Chapter Eleven
Akeno groaned and rolled her eyes. "I told you not to trash Ra!"
"Keep quiet!" Bakura growled.
"No! Who in their right mind throws away a god? A GOD!"
"Shut up!" shouted both Bakura and Marik.
She huffed and crossed her arms. Hell, give me a deck of cards and I could do better than them! And I don't even know how to play!
"Now you'll learn the secrets of my Egyptian God card the hard way. Prepare yourself! For once I resurrect the Winged Dragon of Ra, you'll be engulfed in complete darkness! So now I activate Monster Reborn. You're finished! Time to bring back the card you took from me!"
A column of flame shot from Bakura's duel disk and shot into the air, taking him by surprise and allowing a scream to escape him. Akeno uttered a gasp as Ra faced them, now as an enemy.
"Calm down, you fool. The monster's attack strength is still zero," Marik reassured. "Plus his Vengeful Bog card is still in play which means he can't attack now anyway."
"I'm afraid you're mistaken," Malik jeered. "I told you, you don't know all the secrets of Ra! Prepare to witness instant attack but that's not all of the Winged Dragon's secret power."
Akeno furrowed her brows as Malik started disappearing while purple smoke rose from his body. What's happening to him?
"There's also its point to point transfer ability," Malik said calmly.
"What's point to point transfer?" Bakura asked. "And why is your body disappearing into the Shadows?"
Is that what's happening? Well… that's good.
"I'm giving my life points to Ra in order to increase its attack strength," Malik explained.
Or…not.
"But don't worry," Malik taunted. "I'll keep one life point to make sure I don't lose. Now watch as my Egyptian God grows stronger!"
After all but a single eye and hand of Malik was left, Akeno saw that the rest of him had reappeared and bonded with Ra. Holy-
"This can't be happening to me!" Bakura said stunned.
No way! He isn't giving up now!
"Oh, but it can!"
She rushed over to him. Bakura was completely unaware of her- he only stared in horror at the dragon.
"Snap out of it! Can't you pull something out of your ass?!" Akeno shouted.
"There's nothing I can do!" he said, momentarily forgetting to yell at her for moving.
Suddenly, Bakura grabbed her and pulled her against him. She blushed madly. What the hell?!
"W-what are you doing?"
"I'm taking you with me," Bakura hissed.
"What!?" she exclaimed.
He's not hugging me- he's using me as a shield!
Because of the gaps in his body, Akeno was able to struggle free by sliding through where his stomach would be. Gah! I never want to do that again!
"Fool!" Bakura growled and made to come after her but stopped as Malik spoke.
"Winged Dragon of Ra, let us attack now!"
The Winged Dragon unleashed a great blast of flames and raw power towards them. They could do nothing but watch in terror.
"First we'll destroy your monsters," Malik jeered.
Each burst into pieces on contact.
"But that's not all!" Malik continued. "For now its Marik's turn to disappear into the Shadows!"
Marik's scream was muted out by the power of Ra's blast and was engulfed by the darkness. Akeno dropped to her knees.
"Get ready to enter the darkness at the hands of Ra!" Malik laughed at Bakura.
Bakura turned from Akeno and smirked as his body started fading. "Don't you realize that I am the darkness?"
Malik chuckled. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"It's quite simple. It means I cannot be destroyed," Bakura replied in a low tone. "You haven't seen the last of me."
Bakura's insane laughter rang through Akeno's ears even after his body was gone. The Millennium Ring was all that was left and fell to the platform floor with a clang. Pain sprang into her chest immediately and she winced as it steadily grew worse. Akeno was frozen to the spot and watched as Ra disappeared and Malik's body came back into one piece. Why am I not joining them?! Not that I'm anxious to, just that being the odd duck out isn't always good-not when you're alone with a psychopath! Well, a psychopath who DOESN'T need you alive! Her breathing was harsh and uneven as Malik approached her, a smirk plastered on his face. Only now did she wish Bakura was here, or anyone so that she wasn't alone with this creep!
"Look what's left of your pitiful master," he said, nudging the Ring with his foot.
