Out of the Darkness: Dark Side of Dimensions

Chapter 7

Draw Back the Veil of Darkness, and Evil Emerges

Jounouchi was out of danger, but Yugi, Aigami, and Kaiba were not. Yami Yugi was unaffected by the darkness, but he still looked worried. It was clear now that this was a Shadow Game. It wasn't a very sophisticated game so far; there were only monsters attacking them sporadically, but Yugi felt an impending sense of dread. Was there a greater plan? Could the monsters be chasing them to a specific spot? Were they running towards a trap?

A monster attack hit spots right in front of their path, forcing the three of them to stop. Aigami pushed Kaiba back onto Yugi, who reluctantly took his burden back.

"Yugi-san, you need to run. I will hold off the monsters."

"Aigami-kun, it's dangerous! Jounouchi-kun is somewhere out there in this darkness, and if you leave too, we will all be separated!" Yugi protested.

Aigami patted his arm with a smile. "Don't worry about it. You focus on getting yourself and Kaiba Seto to safety. Be brave, Chosen one. You are the Vessel of the Pharaoh, you are stronger than this."

Yugi squared his shoulders. "Be safe, Aigami-kun. You have to survive."

Aigami nodded. "I will. I have spent my life serving a greater purpose and abstract goals but now, all I want to do is to live a peaceful, quiet life. When this is over, I will find my sister and my other siblings, and we will go on vacation together." He spoke gently, his gaze wandering off past the darkness they were now trapped in, towards a paradise only he could see.

The thundering explosions were getting closer again. Aigami took a deep breath and willed a portal to another dimension to appear. Surprisingly, one did, and Aigami gently pushed Yugi towards it.

"This will help you escape! Go quickly!" Aigami said.

Yugi shouted at the sky. "Curse of Dragon!" The yellow dragon appeared, and Yugi clambered on after he pushed Kaiba's unconscious body onto its back. Yugi looked back just once, at Aigami before flying off.

Aigami was calm. The monsters were even more now, a terrifying cacophony of monster screams and carnage shrouded in darkness. Aigami could feel the dirt and dust flying everywhere, cutting into his skin. But he was calm, at peace even.

He summoned all his strength, all of his life force, and summoned all the monsters he could. He felt his body go light, and then limp, and then gently sink into the darkness. He felt his strength leave him.

He smiled and closed his eyes.


Yugi found himself in darkness, but it was a specific kind of darkness. The one lit by torchlight, and its flickering flames drew dancing shadows across moldy, damp, stone walls. It was not a dungeon, but it felt like one. Yugi looked around at the carvings on the wall. It was a tomb.

Yugi tried to sit up, but he could not. His hands and feet were bound to the stone underneath him. He wrenched from side to side and tried to pull his limbs out, but the chains held. To his right was another stone tablet, where Kaiba was lying unconscious. He was also chained up. Yugi realized the chains on Kaiba led to the ones on his own limbs.

There was a third person in the tomb with them. The person wore a cloak, and they were hunched over another stone tablet, studying its carvings. The torchlight and shadows danced their tango across the cloak's smooth fabric, and then the deep ridges on the person's face.

"Akhenaten," Yugi said.

He turned to him and lowered his hood. His hair was long enough to touch the floor, and it was a ghostly silver that reflected the light just enough for the shadows in his hair to look razor-sharp, like each of them was cut by a blade.

"Muto Yugi," Akhenaten greeted. "The vessel of the Nameless Pharaoh."

"He's not nameless anymore. His name has been returned to him, and he has gone on to the afterlife. You should be there too, Akhenaten. Why are you here?" Yugi asked.

"So many statements. So many questions. His name has been returned to him? What is his name? What makes up a name, and why is it that even though his name has been returned to him, he is incomplete?"

Before Yugi could ask him to clarify, Akhenaten leaned down towards him, until Yugi could see the darkness where the Millennium Eye used to be. "Muto Yugi, you ask why I am here? The better question is why are you here? Where are you?"

"I don't know where we are, but I know I need to get out of here," Yugi replied. "Let me go, Akhenaten. I need to take Kaiba-kun back to the real world."

