Once again, this chapter is up slightly early, but the next chapter will be up on Friday 8th May!

To avoid confusion:

Words Yami speaking mentally

Words Yugi speaking mentally

"Words" Characters speaking Japanese

"Words" Characters speaking Ancient Egyptian

"Words" Characters speaking Arabic

"Words" Characters speaking Akkadian

"Words" Characters speaking Old English

Raphael stood in silence, waiting. He knew the Nameless Pharaoh would come. They had taken the Professor, left the orichalcum in the house for him to bring, no matter that it was not the correct one and left him no choice but to confront Raphael or never discover where they had taken the man. Hawkins would be free to go the moment that the Pharaoh arrived.

He was insurance, nothing more.

It sickened Raphael to do this to an innocent man, but he didn't know that he was being manipulated by the foul spirit of the Nameless Pharaoh. The Seal would soon set him free, along with the boy who was trapped within their own body and mind.

Eatos was pacing the crag he had settled upon, wings flared in alarm. Since coming to America he could no longer hear her, Hogwarts having amplified their bond to the point that they could communicate for the first time. He missed that connection, but it had only been temporary after all. Eatos was no Dark Magician tied to the Nameless Pharaoh.

He rolled his shoulders, easing out the stiffness of them. He had spent a day in the dungeons, shackled to walls that might have fallen in on his head. Snape claimed it was essential, Raphael was less sure. Either way, he was quickly transported the Ministry and freed into the custody of Voldemort's stooge Malfoy. The most uncomfortable he had been was in the journey between the Ministry and Malfoy Manor, wherein he had been forced to take a Portkey which spat him out on the floor in the most undignified manner. He might have been offended had he not spent most of his childhood marooned on a remote island where he had been forced to adapt or die.

One learned fast that dignity was far down the priority list when they needed to survive.

The sound of hoofbeats echoed through the canyon and he smiled. Finally. It seemed that he had taken the horse, an interesting decision considering they had also left the car. Then again, the Nameless Pharaoh probably struggled with the concept of a moving carriage without a horse. It didn't matter- it seemed that he had accepted the bargain and Raphael pressed the button on his collar to let the guards know to free the Professor. He was of no more use and could return to his harmless research.

After all, he would never learn all the secrets of Atlantis and they would need someone to record the day that Dartz changed the world.

A grey horse appeared on the horizon carrying a small figure on its back. Tri-coloured hair waved in the breeze and Raphael smirked internally. Their showdown would soon commence.

It took the Nameless Pharaoh another half an hour to navigate the cliff down and to the bridge he had set up to reach the crag. The Spirit didn't even seem perturbed when he ensured that he couldn't escape cutting the bridge with two well thrown axes. He simply blinked and turned back; expression determined.

"I'm here, Raphael," the Spirit said, eyes narrowed. "What have you done to Professor Hawkins?"

"He's free now," Raphael stated, pleased by the irritation that flickered across the thing's face. "He was merely bait for you."

"To end my evil reign, I've heard," the Pharaoh deadpanned. "It seems to be a theme within your lessons."

"Don't you dare try to trick me," Raphael hissed, activating his Duel Disk. "I know your game. You think just because history wrote you as the hero, that you are one? I know better."

"From Dartz," the Spirit noted grimly. "I heard that too."

"Master Dartz was there when you were king. He knows all about what you did, even if you don't remember it. He has given me the honour of removing your soul." And he knew just the perfect way to do it. All the planning would soon come to a head, and the world free of another corruptive presence.

There was a squeak from behind the Spirit.

Raphael blinked at the brief appearance of magenta eyes peering around Mutou Yugi's body, wide and frightened. He vaguely remembered seeing them somewhere before and Eatos' feathers fluffed in surprise. The girl ducked into hiding again, a whisper on the wind the only acknowledgement that she was there. He didn't understand the words.

