not admit they were lost. They all crouched on rafters in the empty kitchen, examining maps and diagrams, coming to the conclusion that construction had been undertaken on the ground floor meaning the entrance was somewhere else….

Sen took a small item from Thoth's bag and watched it intently, keeping whatever it had shown him to himself.

"This is so fucked up," Senna growled angrily. She slammed her fist into the rafter where she sat, leaving a dent in the wood.

"We have to stay calm, Senna," Sen whispered.

"Calm? Calm?" Senna snapped. Sen hung his head and gave no reply. "I'm sorry Senny…."

"No need for apologies."

"Shi would slap me if she could see me now…being stupid…"

"Yeah, she would," Ari said bluntly.

"And Hawk would give a speech using words I've never heard…"

"Yeah," Kana and Rhea sighed.

"And Thoth would be Thoth….." There was a silence after this. "My little buddy was so beat up…." Senna stood up quickly and loaded her arrow. "Those guards better start to pray."

Shila had made it a habit to take the four brothers out to the city and other villages everyday to get them used to other people. This was very hard since the huge guards that shadowed Shila scared away nearly everyone who wanted to make conversation. They had made friends with the son of a scribe, simply because the scribes were also of the upper class and Shila's mother wished to visit them. They had made one other friend; a very loud, funny, outspoken friend that Shila and Saiori got on extremely well with, who Ari had made cheesy jokes with, and who had seen under Sen's cloak but thought nothing of it…their names were Haktep and Shefnu and boy did they ask questions.

"Now will you tell me why you wear the cloak?" Haktep questioned as he walked through an alley with Saiori and Sen.

Sen watched the one they had met a week ago out of the corner of his eye. "Maybe in a while," Sen whispered.

"We don't want you to run away," Saiori said quickly. Haktep shrugged.

"My sister is coming home today, would you like to come to my house?" Haktep offered scratching his head through his less than immaculate hair.

"YEAH!" Saiori said loudly, answering for both of the. Sen sweatdropped. "We have to get the others-"

Saiori was cut off as a high pitched scream filled the air. "It sound's like a girl is in trouble!" Haktep said. Saiori glared at him.

"Why do you think it's a girl?" she roared. Haktep and Sen shuffled sideways, Saiori following them out of the alley.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" the one in distress screamed again, green eyes wide and panicked.

Ari ran up and slapped Fasen across the face. "SNAP OUT OF IT! DEEP BREATHS!" he yelled.

"WEE HOOOOO, WE HOOOOOOO!" Fasen panted.

"THIS IS A NIGHTMARE!" Shila screamed.

The three stared as Touya, Shila, Ari and Fasen ran back and forth attracting stares from vendors and other onlookers. "You shouldn't be allowed into town," Sen said quickly to his brothers.

"Where are your younger siblings?" Haktep asked looked around.

Fasen, Ari and Touya: O.O …T.T

"Well…" they started quietly.

"WELLL WHAT!" Sen and Saiori growled menacingly.

"I just turned for a second….." Fasen squeaked. Saiori and Sen shook Fasen by the neck.

"I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!"

"Let's look at the situation carefully," Haktep began, stroking his chin.

"SHUT UP!" Saiori yelled. "YOU LOST MY BROTHER!"

"We also lost ou-" Touya began before Saiori knocked him away.

"EXCUSES, EXCUSES! DON'T START WITH ME T!"

"Hey," a girl called. "Looking for a pair of midgets?" They turned slowly to a girl who had to be their age who was dressed all in brown. Her tunic was dark brown, her bandana was dark brown and her ankle boots were dark brown, her belt a honey brown much like her shoulder length hair. She looked at them doubtfully with amber eyes, two bright eyed figures holding her legs as she tapped her foot impatiently.

"BAKURA!"

"Not so fast!" the girl snapped, putting her hand out. Saiori moaned as she hit the girl's hand and crumpled to the floor. "I'm not going to just give them to you!"

"But they're ours!" Touya and Fasen cried, receiving pitying looks from strangers. "We NEEEEEEEEED them!"

"Give them back woman!" Ari snapped.

"Don't talk to me like that fool!" the girl growled.

"Or what idiot?"

"I'll punch you hoe!"

"I'll slap you bitch!"

"I'll pinch you slut!"

"I'll kick you bastard!"

"Watch your language," Sen pleaded.

"Language," the sources of the argument echoed.

"Back me up Lord Grumpy and Thoth," the girl whispered over her shoulder.

"Lord Grumpy?" Saiori said with shifty eyes. "Thoth?"

"Thoth, the God of the moon," Touya began.

"And intelligence," Sen continued.

"Numbers and language," Fasen added.

"All written text," Ari mumbled.

"And wisdom," Haktep finished, index finger raised as if he were pointing something out.

"I knew that," Saiori growled. "Lord Grumpy?"

"He bit my sister when she tried to pick him up," the new arrival mumbled. "He's really grumpy…and this cloaked kid is really smart…" Thoth giggled. "I love you too, Thoth!"

Haktep looked doubtfully at Saiori, Shila and the four brothers. They all shrugged. "You are too young to know love," Haktep said. "You do not truly understand what love is." She gave him a blank look.

"What might your name be?" Touya asked after putting the youngest of the group safely on Ari's back.

"My na-"

"Her name doesn't matter because she's wasting my time," someone snapped. Their eyes were the same amber as the one who they proceeded to punch as insult, shoulder long, chocolate brown hair being pulled by the one opposite her. She kicked the girl with her small, sandaled foot, white tunic and creamy belt dirtied by dust as she rolled around on the ground. "I'm going to kill you."

"Do it then!"

"Ladies, please," Haktep and Touya begged.

"Ladies?" the girls snorted in unison before they stood up.

"I'm Senna," the first girl said, adjusting her head tie.

"Rhea," the other one mumbled.

"Thank you for finding …Thoth," Fasen said. Senna beamed.

"And BAKURA," Saiori grumbled.

Touya and Ari mumbled to each other in a language Senna raised an eyebrow to. "What was that?' she asked.

"They have their own secret language," Saiori said blankly. 'But I do know one word! 'Nay', I think it means 'lucky', 'oh my' or 'beautiful…" Haktep stared at her giving her a 'you have no idea what it means' look.

"Do you live around here?" Senna asked, grabbing Ari's arm and pulling him along under a large stall. Ari scowled, and gave a grunt of disapproval.

"Not really……." They all mumbled.

"I live just outside the capital city," Shila said, looking over her shoulder to see if her guards had found her yet.

"Just outside? What are you? A noble?" Senna questioned. Her and Rhea looked Shila up and down. "Never mind, how about you?"

"I live not too far from the outer palace wall," Haktep said.

"You're a noble too?" Rhea asked.

"Ummm...well, both my uncles are nobles….my father is simply a scribe." Haktep explained. Senna and Rhea slapped their foreheads at Haktep's attempts to diminish his social status.

"So I bet all of you live in a huge house also," Senna said.

"I never asked…where do you live?" Haktep queried.

Shila gave a nervous laugh, Saiori sweating buckets as Ari, Sen and Touya tapped their chins thoughtfully. "Oh, we live in a small village called Ku-" Fasen began happily, before Ari, Touya, Sen, Saiori and Shila 'accidentally' elbowed him in the right side, back, left side, arm and head.

"Hehehehehh!" the residents of Kuruelna giggled nervously.

" It starts with 'Ku'…. Hey is it-" Haktep thought aloud.

"YES IT'S THE VILLAGE OF KULUXEBUS!" Shila exclaimed. "It's a tiny village far outside the capital inhabited by merchants and traders!"

"Kuluxebus?" Rhea repeated.

"Yeah…."

Senna and Haktep shrugged although they had never heard of such a place, Rhea looking at them with heavy doubt.

"Whatever."

"We've found the alternate entrance,' Rhea whispered. "Bakura? Bakura?" She shook his shoulder lightly, eyes darting open.

"I'm coming," he said automatically, jumping to the floor after rubbing his temples.

"You don't look well," Asami said quickly.

"Then stop looking," Bakura snapped. Asami turned away from him, no one noticing as he swayed slightly; his head beginning to pound as his chest burned with hate.

………………

They had been a perfectly dysfunctional group for about a year; birthdays had passed, new words had been learnt, hair had been cut, legs had grown, representative colours had been picked and nicknames created but still one thing had not changed; how much they appreciated each other.

Saiori had often told them how she had no friends until her aunt had made a wise purchase, all she had was Bakura….she said how she could never talk to the other children because they never listened properly….

Shila's mother kept her on a short leash, her father's leniency more prominent since he had been introduced to the five new additions and decided Shila should be allowed to socialize more…

Senna and Rhea had each other and that was about it. Senna's bad habit of stating the hard truth, and Rhea's tendency not to state anything at all didn't make them social butterflies and their father insisted that they only needed each other to have fun; even if they did only need each other at least they had a few more people to share the fun with…

Haktep and Kana didn't have time to make friends as their parents insisted education was the most important thing for them even at such a young age. Their parents had been shocked to find that four slave boys could read higher and knew just as much as both of their formally educated children. They did not find excuses for their intelligence, but praised it and now encouraged their son and daughter to spend more time with them….Haktep said he was for once happy not to be the smartest child in the room, even though he very often still was…..

Shefnu was Shefnu and had more 'friends' than he really needed. Many people latched onto him, probably because he was overly funny, and cute, and charming for a seven year old. He didn't like many of them; he much preferred being part of his new little tribe since he didn't have to act extra polite for anyone…

Sen, Ari, Fasen and Touya were not deliberately friendly, but were still able to get on well with everyone. Sen and Fasen had met Haktep in the city market while looking at papyrus then had met again on a visit to his house by Shila's mother, and Ari and Touya had found Shefnu when he was hiding from a bunch of his sister's friends who wanted to pinch his cheeks. Saiori said that if it wasn't for them, there would be no group, they would all be sitting nearly alone wishing for best friends….

"BAKURA BIT ME!" Shefnu screamed, running around in circles. "I'M GOING TO DIE!" Shila shook her head.

"Don't do that Bakura," Saiori instructed. Bakura stared. .

"A guy can't even feel safe in his own house," Shefnu sniffed dramatically as his sister walked in.

"Keep your noise down, Shefnu," Shinta said, putting a plate of honey cakes on the table. "Eat up kids," she said with a smile limping back out. "Oh I nearly forgot!" she exclaimed, rushing back in. She bent over and kissed Thoth and Bakura on the heads, kissing Sen on the head before she departed.

"Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh!" Ari and Touya cooed, Fasen too busy eating. Sen blushed from under his cloak.

"Stop it," he whispered desperately. Senna looked under his hood.

"How cute! Senny's blushing!" she giggled. What the hood hid was now common knowledge to all those who sat around the table.

"If you get married we can be related, killer!" Shefnu exclaimed.

"Yeah, then Ari can marry Senna, and Fasen can marry Kana, Touya can marry Saiori, and Haktep can marry Rhea," Shila said. "Perfect!" Those mentioned blushed deeply. Shila didn't know how good she was at creating pairs.

"SHUT UP SHILA!" they shouted.

"You can marry Shefnu," Saiori added with a smirk. "That gold goes well with the red of your face!" Shila turned away with a huff, long, high ponytail slapping Ari in the face.

"We have to be getting home," Senna mumbled angrily, grabbing something from Touya. "Thanks Haku."

