When we got to the top they were already in position. Yami and Seto

"We're here bro," Mokuba said, grinning at his brother. The rest of the group made their way over to the two, Tristan putting me beside Yami and putting on the brakes. Yami smiled at me, I smiled back then looked at Yugi's worried transparent figure. The three of us looked at each other bracing for another Shadow Game.

The duel started and sure enough it didn't take long for Marik to call the shadows. He made it so when a monster was destroyed so was your physical energy. Téa began to tell us how Joey had confided in her that he thought if he defeated Marik he could rescue Mai. How he felt like he had broken a promise to her. I put little heating charms on us all, as the cold of the shadows began to seep into our bones. As I did so I saw looks and scowls in my direction.

"It's a minor one relax," I muttered knowing they would all hear me. It hadn't even made me feel tired. As the battle continued, I could see the physical toll it was taking out on Joey, even with the charms I had placed on him earlier. I didn't know how much I could help him with this kind of twist that Marik had placed. I could give him my energy, but that would be problematic and he would probably yell at me. I decided to try and give it to him in fractions so he would barely notice. I was already sat down anyway. I lost attention in the duel, focusing on Joey, and his physical needs.

"Joey take my staff, it'll help keep your energy up." I called; I went to throw it at him, but he spoke.

"No, I gotta do this on my own, don't send me any more help Mana," he said sternly. Damn he'd still felt it. I paid a little more attention to the duel to see Marik wipe out Joey's monsters, but somehow Joey was still standing. He played his monster. Oh my god he was going to win. He was going to beat Marik! Joey was going to be the one to help us defeat him and unlock our past. As I felt the cheer rise in my throat it quickly died as he collapsed before he could call his attack.

"Someone get a doctor now!" Tristan yelled. Mokuba rushed off.

"This duel is still –"

"Shut up," I snarled, springing from the chair and rushing to Joey.

I ignored the voices of my friends and kneeled beside him. I began to seep my energy into him, trying to get him to wake up. The duel wasn't technically over, he didn't lose.

I could feel the others around me, hands on my shoulders. I ignored them too. I could feel that the energy I was seeping into him was just being absorbed into his mental energy not his physical… he was already fighting the shadows. Knowing that I was still needed in the battles to come I stopped pooling magic and energy into him. Feeling the effects on my own body. I sat back from him, my vision blurring as my eyes pooled with water.

"Joey," I heard Yami's voice by my side.

"My brother!" I winced as I heard Serenity's voice, she was beside me leaning over his unconscious body.

"Let's get him downstairs right away." Mokuba said, he must have returned from his call. "I'm going to go let them up." He ran back out again.

"There goes another soul into the dark abyss of the shadow realm to wonder the emptiness for eternity." My fists clenched as I saw Yugi in spirit form crying I snapped. My blood boiled and I stood up. My hot tears spilling over as I saw the monster.

"Bring him back!" I yelled at him, pointing my staff at him. He laughed at me.

"You are powerful, my Queen I will give you that. But you are still learning, you are tired from your grand rescue –"

"You are tired from the duel, and I have plenty of emotions fuelling me right now. I'll not ask you again. Bring. Him. Back. And Mai, and Bakura and everyone else's lives you have destroyed. I am done playing games."

I shot a spell at him, be blocked it with the rod. Familiar arms grabbed me, pulling me to their body.

"Enough!" Yami's snarled at Marik, the sound hurt slightly as my ear was so close to his face. One hand on my arm, the other around my waist keeping me from walking closer to Marik. I felt him turn me so I could look at him.

"Mana, calm down," he soothed, looking me in the eye, his expression gentle, understanding, full of love and pain. I took a deep breath, pressing my lips together. He was right, I couldn't win against Marik one on one. I was just wasting energy. I felt my eyes get heavy as the energy I'd lost from trying to wake Joey began to make itself known.

While they were all distracted I couldn't help but shoot another spell while he was distracted, he called out in pain as it hit his arm, it was growing an angry red from my hex. I smiled, leaning against Yami.

"Foolish girl!" he snarled, his face contorted. "You may be powerful, but you are weakened and without a millennium item!" his rod glowed, I felt the wave of power knocking me from Yami.

