Notes: Thanks to ThickerThanLove, Mega M, and Animegamefanatic for plot help!

Chapter Six

For a few minutes, everyone was too in shock to think or move or do anything. Yugi was still laying motionless in Atem's arms, while Umbra remained on the floor; Lumis certainly didn't have the strength to lift him.

The small man was still kneeling at his friend's side, shaking, certain all hope was lost. But the more he thought about it, the more the frantic desperation took hold of his heart. There was a way right here to save Umbra! He couldn't give up on it that easily! Yugi had sacrificed himself to save Lector and Nesbitt. He wouldn't want Lumis and Umbra to suffer either.

Joey was starting to snap to now as well. "Alright!" he cried. "Where's that tiara?! We've gotta use it to get Yugi back!"

Téa looked up, trembling. She wanted to use it for Yugi so badly. But . . . what kinds of prices would it offer for his life? Were they prices that could be paid? Prices Yugi would want to be paid? And what about Lumis and Umbra? They couldn't just ignore that problem either. Yami Marik really had left them in a devastating situation where not all of them could win.

Lumis was getting to his feet. "Yugi isn't the only one in trouble here!" he spat at Joey. "You were just defending Umbra telling of how he protected your sister. Does that suddenly mean nothing now that someone you care about much more is also hurt?!"

Joey froze. "Oh man. . . ." He looked to the tiara in despair. "Is there really only one slot?!"

"There is only one," Para confirmed. "The other two lights are lit."

"You must choose the life you feel is more fit," Dox added. He placed the tiara on the glass counter and stood next to it.

"But that's not fair!" Joey exclaimed. "How are we supposed to do that?!"

Tristan clenched his teeth. He couldn't deny that he felt Yugi's life was more "fit," and if everyone was honest with themselves, he was sure they would all acknowledge the same thing. Yugi was innocent and had brought so much cheer to them all. Umbra was a criminal and had only just been starting to head back on the path to redemption.

But . . .

Yugi would want them to save Umbra. He would never want to be brought back at the cost of someone else's life. And . . . well, maybe Lumis needed Umbra more than they needed Yugi, at least in the respect that Lumis really had no one else. But even though they all had each other, that didn't take away that they needed Yugi too. All of their loved ones were important. Without Yugi, there would always be a gaping hole in their lives.

"There has to be a way to save both of them," Téa choked out. "We can't make a choice like this! It's not right!"

"When is death ever right, or fair?" Yami Bakura growled. "It just is."

Bakura averted his gaze. They both knew that, all too well. All his tentative hopes had plummeted upon learning that the tiara only had one slot left. And now, with all of the Hell Yami Marik had put upon them, of course he knew there was no hope at all to get either his mother or Amane back. Yami Bakura had a point anyway; Bakura wouldn't have wanted to separate them and only bring back one. But it still hurt so much, and now to be faced with this new horror of losing Yugi. . . . Bakura clenched a fist.

Seto looked to the Paradox Brothers. He was still reeling, not fully able to grasp what had happened or that of all people, Yugi was laying dead in Atem's arms. They had been through so much together . . . even though he now knew that his rivalry was with Atem and not Yugi. . . . Yugi was still important too, and someone Seto had acknowledged was a friend. . . .

"There isn't some other item that could fix this?" he asked. "What about the dragon? You said it controls all the others. Couldn't it override the 'only three' rule?"

"Many have tried, but all have failed," Para said.

"Against the tiara, they all have railed," said Dox.

Serenity blinked back tears, but more only came. "This is horrible," she choked out.

Duke drew an arm around her shoulders. It was, and they all knew it. He didn't know what the right thing to do was . . . but he couldn't deny that he probably understood Lumis's feelings the most, considering his own heart-rending past of trying and failing to deal with David's death. He wondered, as Mokuba did, why he hadn't ever heard of the crane tiara before. It was lucky he hadn't, he supposed, because in his state back then, he wouldn't have been above trying to steal it himself in order to use it.

Lumis looked up at the Brothers. "I want the tiara," he half-pleaded. "I don't care what price I have to pay to get Umbra back!"

