Hello hearties. Sorry for the tardiness again. My thesis still takes all of my attention as the issue with my mentor has yet to be resolved. I promise I try to be as regular as possible. Thank you for your patience. I hope you're all doing well!

Enjoy!

The water slipping on my skin as I rush through the ocean is as agreeable as fresh wind on a hot days. But I've no time to appreciate the temperature or the floating sensation like I usually do. The call urges my body to move as fast as possible to reach the island. I'm almost there. On the way, I meet a small pod of dolphins. Finding my speed amusing, they follow me for a bit, jumping and laughing. We pass by gorgeous and colorful coral and other sea creature on the way. It's so strange. Usually, I'd take my time observing the sea's fauna and flora, relishing in every sensation my element provides me, like I've always done. Then I'd forget the time and be scolded by Seto. Now, even my new companions can't have my attention. Excitement and impatience have seized control of my mind and body alike, leaving no room for clear thought.

Almost there. I'm almost home.

As we get closer to the island, the depth becomes shallower and the corals, scarce. Just as I pass the last of the seafloor rocks, my companions suddenly stop. I understand why a moment later. The water that's being filtered through my nose suddenly leaves an awful taste on my tongue that nearly makes me gag. It's like I've inhaled lamp oil. The closer I get to the shore, the more the taste intensifies and I end up swimming to the surface to escape it. I spit out the nasty water when I do. The taste of salt on my tongue has never bothered me, but this is unbearable. What a strange phenomenon. This doesn't trigger any sort of memory or even a hint of familiarity in me. This can't be normal.

I finish my swim head above water until I finally reach the beach of white sand. That white sand that smells so nostalgic. I can't see where it starts or where it ends but somehowI know the beach goes around half of the island. Behind the beach is a thick forest of trees of various sizes and colors. I forbid myself to blink, too scared that I might wake up from a wonderful dream. It's beautiful. Just as beautiful as I expected. So beautiful my heart throbs in admiration.

I walk until I'm out of the water but immediately crumble to my knees, holding my head in my hands as a strong dizziness takes over me. I see something in my mind. The same beach actually. But there, I see two young boys. The taller of the two has black and dark blue hair with blond streaks like myself. The second one, who seems a lot more agitated, has a bright mix of green, red and brown. Both are dressed in sand-colored and brown attires similar to my own, only theirs leave their chest exposed. Coming up behind them is a short woman with flowing brown, turquoise and blond hair. In her arms, she holds a little me.

"Mama, please, please," begs little me. "Can I please go with Yusei and Yuya? I'll listen to them, I promise."

Yusei and Yuya? Little me has spoken those names before. To the man in my dream who I called Grandpa.

"I don't know, little sea star," replies the woman smiling tenderly. "You'll have to ask your brothers if they're willing to take you with them."

"Why should we?" complains the green haired one. "She'll just slow us down. Right Yusei?"

"Don't be mean, Yuya," says the elder, slapping the back of his brother's head. "Is it wise, mama? She's still so little…"

"Grandpa said I could! I won't be a bother, I promise," insists little me. "Please Yusei? Just for today? Please?"

"And what's going on here?"

All eyes turn towards the sea. A tall figure emerges from the waves and makes his way to the little group. He's much taller than the woman and looks a lot like the oldest boy. His sun kissed skin is dripping with tears of the ocean and his bright red, black and purple hair have a very familiar shape. Immediately, the boys run to the man and he takes both of them in a strong embrace. The woman — my mother— puts little me down who also runs to the man who takes her in his arms.

"Looks like I've caught the prettiest sea star in the ocean," he jests, sitting little me on his shoulder and turning to his spouse. "And the most gorgeous pearl."

My mother smiles tenderly as the man —my father— wraps an arm around her waist and plants a kiss on her temple.

"Now, who can tell me what's going on?"

"Seems our little sea star wants to go with her brothers on their exploration trip," explains mama. "Solomon says she's already memorized all of the safety rules. She's ready."

"If Grandpa approved, then I have nothing against it," says Yusei. "But since I promised Yuya we'd go together, it's up to him."

Put on the spot, the youngest brother crosses his arms on his chest and sighs in annoyance. "If she's here we won't be able to swim as fast…"

Little me slides off papa's shoulder and goes to grab the frustrated boy's hand. "Please Yuya? Just this once? I promise I'll swim fast and I won't ask next time. Please, please, please?"

He stares back at her, his eyes filled with doubt. A couple moments of silence follow before the stubborn Yuya finally sighs in defeat. A gentle smile stretches out across his face.

