Inside his darkened soul room, Yami Bakura was also pacing. His feet stumbled haphazardly across the stone, scattering coins and other bits of treasure as he walked.

Although he would never admit it, he was greatly worried about his host body. He had known Ryou to be sickly, but this was far beyond any of his expectations. As soon as he had sensed it, he knew this illness was different. But he never thought his host was going to be in a battle for his life.

Part of him even wondered now if he could have done something to prevent it. He paused in his pacing. Probably not, he eventually concluded.

Even if he had remained in control of the body when they were in the shadow realm, Ryou would still have been infected. Mortal bodies aren't supposed to be trapped in the shadow realm. And if they are, they certainly aren't supposed to ever leave it.

As he paced, his foot slammed into a large trunk.

"Damn it all!" he shouted, kicking the treasure chest over, sending pieces of imaginary gold scattering throughout the soul room. "I should have won that duel against that pathetic tomb keeper's dark side. Then this wouldn't have happened! Blasted god card! Fucking Ra!"

Suddenly, a strange blue light appeared behind him.

The tomb robber jumped, the sudden dispersal of the darkness catching his immediate attention.

"Who are you, and what are you doing in my soul room!" he shouted, snarling at the strange creature that had invaded his space.

It only took Yami Bakura a moment to realize he was face to face with a god. His already pale skin blanched. Never one to give tribute to the gods during his life, he certainly didn't care much about them in his extended stay in the ring. The only deity he knew he'd ever see was Ammut, the creature who had the pleasure of devouring condemned souls.

But instead, a magnificent creature stood before him. The size of an ancient Egyptian youth, he had the body of a boy and the head of a falcon. On top his head rested a lunar disc, making it clear to Yami Bakura exactly who he had come to face.

"Khons." He gasped, still frozen in place.

The god nodded once.

It was Khons, the god of the moon, a royal guardian angel of sorts, and son of Amun and Mut. In the thief king's lifetime, he was also renown for his gift of healing. The temple priests frequently made sacrifices in his name, as did the pharaoh whom he despised.

"What do you want from me?" he spat at the god, finally finding his composure. Even if he feared the deity, he refused to show it.

"Are you sure the question is not 'What do you want from me?" Khons answered, kneeling before the spirit of the millennium ring.

This confused Yami Bakura more than anything else.

"A priestess has prayed for my intervention." He continued. Khons' mouth didn't move, but Yami Bakura could hear the god's words as if they were literally spoken to him. "And I have come."

"Priestess?" he asked, before it suddenly dawned on him. "Isis. This is part of the pathetic pharaoh's plan."

The god gave no acknowledgement of whether this was correct. But the spirit of the ring assumed that it was.

"Fine. What do I want from you." He sneered, pacing a little, but not taking his eyes off the god.

"My kin are powerful indeed, but they need help." Khons answered, referring to the three great Egyptian gods that the pharaoh had helped summon. "I need a vessel for my powers… and you are a natural choice, as you are already inside the boy. I would need no external power source."

The king of thieves was stunned.

"Do you know who I am?" he shouted at the god. If this were a mere mortal, he would have reached out, taken the creature by its cloak, and yanked it off the floor. If he was in the mood, he might have even snapped its neck. But for a god, he forced himself to keep his rage in check.

"You are Bakura, lone survivor of Kul Elna. The thief and tomb desecrator confined to the millennium ring…"

He couldn't argue there.

"…Who is concerned with the fate of the boy." Khons continued, adding extra emphasis to that last phrase. "And I can help you. Though it poses a grave risk."

Again Yami Bakura couldn't argue. He paused, letting the god continue.

"Obelisk, Osiris, and Ra have fused with the bodies of three mortals. And being mortals, they do not belong here. Should something dire occur, the gods will pull them to safety. Their bodies will be returned to the physical realm." Khons spoke softly. "But you are not mortal. You no longer have a body. You do belong here."

"Your point?"

"Should something disastrous happen, there is nowhere else for you to go."

Yami Bakura thought for a moment. The god was right. Even if he were lucky enough to stay in his soul room, it would only be a matter of time before the disease reached it. But if he didn't act, he would surely die right along with his sickly host.

After a long moment of silence, he finally let out a deep sigh and lowered his defenses.

"Like I care... Just tell me what I need to do."

The god said nothing. With no warning, he burst into a fine white light, and struck Yami Bakura squarely in the chest.