Akhenaten walked towards the second stone tablet. "Yes, Kaiba Seto. The reincarnation of my estranged son. The one who should have been Pharaoh if it weren't for my own shortcomings and failings in life. I have failed you Seto, as a father."

"Atem was the Pharaoh, but even if he wasn't and Seto was the Pharaoh, it's been thousands of years now. You should let go and move on, Akhenaten."

"What a naïve and childish statement to say. If it were so easy, why would I not be resting? Why instead, am I haunted by the past? By all my regrets? By this darkness within me? Tell me Muto Yugi, what would you do?"

Akhenaten gently cradled Yugi's face between his two palms and looked deep into his eyes. "If there was someone who you cared for more than anyone else in the world, and that someone's destiny was cruelly ripped from him, and the world had done him so many wrongs and injustices, wouldn't you do everything in your power to help him? Wouldn't you, Vessel of the Nameless Pharaoh?"

Akhenaten leaned back, and the ritual tablet lit up with golden light. "I know you understand me, Muto Yugi. So don't blame me for what I'm about to do. We both know you would do the same."


Anzu lasted two days of going about her normal life, pretending everything was fine, until one day she woke up and suddenly couldn't. Her stress and anxiety were through the roof at this point, and she knew if she had to go out and smile at people one more time she would snap, so she called Honda.

He told her to come over and bring some clothes. She could stay with him until Yugi and Jounouchi returned. Shizuka was there too, he said. They started dating a few months ago, after Shizuka was finally old enough for Jounouchi to approve. Shizuka moved in quickly with him, which meant Jounouchi dropped by often too. Honda was perfectly happy to host his best friend anytime, especially since Jounouchi didn't stay overnight and made sure to give the couple plenty of alone time and space.

When Anzu arrived, Shizuka was there to open the door with a smile, and Anzu couldn't help but smile too.

"We washed the sheets in the guest room for you, and I cleaned the bathroom so you would have room to put your things. If you need anything, let me know!" Shizuka had a massive growth spurt after Atem left, and she was now as tall as Jounouchi without heels. It wasn't just her height that had grown, however. Her body had filled in too, and now she had a very womanly, voluptuous curvy figure that made men stare at her constantly whenever they went out. Honda and Jounouchi were very protective when she went out, but these new changes in her body did not change her personality. She was still the warm, open, bubbly person she always was, with the same unending optimistic spirit as her brother.

Anzu watched Shizuka lean down, revealing her immense cleavage, before she straightened up, Anzu's overnight bag in her hands. Shizuka cheerfully led her inside.

"Where's Honda-kun?" Anzu asked.

"He's getting some groceries for dinner," Shizuka replied. "He thought we should eat at home, even though I tried to convince him that we should go out to eat! We could all use the distraction. Hiroto said you wouldn't want to go out though."

"Honda-kun is right. I've been out and about the last few days and it hasn't distracted me at all. I'm really tired," Anzu confessed. "I haven't been sleeping either. I just want to stay home."

"Okay," Shizuka nodded sympathetically. "This will be over soon, Anzu-chan. My brother will definitely be fine!"

"I know. I believe in them. I know Yugi and Jounouchi will be fine. I just can't help but worry," Anzu sighed. She dropped her bags on the floor.

The front door opened again and they could hear someone's footsteps. "I'm home! I didn't want to cook, but I found some sushi." Honda walked in, triumphantly holding a few grocery bags. Shizuka skipped out to hug him and give him a kiss.

"Oh, Anzu, you're already here?"

"Yes. Thanks for letting me stay over," she answered.

"You don't need to say anything. We're the kind of friends who don't need to say polite or courteous words like that. You can stay over as long as you like," Honda said. "Honestly, we should have done this from the beginning. Those two being out there…it's driving me crazy."

Honda sat down in a chair and Anzu sat down too, both of them lost in their own thoughts. Shizuka put the groceries away and then pulled out beers for everyone. They drank silently for a few moments.

"It is hard, huh? It never gets easier," Honda said darkly. "It feels like we're always being left behind."

"You said there wasn't enough shuttles for everyone right?" Shizuka asked.

Honda shook his head. "That wasn't what I meant."

Anzu knew what he meant. It was the same memory that had been haunting her since the boys left.

