Hey people! Lookie! A chapter! Oooo! Go read it! Sorry for the
lame title, it's really late!
Note: Do not say my sappiness
with Yugi and Yami's souls is anything other than brotherly! They are
pure soul mates, and brothers to the core! Platonic love! Oh Yes!
PLATONIC!
Warning: For violence.
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!
"This is talking"
"These are thoughts and
mind-messages"
Chapter Fifteen - Reunited Warriors
The dark spirit clenched the Millennium Rod in his hand, fists shaking as he watched Yugi absorb the powers that travelled from the world behind him to the surface of the Millennium Puzzle. The glow was so harsh the spirit had to narrow his eyes to stop the pain the brightness caused. What was going on!
Then he heard it; that all too familiar word, a magical word used as both a name and a means of fusion between two specific souls.
"Yu-Gi-Oh!"
"No!" the spirits eyes widened as his once lighter side was engulfed once again in a blinding glow. That's what had been called forth! His lighter half had used the powers surrounding the alter and his connection with the items to tear open the gateway to the afterlife? Yami had brought his true soul back into the real world, the world of the living, and fused, for the first time in five thousand years, with Yugi.
No. He couldn't let Yugi go through with this; he had to stop him. Tightening his grip on the Millennium Rod he charged forward, raising the Item back, the point faced towards Yugi.
Yujhi stared towards Yugi, overcome by the waves of magic rippling from him. Where was all this power coming from? Out of the corner of his eye he spotted the darker spirit of Yami clenching the Rod and instantly knew what the spirit was planning. Leaping up he launched himself at the spirit just as he took off, slamming into his side and sending them both crashing to the floor.
Yami cursed loudly and quickly pushed himself upward, glaring down into Yujhi's fear-filled blue eyes. For a moment Yujhi thought he was going to use the blade of the Rod on him, but the spirit was too worried as to what Yugi was planning. Swinging the Item towards Yujhi he struck the boy across the head with the Rod, stumbling quickly to his feet and making his way towards Yugi once again.
But the person he now saw on the alter was not Yugi.
Ryoura groaned and opened his eyes weakly, blinking blearily. He couldn't make out anything with his sight, it was so blurry. But he could still sense magic, and the new presence in the room radiated great power. Steve was in no better condition, having had his magic drained and then being thrown against one of the large stone pillars, but he too could sense the magic. Bakura, Ilia and even Joe, who were all pushing themselves off the floor, could feel the powers also, no matter how much or a little they were connected to magic.
The spirit stopped a few metres from the foot of the alter and looked up at his opponent.
Standing on the alter was an identical version of the darker spirit in front of him, his eyes closed and head lowered as the wind died from around him. The Millennium Puzzle around his neck faded, but still had a faint golden glow over it's surface. "My dark..." the spirit said in a deep voice, violet eyes opening slowly and head raising to meet his the glare of the being before him, "You tortures end here and now..."
Yami Yugi raised his arm above his head and gripped what seemed to be an invisible handle. As if tearing through fabric he pulled a silver khepesh sword out of the air and swung it before him, the very same khepesh sword Yami's soul had formed in Yugi's hands, with hieroglyphs carved across the blade's surface reading 'Atemu'. The blade was surrounded in a white light, not blinding, but it rid the entire area surrounding the spirit of any shadows or darkness.
The dark spirit smirked slightly, "I don't know why I was worried... You think you scare me? You and your hikari, combined?" he spat on the ground, "You're no threat to me. I have the power of six Millennium Items on my side... and what have you?" he laughed loudly and threw his arm forward to gesture to Yami Yugi, who stood silently with his blade held horizontally before him, "Our weakened light and a sword? Granted, the Puzzle may cause a scratch or two," he reached behind himself and rid the Millennium Scales of the magical rope the tied it to his waist, pulling it before him, "but I have more then enough power to destroy both you and your puny hikari!"
Yami Yugi's eyes narrowed, but he made no response. Instead, he studied each Millennium Item the spirit withdrew of materialised before him; the Scales, the Necklace, the Eye, the Ring, the Rod and the Key, all adorned around the neck of a corrupt and vicious enemy. But Yami was more than confident that he, Yugi and the Millennium Puzzle could defeat him.
"Yami?"