"Our father wants us home early in 'these troubled times'," Rhea continued in a mocking tone.

"And unlike Lady Shila, Lady Kana and Lord Haktep over here, we have to walk."

"We can give you a ride home," Kana said brightly. "We also have to be hom-"

"Kana, Haktep and Shila," a guard said, popping his head in the window. "It is time to leave."

"That's nice timing," Haktep mumbled. "Say goodbye to your mother and your sister for us," Haktep requested as Shila, Rhea, Kana, Senna and himself got into the cart. Shefnu nodded. Haktep began mumbling to the guard who after a while nodded. "I get to stay, they'll pick me up later!" Haktep smirked, jumping back out.

"Later," Senna called.

Shila and Kana were shouting complaints until Rhea wrestled her them into silence.

Shinta rushed back in, grabbing a basket from the corner. A woman hurried behind her. Shinta's hair was long, falling neatly to her hips, and was a pleasant cherry-wood colour, her eyes grey and lively. She was thirteen but already attracting more boys than her mother could shadow. Her tunic was white, her belt beaded and blue. Her left leg was bandaged where she had cut it on a thorny bush.

The woman who followed her was nearly fifty five, her light brown hair already graying at the roots. Her eyes were bright and grey, her face slightly wrinkled. Her tan tunic was longer and came to her ankles, her brown belt simple and plain. She waved to the children and took a basket.

"Where going to the market," the woman said softly with a smile.

"Father is coming also, so if your friends are here, they are also welcome to come," Shinta said.

Shefnu held his nose. "If it was only mother and father they'd love to come, but you smelly yuck so they'll stay with me," Shefnu said. He and his sister glared daggers at each other.

"You can stay with Anthor while we're gone," Shefnu's mother said, kissing him on the cheek. He stuck out his tongue. His sister kissed him quickly.

"Nasty!" they said in unison.

"Good bye people," Shinta said, joining her father in the door way.

"Take care children," Shefnu's father said.

"I love you Shefnu," his mother said.

"Mother!" Shefnu whined. She smiled at him. "I love you too…….."

"THANKS!" Shinta shouted.

"Not you!"

"TOO BAD CAUSE I HAVE TO LOVE YOU! SO BLAH!"

"BLAHHHHHHHH!" This continued for several more minutes until Shefnu finally told his sister he loved her too. The three left with a few other men and women, Shefnu sweatdropping.

"Yeah umm…so, my parents and sister might be out for a while if they've gone to the main market," Shefnu said. "Want to go for a walk?"

They nodded and stepped outside.

"Your family is very nice," Sen said as they walked past the houses of Shefnu's small craft-workers and weaving village.

"Yeah….so where are your folks? You never really told us about them….what's your story?" No one answered. "Saiori, you want to start?"

"My mother died from some kind of breathing illness a few months after Bakura was born, my father killed himself because he couldn't live without her and he also had the same sickness……Aunt Nefra said he said that he knew he was being selfish by giving up, but he couldn't take the pain anymore," Saiori mumbled bluntly.

"Sorry…."

"Whatever."

"It's ok if you guys don't want to tell me….."

"Our mother was very beautiful," Ari mumbled. "She was killed during raid of the village, where she was hiding from our uncle, with magic… Our father, he was killed by our uncle for our mother….We escaped the village; the one who helped us get out sold us the first chance he got. He got a high price because of Sen and Touya and our ability to read…he sold us to a dirty old bastard who didn't care how young his purchases were…we got out of his house before he could do anything."

"Then we were caught by the one who had first sold us," Fasen lamented wistfully. A small smile was on his face as they treaded over patches of sparse grass. "He beat us with a flail…then his arm caught fire…he threw us all in the middle of the sand and left us to die."

"We were only there for a short while before another merchant came by and fixed us up," Touya continued. "She didn't want to sell us but her husband did….she let us go and we had to hide. Too bad they found us and nearly beat us to death before selling us to a large family who only wanted us to clean."

Shefnu was silent. "They bartered us…they traded us for two horses," Sen said. "Then we were sold about six more times until we escaped and got work in a small bar…the bar owner let us sleep in the bar when it was empty if we cleaned and carried things from the market…he lost us in a bet to the trader who sold us to Lady Nefra."

Shefnu didn't say a thing. "I'm sorry," he croaked. Haktep crossed his arms.

"No need to be," Fasen said.

"We don't need your pity," Sen and Ari whispered automatically.

"Thank you?" Touya said.

"So where are we taking a walk to?" Saiori asked, Bakura holding onto her finger with one hand and sucking the other as they continued.

"There's a well up here, if we're lucky we can get some melon from a vendor up there," Shefnu explained. They decided not to talk about family for the remainder of the short walk, instead talking about animals and other things of interest.

"YOU CAN DO MAGIC!" Shefnu screamed, Saiori and Haktep slapping their hands over his mouth. "I mean, you can do magic." Sen, Fasen and Touya nodded, Ari grunting as if it should be common knowledge. "Shinta can do an appearance changing spell that makes her look six and that's it…there aren't that many magicians left to train people who want to learn….anyway, you can do magic!"

"They're really good too," Saiori added. "They can create fire already, and light orbs and sleep powder, and, and, and they can summon!"

Shefnu's jaw dropped. "Killer!" he exclaimed. Sen and Fasen sweatdropped. Shefnu pointed ahead to the small stone well where a few people had gathered, dragging them behind him.

"Thanks for buying," Saiori said as they stood before a basket of melon. Shefnu sweatdropped, beginning to dig in his cloak pockets. Haktep gave him shifty eyes.

"I know I had something in here……." He trailed off, removing his cloak, as they all began to search his many inner pockets.

Bakura began slapping Saiori's leg, Thoth doing the same to Sen. "Take them for a short walk or something," Shefnu said… "I might have to run home and get something…." Haktep rolled his eyes.

Sen and Saiori nodded, walking a short way away from the well. "Can you see that?" Saiori asked, pointing to something further away from Shefnu's village.

"A house," Sen answered. "Yes…."

"I never really noticed it before…."

"I didn't notice it either…."

"We should have seen it since we came that way from Shila's house." The pair looked at each other, shrugging and walking towards it as Shefnu continued to insist he wasn't broke.

"Bakura, don't pull Thoth's hair," Saiori ordered her brother as they neared the large white structure. The house was nearly as big as Shila's, with nearly the same layout minus the wall and any sigh of life. Some sort of climbing plant had begun to take over the house's face, the single window on the upper floor, boarded with chipped wood.

"It…." Sen began, picking Thoth up as if the ground would swallow them all.

"It is creepy looking," Saiori mumbled. "I mean, if you're going to have a huge house why just leave it there!"

"I think there are people in it…." Sen whispered taking a step closer. Saiori grabbed his shoulder.

"WHERE IN OSIRIS' NAME ARE YOU GOING!" Saiori roared, birds in tress scattering in fear.

"I think there's someone in there Saiori…." Sen whispered. Sen's brow creased as Saiori asked him if he had been hit on the head or was just loosing his sanity as emerald orb's drifted to the boarded window where they were met with sapphire ones. "There's someone there! In that space!" Sen exclaimed.

"Oh please," Saiori said, turning around and gazing mockingly at the window. Her eye twitched as two bright blue eyes stared back at her. "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! RA HELP!"

The eyes grew wide and disappeared. "You've scared them," Sen informed Saiori as he dragged her to the door.

"LET ME GO! LET ME GO!"

"I think they're injured," Sen whispered.

"How do you know?"

"There was blood over their eye."

"You have really good eyes, you know that?" Sen smiled. "Want me to knock?" Sen nodded. "Lazy," Saiori mumbled with a scowl.

Saiori's fist touched the door, the girl screaming as she was thrown back a second later. Bakura and Thoth stared at their siblings, looking doubtfully at the door. "Bakura, Thoth, get away from there!" Sen ordered, from Saiori's side.

"Holy shit," she mumbled, sitting up and looking at her slightly burnt fist. "Oh fuck!" she yelled as her knuckle began to bleed.

"BAD!" Bakura and Thoth shouted.

"Sorry…hey, move away from there."

The small pair tottered forward holding hands, both falling backwards.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Sen and Saiori screamed rushing forward.

Sen grabbed them both taking a deep breath. "That was close," he panted.

"ARE YOU TWO DEAF!" Saiori screamed at Bakura and Thoth. "WE SAID MOVE!" Their lips quivered and they sniffed, Ari coming up behind Saiori and flicking her on the back of the head.

"Don't shout at the midges," he mumbled. "The three slow pokes are coming with your melon any minute now…..Whose house is this?"

"We don't know but you shouldn't try and knock…." Saiori warned, telling Ari what they had seen and what happened to her.

"Freaky….but still interesting. I think I'll give it a try." Saiori's mouth opened and closed as she looked for the appropriate insult.

"Please don't," Sen begged.

" What, are you going to knock for me?"

"If you promise not to," Sen said stepping forward.

"I'm just joking Senny, don't go injuring yo-"

"YOU FOOL LOOK WHAT YOU DID!" Saiori shouted, strangling Ari. "I'LL KILL YOU!"

Ari: T.X ouch

Sen walked closer to the door. "Hello?" he whispered.

"Hello!" Thoth mimicked him, holding his leg.

"Please…..don't leave," a voice pleaded.

Ari looked up. "Did you hear that?" he asked.

Sen and Saiori shook their heads. Thoth and Bakura nodded vigorously as the others stepped closer.

"Hello?" Sen called again.

"Hello!" Bakura called.

Sen pulled back his hood and peered intently at the door. He slowly brought his fist back, tapping once on the wood. He screamed as his hand began to sizzle, stuck to the slab of wood that vibrated beneath him.

Ari grabbed Sen's arm and pulled it, Saiori grabbing Sen around the waist and tugging him fiercely. A crystal like substance began to cover the entire house in a thin layer, Bakura and Thoth staring with open mouths.

"What are you guys doing over there!" Haktep shouted, falling silent as he gazed at them.

"WE'RE COMING!" Touya shouted, tripping in mid-run and throwing Fasen and Haktep to the ground.

"Wonderful!" Fasen yelled sarcastically.

"PULL SEN!" Saiori screamed. Sen had stopped screaming, ice beginning to travel up his arm followed by a pulsating energy.

"SEN YOU IDIOT!" Ari shouted.

"Cold!" Bakura and Thoth laughed, touching the door.

"AHHHHHHHH!" Haktep screamed. "NO GET BACK!"

The ice did not crack as Sen pulled back, the blue haired seven year old desperately trying to remove his hand. "ARI BE USEFUL!" Saiori yelled.

"WHAT DO YOU THINK I'M TRYING TO DO?" Ari yelled back.

"DON'T GIVE ME LIP!" Ari pulled his hair in frustration and punched the ice.

"SHUT UP!" There was total silence, the energy died down, the wind became still and all speaking ceased. Ari slowly brought his hand down, his knuckle bleeding and torn. "Ouch…shit." The ice cracked up the wall, the crack growing larger and dividing. Ari looked at his handy work. "Oops…shit." O.O

O.O "Ummm……." The others mumbled. Fasen peeled himself from the ground.

"Ra have mercy on their ignorant souls," Fasen begged. Ari scooped Bakura and Thoth in his arms, dashing off as Saiori wrenched Sen from the door, the two bounding away as the ice shattered.

"That was unpleasant," Touya whispered once the dust had cleared.

