Isis stood before the group of friends, all gathered in one place, for the hope of saving Ryou Bakura's life.

What Ryou thought was pneumonia was really a curse from the shadow realm, and within a matter of weeks, he had come so close to death. His body, desperately fighting what it couldn't begin to comprehend, was shutting down. He could no longer breathe on his own, and despite the massive amounts of drugs coursing through his veins, he knew his time was running out. He heard everything the doctor told Yami Yugi. His ears still worked, for now at least.

Everything was blurry, but he could still make out the outlines of the friends he has known since Duelist Kingdom.

He wanted so badly to speak to them, but he couldn't. The breathing tube down his throat prevented talking. And even if it didn't, he wasn't sure he could even string together coherent words.

But they were all there, and he knew they wanted to help him.

'Relax, host.' He heard his yami over the commotion in the hospital room. It was the first time his yami spoke since he was admitted earlier in the day.

'Yami?'

'The pharaoh's got some kind of plan to help you.' He spit, snarling through the title of his arch nemesis. 'I… I hope it works.'

Yami Bakura paced around his soul room. If it didn't work, he would be without a body to inhabit. If it did, he could be accused of showing softness towards the pharaoh or his host. A small price to pay for survival, he reasoned.

'I don't know what they're trying to do… but… I'll help you if I ca... have to.'

"I have never performed this ritual myself." Isis warned, her voice drowning out Ryou's thoughts. "But it has been passed down in the legends of the tomb keeper clan, since the days of the pharaoh himself."

"I'll do anything to help, sister." Malik reiterated, hoping that their plan would succeed.

"While you were waiting for our last vessel, I made many prayers to the gods. Especially to Khons, the moon god. His powers of healing favor those like Ryou, who suffer from the shadow of night, and are in need of light."

"Hey wait a minute." Kaiba interrupted. "Just what do you mean by vessel…"

Isis ignored his outburst, and continued talking.

"Pharaoh, you, along with my brother and Mr. Kaiba, will be vessels of the three great gods. It will be through you that they will work their magic."

Malik nodded, as did Yami Yugi. They would do anything to help Ryou.

"I don't believe any of this cockamamie nonsense." Kaiba added one more time. Again Isis ignored him.

"Whether you believe it or not," Yami Yugi replied. "We need your help, or Ryou will die."

"Whatever. I'd just better get my Egyptian god card back when this is all said and done."

"Isis? Is there anything we can do to help?" Tristan loudly interrupted Kaiba's dry complaints.

"Yeah. Ryou's our bud! We wanna' help him too. Right, Tea?"

She nodded, petting Ryou's shoulder tenderly.

"You three will play an important role as well. In order for the gods to be summoned, a great amount of energy will be required. I need you to provide energy for the gods to obtain physical form."

"Provide energy?"

"Is this dangerous?" Tristan finally asked.

"Yes. It is dangerous. Legend states that many priests who attempted summoning rituals, such as this, paid for it with their lives. I cannot force you to take such a risk if you do not want to."

"Of course we want to." Tristan answered immediately.

"I second that!" Joey shouted triumphantly. "He would'a done the same thing for us."

"The loss of energy may cause you to temporarily lose consciousness. But once the gods have merged with their vessels, you should recover quickly." Isis looked at them, and gave a reassuring smile. "I believe that the gods will not put you in danger, not when you are so eager to help a friend."

They nodded.

"We're ready." Tristan announced for the three of them.

Yami Yugi nodded, and took the other two god cards out of his pocket. Malik was already holding the Winged Dragon of Ra.

"Here, Kaiba." The pharaoh nodded, holding out the blue card of Obelisk. "Your god card."

The CEO smiled, and snatched the card from the pharaoh's hand.

Isis whispered a quiet prayer in Egyptian, kneeling before Ryou's bed, and then standing up again.

"Now, pharaoh, it is time for you to summon the great gods!"

He nodded.

"I summon the Saint god, Osiris!" He shouted, holding his card in the air. A beam of red light shot out of the card, and through the body of Joey. As it passed through him, bursting into a fine mist, he fell into Tristan's lap.

"Joey!" Tristan gasped instinctively, although remembering what Isis had said.

"I summon the winged dragon of Ra!" Malik then shouted, holding up his card. A beam of yellow light shot out of his card, hitting Tristan. Again, it burst into a fine mist, and Tristan slumped on top of Joey. Tea watched as they both lost consciousness, knowing it would happen to her next.

Kaiba seemed unimpressed with what he thought was a little charade, but he followed suit anyway.

"I summon Obelisk, the tormentor!" he shouted, holding his card in the air as well. Blue light passed through Tea, and she slumped on top of Ryou. He winced, the first expression he had made since they entered the room. Isis gently repositioned her in the chair, and leaned her head against Tristan's shoulder.

Malik, Kaiba, and Yami Yugi watched as the fine mist started to surround them. It circled the room, as if it was examining the contents, taking it in slowly, and deciding the best course of action.

"Why have we been called forth?" the three gods asked in unison.

Isis glanced at the pharaoh, for he was the only one with permission to speak directly to gods.

"You have been summoned to help us. My friend is gravely ill." He answered, directing his gaze at Ryou, knowing inside that the gods would follow it.

The mist circled over Ryou.

"We do not meddle in the realm of human affairs. What is the nature of his affliction?"

"This is not a mortal sickness." The pharaoh responded. "It is a sickness from the Shadow realm."

The gods gave no verbal answer, but the pharaoh could feel that they were contemplating it. Suddenly, the mist rushed back towards the three vessels.

"Khons has permitted it."

The separate colors split, striking the chests of the three cardholders.

"Therefore it shall be done."

A burst of light filled the room, forcing Isis to cover her eyes. When she opened them again, Malik, Kaiba, and the pharaoh were donned completely in the armor of the gods. The pharaoh, in Osiris red, the long body of the god circled along his entire torso. Malik in yellow, the wings of the great dragon flowed down his back like a royal cloak. Kaiba in blue, the mighty shoulders of Obelisk gave him the appearance of great strength. Each of them had a sword sheathed at his waist, and a dagger concealed in his left boot.

The remained in that form for only a mere instant, suddenly disappearing from the mortal realm.

A moment later, the three who gave up their energy to summon the gods slowly woke up.

"Did… did it work?" Tristan asked, groggily raising his head.

Tea looked around. The room was suddenly quite empty.

"Isis! Where's Yugi! What happened to them?" she shouted, startling Joey, who was just sitting up. He looked around the room, starting to panic when he couldn't find them either.

"Where'd they go!" he then shouted. "If somethin' happened to 'em… why I oughta…"

"Calm yourselves." Isis whispered. Her tone was reassuring. "They are not gone."

"Where are they?" Tea added, her voice calming tremendously since the last outburst.

She walked over to Ryou, and placed her hand on his fevered forehead. The three friends watched her every gesture. But even they could not be prepared for her response.

"They are inside him…"