The former-Pharaoh found himself slipping into the spiritual dimension without hesitation. Why should he worry, when time worked differently here? He could feel his soul warming as it slipped through dimensions like water, opening his eyes the instant he'd fully materialised. Just as he had done all those millennia ago while fused with Yugi, he stood behind his host body as a spirit.
And too his left stood his hikari.
Yugi was looking up at his slightly taller darker half, frozen. When he'd first sensed Yami, he had been a transcendent being coming to his aid. When last he'd seen his yami's soul, he had been a being so weakened he was devoid of all colour save shades of grey. When he'd last seen his physical yami, he'd been a spirit of darkness and anger. But it was right now, for the first time in millennia, that Yugi truly saw him.
"How could I ever think that spirit was Yami?" Yugi thought, the link between his soul and the one beside him invisible, yet blinding with it's strength, "The bond between us... How could I mistake any other for it? It's been so long... Had I forgotten?" "Yugi?" Yami took a step towards his hikari when Yugi let his head drop, golden bangs covering his eyes. Frowning he reached forward and let his hand hover above Yugi's shoulder, but didn't touch him. "Are you alright?"
"Ya," Yugi's replied in a shaky voice, raising his head to look into Yami's eyes. His own were filled with tears, but he wouldn't let them fall, and a smile was spread across his face. "It's just... You're really here. You're not just a piece of your soul, or a memory or a figment of my imagination... It's really you!"
Yami smiled and placed his hand on Yugi's shoulder, shaking it slightly, "I'm sorry I took so long," he said lightly.
"You should be," Yugi nodded, still smiling.
"But at least now we're finally together again," Yugi squeezed Yugi's shoulder lightly, looking forward. When they were in the spiritual dimension, the physical word they were supposed to be a part of was darkened, almost invisible. But through that darkness Yami could see a reflection of himself, eyes burning with hatred, but moving so slowly in comparison with the dimension Yugi and Yami were in he seemed to be frozen in time. "And as long as are souls remain together, as one, we will defeat my darker side."
The smile instantly disappeared from Yugi's face and his eyes shot to the darker spirit barely visible in the other realm. Rubbing the back over his eyes to make sure his tears were unshed, he looked to his Yami with a new flare of determination. "Let's do it!"
"Right!"
The twin spirits both slid through the spiritually dimension and back into their body. Two souls drifted in, two right hands took control of it's physical form, grip tightening slightly on the hilt of the blade as if to make sure it was still there. Two souls combined, sharing a mind, sharing thoughts.
Just as destiny had always intended, the Pharaoh and his light were whole again.
Time seemed much faster now compared to the spiritual dimension, and the spirit was quick to draw the remaining items. Yami Yugi stole a glance towards the other members of the group and frowned.
Joe had his back pressed hard against the wall and used it to help lift himself off the floor. His legs were shaking, but he didn't let himself fall. Bakura pushed himself to his feet with more effort without any support, but found himself unable to stand straight. His body was still in shock from the spirits attack. Ilia had pulled herself over to Steve, who was still sitting with his back against one of the pillars, his eyes closed and head down. She whispered his name worriedly, touching his arm. He was very pale. A few feet away from the dark spirit of Yami lay Yujhi, motionless.
"Yami we have to save them!" Yugi's voice sounded panicked. Of coarse it would; these were his friends.
"We will Yugi, we will," Yami reassured his hikari, then thought to himself, "Because I would sooner face Soul Destruction then let this monstrosity of myself wander free in this world..."
The dark sprit clenched both the Scales and the Eye in one hand, the Millennium Rod in the other, with the Key and Millennium Ring materialising around his neck. The necklace hung from around his wrist, but as laden as he was with item's the spirit stood tall as if they weren't there. Yami Yugi changed his stance, ready to pounce. "What makes you think you stand a chance against me?" the spirit finally asked.
"Because you more then anyone should know the Millennium Items rely heavily on the soul," Yami Yugi sliced the sword through the air and held it up beside his head, eyes narrowing, "And with two souls against a simple fragment, I believe the odds are evening up."
Everyone had expected some sort of snide remark from the spirit, but he didn't have the chance. Yami Yugi leapt off the alter, Puzzle and sword glowing, and brought the blade down towards the spirits head. The spirit threw up a barrier, but the strength of the magic in the sword shattered it. Shocked, the spirit jumped out of the blade's path, the tip of the blade slicing through the material of his retreating shoe. A narrow miss.
