A/N Hello, people! Yes, isn't this a shock, a new chapter… after 3 months or is it more? -.-. Heheh, well, at least I still updated. Not like it matters, I think people got bored of this story already; I probably lost a lot of readers….oh well that's my fault. Anyway, even if there aren't people reading this story, I'm still going to finish it! I will not leave this undone. So, if there are readers reading this, I hope you like it. I don't know when I'll update again, but I won't take as long as I did for this one since school is now over! Yeah, it's been over since the 25th, I don't know why I didn't have this up sooner….sorry. Yay, plus I graduated on Tuesday! Yes, I am done high school! Yay, yay! . . . . . . . . . Sorry about my random chatter. Anyway, I hope you read and enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh!

Chapter 7 – Stage I: Darkness

"Yasuo!" Tea cried out. She wanted to jump into the hole but Bakura held her back. He wasn't about to lose her too, not that he believed he had lost Yasuo. No, he wouldn't believe that, he just had to be alright, he just had to be!

"We should go down. There might be a chance that Yasuo is unconscious and that's why he is not responding," Seto reasoned.

"Or maybe he's . . ." Marik cut off Joey before he finished.

"Don't you dare even finish that!" Marik warned. Joey shut his mouth quickly, not liking how Marik, Seto, and Malik were looking at him.

"Listen, we have no time for chatting! We have to get down there!" Ryou told them.

"He's right, we need to get to the boy quickly," Mai agreed. Everyone nodded, and when they were about to move and get some rope, they stopped when they heard a voice.

"Hello!" it was Yasuo.

"Yasuo?" Tea screamed out.

"Mom?" Tea's face lit up, happy to know he was alive, but she knew that the trouble wasn't over yet.

"Yasuo, tell me, are you alright?" Tea asked the fallen boy.

"Yeah, I was knocked out for a bit, but I guess I'm okay. Nothing's broken, that's for sure" he assured her.

"That's good to hear, son, now we're going to drop some rope down so we can pull you up, alright?" Bakura told him.

"Wait a moment, dad! There's something you guys have to see!" Yasuo said as he turned on the flashlight that he had with him.

"What is it?" his father asked.

"Wow! This place is big and there are a lot of those hieroglyphs down here too!" he announced, as Isis face lit up.

"Another room! This is wonderful, we must go down there as well!" she said excitedly, happy that another room was found. Who knew what might be discovered. The gang were a little hesitant, but after seeing Isis' pleading gaze, they agreed.

They set up the rope they had brought down to the room below. Carefully, Bakura went down first followed by Yami and then Tea. Tea took her time climbing down the rope, for she feared falling. However, no matter how careful she tried to be, accidents still happened. She couldn't hold on to the rope and she soon found herself falling quite a few feet. Since Yami was closest, he reacted quickly and opening his arms wide, he caught the falling woman.

Tea didn't know whether she had hit the floor and was in dream world right now, or if she was safe, because she had her eyes shut tightly. She opened her eyes and to her total relief, she was safe . . . safe in someone's arms. Tea slowly moved her head to the face of her saviour and it surprised her that it was Yami.

He looked at her, worry clearly in his eyes as she stared at him too. Tea felt a bit uncomfortable especially since he was still holding her, but even if she felt that way, it didn't stop the faint blush from forming on her cheeks. The closeness was just to close for comfort. She could just imagine how Bakura was looking at this scene right now.

"Is Tea alright?" Seto asked from above, the worry evident in his voice.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Tea said looking above then back at Yami, "You can put me down now."

"Uhh . . . right," Yami said quickly as he softly put her down.

"Thanks for catching me," she remembered to say. Tea smiled her brilliant smile then walked toward Bakura. She could tell he wasn't happy at all.

She could have sworn that one of his eyes was twitching and she feared to speak to him for it may cause him to pounce on the former pharaoh. She simply placed her hand on his arm and looked at him, almost pleading for him to calm down. He took a deep breath, looking at Yami with scolding eyes, and then walked toward Yasuo. Tea followed and remembering what had happened to her son, she checked to see if he was really alright. He was right, nothing but scratches and some bruises, fortunately.