"Perhaps I do not remember my time as Pharaoh," the Spirit said calmly, one hand reaching back reassuringly. "But there were others there too, who have remarkably different tales to tell than your Master." He paused, glancing from side to side, noting that there was no way out, unless he could fly. "But I see there is no talking you out of this." Another squeak, another faint protest. The Spirit turned this time, switching languages to speak to the girl proper. It appeared she did not agree that this was necessary. Raphael and the Pharaoh knew it was. Magenta eyes stared at him again before shaking her head in denial.

"There is no other way," the Spirit said firmly, tone sad. The girl burst into tears, throwing herself at the Pharaoh, before pulling back to the very edge of the crag. With that, the Pharaoh turned, activating his own Duel Disk, walking forwards in acceptance of the challenge.

"Good choice," Raphael noted with a smirk.

"You did not leave me one," the Spirit noted dryly, taking and shuffling his deck. Unlike some opponents, he did not flip it round the other way, to see what kind of cards he had as he shuffled, a dirty sleight of hand trick he had seen some duellists try.

Soon, they were turning back to opposite ends of the crag.

"It's time to duel!" the Pharaoh stated, although there was no trace of the usual enthusiasm, filmed from Battle City.

The ghost girl watched in silent terror as he began his opening move.

Akhefia started awake when Atem started vomiting blood in the middle of the night. Kaiba was already flying out of his own bed, his things packed and ready to go for his own flight to see Mokuba. It was more likely the younger Kaiba would be coming here at this rate. He launched himself out of bed as the Prince gagged and gasped for air.

"Something… Something is happening with the Pendant," he gasped between hacking coughs. He groaned, pale, clutching his side. Akhefia opened his mouth to say something, when a small hand clutched at his.

"Please, you have to come quickly, Thief King!" Nofret shrieked, her Coptic rushed and heavily accented unlike usual. "You must come now!" He glanced between the dying form of his friend, the alarmed look on Marik's face and Kaiba's frantic shouts for help and knew there was nothing he could do here.

"What is it?" he asked. He was given no reply, the girl having managed corporeality enough to tug on his hand. He let her, summoning a Portal and allowing her to influence where it went. If Nofret claimed he was needed specifically, calling him by the moniker 'Thief King' of all things, it must be important.

He stumbled into a nightmare.

The field was set with the Seal, but Raphael had not played it. Monsters he had seen in Atem's deck, or others, were played but held a red glint to their eyes, corruption slowly sneaking up like deadly veins from the extremities out. And he could see now why Nofret had called, petrified, because the person who had played it was…

"Fuck," he said emphatically, the noise carrying in the hot desert air, notifying the two players that he was there. At their startled looks, he repeated himself. "Fuck!"

"You have to get them to stop!" Nofret sobbed.

"How the fuck can I do that? How… how did this even happen?!" He was lost for words, noise just tumbling out of his mouth at this point.

"A trick and corruption," was his only reply.

"Well, Pharaoh, are you going to make your move?" Raphael called, deciding to ignore this intervention. The Spirit of the Pendant had spotted something else.

"There is blood on your clothes," he noted, eyes wide. "What…?"

"You played the bloody Seal, what do you think happened?" Akhefia raged, not sure who he was angriest with. "What possessed you to put that necklace on?"

"Blackmail," the Pharaoh growled, anger and frustration laced together. "Blackmail and kidnapping." Akhefia glared at his opponent who looked set to open his mouth again.

"Please, Baba, you have to drop the Seal. He'll die otherwise!" Nofret called. She was shaking, tears leaking from magenta eyes. Raphael now looked confused and frustrated.

"If you don't take your turn, you'll forfeit this duel!" he shouted. Akhefia growled.

"You stay out of this, or I'll eviscerate you the moment the Seal drops," he snapped. "And I'll make sure you live through the whole process." Raphael abruptly shut his mouth, looking both pale and irritated. No doubt I'll be next for the Orichalcos in his mind.

