"So, the plan is for us to go to back to my house and see if Grandma left any clues about anything that has been going on, right?" Kelda asked Marik.
"That's correct. I have a feeling your grandmother was not taken just because of you. But also, because she knows something that could shed some light on this situation. And that is something that those soul hunters don't want for us." Marik said with certainty.
As Kelda and Marik talked, they were walking through shortcut through an abandoned work site to get through the city easier. Normally, they tried to stick to more populated areas when travelling. But since they hadn't seen hide or hair of the soul hunters in a while now, they figured that it didn't hurt to take a chance this time since the route was so short.
"I think you're right. And if it is…my father, then there is also a chance she'd know something about that, too." Kelda agreed, stumbling over the mention of her father. She didn't want to think that he was really trying to kidnap her. But a part of her wanted it to be him. She wanted a chance to confront him. To demand all the answers from him as to why he and her mother had walked out of her life.
Marik's face darkened a bit in understanding of Kelda's feelings. He knew what it was like to feel anger and resentment towards your father. It reminded him of how long it took him to realize his own feelings towards his father for the cruel life of confinement and abuse he had tried to force on him as a Tombkeeper.
"From what you have told me about your past along with your suspicions about what happened at your house, I have an idea of what you are going through, Kelda. I've been there myself. I understand that you're angry, rightfully so. Just don't let your emotions cloud your judgement. You should think carefully before you make any decisions. That's all I'm going to say." Marik advised solemnly.
"Let me guess, this is another "need-to-know basis" things?" Kelda asked simply. She wasn't frustrated anymore by Marik's slow reveal of his past. Since he had confessed about being the leader of the Rare Hunters, she believed that they would get to the other stuff soon enough. With Marik, one thing that Kelda had learned was that you couldn't rush things with him. He would tell you things in his own time once he was ready.
"That's right." Marik answered simply, not wanting to go any further into it today.
"Well, putting that aside, once we get to my house, I think it will be best if I go in alone." Kelda said.
"Are you sure that is the best course of action? If it is your father, you will be walking right into his trap. Same even if it is the soul hunters since they might resort to taking you to use as bait to lure me out." Marik cautioned.
"It's better this way. You can stay outside and stand guard to alert me if anyone comes by since we have the walkie talkies from Travis. If we both go in, that opens us both up to danger. And it will be faster if I go in. That basement is a mess, and I'm the one who can sort through it the best since I live there. And I bet that is most likely where anything useful is hidden." Kelda reasoned.
"I suppose I can't argue with your logic. Just be careful, alright?" Marik agreed, putting emphasis on his question at the end.
"Don't worry, I will." Kelda reassured Marik.
For about a minute, Kelda and Marik walked on in silence. Until they were interrupted by a sound. A sort of hollow, clanging that reverberated from close by. They both looked at each other cautiously.
"What is that?" Kelda asked uneasily.
"I'm not sure… But since this is a construction site, there's bound to be some odd noises here and there. Let's just keep calm." Marik answered. He was trying to sound reassuring, but he couldn't shake the growing dread he was feeling.
The sound returned, this time a little louder. Kelda and Marik gazed around the site intently, searching for the source.
Suddenly, Marik gasped and pointed to the side. "It's coming from there!" He said franctically. He was pointing towards the large, open pipe-like structure not far from them.
Without further warning, three cloaked figures emerged from the pipe. The soul hunters were finally ready to take another chance at Marik.
"RUN!" Kelda shouted in terror. She hoped that maybe someone would hear if they shouted enough. But at the same time, she knew that they were too far from the city for anyone to hear them.
Marik didn't need to be told twice. He took off sprinting along with Kelda past the construction site, leaving the soul hunters further behind.
"Don't let them get away!" One of the cloaked men shouted frantically.
Kelda and Marik continued to run, using the maze of the makeshift materials and pipes to escape their pursuers' field of vision. Finally, after what seemed like forever, they halted in an open field, trying to regain their breath.
"I think…we've lost them!" Kelda said breathlessly.