"Are you sure you're all right?" Tea asked, looking carefully.

"I'm sure," Yasuo answered.

"That's good, I'm glad!" Tea hugged him tightly as she said that.

During that conversation a few more of the gang members had managed to climb down safely and when Isis had reached the bottom, she didn't hesitate to look at every inch of the room.

"Fascinating, simply fascinating," she would mumble here and there as she moved from one wall to another.

As Isis kept busy doing that, the last person, which was Marik, had climbed down the rope safely. When he reached the bottom however, he had almost lost balance, and because bad things tend to happen when Marik was around, he grabbed the rope to keep his balance and accidentally tugged at it until the other end loosened and fell to his feet.

"Uh oh," was all Marik could say, grabbing the attention of everyone.

"What do you mean 'uh oh'?" Malik asked his other half.

"Nothing," he responded quickly.

"Marik," Seto looked at him wide eyed, "why is the other end of the rope that is suppose to be up there, down here?"

"Um, would you believe you're hallucinating?" Marik stupidly asked.

"You idiot! Now how are we going to get out of here?" Malik yelled.

"Well, it's not like I purposely did this! Besides, if this was a room that someone had used before, then there has to be some type of door around here," Marik argued.

"You guys, I think he's right. I mean, how else did anyone get in here? I doubt they fell from above," Anzu reasoned.

"Yes, she's right, but let's not worry about that until later. I want to see everything that is in here," Isis told them as she continued to look around.

"You do what you want, sister, but we'll try to look for a way out," Malik said as he and a few others set out to search for any hidden door. Anzu decided to look around as well and as she gazed at the different hieroglyphs, she couldn't help but feel something, or rather, someone calling out to her. A voice that she knew all to well, a voice that brought deep sorrow and pain.

'Soon . . .'

Anzu shook her head lightly; she was not going to listen to the voice. She would not let it scare her. But try as she might, it was hard to ignore it.

'Soon we will meet.'

'SHE lies within you'

'The world will be cast into darkness'

'Darkness will take them'

'Everyone you hold dear'

'Darkness will consume them.'

Anzu walked a little, trying to keep her mind on the odd symbols on the walls. The voice was making her angry with its threats. She just wished she could believe they were empty threats, but something was tugging at her heart indicating that they weren't.

'The doors will open'

'You will be mine'

Tea shook her head a bit harder this time, her breathing was deep and quickly she tried to calm herself. She continued to look at the hieroglyphs, and something caught her eye. There was a scene that was familiar to her carved into the wall. 'That vision that I saw,' she thought carefully, remembering what happened the previous day.

Tea couldn't move at all, the world around her was being covered by darkness. The sun was losing a battle with the moon, as it was covered with it, the world now in its shadow. Everything was dark, everything was so frighteningly dark.

The pictures on the wall were showing what she had seen. There were also two people carved into the wall, one was female and the other a male. The female seemed calm and peaceful, whereas the male seemed malicious and psychotic. They were both holding a sword and from what Tea could tell, they seemed to be engaged in a battle. Tea slowly and softly placed a hand on the picture of the woman, the voice was again returning.

'Darkness will conquer'

'Everything you hold dear'

'Consumed they will be'

'Darkness will conquer'

Tea moved her hand from the picture quickly, ignoring the voice. She looked below the picture and saw that there was something written underneath. Of course, Tea didn't understand what it was saying, for she had no clue how to read the funny symbols.

"Hey, Isis?" she called out.

"Hmm," Isis had responded.

"Can you read this?" Tea asked, pointing to the hieroglyphs.

"Let me see," Isis told her as she took a look at the symbols. "This is . . ." Isis began, "the same scripture the pharaoh and I had found, the one prophesizing of the threat that is to come, but . . ."