"There is no way to drop the Seal without it taking a Soul," the Pharaoh stated. "And if there were, I don't know how." He looked conflicted at the idea of dropping the Seal and the advantage it had won him in the duel. Akhefia could see the manipulation working away behind red tinted eyes.

"This isn't the way," Nofret called. "He's just as corrupted by it as you, moreso in fact. He cannot hear the words of his Monsters anymore and if you are enthralled longer it will happen to you." Akhefia recognised the dip of the eyebrows and that frown and had enough time to think uh oh, before the argument began.

"If I do not do this, he will win!"

"There's more to life than winning! And what about your other half's life? You'll throw it away to win one duel?" Nofret actually stamped her foot at that, stubborn gaze meeting furious red.

"He's dying anyway!"

"So that's a reason to just not care? Because he'll die either way? I thought you were better than that!" The Spirit growled, shaking his head as if trying to get rid of an irritating fly.

"He kidnapped Professor Hawkins! He must pay for that, for hurting Yugi's friends!" It appeared the orichalcum couldn't make its holders justify death if not completely under its sway. Interesting.

"And he will! But not like this," Nofret snapped, her voice hard. "You've always done what was right, even if it was hard. Why must you take the easy path this time?"

"This is not easy!" The Spirit was growing more desperate, hands raising to his head as if in pain. No doubt the constant rationalising was giving him a headache. "I… I have to do this… I must… I…"

"You told me once, if you cannot think of a good reason for something, you shouldn't do it. Are you going to ignore that advice now?"

"This isn't a prank, Nofret! There are no nosy officials or greedy merchants to get rid of! This is life or death!"

"Yes, but whose?" This seemed to be the final straw, something that the shrouded shuet of the Nameless Pharaoh couldn't suppress and the orichalcum couldn't rationalise against. There was an agonised cry of pain and Akhefia felt the Shadows lash out, a rumble of Akkdian magic swift on its heels.

He had enough sense to launch himself to the ground. When the dust settled, Raphael was picking himself up from the ground, the Seal gone. His opponent twitched, and Mutou Yugi rose from the ground, wide eyed in shock.

Me too, kid, Akhefia thought wryly. Me too.

Yugi stood on shaky feet, dazed and confused at what had just happened. One moment, Yami had played the Seal and their connection was cut off. The next, he was fighting with Nofret and then… nothing. Yugi had woken in the desert, alone, only the sense of exhausted slumber coming down the link notifying him that the Pharaoh was still with them. What had happened in between… he wasn't sure even Yami knew what he had done.

Raphael clearly didn't either, if the wide-eyed look he was being given was any indication.

Dark Magician Girl, now free of the Orichalcos, glanced at him looking slightly dazed. He shrugged, not knowing how to answer the question in her eyes. He glanced back to the canyon wall, where Akhefia's white head of hair was visible peeking over the edge. Nofret was nowhere to be seen.

"What did you do?" Raphael growled; eyes narrowed. "How did you banish the Seal like that?" Yugi shrugged.

"You would have to ask the Pharaoh," he noted, glancing at the state of the duel. The deck was a mix of his and Yami's preferred cards, although most prevalent on the field at this moment were Yami's monsters. He was running low on life points, but right now, so was Raphael. So, not the worst situation, so long as he didn't have another Seal in his deck. Oh, who are you kidding? Of course, he does, Yugi thought dryly. We've never been that lucky.

There was a flicker on the cliff edge, just to make the situation worse.

"We're ok!" he shouted before the Priestess could bring down yet more rocks on their heads.

"We shall see," Haphiri hissed, eyes narrowed right back to Raphael. The man recoiled back, clearly remembering the last near miss he had had with her.

"Time to finish this duel," Raphael stated, recollecting himself. Yugi blinked, wondering what he meant by that. He drew and nodded. Er, was it my turn or his? Yugi thought, frowning. I could have sworn he was egging Yami on to take his turn… Does he think I skipped because we swapped? He didn't get time to point out that Raphael had just cheated. "I activate the Seal of Orichalcos!"