It was after Duelist Kingdom when Honda and Anzu started talking seriously about learning how to play Duel Monsters. They studied together, practiced together. It was supposed to be a surprise. They wanted to learn how to play not just casually like they had done between friends, but to play seriously and become duelists, and fight alongside their friends. As Battle City started, it was clear that this game meant far more than just a card game and was far more dangerous. They wanted to not be left out.

One day, it was just the three of them after school: Honda, Anzu, and Yugi. Jounouchi had left early to see his sister. Honda wanted to surprise Jounouchi the most and beat him in a card game out of the blue. They decided to talk to Yugi.

"Oi Yugi, do you think you can teach us how to be duelists? Anzu and I want to learn." Honda said as he tapped Yugi on the shoulder.

But that afternoon, it wasn't Yugi but the Pharaoh, the Other Yugi turned around to look at them. Honda immediately got nervous.

"Oh, you're not Yugi…" Honda murmured.

"Honda, you want to learn Duel Monsters?" Atem asked. He gave them a scary look.

"And me too," Anzu said. She stepped forward to talk for them. "We want to become duelists and fight with all of you. We're friends, aren't we? It's scary to watch you and Jounouchi-kun go out and fight while we can only watch on the sidelines."

"Yugi, you can teach us, right?" Anzu asked. Anzu had been so sure Yugi would be supportive, but suddenly, that certainty was gone.

Atem stared at them for a few minutes, and then sighed. "You two can learn Duel Monsters, but you won't become duelists like Jounouchi and I. It's not possible."

"Why not?" Honda asked.

"You do not have…that power. The spirit of a duelist," Atem answered.

"What does that mean? Like the heart of the cards? Or being connected to the cards and the monsters?" Honda was getting frustrated.

"You two can play casually, but neither of you should become duelists in the same way. You lack the power and the spirit to fight. What I do, what we do – the fights we get involved in, they are too dangerous. There are already too many people involved in Shadow Games," Atem explained. "If possible, I would keep all of you from them, but I can't. Jounouchi and Kaiba are strong enough for me to not worry about them, but I cannot allow either of you to try and participate. It would be overwhelming for you."

"What strength are you talking about? What power? Is it just magic?" Honda argued. "Is it because we aren't good duelists yet? Kaiba I can understand, but Jounouchi isn't that good yet. Why can't Anzu and I learn as well?"

Atem shook his head. "It is impossible. Play casually as much as you want, but both of you will not become duelists. I forbid it," Atem commanded.

Neither of them knew what to say after that. They never brought it up again.

"Are you worried, Shizuka-chan?" Anzu asked, to change topics.

Shizuka shrugged. "I'm worried, but I also believe in my brother. He will definitely win and come back to us safely. My brother is my hero, he can do anything."

"That's nice," Anzu sighed. "To be so confident."

Shizuka patted her hand. "It's okay Anzu-chan. It's understandable for you to worry so much, since Yugi is your boyfriend."

Anzu quickly waved her hands. "No, he's not my boyfriend! You're wrong. We're just best friends."

"What? I thought you two were together this whole time. Or you two had crushes on each other."

"That was a long time ago when we were kids! We're adults now! We're better off as friends," Anzu said.

She had asked, after Atem had left, after they had given themselves time to heal, if there was still a chance for them, but she already knew the answer. It had been puppy love that never got to grow past that. They had fallen in love with other people.

"A good friendship is just as important as a good lover," Shizuka said wisely.

Anzu had watched the person she fell in love with love someone else.

"I agree," Anzu said.

"Although, that makes me wonder…" Shizuka began and then paused.

"What?" Honda asked.

She shook her head. "Never mind. We can talk about it later! Let's eat lunch!" Shizuka opened up the box of sushi and picked up her chopsticks to have a taste.

There was a horrendous rumbling and the sound of electricity tearing through the air. When they looked up, there was a tear in the fabric of the universe, and through that makeshift portal they could see a terrible, unending darkness, and Atem, holding the universe apart, staring at them with wide, terrified eyes.

"I need your help," he said.


It was the fastest meal Anzu had ever eaten. She had never eaten so much sushi so quickly. She felt like she just participated in an eating contest. Honda didn't even bother with soy sauce, he had downed them all in one bite.