"What is it, Isis?" Yami asked as he came to stand beside her.

"There is more to it now," Isis answered and started to read everything:

"In the lands of Egypt,
on the day before HER previous death,
HE will appear, casting darkness throughout the world.
Everyone will succumb into a deep slumber.
Only those close to HER will rise.
HE seeks to open the doors.
SHE seeks to stop him,
but only if SHE awakens.
If the doors open before the next sunrise,
the world will sleep forever more and darkness will rise.
Keep the doors closed to keep the balance of LIGHT and DARK.

In the lands of Egypt,
a battle is brewing
between DARK and LIGHT.
When the moon covers the sun,
it will begin.
Only LIGHT's sacrifice will save the world.
Only DARK's death will save humanity.
Never let the doors open,
never let HIM win.
Hold these words to heart, LIGHT,
Dread these words, DARK."

Isis finished, leaving everyone in the room confused. Tea just stared at the scripture on the wall and wondered what it could possibly mean. What battle was brewing? And what doors was it talking about?

'LIGHT . . .'

Tea still ignored the voice, but it seemed she wouldn't have to any longer for it seemed to have stopped. 'I wonder why he keeps saying that . . . Is LIGHT a person?' she wondered, but then shook the thought away. She didn't want to think about it right now. She just looked on to her confused looking friends.

"Any guesses as to what it means?" Yugi asked, but of course no one answered for they had no clue and they weren't surprised since so far nothing made any sense.

"I don't think we should concern ourselves with it right now. We should find a way to get out of here first," Bakura told them, and they agreed.

"But we looked everywhere and we still haven't found an exit yet," Yasuo reminded, making some of them sigh out of frustration.

"What are we going to do then?" Serenity asked. It was clear that she was frightened.

"Don't worry, sis, we'll find a way out of here," Joey assured her.

"I hope so," she said looking at the ground.

"We will, don't worry," Joey reassured her.

Tea looked at everyone and could clearly see worry in their eyes. She couldn't tell whether it was because they didn't know how to get out or about what Isis had just read. 'Everything will be alright . . . Everything just has to turn out alright. I won't let anything happen to them, I just can't,' Tea thought as she desperately tried to keep tears from falling.

"Anzu?" Bakura called out.

"Hmm?" was her response. She didn't look at him because she didn't want him to see the tears, so she kept her head down. Bakura could tell she was avoiding his gaze, 'is she crying?'

He was about to reach out for her face, but before he could, noises from above stopped him. Everyone caught the sound of voices and looked up. This gave Tea an opportunity to wipe away the tears that had fallen.

"Hello? Miss Isis, are you down there?" a male voice called out.

"Ren, is that you?" Isis called back. 'Ren? Does she mean Ren Trape from high school?' Tea wondered.

"Yeah, it's me," Ren replied, "Are you alone?"

"No, there are more down here with me."

"Well, I am going to assume that you're all stuck down there," Ren guessed.

"You got that right," Joey spoke up.

"Alright then, I'll bring a ladder," was all Ren said before he left to fetch a ladder. They didn't have to wait long and soon they were all climbing up to freedom, out of the claustrophobic's nightmare.

"Thank you, Ren," Isis said, "but what are you and your crew doing here? I thought I told you to excavate the ruins that were east from here. It would have taken days to do that, you couldn't possibly be done!"

"I'm sorry, Miss Isis," Ren apologized, head bowed.

"Come on, sis, give him a break! He just saved us from being stuck in that hole," Marik tried to defend.

"I know that, but I want to know why they are here," Isis pressed on.

"Miss Isis, I really do apologize that we did not follow orders, but something had happened," Ren began to explain.

"What happened?" Isis turned from frustration to worry.

"We don't know exactly what was going on, but something was attacking my crew. I have no idea what it was! It was like . . . some unknown force that was attacking them. Many of my crew members were cut and bruised, and some . . . some were killed, Miss Isis, killed!" he stopped, as if trying to figure out what happened.