"Are you fucking joking right now?!" Yugi exploded as green light surrounded them once again. "First you cheat, and now you're risking losing your soul again! To prove what?" Raphael smirked.

"I promised Master Dartz a soul. And what better bait than his other half?"

"Wait-!" Yugi started. He never got to finish.

"I activate Celestial Sword! And to use it I play Guardian Eatos!" Yugi might have sworn vehemently, except he was torn between the growing anger of the ghost behind him and the panic that his friends had just arrived to watch him lose his soul. Add to that the fact that Yami was currently unconscious and there was nothing in his hand that would stop this next move.

He almost giggled hysterically to hear Akhefia swearing up a storm behind him in three languages as Raphael took the rest of his life points.

The next he knew; the world was fading in a flash of green light.

Akhefia had enough wits about him to throw up a shield between himself and the four idiots plus Ryou, who had just rolled up in a green convertible. He didn't understand the rapid Japanese questions that the blonde was firing off, nor the concerned shouts of the brunette girl. All he could do was summon Diabound to aid with the shield. There were shouts of alarm around him as Diabound's snake tail curled around them, but if it was for the Monster or the fact that the ground had just begun to shake, he wasn't sure.

Nofret had disappeared to shake the once again prone form of Mutou Yugi.

Please let there be a soul still in there, Akhefia prayed over the growing shriek in front of him, Set, Osiris, Horus, Ra, I don't care who. Let there be a soul still in that body or we might not live through this.

"You dare!" Haphiri screamed, her words caught between fury and grief. "I warned you once before, but still you didn't learn your lesson!" Raphael was backing away slowly, realising suddenly that this whole endeavour may have been a mistake. You idiot. You should never have summoned the Seal again. You might have lived if you hadn't and she would never have known of this whole encounter. It was too late to save him now.

"Sister, he's still here!" Nofret cried, cupping the body's face. Akhefia could vaguely see the chest rise and fall and almost sighed in relief. One still lived within the body. But which?

"It makes no matter," Haphiri hissed. "This time the maggot dies." A helicopter was buzzing overhead. The rotors began to twist in the warped air, the Shadows ripping it to pieces before it could come to Raphael's rescue.

"Sister…!" Nofret seemed to realise at the same moment Akhefia did that there would be no more reasoning with her. Thick black corruption bled up from her hands, up to her elbows. The orichalcum was never for the Pharaoh, he realised with dread. It was for her. For the woman who killed the Nameless Pharaoh in his prime.

"Hold on!" he called back to the others in English.

"To what?" the blonde yelped, realising that he had understood jack shit of what he had said before. "What the hell is going on?"

"Is Yugi alright?" the girl asked. "It looked like he…"

"Someone's still in there, we'll figure out who soon, when we're not in danger of death!" he shouted.

"Who is that?" the boy with the stupid haircut asked, staring at the form of Enheduanna, Mistress of the Shadows.

"Someone you don't want to tangle with," Akhefia growled. "Nofret, I can't hold on much longer!" The Princess stared at him with wide, tear-filled eyes and nodded.

"I'm sorry, sister," she sobbed. Akhefia felt her reach out to the Shadows and pull. Diabound swept them all up in his hands before any of them could fall, Akhefia sagging against his head in silent thanks.

They landed in a tomb, Diabound shrinking back into snake form and curling reassuringly around his shoulders.

"Thank you, old friend," he murmured, stroking the snake's head. "I'll have to find you the best rats." Diabound gently bopped his head against his cheek as blondie sat up from where he had fallen on his face, asking something in Japanese, before remembering.

"Where are we?" he repeated, this time in English.

"The tomb of the Priestess of Isis and Princess of Akkadia, Haphiri Enheduanna," Akhefia explained tiredly. "We've probably got about three minutes before she realises where we are."

"Less than that," Nofret murmured from where she knelt three feet away. Raphael was sprawled in a corner, looking dazed, Eatos hovering worriedly above him. "I took her quarry from her. She won't forgive that."