"His magic is stronger then I thought; I'll need more then one item to block his attacks," the spirit thought, but Yami Yugi was on him before he had a chance to counter. The spirit leapt left and right, but every time he prepared to make a move Yami Yugi was one step ahead, charging with a brand new attack before the spirit had a chance to finish dodging the last. He should have known this would happen; he'd said so himself he had great swordsmanship skills.
"I just need an opening!" the spirit though as he dodged another attack aiming for his face. He had to think quickly.
"Ry...oura... " Bakura hissed through gritted teeth, dropping to his knees in front of his hikari. He shut his eyes tight with the pain that flared through his knees, but forced them open again. "Ryoura..." he said again, reaching his hand out and placing it on his lights shoulder. Ryoura seemed awake, but his eyes were dazed and unfocussed. "Wake... up..." he forced out, his voice strained.
"Bakura..." Ryoura whispered hoarsely, coughing lightly. Bakura never thought he could feel so relieved at the sound of a voice! "Are... the others...?"
Bakura looked back at the fight that was taking place by the alter, but even that small movement caused him to flare with pain. "Stu-pid Pharaoh." he muttered, but pushed his pain aside to study the group; Ilia seemed to be getting a little response from Steve, and Joe was up, but struggling to stay standing against the wall. Yujhi was still out cold. "Alive..." he muttered, turning to face Ryoura again so as not to strain his neck. "But for how much longer...?" he added silently to himself.
The scraping sound of Yami's sword skimming the rock floor met Bakura's ears and he growled. Without his Ring he was useless. Ryoura and the others were too weak to move and Yujhi was unconscious. The Pharaoh and his light are alone in this battle..."
Yami Yugi arched his sword towards his dark, but the spirit, once again, dodged the attack by jumping sideways, rolling slightly, then jumping back up onto his feet. Yami Yugi didn't wait, but charged once the first attack allowed him too. "This constant attacking may be preventing him from attacking, but I don't know how much longer I can keep this up," he thought to himself as the spirit dodged his second attack, "And I don't have any other method. Come on, think!"
The spirit brought the Millennium Rod in front of him as the blade came down, the blade getting caught in the decorative wings at the top. He used that momentary pause to launch a ball of magic at Yami Yugi, striking him hard in the stomach and throwing him back.
Digging his heels into the floor Yami Yugi skidded back, straining even muscle in his body to prevent himself being thrown too far back. He grunted and pressed a hand to his stomach for a moment, but didn't dare pause any longer. He ran forward...
..but the spirit sped towards him like lightning, quickened by the Item's he held, and swung his fist into the stomach of his fused enemy. Yami Yugi was lifted off the floor with the force of the attack, draped over the arm of his enemy, before the velocity threw him back. He crashed flat on the floor but quickly curled over, clutching his stomach and coughing heavily. He hand managed to hold onto his sword, and when the spirit leapt towards him wielding the Rod as a sword Yami Yugi rolled onto his back and just managed to blocked the attack.
The spirit smirked as he pressed harder on Yami Yugi's sword, using most of his body weight and the Millennium Scales to push the blade further down towards the other Puzzle-spirit's face. Yami Yugi, at such an angle, was struggling to hold him off. He had to press the flat part of the blade to his palm to hold it up, while also having to grip it to prevent it slipping position. The spirit glance at Yami Yugi's hand the held the blade, blood oozing from the small cuts the blade made in his fingers, deepening with every strained shudder of the sword. He was still gasping from the blow to the stomach, so his strength was slacked. The blade pushed closer and closer until it was mere inches from his face. "Not so confident now, are you?" the spirit whispered in a slightly strained voice, trying to push the blade further down.
In unison Yami Yugi's khepesh and Puzzle burst with light, along with every item the spirit possessed. A test of physical strength had quickly become a test of magic, both infusing their weapons with as much magical energy as they could muster.
The spirit was shocked when Yami Yugi began to push back, forcing the Millennium Rod away from his face, "With two souls, and the Millennium Puzzle..." the spirit thought, suddenly angered, "No! He shouldn't be able to overpower me, I have six items! I'm far stronger!" But despite his thoughts, inch my inch, Yami Yugi was forcing the spirit off him. He pressed harder down on the blade, summoned more of his magic, but it did nothing to push the spirit back, only stop him from pushing any further, and by then there was an arms length distance between them. "I won't let them win! I'll..." he paused for a moment, then it came to him, "Soul Destruction...