Had her throat not closed up, she'd have said that Bakura wasn't her master and wasn't nearly as pitiful as someone like him, though perhaps she'd have just said the last part in her head…
He laughed causing her blood to go cold. "Why don't you keep it as a reminder of what I can do to those who defy me," Malik grinned. "Put it on."
She went pale, remembering what it had done to her in the cemetery. She eyed the spikes nervously.
Malik growled, impatiently. "If you won't listen then I can force you to obey me with my Millennium Rod!"
He pointed it at her and Akeno's eyes went wide. "Okay!" she managed to squeak out and carefully pick up the Ring. With a gulp, she placed it around her neck and hesitantly let it rest on her stomach. Nothing happened.
"A wise decision," Malik said smirking. "I'm sure your former master would be impressed at how easily I can control you. I'd like to see his face knowing that his wench is now in my possession."
Wait… he isn't serious, is he?
"What do you mean?!" Akeno exclaimed. "I-I'm just nobody, a tagalong; I have no problems with you at all! Besides, I'm completely useless! What could you possibly want with me?!" she asked not entirely wanting to know the answer.
Malik laughed as he lifted the veil of the Shadow Realm. "You'll find out soon enough, my dear."
"Malik!" shouted a deep voice.
Akeno turned to see Yugi standing below them. Oh my God, I'm saved!
"So, how long have you been here?" Malik asked, sounding uninterested.
Yugi looked at Akeno briefly then searched the platform. "Tell me what you did with Bakura."
"If you mean the Spirit of the Millennium Ring, you tell me where one goes after losing a Shadow Game."
"No," Yugi gasped.
"Don't be so surprised, pharaoh," Malik said. "It won't be long before you join him in the Shadow Realm!"
He turned his back on Yugi and gestured for Akeno to move. She stayed where she was- as if she'd freely walk away from the one person that could save her from this freak!
"Yugi, help!" she cried as Malik roughly grabbed her by the arm.
"Malik! Let her go!" Yugi shouted.
Malik sneered. "She is no concern of yours, pharaoh. You should be focusing on our upcoming duel and how badly I will destroy you!"
Akeno winced again from the pain in her chest. "Akeno, hold on!"
She looked up to see Tea standing a bit behind Yugi- she must've thought it was Malik's grip on her arm causing her pain.
"Akeno's been through enough!" Yugi or rather, the pharaoh growled. "She has no part in this so release her!"
Malik grinned. "If you want her freedom then you'll have to defeat me in our duel! In the meantime," he started raising his Millennium Rod. "…she'll act as my slave!"
Akeno screamed as the Rod started to glow. Oh hell not again! Fear gripped her and numbed her chest and mind to the point where she couldn't breathe. Then a strange feeling swept over her and her mind went blank. She couldn't think but still words were going through her head. They weren't her words though… were they?
I must serve Master Malik… I must obey him…I must obey… I must... Akeno. Can you hear me? I must... I have to get rid of the darkness in me... Akeno? … I have to…
"Akeno!" she heard Tea cry. She snapped back into reality.
Suddenly, Malik released her and stepped back as a glow brighter than his Rod's rippled past him.
"Gah! What's happening?" Malik cried.
She shut her eyes tight.
"Akeno, what are you doing?" Tea asked, sounding worried.
She opened her eyes. The light was coming from her! It was driving away Malik's shadow magic and freeing her mind! How am I doing this?! The light subsided and left a very confused Akeno standing awkwardly as Malik, Yugi and Tea stared at her strangely.
"What happened?" Akeno asked though by their faces, they had no idea.
Malik was the first to recover from shock. This mere girl was able to overthrow his hold on her but how?! He sneered at her. Keeping her around could jeopardize his plans of crushing the pharaoh- he had to get rid of her! If he couldn't control her, he thought, smirking, he could simply banish her to the Shadows!
"Give your master my regards, wench!" Malik laughed as he activated his Millennium Rod.
"No, Akeno!" she heard Yugi cry.
Darkness closed in around her before she could even register what was happening or scream.
AN: Let me know what you think! I'll explain the last bit in the next chapter. Thanks to everyone that reviewed the previous chapters, it really means alot!