Everyone stood there shocked, but not as shocked as Tea was. What he just said was very familiar, so very familiar.

But what was surprising was the fact that before her eyes, they were being hurt by some unknown force. Cuts and bruises appeared on their skin, they were trying desperately to stop what was hurting them. But how can one stop something that cannot be seen.

Tea violently shook her head, wanting desperately to forget what she saw. She didn't want to remember her friends screaming bloody murder. She wanted to forget!

The yells got louder, and no matter what Tea couldn't push away the terrible screams. She wanted to yell, she wanted it all to stop, but she was still frozen, mouth unable to move. 'Please, stop! Stop it!' that's all she could think as her friends continued to be harmed. Her tears continued to flow and she looked away. Why couldn't it just stop? Why was this happening? 'Why . . .'

But no matter how hard she tried, it was impossible. She grasped her head tightly, as she remembered when the yells stopped. 'When it all stopped . . . it meant . . . it meant they were . . .' she didn't want to finish the thought. Shaking her head once more, she pushed every thought away and listened to the conversation that was taking place at the present moment.

"How many were . . . killed?" Isis shakily asked.

"I think the better question is how many survived, Miss Isis. All the people you see behind me are the survivors," he answered.

"What! But I had sent twenty men with you! There is now only four!" Isis couldn't believe that most of them had been slaughtered.

"They tried to escape . . . but only we were fortunate enough to escape," Ren noted.

There was something about the way Ren was speaking that made Tea wonder. For some reason he didn't seem to be sad or anything. Also, she was curious to know why he wasn't hurt. Why was it that there were no scratches or bruises on his skin and yet the surviving team mates had more than she could count? And if that wasn't enough, she felt there was something significant about the amount of people that were killed.

'Isis had said she sent twenty, and four have returned alive, making sixteen dead . . . sixteen . . . why is that such a significant number?' Tea thought carefully on this and looked at her friends. That's when it hit her. She counted in her head all of her friends, including her husband and son. 'There are sixteen! Could it just be a coincidence or is this a warning?'

"Mom?" Tea snapped out of her thoughts and looked at Yasuo.

"What . . ?" she said dazedly.

"I said we're going . . . are you alright?" he asked concerned.

"Yeah, I'm fine, just thinking," she bluntly told him.

"Ok, then let's get going," Yasuo grabbed her hand and led her to where the others had gone, "hey, dad, come on, we're leaving!"

"I'm coming!" Bakura told him. He had been staring down the hole that led to the secret room ever since Ren had told them what happened. In all honesty, he really could care less about what happened to those people, so he occupied his mind with the room below. Something just didn't seem right. Why was it that there was no door in that room? If someone had used that room then there had to be some door to go in and out, but they found nothing. Also, he had notice something quite odd, the hieroglyphs that were supposedly very old, seemed to have looked . . . well, new. 'As if the room was just made recently,' Bakura contemplated, 'and if that's so, why?'

"I have to figure this out because something tells me this room was made specifically for Anzu," he told himself. He noticed how Tea had acted in that room. The way she shook her head as she looked at the scripture and the way she was breathing deeply as if to calm herself, he noticed it all.

'If only I know what to do,' Bakura sighed and walked away from the hole. He looked up at the sky when he finally reached outside of the ruined palace. He could tell by the position of the sun that it was close to six o'clock. 'When this day is over . . . there will only be three days left until the anniversary of their deaths. Which means . . . danger is getting closer.'

Letting out another sigh, he walked up to Tea, who looked to be in deep thought. When she noticed he was standing beside her, she looked at him and smiled. He couldn't help but smile back. 'There is no doubt in my mind; I have to make sure she lives. I have to make sure she continues to smile. I want her to live to keep smiling that angelic smile. Anzu, whatever happens, for now just keep smiling . . . I'll protect you, I promise,' that was Bakura's silent promise and bringing Anzu closer; he sealed it with a kiss.