"Mana!" several voices cried. I tried to get up, but as I did so I felt the cold of the Shadows in my bones.

"Let her go!" Yami bellowed.

"Relax, I told you already I need her soul to gain your strength," he said taking the shadows away. I slumped forward, but continued to look at the two. "Besides due to the rods original owner the rod will not work fully against her."

"Seto," I whispered tearfully, I glanced in his direction. Duke and Tristan were keeping him back from the confrontation.

"Yes, you are his flesh and blood; it has a stronger loyalty to him than any other master. But that still doesn't matter your still no match for my power."

I felt another attack, I blocked some of it with my staff, but the blow still knocked me down. That hadn't been fun, I tried to pull myself back up so I could stand when two sets of hands grabbed me. I looked up.

Yami and Seto.

They helped me to my feet, I leaned on them both as I fought to keep standing.

Marik laughed, at us.

"You are strong my dear, but not strong enough."

The rod glowed once more, and the world turned dark…

Yami POV…

We both caught her, keeping her upright as the dark magic attacked her again. Her head lolling forward, we lowered her gently.

We heard Marik's laugh, and we both snapped back around to him.

"Now that she's taking a little nap, we can have a little chat, Pharaoh. I'm one duel away from world domination Pharaoh."

"Enough when will all this madness come to an end?" I snarled at him, out of the corner of my eye I could see Yugi crouched by his sister… my beautiful Mana.

He chuckled darkly. "When the infinite power of the Pharaoh belongs to me," He laughed again.

I wanted to attack him, just like Mana had. I watched her as Kaiba spoke. I didn't pay attention I was watching Mana's face, she looked peaceful. We had to get her and Joey to the hospital. As I thought it Mokuba returned with a stretcher for Joey.

"Get him on that stretcher – what happened to Mana – she isn't –"

"No Mokuba, he needs her, he cannot send her mind to the shadows." I soothed lifting her up.

"Let me do that," Kaiba said quietly.

"I can carry her, Kaiba," I said, scooping her into my arms. I made sure her head was resting on my shoulder and I walked behind the stretcher carrying Joey.

Mana POV

I felt myself dazing into being slightly aware of my surroundings hearing a muffled voice. I could hear Tristan shouting and Mokuba talking, focusing on using my reclaiming of consciousness, and all the strength I could find in my very fed up and exhausted body. I shot up gasping before groaning and letting my head fall back to the pillow.

"Mana!" everyone cried, Seto was the closest.

"How is he?" I said trying to look over to the bed.

"Do not move," Seto glared at me.

"Don't you dare bark orders at me!" I snapped.

"You were only supposed to watch –"

"It was a shadow game, of course I am going to get involved." I glared back at him, then looked at the guys pleadingly.

"His brain activity is normal."

"That's good that shows he's fighting. Mai's isn't normal it's just her heart maybe because Joey didn't lose. He had to forfeit that's he can fight the shadows off, that's why he has brain activity it's your personality that is your soul which is activity in the brain he still has it guys the shadows haven't taken him yet."

"Mana, rest you can see Joey is fine," Yami walked closer to me, his voice soothing.

"Ok, if you put his disc on his arm so his monsters can help him battle the shadows." I said. Yami smiled at me, taking my hand.

"I'm ahead of you Mana," he said gently.

"Why do I always seem to be out after an encounter? Feel like some weak damsel." I muttered.

"Mana, you literally stopped an explosion from destroying the blimp. A huge, city wiping, explosion." Tristan said.

"Yesterday," Téa said. "And you have been using staffless magic for days, saved Joey from drowning."

"Created a body for Noah." Duke added.

"Took on the full force of an Egyptian God." Mokuba chimed in.

"No one else here has done half of what you have been doing to save us all," Yami said stroking my face. "You are not weak, and you are certainly no damsel."

"You can get your hands off her now." Seto said his arms crossed.

"When did you find out?" I looked at him confused.

"While you were out," he said, still looking at Yami's hand on my face. I rolled my eyes and Yami removed his hand.

"I'm cheering you on even if I'm not there," I said. "Here," I said taking off my Egyptian necklace and with shaky fingers wrapped around one of the chains of his puzzle. "Now you know I'm with you." I said. "You bought me that you know, a present for my first spell I got right." I told him. He smiled at me and kissed my forehead I saw the spirit Yugi my hand in his, I squeezed it and closed my eyes.