"Are you telling me no one else heard that noise?" Haktep said looking around. "People usually come to noise…"

"Out of curiosity," Touya finished chewing his melon thoughtfully.

Others: O.O TOUYA THIS IS A SERIOUS MOMENT!

"I don't believe you T," Saiori said.

"What? I love melon!" Touya screamed defensively.

"Me too…." A small voice answered.

"Me too!" Thoth said.

They clustered together, looking at the small figure in the doorway. Her hair was perfectly black and dead straight, falling over her shoulders down to her hips. Her eyes were a glittering sapphire. Her tunic was torn, the sleeves ripped at the shoulder, the rest of the material splattered in blood. Her legs were cut up much like her arms and cheeks.

"It's a girl," Saiori breathed.

She walked unsteadily from the doorway, all of them too stunned to step back. Thoth and Bakura stared at her. She collapsed in front of them and grabbed them instantly, hugging them as if she'd known them forever.

"Thank you," she said with a small smile. "Thank you so much."

"Thank you," Bakura and Thoth said once they had been put down. She stood up slowly and looked at Sen.

She held him tightly and pushed her face to his chest. "Ohhhhhhhh, Sen's a ladies man!" Ari said with a smile.

Sen's face turned even redder. "Ummm….well…who…" Sen started unsurely.

"Who are you?" Haktep asked, as blunt as ever. She looked at them as if they had asked an extremely difficult question.

"My name?" she repeated.

"That's what I said." Touya slapped Haktep for being so harsh.

"Asami…" a woman called weakly from the door.

"Mother!" she gasped, pulling away from Sen and rushing to the woman who had fallen to the floor. She used her small body to help the woman up, Haktep raising an eyebrow in question. Asami was thin and looked how the four brothers had looked when they had first been sold to Nefra; beaten, bony and bloody, but the woman had only a single scratch to her cheek, her clothes neat and clean, her sandal straps done up properly and other than the look of fatigue on her face, she looked fairly well.

The woman looked from Haktep to Saiori, eyes resting on Sen. "Oh my …." she whispered. Sen put his hood up and stepped behind Sen. "Go and get your sisters Asami," the woman said quickly.

"But I can't," her daughter replied. "They still haven't woken up." The woman was silent.

"Help me outside, Asami." Asami nodded slowly and attempted to aid the woman out of the doorway. "Hurry Asami," the woman snapped.

"I'm trying…mother," she breathed. Touya stepped forward, Haktep and Ari grabbing him by the shoulders.

"Stay," they growled.

"I don't have to listen to you," Touya said quickly. "You're not the oldest Ari, Fasen is."

"Haktep is older that Fasen so blah," Ari snapped. Touya bit his lip. Asami struggled to pull her mother through the doorway.

"I can't get you through…I'm pulling!" she said as her mother snapped at her with both fear and anger in her voice.

"Pull harder, Asami!" she screamed. Asami pulled, a wound in her shoulder opening from her effort. She fell to the ground in a sobbing heap, holding her shoulder in pain.

"Help!" Thoth said, pointing to Asami.

"Yes! Help!" Bakura repeated.

Fasen pushed past Ari and walked over to Asami, pulling her up. "My brother can heal that for you," he said with a small smile. She looked at him as if she had never seen a smile before.

"Please help my mother," Asami begged. Fasen nodded, carefully taking Asami over to the others where Bakura patted her on the head.

Asami's mother lay in the doorway reaching out to Fasen. He gazed past her into the large main room, shivering as he drew closer. The room was covered in ice and fragments of what might have been furniture and torn tapestries.

"Fasen!" Thoth called. "Fasen! No!"

The hair on the back of Touya, Ari and Sen's necks stood up as Asami's mother reached out her hand, grabbing Fasen by the wrist. "I require a host," a voice hissed from within the building. "Transfer is your only escape, Nala my dear……."

"Who?" she asked quickly, tightening her hold on Fasen.

"Give the remainder to…Asami………."

"Just let me out!" Nala screamed hysterically. She put her hand to her chest, a white orb shooting from her body and speeding towards Asami. Asami squeezed her eyes shut, the orb stopping centimeters from her head.

The orb remained still, the group shuffling backwards.

"You're hurting me," Fasen whimpered, pulling back.

"I'm free……" she said with a smile.

Thoth reached a hand out to Fasen calling him as loud as possible.

"Please you're h-" Fasen was cut short as the white orb slammed into his back, sinking into his body in mere seconds. His green eyes grew dim as he fell backwards, the woman finally releasing him.

Saiori screamed and rushed over to Fasen, his eyes wide open and unmoving. "Fasen," she said desperately tapping his cheeks. "FASEN!" He did not move.

Ari ran over to them, Thoth staring at Fasen with wide eyes from Ari's arms. "Fasen!" Ari shouted. Touya knelt beside him, feeling his forehead and mumbling to himself.

"You silly bitch," the voice hissed from the house as Asami's mother attempted to crawl away. "You've failed again." Asami's mother was panting as she tried to drag herself away, a long, flickering, black band grabbing her ankle and pulling her back into the house.

"NOOO!" she screeched, fingernails scratching into the dirt as she writhed in horror.

Touya and Haktep attempted to pull Fasen away, gasping as she grabbed Ari by the ankle. Ari hit the ground, the back of his head splitting open. Saiori covered her mouth as she ran behind Ari, a line of blood already on the ground. Ari held Thoth in his arms, vision fading quickly.

"Take Thoth," he whispered. Touya ran after them, screaming in horror as the creature within the house pulled faster and Asami's mother still refused to let go.

"No…." Asami said, pulling herself along the ground. "Don't take them…."

"ARI!" Sen shouted, jumping forward and grabbing Ari's arm. Sen screamed as another band lunged forth, grabbing him by the ankle and lifting him into the air and throwing him into Touya and Saiori. The three recovered quickly, blood dripping from Saiori's mouth, Sen's nose bleeding.

The tentacle stretched further, grabbing a screaming Bakura by the waist. "NO YOU BASTARD!" Saiori screamed in terror. "NO!"

Touya watched in shock as Asami's mother was dragged into the house, Thoth, Ari and Bakura taken with her. Saiori collapsed on the ground, Touya and Sen running straight into the door that had just slammed.

"GREAT!" Haktep shouted, slapping his head. "JUST GREAT!"

Sen held his head, Touya and himself having identically bloody noses. "This isn't fair," he said staring at the door. "NOT FA-" he fell forward onto the floor as the front door opened.

Saiori got up and pushed past him, storming into the room where she slid across the floor into the opposite wall. Asami limped towards them, stepping on the floor with practiced movements and moving along to the stairs.

She pointed to the uneven red line on the floor. "Blood!" Saiori shouted, slipping towards them as the others entered.

"HEY!" Haktep screamed. "I can't just leave Fasen."

Sen snapped his fingers and a sphere of energy appeared around his unmoving brother. "Hurry up Hawk!" Sen shouted, moving skillfully up the stairs which were devoid of ice.

Asami limped quickly ahead of them, guiding them to a long hall where five girls between fifteen and nine lay, their faces drained of all colour. She passed them as if they weren't even there, signaling the others to a crooked door.

"He's behind there," she whispered. The door fell backwards, revealing the group of children that needed its protection. Saiori bit her lip to stop it from quivering, stepping forward.

"GIVE ME BACK MY BROTHER BITCH….OR BASTARD!" she screamed furiously. She was quiet when she noticed how dark the room was…not dark from only the lack of light but the dark colour on the walls.

Ari lay on the floor with a silent Thoth still clutched in his arms, Bakura clutching his leg instinctively. Touya stepped forward, only to be slammed into the wall by the same tentacle that had taken his brother. Asami covered her mouth as she saw her mother jerking on the floor with her head bleeding and blood flying from her mouth. Sen crawled over to Ari, shaking his shoulder and whispering his name as Haktep ripped the edge of his fine tunic to bandage Touya's head.

"You dare try and leave, Asami my dear," a voice asked from the darkest corner, white eyes glowing malevolently from the gloom. Asami scuttled backwards into another corner and covered her face. The eyes quickly turned to Sen, a sharp nailed, bloody, black hand shooting from the dark and pinning Sen to the wall by his neck. "And you dare destroy my barrier….punishment is in order…" Another hand hovered above Ari's unconscious form Thoth falling to the floor as Ari's arms became totally limp at his sides.

"RiRi," Thoth called, tapping Ari's face. "RiRi."

Sen slapped the hand holding him, swinging his legs and kicking the arm with all the energy he had left. "Once I kill you all….I shall call things even." The hand over Ari came down quickly, black fingers bending back as a golden orb floated above the body. The orb illuminated the blood splatters defacing the walls as if began to open, lavender light burning whatever resided in the corner.

Asami looked up staring at the orb in shock, watching as a large sword burst from it, a mighty shield following a second later. Touya's eyes twitched as the dark armor formed, Haktep's mouth falling open as the last plated boot appeared. Sen's lips turned a dead blue as he passed out from lack of air, the creature withdrawing its hand as an orb drifted from Sen's body.

"Holy Ra," Saiori breathed. Sen's body crumpled on the floor, the newly formed creature peering down at him with focused green eyes.

The orb above Sen glowed with a pulsating purple light, energy erupting from it all at once, blowing Saiori and Asami to the other side of the room. No one saw how the creature formed, the light it gave out too bright for them to look upon.

"Holy Ra," Haktep breathed.

"That's what I just said," Saiori told him, mouth open.

"It's…it's…it's…."

"What are they?"

"One of the legendary warriors and great magicians….Sen and Ari found scrolls on them in a father's library…they are only described…there are no pictures of them…"

"Great magician…." Asami repeated in awe.

"The Black Luster Warrior and Dark Magician of Chaos…. " The magician slowly looked to Touya, staff slowly moving upwards as the creature in the corner began to spread. "Oh my…." Touya was still motionless as a black and red orb came from his chest, Saiori screaming and holding Asami for dear life as they were once again blown across the room. She screamed as the Solder picked up Thoth and Bakura, the youngest ones laughing in delight.

"Holy Ra," Asami said as Touya's creature formed.

"WE GET THAT RA IS HOLY ALREADY!" Haktep shouted. The creature over Touya formed, flames briefly encircling its weapon as if hovered before them clad in red and black. "Dark Flare Knight…………"

"Do you know every creature there is?" Saiori snapped. Haktep shrugged.

Asami stood up unsteadily. 'He's sealing the house again, we have to go," she told them, grabbing Saiori's arm and pulling her desperately.

Saiori wrenched away from her feeble grasp. "HEY!" Saiori yelled at the soldier. "GIVE ME BACK MY BEST FRIEND'S BROTHER AND MY BAKURA YOU…..YOU, YOU PONYTAIL HEAD!" A smirk appeared on the Soldier's face.

"Oh, real scary there Saiori," Haktep mumbled sarcastically.

The Soldier picked Saiori up by the collar, the brunette screaming and flailing madly. "NO DON'T KILL ME!"

"Mother…" Asami whispered desperately to her mother's now still form. "Please…get up…." The Dark Flare Knight moved forward in a apparently effortless movement, pulling Asami backwards as a giant hand burst through the floor, rotting skin crawling and bloody. Its long nails created crooked grooves in the floor, the hand grabbing her mother and pulling her down through damaged wood. Asami screamed, and screamed tears streaming down her face as she sobbed in horror.

