After All This: Chapter seventeen
Malik dropped down to his knees, Bakura still safely in his arms. The white haired boy had stopped crying moments ago. "Bakura." Malik mumbled softly, not wanting to frighten the other. "I need to get you cleaned up. Can I do that? I won't hurt you."
Bakura slowly lifted his head off of Malik's chest. Biting his lip he glanced up at the other boy. "What happened to him? The Marik I remember could never do that to someone. Kill yes, but he was all ways against rape." And with that Bakura started to cry again.
Malik rocked him slightly, and held the other close. With a sigh he forced himself to stand, and then slowly walked into the lake. He shivered at how cold it was and kept walking until it was over his waist. Looking down, he realized that Bakura was looking up at him and he had stopped crying.
Bakura tilted his head a bit and studied the one holding him, finally he spoke. "I take It your Marik's light."
"Yeah, that be me." Malik responded.
"Oh. What's your name anyways?" Bakura asked.
"Malik."
Bakura nodded and then shivered. "Man this water is freezing."
"Yeah, I know. So let's you cleaned up before we both freeze to death in here." Malik said, as he helped Bakura to stand in the lake.
Seeing that Bakura was taller, the water just hit his waist. Taking a few small steps he walked deeper into the lake.
Malik walked along side him to help him stand, seeing that Bakura was too weak to hold himself up. "Do you need any help? Or are you good?"
"Just keep me standing up." Bakura said, as he moved his hand along the top of the water. "I could kill the bastard for this."
An hour later, both boys sat in the throne room, cold and tired. Malik had given Bakura a cloak to wear, seeing as his were no good anymore. Malik's pants were still wet but he could tell that Marik would be taking over any time soon.
"Hey Malik." Bakura said, almost so quietly the other almost didn't catch it.
"Yeah?"
"Do you know were Yami and the other's are?" Bakura asked.
Malik opened his mouth to speak, except that question had done it. Smiling sadly, Malik looked over at Bakura. "Sorry."
Bakura frowned at him, and then was blinded by a bright light. When the light was finally gone, he knew Marik stood in the boy's place. "Humph."
Marik stood there looking sadly, as he watched Bakura turn so that his back was facing the other spirit. With a soft sigh, he walked up towards Bakura. "I'm sorry; I lost control of my actions."
"I'd say." Bakura said, as he tilted his head slightly.
Marik growled slightly and glanced down at the ground. "I just wish you could remember everything we went through, just to make this easier."
"I'm going to regret this." Bakura sighed, as he turned around and glanced at Marik. "Use your millennium rod to show me what happened between us. It's coming to me, slowly. Piece by piece, but it needs a little help."
Marik raised his arm that held the millennium rod, and the he raised his eyes to look into Bakura's. "Are you sure about this?"
Biting his lip, Bakura nodded. "More then anything at this moment."
Closing his eyes, the rod began to glow and the millennium eye appeared on his forehead. Taking a small step forward the room soon filled with a bright blinding white light.
Odion stopped for a moment, and quickly glanced around and muttered a couple of curses under his breath.
Yami shivered slightly and fear that Odion had lost his way and the thought of being stuck down here for longer almost scared him, but it didn't scare him as much as the thought of never seeing again Bakura did.
It was Yugi instead who voiced his concerted. "Odion? Are we lost?"
Odion glanced over his shoulder, at the group behind him. With a sigh he stepped into the river and glanced around for another second before answering. "I'm afraid I have lost my way. For now at least. Sit down and rest, I shall figure out our way. Do not worry young one."
Danu nodded in understanding and sat down. "Come on boys, take a seat. With some rest we can move quicker."
Ryou quickly took a seat next to his dad and Yugi sat in his lap. Ryou was holding his head slightly, as he winced in pain.
"Ryou? Love? Are you alright?" Yugi asked, as he glanced back.
"I'm fine Yugi, but..." Ryou glanced up at Yami. Who was staring right back at him with waiting eyes. "but, Bakura isn't. He's in a good amount of pain, even through the weak mind link we have set up it's all filled with pain."
Yami frowned, and turned and started pacing back and forth in the passage way. "I will kill Marik when I get my hands on him; I know he has something to do with this!"
"No!" Odion jumped forward. "You cannot kill the body! Both light and dark share it."
Yami looked down at the ground, tear's filled his eyes. "I just want him back. Safe and sound."
"I promise you Pharaoh we will get him back." Odion said, as he squeezed Yami's shoulder. "Now let's go, I remember the way now."
Odion headed off first with Danu as the two talked, they were followed by Ryou who held Yugi on his shoulders. Yami glanced back in the darkness one last time, before following the group at a quick pace. Tears still slowly falling down his face.