As Marik was about to answer Kelda, he felt the now-familiar surge of dark energy, fighting to take control of his body.
Looks like you could use a little…assistance. The voice of Yami Marik said deviously inside of Marik's head.
"No! Stay away! You can't come out again!" Marik shouted in a panic.
"Marik? What are you talking about? We've lost them! But we need to get going before they catch up to us!" Kelda urged Marik. There was something very strange about the way Marik was talking right now, and she had a feeling that this wasn't a good thing.
"No! You don't understand! It's too late; he's coming!" Marik said frantically.
"Marik, I don't understand you! Please, just try to calm down!" Kelda begged. She had a feeling he wasn't talking about the soul hunters, and that worried her even more somehow. What if the stress was finally starting to get to him and he was starting to crack?
For a moment, Marik's eyes bulged unnaturally, causing him to let out a yell. Then, he seemed to recover himself enough to talk to Kelda.
Marik placed his hands firmly on Kelda's shoulders, forcing her to look him in the eye. "Listen very carefully, Kelda. You need to run right now. Just forget about me. There is something much worse coming and it won't be good if you're caught up in it." He said desperately.
"Marik, I'm not just leaving you here! Just tell me what's going on!" Kelda insisted.
"No! There's no time for that! I- Argh! AUUUGH!" Marik started to say until another spasm overtook him. Yelling in agony, he doubled over on the ground, holding his head in his hands as if it were about to burst from pain.
Kelda watched, both frightened and transfixed at the sight before her. Marik gave one final yell until a bright burst of light engulfed around Marik. When it had finally subsided, Marik was silent.
"Marik! Are you alright!? What just-" Kelda questioned worriedly.
Before she could finish her sentence, Kelda's words were interrupted by a low, sinister-sounding chuckle from Marik. Only it didn't really sound like him at all. As he raised his head and stood up, Kelda was shocked at what she saw. Marik was wearing a cold, malicious smile that gave his expression an appearance more like a jack 'o lantern instead of a human being. And his hair was now spiked straight up. But more alarming than anything was what looked like a glowing, golden symbol on his forehead in the shape of the eye of Wadjet.
It's just like what I saw on those Youtube videos! Marik looks like a completely different person now! Kelda thought to herself in shock. Suddenly, she remembered Marissa's initial reaction to Marik when she had first met him. This must be the evil presence within Marik that she had mentioned!
"You're-" Kelda started to say before Yami Marik interrupted her.
"I'm afraid we'll have to hold off on the introductions for now. It seems there is fresh prey approaching." Yami Marik said wickedly, licking his lips in anticipation.
"We have you now! There's no escape!" A voice shouted.
Oh, no! The soul hunters! I forgot about them! Kelda thought to herself in panic.
The soul hunters burst into the clearing, their devices at the ready. But they stopped short when they saw Yami Marik. "Oh, no! We're too late! He's already changed!" One of the men said with dread.
"You know what Master Caleb said! If we don't do this, we're out! We have to try! Surround and take him, but make sure not to hurt the girl!" Another soul hunter ordered.
Yami Marik chuckled in amusement. "Yes, you fool! Tell me of your plan to make this even easier for me, why don't you?" He taunted.
As the three men surrounded Yami Marik, he took the opportunity to crouch down and slide between a gap in their formation. He then grabbed one from behind and quickly snapped his neck, ending his life.
What happened after that was so fast that Kelda could have sworn it was a blur. The remaining soul hunters pointed their devices at Yami Marik, but he dodged the beams of light at an inhuman level of speed. He then dispatched of another one in the same manner as the first.
Seeing what was left of his companions, the last soul hunter attempted to run. However, he didn't get very far until Yami Marik caught up with him.
"I don't think so!" Yami Marik taunted gleefully as he grabbed his struggling victim roughly by the ends of his hair. The man barely managed a terrified squeak before his neck was snapped with a resounding crack and he fell to the ground, dead.