Joey looked to him with a jerk. "And you don't care that Yugi would be dying in his place either, do you?!" he cried.

"Yugi would want me to save Umbra!" Lumis shot back. "You know that as well as I do!"

"That doesn't mean you've got the right to be so callous about a kid dying!" Joey snarled.

"You don't know how I'm feeling right now!" Lumis retorted.

"I know enough!" Joey grabbed Lumis off the floor by his shirt.

"Stop!" Téa wailed. "Yugi wouldn't want us fighting either!"

Joey loosened his grip but didn't let go. "I know," he relented, "and I know I shouldn't be taking out my anger on Lumis, but . . ." He clenched his teeth.

"I get you loud and clear, man," Tristan said. "Yugi's the one who deserves to be brought back, even if he himself would tell us to get Umbra instead. And he would; we all know that."

Lumis squirmed out of Joey's grip and ran to the counter, grabbing the tiara. The Paradox Brothers stood by, but didn't stop him. Lumis glowered at them, Joey, Tristan, and anyone else whom he thought might try to take his prize as he ran back to Umbra's lifeless body. "I'm going to use this," he insisted.

Joey slammed his fist into the wall. "You punk!" But he didn't try to stop the little man. It felt like a hopeless situation. Yugi would indeed tell them to revive Umbra instead of him, even though Yugi had so many who loved him and Umbra really only had Lumis. Or maybe especially because of that. . . .

The doors suddenly opened and admitted one more person. "What's going on in here?!" Vivian demanded. "I've been looking all over for you, Darling, but I wasn't able to find you!" She shot an accusatory look at Lector.

"I told you that there was only last night's dinner, Miss Wong," Lector snapped, for once not even caring how he sounded. He was completely on edge after the horrendous events. She was the last thing he needed right now.

Vivian was already taking in the scene around them. "What happened to Yugi?!" she screamed. "Is he dead?! Why aren't you using the tiara to bring him back?!" She had immediately noticed the magical object in Lumis's hands, as well as the fox whip on the floor. Where they had found the missing items could wait; she only cared about the immediate problem.

"It's not that simple," Mai told her. "There are two people dead and . . ."

"It is that simple!" Vivian ran forward without another thought and flew through the air with a kung fu move that knocked Lumis to the floor and sent the crane tiara flying. She caught it in her hand and landed on her feet on the floor. "Yugi is the one who deserves this, not these two disgusting criminals!"

Duke stepped forward, angry now. "Former criminals," he snapped, "and they don't deserve what's happened either. We don't know how we're going to save both Yugi and Umbra, but we also don't know how we can tell Lumis he can't use the tiara on his best friend." He knelt down next to the stunned man and tried to help him sit up.

Lumis groaned. The wind had been knocked completely out of him. "I'm . . . going to sue you," he rasped at Vivian.

"The judge and jury will all side with me!" Vivian haughtily told him. "They'll all recognize that I'm only defending the innocent!"

"Oh, you're a real piece of work," Nesbitt snarled. "Did you care about Yugi's innocence when you wanted to force him to be your love slave?!"

"None of you really love Yugi or you'd be using the tiara on him!" Vivian screamed.

Atem snapped to, gently laying Yugi on the floor before getting to his feet. "That's enough!" he boomed. "You don't know the first thing about love or you wouldn't have barged into our lives with your outrageous behavior to begin with!" He reached out, snatching the tiara away from her. "You're not wanted here. Now get out, before Duke calls the police on you for trespassing!"

Vivian just stared at him in shock for a long moment. Then, sputtering, she pointed first at the tiara and then at the whip. "W-Wait!" she exclaimed. "I have a mission to take those back to China!"

"You are too late," Para said.

"It is we who now have that fate," Dox said.

"We will go as soon as they decide," Para continued.

"Who should come back and who in the spirit world should reside," Dox finished.

Atem clenched his teeth. Now the tiara was in his hands. He could choose to save Yugi, which was of course what he wanted more than anything. Almost everyone there felt the same way, even if they figured they couldn't get what they wanted and take that chance away from Lumis.