Anzu could see Kaiba hanging off of Atem's back, but he looked wrong, almost translucent. There was a ghostly quality to him and it was making her skin crawl. Shizuka was also eating as fast as she could quietly, although she couldn't help stealing glances at Atem, wide-eyed with wonder. She had been a child when Atem was around, and the gang went on their crazy adventures after all. It was different when you were an adult.

Atem quietly waited for them to finish their lunch, but it was clear he was agitated and impatient. He was fidgeting the entire time, looking around but seeing nothing. He stared only at Honda's apartment though, as if unwilling to look into the darkness that stretched endlessly behind him.

"Should I pack any supplies? Clothes? Food or medicine?" Honda asked.

"Wear comfortable clothes, but you won't need food or medicine. It won't be any use here," Atem replied ominously.

Anzu put on a jacket and both Honda and Shizuka changed. But when the three of them were standing in front of the portal, Atem was staring at Shizuka.

"You're not coming with us," Atem said rudely.

"She's not a kid anymore, Atem, she's an adult. And my girlfriend," Honda interjected. "If she wants to come, she has the right to. No one wants to be left behind."

"All the more reason for her to stay behind. This is a dangerous place," Atem insisted. "I can't protect all of you." It was a funny image in hindsight, to watch Atem saying who he could or could not protect when he only came up to Shizuka's chest.

"I do not need you to protect me, and I don't need you to worry about me," Shizuka said quietly. "Why would you tell me to stay behind anyway, if Anzu-chan is coming? Aren't you worried about her safety?"

Atem's brow furrowed in confusion. "I need the help of my friends," He insisted. Anzu and Honda both cringed.

"Shizuka-chan is a friend too, and if she wants to come, she can come. We can all go. Jounouchi-kun is in there," Anzu added.

"That's right, I want to find my brother," Shizuka said.

Atem sighed and stepped aside for the three of them to enter. Then he let go of the portal and all the world collapsed into darkness. Suddenly, Anzu was extremely aware of the danger she was in now.

"Take him," Atem ordered Honda before shoving Kaiba onto Honda's back. Honda took the sudden request gracefully.

"What do you need our help with?" Anzu asked.

Atem looked more agitated now. "I didn't want to bring anyone into this, but I had no choice. I have to find Aibou."

"Yugi? Is he lost?" Anzu asked.

"And where is this? You're dead right? Is this the afterlife?" Honda asked.

"Close. This is the space between the realm of the living and the afterlife," Atem explained. "I was pulled from the afterlife by the appearance of Kaiba. I don't have time to explain but his soul is split now and the rest of him is with Aibou. I have to find Aibou but I cannot cross the boundary between the living and the dead."

Atem looked at the others. "This is why I need you three. I cannot find the way in this darkness, but if you three focus on your memories of Yugi, you may be able to lead us there."

"So, are we on the side of the living? Or are we on the side of the dead?" Honda asked.

"The dead, but you don't belong here, so it should be easy to go to the other side."

The three living friends looked skeptically at each other. "I guess we'll give it a try." They closed their eyes. Anzu reached out and grabbed Shizuka and Honda's hands.

"Concentrate on Yugi and Jounouchi. We have to find them," Atem said. Anzu closed her eyes and focused on her breathing. She tried to not panic. She thought of her friends. She thought of Jounouchi's loud voice and his dogged determination. She thought of Yugi's warm smile, and his gentle, kind nature. She thought of what it was like to be with her friends every day. Somedays it was lighthearted, somedays it was scary, but she always felt so much stronger with them, like she could take on the world. Nothing was truly frightening when everyone was together.

"What are we looking for?" Honda asked.

"An instinctive pull, a sixth sense. Any kind of intuition that would give you a direction to go towards," Atem answered.

Anzu tried imagining her friends. Then she tried to imagine a line. But there was nothing.

"Is there something more specific we can try?" Shizuka asked.

"And why is Kaiba unconscious? He is heavy," Honda complained.

"Focus. Only our thoughts can connect us with them," Atem snapped.

Anzu took a deep breath. She thought about Yugi again. What would he be thinking about? He'd be thinking about how to rescue Kaiba of course. She wondered what he and Jounouchi were doing. She wondered how Yugi felt about this whole situation. But there was a mental block.