An unnatural silence filled the air, Saiori's eyes widening as Asami's tears hit the floor as small crystals that shattered as they hit the ground. Haktep watched his breath form as a white puff before him, their surroundings growing colder by the second. Touya and Haktep were hoisted from the floor by the Knight, Sen and Ari taken by the magician.

"Well…leave then," Saiori grumbled at the monsters, crossing her arms angrily. "COME ON!"

"What's happening?" Haktep whispered, as walls beginning to undulate. Saiori pulled herself closer to the armored figure of the Black Luster Soldier watching as black overtook the walls. They drifted into the hall, the Magician in the lead with the Knight at the rear.

"Aren't you supposed to know?" Saiori stopped talking as maggots overran that floor, screeching as the walls began to fall away until the house became simply a large black, empty box. "Haktep…." She squeaked. She looked down, two small slits glowing from the floor. The tip of the magician's staff lit up, Saiori giving a sigh of relief.

Asami stopped crying and looked at the other children. "We have to get out," she breathed. "We hav-" Asami's sentence took a back seat to her screams as the bloody hand reached from the dark and pulled her leg relentlessly, the flaming blade of the Knight severing the appendage at the wrist. Asami reached back, clutching the creature as her body quivered, Saiori showing them that she could still scream the loudest while countless hands sprung forth from the dark.

"WHY?" Haktep screamed. The Soldier stopped in the middle of the slicing, raising his sword earthwards. The Magician's staff spun full circle, Knight watching as a flaming ball appeared at its centre, growing to massive proportions before it threw the staff to the floor, flaming ball going with it.

The mass in the dark hissed in pain as the light from the flame grew brighter around the staff, shapeless form spiraling upwards through the ceiling. Saiori's eyes had reached massive proportions as the three creatures darted through the gaping crack after the dark energy. The Magician stopped quickly, hand raised to the sky. A dome of purple energy formed instantly, the cause of all their troubles slamming into it and taking shape.

It twisted until it became something that faintly resembled a man, the end of its body stretching and becoming something almost snake-like. "What gives you reason to provoke me……." It asked, its voice emanating arrogance.

"Give me my mother!" Asami demanded. Many large, blue bubbles appeared from the Magician's weapon, Asami being dropped into one with the body of Touya and Haktep. Saiori was placed into a bubble with Bakura, Thoth and the bodies of Sen and Ari.

The three creatures moved closer to the black creature that was still more than twenty times their size. "I see no future for you……"

"Then you see wrong….." Fasen wheezed from within his own bubble, another Ka monster trailing behind him.

"OH MY RA! IT'S MIRAGE KNIGHT!" Haktep screamed in delight.

"WE'RE IN DANGER! WHY ARE YOU SO HAPPY!" Saiori barked.

"THEY'RE UNSUMMONED! THEY'RE KNOWN OF BUT UNSUMMONABLE! LIKE THE LEGENDARY GODS, THEY CAN ONLY BE SUMMONED BY SPECIAL PEOPLE AT CERTAIN TIMES… IF AT ALL! ALL THOSE THAT HAVE SEEN THEM ARE DEAD….THERE ARE NO PICTURES OF THEM ON ANY SCROLL BUT WE GOT TO SEE THEM! I CAN DIE HAPPY!" Haktep screamed and Saiori reminded him he was being a geeky freak, his noise ceasing as stream of black struck his bubble. "AHHHHHHHHHH!"

The Dark magician of Chaos plunged its staff into the head of the previously laughing creature, energy shooting in all directions; the Dark Flare Knight followed suit, blade sinking through the surprisingly soft matter of the now shrieking monster. "You ignorant children question my power!" the thing queried, deep loathing in its voice. "I'll kill you all! ALL OF YOU!" Asami shook her head, watching as Fasen slumped over in his protective bubble the monster rushing towards him.

And then it came….

The sound was shrill and loud, the orbs holding the children vibrating as the energy gathered on the Soldier blade. The Magician raised its staff, purple energy swirling to the attacking warrior, the Flare and Mirage Knights offering their own energy also. The creature let out a hollow gasp as the dome began to tremble from the awesome power.

"YOU CAN NOT DEFEAT ME!" It screamed.

Haktep looked as if he might cry in joy as all the creatures smirked in sweet satisfaction. "That's why we won't defeat you," they roared in a mocking tone. "WE'LL KILL YOU!"

The blade swept across in a smooth motion, the creatures body ripping into countless, unidentifiable shreds that hit the dome in bloody, sizzling streaks. The dome cracked from the force of the energy, shattering and drifting upwards as the energy continued into the distance, the loud hissing still ringing in their ears.

No words spoken as they drifted back into the house; nothing said as the walls and floors returned, the building clearing of ice, refilling with furniture, and looking as good as new; no comments shared as the four brothers awoke and looked at each other, Ari and Touya jumping around in delight, Fasen tapping his chin and staring into space and Sen picked Thoth up and sighed; not a gasp expelled as the Ka monsters winked, returning to gold, purple, yellow and red orbs and slamming into one of the four brothers; but something said as the girls in the corridor woke up and looked around.

"ASAMI!" they screamed, throwing themselves onto her. "You did it!"

The eldest girl rubbed her sister's head. "You did it kiddo! YOU DID IT!" she said, picking Asami up and hugging the life out of her. The girls stopped for a second and stared at the other children. "Who are they?"

Asami smiled as she held her sister, tears still rolling down her face. 'It's a really long story….." she whispered.

"You know what?" Touya said as Saiori dabbed the cut on his head once they were downstairs and had been quickly introduced to Asami's sisters.

"What T?" Ari asked as one of Asami's sisters bandaged his arm.

"What?" Bakura and Thoth echoed.

"Shefnu has a piece of melon for me…." Touya said thoughtfully.

Others: O.O

They slapped Touya on the back of his head, glaring at the red-head who had fallen face first on the floor. "WHAT!" Touya said defensively.

"I'm also hungry….." Fasen mumbled, turning to Asami's sisters. 'Have you got any food?"

Ari shook his head, rubbing his eyes as they began to sting.

"Right around the corner," Fasen said through his mask. "Are you ok, Ari?" Ari flapped a hand at Fasen, Bakura raising an eyebrow.

"Bakura, you have a fever," Sen whispered.

"I'm not staying back, so don't look for a reason to dump me," Bakura snapped. Sen held out a small, green pellet.

"Here, give it a few seconds and it will relieve all aches and pains, fevers and coughs for a few hours." Bakura thanked Sen and swallowed the pill, grateful for the magician as his head became clear once again.

Shefnu fingered the pairs of knives he held in each gloved hand, glancing at Asami then back at the floor.

He sat puffy eyed staring out of the window as the sun went down and clouds rolled lazily across the sky. They had not come home from the market…he had not seen them in nearly three weeks. He prayed for them to return, ignoring the rumors that they had been killed by bandits or outsiders.

"Come have something to eat," Anthor said gently, offering the child some food.

Shefnu did not acknowledge her presence. She bowed her head and left the room, eyed widening as she saw a group in the doorway.

"Hello boys and Saiori," she said, ushering the group inside.

"Lady Anthor," Sen began. "Ne Ne Nefra and Ni Ni Tuma send their greetings."

Saiori rolled her eyes. "Aunty Nefra and Uncle Tuma say hello," she said.

"Is there any word on…." Fasen began quietly.

"I'm afraid not…….." Anthor sighed. "He won't eat…he won't talk to anyone….."

"Have people been to look for them?" Ari asked.

"Every night since they disappeared…. Rumors go around that they have been taken by outsiders or invaders, maybe killed by bandits."

Saiori bounced Bakura on her knee, staring sadly at the table. "Can we see him?" she asked. Anthor nodded.

"It would be nice, he hasn't seen you since the day after they left." They filed into the darkening room where Shefnu sat, gazing out of the window.

"Shefnu?" She did not expect a reply and got none. She placed Bakura on the floor after Thoth, the two walking over to Shefnu and pulling his robe.

"Shefnu," Thoth called. Shefnu looked down at the robed figure. He picked Thoth up, sitting the child down on the edge of the window.

"Can you see them, Thoth?" he asked, his voice soft and wavering. Dark circles had formed under his bloodshot eyes, his lips were dry and his nose was pink. "Maybe I'm just not looking right."

Thoth looked questioningly at Shefnu before hugging him. "Shinta?" Shefnu hung his head and Ari retrieved Thoth.

Ari placed a hand on Shefnu's shoulder. "They're…they're not dead," Shefnu whispered as Sen lit a small lamp. "They wouldn't leave me all alone…."

"It wasn't their choice to leave," Fasen said wistfully. "They would never want to leave you…they loved you too much." Fasen's use of the past tense caused Shefnu to turn abruptly.

"SHUT UP OK! THEY'RE NOT DEAD! THEY'RE NOT! I KNOW IT! I- I KNOW IT!" Shefnu screamed at them.

"HEY DON'T TAKE OUT YOUR ANGER ON US! WE DIDN'T TAKE THEM AWAY!" Saiori screamed angrily.

Shefnu was silent as Saiori panted in anger. "Go away," Shefnu mumbled turning back to the window. " I don't want the house messy when they come home."

"You don't mean that….." Touya said. Shefnu didn't answer.

" The men have returned from their search," Sen said. "They've found something." Shefnu pushed past them and rushed out of the room, the others following him to the torch filled street.

Anthor pushed back out through the crowd, clutching her torch brightly. "Have they found them?" Shefnu asked excitedly, not waiting for Anthor's reply before advancing.

Saiori and Sen followed Shefnu closely, Touya and Ari already in the centre with Thoth. Six men stood in the middle of the crowd, one holding a beaded belt and some bloody bandages as the others held up shoes and other items such a familiar jewelry and head scarves.

Shefnu shook his head as he carefully took a blue scarf from the largest man and held it to his face. He took the bandages and the belt before taking a sandal and holding them to his shaking form. "No…." he murmured in disbelief. Several of those around him threw pitying looks and backed away as he fell to his knees.

He screamed in anguish as he began to cry, pounding his fists against the ground. Anthor cried silently, covering her face with her hands. "He's all alone now," a man mumbled, watching Shefnu with downcast eyes.

"HEY!" Sen shouted abnormally loud. "He...HE STILL HAS US!" The man shook his head and walked away, others pointing out objects that had been owned by the others who went out.

"IT'S NOT FAIR!" Shefnu screamed continuing his assault on the dirt. " I HATE YOU HORUS! I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU!" People stared as he insulted the protector god of the Pharaoh and his people.

"Even if you think he's useless, we'll always be there," Ari mumbled.

Shefnu looked up at Ari and gave a squeaked, "What?"

Ari moved Thoth from his right arm to his left. "We'll always protect you buddy…you're not alone."

Saiori nodded and put out her hand. "I promise you won't be alone for as long as I live," she said.

"I promise too," Fasen, Touya and Sen said in unison.

They all put their hands together and made a promise, a promise that they all would make, on the following day, together at Haktep's house where Shefnu would live from then on.

It was by this promise they would live their lives from then on; 'You won't be alone for as long as I live…I'll always protect you.'

"Countdown from five?" Shefnu asked.

"How about from ten," Kana said.

"I think fifteen," Rhea mumbled.

"Let's take it from twenty," Asami suggested. They threw each other glances and nodded.

"Twenty," Shefnu began. "Nineteen."