"Alright, fine. But you better keep your promise."

Stars light up in little me's eyes and her face brightens up instantly. But instead of saying thank you, little me grabs Yuya's left hand and plants a kiss on the back of it. A symbol of the deepest gratitude, reserved for serious occasions. Mama, Papa and Yusei laugh at that and Yuya mumbles something about exaggerating before grabbing little me by the hips and putting her on his shoulders.

I open my eyes again and see numerous tears are still falling from my face onto the white sand. I know for certain now. I had my mother, Miiu. My father; Seiaa. My paternal grandfather, Solomon. And two brothers; the mature Yusei and the hot-headed Yuya. This really is my home. And it's filled with fragments of my missing memories. The joy of recalling this piece of myself is quickly choked by the sadness of knowing what I've lost. It grows in my stomach like needles of ice. I force myself to breath and to my feet. I understand Atem's words now. Walking through the fire is a must if I want to remember. I can't escape the pain of my memories anymore than I can escape the call. I breath deeply until the tears finally stop and the needles of ice melt.

There's not much else to see on the beach itself. It's strange. I expected there to be ship wreckage, canon balls and other things left behind after a battle with pirates. It's as if nothing's happened. I begin walking along the edge of the forest. The fruited and herbal scents of the forest fill my nose and almost make my mouth water. I even spot multiple Coragro trees. That must be why the taste is familiar to me. Colorful birds are chirping. I'm surprisingly able to name each species. But the quiet and joyful surroundings leave me anguished. So far, there isn't a single trace of what happened twelve years ago.

Very quickly, I get my answer. The part of the forest I saw is but a mere fraction of the whole thing. One of the only parts that escaped the fire. I soon find the rest of it. The part that has been burned to a crisp. The ground is black and littered with ashes. The tree trunks that have managed to stay up are also black and leafless. New trees are barely starting to sprout after twelve years, resembling tiny foliages. The orangish color of their leaves remind me of flames. The needles of ice in my stomach grow again and swallowing my spit takes more effort than it should.

"Walk through the fire," I tell myself, picturing the captain of the Millennium's hand in my back, forbidding me from turning away. "Walk through the fire. The prize is among the ashes."

Leaving the beach behind, I step onto the ashy ground and make my way through the remains of the forest. For me, twelve years is an eternity. For nature, it's nothing. Was I foolishly expecting to find the island in the state it was before the massacre? I wander, not sure where I'm going, letting the strange tug from before direct me like a light in the dark. Nothing looks familiar but that's to be expected after a fire. It's been extinguished over a decade ago and yet I feel like I'm choking on the stench of burning flesh. Perhaps my head is playing tricks on me since I remember that horrid odor so well. My hands begin to shake and despite the scorching heat, cold sweat wets my neck. Breathing becomes difficult, as if my lungs have tripled in weight. Still I walk, following the tug.

Then I reach them. The little houses made of flat stones. The stones are supposed to be white, but they two have turned grey and black. A quick image flashes before my eyes and I see flames. I blink and shake my head to chase it away.

"Come on Yugi," I tell myself. "You knew it was going to be like this from the start."

With all my will, I order my legs to move again and enter the village. My village. My home. My burned down, desecrated home. My body feels so heavy that my walk becomes slow. The atmosphere of unrest and unbridled anguish presses down on my shoulders more and more as I go deeper into the village. And that horrible stench is even stronger.

My mind is restless. Every house, every stone I set eyes on is awakening that sensation of familiarity in me, but unlike at the beach, I get no precise memory from it. The state of the village and all the destruction caused by the fire doesn't allow me to focus. It's unbearable, like being unable to scratch an strong itch.

'Remember. You have to remember,' I repeat to myself.

So few things have escaped the flames. Nearly all the houses have burn marks. Some of them even crumbled completely once their wooden inner structures gave in. I get to the center of the village and stop in my tracks. A new fragment comes to me. I see a feast of sea food and fruits. I see my people dancing. I see a man with an orichalcum crown giving a speech. I see our shaman singing and children playing instruments. I see little me dancing with my grandpa and other children. This place is called the Heart and it is where the Shayee shared meals and feasts on special occasions. Well began them at least. They always ended at the beach, near the ocean. My heart aches even more than before and new tears swarm my face. I quickly move away from the Heart in what I believe to be a random direction. I realize it's not when I'm faced with a half crumbled house of stone. Compelled by the tug, I step in the entrance frame as my heart pounds furiously in my chest.