"Yami something's wrong!" Yugi's voice echoed in his own mind, but in his Yami's as well, "His magic's weakened, he's planning something!"
"I know Yugi, but we're trapped. We can't move," Yami's voice echoed back, violet eyes that were shut with effort forced themselves open to gaze into his enemy's. They were red, shimmering slightly as his lips moved wordlessly. Yami recognised the spell; he had been encased in it only minutes ago. "Soul Destruction!"
"What?" Yugi's voice called, but a sudden wave of electricity overcame Yami's response. Red flashed before his eyes and for a moment what felt like hot metal wires constricted around his heart. Yugi screamed and pulled away from the force immediately.
"YUGI!" Yami's terror was so evident in his voice it brought back to life the flame of fear in Yugi's heart. He'd separated from Yami!
A wave of cold overcame him as he instinctively slipped into the spiritual realm to avoid the pain. What was he doing! Yami had told him they had to stay as one!
The body Yugi and Yami shared froze, the agony of a soul's torture unrecognisable to it, causing it to go into a state of shock. The body's mouth didn't make a sound, but that meant nothing to Yugi. He could still hear Yami screaming in bloodcurdling agony.
Yugi had torn himself from the physical dimension when Soul Destruction had skimmed his soul, only feeling a slight jolt. The attack full torture was focussed on Yami.
"I won't let you win!" the dark spirit yelled furiously.
"Yami!" Yugi flinched as Yami's screaming got louder.
The spirit pressed the blade harder down, Yami Yugi's arms weakened now, "You're mine!"
"No!" Yugi forced himself back into his body, pushing Yami's shredding soul away and taking control of the body's movements, his soul sharing with but not fused with Yami's. His eyes came into focus and locked with crimson orbs of blood-lust, and for a second everything in his world froze.
For a moment, he didn't see the spirit that was attacking him. He saw an image of Yami, his friend, his brother of many years. But crimson eyes burned through that image, as did a face so consorted with hate and anger Yugi felt a pang of fear. But mixed with that hate was something else; darkness. Powerful darkness that could not exist in any human.
Especially not Yami.
He had only a second to think. There was only one way out of this. But he and Yami may not make it.
"Do it Yugi..." Yami's strained voice echoed in his mind, just before another jolt of electricity gripped his soul.
Narrowing his eyes as the world seemed to jump to life, Yami's screams echoing in his ears, Yugi did something reckless. Griping the blade tight with both hands, deepening cuts in his left hand, he pulled the blade above his head. It no longer blocked the blade of the Rod. In the second that the pull of gravity caused both the spirit and his Item to fall downward, Yugi pulled the blade back down before him and thrust his arms upwards.
Yami's screaming silenced.
A fire pain erupted in Yami Yugi's stomach as the blade of the Millennium Rod sliced through his flesh, causing blood to instantly soak the hands of Yami's dark.
But the blade of Yugi's khepesh sword did better; angled perfectly, it had sliced clean through the spirits exposed neck.
Both Yami Yugi and the spirit gasped as each attack struck, eye's widening and breath catching in their lungs, as if both feared it was their last. Yami Yugi's arms shook as they struggled to hold his sword in place, his mind to all but the pulsing pain in his stomach, yet his instinct ordering him to do so. He could feel his own warm blood flowing out of him, over the hands of his enemy, over his skin, drenching his clothes. But save for his arms, he didn't move, and neither did the spirit. He seemed to have frozen in place, the blade in his neck the only thing preventing his blood gushing out instead of in small trickles, tiny rivers of blood flowing like tree-branches across the khepesh blade and down Yugi's arms. Neither spirit moved, they just gripped their weapons tightly, staring into each other's terrified eyes, counting every heartbeat that seemed to be slowing with every beat.
Which one of them had lost?
To Be Continued
Oooooo! I. Am. EVIL!
But this was definitely one of the most fun (and evil!) chappys I've written in a long time! I had No. CLUE what I was writing, and it's never been more fun! Man, you should have seen how many things I edited out; about a third of the chapter worth! And the stuff a re-wrote -phew- I'm beat! And I'm supposed to be in bed! Don't dis grammar, I'm tired! Gonna post this quick and respond to reviews tomorrow!
Review please! Reviews equal Motivation, yupyup -nodnod-
Slán slán peeps!
Bay Bay!
Bayleef
