The chamber was silent as Ryou Bakura pulled a card from his deck. At first, he didn't even dare to look at it. But as he slowly opened his eyes, his trembling lip started to calm down.

In his hand, looking up at him, was a familiar face - that of a simple girl in a long white gown, sprouting two wings. One was an angel's wing, white feathers stretching beyond the borders of the card. The other was a demon's wing, leathery flap wrapping around itself. Half of her face was in light, the other in shadow.

It was Ryou's favorite card, the card he most desperately needed.

Bakura looked up. He could see the light in Ryou's face, and knew there was still a chance.

"He drew it…" Bakura mouthed softly. Anubis kept a close eye, ready to strike if necessary.

"I… I drew it…" Ryou echoed, not even hearing his yami. "Just like… just like the pharaoh… in his duel with Yugi…"

He held the card in his hand.

"Isis said… that the pharaoh had such a strong will, that he actually influenced where the cards were in the deck…" Ryou looked back up at Osiris. "Maybe… maybe my will to… to… to stay connected with my yami… is… is strong enough to… to win this duel!"

"It's your move." Osiris interrupted the one-sided conversation.

"I know!" Ryou answered. He looked down at his yami.

"Give him all you've got, Ryou." Bakura even cocked a small smile. "You can do it."

Ryou nodded, and held up his card.

"I play Change of Heart!" he shouted triumphantly, the heart of the cards shouting from within his deck. "And with it, I gain control of one monster for one turn. And I'm taking your sphinx!"

Osiris said nothing.

The powerful beast turned from its original master, and strode to the other side of the field. Bowing to its new owner, at least for this turn, it turned to face the deity.

"And now, I believe you only have 1700 life points. Your sphinx has 3500 attack points." Ryou reiterated plainly. "I… I attack your life points directly!"

Bakura smirked as the monster readied itself for an attack. For the first time since his village was massacred, fate was on his side. Raising its lion-like claws in the air, it let out a deep roar. Theinen the Great Sphinx charged towards Osiris, bearing its fangs, and leaping towards the tribunal.

"I wouldn't be so certain of your victory, mortal." Osiris spoke calmly, ignoring the monster rushing so recklessly towards him.

Ryou froze in his tracks. In the euphoria of drawing his favorite card just as he needed it most, he had forgotten to consider the one face down card on his opponent's side of the field.

"I activate my trap." Osiris smiled. "Magic Cylinder."

"… oh no…" Ryou could barely reply, before the creature's attack was thrust back at him, with the exact same amount of force. 3500 attack points, nearly all of his life points, suddenly vanished, leaving a weak, unsteady mortal boy fighting to stand erect. Such a blast would have sent him flying into the Hall of Ma'at, were it not for the chains still wrapped tightly around his ankles.

"… Ryou…" Bakura gasped, lunging forward as if to catch him. The chains, however, caught him first. Anubis' staff came quickly after, thrust into his back. The thief fell to his chest, dust scattering around him. But he kept his eyes fixed on his hikari.

Ryou Bakura was still alive, by 600 life points. His remaining strength, however, was quickly waning. He had taken the full force of a powerful attack, more than he would have received from the saint dragon, Osiris. It was the same sort of attack that Bakura had once taken for him, just to keep him alive.

"Ryou, are you all right?" Bakura shouted, coughing slightly. He still struggled under the hand of Anubis. "God, stand back up! Stand back up!"

"I… I think so…" he attempted to stand straight. His eyes blurred, as his feet swayed on the platform. His spirit was on the verge of falling victim to the stress of the duel. "I play one monster… in… in defense mode. And then I end my turn."