"I'm sorry," Akhefia said sincerely. It was all he could say, for the sacrifice she had made for them. She gave him a wobbly smile.

"Make it worth it," she said firmly. "Can you find your way out from here?"

"Um…" he paused to think. "Atem was always the one who knew the outlay of this place. I think I can find it…" He cut off as there was a faint groan from the prone form next to the ghost. Thank the gods, he thought as the tomb shook to the Priestess' arrival. Just in time.

Yami woke to a sense of emptiness. He blinked open bleary eyes that weren't his, to darkness, searching desperately for the innate feeling of Yugi at the other end of the bond. What happened? I don't… Flashes of green and overwhelming pain blossoming in his head was the last thing he could remember. Something about the Orichalcos… I… played the Seal… and then… Yugi!

The bond was empty.

Cold dread filled Yami, as he searched frantically for that warm feeling he had always associated with his partner. No matter what, he should have been able to at least feel him through their bond, even if someone else was wearing the Puzzle. When Bandit Keith had stolen the Item, he had still been able to sense Yugi, even though there was nothing he could do to help him. When Yugi had hung him around Joey's neck while Marik had possessed his mind, even then, he was still there. But now…

He was empty. It was gone, nothing at the end of the bond, except a severed and bleeding end.

Someone was tugging at his arm, but he couldn't concentrate past the fact that Yugi was gone, and it was all his fault. Tears gathered at his eyes, the urge to cry stronger than he had ever remembered feeling. It was… painful. Whoever was trying to grab him was tugging harder, a familiar voice hissing at him.

"Break down later, shit's going on!" the voice snapped, and his mind vaguely registered it to be Akhefia. Akhefia, who should have been at Hogwarts with Atem, but had come running because he had foolishly activated the Seal for some reason. Why? Why would I have done that? I had the Seal; Raphael couldn't have activated it with it in my hand so no-one would have suffered even if I had lost!

"Yug'?" came another familiar voice and Yami felt sick. Yugi's friends… they'll want to know what happened. And it's all…

"Get! Up!" Akhefia's voice was more urgent this time, the ground shaking under his head. This caused something to click in his head, someone else that had been there and the terrible factor that she might turn up…

He forced hands under the body, shoving it roughly upright. His head pounded in response, fighting him every step of the way. He was tired, exhausted, but he didn't know why. What he did know, was that they needed to leave, before she brought the tomb down on their heads, like she had almost brought down a whole castle.

"Yugi!" That was Tea, running forwards to hug him. He shook his head, which was a mistake, but she got the message, stumbling to a stop. Not now… Save the others first, explain later.

"I won't let you leave," Raphael stated and Yami focused blurry eyes on him, the stance he took. Does he really want…? Akhefia was quicker.

"Then die down here. No skin off my back," he snapped. "Nofret?"

"It's too late," the girl murmured, tears in her eyes. "I can only delay her." Yami's stomach clenched at that final tone.

"Come with us," he implored. "You don't have to do this." She gave him a soft smile, taking his hands with her own small ones.

"She's my sister. She won't come back for me. Not like last time." He shook his head vehemently, denying the inevitable. Please, I lost one person today. I can't lose another, he silently pleaded. His prayers fell on deaf ears. "Go. I'll hold her up as much as I am able. But first… I made a promise." She gave him an imploring look and he held out a hand. He was mentally and physically exhausted, any magic that might have been at his fingertips a mere trickle, but he knew, somehow, that that wasn't what she needed.

"Do it," he said with a nod, hating every word. She smiled.

"Eatos… I free you from this corruption! So, let it be written, so let it be done." The flash was blinding. Raphael gave a shout, reaching out as his own Monster gave a gasp, falling to her knees. Despite the sounds around them, the small crack of breaking stone was like a thunderclap in the confined space.

The effect was immediate. Feathers which formally had been drooping and dying were once again a pristine white. Skin which had previously been ridden with sores and marks was once again clear and her eyes had returned to their correct brown rather than tinted red. The Monster gave another gasp, startled and grateful.