"Eighteen," Seth breathed, counting down as they prepared to rush in.

"Seventeen," Shefnu breathed, weapons at the ready.

"Sixteen," Seth mumbled, sweat beading on his head.

"Fifteen…" Bakura didn't listen to the countdown continue as he stared at the dancing flame of a lamp, the fire reflected in his distant eyes. Eyes that had seen too much….

"WHY CAN'T I GO?" Saiori shouted.

"You're not the only one staying," Nefra reminded her protesting niece. "Ari, Sen and Touya aren't going either."

"Fasen!" Saiori moaned. "Ask Aunty Nefra to let me commmmmmeeeeeeeeeee!"

"NeNe Nef-" Fasen began.

"No crackers, honey," she said, doing up the belt of Sen's cloak. "Saiori is staying." Saiori pouted and ignored her aunt.

"Phon will bring you to Haktep's house where you will pick up the scrolls he wants to lend to you, and Phon will bring you back…I still don't like the idea of you being out around evening time…." Nefra said thoughtfully. "The rumors going around of invaders are starting to bother me…"

Fasen had a worried look on his face. "Can't we all go to the city?" Fasen asked.

"No dear, Phon will be taking Shadenkan and some items so there'll only be room for one." Fasen hugged Nefra tightly around the waist.

"I want you all to come with me…." He said.

"Are you ok, Fasen?"

"I think we should all stay together…."

"Do you still want to go?" Fasen shook his head.

"Come on Fasen," Touya said quietly. "We're desperate for the scrolls."

"Yes, Sen and Ari are pining for something to read," Nefra reminded him.

"Why, don't you want to go?" Sen asked.

"I just feel like we should all be together," Fasen said.

"That sounds fluffy," Tuma said. "We're all together now, Fasen." Fasen's brow creased and he walked slowly to Saiori, hugging her tightly. He did the same to Tuma, then to Nefra, kissing her on the cheek.

"I love you," he whispered. Everyone stared at him.

"Huh?" Saiori blurted out.

"I love you too honey," Nefra said with a smile, ruffling his hair. "Let's go outside and wait for Phon, ok?" They all drained outside.

"Are you ok, Fasen?" Touya asked as his brother limped along, due to his twisted ankle.

Fasen looked at Touya with a small smile. "I'm fine, Touya," he said.

"You're being kind of emotional," Sen said.

"It's disturbing," Ari added. "Look, there's Phon."

They were standing on the edge of the village where Phon's cart had come to a halt.

"Hey," Shadenkan shouted, waving to them. "Bakura, your hair grew."

"Hello Nefra, Tuma," Phon said quickly. "We have to get moving." Fasen looked between his brothers and Saiori, hugging her one more time before he turned to Touya and hugged him tightly.

"I love you, T," he said.

"You too, Fasen," Touya replied as his brother was helped into the cart. Tuma and Nefra waved as the cart drew away, signaling the others back to the house.

'What was that all about?" Saiori questioned as Bakura squeezed her hand.

"I wish I knew…." Sen whispered.

Ari picked up a handful of sand and let it run through his fingers, Thoth drawing a small picture in the lump it had formed. Ari swallowed and took Thoth's hand.

Touya stared at the picture; it looked light slightly like a horseshoe but he saw it as something else. "Omega…" he whispered.

"The beginning and the end…." Sen added. Thoth stooped beside Sen and pointed to the right side of the symbol.

"Touya? Saiori?" Thoth whispered to Sen, looking at his older sibling doubtfully. Ari looked away as Thoth continued to point to the right side of the marking; pointing to the end.

"Ten….."

The village stood burning in the night, screams filling the air as masked horsemen encircled houses. People scrambled to avoid swinging blades and falling remnants of their homes.

Nefra called desperately to her family, crying as she was dragged along the ground by her long hair. Tuma tackled the one assaulting his sister, breaking their nose and pulling Nefra away. "I can't find Saiori!" they screamed. Nefra's eyes widened as Tuma's eyes rolled back in his head and he fell forward throwing her to the ground. She felt the back of his head bleeding and she looked up, another robed intruder proudly brandishing a blood stained plank.

Saiori was fighting not to cry as she heard a scream that she knew was her aunt's. She held Bakura's hand tighter, pulling him along after her as she mimicked Ari, ducking flaming rafters and avoiding rearing horses as they looked for somewhere to hide.

Sen tried to ignore what he saw as a woman was kicked into silence before being dragged away. "BAKURA!" Saiori shouted as Bakura tripped as fell to the dust. Sen continued running, scooping Bakura up with one arm, Touya pulling Saiori even faster. The village was cavernous and unfamiliar as everything gave into the flames around them. They searched for a familiar face or common building but saw nothing but panicked expressions and burning frames.

"WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING?" a man hissed from beneath his armor.

They halted, crashing to each other and turning instantly to search for an escape. The entrance to a single black underground, tunnel stood out on the ground among the fire and so, they ran towards it, ducking oversized brutes to get there. They ran down the stairs and were plunged into darkness until they got to flat, torch lit ground. They looked around in confusion as the sipped on the fluid slicked floor.

Ari looked at his bloody arms and legs and covered his mouth. Saiori was not so quick and violently threw up on the floor. She wiped her mouth angrily and struggled to get up. Bakura looked up at Sen, eyes watering when angry grunts filled the air around them. The group looked both ways where the passage split in three.

"Where...do we go?" Touya wheezed. Thoth held something up, Sen taking it and thanking Thoth. It was small enough to fit comfortably in the palm of Sen's hand and was spherical, filled half way with a red liquid in which a red tipped, black needle floated.

"What's that?" Saiori asked.

"Anui gave it to Thoth, she said it's called the Thieves Needle…it's supposed to guide us in the right direction," Sen said quickly. The liquid lit up the needle spinning madly. It stopped pointing to the tunnel to the right.

"We're putting our life in the hands of a trinket?" Saiori asked as Sen pushed the Thieves Needle back under Thoth's belt.

"WE DON'T HAVE ANYWHERE ELSE TO PUT OUR LIFE!" Ari shouted. "WE H-"

They had been too caught up to notice the pair charging towards them, the two men toppling the children like empty bottles. Saiori slid into the wall, Bakura running to her unsteadily. "Saiori!" he yelled.

"RUN BAKURA!" she shouted. Bakura looked at her with wide eyes, Ari screaming as Thoth was ripped from his arms and taken along with Bakura.

"NO! NO!" Touya yelled, swinging his leg around and tripping the hooded figure. Thoth and Bakura fell onto Ari, the redhead, picking them up hastily and looking at his family.

"RUN!" Sen cried. "KEEP THEM SAFE!"

"I'M NOT JUST LEAVING YOU!" Ari shouted. Another figure rushed into the tunnel from the burning village, swinging for Ari's head with little success. His eyes locked with those of his brothers'.

Saiori slid past the legs of the guard. "I love you Bakura," she said from the ground.

"Love you," Bakura said reaching out to her.

"I love you too Ari…and Thoth…" The one stone-faced Ari looked more broken than all of them as he ran down the right tunnel, Bakura crying quietly in his arms. His eyes began to water as another cluster became visible. They caught fire on his command, screams of other villagers making his head pound. He didn't care as he tore down stairs and pushed past others who needed help, the only thing running through his mind was to keep the pair in his arms alive.

He stopped when he entered a large, high chamber, now standing at the top of one of three staircases. The centre staircase led to a huge, bubbling cauldron that spewed red fumes. The other two stairways led to a slightly lowered section of the floor where a few men congregated around a sort of alter, all but one dressed in white, hooded cloaks. The room was lit with countless torches and lamps, shadows moving rhythmically along the walls. A thing ledge ran around the room, Ari's thieving instincts instantly kicking in.

He saw it, barely visible, in the wall. He would not have seen it if he didn't notice the dust moving in its area. Ari rushed towards it, making sure no one was watching him.

"Hurry Bakura," he said, putting Bakura down. Bakura stared at him. "Saiori will be coming any second now." Ari would beat himself up everyday for this lie and the lie that would soon follow. Bakura pushed himself through.

"Touya?" Thoth said, side of the brunette's face scratched and bleeding slightly.

"He'll be along too." Thoth went in after Bakura, Ari suddenly darting away. Bakura and Thoth pushed themselves back, away from the bright slit that was their only exit and entrance. A hooded figure drifted by, stopping briefly. Then Ari tackled them, throwing red dust in their face. They hit the floor and he dragged them away, Ari appearing seconds later. He stuffed his head in, scooting as far away as possible once inside the space.

It was as high as the chamber and round, large enough for them all to fit in although it was less than three meters in diameter. Ari's tunic had ripped at the chest, a long cut marring his skin. Thoth walked over to Ari's, small hands placed on Ari's stomach.

"RiRi," Thoth sniffed.

"It'll be ok…." Ari said, applying pressure. His chest hadn't stopped bleeding, and his eyes began to slip close. "I won't let you down…" His eyes remained half open as he attempted to heal himself…failing miserably. His hands were covered in blood, the redhead panting when he finally managed to close the slash. "Come…back…here, Bakura…."

Bakura didn't listen, Thoth clutching the white haired one's hand. Bakura squeezed Thoth's hand as he watched what went on in the chamber.

Members of his village had been chained together on the centre stairway, most of them sobbing and cut. Most still screamed in vain, asking Ra for deliverance, praying for a savior; none would come. The cauldron continued to bubble almost hungrily, a few of the white-cloaked men chanting over it. More men drifted around the room, putting out most of the torches until only a few lights illuminated the prisoners with most of the light focused on the alter, with more glow coming from the cauldron fire.

Bakura jerked back when he saw them on the stairs; Touya's red hair was covering his bruised face, his cloak gone and hands and ankles shackled, and Saiori stood beside him, expression a picture of shame not fear. She tripped into Touya as a large man in front of them pulled his chains in anger and disbelief. He was not one of the many praying, but one of the few attempting resistance.

Another man tried to run, a spear wielding guard stabbing him through the stomach. His eyes rolled back and blood dripped from his mouth as they broke the spear, stabbing him through the back of the neck with an end of the splintered wood. Saiori's face was blank as blood hit her face, the guard pushing the wood through the man's neck with his foot. He undid the man's shackled form and kicked him off the stairway, the leaking body hitting the floor with a sickening thud. He dragged a woman to the empty space and secured her in place, pushing her wide-eyed son beside her. He held onto her, trembling as fresh blood pooled under his bare feet.

Ari's body tensed when he saw them standing there, lips cut and eyes downcast. Something inside of him broke into countless unfixable pieces. He did not hear the figures order silence , a command that many obeyed, he did not see the single black clad priest step up to the alter, he did not smell the sickening odor of the cauldron…his senses could only process that one thing. His vision was blurry due to the blood he had lost but he couldn't atop himself from staring. He wished for something to save them…he wished for a glimmer of hope…but as he would learn and later teach the pair beside him, wishes seldom came true.

He scanned the line for Nefra and Tumatetnon; they were no where in sight for they were already dead, their bodies a few of the many left to burn in the wreckage of their homes. Ari's stomach turned at the thought of the ones who had taken care of them dying in such an inhumane way, but he had lived in the world and knew that such ghastly acts were not impossible. He wanted to say something assuring to the children next to him but his voice was lost, disappearing with the glimmer of hope a had held onto desperately.