This time, the fragment hits me like brick. Only this time, the pain comes from the scars on my back. I see little me sitting under the table in the middle of the room and counting to a hundred as the fire attacks the house. Then, a burning post of the ceiling falls, shattering the table and landing on little me's back. At that very moment, scorching pain shoots through present me's back like a bullet. The pain brings me to my knees just as little me in my memory cries in pain. But then, a small figure rushes towards little me. Seto. I never really forgot that memory, but never before has it been this clear. Without hesitation, the boy falls to his knees, shoving his hand under the burning post to push it away. Miraculously, with a strength one would never suspect a nine year old could have, he pulls little me out of the death trap and runs out of the house like the devil is on his tail.

I open my eyes again but the pain in my back is still here. Just like on the ship last night. It burns atrociously. I force myself up and pull away from the house that used to be mine. But it's too late. Every time I lay my eyes on some other part of the village, a new fragment hits me. Only not the ones I want. No matter where I look, everything is burning. More vividly than ever.

"No, please no…" I beg any greater force out there willing to hear my plea.

To my horror, the screams resonate in my ears as loud as thunder, nearly splitting my skull in two. I can hear all of them. Men, women, children, infants— All of them screaming in pain, all at once. The gut-wrenching cacophony pierces through my eardrums and I can swear they bursted on the sport. The burning sensation in my back spreads to the rest of me like wildfire. Unable to bear the torture, I scream. I scream until my lungs burn and then I crumble, curling up on the ashy ground. Every hair on me stands as violent tremors shake me. It's as if all the pain that's been done to my people is suddenly thrown back to me, threatening to eat me whole. My nails bite so hard into my own skin that I feel blood leaking out. But all the pain I feel is the bite of the invisible flames. Unable to withstand the pain of the flames swallowing me, I give into unconsciousness as the screams keep echoing in my head.

I'm walking through a dark tunnel. It's humid and from time to time, little droplets fall from the ceiling. I have no trouble seeing. For some reason, the moss stuck to the rocks all along the cavern emits a greenish blue light. I make my way down the glowing tunnel towards a source of light. It turns out to be a small body of water. It's brighter and lights the cave even more than the moss. I approach the water and go in head first, as if I know exactly what I am doing. I dive in. On the the bottom, ten feet under, is a small opening, barely big enough for a single person to go in. Without hesitation I make my way down the underwater tunnel. Deeper and deeper and deeper.

It feels like I've swam down for hours when I finally emerge into an enormous cave. A hundred times bigger than the one the pirates hid the Golden Whale in. The seafloor thirty feet under me makes it seem as if I'm flying. Inside the rocky walls of the cave is more of the moss from earlier only brighter that the ones from the tunnel. That's not what catches my eye though. In a corner of the cave is a large… temple? The kind found in Seto's books on ancient Greece. What is something like this doing here? I'm pulled out of my stunned state when a current hits my back. There shouldn't be currents in a cave, not unless— I turn around and my heart stops when I find myself looking into large crystal blue eyes attached to the body of a giant sea serpent, barely a foot from me. The monster's flew curl into a snarl and I open my mouth to scream.

A gasp escapes me when I open my eyes. Already, the images of my dream fade. I'm still on the ground but a quick look around tells me I'm no longer in the village. I've been moved to upper ground and I can see the ruins from where I am. I push myself up and my head spins. Droplets fall from my soaked air. Whoever moved me also poured water on me. Was it to put out the invisible fire from before? I look around, expecting to see Atem or Joey nearby. But no one is in sight. I try to stand but immediately fall back down. My entire body is asleep and uncomfortable tingling shoots through it every time I move. It remembers the burns. I can feel my heart throbbing in the scars of my back. Desperate to avoid reliving the flames, I rub my legs to regain some feeling and focus on my surroundings. Whoever has brought me here carried me through another part of the burned down jungle and up this little hill. I can see the village and the sea clearly from here. I also see the Millennium anchored not far from the shore. I expect the Captain is not far. Judging by that, I've spent a good part of my six hours of freedom passed out.

A wave of bitterness comes over me and I feel a tight squeeze in my chest. I've obtained but mere fragments of my memories. And the price I had to pay for that was reliving the death of my people and the destruction of my home. I shake my head again to chase away the thoughts that may trigger the flames again. To focus, I look around me again and realize that there's grass and trees here. It looks like the fire didn't get this far. I turn around to see what's behind me and am petrified on the spot.