"It's because you're here," Anzu said out loud. She kept her eyes closed but she was addressing Atem. "You went onto the afterlife, and now you're here in front of us again. If Yugi could only see you, he would be so happy."

"I want to see Aibou too," Atem whispered. "Please, Anzu, help me."

Then she felt it. A sudden urge, or maybe it was just a delusional thought in her head, but she suddenly wanted to start walking in a single direction. Anzu opened her eyes and tugged her friends forward.

"I think I know where to go," Anzu said.

"I think I do too," Honda said.

"Then let's go find my brother!" Shizuka added.


They traveled in silence, but Shizuka kept looking at Atem like she wanted to say something. As they walked, she quickened her pace until she was walking next to him.

"Um, what should we call you? The Pharaoh?" She asked.

Atem looked at her. "My name is fine."

"Ok, Atem-kun. Do you remember who I am?"

"You're Jounouchi's little sister. Shizuka."

Shizuka breathed a sigh of relief. "I'm glad you remember who I am. I was worried!"

"You grew a lot taller," Atem commented.

"Yeah, I did. Atem-kun, can I ask you some questions?" Atem nodded in response.

"Um, what's the afterlife like?"

"…peaceful."

"What does it look like?"

"Water."

Shizuka looked dissatisfied with Atem's one-worded responses, but Anzu knew there was no point asking him to elaborate. Outside of duels, Atem spoke little.

"Can you see us from the Afterlife?" Anzu asked instead.

"I can sense things, or receive visions, but overall I see nothing," Atem responded.

"Yugi said in his duel with Aigami, your spirit went back into his body at the end. The two of you even talked. What did you two talk about?" Honda asked.

Atem looked confused. "I don't remember this. What did I look like?"

"We don't know. We were all unconscious by that point," Anzu said.

"I don't know if that was me," Atem said. "I don't know what's happening right now."

"That's not good," Honda groaned. "If you don't know, how are any of us supposed to know?"

"Let's just keep going," Anzu cut in. "I'm sure once we find everyone else, we'll get the answers we need. Then we can get out of here."

"Atem-kun? What was it like sharing a body with Yugi-kun?" Shizuka suddenly asked.

Atem seemed taken aback by the question. "It is…hard to explain."

"I always wondered how that worked. Were you two totally separate people with separate minds? Or did you share a mind as well as a body?"

Suddenly Anzu was burning with curiosity. She had never dared ask before either. Everyone just assumed Yugi was one person until suddenly, they weren't. Everyone just accepted it. She stared down at her feet as they kept walking, and waited for Atem's response.

"We shared a body and a mind. It was…at first I didn't think of myself as a different person either," Atem admitted. "Before, all I knew was darkness. There was only the maze inside the puzzle, and the darkness. I did not know my own name or my origin. I had no memories of my own. All I knew was that eternal darkness."

Atem seemed oblivious at how horrible his words sounded. "When Yugi released me from the puzzle," Atem continued. "all I knew was Yugi's name. His life, his memories, his thoughts. We were one person because I also thought of myself as Yugi. But eventually I realized I would have different feelings than him, feelings like anger, and vengeance. When he was afraid and wanted to run, I wanted to fight. So, I became his shadow, his protector."

"When we started talking to each other, that is when I became my own person, with my own identity. We still shared a body and mind however, so there were a lot of shared thoughts and feelings. It was impossible to separate the two of us. It was easier to go with the flow and do what we naturally felt like doing, instead of worrying about separate identities."

"That sounds incredibly intimate. You must know Yugi in a way that no one can ever know him. It must have been very hard to leave," Shizuka said.

Atem suddenly looked grieved and aged beyond his years. "It was time for me to go," Atem explained. "I could not continue affecting his life in such a way. My presence was holding him back."

"Bullshit," Honda muttered.

"You weren't a burden, Atem." Anzu suddenly felt like she needed to speak up for Yugi. "You know how much he cared about you, and how happy he was. You were irreplaceable."

"It is exactly because he cared that I had to leave. What kind of life was he living?" Atem said. "To not have full control of your own body, your own thoughts. I was a parasite."

Anzu felt alarm at Atem's opinion of himself, and it looked like Honda was sporting the same expression his face.