0000000000

"Tomorrow is the eve of her death. Tomorrow, my love, everything that I have waited for will come to pass. You will finally be mine, as well as this pathetic world. As soon as the next sunrise passes, shall I make my appearance! Oh how I have waited long for this! At last, I will have what I want!" the all too familiar voice cheered to himself. He just couldn't help but let his menacing laughter fill the dark room he was in. Everything will soon fall into place. "Just a little longer . . ."

"Sir?" a voice from behind called out.

"Yes?" the dark voice said.

"I am ready to engage on your orders, sir," the servant told him. The master did not say anything, but the servant waited for a response.

The dark master seemed to be thinking of something, or rather waiting for something. And when he knew it was now the right moment he spoke, "Alright, go."

"Yes, master," the servant bowed and left. The lord could only smile.

0000000000

Dawn was soon approaching. 'The eve of their deaths,' Bakura thought as he sat on the ledge of the balcony of his and Tea's room. Yesterday he had spent most of his time there, just thinking what he was going to do. He knew that he could not let anything happen to Tea and he silently promised that he would protect her, but he had promised that in the past, and . . . well, he wasn't capable of keeping it. Before his very eyes, his wife was killed and he could remember it so vividly in his mind. Everything she had said and the blood that so fluently flowed down his hands. A day he so dreaded, for he had not just lost his wife, but his son as well.

"That damn pharaoh was lucky I couldn't kill him! I would have made sure he suffered so much, but I had to keep my word to Anzu and what's worse is that he still lives and seems to have the same feelings for her. Damn him and his feelings!" Bakura cursed, as angered began to rise within him, but he soon calmed down remembering that Anzu was his wife and there was nothing the pharaoh could do now. "Yes, Anzu is mine, and I will be the one to protect her. Hopefully . . ." Bakura couldn't help but feel a certain tug at his heart. He truly wondered if he would be able to keep his word this time.

He sighed a deep sigh and looked down to the cliff that was near this mansion. His eyes immediately caught sight of Tea. 'I thought she was downstairs. What could she possibly be doing out there?' he thought. At around midnight, Tea had woken up for absolutely no reason; she didn't even have a nightmare, she just woke up. She had told him that she couldn't go back to sleep, so she had gone to the living quarters. Bakura got the hint that she wanted to be alone and since he could not sleep anymore either, he went to the balcony. Now, the time was nearing six o'clock, he could tell by the dawning of the sun.

Bakura kept on looking at Tea, but soon turned away when he saw a light coming form behind him. He turned around and he was again shocked to see that his Millennium Ring was glowing again. He walked toward the item and picked it up. He placed it around his neck and felt a surge of dark power engulf him.

"I don't understand this! The item's power should be gone, Shadi made sure of that!" Bakura pondered on it and could only think of one reason for the return if the item's power, "Something will happen today . . . and it's going to take everything we have." Bakura walked back to the balcony, where he could still see Tea and the dawning sun. 'Be prepared, Anzu, for whatever,' he kept on gazing and silently wished that everything would be alright.

Tea looked on silently at the rising sun. Something inside her was telling her this might be the last sunrise she could ever enjoy and for some reason it looked more beautiful than any other she had ever seen. She smiled at its beauty and tears began to form. Why was she crying? Why did it have to be this way? Why did her heart hurt so much? 'I wish . . .' she stopped her thought there, 'that's all I could ever do . . . just wish. No matter what I wish, it'll never happen. I have to be the one to make a difference. I have to be the one to make sure that nothing happens to my friends and this world . . . even if I have to give my life.' Tea wiped away the tears that threatened to fall and took a deep breath. She was willing to do anything to ensure the safety of her friends, and if it really came down to her life, yes she would absolutely give in return.