He wanted to get up…he wanted the Soldier to appear and save them once again, he wanted to curl up and die…but has hard as he prayed, wished, hoped and tried he couldn't do any of them. Saiori's expression had not changed; her eyes were still wide and her lip trembling. Touya was holding her hand, shoulder long hair covering his eyes.

"Three just died back there," a brown robed figure mumbled.

"He says we have enough anyway," another replied. Touya held Saiori's hand tighter, chains ratting as he began to shiver violently.

"KEEP IT DOWN!" Touya let out a sharp yelp as he was hit in the head with a club and thrown to the ground, rolling down a few stairs dragging Saiori with him. "You'd better shut up midget," he snarled at Saiori after she let out a brief scream. Touya touched the back of his head, staring at the blood on his hands.

"Try to get some blood off…." The first man said, offering apiece of cloth. 'Keep on moving…" he moved away quickly. Saiori began to shout before Touya covered her mouth.

Bakura and Thoth were squeezing each other's hands, the eye of the youngest one in the crack twitching as the man spoke.

"Clam down Saiori," Touya whispered, emerald eyes still shiny.

"How can I? How could I let them find us? How can I leave Bakura, T?" she asked angrily, wiping blood off her face. "We can't survive and we both know it………." Touya hung his head in bitter denial.

"If we don't make it out….. Ari….Ari will take care of them." The pair moved forward, pulled by the chain that connected the members of the former Kuruelna Village.

"DIDN'T I TELL YOU TO SHUT THE HELL UP?" the arrogant man barked, swiftly slicing the one who had spoken in the abdomen. Touya fell on his back, his hair lessening the impact on his bleeding head. He touched his stomach trying to stop the flow of blood as more crimson liquid leaked from his mouth. "GET UP YOU LITTLE FREAK!" he continued, raising his dagger.

"You…..YOU ASS HOLE!" Saiori hissed, deep loathing dripping from her voice as she sunk her teeth into his overly muscled arm..

"WHY, YOU LITTLE BITCH!" he retorted, flinging her to the floor with a flip of his sword. Saiori's pupils dilated, the lavender-eyed girl falling onto Touya as blood from her torn shoulder stained her sleeve. She wheezed as the throbbing spread to her neck and arm, the man looming over them and smirking at his doings.

"Bastard…" she gasped through clenched teeth. The brute laughed darkly, putting his foot on her ripped shoulder and pressing her into Touya's slit stomach. An indescribable pain coursed through their battered forms as blood soaked their clothes.

Sweat beaded on Ari's skin as he held his head and shook violently. He wondered if Thoth and Bakura could understand the scene unfolding before them, currently wished he could not. Saiori was biting her lip in pain as Touya's breaths became shallow. He didn't want to believe what was happening.

"Now you two have learnt to shut up…. bet you wish you didn't have such a crappy family now," the robed barbarian murmured as he walked away. Thoth's right eye twitched again, now twitching every time someone spoke or moved. This would later become the sign that Thoth was trying hard to remember something or had noticed something important.

The pair lay on the step in their own blood, the space in the wall the best gift they could ask for. Their siblings were hidden and would survive…even if they would not. Breathing became a torturous activity that filled their lungs with the same fluid that drenched their clothes. Clear, even footsteps rung in their ears, one of the few other sounds they would hear from now on other than emotional screams. Leather sandals became visible, the one who wore them waiting for them to move, something they would and could not do.

The man loomed above them, his face the only one hidden by a black hood. He smiled down at their dying bodies, stepping on them in order to move forward. Blood flew from their mouths, their eyes wide as their bodies wept blood. The smirking man chuckled at their weak cries as he splashed through the pools of blood, the bottom of his cloak soaking up some of the liquid that slicked the floor.

Saiori let out a stolen breath, doing the one thing she could never do in the presence of others; cry. Wounded eyes fell upon family members, looks saying that they were sorry…sorry for leaving, sorry for not being strong enough…saying I love you…In unison five let a tear roll down their faces, that moment burning its way onto the minds of those who would survive. Touya gave one of his cheerful smiles to his siblings mouthing Ari and Thoth an 'I love you' before mouthing Ari, 'Take care of everyone...Crimson Thoth…RiRi…'. Ari gave a forced smile as he continued to cry in silence.

Saiori reached to Bakura and mouthed something that Ari would later tell him. 'Take care of yourself Baku…Saiori loves you…be strong boy for Thoth….take care of Thoth…'.

Ari cried, moving back and covering his face, too weak to continue watching them die before him. He didn't see the smile on Touya's face as his eyes lost their sparkle and his hand fell off Saiori to fall limply in their blood. He did not see Saiori's eyes fall closed and never open again. Bakura let the tears fall down his face as the flames danced, and Thoth's eyes twitched and Ari fell unconscious.

Thoth had not cried. Thoth would not cry. The youngest of them all took held the pendant around their neck, pulling another from the fold of their belt; Touya's pendant. They stared at it, and it glowed white, Thoth's eyes briefly going blank. "Haku…" Thoth whispered.

Touya and Saiori were carefully unshackled by someone who must have had a shred of conscience and quietly carried away, another two people put in their place. Before Ari had passed out he had counted ninety-nine villagers, one short of a hundred; more villagers had died and had been replaced with those in brown robes who put up no struggle.

There was silence broken every now and then by a scream as the ceremony began, the first person thrown into the bubbling cauldron. The screams grew louder when people realized their cruel fate, the blacked robed one continuing the chants as if nothing had happened. The villagers where thrown in, one by one, or two by two, the men in brown cloaks jumping into the mixture that overflowed.

It spilled over, Bakura stepping back as the hot liquid came to the crack. It was red and had a slight metallic smell; blood. It was then that Thoth toppled back to clutch Ari, leaving Bakura to watch alone, although the right eye still twitched.

Lavender eyes became blank as the ceremony continued, all life on the middle staircase extinguished. Only the robed ones remained, a book on the alter sending out a dark glow as the contents of the cauldron where poured into a stone cavity. More quick screams. The book glowed brighter than ever, the stone glowing just as brightly. Bakura's vision faded, swimming back into decent focus as the robed figures took items from the stone and the ground began to shake a, lithograph rising up. The stone lithograph (AN- this is shown, I think, in Duelist Kingdom where Pegasus reflects on how he got the millennium eye. The lithograph is the stone object that somewhat resembles some Egyptian royal, with slots for each of the seven millennium items. As usual, if you want a picture of it just ask) shone eerily, a single circular item on it although it had slots for six more.

The man in the black robe cast it off, Bakura staring at his face; a face he would never forget. Those in white mumbled in fear, a black shadow drifting from the golden item in the stone. The shadow grew darker, wrapping around the chief priest and lifting him into the air. Bakura could see its horned, horrific form and shuddered. It hissed a command repeatedly, the priest finally giving in after much careful persuasion. He held something golden and round in his hand and held it over his left eye, pushing it down. He screamed loudly in pain, blood running down his face as the golden eye took the place of his own. The eye glowed, the priest dispersing the shadow and falling to the ground.

Bakura fell to his knees as the men took the items, the priest grabbing the Ring from the lithograph. There were seven…

Ring.

Puzzle.

Rod.

Eye.

Tauk (Necklace).

Ankh (Key).

Scale.

Seven items that had led to the destruction of his village, his life… There were six men… five lower men with one commanding priest. The priest….

And there was one Pharaoh who had allowed this all…one that deserved to suffer the way his sister and Touya and suffered….one Pharaoh that needed to die….

"Three…"

They stood dusty faced and covered in dry blood in the wreckage of what had been their home, bathed in a fraction of light in the early morning sun. Sen had found a space much like they had. They had summoned to exit the chamber, flying up out of the spaces instead of navigating the slaughter house. Fasen had hobbled back, Phon dropping him a five minute walk away from the village. He limped through the wreckage until he found them, puffy eyed and silent.

"You were right," Sen whispered. "We should have all gone together…" Tears cut a track trough the dirt on his pale face as stared straight ahead.

Fasen listened in horror as Ari told him what had happened leaving out the most horrible part of the previous night. "W-Where are Aunty Nefra…Uncle Tuma…where are Touya and Saiori?" he asked desperately. No reply, Ari's face shadowed as he looked away. "No…." Fasen fell to the ground and cried, holding his body in pain. Ari pulled him up and told him what Touya had said.

"We have to live…" Ari whispered.

Sen pulled something from inside his tunic; a red belt, then belt. He draped the red across Thoth's shoulders, before draping the over Bakura's. "These are yours now….never forget where they come from," Sen said.

"Touya…" Thoth said softly.

"Saiori," Bakura whispered. Sen nodded. He took their hands and led them over to where Ari was kneeling in front of five mounds.

They traced four names on the piles; Nefra, Tuma, Saiori and Sen. "What's the last one for?" Fasen choked.

"It's the grave of our weakness…we'll never be weak again. We'll always be strong enough to defeat anyone who tries to separate us," Ari said. Sen would nod, but as he lay in Haktep's house weeks later he would cut himself because he felt he deserved to suffer… because he felt he was weak.

Sen and Fasen nodded but Bakura and Thoth continued to stare at the ground. Bakura walked over to the lump where Ari had put his sister's name and lay on it, a single tear falling onto the dirt. "I love you Saiori…"

"Zero…."

There was a pause followed by the scraping of metal, clatter of pots and creaking of bows. Guards stood up in alarm as arrows flew past them, filling their desks and chairs as they were quickly pinned to the floor or walls. More men rushed out, waving spears and swords.

Ari swung his leg, kicking a guard into three more of his fellow idiots as Shefnu and Rhea dislocated the shoulders of a guard that had tried to stab Kana. The thieves threw bodies aside with little effort, Seth's mouth wide open.

"They actually came…" he said. "I don't believe it."

Fasen ducked a spear, grabbing a guards arm and slamming them onto their back. "Oh no," he said quickly. "Stop!" he shouted.

Senna removed her arrow from a guard's windpipe. "WHAT?" she yelled. They stared at the bandaged palace residents.

"You have to leave now!" Kana said quickly.

"We came to get them out," Mana said.

"It's taken care of," Shefnu said.

"Where are the cells!" Asami screamed kicking a chair. "THIS IS WHERE THE GUARDS ARE SO WHERE ARE THE BLOODY CELLS?"

"Come with me," Mahado said. He stepped over guards and walked around the corner, everyone else following quickly.

"Gas in the hole," Sen said, throwing a smoky grey orb in the direction they came from.

The passage went straight with another tunnel to the left. "To the left."

The bandits shuffled into the room, Bakura pushing past Atem in annoyance. Atem blinked rapidly, rubbing his shoulder. There were cells on both sides of the passage, more tunnels branching off in both directions.

"Divide," Ari said quickly. They all nodded, separating and taking off.

Atem looked both ways, darting down an isle after Ari. He glanced quickly into cells, most empty although a few where occupied by old, withered looking men that stayed in the darkest corner of their confined space.

"Help me," one begged, reaching a hand out. Atem attempted to avoid it, tripping back into another cell. He panted as the hand reached longingly for him, struggling not to scream as four hands grabbed him from behind. Asami slid to a stop before him, reaching through the bars and punching the men that held him. She didn't stay to talk, sprinting away when she thought he was safe.

"Come on," Mahado said, running past Atem. They both stopped when they saw Ari kneeling beside a cell, Asami shaking her head.