Behind me is a large stone wall, part of the small mountain that makes the center of the island. Another familiar thing to me. I remember something about being forbidden to go in unless a certain age was reached. But it is not the mountain itself that has my attention. Between me and the stone wall are graves. Hundreds of them. From here, they only look like piles of dug up earth but the large stones at the head of each one leave no room for doubt. This is the final resting place of the Shayee people.

Somehow, the tingling in my body becomes insignificant and I stand, unable to detach my eyes from the graveyard. There are no names on the grave. Horror strikes me when I realize that they probably hadn't been recognizable and I picture the scorched corpses of my kin. I gag and what comes up my throat burns it. I don't get the time to reflect on my find, when I notice something else.

In the large stone wall behind the graves, are carved hundred of names. They are separated in groups of various numbers. In some of the groups, instead of names is written 'unborn'. In a corner, I read Solomon and Seiaa. Next to that, Miiu. The whole family are gathered. I'm certain the names are separated by family. Very Shayee-like Atem would say. I read some of the other names. All stir familiarity in me. My family aside, I can put a face on none of them.

I extend a hand to touch the wall, unable to remember when exactly I got so close. The carvings are expertly made. No less than true master craftsman work. In fact, I'd go as far as saying no human could've carved this. It's too flawless. Too perfect. But according to Atem, Shayee were inhuman. A little spark of hope lights up in me. Someone's been here before me. Someone had cleaned the village. Someone had given the Shayee a proper burial.

I begin counting the names of my people, holding my breath, thinking that maybe— just maybe—one of my brethren is responsible for this. That spark is crushed when I reach the number two hundred and thirty two. Another vague memory of that number appears in my mind.

"Grandpa, how many of us are there?"

"Two hundred and thirty three, my Yugi. And I believe we'll be seven more before the end of the year."

"Two hundred and thirty three," I mutter, as my eyes count the number of times unborn is carved into the stone. "Seven unborn. Minus one."

I am the one. The only one left. The last Shayee alive. I knew it. Deep in my heart, I've always known. Seto told me I was the only one he found alive back then. Everyone else was already gone. It doesn't burn. My heart isn't throbbing painfully like before. I can't feel it beat. I can't feel anything. Suddenly, the fact that I'm here, on the island of my people is insignificant. I'm not sure what that void means. But I've never felt as lonely as I do in that moment. It's as if the whole world has died and I'm the only breathing creature left. My fist closes on the stone wall. So that's it? I walked through the flames only to find this cold void?

So that's what it feels like… to want to die.

I don't know why but I hit the wall with my closed fist. Once. Twice. The third time, I feel the bruise and the sudden urge to do the same with my head. If I do it hard enough, will I escape this void? Will I stop being alone? I do it a fourth time. The thud rings in my ears. The side of my hand bleeds. The pain doesn't affect me. My eyes are dry, my heart is silent and the scars of my back ache again. Compulsively, I raise my fist above my head but before I can throw it against the stone again, a familiar large hand wraps around my wrist, stopping me.

"This island has been watered with enough Shayee blood, don't you think?"

His sudden presence doesn't surprise me. Instead, it stirs something else in me. I whip around, ripping my hand out of his grip.

"You lied to me!" I shout at him throwing him the angriest glare I have. "I did what you told me. I walked through the flames! I felt everything! I heard all of their screams! And all I've recovered are bits and pieces! I didn't want this!"

He says nothing only stares at me with a look I've never seen on his face before. He doesn't understand. He can't understand. I never wanted to know… just how alone I truly am. The spikes of ice in my heart grow, tearing me apart from the inside out. I want to scream with all my might but my throat tightens, choking the impulse. It's pointless after all.

"This wasn't worth it," I continue, my voice breaking and my body trembling with all its might. "Why me? Why was I the only one to be saved? Why only me?"

He's here, a foot away from me, listening to each of my words. But it feels as though I'm on the last bit of earth in the world, surrounded by crevasses of infinite depth and wideness. He might as well have been one of the trees of my island. I'm so far away from everyone. Like no one else in the world matters anymore. Seto was right from the beginning. There's nothing for me here but ashes and that void in my chest. But I was too stupid to listen. I bring both my hands to my chest and clench them over my heart, foolishly hoping it'll help fill the abyss. Why didn't I go with all of them? I should've gone too. Nothing is worth feeling this rupture in my soul. Nothing.

"I should've died with them," I say, my voice reduced to a broken whisper that I don't even think Joey could've heard.