Kelda couldn't believe what she had just witnessed. How had one person managed to kill three armed men with nothing but his bare hands!? His strength was unreal. When her brain had finally processed enough to come out of its shock, Kelda stared down at the bodies. Suddenly, she felt ill. These had been human beings. Before she could stop herself, her chest heaved, and she threw up all over the ground.
Yami Marik watched in amusement as Kelda lost her breakfast (and probably lunch as well) right there in front of him.
"It's not a pleasant sight the first time, I know." Yami Marik said casually as Kelda recovered herself.
Remembering that Yami Marik was still there, Kelda froze in terror. Was this madman going to kill her now, too!?
"Walk with me. We have some things to discuss." Yami Marik said. It wasn't a request.
Feeling powerless, Kelda let Yami Marik practically drag her behind by the wrist. She guessed that she was being spared for the moment, but she was curious as to why.
Yami Marik led Kelda back in the direction that she and Marik had come before. Once they got back to the city, she realized that he was leading her back to the motel.
Once they had entered the motel lobby, the worker behind the front desk looked up. He looked slightly alarmed by Yami Marik's appearance, seeing the vast difference from the boy who had checked in before. Seeing that and Kelda's blank expression, he wanted to say something. But something about Yami Marik's smile stopped him.
Afraid that Yami Marik would kill the motel worker if he were suspicious enough to try intervening in any way, Kelda flashed him what she hoped was a winning smile. Looking perplexed at first, the worker then simply shrugged his shoulders and smiled back before bringing his gaze back to the newspaper he had been reading.
Once they were back inside the motel room, Yami Marik spoke up again.
"I suppose we should cut the pleasantries and get right down to business. I know all about you, and you're aware enough of my presence thanks to the hints that that foolish old woman and my weaker half have dropped." Yami Marik stated.
"Don't talk about my grandma like that!" Kelda said angrily. Before all this had happened with Marik and everything, Kelda would have felt some sympathy towards anyone who had referred to Marissa like that if they had been talking about her job. But now more than anything, she knew that she had been wrong. Marissa had known all along that things outside the normal scope of daily life could happen. She had felt Marik's dark side from the beginning. Yet Kelda hadn't listened back then…
"Oh, she is quite well-versed in sensing the supernatural. A rare gift among the mostly oblivious masses. But her mistake is in believing that all of this can be averted somehow. I'm afraid that ship sailed a long time ago." Yami Marik explained.
"What do you mean? Do you know something about all of this?" Kelda asked.
"I don't know of their main goal. But let's just say that from what I've observed through my weaker half, what they are doing is creating an imbalance enough to bring ones like me back." Yami Marik answered thoughtfully.
"Your "weaker" half!? You mean he's your better half! Just where is Marik right now!? What have you done with him!?" Kelda said accusingly.
"Is that any way to talk to me after I took care of those bumbling idiots back there? You should be on your bended knee, thanking me for saving you!" Yami Marik scolded lightly.
"You mean you murdered them. It would be different if you did it just to defend yourself. But you were cruel; you enjoyed it. And you've been taking over Marik's body against his will." Kelda elaborated.
"Torturing and killing others is the only thing that has ever brought enjoyment to me. As for my weaker half, I guess you could say that he is spared from that form of entertainment while he is in here." Yami Marik said carelessly, pointing to his head to indicate Marik.
"Now, while I would love to stay longer and continue this little chat, I'm afraid that my time is limited. I don't know why, but I seem to only be able to sustain control of this body for so long after Marik has his little…episodes. So, I'll make this clear right now: you are not to say anything of what happened to Marik. He never remembers the time I take over since I've returned. If you tell him or anyone else about me, I will kill you both and everyone else you hold dear. You know that I am capable of this. Well, I'm going to that eventually, but it is always so much more enjoyable to give my victims a fleeting glimmer of hope that there is a way to prevent their demise." Yami Marik threatened, enjoying the panic in Kelda's expression.
Kelda's throat felt dry. She had no doubt that this madman would go through with his threat if she told Marik or anyone else about this. And she didn't want Marik to know about what happened either. Knowing him, he would just blame himself for it. Right now, her best bet was to keep quiet and try to find a way out of this problem on her own.