"Good luck, Seto," I said, as I allowed sleep to take me…

I was falling through a tunnel, I started to scream. Had we been sucked into another cyberworld? I kept my eyes shut.

Then the falling feeling stopped. It felt like I was… flying…

I opened my eyes to see Yami and Seto were here, both translucent. Yugi nowhere to be seen.

"Yami! Seto!" I glided over to them.

"Mana!"

"Are you all right?" Seto asked.

"I'm fine… aren't you two meant to be duelling? How long was I asleep?"

"This vision is happening during our duel," Yami informed me. "It looks like some sort of ancient city," he looked down. I felt a tug in my heart. He didn't recognise his own kingdom. I looked; I felt my heart break. My home was in ruins.

"Yami, this is Kehemet. Our home… I guess this is when the final battle was happening." It hurt to see it destroyed, parts of it were still smoking. Yami squeezed my hand, as he looked in sadness. The only place left standing was the palace.

We began to move without our own control, we were sucked down below the pyramids. There was a group of people, and I knew every single one.

"The sacred guard. Seto that's you look!" I pointed him out, despite the fact it was obvious. He gasped starting at his past self. I moved passed my friends and saw the gold shimmer.

"Er, Yami… that's us." I said pointing at the sarcophaguses. The two gasped.

"We are being taken to our resting place." He said, Seto looked from where our bodies laid, to his past self who had a devastated expression on his face as he looked back at us.

We glided with them as they took us into the beautifully decorated room, where we would lay for 5000 years. Mahad was there in his Dark Magician form… the group gently lowered us beside each other. Seto then took all of our attention has he broke the silence.

"I can't believe she was my Mana." He said, his voice made me want to hug him tight. He touched the gold concealing me. "And my Pharaoh. My Pharaoh was my cousin. They are both gone…"

"What is he saying?" Yami asked me. Seto was focused on himself.

"He must have found out in the battle that I was his sister and you were his cousin." I translated in whispers.

"Seto," Isis spoke. "I know this is a difficult time. For you more than any of us. But we must restore balance. You may stay strong for the kingdom, and the world."

Ancient Seto controlled his features, but his eyes still spoke of his loss.

"You are right, Isis. We must begin the reparations to aid them when they return to this world to end the darkness once and for all. We all knew they would die young…" he touched my sarcophagus again.

"You will also return to help them." She soothed.

"Yes, we must engrave the tablet, and put our faces upon it. Preserve it and them with the last of the magic, and leave a message to guide them. To unlock my Pharaoh's name and destroy Zorc for good."

I gasped, my hand flying to my mouth.

"What is it Mana?" Yami said, looking between the scene and me. "What are they saying?"

"Shh, I'll tell you in a minute." I said feeling bad, but I had to listen. I opened the mind link, hoping the link would work as a translator for the rest.

"I will help you create this message," Mahad said.

"Good, we must act quickly. Shadi has agreed to guard the millennium items once we have done what is needed. The magic must stay locked with them until it is time for them to awake."

"Come, Seto. Let us leave to create the message. I will use my necklace to determine what they should use as a key."

They all took one last look at us, placing a hand on each sarcophagus, muttering a farewell and good luck, before they left the tomb and sealed us inside...

I was back in the hospital concerned faces in white coats looming over me, I could hear fast beeping near me.

"Pulse is slowing,"

"Mana!" Téa gasped as we made eye contact, the rest of my friends faces, peering behind the doctors.

"Mana, are you ok?" Duke said

"Yeah, uh Seto, Yami and I were just taken back to mine and Yami's burial,"

"Rest Mana," Téa said, playing with a strand of my hair. I took a deep breath, and looked at Joey.

"Wake up soon, Joey," I murmured before sleep took me again.

Here you are I hope you enjoy. Mana has been feeling a little damselish, but then I thought of everything she has done over the last few days in this world and realised she is indeed a badass. A very tired and overworked badass :P. I have been editing and improving older chapters so I am planning to update them all at once soon. I'll let you know in a note like this one. Typos, some small scenes that are not crucial but needed improving.