"They took Thoth away from me…." A small voice said from the darkness of the cell where Ari had put his hands. "They hurt my dear Thoth so badly…they couldn't take of the wrappings so they beat Thoth…." Sen looked at the ground in sadness as Asami punched the wall, leaving an imprint of her fist. Ari tried to pull away. "Don't leave me Ari…"

"I'm cutting you out, Shi," Ari said gently. "I'm right here…" He slowly withdrew his hands and pulled a jeweled saber from its scabbard. Asami closed her eyes and the blade glowed, Ari quickly slicing the bars twice. He quickly put the sword back and helped Shila out. Her tunic had been ripped up the leg and had been ripped across her bandaged chest, her left sleeve completely gone.

"Sami…" Shila said with a small smile. Her face was bruised from where the guards had beaten her, her lip split and her shoulder slightly cut.

"What did they do to you?" Asami asked quickly, as Ari gently picked Shila up.

"They tried to rape me…" Shila said, hanging her head. Something down the isle exploded as Ari's eyes widened.

"W-What?' Asami stuttered. Shila looked away from them as Atem covered his mouth. What was happening? Were the protectors of the pharaoh truly so brutal….

Shila held Ari tightly and tears began to fall down her face. "It's my fault they beat Thoth…" she sobbed. "Thoth lit them on fire when they tried to hurt me…they….." Asami swallowed hard as Ari told Shila it was not her fault. She held him tighter. "Please forgive me…I broke the promise to always protect everyone…I couldn't protect Thoth…" Ari shook his head.

"You never break promises Shi, this isn't your fault," he said.

Mahado walked further down the passage until he came to part of the wall lined with shackles. He stopped and stared at the one on the wall. Their hair was long, midnight-blue and fell to their hips, the ends of their tresses wavy and blood crusted. There was a cut on their dusty skin over their eye. Their clothes were blood stained and ripped in various places exposing nothing but cuts and bandaged skin.

"Thoth," Mahado said in a soft voice. Their head came up slowly, wrappings covering from the nose down and one eye.

"Mahado…" Thoth whispered, slowly looking up. "You're cut…are you ok?"

Mahado came closer to the brunette and gave a feeble smile wondering how Thoth could mention his treated scratches when he was so broken. "I'm just fine, Thoth….Ouji-sama was worried about you. Your family has come to save you." Thoth gave a smile with much effort, wrappings slipping off his face.

Mahado stared, Thoth's green eyes meeting his own. "Please put….Thoth's wrappings back on…" Mahado nodded, carefully rewrapping Thoth's head, unsuccessful in hiding the thief's hair. "Please don't tell …" Mahado nodded as Ari and Asami came running in with Shila, Atem in their wake.

Ari looked lost for words at he stared at his youngest sibling; Asami however was not. "I'LL KILL THEM ALL! THOSE FUCKING BASTARDS!" she shouted. Shila told Ari to put her down and attend to the other green-eyed swordsman. Ari cut Thoth free, the youngest one falling forward onto Ari in a drained heap. Ari picked Thoth up and Thoth wrapped his legs around his brother, hugging him as tightly as possible.

"We found Haktep, Renora and Oberon, le-" Bakura stopped when he saw Thoth, gazing at his best friend, looking for something to say.

Shila limped along with the help of Mahado and Asami, the others standing in the same place. "Nay, you're ok…Are you…" Bakura began, voice wavering. "I mean, so, you're not dead, huh?"

Ari made a fist. 'I'll punch you," he threatened.

Thoth laughed pathetically. "Thoth missed you Kura," Thoth whispered. Bakura was happy his mask covered his burning cheeks.

"Look," Bakura said, holding out Thoth's mask. Thoth put it on with some difficulty and smiled.

"Thank you Kura." Ari began walking, Bakura ahead of his with Atem behind.

"Are…you ok?" Atem asked, looking up at Thoth.

Thoth had put the mask on, but left the wrapping on the top half of his face. "Thoth is…Thoth is good."

Atem smiled. "Umm…that's good."

"Yes. Your voice is still good….." Thoth trailed off.

"Thoth?" Ari said. "Thoth?"

"Thoth's head is hurting again….."

"We'll heal it as soon as we get t-" Asami began.

"SHILA!" Shefnu screamed, pushing past a groaning Haktep. He pushed Asami into the wall and picked Shila up.

Asami rubbed her head. "I think my brain broke…." She mumbled. Rhea walked from another passage and stared at Haktep.

"Hey," Haktep said, legs cut up with a black eye. Rhea walked up to him and snorted, throwing her arms around him.

"HAKTEP!" Kana screamed, jumping over Oberon to get to her brother. She bit Rhea and pushed her aside the other teenager vying for Haktep's attention growling in anger.

"SHILA!" Oberon shouted, hobbling towards his sister.

"OBERON!" Shila shouted. They themselves onto each other, moaning painfully as they touched each others injuries. Shefnu commented on Shila's appearance, Asami saying what had happened.

"I'M GOING TO KILL THEM ALL!" Oberon and Shefnu screamed.

Rayeel stared at them all doubtfully as Renora held his arm, blood caked on her forehead. Bakura shot Renora a look, the girl putting on a hard face but blushing anyway.

"Renora likes you Bakura," Thoth said, leaning on his friend.

Bakura crossed his arms. 'So? I don't like her," Bakura mumbled stubbornly.

"Be nice to her Kura, she was afraid to tell you that she likes you…that's what she and Thoth were speaking about."

Bakura bit his lip. "What did you say word for word?"

Thoth spewed their conversation word for word. "Then she said 'It's too bad you're not a girl…..'" Bakura stared at Thoth.

"Then what did you say?" Thoth stared back. "I can tell by the way you finished that sentence that you said something else, Thoth."

"Fine, fine. Thoth kind of mumbled "'You're right Renora, it is too bad….'" Bakura's face burned again.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Bakura asked in an annoyed tone.

Thoth shrugged. "How would Thoth know?" Thoth asked calmly. "Besides she's a great girl for you. She likes violence, she's funny, she likes all the things you do, she agrees with you most of the time…" Bakura snorted.

"Who said that's what I'm looking for in a girl?" Thoth sighed.

"Thoth!" Sen and Fasen shouted running towards their bloody brethren. They lifted Thoth's arms up, poked his legs, examining his eyes and bending his arms. Shila kneeled beside Thoth, fully healed in a cloak. Haktep and Oberon mumbled to each other as Thoth was healed.

"How old are you?" Atem asked Ari.

"It's not polite to ask someone their age," Ari said raising his eyebrows.

"He's seventeen, prince," Fasen said quickly.

"You ruined my air of mystery!" Ari barked.

Atem smiled. "Hey princy," Senna said. "What's going on? Oh wait! We're once again in the same place!"

"We meet again," Seth said to Sen.

Sen nodded. "It's once again under unpleasant circumstances. Forgive our intrusion of your home and injury of your forces," Sen said.

"They deserved it…" Seth mumbled. "Hurry up so you can get out safely."

"Round up people!" Ari called.

They all clustered together when everyone was fully healed, Haktep actually insisting that they should change their bloody clothes. They rolled their eyes, the others finding a corner to dress in.

"TURN AROUND SHEFNU!" Shila snapped. Shefnu giggled, Oberon shooting him a sharp glare. They were all dressed, Thoth pulling his black hood down. Shada commented on how it looked like some kind of uniform…like what they had on….

"You do always hide your face?" Isis asked as they stepped came to the bodies of the still unconscious guards. Rhea and Shefnu popped the guards shoulder back into place, shrugging as if it had been something simple like swatting a fly away.

Fasen pulled a small red ball from his bag and threw in onto the floor, the men sitting up or rousing from the walls as they inhaled red smoke. "The thieves were sent into the desert, where they all died," he said. They nodded and nodded off. "We're ready to go," he said brightly.

Ari was in the lead as they walked down the passage, Bakura and Thoth mumbling to each other, Shefnu and Shila once again stuck to each other at the arm with Shila holding her brother's hand, Kana holding onto Haktep as Rhea fumed silently and Rayeel and Renora walking hand in hand without being forced to.

They stopped at the steps that led to the outside. "Thank you for wanting to help us," Shila said, taking off her mask to flash them a smile. She hugged Mahado, Seth, Karim, Shada, Mana and Isis, kissing Atem on the head.

Shefnu glared. "It doesn't count buddy," he said quickly. Atem's face turned pink.

"Yeah, thanks," Renora mumbled, trying to look directly at Atem or Seth. She looked at Mahado and blushed anyway, a vein pounding in the back of Mana's head.

"Thank you," Haktep said. "Your guards should all be shot and trampled," he said brightly, grinning.

"Your efforts are appreciated," Oberon said. "Although I can't imagine you beating up guards, and modifying memories, then cutting open cells……we're still grateful."

Ari handed Thoth his saber. "I missed you Crazy Man," Ari said.

"Thoth missed you too, RiRi," Thoth said. "Have you got any food?" Ari gave Thoth a blank stare.

The bandits climbed onto the first few stairs, Shila waving before she put her mask back on. "BYE!" Senna shouted, Sen saying she was going to deafen him.

"Go already," Seth mumbled, crossing his arm. "Not as if we like you around."

"That's too bad because I think you're super hot," Senna said with a smirk. Seth covered his red face with his hand. "Maybe one day you'll be as hot as Ari!" She licked the side of Ari's face and burst out laughing. Mahado covered Atem's eyes.

"They're married," Asami said quickly.

"Never lick people…others will think you're freakish," Rhea explained. Senna kicked Rhea in the leg.

Thoth turned and gave a small smile from under his mask. "Good bye, Mana, Isis and Karim, Seth and Shada," Thoth began. "Thank you Mahado." Mahado nodded, the others looking at him doubtfully. "Good bye, prince." Thoth gave Atem a small wave.

Atem waved back slowly, Mahado looking at the prince out of the corner of his eye. Atem had a slightly glazed look in his eye as he waved, still waving after Thoth had stopped. The thieves, minus Asami and Bakura, gave a small bow before darting off into the pouring rain.

"Thoth is the GIRL you like," Mana hissed into Atem's ear. Atem slid away.

"NO WAY!" Atem answered defensively.

"You have the hot face and quickly beating heart, don't you!" Atem backed up. 'Don't you?"

"NO!" The others stared.

"We've been out of bed for a while. We really should get back," Karim said. Atem gave a sigh inwardly screaming 'THANK YOU KARIM!'.

They climbed the stairs, lightning flashing across the night something silhouetted against the sky. "What…what was that?" Shada asked.

Seth put his hand out, signaling the others not to move. "What?" Isis questioned. He pointed to the wall where a small orb illuminated Asami who had put her hand out to stay 'stop'.

They froze as someone screamed from within the palace, Atem hearing footsteps from behind them. They moved into the rain and hid along the wall.

"ATTACK ON THE CITY!" a guard screamed, running towards the cells from the palace.

"ATTACK?" another guard screamed. "BY WHO?"

"YOU MEAN BY WHAT!" Atem's chest seized again as the cold rain poured over him.

"What do we do?" Mana squeaked.

"You go home and get under your blankets," Bakura mumbled.

"Bakura's right," Asami said. 'Get inside."

"What will you do?" Mahado questioned.

"KA MONSTERS!" a guard screamed. "THEY'RE KA MONSTERS!"

Fasen opened his Dia Dank. "Well….." he began.

"We'll go and fight," the others said. Atem stared at them.

"But you can't, you j-" he began.