"I can almost see the gears in your feeble mind turning as you desperately try to think of a solution to your predicament. But I assure you that there isn't one. You have two options: die now or die later." Yami Marik said amusedly.
"I won't tell anyone. Please, just let Marik out…" Kelda said shakily.
"See, that wasn't so hard now, was it? Alright, it looks like I'm out of time for now. But don't think that this is the last you've seen of me, dear Kelda." Yami Marik said with a devious smirk.
Kelda watched in fascination as a flash of golden light engulfed Yami Marik. Just like that, his hair straightened down and his forehead returned to normal, all traces of his dark side gone. For a moment, his expression looked slightly confused.
"Kelda? I thought we were going to your house to find some clues about everything? Why are we still here?" Marik asked.
Trying to keep her expression as neutral as possible, Kelda mentally urged herself to come up with a plausible explanation. "We were. But you said you had something to go over first. Something with the walkie talkies, I think. So, I waited. But you never came out of your room. I only just came back out of mine again. Did you fall asleep or something?" Kelda played up the act.
"No, I didn't. But I guess I must have somewhere along the line since I can't seem to remember. I'm not surprised in a way since I've been having so much trouble sleeping lately." Marik admitted. But he still had a slightly frustrated expression. As if he were trying to figure something out.
Kelda silently breathed a silent sigh of relief. It looked like her secret was safe for now. But how much longer she had until Yami Marik made good on his threat, she didn't know…
Xxx
"I can't believe that abomination returned again. I'm going to need to come up with a new approach. This isn't working." Caleb said as he paced around a small room.
Caleb turned toward the person sitting in the armchair in the corner of the room. "Still being uncooperative, Marissa? I would think that you of all people would put Kelda's safety first. If you know of a way to seal off Marik's dark side, now would be the time to say something." He said wearily, already sensing her answer.
"This wouldn't be happening at all if you weren't attempting to do something so reckless, Caleb. By meddling with this magic, ones like that are now finding ways to return to this world. You need to stop this while you still can." Marissa warned.
"Why should I!? By opening the Door, this world will finally regain the order from obtaining the wisdom that it so dearly needs. The side effects won't last forever." Caleb argued.
"I see you are still a believer in that nonsense you were taught. You have perverted your faith into something it is not! Living beings must never cross with the dimensions of the dead! You have no idea what this could cause." Marissa said heatedly.
"If anyone has perverted their faith, it's Marik, not me! He forsook his oath as a Tombkeeper, giving birth to that monstrosity. And yet he got all the credit for aiding the Pharaoh in his return to the afterlife while nobody even remembers us! He doesn't deserve to live a happy life after the crimes he has committed!" Caleb insisted.
"You are just as foolish as ever, still refusing to let go of the past. You could learn a thing or two from Marik. And what would Kelda think of you if she knew the truth?" Marissa said coldly.
"I have always wanted to explain everything to her! It was you who wouldn't let me see her!" Caleb accused.
"It's because you are a danger to her with what you are doing. No, not just her. A danger to yourself as well. Believe me, Caleb. If I knew of a safe way to subdue Marik's dark side, I would have attempted it myself back when he first showed up in my shop. But I refuse to harm an innocent soul." Marissa said.
"Innocent, you say. You have no idea of the true nature of his crimes." Caleb scoffed.
"The past is past. And my answer is still the same." Marissa said firmly.
"Very well. You can stay here and continue to be stubborn then, Marissa. I suppose I shall have to find a way by myself then." Caleb said resolutely. With a nod to one of his servants, he turned and left, leaving them to keep watch over Marissa.
I won't let my family's work for all these years be for nothing! It's time the world knew of what we have done! You won't win this time, Marik! Caleb vowed furiously to himself.
AN: Long hiatus again. This was a tough chapter to write with deciding what should and shouldn't be revealed yet. Well, Yami Marik is back and will make regular appearances now. And with Caleb's motives finally starting to be revealed, things will only get wilder. I got more surprises in store for you all. For everyone reading this, thank you so much! I really appreciate all the support!