"You said…" she whispered. Nofret smiled.

"I needed permission." The Monster nodded, dropping to a proper bow of subservience.

"I owe you a great debt."

"Help them escape, that is all I ask." The Monster nodded and Nofret dropped his hand. She gently pushed it away, just as Haphiri appeared in the doorway. He started at her changed appearance. The pristine white robe was now black, Shadows roiling around her in a rage. Glistening in one hand, was the knife that was ever-present and Yami was startled by the harsh sting in his side. He gripped it in pain, barely hearing the alarmed shouts of his friends behind him. Raphael was staring in abject horror, confusion and terror warring in his eyes.

"GO!" Nofret shouted, turning. Yami wasted no time in taking Raphael's wrist, tugging him as best he could towards them. To their left was the tunnel they needed, if only they could get to it.

In the end, it was more that Raphael was holding him up.

"Nofret, you can still come with us!" he called, knowing it was futile. She had called up a barrier, but he could see it wavering. She paused a moment, urging him on silently. "Please!" The others had already fallen through the hidden entrance, either shoved mercilessly by Akhefia or jumped into willingly. It was only him a Raphael left. Nofret gave him a sad smile then, turning.

Her front was covered in blood, seeping from a wound in her chest, right over the heart.

"I've heard that before," she said sadly, seeming far older then than her thirteen years she had lived in life. "But you know there is no other way. Now, go, brother, and may An's wings guide you!"

He barely felt the push she gave them through the hole, his world swirling away in a tangle of half-forgotten memories and grief as the tomb of the Akkadian Princess exploded behind them.

And so we leave the plot of Yugioh Season 4 behind. Wave it goodbye because that's probably the last of any canon from either story we shall be seeing... ever. Did you enjoy it? I sure did and I spared you all preachy Raphael. I will admit, I couldn't actually sit through the duel the whole way through. So I skipped it.

Apologies that this chapter was a little shorter than usual. I knew where I wanted it to end but if I added it to the previous one, it would have gone on for an eternity, so we have this instead. And as for what happened to Yami and Haphiri in this chapter... well, we'll be getting to the repercussions of that soon. And what has happened to Atem, Kaiba and Marik. But not next chapter.

There's not much really to discuss at the end of this chapter (for me anyhow), next chapter is a bit expositiony but we will be saying hello to Ishizu and Odion again and some Umbridge may also slip in depending on where the chapter takes me so look forward to that! Also, the rest of the gang are here! I was thinking about writing them out entirely because the cast of characters was large enough already, but they actually have a small role to play in the upcoming chapters, so they're here to stay for a while.

Hope you enjoyed this chapter and I will see you all next week!

Az-Bebere: I guess this chapter answers what happened to Professor Hawkins and we'll be getting to Snape and his many, many secrets. And no, the Spirit of the Ring and the Orichalcos is probably a bad combination, but luckily for the characters here, Dartz was not aiming for him. It's interesting to me in the show that they wrote him out of Season 4, not even taking note of the piece that's been wandering around in the Puzzle since Season 2 only to remember it next Season. My running theory is that, since canonically, the Spirit was meant to be a mix of the Thief King and Zorc, Dartz was probably staying well away from that mess. Considering he makes a throw-away reference to it during the very long duel, I theorise that Dartz was actually a bit scared of the demon (why else would they make Zorc the final antagonist, rather than the Leviathan if it is so much more powerful? Why not attack with the Creator of Light if it is too powerful for the Gods to defeat? I know the answer is most like 'they hadn't thought of it yet' but these are questions I am going to tackle here). As for Umbridge, she shall get her comeuppance very, very soon.

Maatkare of Egypt: I see you have dropped by at a convenient time XD Thank you and I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and Alyssa may join us again. Maybe, although unfortunately she isn't a main character or focus but an idea that was running around my head and I was playing with including. In the end, in she came.