Atem looked over at Lumis. He had seen how the little man had completely shut down without Umbra there. It had happened in Battle City, and if this situation didn't have a happier outcome, it would probably happen here too, and be far worse than back then.

He frowned. Lumis really depended on Umbra too much. Maybe it would be good for him to learn to stand alone. . . .

No, that wasn't right. Atem was just trying to make excuses to get what he wanted. But Yugi would definitely tell them to use the tiara on Umbra. He was always unselfish like that. And maybe . . . maybe there would be some other way to save Yugi. There had to be; if Atem thought there really was no hope, he wasn't sure he could get by much better than Lumis. It wasn't co-dependency, but simply love. Atem and the others needed Yugi because they loved him, not the other way around.

He took a shaking breath. "Here, Lumis," he said, holding the tiara out to him.

Lumis was still laying on the floor, but now he struggled to sit up, staring at both Atem and the tiara in awe. "You're really going to let me use it?" He reached for it with shaking hands.

"How can you?!" Vivian cried. "He doesn't deserve it! Neither does his friend!"

"That isn't for any of us to say," Atem replied, his voice taut. "Yes, Lumis. You can use it." He set it in the man's trembling hands.

Joey stared at him. "Atem. . . ."

"We all know it's what Yugi would want," Atem said. Even knowing that, though, it felt so hollow. He had to shut his eyes tightly. It wasn't what he wanted. And yet he didn't want Lumis to suffer either. . . .

He cursed Yami Marik in his mind. None of this should be happening!

Lumis cradled the tiara almost reverently and protectively and looked down at Umbra's lifeless body. It still felt like a nightmare, really. His chest should be moving . . . but it wasn't. His heart should be beating . . . but it wasn't. Lumis turned away to hide the grief-stricken tears slipping from his eyes.

He could really bring Umbra back now, if that woman didn't interfere again. He would be willing to pay any of the prices offered, he was sure. He wasn't a saint. He was trying to do better in his life, but he had always been a wild card and always would be. And all he wanted was his best friend back, no matter what he had to do to have that.

But . . . after everything . . . could he really be so cold and callous about Yugi not having a chance to get back? All of his loved ones here were so devastated . . . and he was just an innocent boy, so different from Lumis's troubled upbringing. He didn't deserve this. But neither did Umbra. And even though Yugi's friends were trying to be strong enough to give up their chance to have him back, Lumis honestly didn't think he would be strong enough to do likewise and give them the tiara. Maybe he was just weak . . . or still a bad person . . . but he honestly didn't think he could go on without Umbra.

He slowly turned back to face everyone. He wasn't sure what he expected. Maybe for everyone to be regarding him with distaste and disgust, like Vivian was. But even though there were many conflicting emotions, understanding was most prevalent among them. Duke and David and the Big Five especially looked like they knew what he was going through.

"It's not a sin to love someone so deeply you don't know how to live without them," Gansley said quietly.

Lector nodded. "Without Nesbitt, I know I would never feel alive again," he said. "I was so terrified he was going to die today."

"But then it was Yugi instead," Lumis trembled. "I . . . I don't know what to do! I can't lose Umbra, but . . . to condemn that boy to a needless death . . . I don't know if I can do that either!"

". . . I wonder what would happen if I went back," Noa shakily spoke up.

All eyes turned back to him with varying mixtures of shock and horror.

"What do you mean?!" Mokuba cried.

"If I went back . . . would that free up another slot so both of them could come back?" Noa wondered. He looked away. "I . . . I know I probably don't really belong among the living, but they do. . . . Only I . . . I don't want to cause my mom any more pain. . . . I know she couldn't stand it if I . . ." He trailed off.

"We have never heard tell of anyone suggesting they go back," Para said.

"For courage, you most certainly do not lack," Dox said.

"You should stay here, Noa," Lector said quietly, laying a hand on the boy's shoulder. "You want to, and it's true, it would destroy your mother if she lost you again. You can't do that to her."

Noa shakily nodded and turned away, blinking back tears. "I know. . . . But I just wish there was something I could do! . . ."