She turned her head towards hr room, and saw Bakura at the balcony, staring at her. She smiled and waved at him cheerfully, but for some reason, tears came again. To give up her life, she would be leaving all her loved ones, especially her beloved husband. 'Hopefully, it would not come to that . . . but if it does, it will be for the good of everyone. If it will allow my family and friends to live, then so be it. I know I won't have any regrets,' Tea thought as her smile grew bigger and her tears finally fell. Bakura couldn't really tell she was crying, for he was too far to see, so he just waved and smiled back. Tea closed her eyes and then turned back to the sunrise. It was so lovely, indeed it was.

"The dawning of the sun brings a new day for many and only a few will take the time to enjoy its beauty," a voice from behind said. Tea swiftly turned around to see Ren standing there.

"Good morning, Ren," that was all Tea could think of saying. When she was around him, she couldn't come up with anything to say and she couldn't understand why since she never had problems when she spoke to him during high school. Yes, this was the same Ren and it did surprise her that he ended up here.

"Indeed, sunrises are beautiful, but I'd say that this one is the most beautiful one I had seen so far. Wouldn't you agree?" Ren asked, his gaze never leaving her own.

"Yeah, it is," she agreed. She felt a bit uncomfortable at the way he was looking at her. His eyes seemed to piercing into her soul, as if looking for something.

"But you know what is more beautiful?" he asked her.

"What?" she said. If he said her, then that would be really corny.

"When the moon covers the sun to make darkness."

Tea gasped and her eyes widen, "wh-what?"

"When the world is covered by darkness, nothing can surpass its beauty. Not even the light of the sun," Ren continued. Tea didn't understand why he was saying all this! What was he talking about? Was he . . . was he part of what was to come? "And especially not your light, Anzu."

Tea was left flabbergasted. How did he know that name? What the hell was going on? "Ren, what the hell are you talking about?" Tea sacredly asked.

"The time has come, LIGHT! Darkness will rise!" was all he said as he took of running and without any time to stop him, he jumped of the cliff. Tea just stood there shocked, she couldn't move.

"Anzu!" a voice called out to her. She didn't even hear it as she fell to her knees. 'What he mean? What the hell did he mean?"' she could only think. She was knocked of her thoughts as someone began to shake her. She looked up to see Bakura's worried gaze. "Anzu what happened?"

"I don't . . ." she couldn't even finish as she heard Yasuo, who had just come out, shout out "Look at the sun!"

She and Bakura looked at what he was talking about, and her eyes grew even wider. The sun was losing a battle with the moon. Everything around them was being covered by darkness, what she saw was the beginning of her vision.

"What the hell is going on?" Bakura asked to no one in particular.

"The time has come," Anzu repeated Ren's words.

"What?" Bakura asked confused.

"It's what Ren said," she answered.

"What does he have to do with anything? What is . . ." he didn't have time to finish as something was beginning to happen. The wind was becoming harsh, and heavy.

"Mom, dad!" Yasuo cried out as he desperately tried to reach his parents, but the harsh winds were strong and it was practically blowing him away. Bakura went to him, trying hard not to be blown away. He lay on the ground and stretching out his hand he told his son to grab on. Yasuo, with all his might, reached for his father's hand and when he grasped it, Bakura pulled toward him, embracing him as he went back to Tea.

"Bakura, look out!" Tea yelled out and ran toward her family. Bakura turned around to see something like a shadow about to jump on him. He tried to move, but shock kept him in place. "Bakura!" Tea shouted as she embraced him, Yasuo now in between them. The shadow had then covered them, consuming them. It would have been the end, but there was a light coming from Tea.

'What is this light,' Tea thought as she reached out and touched it. It was so warm and comforting. 'This light . . .' Tea didn't finish her thought as she heard a voice.

'Your light will conquer . . .'

A/N Yay, I'm done! Yes, it has begun! Everything will soon be explained! Hahahaha, took me long enough. Anyway, there was something I like to add, um, when she said sixteen friends I did not include Rishid/Odeon, he isn't important . . . to me anyway. Anywho, I hope this chapter made sense. Now, let's see how long the next chapter will take…hopefully not 3 months, hehe….Bye for now.