I turn around and look at the grave at my feet. It's horrifyingly small, clearly belonging to an infant. A life barely began and already taken to satisfy the greed of pirates. For that same greed, I stand here, alone. My legs give in and I crumble in front of the little grave. I scream. Scream to fill that unbearable void. Scream until my lungs completely drain my body of air and my head spins. That scream doesn't sound like a scream. What escapes my throat is like a high pitched wail of pain and misery. I wrap my arms around myself, as if to trick myself out of this torturous loneliness eating at my insides.

I run out of breath and the pain hits me even more than before. There's nothing I can do to escape it. I inhale to scream again, swearing that I won't stop until I die this time, but then a shadow comes over me. Moments later, two strong arms surround me, trapping me in the embrace of my captor. The surprise stops me in my momentum and I hold my breath. My mind is too jumbled to think properly. His grip tightens, as if he's trying to choke me and I feel his breath on my neck and ears.

"That pain you feel," he whispers, "is exactly what you were supposed to find here. You were clinging to a false hope. You fooled yourself into thinking you just wanted your memories back. The truth is you wanted them back. You secretly hoped you'd find survivors. But there aren't."

His words are so cruel, shattering the remaining fragments of my already broken hopes. And yet, his presence matters again. His touch doesn't let me ignore that. He's truly here with me and the pain in my chest begins to fade. At the same time, the terrifying fear that he'll let go and that the loneliness will return hits me. I cling to his arm, digging my nails in his skin. I nearly beg him not to let go.

"Remember this pain," he continues, tightening his grip again. "It's the proof that they lived, that they were loved and that you live. Don't let yourself or anyone else forget that they were alive. Your life is a testament to their own."

Finally, my tears water the burial ground. I feel myself shake against him and begin sobbing. He holds me like this for God knows how long while I cry. How pathetic. Being comforted by your enemy. Seto would never let me here the end of it. But I can't bring myself to compare Atem to the people who killed the Shayee anymore.

I don't understand anything anymore. Why am I not rejecting him after everything he's done to me? The wound in my arm still aches. I remember each of his threats against us. His vendetta against the Kaiba company and Seto. And yet, I'm clinging to him like my sanity is on the line. The salty smell that sailors often have emits from him as well as something resembling the dusty odor of dried fruit.

As the fog in my mind finally dissipates and the emotion subsides a bit, my breathing settles down. The sobbing and the tears stop. I finally release Atem's arms and see that my nails have dug deep enough in his skin to make him bleed. It doesn't seem to bother him. He releases his hold on me and stands back up. I take the hand he offers me and he pulls me to my feet. He only releases me when he's sure I can stand on my own.

"Had enough for one day, love?" he asks, bringing a hand to my face and trailing his thumb under my eye to wipe the tears.

Surprisingly, I don't back off at his touch. Maybe because of my exhaustion but I doubt it. I nod.

"Come. I'm famished as you must be."

With that, he turns heels and begins making his way downhill towards the village. Is it me or is he in a hurry to leave? I follow him without complaint. With my mind cleared up a little, a thousand questions swarm my head. The number of names and graves leaves no room for error. No one survived. Someone else must've buried them. Someone else has cleaned the wreckage and other traces of the battle… Now that I think about it, the Stream must've awakened in many Shayee that night. There were probably also many pirate bodies. Someone had removed them as well. Who had cleaned up the island, if not a Shayee? Could there have been someone with an attachment to the Shayee? I only know one person who fits that description.

I come to a halt. "Atem!" I call out.

The captain stops and turns to look up at me. A few feet are separating us and being uphill, I look down at him. I don't understand. He's staring right at me but for the first time, I feel completely unguarded facing him. Is it because of what just happened? The comfort I felt in his arms was such that even now, I want to get closer. It confuses me.

"I don't understand you," I say.

He raises an eyebrow in surprise before letting out his signature half-smile. "Really? I had no idea you were so keen on wanting to know more about me, love."

I ignore his comment. I'm too focused to let anything distract me.

"You went as far as putting your plan — your life's purpose— on hold to bring me here. You did all of this didn't you? You buried them, carved all of their names… I know that the Shayee meant something to you. That I mean something to you."

He turns completely to face me, showing me I have all of his attention. His eyes are as intense as usual, but patient. I know what words are about to come out of my mouth and how ridiculous they are. After all they make no sense at all. Still, I can't help myself.

"Are you… A-Are you a Shayee?"

Dun-dun-duuuuuuuun! I know, I know I'm awful. I had to delay the action because this chapter turned to be waaaaaaay longer than I thought.

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