Atem heaved a sigh. "Let's see what the prices are, Lumis. . . ." And what would they do if all the options were horrible? Would they have to keep Lumis from picking any of them? Would they have to trust that Lumis wouldn't pick any? . . . Would they have to accept that both Yugi and Umbra were gone for good?

Lumis finally nodded. "Show me what it would take to bring Umbra back," he rasped.

The tiara came to life, projecting three images in space. Everyone stared at what was being revealed. At first, it looked similar to what they had envisioned.

The first option looked like a violent hurricane out in the ocean. The waves raged and buoys and ships were caught up in the anger. Eventually the hurricane reached the coastline and swept over a town.

Marik flinched. "A lot of people would be hurt or killed in something like this," he said.

The second option appeared to be a drought. Crops in a field were failing and drooping low to the ground.

"That looks like the last thing we need right now," Crump couldn't help commenting.

Then the third scene really captured everyone's attention. Yugi and Umbra were both wandering through some sort of strange land, fighting off mythological beings and trying to help each other. One outcome, shown with a split-screen effect, depicted them both safely making it out and returning to their bodies. The other outcomes showed only one making it out, but neither of them reviving.

Téa gasped. "What's it trying to say?! I don't get it."

". . . It's a journey through the afterlife, or some other realm," Atem realized. "If they both pass the test, they will both be allowed back. But if one or both fail, both are lost."

"So there really is hope to save Yugi?!" Téa exclaimed.

Joey clenched a fist. "It looks like if Lumis picks that option, there's a chance to save both of them, but it's both or nothing," he said.

"So I might lose Umbra if I choose that option," Lumis said softly. "If I choose one of the disasters, getting him back will be a sure thing. But then there won't be any hope for Yugi. . . ."

"Oh man!" Joey punched the images in space. "Why can't anything be simple around here?!"

"You would really send Yugi into a dangerous obstacle course like that?!" Vivian exclaimed in indignation. "Just use the tiara for him and forget about the other guy!"

"Shut up!" Lumis snapped.

Atem couldn't deny that his heart was now swelling with hope. Any chance to have Yugi back was better than no chance, and this way there was a chance to save both. It was dangerous, but he had confidence Yugi would make it through and help Umbra do likewise. Still, when it was a gamble . . . could they really ask Lumis to pick that option?

Lumis clearly wasn't sure either. He turned away again as he clutched the tiara, gazing first at Umbra's body and then at Yugi's. Even if he picked one of the disasters, what might happen because of them? The hurricane especially—what if it hit Domino City? Still . . . choosing it or the drought would guarantee Umbra's return. There weren't guarantees with the third option.

But . . .

Yugi was the King of Games, wasn't he? Lumis always got confused on that part, whether it was Yugi or Atem who had really earned the title. But Yugi would surely be able to make it through whatever kind of obstacle course it was, and Umbra was no slouch either. He would also be capable of making it through, and Lumis was sure he really would. Then they would both be back.

What if they didn't want to do it, though? Well, Yugi no doubt would, but what if Umbra was angry that Lumis chose that option without asking him if he was willing to go through something like that to get back?

Not that Lumis had any way of asking him. . . .

He leaned over, gripping Umbra's lifeless hand. "You have to come back," he whispered fiercely. "I'm not going to let you go."

Drawing a shaking breath, he looked back up at the different options on the screens. "I . . . I'll choose the third one," he said, and prayed he wasn't making a terrible mistake.

Most of the others looked to each other in joy.

"Yugi will come back!" Téa exclaimed. "I know he will!"

"Yes." Atem managed a smile as he knelt and took up Yugi's body again. "They will both be back."

xxxx

Umbra had been badly shaken ever since he found himself in a strange white area devoid of anything. No matter how he called or yelled, no one answered him. He remembered something hitting his back, and Lumis staring at him in shock, and then he had collapsed and awakened here. What was this place?! Where was Lumis and everyone else?! Had he teleported to someplace else?

A flash of light burst forth and Yugi appeared, dropping down near him. He jumped back. "Yugi?! What's going on? What is this place?!"

Yugi shakily sat up. "Well . . ." He bit his lip. "I hate to have to tell you, Umbra, but . . . we're dead. . . ." He all but whispered the last part.