"Atem-kun, what do you think of Yugi-kun? I mean, how do you see him?" Shizuka asked.

Atem was silent for a very long time. "I spent thousands of years trapped in this darkness, until Yugi solved the Millennium Puzzle and brought light into my world. To me, he is the sun."

Anzu heard those words, and, in that moment, she understood the weight of Atem's feelings for Yugi. She understood his devotion, and the sacrifice he made for Yugi's benefit. It was everything she had wanted when she was younger, to have the full force of Atem's intensity focused on her, but she was so grateful it was not her. To have Atem was to have the weight of the world on your shoulders.

Oh Yugi, what are you going to do?

They kept walking.


"Don't do this Akhenaten," Yugi pleaded. "Whatever you are going to do, it's not worth it. It's not worth it to bring the forces of darkness back into this world."

"I am willing to sacrifice anything to give my son what he deserves, even if I must sacrifice the world to do so," Akhenaten stated.

"Are you going to bring back the Millennium Items? Are you going to bring back Zorc?" Yugi asked.

"Do you know who I am, Vessel of the Pharaoh? Do you know who my son is?"

"You're Atem's uncle, Pharaoh Aknamkanon's younger brother. Your son is Set, Kaiba-kun's past life," Yugi answered.

"The Pharaoh told you a lot," Akhenaten noted.

"What you did to create the Millennium Items was heinous. Let those spirits go, Akhenaten. Let them rest!" Yugi insisted.

"You know a lot. Too much," Akhenaten looked angry now. "But whatever you say is useless now."

"What are you planning?"

"I am going to transfer the Pharaoh's power into my son, so that he may finally claim the birthright that was robbed from him."

"That's madness, Akhenaten!" Yugi shouted. He struggled uselessly against his binds. "It's been thousands of years and there are no more Pharaohs! There's no point in doing this!"

"There is always a point when it comes to power. You can never have too much power, so there is nothing that can't be done in the pursuit of power," Akhenaten responded. "You will understand one day, or perhaps you won't. I won't know what happens to you when this is over."

"I won't let you do this Akhenaten!"

Akhenaten glanced back at him. "What can you do? You're just the vessel."

"I'm more than a vessel!" Yugi shouted angrily. "I'm Yugi Muto! I'm the only Yugi Muto in the world."

Akhenaten opened a sinister looking book and began chanting a spell. The chains tightened painfully on his body and a great force began pulling at his chest. Yugi screamed.

"I am going to split your soul now, so your spirit weakens. Then I can extract your power, the Pharaoh's power, from you using you as a conduit and transfer that power to my son," Akhenaten said over the sound of his chanting. "You will soon cease to exist. Farewell, vessel of the Pharaoh. I regret your loss."

Golden light appeared around Yugi's body and began traveling up through the chains all around until it started traveling towards Kaiba's body. But it stopped and would not go any further.

Yugi felt the pain, felt the helplessness and his fear, but he did not feel himself weaken, and he did not feel anything resembling the feeling of his soul being torn up into shreds. He refused to give up. It wasn't getting any worse, so he started fighting again. He wrenched his arms and legs harder to escape. He wasn't going to give in, and he wasn't going to give in without a fight.

"Dark Magician!" Yugi shouted. Dark Magician appeared and went straight for Akhenaten. Soon they were trading magical blows.

"Silent Swordsman!" Yugi summoned again, panting. With two slices of the sword, Yugi was free, and just in time. Akhenaten blasted Dark Magician away and Yugi narrowly avoided getting hit by dodging behind Kaiba's tablet. He tugged on Kaiba's chain but nothing worked.

Before Akhenaten could turn his attention back to Yugi, the sounds of a dragon's roar filled the air. White light appeared, followed by the form of the Blue Eyes White Dragon, with Jounouchi riding on its back.

"Jounouchi-kun!" Yugi shouted. Jounouchi jumped off and Blue Eyes charged up her attack. Within seconds the chains holding Kaiba down disappeared and Yugi pulled Kaiba off of the tablet too.

"You brat! How could you summon? How is your soul not already in pieces?" Akhenaten roared.

"Yugi's stronger than you think!" Jounouchi shouted back.

"Akhenaten, give it up! It's been thousands of years!"