Kana put a finger on his lips. "You better hurry inside," she said.

"You don't want your mother worrying," Asami added.

"HEY! LOOK THE THIEVES!" a guard screamed.

"BUT THEY WERE TAKEN TO THE DESERT!" another hollered.

A few guards began to carefully walk towards them, shouting threats and waving spears. A creature swooped down from the sky, everyone hitting the muddy ground.

"GET INSIDE!" Haktep shouted.

Kana grabbed Atem's shaking arm and pulled him out of the way as a Ka monster hit the ground. It was taller than Shin and covering in spiky back armor from head to toe, a huge, shining blade in each hand. It exhaled black fumes, a heavy boot hitting the dirt as it stepped forward. Its black cloak billowed behind it as the wind howled and wings flapped overhead, guards shooting, and missing, what loomed above.

"RUN KANA!" Haktep screamed. Kana rolled away quickly, Atem scrambling in the opposite direction.

"NOT THERE!" Kana called desperately. The cloaked creature followed Atem, Mana and Mahado begging Atem to run somewhere else, their cries lost in the rain. Atem was running blindly, gasping as he heard the steady, heavy footfalls behind him.

"SANGAN!" Kana shouted. The small creature appeared before them, latching onto the face of the armored swordsman. Kana slid along the ground and grabbed Atem, dragging him back quickly. She jerked painfully as Sangan was destroyed.

"KANA GET OVER HERE!" Haktep called desperately as guards began to circle them instead of attempting to fight the Ka's monsters. Ari screamed a monster name, nothing happened. Senna and Rhea did the same to no avail.

"SUMMONING SEAL!" Bakura shouted pointing to a large red circle around them.

"MOVE!" Isis demanded as the guards attempted to drag them back to the palace. "THEY NEED TO SAVE PRINCE ATEM! THEY CAN'T SUMMON UNLESS YOU MOVE OUT OF THEIR WAY!

"Kana!" Fasen called. Kana held Atem's arm and pulled him in all directions to avoid the swinging blades.

"LEAVE ME!" Atem shouted.

"I CAN'T!" Kana snapped. "I…I NEED TO HELP YOU!"

"YOU SUMMONED THESE BEASTS!" a guard insisted, pushing Sen backwards.

"NO!" Shefnu shouted, pushing as hard as possible. "YOU NEED TO LET US HELP THEM!" A few guards ran up to the powerful Ka monster, being thrown into the wall by its fist.

"OUJI-SAMA!" Mana screamed in desperation.

Bakura grabbed Thoth's Dia Danked arm and pulled him close to the ground, the pair worming past the guards and out of the seal. Thoth pulled a knife from his boot and ran around the circle one, drawing markings quickly in the mud.

Kana hit the ground and rolled to the side, spitting out a mouthful of mud. She screamed as the blade caught her in the leg and it began to bleed. The Ka monster stopped and brought its blade to its face, taking in the scent. Kana dragged herself away, Atem running behind her and helping her up. The creature did not rush, guards actually moving backwards and screaming in fear.

"LAUNCH!" Shila shouted. Atem panted as fever began to set it. Sen was tossed into the air and flipped neatly over the guards, Dia Dank already open. Oberon was tossed out after him.

"BLADE KNIGHT!" Sen shouted. A monster identical to the one that was attacking Kana appeared, rushing towards its double and decapitating it. It fell to the ground, smoke pouring from its neck. Oberon summoned Harpie's Brother which quickly destroyed the monster overhead.

Atem and Kana fell limp in the mud. "That was a little too close," Oberon mumbled, sweatdropping as Kana banged her head against the ground. Sen's Dia Dank suddenly lit up, the brunette staring at it in confusion.

"But my monster isn't being attacked…."

"Maybe your Dia Dank has a magical problem…."

Thoth drew the last marking, the circle slowly fading. He stood up and his eye twitched, he turned slowly. Bakura stared at Thoth. "What is it?" Bakura asked quickly. Thoth's eye was twitching uncontrollably, Shila spotting something over the heads of the guards.

"OBERON! MOVE!" Shila screamed, her voice shrill with panic and desperation. Oberon turned to look at her with a questioning smile.

The sound was sickening as metal pierced flesh, the blade sinking through Oberon's mid-section like a hot knife through butter. His grey eyes widened, as the guards scattered in fear and he was lifted into the air. He let out a blood flinging cough as he slid down the cutting edge, the once headless creature watching with no emotion as blood from Oberon's mouth mingled with the puddles. His impaled body grew slightly rigid as thunder rolled in the distance.

Shila knocked guards away and ran forward, arm shaking as she opened and closed her mouth; no sound came out. Oberon looked at her, his eyes blank and far away. He smiled at her and she screamed, holding her head and shaking it in horror.

Nephthys ran into the rain and stared at what was happening before her. Mana was on her knees in the muck watching in disbelief. "PHEONIX OF NEPHTHYS!" she shouted. Her Dia Dank vibrated on her arm as a magnificent winged creature erupted, flaming wings continuing to burn brilliantly in the rain. It swooped down and destroyed the Blade Knight, golden body shimmering from its position on the wall.

Shila sprinted over to Oberon's body, rolling it over and gently wiping mud from his face. "Obe…." She called in a horse cry, taking off his mask.

"Kind…of sad that things should end like this…huh?" Oberon whispered, his tears lost to the rain.

"Don't talk like that!" Shila demanded. Sen tried to heal Oberon to no avail, Asami saying it was a blade of magic and was harder to heal than an average blade. Nephthys knelt in the mud beside him and closed her eyes.

"W-What is she doing?" Atem asked Kana desperately. Kana let her head fall back into the dirt as her lip quivered.

"She's saying a prayer….for safe passage," Kana explained. Atem didn't know how to reply.

They had all gathered around Oberon and Shila. "Take good care of her Shefnu….." Oberon instructed.

"You can tell me that later," Shefnu insisted. Oberon smiled weakly.

"Forgive…for not being there to protect you Shila….." Shila was smiling, bitterly denying what was happening. His eyes slipped closed and his chest fell…and didn't come back up.

Mana suddenly backed away, shaking her head. "He's…he…" Mana was suddenly lost for words.

Nephthys' Phoenix spread its wings and her eyes shot open. She looked at the rip in Oberon's stomach then to the smile on Shila's face. "Battles are never the place for children," she said sadly.

Shila's smile slowly faded as she called Oberon's name and he did not respond. She held his cold hand and cried, leaning over his body and hugging it. Shefnu touched her shoulder only to be pushed away as she screamed. Asami stared at the ground.

"What's happening Kura?" Thoth asked. Bakura stared at Thoth and opened his mouth to say something, ignoring what he wanted to utter as the ground trembled.

"MOTHER!" Atem yelled. "WHAT'S HAPPENING?"

"We are being attacked," Nephthys said calmly, standing up and gazing at the sky. "You all will get inside."

"But Mo-"

"Now." Her voice was firm and unwavering. Atem looked at Oberon then at his mother.

"OBERON!" Shila cried, looking to the sky. Fasen carefully picked Kana up and fixed her leg. They looked at Shila, something inside of them burning. Ari's Dia Dank opened.

"Go home," he told the others.

"How?" Senna asked blankly. 'They're attacking the city."

"Hide somewhere. Go to Asami's house…on second thought, just hide somewhere."

Shila stood up unsteadily, swaying slightly as her Dia Dank opened. "They took my brother…" she murmured. "Bloody revenge is only fitting." Seth swallowed. Was this the same girl that had just smiled at them, hugged them…?

Oberon's body lay on the ground, Shila retrieving her cloak from her bag and covering his body. Bakura stepped back as Shila's passed him, her face was different, not the Shila he knew…the sudden death had changed her…

Rayeel looked at the sky. "It's still a while till mid-night…" he informed them. Senna's Serpent Knight Dragon appeared.

"Let's go," Rhea mumbled. They all climbed aboard, Shila's face blank and drained. Thoth remained on the ground kneeling beside Oberon's body.

Fasen climbed of the Dragon and stood beside Thoth. 'We can't help him anymore," Fasen said quietly. Thoth's eye was twitching uncontrollably. "We can try and help those in the city…."

"Haku, please help me," Thoth begged. "What's happening?" Bakura wondered if he had heard right. Why was Thoth calling Haku?

Fasen took Thoth's hand and took him to the Dragon, Ari turning back to look at Seth. "I presume you have great common sense by that look on your face," he said bluntly. "It is because of this I must make a request."

"What?" Seth asked.

"Be the common sense of your group….keep them out of danger."

Seth nodded, watching as the dragon sped off into the night. Mahado helped Mana stand and they all made their way back into the castle, a pair of servants rushing out and taking Oberon's body. "Mother," Atem called desperately.

Bastet meowed from the floor Atem too preoccupied to pay her any notice. "My dear Atem…" Nephthys began sadly. "Battles such as these are never the place of children….but tonight we will have to rely mainly on these children who have had to suffer too much in their short lives…"

"Queen?" Mahado whispered.

A tear rolled down her cheek. "Tonight blood has been shed and Shila should not cry…." There was no sound other than the pounding rain. "She should save her tears for the very end….for she will have more to lament over." The Phoenix outside screeched loudly and Nephthys let another tear roll down her face as Isis watched her intently. "More blood shall stain their hands tonight….Oberon is not the only one who will never see the sun again…."

Guards ran back and forth, armored and loaded with weapons. They shouted orders to one and other, stating the Pharaoh's and Shimon's locations in the city and that Akunadin was nowhere to be found.

"Someone tell me what's happening…" Atem pleaded, dropping to his knees.

"I don't know," Fasen cried, as the wind caught their hair. Fasen continued to cry, shaking his head as if it would make everything better. He had seen something that was going to happen and now couldn't remember what it was…all he said is that it was bad.

Asami's hand balled into fists as a cold laugh played over and over in her mind. "I won't forgive you…" she hissed, as the rain fell in colder, harder sheets.

They flew above the city, creatures moving through the streets and people cried out in confusion. Senna looked for somewhere to land, her searching in vain as her dragon was shot down. They hit the ground hard, struggling to stand up as Guards surrounded them.

'We're on your side!" Rhea told them.

Bakura's vision clouded over again as he saw the hindrances in his mind, writhing on the ground in pain as their blood ran over his feet.

"RUN BAKURA!" Thoth screamed. Bakura pushed himself to the side as they scattered a spear hitting the ground where he had been standing. Thoth slid back, blue hair trailing behind him. Thoth tripped, bringing Bakura down with him out of the way of more arrows.

"LIGHT ME!" Bakura ordered. He loaded his bow, firing three flaming arrows into the dark. Something let out a shriek of pain. "RUN!" Thoth stared into the dark until Bakura pulled him along, the pair pushing past the few people in the streets and running blindly to where ever they could go.

They stopped for a moment, Thoth pulling a sphere from his bag. "Help Thoth, Thieves Needle," Thoth begged. The needle spun faster and faster. The red tip pointing to the left. The needle vibrated, black tip suddenly slamming into the top of the orb.

"What does that mean?" Bakura asked cautiously.

"Black in dangerous…."

"Where is it pointing?"

"Directly above us." They stared at each other.

Bakura's heart stopped when a bloody glob dripped onto Thoth's shoulder and something from above let out hungry hiss.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

I know this chapter sucks more than usual….

Yami AJ is sorry…

Peace Out….