"WHAT?!" Umbra screamed. "No, we can't be dead! I can't be dead!" He ran his hands down his shirt, as though still trying to process that he wasn't mortal and solid any longer. He ran over to Yugi and gripped his shoulders. "Lumis won't be able to take it! I've got to get back!"

"Umbra . . ." Yugi's look turned even more sorrowful. But then he sighed and tried to smile. "You'll get back. I promise." He knew there was only one slot on the tiara, but he also knew that his friends would know he would want them to save Umbra. He didn't want to die either, but he had known what he was getting into by running out to save Lector and Nesbitt. He was resigned to his fate.

Umbra wasn't comforted. "How?!" he burst out.

"There's still the tiara, remember?" Yugi got to his feet. "Everything's going to be okay." In his heart, he prayed Yami Marik could be and had been defeated. If not, who knew how many others might join them here, making the situation even worse?! It was hard enough for the others to choose between two people, to say nothing of more.

Umbra fell silent as the full memory of what he knew about the tiara came back to him. "But . . . there's only space enough for one of us to get back," he said.

"I know." Yugi turned away. "And I know they'll make the right decision. They'll see that you're saved."

"But . . . how is that the right decision?!" Umbra shot back. "You're Yugi Muto, the King of Games! You have as many friends and loved ones as you do because you deserve it! I'm . . . just an ex-Rare Hunter who made a mess out of his life. . . ."

"You're trying to fix your life," Yugi corrected. He turned back. "And you have someone who loves you so much, he won't be able to go on without you."

Umbra frowned. He knew more than Yugi that was true, but still. . . . "Your friends and family no doubt feel the same way about you," he said. "And this . . . this doesn't look like any kind of afterlife I've ever pictured. I can't just leave you in a place like this!"

"I'm sure it's not permanent," Yugi said, and prayed he was right. "This is probably just some kind of a . . . holding area, maybe, until a decision is made about the tiara."

"Maybe," Umbra said doubtfully.

A light shone in front of them and they froze. Had someone else been killed now?!

Yugi gasped as the light took on the form of a person. "Shadi?!"

Umbra looked from Shadi to Yugi with a jerk. "You know him?!"

"Yeah," Yugi stammered, "but I didn't think he would have anything to do with the Chinese magical items. . . ."

"I do not," Shadi agreed. "But I certainly have a great deal to do with you, Yugi Muto, and everyone you come in contact with." He looked from Yugi to Umbra and back again. "Lumis has chosen to try to save both of you."

"What?!" Umbra stared. "But there's not supposed to be a way to do that!"

"There is one way," Shadi said. "The both of you must take a dangerous journey to return to the mortal realm. But you must both come through this journey, and there is a time limit of six hours."

Yugi stared. "Oh wow."

Umbra stared too. "Lumis talked about journeying through the afterlife in various mythologies," he said. "That kind of thing really happens?!"

"This wouldn't be the afterlife, per se," Shadi said, "but it is a similar type of journey through an in-between place. Are you both willing to take it?"

"If it means both of us getting back, of course I am," Yugi declared.

Umbra still looked worried. "I don't know anything about this kind of thing," he objected. "I'll probably slow you down and we'll both lose."

Yugi smiled. "I won't let that happen."

Umbra sighed. "Well, if you're sure. . . ."

"We both have to take the journey anyway for it to work," Yugi said. "And I know you're stronger than you think you are. We're going to make it through!"

At last Umbra nodded. "Okay. I'll do it."

Shadi's expression never changed, but the scenery around them began to fade from white nothingness to the edge of a tropical forest. "Very well. Your six hours begin now."

"How will we keep track of the time passage?" Yugi asked.

Shadi handed him a watch and chain. "This is from the guardian of the Chinese items." And with that, he was gone.

". . . Does he always do that?" Umbra gaped.

"Sometimes," Yugi chuckled. "He's not too sociable." He put the watch in his pocket. "Okay. Ready to do this?"

Umbra grunted. "No, but I'm going to anyway."

"Good," Yugi smiled. "Then let's go!"

They started into the forest.