"Thousands of years! I have waited this long already; I will not be thwarted by the Pharaoh's vessel!" He spat.

"Yugi is not just a vessel!"

"I won't let you bring Zorc or the powers of darkness back, and I won't let you do anything to disturb Atem's rest," Yugi announced. "If you want to beat me, you'll have to duel me!"

Akhenaten stared at him silently, and then turned around. "I will not waste my time on childish games."

"Hey, Duel Monsters isn't childish!" Jounouchi insisted.

"If you won't willingly give up the spirit of the Pharaoh for my son, then I will take it from your corpse myself." He put his hands on the Millennium Tablet. To Yugi and Jounouchi's horror, all the Millennium Items lit up in a sinister light.

"No!" Yugi and Jounouchi shouted.

"If I can't have the Pharaoh's powers, then I will take the powers of the Millennium Items and use that instead!" Akhenaten yelled triumphantly. "I created these items, I can dismantle them as well!"

"Grab that book!" Yugi pointed at the floating book near Akhenaten's head.

Blue Eyes White Dragon roared and sent a blast right at the book, but Akhenaten threw up a shield. Then he felt a presence behind him and wheeled around, but it was too late. Jounouchi had snatched it away with a mischievous grin and was currently running as fast away from him as possible. He handed the book to Yugi, and Yugi pushed Kaiba into his arms.

"You cockroaches, I will enjoy destroying you when the power of the Millennium Items is freed!" Akhenaten shouted. "It takes a ritual to create these items, but only a moment to undo them. I don't need the Spellbook for that!"

It was like the gates of hell had opened. Angry, screaming, wailing ghosts burst out of the Items like a geyser and poured into the air, blanketing the darkness with an endless maelstrom of human suffering and misery. Yugi could hear nothing but their endless screaming, and all his blood turned to ice.

"Go!" Akhenaten ordered. "Destroy those two meddlers, and then bring me and my son the powers we deserve!"

The spirits shot right at Jounouchi and Yugi. The Blue Eyes White Dragon landed in front of him and attacked again, using her brilliant white light to create a shield and protect Jounouchi.

There was nothing to protect Yugi. The full force of these ghosts hit him full on, flooding into his body from all directions and consuming him completely. Even the ghosts that attacked Jounouchi turned around and flew at Yugi. When the hideous, nightmarish cloud cleared, Yugi was lying on the ground like a broken doll, unmoving.

Jounouchi didn't notice Yugi at first. He was too shocked at Blue Eyes White Dragon's actions, and at the light in the corner of his eye that caught his attention. In his arms, Kaiba was still unconscious, but there was something glowing on his chest. Jounouchi brushed away his collar to find the gold pendant of a nail twisted into a circle, glowing hotly. It was the present he gave Kaiba. Kaiba had ghosted him. Why was he wearing it?

Then he noticed Yugi. "Yugi!" Jounouchi shouted. "Are you ok? You have to get up!"

"Your friend is gone now, consumed by the vengeful spirits of Kul Elna that were sealed inside the Millennium Items," Akhenaten said gleefully. "Soon you will be next."

"No, I'm not," Yugi whispered. To everyone's shock he pushed himself up slowly. He stood up, his breathing labored, with sweat covering his face. One hand was clenched tightly at the center of his chest, like he was in serious pain or holding something in.

What he was holding in was soon apparent, as the maelstrom of ghosts reappeared again, except this time they were trying to escape. They formed a perfectly cyclone around Yugi, writhing and screaming, and flailing desperately. They reached out, inhuman shadows of faces yawning out towards the endless void, but Yugi's hand stayed steady on his chest.

"No, you will not escape. There is nowhere to go now," Yugi said quietly. His fist was white-knuckled against his shirt.

"What have you done?" Akhenaten asked in horror.

"These spirits are trapped inside my body now," Yugi said. "Even if it kills me, I will not let you use them for power or hurt anyone ever again."

"We'll see about that," Akhenaten suddenly stopped and turned towards the side.

"Perhaps you do have some use, Vessel of the Pharaoh. You have lived up to your name, and summoned him," Akhenaten said.

Yugi turned to the side, one hand still clenched at his chest, and looked at Atem's horrified face.

Yugi smiled. "Other Me, it's been a long time."